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Chapter 396: Chapter 392 ~ Field Boss

"You can do it, Asuna~!

"Ughh…"

"Ah, there's an ox coming! Be careful to your left~ Ah, there's another one behind you too~"

"What?! Yuuji! Rather than just standing there, come and help me!"

"Eh? Well… I guess it can't be helped."

Yuuji charged forth, brandishing his Anneal Blade against the two Trembling Oxen charging towards Asuna while she was engaged with a Trembling Cow. 

The two monsters were a specialty of the second floor. The Trembling Ox was a massive beast, standing two and a half meters to its shoulders. They were tough and powerful monsters with long targeting range and duration, making it difficult for players to switch. 

Moreover, it was aggressive by nature. And despite its massive size, it moved quite swiftly. 

Once it focused on an enemy, they will not relent in its chase until they killed or were killed. 

The Trembling Cow was the female version of the Trembling Ox, and they were twice the size of the male. Due to its size and toughness, the Trembling Cow was considered a miniboss of the second floor. 

Yuuji and Asuna encountered the Trembling Cow while it was alone. So, Yuuji encouraged Asuna to try and take on the Trembling Cow alone. 

She did extremely well, despite the disadvantage her type of weapon had towards a monster like the Trembling Cow. 

Although she could only damage it little by little, Asuna deftly used her speed and size to dance around the massive beastly cow, avoiding its attacks while she took advantage of its openings to strike with her rapier. 

But when two Trembling Oxen appeared, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle all three of these massive beasts alone. 

"Horizontal Square!"

Yuuji brandished his sword, slicing through the neck and ankles of one Trembling Ox in one smooth flow, before immediately turning towards the second Trembling Ox to slash through its neck and wrists to complete the four-hit slashing combo of his sword skill. 

*MOOOOOOO!* *MOOOOOOO!*

Then, having taken agro from the two massive beasts, Yuuji led them away from Asuna. 

"It's better not to involve yourself in a squabble between ladies."

Yuuji pointed his blade at the two ranging oxen, standing before them and preventing them from getting close to Asuna as she fought the Trembling Cow. 

The two oxen charged at him, but Yuuji calmly lowered himself and raised his sword parallel to his right leg, and activated a sword skill. 

"Rage spike."

He vanished in an instant, before appearing the very next moment right in front of the ox on the left. 

The tip of his sword pierced its left eye, causing it to stagger. 

The damage was nearly insignificant. At least, its damage was much less than his other sword skills. However, it accomplished his goal. 

Using the sword he had pierced into the eyes of the Trembling Ox as leverage, Yuuji leapt up up into the sky, before thundering down at the second ox to the right, unleashing numerous slashes right to the back of its neck, its shoulders, the back of its knee, and ankles. 

And as its HP continued to fall, Yuuji finished it off with a straight thrust through its chest.

*MOOOOO!* *Shatter*

The ox shattered into bits of digital light as Yuuji turned to the last Trembling Ox. 

Having recovered from its stagger, the ox charged towards Yuuji once more. 

Yuuji smiled as it prepared to attack. And at the last possible moment, Yuuji parried his charging attack with his sword, before plunging a devastating blow to its torso with its fist. 

The ox was blown away several meters back. The extra skill, Martial Arts, granted Yuuji a buff in his unarmed strikes, allowing his punches to be powerful enough even against such a massive beast. 

"You seem quite tough. So let me practice my Martial Arts on you."

Yuuji returned the Anneal Blade into his inventory, the sword disappearing in particles of light. 

Then, he charged at the massive ox beast with clenched fists. 

Having encountered an HP sponge monster like this, Yuuji wouldn't miss this chance to level up his Martial Arts extra skill. 

With his Krav Maga Proficiency and the various martial arts he had learned from various fights, the Trembling Ox only lasted a few minutes, even though Yuuji purposefully dragged on the fight to level up his skill. 

The Trembling Ox shattered into particles of light, rewarding him with a few Cols and experience points. 

Then, Yuuji turned to see Asuna just as she delivered a killing blow with her "Linear" rapier skill straight into the Trembling Cow's chest. 

"Oh, great job! You did it!"

"Hah.. Hah… Hah… Thanks.."

Asuna sheathed her rapier back to the side of her hips, and held her knees as she tried catching her breath. 

Yuuji took out a canteen of water and handed it to Asuna, which she took and gulp down mouthfuls of water. 

"Phew… Thank you, Yuuji."

"Of course."

Having regained some life back, Asuna checked the rewards she received from defeating the Trembling Cow.

"Oh! Yuuji, see this! I got milk!"

"Milk? Can you use it for baking?"

Asuna nodded, her eyes shimmering with excitement.

"Yes! It's one of the ingredients to make a food item called Trembling Cake! I'll make it tonight! Let's eat it together!"

"Sure, I'll look forward to it."

After resting for a bit, letting their HP bar fill back up, Yuuji and Asuna continued carving their way to the Labyrinth. 

"Hm? Yuuji, could that be…"

"Mm… That seems like a small settlement. I didn't expect to see one this near to the Labyrinth."

In the far distance, carved into the sides of the mountain and reaching up to its flat surface with only one road leading up to it was a small settlement.

Houses and buildings made of stone were built closely together in a compact manner, filling up the small space with quite the number of structures.

And behind it, like a giant otherworldly structure, the massive cylindrical column of the Labyrinth loomed over the settlement. 

"I guess we'll be staying there for quite a bit while we farm the labyrinth."

Asuna nodded in agreement, her eyes still staring at the giant column that pierced the sky in the distance. 

"Let's go. Maybe we can get a room in the inn first before it gets crowded."

"Mm. Let's go."

The two continued making their way through the greenery with the ever-looming and ever-visible labyrinth, even through canopies, as their north star. 

They took their time, carefully traversing the path no one had ever walked through and slowly unveiling the map data of the region before them. 

When suddenly, Yuuji noticed something. 

"Asuna, wait."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"Look at that."

Yuuji pointed towards the distance, just beyond the treelines that marked the edge of the forest they've been walking through. 

He could see a wooden bridge tied by hemp ropes, connecting the two pieces of land divided by a massive chasm. The only path they could talk to reach the settlement atop the mountain and the labyrinth. 

And before it was a massive clearing, and a monstrously giant, four-meter-tall cattle monster with four horns close to the ground, sturdy forelegs, and black brown hide.

"C-Could that be?"

"Mm… It seemed like a field boss."

Field bosses were named monsters strategically placed somewhere between the Teleport Gate and the entrance to each Labyrinth, meant to prevent access to the labyrinth of the floor until the monsters were defeated. 

The Field Boss's den was usually surrounded by cliffs, raging streams, or a massive chasm, arranged in such a way to be impossible to access the Labyrinth until the boss is defeated. 

Just like the gigantic, cattle monster before them, with the name "Bullbous Bow" hovering above it. 

"So? Would you like to challenge it now, or should we return to Urbus and rest for the day, and continue tomorrow?"

Yuuji turned towards Asuna and asked. 

If it was up to him, it wouldn't even be a question. He would've challenged it immediately. After all, a field boss would grant an incredible amount of experience points, Cols, and items. It might also give Asuna the experience points she needed to level up. 

However, Asuna had pushed herself quite far today. And even though he wanted to progress as quickly as he could, pushing Asuna to the point that she could get hurt would defeat the whole purpose. 

So, he deferred this decision to Asuna. Because to him, it wouldn't matter if they were to defeat it today or tomorrow. 

It hadn't even been a week since the second floor opened. And judging by the level of players he had seen, it would take more time before they would even think of exploring this far and fighting the Field Boss. 

Asuna stared at the Field Boss silently. Excitement, determination, and an eagerness to fight burned in her heart. 

She wanted to fight it now and make the final push to the last village before the Labyrinth with Yuuji. 

'But… '

She looked down to her sword, and recalled the remaining durability on her weapon. They've been fighting monsters all day, and she also fought a Trembling Cow that decreased the durability of her weapon quite significantly. Although they still had plenty of food, she didn't feel comfortable fighting against a Field Boss with the current state of her weapon. 

"...Yuuji, I want to fight it. But… My weapon's durability is quite low. Do you want to push forward…? Or can we return to Urbus and fight it tomorrow?"

She didn't want to drag Yuuji down. She, herself, knew that Yuuji would've been able to solo the Field Boss. 

But a selfish part of her wanted to fight with him and defeat this field boss together. 

So all she could do was ask.

"I don't mind. Let's return to Urbus and fight it tomorrow. I wouldn't want you to break your sword half way through the fight. "

Yuuji smiled, and Asuna's face lit up.

"But I guess we'll have the Trembling Cake tomorrow to celebrate us defeating the Field Boss."

"Yes! Thank you, Yuuji!"

Having come to a decision, the two made their way back to the city of Urbus, made their preparations, and retired for the day. 

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Having made their preparations, Yuuji and Asuna departed early in the morning and headed straight towards the location of the Field Boss. 

This time, they didn't dally around, defeating any and every monster they encountered. Only the ones who were in their direct path. 

Other than them, no one had even found the location of the field boss, so they weren't worried about having their prey stolen. 

However, Asuna, having felt like she wasted some time the previous day, wanted to make up for their lost time. She wanted to defeat the field boss quickly and head straight to the Labyrinth. 

Of course, Yuuji was more than happy to oblige. He, himself, was quite excited to enter this floor's Labyrinth and face the monsters within them straight on, instead of simply learning about them from Argo and Kirito. 

The two quickly arrived at the bridge that connected the two pieces of land divided by a deep, massive chasm. And before it, the gigantic bull stood in their way. 

Yuuji and Asuna hid within the brushes a few distance away from the treelines that bordered the field boss's den. 

"Alright. Let's do it as usual. I'll take its agro."

Asuna nodded.

"Mm. And I'll flank it."

Although a field boss didn't require an entire raid party, it was still a monster that would require at least a full party to be defeated. 

But despite there only being the two of them, Asuna wasn't scared. Instead, she felt excited. With Yuuji by her side, she knew she'd be able to overcome this challenge. 

"Let's go."

Yuuji headed off, charging ahead, while Asuna took a slight path to his left into her flanking position. 

Then, as soon as Yuuji cleared the treelines, he triggered the Bullbous Bow's aggro.

*MOOOOOOOO!*

Yuuji didn't wait for it to charge at him. Instead, despite the sheer difference in size, Yuuji leapt towards it fearlessly, and activated a sword skill. 

"Rage Spike!"

He lunged, accurately piercing one of its small eyes with his blade, instantly dealing a critical damage and staggering it slightly. 

The damage was low, even more so than his other sword skill. However, he closed the distance with it and staggered it, creating an opening large enough for Asuna to charge from its sides. 

"Oblique!"

Thanks to the opening Yuuji had made, Asuna was able to close the distance safely to its flank. So, instead of using Linear, which had a longer range with less damage, she used Oblique, which offered more damage in exchange for a shorter reach. 

The Bullbous Bow roared in pain. But just as it was about to turn and face the attacker who stabbed its defenseless side, a blade slashed across its face. 

"No, you'll be facing me, cattle."

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