HC: Handyman | Ch. 195 - Retreat

IronFoot hated it—realizing just how thoroughly they’d been played.

Horace had kept them locked in, taunting their pride as much as their cooldowns. Every clash, every line of trash talk, had been calculated. No wonder the guy had survived an encounter with the Slayer. His reputation wasn’t just hype—it was earned.

But now? Now IronFoot saw through the act.

“He’s just buying time. Viper, TwirlFlicker—ignore him. Get the bard. Interrupt the skill.”

“Got it!”

“Roger that!” they responded. 

As the second taunt finally wore off, TwirlFlicker darted toward the bard. Viper moved as well.

Pet Dash!

His constrictor, still coiled around Horace’s leg, became the target. The skill yanked Viper across the battlefield to the snake’s position. Without breaking stride, he charged straight toward the bard, shortbow drawn. Beastmasters were stronger than archers up close—but their range was much shorter.

Horace tried to follow, but IronFoot stepped into his path.

“Oh no you don’t.”

Shield Wall!

Horace was knocked back several steps.

-10

-10

-10

For the first time since the fight began, he’d seen real damage numbers. Not Null. Not deflected. Real hits.

Finally. Something sticks.

“Well, look at that. You aren’t invulnerable anymore, are you?” IronFoot said, pleased.

Horace ignored him and kept running toward the bard. IronFoot intercepted and slashed down at Horace’s head with his sword.

Null!

“Uh?! What in the world?”

Hadn’t the invulnerability buff ended? How had [Shield Wall] done damage, but now his regular attack was nullified again?

Before he could make sense of it, IronFoot heard Viper shout: “Twirl! CAREFUL!”

IronFoot glanced over his shoulder and saw TwirlFlicker almost upon the bard.

But there was a third player.

Rob.

And he was fully geared.

Rob had hit TwirlFlicker’s temple with the pommel of his dagger, stunning her. Not only had he managed to land the skill, but he’d done so from behind and from stealth. The stun was going to last several seconds.

Rob was mid-combo—[Triple Slash], [Bleeding Puncture]—a blur of steel across TwirlFlicker’s ribs, stacking bleeds and bonus damage as [Blade Flurry] kicked in. Her HP bar began to melt.

IronFoot’s breath caught. He had almost forgotten about Rob. He had thought that he was far, far away right now. He never imagined that he would join the fight.

Their former ally had been waiting, likely since the start of the fight, watching for the exact moment when one of them would be vulnerable. He’d seen him in action many times. He wasn’t the guild’s best rogue but he had a reputation for being a patient and efficient one.

“Save her, Viper!” IronFoot barked, panic rising as he kept blocking Horace from rejoining the others. With an assassin in the mix, if they ended up outnumbered, they’d be in serious trouble.

“On it!” Viper shouted. He fired arrows while sprinting forward, but Rob had already vanished—stealth activated, gone from view.

TwirlFlicker uncorked a bottle of medicine, tilting it toward her lips.

Viper kept his eyes sharp, ready in case Rob came back to finish the job.

Meanwhile, the bard’s channeling hadn’t stopped. That glowing circle still pulsed steadily beneath his feet, the song building toward something dangerous.

IronFoot dug in, bracing as he shoved Horace back again with his shield to keep him from closing the distance.

Horace gritted his teeth.

“Out of my way, IronIre scum.”

Heroic Charge!

A golden aura surged around him.

IronFoot checked his cooldowns—[Shield Bash: 2 seconds]. Too late.

Horace became a streak of light. He slammed into IronFoot, sending him flying, and plowed through Viper and TwirlFlicker as well, scattering all three like bowling pins.

The blow hit just as TwirlFlicker’s HP began recovering—her potion slipped from her grip and shattered.

IronFoot hit the ground hard.

He didn’t get back up right away.

He tracked my cooldown. He lined us up and hit us all with one skill while interrupting the healing effect of the potion. This guy is a total monster.

He forced himself up and sprinted after Viper and TwirlFlicker, who had also recovered and were rushing toward the bard, desperate to stop the skill before it could finish channeling.

Shield Bash!

Horace crashed into TwirlFlicker, stunning her for three seconds, then pivoted to position himself between the bard and Viper.

Viper kept firing, loosing arrow after arrow in rapid succession, all aimed at the bard.

Piercing Arrow!

A crimson glow lit the shaft as it flew.

Horace raised his shield and caught it mid-flight—metal slammed against metal with a sharp clang that echoed through the graveyard.

The force pushed the tank back two steps.

Null!

Viper gritted his teeth and adjusted his stance.

He pointed his bow skyward.

Arrow Volley!

A cluster of glowing arrows arced high, then rained down on Horace and the bard from above.

Horace angled his shield overhead like an umbrella, shielding the bard beneath it, letting the rest of the arrows strike his back.

Miss! Null! Null!

-67! Null! 89!

IronFoot’s eyes widened.

Again, two of the arrows had broken through.

Why are some attacks completely nullified while others aren’t?

A scream pierced the air.

“Aaaah!”

Rob had reappeared. While Viper was focused on Horace, the assassin had finished off TwirlFlicker. She vanished into motes of light, her buckler clattering to the ground—already snatched up by Rob.

“You traitor!” she shouted from the respawn zone at the far end of the cemetery. She was already running back toward the fight.

Rob stepped up beside Horace, forming a wall of steel and shadow between the bard and their attackers.

IronFoot finally reached Viper.

“What’s the plan?” Viper asked, catching his breath.

“Most of their skills should be on cooldown,” IronFoot said. “We can break through. Just pin Rob down. I’ll handle Horace. TwirlFlicker helps me take the bard once she arrives.”

Viper nodded.

“Let’s do this.”

IronFoot sprinted toward the bard—who still hadn’t stopped channeling.

Rob’s figure shimmered.

Stealth.

“I won’t let you!” Viper shouted.

Infrared Lock-On!

The constrictor’s eyes lit up red. Rob’s camouflage glitched out and failed, his outline snapping back into view. He was marked now—no more vanishing.

Constrictive Arrow!

The serpent slithered into place, wrapped around the bowstring, and launched. It flew true—striking Rob and coiling tight around his chest and arms.

Rob let out a curse and staggered.

“Get off me, you glorified garden hose!” he snarled, yanking out a dagger and sawing at the snake as it tightened. Sparks flickered where blade met scales.

Good, IronFoot thought. A rogue that can’t move is just a meat dummy.

Even better—Horace was in range.

Heroic Charge!

IronFoot launched forward, golden energy trailing behind him like afterburners. His boots hit the earth with seismic force, each impact leaving splinters of broken stone in his wake.

Horace braced.

Magnetic Shield!

A pulse of silver-blue light shimmered outward from his shield, anchoring him like a pillar. The moment IronFoot’s charge struck, Horace absorbed the hit—and was launched backward. But IronFoot’s momentum died on impact.

He stumbled from the force, grinding to a halt.

Tsk. He didn’t let me pull the same move he did earlier. I’ve never seen anyone use [Magnetic Shield] like that.

No matter.

IronFoot whirled on the bard.

Shield Bash!

His shield flared crimson as he charged again, this time closing the gap to the bard. IronFoot finally slammed the shield straight into the bard’s chest.

Null!

The damage was nullified, but finally landing a hit was still satisfying. IronFoot glanced at the bard’s health bar. A small icon blinked—[Stunned]. The CC had stuck.

And yet... the glowing circle beneath the bard didn’t dim. It pulsed brighter.

No way. Is it still channeling? Even while stunned?

“How much Focus do you even have?!” he demanded.

The bard finally spoke.

“Hahaha! You noob! Come on—hit me! See if you can deal a single point of damage. Here!” He placed his arms behind his back. “I’ll even stay still like this. Go for it.”

“You…”

IronFoot attacked again.

I recognize this guy, he thought, teeth gritted. Something about how annoying he is. But from where...?

Horace arrived, trying to get between them. IronFoot didn’t let him, though. He kept attacking the bard. Horace slammed his warhammer into his back—it barely scratched his armor.

-1

-1

-1

“Haha. I can take your hits all day, Horace!”

Tanks dealt little damage, and Horace was 15 levels lower than him.

He, however, should have had more than enough damage to handle this bard. He was fifteen levels higher. If only he could just get past this annoying invulnerability buff.

Null!

Null!

A blur of motion streaked across the graveyard—[Dashing Flourish].

TwirlFlicker dashed in, blade flashing. She aimed straight for the bard. Horace stepped into her path and took the hit head-on.

Clang!

Null!

He didn’t flinch. IronFoot ignored the clash and swung for the bard’s neck. “Eat this, stupid bard!”

Sword Slash!

The bard tilted his neck. The blade clipped his wide-brimmed hat.

Null!

IronFoot froze.

That subtle motion.

It all suddenly clicked.

Why [Shield Wall] and [Arrow Volley], two AoE skills, were the only ones that had gotten through. Why the bard kept his bare arms behind his back. Why he wasn’t afraid to let IronFoot strike his chest and headgear, but had dodged the hit to his face.

He’s making sure the hits land on his armor.

IronFoot mentally reviewed the fight with Horace earlier, piecing it together, and grinned. The tank also kept blocking the hits with his hat and his overall. There was something special about these two pieces of equipment. Horace did it so much more discreetly, though, so he hadn’t been able to piece this mystery together until now.

“Everyone! Their skill only nullifies hits to armor. Aim for their face, legs, arms—anywhere you see skin!”

He dropped low and slashed at the bard’s ankle.

-78!

Half the bard’s HP vanished.

“Hahaha! Just as I thought!”

Nearby, TwirlFlicker danced around Horace and activated her skill, aiming for the tank’s arm.

Triple Slash!

Horace sidestepped, managing to get two of the hits on his chestplate, but one of them still tore across his unprotected arm.

Null! Null! -112!

Meanwhile, Rob was taking hit after hit. Arrows peppered him as he tried to weave and duck, daggers flashing—but the constrictor’s coils dragged at his limbs, disrupting his flow.

IronFoot saw them faltering. He let out a breathless laugh.

Ah. Finally, the tables have turned. Just a little more—and all three of them die. Then we camp them all to zero.

He raised his sword again. Just one more hit should do the trick!

Miss.

“Uh? Miss?”

“Nice try, bozo. See you later.”

A blinding flash exploded from beneath the bard’s feet. IronFoot raised his shield, eyes squinting against the glare, and swung blindly through the light.

When it faded, they were gone.

No bard. No rogue. No tank.

“Where did they go?” TwirlFlicker asked, breathing heavily.

IronFoot didn’t answer. He stood frozen, staring at the empty space where the bard had been. The silence stretched before he finally spoke, voice low and stunned.

“The channeling skill… it was a teleportation.”

“Teleportation?! It can’t be! Only top guilds have those skills!” TwirlFlicker protested.

“There’s no other explanation,” IronFoot said. He looked down at his sword, fingers tightening around the hilt. 

He still couldn’t believe it. They’d had the levels advantage. It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

Moments of the battle flashed through his mind. Horace... He’d played them like a fiddle. Not only had he kept them from figuring out the plan for nearly half the skill’s channeling time, but he’d also prevented them from understanding how the damage-nullifying effect worked.

And Rob—his timing had been perfect. The way he rejoined the fight just in time to take TwirlFlicker out of the equation.

They’d been outplayed. Completely. And now their targets had vanished without a scratch.

Then he let it fall. Steel clanged against stone, followed by the thud of his boot as he kicked a nearby rock hard enough to crack it.

“I can’t believe it.”

A pause.

“I-IronFoot?!”

“What, Viper?!”

“W-what will t-the Slayer s-say when we t-tell him?”

IronFoot said nothing. He just stared at the tombstone, chest heaving, mind racing. “We’re dead meat.”

Ch. 194 - IronFoot & Co.

INDEX

Ch. 196 - Reinforcement