Chapter 63 – Breaking the Boss
The battlefield was in chaos.
The Goblin Chief loomed over them, its massive cleaver gleaming with fresh blood. The air was thick with tension, the lingering presence of magic still crackling after the Shaman's death.
Kyung-min exhaled.
It was time.
Kyung-min barely spared a glance at the incoming Goblin Chief.
His system notifications had been flooding in since the battle began.
He pulled up his status window—but only for a moment.
The battle was still ongoing, and while the others struggled to recover from the last exchange, he took the time to reallocate his power.
He had 5 unspent points.
Rather than overthinking it, he made a balanced decision—even distribution across all his stats.
🔹🔹 STATUS WINDOW – Han Kyung-min (After Point Distribution)
🔹 Level: 7 (+2 Level)🔹 Rank: E🔹 Class: Revenant Necromancer🔹 Title: The Lone Necromancer
🔹 HP: 875 → 927 (+10% from Light Combat Suit → 1019 HP)🔹 MP: 1,275 → 1,335 (+5% from Phantom Mask → 1,401 MP)
🔹 Attributes (After Point Distribution & Gear Bonuses):
🔹 Strength: 52 → 54 (+10 from Manaforged Gloves Bonus) → 64🔹 Agility: 57 → 59 (+10 from Agility Boots, +10 from Phantom Mask Bonus) → 79🔹 Stamina: 52 → 53 (+1 from level-up, +10% HP from Light Combat Suit Bonus) → 53🔹 Intelligence: 100 → 105 (+2 from level-up, +3 from stat allocation) → 105🔹 Perception: 61 → 63 (+5 from Phantom Mask Bonus, +2 from stat allocation) → 68
🔹 Free Stat Points Remaining: 0
A faint pulse of energy surged through his body.
His breathing steadied.
His muscles felt sharper, denser.
His mana—more controlled, flowing smoother than before.
—
The Goblin Chief's First True Strike
The Goblin Chief didn't wait.
Kyung-min had allocated his points in seconds, but even that brief moment was enough for the beast to close the gap.
It raised its massive cleaver, jagged edges gleaming with malice.
A downward arc.
A single swing—one that could end someone in an instant.
Kyung-min's instincts screamed.
His body reacted before he even processed the thought.
🔹 [Abyss Step – Activated]
A flash of black mist—he vanished.
Reappearing a few meters behind, just as the cleaver crashed into the ground.
The shockwave tore through the stone, cracking the dungeon floor beneath where he had stood.
Min-seok, still catching his breath, let out a shaky laugh.
"W-What the hell?! That thing just—!"
But Kyung-min wasn't listening.
His eyes were locked onto the Chief's grip.
—
Observation: The Beast's Weaknesses
Something was off.
The cleaver was too large.
The Goblin Chief was powerful, but the weapon wasn't suited for its build.
It swung wide, heavy—too much weight behind each attack.
A strength-based fighter.
Not a speed-based one.
Kyung-min's smirk returned.
He had found his opening.
Now—he just had to exploit it.
The battle had truly begun.
The Goblin Chief snarled, yanking its massive cleaver from the cracked dungeon floor. The impact had been enough to send dust and debris flying, but its attack had hit nothing.
Kyung-min had already repositioned, standing a short distance away—calm, unreadable.
The Goblin Chief's yellow eyes burned with rage.
It had missed.
A prey had escaped.
And in its mind—that was unacceptable.
The Chief lunged.
Faster than before, closing the gap with raw power. It was learning.
Kyung-min barely shifted his stance.
His gaze flicked toward his team.
How would they react?
—
Assessing the Party's Response
Eun-ha was the first to move.
Her sword flashed, intercepting the Chief's charge with a precise, controlled slash. She aimed for the legs—smart, trying to limit mobility.
But the Goblin Chief twisted, taking only a shallow cut.
Its massive arm swung in retaliation, and Eun-ha barely leaped back in time.
Her expression tightened. She knew.
This enemy wasn't like the rest.
Joo-hyuk followed next.
His shield raised, stance firm. "COME ON, THEN!"
The Goblin Chief obliged.
It swung its cleaver down.
Joo-hyuk braced for impact—and staggered backward from the sheer force.
The shield held, but barely.
Min-seok, watching from the side, looked pale.
"This thing is an absolute monster…"
Da-jung muttered something under her breath, her hands glowing faintly with prepared magic.
Kyung-min silently observed.
His theory was confirmed.
The team had strength. But no coordination.
—
The Mistake That Could Kill Them
The Goblin Chief roared, enraged.
Its cleaver swung in wide arcs—faster, sharper.
Joo-hyuk barely kept up. He wasn't dodging—only blocking.
That was a problem.
Kyung-min's eyes narrowed.
The moment Joo-hyuk slows down, he's dead.
Eun-ha was preparing to counterattack, but she was waiting.
She was looking for the right moment.
She didn't realize.
There wouldn't be one.
Kyung-min clicked his tongue.
This was taking too long.
—
His Turn
A blur.
Kyung-min moved.
Joo-hyuk staggered from another impact, his arms shaking from the repeated blows.
The Goblin Chief raised its cleaver for a final, decisive strike.
Kyung-min stepped in.
His hand clamped around the Chief's wrist.
The beast froze.
A single moment of pure, stunned disbelief.
Then—crack.
Kyung-min's fingers tightened.
A sickening snap echoed.
The Goblin Chief shrieked.
Joo-hyuk's breath caught. Eun-ha's blade faltered.
Even Da-jung's chanting stopped mid-sentence.
Because they had just witnessed something impossible.
Kyung-min had done something no E-rank should have been able to do.
He had stopped the Goblin Chief's attack— with his bare hands.
—
Fear. Confusion. Realization.
The Chief snarled, thrashing.
It struggled, pulled back, but Kyung-min's grip did not loosen.
His voice came out flat. Cold.
"Too slow."
The Goblin Chief's eyes widened.
A shadow flickered.
Then—
🔹 [Abyss Step – Activated]
Kyung-min vanished.
And reappeared behind it.
His dagger flashed.
🔹 [Critical Hit!]
The blade plunged deep into the Chief's exposed side.
The beast roared, staggering forward. Blood poured freely.
It wasn't a fatal wound. Not yet.
But it was enough to change the flow of battle.
—
The Shift in Control
Joo-hyuk, still trying to process what had happened, saw the opportunity.
He shouted, slamming his shield into the Chief's chest.
The Goblin stumbled backward—directly into Eun-ha's range.
Her sword moved like lightning.
A deep slash carved through the Chief's leg.
It fell to one knee, panting heavily.
Da-jung, who had regained focus, finally unleashed her prepared spell.
A burst of light crashed into the Chief's back, searing its flesh.
The Goblin Chief howled in agony.
The momentum had shifted.
The team had found its rhythm.
—
Kyung-min's Thoughts
He took a step back, watching the fight unfold.
The Goblin Chief was struggling now.
Its attacks had become slower, weaker.
This was their win.
But Kyung-min wasn't looking at the battle anymore.
He was looking at his team.
The way they had adapted.
The way they had capitalized on an opening.
The way they had changed after his intervention.
A quiet smirk tugged at his lips.
Maybe there was something to learn from this, after all.