After Drake's ingenious use of [Twin Fang Strike] disabled the environmental hazards in the previous hall, a renewed sense of confidence, albeit tinged with the stark awareness of Hard Mode's lethality, settled over the Iron Resolve party. They cleared the subsequent corridors of Level 22-23 Drowned Husks and Murkfiends with increased caution. Drake was a whirlwind of destruction, his [Twin Soul Bladesworn] abilities making him the clear spearhead of their offense. Lyra, the healer, found herself channeling more mana than ever before, the ambient damage and harder-hitting mobs demanding constant attention.
Finally, they stood before the ominous, algae-slicked entrance to the first major boss chamber of the Sunken Reliquary – the lair of the Deepwater Sludge Lord. Valerius held up a hand, halting their advance.
"Alright team," he said, his voice resonating slightly within his plate helm. "On Normal mode, he's a pushover – basic slam, slow slime spit. Hard Mode? According to the guids of others making it this far he hits like a rogue wave, the slime pools are practically instant death, and he has this insane hyper-regeneration phase around 60% health.Super hard to out-damage it."
"Hyper-regeneration... a classic DPS check. This will be the first true test of [Relentless Assault] in a sustained, high-pressure fight. My damage output needs to be overwhelming." A thrill of anticipation ran through Drake; this was the kind of challenge that made the grind worthwhile.
"When he starts regenerating, I'll go all out," Drake stated calmly, his [Initiate's Twin Blades] held loosely at his sides. "Valerius, keep him as stationary as you can during that phase. Elara, Finn, hold your burst until his health spikes, then hit him with everything."
With nods of agreement, they entered the circular, muck-filled arena. The Deepwater Sludge Lord (Level 24 Hard Mode Boss) lumbered into view from a murky pool, noticeably larger, its putrid form bubbling with a darker, more corrosive energy than its Normal mode counterpart.
Valerius charged, his shield raised, bellowing a taunt that drew the Sludge Lord's attention. The boss roared, its first heavy slam sending tremors through the floor and forcing Elara and Finn to quickly reposition. The slime it spat covered large areas in seconds, the pools sizzling ominously. Lyra was already hard at work, her healing spells weaving between Valerius and any party member clipped by the spreading ooze.
Drake moved into melee, a blur of motion. A heavy pseudopod slammed down. Drake met it with a precise [Parry], significantly reducing the incoming damage. << Parry successful! Damage reduced! >> He immediately capitalized, his [Basic Attack Combo R/L] (R-100%/L-84%) flashing: His Right Hand struck with perfect execution, amplified by [Flawless Strike], landing for a ~360 damage and his Left Hand followed seamlessly, dealing ~190 damage.
His damage output was immense from the outset, [Relentless Assault] stacks climbing with astonishing speed. He fluidly wove in 84% SCR [Twin Fang Strikes] whenever [Echoing Steel] activated after a successful Parry, adding bursts of ~450 critical damage thanks to the buff. The boss's health bar, significantly larger on Hard Mode, still visibly chunked downwards under his relentless assault. Finn, the Rogue, darted in and out, applying his poisons and looking for backstab opportunities, while Elara hurled potent bolts of fire and frost from a safe distance.
They pushed the Sludge Lord to just above 60% health. Suddenly, it let out a deafening, gurgling roar, and its entire form began to pulse with an intense, sickly green aura. Its health bar, which had been steadily dropping, visibly surged upwards. << Deepwater Sludge Lord begins [Rapid Muck Regeneration]! >>
"There it is! Regen phase!" Valerius bellowed, skillfully maneuvering the boss away from the rapidly spreading slime pools. "Burn him! All DPS, now!"
This was Drake's moment. His [Relentless Assault] was already nearing 800 stacks. "Near max stacks. This has to be enough." He became a vortex of steel. His twin blades moved almost too fast to see, every Right Hand strike a perfect 100% SCR, every Left Hand a solid 84%. The +5% stacking damage from his combo skill, now amplified by nearly +80% damage and +40% attack speed from [Relentless Assault], and further boosted by the whetstone and his titles, resulted in a torrent of damage numbers: ~650! ~430! ~700! The "Echoing Strikes" set bonus from his blades proced constantly, adding ethereal bursts that helped maintain his stacks.
Elara and Finn unleashed their own saved cooldowns, adding their burst to Drake's overwhelming sustained DPS. The boss's health bar, which had been regenerating at an alarming rate, stuttered, then, miraculously, began to tick downwards again, even through the potent green aura. Drake's damage was overpowering the regeneration.
During this intense burn phase, as Drake weaved and struck with blinding speed, the subtle but distinct purple luminescence from the 90% CCR Minor Health and Strength glyphs he'd applied to his [Initiate's Twin Blades], buckler, jerkin, and gloves became noticeable. Elara, the Mage, managing her own complex spell rotation while trying to maintain distance, caught the tell-tale magical sheen. "That glow... those are high-quality enchantments. Not something you just pick up. Where did he get gear enchanted to that level so early?" The observation was fleeting, her focus immediately snapping back to the critical fight.
After what felt like an age but was likely only thirty seconds of the party throwing everything they had at the boss, with Drake's damage output forming the undeniable core of their assault, the green regeneration aura around the Deepwater Sludge Lord sputtered and died. They had broken its primary Hard Mode mechanic.
"Regen's down! Keep the pressure on!" Valerius commanded, a note of triumphant relief in his voice.
The remainder of the fight was still challenging. The slime pools forced constant repositioning, and the boss's slams still hit with bone-jarring force if Valerius mistimed a defensive cooldown. But without its hyper-regeneration, its health bar steadily dropped under their relentless assault. Drake continued to be a pillar of damage, his [Relentless Assault] stacks easily maintained near their cap. Finally, with a last, drawn-out gurgling cry, the Deepwater Sludge Lord dissolved into a massive pile of bubbling, inert muck.
<< Deepwater Sludge Lord (Hard Mode) Defeated! >> << Party EXP Gained: +20000! >> A small, ornate chest materialized in the center of the now-quiet arena. Valerius, panting slightly, went to open it. It yielded a couple of Rare quality items – a pair of daggers that were a clear upgrade for Finn, and an arcane ring that Elara eagerly equipped – along with some high-tier Alvari crafting materials and a substantial amount of silver coins.
A cheer erupted from the party. "Yes! We did it! First Hard Mode boss down!" Finn exclaimed, already admiring his new daggers. Valerius walked over to Drake, clapping him on the shoulder pauldron. "Drake, that damage .. I've never seen anything like it, especially at this level. We were dead in the water without that burn. You didn't just contribute; you carried that DPS check."
Drake simply nodded, a slight smile touching his lips. "Relentless Assault and the stacking damage from combo is truly a game-changer with dual blades and perfect execution. The sustained DPS potential is immense. Good to have confirmation." He was pleased. His class, his skills, his unique talent – they were proving their immense worth in a genuine team challenge.