A murmur ran through the group as Silver Bde lost almost half her HP.

  “Don’t let her attack me again! Everyone o defend once!”

  “Alright!”

  The group opped attag. The weaker elite’s HP were almost running out.

  Suddenly the pirate gritted her teeth shouting dangerously:

  “Die! You ndlubbers!”

  The two pirates looked at each other, about to distahemselves from the fight. Liam narrowed his eyes. He had been waiting for this moment.

  “Stay here!”

  Suddenly Liam used his skill. With a [Sidestep] he fshed behind the elites, reag the perfect position for a [Brutal Strike].

  The veteran grabbed his sword with two hands. Building momentum with his entire body he forcefully brought it down on the elite’s head.

  [Stun 1sed]

  Osick’s right hand stopped in pce, holding her head. But Osick’s left hand wasn’t held back. With a smooth move she suddenly fled a few meters.

  Liam knew what was about to e. He let Osick’s right hand for his team to finish off as he swiftly closed the distao the other elite.

  Fortunately, Silver Bde proved awareness of the situation, direg everyoo get rid of the pirate.

  At this moment Osick’s left hand pulled a on out of thin air. It looked like a small version of a ship’s on, its opening steaming ominously.

  “Go to hell!”

  Boom!

  A deafening sound rang out as a small bb shot out. Liam gritted his teeth seeing the explosive ing towards him.

  His body tensed, his sword held before him in defense.

  Boom!

  The ground trembled as a rge explosio off. Sparks flew through the air, bck steam rising.

  Fmes and shockwaves spread, reag the party, even dealing a few points of damage.

  Everyone uood that if the attack reached them unimpeded, the damage would’ve been catastrophic.

  “Oh no, Bleary Mirage!”

  Cye looked at the ter of the explosion in worry. As the vision cleared, a man covered in bck dirt appeared.

  He looked weak on his legs, small fires burning around him.

  “What are you waiting for? Entahe elite!”

  Liam yelled urgently. Blog the elite’s skill took away his eand still robbed him of a few dozen HP. He couldn’t defend against the elite in this state.

  Fortunately, Silver Bde reacted instantly, dashing past the battered warrior and attrag the elite’s attention.

  With the main damage sohe subsequent fight didn’t hold any more surprises. Silver Bde and Radiant Shield did well in juggling the aggro until Osick’s left hand finally fell.

  “Puh, we did it.”

  “Well done, guys.”

  The pyers gratuted each other after a difficult fight. As they recovered, Cye stared at Liam, eventually not able to hold back her ughter.

  “Hahaha, you look so funny!”

  Liam rolled his eyes. Blog the skill had temporarily altered his appearance. But it should return to normal in a few minutes.

  “Your hair looks like from a cartoon!”, excimed Balm.

  “So much soot. Maybe you should go wash real quick.”

  “No, stay like this, maybe the boss runs away by itself.”

  Liam shook his head. He grinned, reag out his hand towards the elite.

  “Keep making fun of me. In the meantime, I will enjoy looting the elites.”

  “No!”

  The party members chuckled amusedly as Cye dove frabbing the elite like a goalkeeper.

  This round of looting revealed a few mreen-magic items, preparing the group for the uping fight.

  Cye was finally able to ge her wand, boosting her damage.

  Notig that everyone was ready, Silver Bde looked at Liam.

  “Mirage, you tell us what to expect?”

  Liam khat the uping fight would be impossible without his assistance. After all, he had already prepared for it in the m.

  Thus, he revealed some information to Silver Bde.

  “Our oppo is the pirate captain Osick. He draws power from the trident and will be too difficult for us to fight.

  Thus, when the fight starts you o juggle aggro perfectly. Everyo es has to defend once.

  I will do something to cut the e.

  After he is weakened you fight regurly.”

  “Thanks.

  You all heard it, right? Don’t save your health potions. Give it all you’ve got!”

  “Yeah!”

  The prospect of defeating a boss excited everyone. Liam decided not to reveal to them that Osick couldn’t be sidered a boss enemy.

  The party lined up behind Silver Bde, walking up the stairs to the right.

  They reached a rge wooden ptform. A thin, tall man, his skin surprisingly pale came into view. He zed around on a throne made from all kinds of stone found in the o.

  A crooked sat atop his head; a blue armor made from flowing water c his body.

  At the ter of his chest sat a suspicious blue crystal.

  Faint mist hung over the ptform, ing from the rushing waterfall to the right.

  Behind the man an impressive pirate ship drifted on the o, the sun refleg from the waves.

  Silver Bde signaled everyoo spread along the edge of the ptform, while iing the pirate captain.

  [Pirate Captain Osik: Lord

  Level: 15

  HP: ???

  Skill 1: ???

  Skill 2: ???

  Skill 3: ???

  A vicious pirate captain. Appearing out of nowhere he terrorizes the surrounding coasts.]

  Everyone was tense as they looked at the information. Although the pirate captain was no boss enemy, he was far beyond the current party.

  “Look, look, look. What did the waves wash ashore?

  So weak, yet you made it here? My subordinates are really inpetent.

  Well, then I will have to finish you off personally.”

  The pirate captain spoke with a high voiatg the temosphere. Standing up slowly, a vague pressure spread.

  Osick grinned, gripping the pale blue saber o his throne.

  His other hao his chest, toug the blue crystal.

  At this moment the air stirred. Walls of water rose, blog the stairs. Even the o moved faintly. An illusionary blue line ected Osiewhere up the waterfall.

  “Withe might of Osick, the king of pirates!”

  Osick ughed excitedly as he fshed, quickly appearing before Radiant Shield.

  “Careful everyone!”

  [Stance -30]

  The tank’s body trembled. Most of his stance was gone i.

  And this wasn’t all. With Osick’s attack, water spshed towards the surroundings, prompting Cye to evade hastily.

  “Don’t let him reach the mages!”

  The fight started suddenly. Liam directly took out Refresnim’s dark orb of flight. Wings spread behind his body, carrying him into the air.

  Everyone including Osick looked at Bleary Mirage in surprise.

  But the pirate captain wasn’t distracted for long, swinging his saber at Quickstep who brazenly attacked him.

  Liam hoped that his party would survive as he flew higher and higher.

  A few seds ter he plunged into the waterfall, following the line inating from Osick.

  Liam’s feathery wings weren’t affected by the water due to their magiature. They allowed him to safely reach a narrow cave behind the waterfall.

  Blue dots of light floated in their air. They inated from the water, coerced by the mysterious trident standing upright in the ter of the cave.

  The light reflected from the walls, creating a seremosphere.

  But Liam had no time to admire the sery. He drew his sword and quickly hacked at a few blue crystals scattered around the trident.

  The crystals burst apart. The light dimmed gradually.

  Eventually Liam got rid of all five crystals.

  “You dare!”

  An angry shout came from the ground. The rest of the party watched as the line inating from Osick faded, his armor disappearing and his body turning listless.

  Silver Bde ied the pirate captain again.

  [Pirate Captain Osik: Lord

  Level: 8

  HP: 2200/2200

  Skill 1: [Passive] Osick deals water attributed spsh damage with each of his attacks as long as he draws power from the trident.

  Skill 2: ???

  Skill 3: ???

  Status: Weakened, Dazed

  A vicious pirate captain. Appearing out of nowhere he terrorizes the surrounding coasts.]

  “Quick! Attack with all you got!”

  Silver Bde’s shout woke up her teammates. Seeing that Osick didn’t move, they unleashed everything.

  [-91!]

  [-60!]

  [-79!]

  [-48!]

  The magic damage arrived first, shaving off a good amount of HP.

  “Well done!”

  “tinue!”

  Silent Acacia didn’t have to face Osick directly yet, so he wasn’t able to build up fury. He could only tih normal attacks.

  [-40!]

  The young thief smiled smugly. His damage was alright pared to the other physical attackers.

  Suddenly a shadow fell oform. Liam made use of the bit of time left from his item to desd, striking Osick squarely in the head.

  [-28!]

  Liam frowned, not satisfied with his damage. But he knew as well that the only reason his party was able to face of against Osick was because of the weakeate.

  Under normal circumsta wasn’t possible to fight a lord enemy with this much level difference.

  However, at this moment Osick shook off his dazed state.

  “You all will pay for this!”

  The pirate captain bellowed angrily as he swung his saber at Liam.

  Watg the blue streak fsh at him, Liam’s chest tightened. He threw himself to the ground, barely able to evade.