This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

[Fish Lord: Level 20]

Standing at about ten feet tall, the boss we were about to face was kind of a massive freak. With a fish's head and a man's legs, it was a mermaid with all the wrong proportions. Just looking at it was making my head hurt. And with its small, anglerfish-like lighter thing dangling over its head, even looking at its head for me to shoot at was blinding me enough to not even try.

Still, a level 20, huh. At least it wasn't far from our levels. Hell, we were even over-leveled for the damn thing.

This should be easy.... and I just jinxed ourselves again, didn't I...

"Time for a [SHOUT!]"

Before I could even fully get into position, Maruki's already dished out his telltale taunt, his [Move] practically echoing across the entire dining hall. Faint shockwaves focused themselves on the massive monstrosity's head, turning its attention to our tank as it roared and blubbered out.

[*RRooABBLRRHGG*]

[HOWL OF THE DEEP: 4%]

I raised an eyebrow at the bar above its head. An area of effect attack? I couldn't see any sort of indicators on the ground though...

"A raid-wide..."

I perked my ears at Guidance's knowing tone, her [Keystroke] already glowing as she cast whatever spell she was about to give us.

[*FFRRAAALLLLL!!*]

[STATUS: WATERLOGGED: 28 SECONDS]

[HP: 200/270]

My eyes widened as a wave of water washed over the entire room. We had no other option to dodge or even block it. All we could do was stand there and take it, a considerable chunk of my health being washed away alongside this new debuff being put on all of us.

"W-What the?! I-I'm so slow!"

Shizu's voice quickly pierced through the waves, and sure enough, what was once a speedy and punchy monk was moving considerably slower than an old man in a pedestrian crossing. Waves of water were clinging onto her feet, slowing her down considerably as she did her best to keep attacking.

"[Mass Cure]!"

[HP: 270/270]

In a split second, another wave washed over us. This time, it came from Guidance as she raised her hand up into the air and healed us all back up to full. I didn't know how many tools she had in her arsenal right now, but I could only thank the heavens that she was here.

"Give me some time to cast [Dispell] on all of you!" Guidance barked out, her keyboard already glowing with yet another cast. "I'll work my way up depending on who needs it the most!"

"Got it, Guidance!"

"Of course, Lady Guidance!"

Hearing Shizu and Maruki happily address our healer, I guess that meant I should also do the same thing. "Copy that."

"[Dispell!]"

I raised an eyebrow as I watched our healer's [Move] wash over Shizu's legs. The water clinging onto her fell off, allowing our princess to move quickly again.

"Thanks, Guidance!"

I smiled at the subtle interaction. Then again, why in the world was I-

"You're standing still again, Moriya."

Yep. "Sorry about that."

Training my [Blanc and Noire] at the Fish thing, I pulled my triggers and started blasting the thing.

[*BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!*]

"[Medica]!"

Feeling the soothing feeling of regeneration wash over me, I didn't even need to look at my health anymore as I continued blasting away. My uptime has improved leaps and bounds ever since Guidance started giving me regen, and it also made my life a whole lot easier as it meant I didn't have to look at my [HP] bar every time I needed to shoot a shot.

"[Dispell]! [Dispell]!"

Two more [Moves] came out of Guidance's way, washing over me and Maruki's legs respectively as our debuffs wore off. Not that I needed it, really. I wasn't even moving much for it to justify wasting a cast on me.

[*RRRRIIIIHGIAHSEEE!*]

[CAST AWAYS: 60%]

Another attack?

"Everyone get away!"

Heeding our healer's advice, our melee fighters quickly disengaged, letting our enemy do its attack to its heart's content.

[*SSHHUEEAAGH!!*]

I kept up my attacks as the boss suddenly spun on a dime, its arms outstretched around it as it very clearly made a sweep around its immediate vicinity.

"Okay! Go back in!"

Our tank and our princess quickly moved back in, their attacks doing damage once more as Maruki re-established aggro. It was going rather smoothly right now, actually. Was this all this boss could do?

[*RRooABBLRRHGG*]

[HOWL OF THE DEEP: 4%]

This again?

"Just keep attacking!"

I shrugged at Guidance's words. She was shot-calling really hard right now. Then again, as a healer, she was pretty much expected to have a clearer view of the battlefield. It was a role that fell easily on any support class.

Although, I also had a clear view of the fight being a ranged DPS. Not that I'd ever ask to take over the role, seeing as the dev clearly knew exactly what each attack did.

[*FFRRAAALLLLL!!*]

[STATUS: WATERLOGGED: 21 SECONDS]

[HP: 200/270]

As expected, the attack did the exact same thing as last time. It wasn't even a problem anymore as we just kept on attacking.

Seriously, was this all it could do? It's kind of boring.

[*RRROOAOAGHghrroo....*]

"Hah! It's dead!"

What...

Looking up, I was still halfway through shooting my pistols when the large fishman fell to the ground. It was... kind of unceremonious, really.

"W-Wha... That's it?"

I almost wanted to follow Shizu's lead in complaining. Then again, that would only make me a hypocrite, seeing as I complained so hard back at the [Wolf King] fight. We could actually die here, even, so why in the world would I have the right to complain?

"I suppose so," Guidance clicked her tongue as she sheathed her keyboard. "That's only the first boss, however. I'm sure there are two more bosses we have to go through."

I hummed in agreement. It was far from over after all-

"And we're going further into the engine room, correct?"

"Yeah," I promptly answered, quickly taking myself out of my musings. "I don't know what exactly's down there, but that's where we're headed."

"Then we must make haste!" Maruki excitedly bellowed out. "Come!"

Aanndd there he went again. The three of us left behind could only sigh as we followed suit. If there was more to this, we didn't know, but at least we had a goal...

Wait... Did I not get any [EXP] from that fight? Seriously? Again?

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