Chapter 769: No.68 (6)

As Grand General Earth Eater approached one step at a time, we also took combat stances and formed an encirclement.

At the same time, I gave the party instructions.

“We need to handle it carefully.”

“I know.”

Lee Sudok answered as if that went without saying.

However, even he looked uncharacteristically tense.

Just the fact that it isn’t riding a robot says enough.

For ordinary rabbits, most of their combat power came from the quality of the machine they piloted, while the actual body was weak enough to be pathetic.

Yet this one was openly engaging us in close combat from the start.

That meant it was confident in its own skill.

It isn’t the Earth Eater we knew.

Story-wise, there was a considerable time gap between [Rabbit Room], [Tower], [Center], and this dungeon, and during that time, this thing had grown tremendously stronger as well.

The difference was about the same as between a second-rate martial artist and a supreme master.

Difficulty to defeat: A+.

Since we had [Time Resistance], our situation was relatively better, but this was still going to be no easy fight.

At last, just as Grand General Earth Eater seemed to stop after approaching one step at a time, the entire area instantly turned black and white.

TICK— TOCK— TICK— TOCK—

Its signature move, [Time Freeze], had activated.

We can resist it for now.

The thing should know that too.

It had seen us move around without issue in the previous dungeons, and we had also defeated countless general-class units in this dungeon.

The fact that it had still started with [Time Freeze] meant—

It has some other aim.

The next moment, the Grand General crouched slightly, kicked off the ground, and shot toward us.

Then it swung the two clock hands in rapid succession at terrifying speed.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

Lee Sudok tilted his greatsword and defended.

Normally, he would have counterattacked too, but right now, he seemed focused entirely on blocking.

Of course, Lee Sudok was not the only one facing the thing.

WHOOOSH!

PAPAPAT!

Dang Gyu-ri, Seo Cheongyong, and I launched a pincer attack from three directions.

Just as [Frost-White Shot], the shadow bat, and freezing magic were about to land—

TICK.

With the short sound of a second hand, the Grand General’s body moved back to where it had been when the battle first began.

As if time had been rewound.

[Time Drift].

During the ten-second duration of [Time Freeze], it could move to any desired timeline.

The reason it had returned to its original position was because it had gone back one second.

After escaping the encirclement like that, Earth Eater rushed toward Seo Ye-in on the flank.

“Gyu-gyut, you dared put a leash on this body!”

“A token of friendship.”

“Friendship, my foot! This is why humans are no good!”

Even though quite some time had passed, it apparently still remembered that humiliation.

The two clock hands were swung with rage behind them.

In response, Seo Ye-in stepped back with [Featherstep], then, perhaps deciding she could no longer dodge, cast [Ghost Without Shadow].

Then the shadow undead filled the empty space and attacked, but—

TICK.

It shook them off with [Time Drift] again, then exchanged offense and defense with Seo Cheongyong this time.

TICK— TOCK— TICK……

Meanwhile, color returned to the black-and-white field, and I immediately gave the order.

“Now.”

WHISH-WHISH-WHISH-WHISH!

TUDUDUDU!

The party poured attacks on it all at once.

[Time Freeze] had a clear cooldown, and during that time, it could not use [Drift] either.

If we wanted to accumulate damage on the Grand General, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» aiming for that opening was the best move.

Of course, that was not the only card it had.

As it dodged and struck away the barrage of attacks pouring in, this time it closed in on me.

“Gyuik, the most irritating human!”

“Thanks for the compliment, Earth Eater.”

“You, at least, I’ll skewer on my clock hands!”

WHISH-WHISH-WHISH-WHISH!

The long and short hands stabbed and slashed at me without pause.

I dodged some, knocked some aside with my staff, and redirected some with [Transplanting Flowers, Grafting Trees].

And every time I did, notification messages rose one after another.

[Cooldown 59:01]

[Cooldown 59:07]

[Cooldown 59:12]

Far from shrinking, [Grant]’s cooldown was increasing instead.

By several seconds at a time, not just one.

It was because of the Grand General’s third powerful card, and also its unique trait.

[Time Plunder].

Every time it exchanged offense and defense with an opponent, it stole duration or cooldown.

Randomly, between one and ten seconds.

And if it landed a clean hit, it stole a full minute, while the cooldown of [Time Freeze] decreased by the amount of time it stole.

It also pairs well with dual wielding.

Since it attacked more often than most weapons, it also stole time that many more times.

For once, I felt myself practically drooling.

Ah, I want that. I want it so badly.

How much could I raise my enemies’ blood pressure if I had that?

And reduce my cooldowns while I was at it.

Unfortunately, [Time Drift] and [Plunder] were a unique skill and unique trait, so they could not be copied.

For now, I would have to be satisfied with the [Golden Pocket Watch].

Someday, an opportunity to obtain a trait or piece of equipment with a similar effect would come.

TICK— TOCK— TICK— TOCK—

The black-and-white space unfolded once more.

Apparently, it had stolen time from all over the place and shaved off the entire cooldown.

For at least ten seconds, it was the thing’s one-sided attack window.

TICK.

It escaped the party members’ offensive with [Time Drift] again, then stuck close to Fast-Luckless and swung its clock hands.

SLAAASH!

The hologram was torn to shreds and scattered.

Fast-Luckless was resummoned a short distance away.

∴ Immediate resurrection.

“……Gyu-it.”

Grand General Earth Eater clicked its tongue briefly, then used [Drift] again and charged at Seo Ye-in.

For some reason, it feels like it’s only targeting her.

It must have a lot built up.

Among the party members, she was also the weakest in close combat.

DING, DING-DING.

Seo Ye-in dodged the clock hands and blocked with the pot.

If she kept getting driven back like that, she would eventually go down, and to make matters worse, she had just used [Ghost Without Shadow], so it was on cooldown.

So I used ★Blink★ to cut between the Grand General and Seo Ye-in.

“Gyu-gyut, this is even better!”

The thing pressed its offensive even harder.

Because when it came to personal resentment, I was number one.

I blocked and dodged much like before, while landing several shots of [Mystic Sound Jade Demon Finger] and [Frost-White Shot].

BOOM! BOBOOM!

However, rather than freezing, the thing did not show even the slightest hint of cold.

Of course it has a defensive measure.

It was probably not a resistance-type effect, but something that blocked debuffs a set number of times regardless of rank.

It would recharge after a certain amount of time, and it could likely bring that timing forward with [Time Plunder] as well.

I have no choice but to save [Mutual-Destruction Eye] and [Diamond Freeze].

If I used them now, I would only waste the skills and put them on cooldown for nothing.

TICK— TOCK— TICK……

The black-and-white space lifted again, and the party members actively joined forces against the Grand General.

We damaged it for a while, then [Time Freeze] activated again, then it ended.

After repeating similar actions, the wounds on its body increased quite a bit.

But it still looked like we had a long way to go before taking it down.

The longer this drags on, the more dangerous it gets.

The battle situation itself was in our favor, so if things continued as they were, we would win.

However, the gap was not overwhelmingly large, which made the exchange look somewhat even.

If an ublek suddenly pops out somewhere at a time like this…

There was an unexpected risk that we would suffer a major setback.

Lee Sudok seemed to be thinking along similar lines, because he asked me,

“Is the debuff defense the problem?”

“Yes.”

“What if it can be solved?”

“We can finish this quickly.”

“Good. Prepare yourself.”

TICK— TOCK— TICK— TOCK—

[Time Freeze] activated once more.

Meanwhile, I casually said one thing to Seo Ye-in.

“Can you make that thing angry?”

“……?”

“Like with a taunt.”

“……Challenge.”

Seo Ye-in seemed to think for a moment, then took out a rope and slowly waved it toward the Grand General.

“Leash.”

“Is that what you call a taunt?”

The thing snorted.

Since it had overheard our conversation, of course it was mentally prepared.

But Seo Ye-in kept slowly waving the rope.

“Pet Earth Eater.”

“……!”

“Come here.”

“Gyu-it……!”

“There, there.”

“Kii—iiiik—! I can’t stand this—!”

The thing rushed in with a shrill scream.

However, just as the two clock hands were about to swing like twin swords—

“……Walking-only escape.”

[Shift Blink]

Seo Ye-in vanished with a whoosh, and I appeared in her place.

We had swapped positions.

At the same time, Lee Sudok was also taking out a magic scroll and tearing it in half.

That’s A+ rank too.

Our school just has a lot of money.

Soon, the engraved magic was released, and it felt as if a faint film surrounding the Grand General vanished.

It had removed its debuff defense measure.

I immediately met the thing’s eyes.

[Mutual-Destruction Eye]

CRAAACK.

I inflicted freeze on one of its arms and one of its legs.

For a twin-sword type that emphasized speed, it was a fatal move.

However, a derisive smile hung on the Grand General’s lips.

“Gyu-gyu-gyut.”

TICK.

It created distance with [Time Drift] while removing the freeze with [Purification].

But its smile did not last long, because I was right beside it.

The moment it escaped with [Drift], I had followed it with ★Blink★.

“Once I’ve seen it a few times, I can predict it.”

“You—”

Before it even had time to open its mouth, a huge water bubble swallowed Grand General Earth Eater.

After trapping it with [Bubble Bubble(S)], I chained [Diamond Freeze] and [Mystic Sound Jade Demon Finger].

CRAAACK.

Seeing the thing completely neutralized, Lee Sudok offered rare praise.

“Excellent.”

Then he drove his greatsword forward with all his strength.

Seo Cheongyong, Dang Gyu-ri, and the Gyu shadow undead did the same.

SLAAASH!

KWAAAAANG!

All kinds of finishers struck the ice bubble.

However, Grand General Earth Eater still had not fallen.

As expected of an A+-rank boss, it had a fairly sturdy body.

Of course, the party members’ attacks continued, and the same was true of Seo Ye-in and the mirror image.

Sssss……

Her gray hair bleached pure white, and the blue mana round also took on a pure white light.

As they loaded it into their mana guns, the two Seo Ye-ins looked around the field, which had turned black and white.

TICK— TOCK— TICK—

∴ ……It is dark.

“Power creates light.”

∴ And I feel powerful.

PAAAAAT—!

Finichip brightly illuminated the entire world.

A short while later, when the light faded, Grand General Earth Eater was sprawled out on the floor in a starfish pose.

“……Gyu-it.”

“You said this would be the last time, right?”

“……I thought it would. But to think it would be like this.”

After remaining silent for a while, the thing looked up at the sky and spoke again.

“Gyut, I merely dreamed. A dream of seeing carrot fields stretch endlessly…….”

“I understand. Anyone can dream.”

“…….”

“But did the carrot field really have to be here? There are plenty of other places.”

“You raise my blood pressure to the very end…….”

Grand General Earth Eater clutched the back of its neck, then flopped back down.

In the end, it lost consciousness.

Soon after, two small boxes floated up beside it.

[Rabbit War Random Box(A+)]*2

As befitted the final boss, the reward was excellent.

But we still had not collected the truly important thing.

After receiving a look from me, Dang Gyu-ri stepped forward.

Then, when they reached out toward Earth Eater, its shadow slipped out and moved under its new master’s feet.

[Using ‘Shadow Extraction.’]

[Registering ‘Clock Rabbit Grand General(A+)’ to a slot.]

▷Shadow Extraction[6/7]

We got it. [Time Plunder].