Chapter 950: The Correct Way to Use a Special Stink Pod
This time, however, the players weren’t in a hurry to bombard Chen Mo with complaints. After all, they knew in their hearts that even if Chen Mo came out to clarify, he’d just show off how he could dominate the Nergigante with every weapon type…
Better to rely on themselves and struggle on!
Many hardcore players declared that since Chen Mo had designed such a ridiculously tough monster, there had to be a way to counter it!
Just like using Sonic Bombs against Diablos or Flash Pods against Rathalos, there had to be some special item to deal with Nergigante!
In truth, the biggest problem players faced with Nergigante was its high damage, high intelligence, and overwhelmingly aggressive attack patterns.
Plus, its body size was just right. Diablos was huge, strong, but slow to turn and clumsy. Nergigante had none of those issues—it combined power and speed, could one-shot you, and reacted incredibly fast!
Take that palm strike from the sky, for example. Players could sprint for their lives and still fail to dodge it, getting slammed into the ground instantly.
While players were grinding for gear like crazy, they were also experimenting with all sorts of dirty tricks.
That’s when a very clever player discovered a cheeky item: the Special Stink Pod!
Stink Pods were throwing items made from monster dung. When thrown, they released a stench that drove monsters away to other areas, creating a one-on-one environment with the desired monster.
The Special Stink Pod was an upgraded version of the regular Stink Pod, crafted at the Research Base using special nerve agents.
However, the effect of the Special Stink Pod was the complete opposite of the regular one.
[Special Stink Pod: Filthy dung, a foul stench, plus a little special nerve agent. If accurately shot into a monster’s face, it will enrage it to the point of extreme fury, temporarily causing it to lose its mind, greatly increasing its attack power, reducing its reaction speed, and making it recklessly charge at the hunter.]
(This is an original item designed to counter high-AI monsters; it doesn’t exist in the original game.)
The first player to bring up the [Special Stink Pod] was immediately mocked by everyone.
“Are you kidding? You think the monster’s attack power isn’t high enough? Trying to commit suicide or something?”
“You… want to greatly increase Nergigante’s attack power? Before, one hit took half your health; now one hit kills you outright? Are you out of your mind?”
The player explained: “With Nergigante’s palm strike, whether you throw the Stink Pod or not, it’s still a one-shot kill. What’s the difference? Throwing the Special Stink Pod lowers its intelligence and reaction speed—that’s clearly making it easier!”
He was straightforward, directly posting a video of himself defeating Nergigante.
Other players were shocked after watching it. This game… could be played like this???
…
This player was a Lance user. After eating a meal at the camp, he equipped the [Special Stink Pod] designed to enrage monsters, then mounted his Lance and sped off toward Nergigante’s location.
And honestly, as a gathering tool, the Lance was really fast. He quickly reached Nergigante.
The guy poked Nergigante’s butt with his Lance, then turned around and sped off again.
Nergigante was furious. You, a puny human, traveled all this way just to poke my butt?! Who gave you the nerve to mess with me like this?!
Just as it was about to chase him, the hunter turned and threw a Flash Pod, stunning it in place.
Meanwhile, the Lance-wielding hunter reached a cave entrance. The cave narrowed as it went deeper, and crawling through led back to the camp. But the outer part of the cave was spacious enough for the hunter to stand, while Nergigante could only stick one claw inside.
He lit a smoke signal, chugged a potion, and raised his shield—all in one fluid motion.
The hunter stood at the cave entrance, facing Nergigante outside.
Nergigante was still fuming. It arrived at the cave, found it a bit small, and just as it stuck its head in to look, a Lance shot out from the cave and poked it right in the face.
Nergigante: “???”
Is this for real?! I’m the mighty Elder Dragon Slayer, the cover monster of Monster Hunter, and you’re poking my face this easily? How can I show my face in the Rotten Vale anymore?!
Nergigante grew even angrier. It shoved its claw into the cave and slammed it down at the hunter!
“BANG!!”
A dull thud echoed as Nergigante’s claw struck the hunter’s raised shield. The hunter, however, was completely unharmed.
Since the Lance had the highest defense of any weapon, Nergigante’s normal claw attack—without any charge or special move—did only moderate damage. Hitting an already-raised shield only pushed the hunter back half a step, causing no real harm.
Right after that claw strike, the hunter’s Lance poked out from the cave again, hitting Nergigante in the face.
Nergigante: “???”
Furious, it tried to ram the hunter with its horns, but the cave was too small. Its head slammed into the crystallized rock at the entrance, stunning itself instead.
Then the hunter extended his Lance again and stabbed Nergigante’s head twice more.
The game awkwardly turned into a turn-based affair…
Nergigante would strike, the hunter would block with his shield, then poke back twice.
In any other game, the monster might have lost in this loop. But Monster Hunter had advanced AI. After a few pokes, Nergigante sensed something was off…
It felt like it was just getting beaten up…
Nergigante turned to leave, but just then, a lump of dung mixed with stench and nerve agent went “splat” right onto its face.
Nergigante: “???”
Nergigante was enraged. I’m the mighty Elder Dragon Slayer, the cover monster of Monster Hunter, and you, a puny human, dare to humiliate me like this?!
“ROAR!!”
Nergigante let out a mighty roar at the cave entrance and frantically shoved its claw inside, swatting at the hunter.
But the hunter did the same as before—blocked with his shield, then stabbed, stabbed, stabbed, covering Nergigante’s head with welts.
As the fight went on, Nergigante even got stunned and fell to the ground. The hunter didn’t miss this golden opportunity. He unleashed a flurry of thrusts with his Lance, knocking off all the spikes on Nergigante’s body.
After a short while, the effect of the [Special Stink Pod] on Nergigante wore off, and it tried to leave. But the hunter immediately shot another one right in its face.
Nergigante: “???”
Forget hunting Elder Dragons today—I’m going to kill you, you little hunter!
The one-man-one-dragon standoff continued, but the outcome was obvious…
That majestic, arrogant Nergigante died a pathetic death under the hunter’s Lance…