Chapter : 09
Game of the Constellations [Laika]
In Laika’s world, an Epic Monster is a powerful creature, sometimes called an Elite Monster or a Unique Monster.
Of course, it’s not quite on the same level as a boss monster, but it’s still far beyond ordinary monsters.
Especially, Epic Monsters usually have at least one unique skill, so they are normally tackled by a party of two or three players.
That’s because you need at least one person to exploit the monster’s gimmick and neutralize its skill.
Of course, if your stats are high enough, solo play is possible…
Clang-
└ The party leader pulled out a shovel? lol
└ What? Are we fighting right away?
But Dave, level 9, decked out in ragged gear, was obviously not the type to do that.
Auuuuu—!!
Naturally, the constellations (the other party members) were startled from the start.
└ Boss… are you not forming a party?
└ Wait, are you just charging in? Level 9, not even 19…?
Even the constellation who set the mission, “Rogue 2nd Throne”, was worried.
└ Boss… you have a return scroll at least, right?
Even if the mission was designed to trick the party leader, nobody had imagined a scenario where someone would just charge in without forming a party.
└ Must be the first time the boss is fighting an Epic Mob?
└ Of course it is, damn, it’s level 9…
└ That’s not the problem lol. Usually, even if it’s your first time, you don’t just throw your head in like that lol
So the constellations were sure of one thing:
Soon, that naïve player would…
…be reduced to near death by the Moonshadow Wolf’s skill, panic, and tear up the return scroll.
└ Ooooh, the wolf is coming!
Whirrrrr!
└ Wow, level 15 epic and full of life.
But no matter how much the constellations fussed, Dave didn’t react at all.
Instead…
Tap-tat!
He ran straight at the Moonshadow Wolf, licking his lips(?) as he charged.
[You have encountered ‘Moonshadow Wolf’.]
Of course, he knew the rules.
If he didn’t avoid the wolf’s unique ability Moonlight Rampage, he could be reduced to near death.
So the easiest way to defeat the Moonshadow Wolf was to neutralize its unique ability by exploiting the gimmick.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ casts ‘Howl’.]
[Moonlight shines through the darkness.]
The howl is the trigger for Moonlight Rampage.
Stopping it from doing so is the easiest strategy.
But…
“I haven’t had to do that since the third run.”
Having killed thousands of Moonshadow Wolves, he had no reason to bother with such a cumbersome tactic.
Why not? Because he could just dodge it.
Not by overpowering the wolf physically—if anything, the wolf’s stats were much higher than his. Seeing the attack and dodging it normally would be nearly impossible.
Instead… he could simply occupy positions where Moonlight Rampage couldn’t reach.
Tap-tat!
Just like that.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ casts ‘Moonlight Rampage’.]
After killing the wolf thousands of times, patterns become instinctive.
You don’t even remember them consciously; your body just reacts.
└ Wait, did he just dodge Moonlight Rampage?
└ Level 9?
└ That’s a lucky fluke, right?
The wolf always has a preparation movement before Moonlight Rampage, and recognizing it naturally revealed a blind spot.
Even a talentless aspiring hero had to put in this effort to survive.
Grrr-!
At this point, Moonlight Rampage actually becomes the best time to deal damage.
While charging on moonlight, the wolf is completely vulnerable.
The shovel blade strikes perfectly at the wolf’s neck.
Shhaaak!
His attack wasn’t strong enough to pierce the wolf’s hide at full power.
But with the wolf helpless from Moonlight Rampage and moving in the opposite direction, even a small force caused explosive damage.
This is a counterattack—using the opponent’s speed and strength against them. In Laika, this is called a “counterattack.”
Kieeeek!
The wolf howled in pain and stepped back.
It was perfect timing; if his weapon had been higher-tier, he could have instantly reduced it to near death.
Even Dave was surprised. He intended it, but didn’t expect it to land so cleanly.
└ Whoa, boss… what is this?
└ That was luck, right…?
└ If it was intentional, that’s insane.
The wolf, showing its teeth in pain, now lunged at Dave’s neck.
Auuu-!
Now the real tension began.
Dealing with the wolf in chaotic, unpatterned combat was even harder—but not impossible.
Swish-
He dodged what he could.
Tap-tat!
Blocked what he couldn’t dodge.
Kaaang!
As long as he kept his focus, there was always a way.
Ka-gang!
The clear metallic sound confirmed a perfect parry using the shovel.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ attack perfectly blocked.]
[Damage reduced by 99%.]
99% damage reduction was almost a perfect parry.
Normally, this was extremely difficult.
Clang- clang- ka-gang!
After consecutively blocking its paws, he pierced the wolf’s inner side, then spun and hit its belly with the handle.
Puh-!
Rotating with the force, he struck the wolf’s neck again with the shovel blade.
Shhraaaak!
The position he aimed for from the start:
[Weak point successfully targeted.]
[Ignores 55% of defense.]
[Damage increased by 78%.]
Targeting a vulnerable spot ensures the maximum damage.
Grrr-
Seeing the wolf’s health drop by over 30%, the effect was undeniable.
└ Crazy… what just happened?
└ Did you see the parry?
└ Yeah, but how did he deal that much damage?
└ Is there a defense-ignoring effect on the shovel?
Dave smiled at their awe.
Kaaang!
Shhaaak!
No time to explain further.
Auuuu-!
The wolf, wild-eyed, howled again.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ casts ‘Howl’.]
[Moonlight shines through the darkness.]
It was preparing its second Moonlight Rampage.
If he failed to dodge now, no matter how well he did before, tearing the return scroll would be inevitable.
So he focused.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ casts ‘Moonlight Rampage’.]
Just one step.
Tat!
That minimal movement was enough to dodge it.
Shreeeak!
Moonlight Rampage cannot alter its trajectory mid-cast.
└ Wow, he dodged again?
Now it was his turn to punish the wolf.
Failing a big attack always comes with big risk.
Crack!
The shovel handle struck the wolf’s head heavily.
But this normal attack alone didn’t cause much damage, as his shovel was weak.
It was all preparation for targeting the weak spot.
“Fuh…”
He reversed the shovel, striking the wolf’s jaw with the handle.
Thwong!
The wolf’s neck was exposed, and he stabbed again.
Puh!
This time ignoring over 70% of defense, causing even greater damage.
Grrrr-
The wolf cried out in pain. The final phase was near.
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ HP below 30%.]
[Unique ability ‘Blood Rage’ activated.]
The key to this phase: prevent ‘Blood Rage’ from activating.
The wolf would heal from seeing blood and increase speed by 1.5x—a nightmare in long fights.
Dave’s stats couldn’t allow it.
How to prevent it?
Whir-
Simply don’t get hit.
Kaaang-
Shhaaak!
As the fight intensified, constellations’ chat exploded:
└ What… Level 9 actually soloing the wolf?
└ OMG OMG
└ ;;;;;; He might actually kill it ;;;;;;
└ Boss, what’s up with that shovel?
└ That’s an artifact, seriously.
While fighting, viewers seemed to increase, but first he had to finish the wolf.
Click!
With all his remaining strength, he drove the shovel into the wolf’s mouth, grabbed a dagger, and stabbed it in the neck.
Puh- puh- shh!
The final attack ended the wolf’s life.
[Critical damage dealt to ‘Moonshadow Wolf’!]
[‘Moonshadow Wolf’ successfully defeated!]
Even he admitted: the battle flowed perfectly.
‘…Wow… insane.’
With his specs, he couldn’t have executed a more perfect raid.
└ Wow… he actually killed it.
└ Daaaamn, that fight was epic.
└ Is this the shovel master?
He hadn’t expected such a clean victory.
Counterattack, perfect parry, all against an Epic with double his stats—this was better than the beta.
Then…
[Experience gained.]
[Level up.]
[Reached level 10.]
First epic hunt on the live server—dopamine overload.
[Successfully soloed an epic over twice your stats.]
[Condition met.]
[Title ‘Giant Slayer’ upgraded: Hero → Legendary.]
[Effect increased 1.5x.]
Seeing rewards pop up, he smiled. Extra titles, loot…
[Item obtained: ‘Moonshadow Fang’.]
[Item obtained: ‘Silver Wolf Hide’.]
[Item obtained: ‘Moonlight Sigil’.]
Even the useless sigil confirmed this was the true Moonshadow Wolf.
└ Wow… they didn’t nerf it, right?
└ Laika doesn’t do nerfs lol
└ Boss is a newbie? The fight is insane lol
└ Shovel performance is insane
He chuckled. The constellations’ admiration doubled the satisfaction.
Now, with LP copy from his “Dissection” trait and collecting mission rewards…
a perfect start to the day.
But just then, his eyes widened.
Wooooong!
He hadn’t expected anything, yet a beam of light shot from the wolf’s corpse.
└ Oh, what? Wait.
└ Flame pillar on.
