Hours into power leveling at the Tear-Glimmering Underground Lake, Pepper, wielding various skills and weapons, slays roughly 20 Livestide Lake Serpents, reaching level 35. This meets the level cap to equip the Expyte Warleg gauntlets, his initial goal.
However, Pepper's fishing yields only Livestide Salmon—no Lake Serpents, all of which Pencilgon catches. She doesn't miss the chance to tease.
"Come on, A-kun, what's wrong? Only salmon for you?" she smirks.
"My luck's stuck at 25! I need other stats for my role and Expyte Warleg. I want serpents, not salmon!" Pepper grumbles, trembling with frustration.
Fishing demands calm. Anger could scare off catches, so Pepper breathes deeply, keeping his rod steady. Suddenly, an unprecedented weight yanks the line, nearly pulling him into the lake.
"Guh! Finally!?" he shouts.
"Go, Pepper-han!" Aitouil cheers.
"Nice, A-kun! Reel it in!" Pencilgon calls, her encouragement sounding like mockery to Pepper.
"RAAAH!" With a mighty pull, the shadow grows—not a serpent, but massive. A colossal red-clawed, black-patterned, 5-meter-long crayfish—reminiscent of a giant lobster—emerges, clutching a serpent.
"What's this? Hunting serpents?" Pepper gasps.
"A-kun, that's Livestide Destrolobster!" Pencilgon warns.
"Lobster? Not a cray—WHOA!" Before he finishes, the Destrolobster swings its claw. Pepper dodges, brandishing his Vorpal Ledge hammer.
"Take this!" Aiming for its left claw, he unleashes Rigid Strike (max level) and Balgast Strike. The hit lands, but the claw remains unscathed—tougher than the Quad Beetle's shell from the Thousand Violet Cave, which took 20 minutes to defeat.
"Harder than a Quad Beetle!?" Pepper exclaims.
"For real, Pepper-han!?" Aitouil gasps.
"Stay on my shoulder, Aitouil! Normal weapons won't dent it!"
As Pepper strategizes, Pencilgon offers advice. "Its strength is brutal, but that shell's insanely tough. Only destruction or piercing weapons, or magic, can deal real damage. I can use piercing magic, but it tanks my weapon's durability, so I'd rather not."
A formidable foe requiring specific tactics. Yet, Pencilgon adds, "Beat its strength and shell, and the EXP's laughably good. What's your move, A-kun? I can solo it, or you wanna watch?"
Her logic's sound—retreating's sometimes wise, especially after his ineffective strike. But Pepper's gamer spirit ignites.
"Run? That's a bad joke, Towa. A foe this tough? I'm in!" His saga demands he conquer this challenge. He unequips Vorpal Ledge, pulling two weapons from his inventory: the Gilfeed Breaker, a black-iron hammer with gear patterns, and the Expyte Warleg, gauntlets crafted with Quad Beetle armor and Empire Bee Queen spikes.
"First battle! Let's go wild against this giant crayfish! Gilfeed Breaker! Expyte Warleg!" Crafted by human and rabbit masters, these weapons shine with Pepper. The Destrolobster, lake's titan, is a worthy foe.
"What're those, A-kun!? New gear!?" Pencilgon shouts, eyeing the hammer and gauntlets.
"In short: evolved Lock-on Breaker and a prototype from a quest-clear reward! Durability's skyrocketed!" Pepper replies.
"Too vague!" Pencilgon laughs.
"Pepper-han, even boosted durability won't save you if it hits!" Aitouil warns.
Nodding, Pepper charges. The Destrolobster spews bubbles, firing a water-pressure beam like an Aqua Laser. "Dodge! Dodge!" Pepper activates Ballistrider (evolved from Thunder Turn), boosting agility and dexterity per sharp turn. Evading the laser, he closes in for melee.
"Kyurorororo!" The lobster raises its claw. A hit would crush even Pepper's enhanced durability, but—
"ORAA!" Combining strength stats, Ballistrider's buffs, and Expyte Warleg's durability, Pepper parries the claw with his gauntlets, the impact exploding.
"Kyurorororo!?" The lobster staggers.
"Leg parry nailed!" Pepper lands a One's Flip kick on its right leg, aiming to topple it with a Back Kick inspired by breakdance. But the lobster's bulk resists, pushing back.
"A-kun!" Pencilgon calls.
"Pepper-han!" Aitouil leaps from his shoulder. Both strike the lobster's neck under its shell, toppling it.
"Kyurorororo!?"
"You two!?" Pepper gasps.
"Can't hold it long—smash its head!" Pencilgon shouts.
"I'll pin it with Pencilgon-han!" Aitouil adds.
"Thanks!" Understanding their intent, Pepper boosts agility with max-level Accel, circling to the lobster's head. With Gilfeed Breaker and Rush, he unleashes a barrage, Expyte Warleg's bandages adding Destruction damage. The gauntlets' Empire Bee Queen spikes carry Corrosive Poison, eroding the shell over time.
The combined Destruction attributes hammer the lobster's ultra-tough head shell, rapidly breaking it down.
"Break!" With a final knee strike, Pepper shatters the shell, exposing softer flesh.
"GYURORORORORO!" The Destrolobster roars, entering Frenzy Mode. Its patterns shift to vermilion, bubbles intensifying as it throws off Pencilgon and Aitouil, standing tall.
"What's that!?" Aitouil panics.
"Frenzy Mode—its head shell's gone," Pepper realizes.
"Yep, looks like it," Pencilgon confirms.
Aitouil clings to Pepper's back as they brace. The battle with the Livestide Destrolobster hurtles toward its climax…
Challenge the Lake's Titan with Man-Made Hammer and Master-Crafted Gauntlets
Pepper's Stats & Skills (Level 30 → 35 Changes)
PN: PepperLevel: 35Main Job: BackpackerSub Job: None
Stats
HP: 15 MP: 10 Stamina: 90 Strength: 70 Agility: 80 Dexterity: 35 Technique: 50 Durability: 376 Luck: 25 Remaining Points: 0
Equipment
Left: Gilfeed Breaker Right: Lycaon's Curse Marking Legs: Expyte Warleg (+350 Durability) Head: Leather Cap (+1 Durability) Torso: Blade-Resist Leather Vest (+4 Durability) Waist: Blade-Resist Leather Belt (+4 Durability) Legs: Blade-Resist Leather Pants (+4 Durability)
Accessories
Chainmail (+10 Durability) Traveler's Cloak (+2 Durability) Vorpal Soul Collar
Money: 1400 Mani
Skills
Ladder Slash
Yato → Life-End Thrust
Just Parry → Repel Counter
Boom Throw → Drive Throw
Click Edge → Alzeid Edge
Hydrate Work → Meias Work
Balgast Strike Dynamo Impact Rigid Strike (Lv. 6 → MAX)
Accel (Lv. 8 → MAX)
Rush (Lv. 4 → 7)
Foresight (Lv. 4 → 6)
High Press (Lv. 5 → 8)
Five-Boat Leap → Six-Boat Leap
Slide Move → Skate Foot
Jet Attack Horizontal Slash (Lv. 5 → 6)
Vertical Slash (Lv. 4 → 5)
Thunder Turn → Ballistrider
High Beat (Lv. 6 → MAX)
Actus Dash (Lv. 4 → 5)
Stick Piece (Lv. 3 → 4)
Grip Strike (Lv. 3)
Throw (Lv. 2 → 4)
Climb Kick (Lv. 1 → 5)
Neck Snap (Lv. 1 → 3)
Moon Jumper Body Purge (Lv. 1)
Life of Change Straight Fist Back Kick (Lv. 1)
One's Flip Fulls Shoot (Lv. 1) Oppression Kick (Lv. 1)
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