My 3rd Return: Archercaster's Birth

"No," I said, stopping their footsteps.

Given the timing, it was clear that the mini boss would change its attack pattern. My guess was spot on. Dozens of monsters were vomited from the spiral, although their size was smaller than before, their numbers couldn't be underestimated.

However... It was precisely because of their relatively small size that the skill I had prepared in my bow would not go to waste.

As if it had become automatic for me to cast Overlimit and Sorcery's Torch before casting my main skill. That was also the main reason why my MP had reached its limit. At least this last skill had to end this fight with an epic finale.

I strengthened my foothold, and my comrades, aware of my gesture immediately took a defensive stance. After the cold came the heat. The air around us almost melted from the flaming red arrow on my bow.

A type of skill that was not only effective for a counter-element but also a ghost-type. In fact, it was written in the description that cremation fire would not let enemies remain within the skill's range. Given that this corridor was narrow, and the monsters were closing in on us, what a golden opportunity.

"[Cremation]," I shouted, perfectly timed with releasing the bowstring.

The fiery arrow flew straight towards the pack of monsters, and upon impact, their bodies melted like butter drenched in boiling oil. There was no sign of burning like regular fire would cause, only leaving glowing embers on the remaining parts of the monsters' bodies.

Although the main body of the mini boss was encased in ice, preventing it from freely moving, small cracks had begun to spread uncontrollably. In just a matter of seconds, the colossal worm would soon break free from its icy prison.

But alas, several seconds was more than enough time for the Cremate arrow to hit its mark.

Taking the initiative, knowing what would happen to all of us, Ritta stood with a brave pose, her back facing all of us. The Armshield she wore on her right hand bloomed as Ritta began her gesture. "[Shelter]," she muttered. With a gentle motion, Ritta punched the ground, creating a wave that formed a dome around the five of us.

Instantly, as soon as the Cremate arrow made contact with the giant and elongated body of the mini boss, an explosion that wasn't so grand unfolded before us. There was no sound of the boss's agonized groans, instead, in an instant, most of its body turned into dust.

"Not so fancy, huh?"

"Nonsense, if it weren't for Shelter, we would have suffered burns similar to that."

I tried to listen to my companions' small conversation, as I was the only one among them who was a newcomer to this VR world. Honestly, I hadn't considered the effects of my skill that could harm my own comrades. Even though I had experienced it myself before, it was just how reckless I was.

Well, thanks to that, they didn't immediately notice a drastic change that had just happened to me. My MP bar hit its lowest point, and I lost my Versatile from my hand.

"I take back my words, regardless of whether you're a mage or whatever, I was pessimistic Blue could do it."

"There's no doubt, Eve's Sanctuary really changes mage's playstyle to be as agile as Blue."

"The Diviner... damn, I hope I get one too."

It's natural for MMO players to feel envious of what other players get, especially if that item is super rare. The satisfaction of owning it is an unbearable ecstasy. I can understand that too.

But, before they delve any further into this issue, there's something more important. "We don't have the privilege to chat, do we? Let's get right in," I said, taking the initiative to step forward.

There's just over ten minutes left to defeat the final boss of the dungeon. I won't be able to do it alone, I came to this conclusion after facing the mini boss on my own. The difficulty of this dungeon is not something I can handle alone as a mage, at least not for now.

With that doubt in my mind, I just stood still in front of the gate to the final boss, my hand hesitant to reach out.

"So what's happened?"

"I think you should be the one to do it," I answered, turning my head to Appa.

His face showed ignorance and bewilderment with my demeanor, but Appa casually opened the gate.

It was a pretty magnificent room. The floor had intricate carvings that are hard to describe, with ancient brown accents. Looking around, we were greeted with an amazing underwater view, but looking up, we were shown a beautiful daytime sky. Such a contrast.

Most definitely there was a figure of the final boss standing in the center of the room. Feeling our arrival, the face which had previously seemed offline, moved. Overall, it looked like a normal human being. From its size and appearance, there was nothing that characterized it as some kind of monster.

Rather than wearing armor, this boss only wore super-normal clothes with a t-shirt and shorts without many decorations. If there's something that seemed to be impressive at first sight, it's that straw hat that seemed to stick to its head. When it opened its eyes and looked at us, those pairs of crystal blue eyes shone so beautifully.

The Reliable Fisherman-Angler, Lv.445

"Is it the final boss?" I asked, as if I was the only one who didn't understand the situation.

"Don't underestimate appearances, you'll see for yourself."

Appa had adopted a resolute position, holding his spear with a slight downwards tilt, while Ritta, who stood beside him, had balled up her hands defensively as though preparing to withstand a flurry of assaults at any moment. The gravity of the situation was palpable to both Subtle and Nomad, who were positioned behind me as our supporting cast.

"Never step too far away from me, senior," Ritta said.

I don't really get the meaning of her words except literally, so I just nodded.