14-Slaying a Golden Boss!
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Sure, he said that, but Su Mo knew with his 589 strength stat, this Guandao was seriously falling behind.
Even back at 129 strength, it had felt a bit light.
Now? With this kind of power, he figured he could one-punch that Trial Hall guardian from before.
Su Mo was still savoring the surging strength in his body, debating whether to use his weapon.
Given the situation, one fight might just trash this blade!
While he hesitated, the 100-meter-tall Fear Scarecrow launched its attack.
From its millstone-sized eyes, a scarlet beam shot out, bathing Su Mo in red light.
Then… nothing happened, except for a system prompt.
[Fear Scarecrow used Heart of Fear on you. Judging… Judgment failed.]
Not only did nothing happen, the scarlet glow made Su Mo, standing tall with his Guandao, look even more imposing!
He glanced at the red sparks flickering off him like starlight, puzzled, poking at them. "What's this? Turning me into a neon sign?"
The Fear Scarecrow paused, then fired a black beam his way.
The black ray mingled with the red glow, casting Su Mo as a demon straight out of hell.
"You're just adding special effects now? Done yet? My turn!"
**[Boom!]**
Su Mo slammed his Guandao into the ground, bent his knees, and launched himself at the 100-meter golden boss.
He'd just decided—no weapon. It was too valuable to risk!
**[Bang!]**
A thunderous crash echoed as Su Mo glanced at the [–99] floating above the scarecrow's head, his face darkening.
His strength now outstripped the boss's defense, but this damage? Pathetic!
The thing had 99,999 HP, and his full-force punch only did 99?!
At this rate, it'd take forever!
Unconvinced, he hammered the Fear Scarecrow with dozens of punches. Damage varied, but the highest was just over 160.
Against nearly 100,000 HP, 100 damage was less than a scratch—more like a mosquito bite.
And to the 100-meter Fear Scarecrow, 1.8-meter Su Mo really was just a mosquito.
The damage didn't hurt, but no one likes getting nipped by the same bug over and over.
Red, black, and green beams blasted Su Mo again, draping him in a rainbow of lights as he kept punching.
**[AHHH~]**
A ghastly wail erupted from the scarecrow's mouth. Soundwaves rippled out in black rings, shaking the earth.
Su Mo dug at his ear, annoyed. "Fight properly and quit screaming—it's deafening!"
As if it understood, the Fear Scarecrow flailed in helpless rage, swatting at Su Mo like a mosquito with its massive hand.
**[Boom!]**
Dust exploded 300 meters away. Su Mo emerged from the cloud, spitting out grit.
Glancing at the boss's 90,000+ HP, a lightbulb went off in his head.
This thing's a scarecrow! Punching it bare-handed? What am I, an idiot?!
His gaze locked onto the Guandao he'd planted in the ground earlier.
He'd briefly considered fire, but the only spark he had was a lighter.
Burning a golden boss with that? He'd be a laughingstock.
With a leap, he dashed to the Guandao, grabbed it one-handed, and charged the Fear Scarecrow again.
Swinging wildly, straw flew as a string of [–99]s popped up.
Su Mo's heart leapt—I knew it!—and ignoring the boss's flailing, he hacked at one spot relentlessly.
His plan was simple: carve straight through!
He slashed away, cutting from the outside into its abdomen.
A three-meter hole gaped at its waist, each strike popping up a flurry of [–99]s.
The Fear Scarecrow ran, roared, leapt, and thrashed across the boundless field like a kid throwing a tantrum—oddly joyful to watch.
Deep in its abdomen, Su Mo found a massive log so thick ten people couldn't wrap their arms around it.
After several slashes failed to cut it, his ferocity kicked in.
He attacked the log like a madman, guessing it was the core holding the scarecrow up.
A bit too scientific for a fantasy setting, but it made sense.
After 200 slashes, the log toppled with a [–99,999] in scarlet.
Su Mo grinned—finally dead! His first golden boss kill—what would it drop? How many attribute points?
But checking his panel, he froze. No experience. No free attribute points.
**[AHH~~]**
A piercing shriek hit, and Su Mo's body was forcibly ejected from the scarecrow.
The red moon in the sky swelled, and the bisected Fear Scarecrow began regenerating.
Its zeroed HP bar shot back to 99,999.
Emerging from the dust, Su Mo spat again.
"A second life?! This thing's got some tricks! But if I killed you once, I'll kill you twice!"
He said that, but glancing at his chipped Guandao, he shifted his focus to the scarecrow's head—specifically its millstone-sized eyes.
Thanks to Absolute Defense, he could stare it down without falling into its nightmare trap.
With a powerful leap, he soared 80 meters to its shoulder.
A giant palm swung at him; he dodged, landing on its face.
He drove his chipped Guandao into its eye socket, raised his left leg, and stomped the hilt. The massive eye popped out.
Quick as a flash, he punched it. The black eyeball exploded, and cracks spiderwebbed across the sky.
A wretched scream shook the heavens, the instance ground trembling.
The once-upright Fear Scarecrow dropped to its knees, clutching its empty socket with straw hands.
[–89,000]
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