As she watched Evie and the others back, Roxy couldn't help but shake her head. She thought that Evie was soft since she was a girl like her.

Roxy admitted that she was a bit on the manlier side, but she was a full pledge girl. Even she had a soft spot for animals and easily pitied someone's unfortunate circumstance. However, her temper got the best of her sometimes.

Roxy briefly looked at Michael's group. For some reason, it felt like no matter how hard she called out to his group, they wouldn't hear her. Even though they were meters apart, it looked like she was watching on a screen, and Michael and the others were on another part of the forest.

Roxy thought it was probably because of what Evie told them. The little stream of water directed them to the safest and true path forward. Without it, she was sure that they would just wander in the forest until they were wiped out by the monsters residing within it.

Or worse . . . They got separated and died a horrific death. The monsters in here could easily give anyone a good dose of nightmare.

Roxy took one last look at Michael and the others before she went forward.

Tough luck. Roxy thought. Their situation was now in reverse.

As the group proceeded forward, Evie and the other noticed that the wisps were almost gone, following the path towards an open grass field where the blood moon hung above the dark sky.

The good news was, the Windigos were retreating as they neared that clearing.

The bad news was, for some reason, this open grass field surrounded by trees and foliage was scarier than inside the dim forest itself, maybe because a scary-looking monster was looming at the center of the grass.

It seemed like a deer. A big deer the size of an Ox. It had two long horns beside its head that were branching out, all of which were pointy on every end. It was grinning like a hyena with its wide mouth with rows and rows of jagged, sharp teeth. One of its eyes was red, while the other was white. Black and white were fighting dominance on its fur, while bits of red were the color of its thick pelt around its neck.

"I-Is that it?" Rox gulped.

"Is that the . . . Hidden Boss?" Roxy whispered the last two sentences, unsure.

Instead of answering, Evie used a [Monocle], secretly hoping that it was indeed the Hidden Boss. They had been in this depressing forest for far too long, and she wanted to get out from here as soon as possible.

ǁ H I D D E N B O S S

R A K U S H A ‖

Location: Illusion Forest

Description:

"Once the guardian of Illusion Forest turned soul eater."

Rakusha was a magnificent deer in its times when its master was still alive. Its horns were like glass, while its fur was the marvelous color of glistering snowflakes. Its two pairs of crystal eyes were so mesmerizing that everyone wanted to see it once before they died.

It was believed that Rakusha could guide souls to their loved ones.

However, one day, Rakusha suddenly changed, and it was the day its master died. Instead of guiding souls, Rakusha ate them until it became powerful enough to control Illusion Forrest.

‖ A T T R I B U T E ‖

HP: 20 000

MP: 5000

STR: 20

DEF: 10

MDF: 150 +10 [Domain Bonus]

INT: 100 +20 [Domain Bonus]

AGL: 50

LCK: 40 + 10 [Domain Bonus]

‖ D A M A G E

R E S I S T A N C E S ‖

❶ All Magical Damage

‖ D A M A G E

I M M U N I T I E S ‖

❶ Poison

❷ Burn

❸ Freeze

‖ C O N D I T I O N

I M M U N I T I E S ‖

❶ Sleep

❷ Necrotic

❸ Paralyze

❹ Dizziness

❺ Charm

❼ Frightened

‖ W E A K N E S S ‖

❶ Physical Attacks

‖ S K I L L S & S P E L L S

Passive Skill:

❶ Control over Illusion Forest

Rakusha is the guardian of Illusion Forest, and it held most control of the forest when its master died.

Rakusha can change the scenery in Illusion Forest at its whims.

❷ Domain Advantage

Rakusha can blink anywhere within a hundred-meter radius in Illusion Forest.

Can only be activated 1x.

❸ Terrain Advantage

Rakusha can go anywhere without terrain restrictions as long as it is inside Illusion Forest.

❹ Territorial Advantage

When Rakusha is inside its territory, its skills and spells will have a 20% reduction in cooldown.

❺ Counterattack

If Rakusha is hit, it can make one Counterattack of its own.

Active Skills / Spells :

❶ Multiattack LV.6

–– Rakusha can make one Horn attack and one magical attack

–– 50% Dizziness if LCK is higher than enemies

–– Cost –1000 MP

❷ Horn Attack LV.5

–– Rakusha can ram its pointy horns at its enemy. Single target only.

–– 50% Critical Hit if STR is higher than the enemy's DEF

–– Cost –500 MP

❸ Spirit Beam LV. 7

–– Rakusha can shoot concentrated spiritual energy in a single line, dealing massive AOE damage to its enemies.

–– Cost –700 MP

‖ E N D ‖

The good news was. It was indeed Rakusha, and its list of spells and skills was straightforward and didn't complement each other.

The bad news was, Meriyaah lied.

Evie thought it wouldn't take five players with their main ATP in +40 to defeat it. She felt like the Boss was for ten or possibly twenty players to defeat.

And what even stunned them was the fact that the beast just spoke. Its voice was gurgling like an old lady while its grin almost ripped its face into two. It looked hideous and scary.

"My . . . how did you manage to escape the forest and found me?"

When no one answered, Rakusha chuckled, shaking its head. "No matter. There's no escape but death in here."

[You have ENGAGED Rakusha!]

"T-this is bad." Roxy blanked out for a moment and didn't even know what to do next. She just stared at the ugly creature in front of them before Ragnar's voice woke her up.

"You cast Taunt on it while Rox and I chip its HP. Evie, you stay behind and support us as much as you can."

"Roger." Evie got into position at the back. However, she wasn't confident that they could win this fight. She will not leave this forest without trying, though.

Roxy cast [Taunt] and drew the Boss's aggro on her while Ragnar immediately went for the offensive. Four hurricanes of slashing attacks hit Rakusha from different angles.

– 427

– 389

– 445

– 397

Everyone's eyes shone at Ragnar's damage. Ragnar's STR was almost nearing +40, coupled with Rakusha's weakness against physical attacks and low DEF, he could deal significant damage to the beast with a single skill strike.

Ragnar just had to do it fifteen times more or so of that same attacks, and they would claim firstblood!

Evie saw a ray of hope amidst the darkness, but it wasn't the time to celebrate just yet. Rakusha's passive [Counterattack] was activated, and everyone's eyes went wide when it opened its mouth, and a very bright beam burst from its throat.

Its spell [Spirit Beam] would surely kill players in one strike. Rakusha's INT was so high that any magical attacks from it would surely one hit KO its enemies.

Ragnar only saw a blinding light before fluttering butterflies replaced his vision. After that, everything went dark, and when he blinked, he found himself near Evie. From where his position before were only remnants of colorful butterflies bursting into particles as soon as the beam hit them.

Ragnar really thought that he was a goner. He was caught off guard by Rakusha's Counterattack. He knew about it and believed that it would use a normal attack as revenge, and he had already readied his weapon to guard. But against all odds, it used its ace.

Ragnar briefly looked at Evie. He didn't know what she did, but he was still alive thanks to her. "Thanks."

Instead of a 'welcome,' Evie warned, "Butterfly of Deceit has a long cooldown of one minute. And I can only use it on a single target."

Ragnar shifted his stare at the Boss. "Noted."

"T-this could be ugly . . ." Roxy wasn't feeling confident that they could defeat the Boss at this rate. If only they had teamed up with Michael, they might still have a chance.

But they were already in this predicament, so they could do nothing but fight until their last.

Roxy cast [Taunt] again since Ragnar's damage OT the aggro from her just in time that Rakusha made its move and its attack that was aimed at Ragnar went over to her.

However, what Roxy didn't expect, Rakusha would use [Multiattack] against her. The Horn attack didn't deal much damage since her DEF was high. However, the following [Spirit Beam] instantly killed her, and with Evie's skill in cooldown, there was no saving her life.

"S-sorry guys," Roxy said before she burst into particles.

"S-Sis!"

"Focus!" Ragnar immediately took on the vanguard. He was thinking of a way out from this current predicament, but all he could think was that . . . their numbers and ATP were still too low for this type of Boss.

Evie wasn't giving up, though. She was betting that the Boss's skills and spells had a long cooldown since they mainly dealt high AoE damage. Usually, those types have a very long cooldown even though Rakusha had a twenty percent reduction.

Against her expectation, Rakusha used [Multiattack] as revenge again after Ragnar hit it with [Brutal Strike]. It wasn't even a minute yet!

Its skills cooldown was insanely short!

Unable to escape, Ragnar thought that he was prepared to die. He had already accepted the inevitable. But as he thought, he still hated losing after they had gone this far. The only thing he regretted was . . . they might have won this if only there were at least ten of them.

Damn it. Ragnar briefly looked at Evie before he, too, burst into particles. Evie's effort to find the Hidden Boss was useless in the end. He was sorry that they couldn't defeat it and get the item that she wanted as promised.

At the side, Rox was in a panic now and froze under pressure and fear. With just the two of them left and Rakusha's HP still near full, there was nothing more they could do but await their death.

And with another beam of white light from Rakusha's mouth, Evie's paralyzed face cracked a little, and she closed her eyes as the blinding white light engulfed her. The only thing left in her mind at this moment was regret that they couldn't defeat the Hidden Boss. It was so near, but she had to start all over again with an ATP reduction from the death penalty.

The next thing she knew when she opened her eyes, a notification was flashing in front of her face.

[WIPED OUT!]