Chapter 92: Trial and Error Against the Six Bosses
Stark after crafting his potions immediately headed toward the displays with the thought-shapped images.
[Do you want to select 'The Conjoined Siblings' as a memory to experience?]
'Yes.'
Then he would move on to the next one.
[Do you want to select 'Creeping Shadows' as a memory you want to experience?]
'...'
[Do you want to select...]
[Do you want...]
After around a minute, he had selected all 6 bosses that were available to be fought inside of the museum.
He had absolutely no strategy whatsoever, instead wanting to test out whatever would happen if he actually tried to do that.
He would surely got demolished that's for sure, but how badly?
He would need a strategy, relying on sole stats and skills wouldn't be enough as even someone that is well over level 150 would probably die against these 6 enemies.
But he had an advantage: infinite tries, infinite attempts to do whatever he wanted.
[You have selected ALL the memories of the museum]
[Difficulty:] Nightmare
[Do you want to proceed?]
'Of course!' He clicked on the panel, and almost instantly was surrounded by that black mist of memories, transporting him to another location.
And when he opened his eyes back...
"Haha... this is still just as terrifying," he felt a drop of sweat on his forehead.
Before him were all the bosses he had previously defeated, and even though they wouldn't be an issue if alone, the fact the 6 of them were here together created a powerful aura even Stark could sense was bad.
His goal: beat them all and get used to fight powerful opponents at the same time.
He also noticed that the arena had changed.
It was... a mix of all of the boss's areas?
Water that reached a little above his feet could be seen, to accommodate the 'Black Water Devourer', the circular walls of the arena were replaced by buildings, much like Malakar's city, there were dozens of marble pillars scattered across the giant space for Judicator, and there was a ceiling with mirrors all over it, for the Mirror Master and the other two.
Basically, this arena was a mix of all the challenges of the previous bosses, which he would also need to take into account.
[3...]
The monsters grabbed their weapons.
[2...]
Judicator let out his giant black wings and the devourer disappeared into the water.
[1...]
The Creeping Shadow, which was just a perfect replica of Stark, smiled, ready to eliminate its owner.
[FIGHT!]
The moment the fight began, Malakar sent his cane at him, while Judicator and the shadow dashed toward him.
[The Purgatory Shadow took the hit for you]
They were fast, and their sheer number was enough to take him back.
But...
~FWISH~
The devourer appeared below him and gobbled him up like he was a tasty meal.
"18371-" even when activating his shield around his body, it wasn't enough to tank the attack.
And so...
He was sent back to the museum.
[Do you want to try again?]
'Fucking hell...' Stark clicked on yes, an excited look on his face at the thought of progressing over and over again, until reaching his goal.
***
(2nd try)
"-27361" this time, instead of staying idle, he used his new equipment, [Judicator's Black Wings], to dash to the side, avoiding the devourer and sending two aura fists at it.
~FWISH~
But while he was still in midair, the conjoined warrior activated [Skeletal Aura] while being buffed by his sister using the [Buff] spell.
"INVINCIBLE DODGE," Stark activated his attack immediately, and the warrior's sword passed right through his head, taking the guardian aback.
But Stark took this opportunity to reach for the warrior's hand that carried his sword.
He knew from before that taking it from him was basically making him as inoffensive as a child.
But right as he tried to do that...
~BAM~
"GAH-!" his shadow sent two crimson fists at him, and both hit him straight on as he was too focused on avoiding all the previous attacks,
"12948! -13924!"
He fell to the floor, his HP reaching 0.
...
[Do you want to try again?]
He was greeted by the screen again.
'I was so close to disarming the warrior, I just need to take care of my shadow,' after every try, he would adapt.
***
(13th try)
"AURA SMASH!" instead of using his crimson fists on the devourer, Stark would sent them at his shadow, forcing it to use [Aura Smash] as well.
Meaning that the warrior would be right in front of him and...
~CRACK~
Stark would grab the arm with the sword and break it, before launching the sword far way and kicking the warrior in the face, breaking one of its heads.
"-34817!"
"HEAL!" the sister would obviously use that skill on her brother and give him 15000 HP back, but it didn't change the fact he was disarmed and had no weapon anymore.
"HAT TRICK!" Malakar would also take out his hat and launch it at Stark, razor sharp blades appearing on its edge.
But Stark had already died to that once, so he would grab the hat and send it toward his shadow, forcing it to back away yet again as if he didn't, it would one-shot him.
What he didn't expect though was...
"SHARD THROW!" The Mirror Master, which hadn't done anything until now, charged up a giant mirror shard, twice as big as Stark's body, and sent it flying at him while he was occupied with the others.
"28174!" a giant hole in his body was made after the shard pierced him, and he fell to the ground, dead.
[Do you want to try again?]
'...'
***
(78th try)
'Gulp gulp...' Stark drank two of his potions for the first time, wanting to test them out to see if they would increase his odds.
And they did.
He reached the last point where he died rather smoothly, and even managed to avoid the Mirror Master's shard.
"CLONE FRENZY," he summoned his two clones, who were also affected by the potion effects as they were made of his aura.
The strength and speed potions increased his stats by 10%, and although it might not seem much on an average alchemist, giving that to Stark with his insane stats and aura was a recipe for disaster.
He now managed to easily avoid most of the attacks that came his way, and his movements felt smoother.
His clones were attacking the other monsters, one of them managing to take the witch's scepter from her hands and breaking it before sending two fists of aura toward her brother.
[Enemy stunned]
The warrior was stunned, and so the two clones took advantage of this opportunity to gang up on him while the other bosses were focused on Stark.
"-18372! -19714! -17962!"
And so, just like that... Stark eliminated the first boss.
But...
~FWISH~
With two simple flap of his wings, Judicator killed the two clones and rushed toward Stark, his body was already dyed in platinum since he activated his ultimate skills already.
"INVINCIBLE DODGE!" he jumped out of the way as he couldn't avoid that attack.
But...
"ALL-AREA STRIKE!" at that very moment, the Mirror Master decided to use his unavoidable attack, summoning the dark flames on the ceiling which all began to descend on him.
"Ok," Stark could just shrug as he was engulfed and killed by the fire, it was in the name: this attack is unavoidable.
[Do you want to try again?]
'It's been hours... I need to keep going,' and so he clicked on yes.
He wouldn't back down until he did it.