Chapter 223 - 216: Dragon King’s Breath! Dharma Seal of Order! Complete Domination
Chapter 223: Chapter 216: Dragon King’s Breath! Dharma Seal of Order! Complete Domination
The several massive tentacle clusters, formed from the remains of vines and lunging forward menacingly, were the first to be hit.
Their ferocious charge was frozen solid. Their hideous nodes and plant-like surfaces were instantly covered in a thick layer of deep blue ice.
The layer of ice spread and penetrated rapidly from the outside in, freezing the writhing Life Force within, along with the filthy sap, making it brittle!
The next moment, a heart-stopping shattering sound, as dense as a thawing glacier, rang out in a chorus.
"CRACK... CRACKLE... SHATTER—!!!"
The completely frozen swarm of bees and tentacle clusters, along with the large swathes of ground affected by the frigid air, shattered like glass struck by a sledgehammer!
Countless translucent, ice-blue fragments of varying sizes filled the sky, raining down like a brilliant and deadly hailstorm of diamonds. They clattered to the ground, forming a splendid and dreamlike "ice carpet."
This was the new active effect of [Dragon Flame Dance] that Jon had comprehended from Rosalind’s talent, [Frost Dragon Breath]—[Breath of the Dragon King].
[Active Effect 3: Breath of the Dragon King: Can be activated by consuming 100 Life Value, 100 Magic Power Value, 100 Qi Value, and 100 Willpower. Unleashes a Magic Power breath attack over a large area in front, dealing 300% Magic Strength + 500 corresponding elemental damage, with a very high probability of inflicting an abnormal status on the enemy.]
The cost was high, but its power was well worth it.
A single combo of [Dragon Might Burst] + [Breath of the Dragon King] completely wiped out all the summons of the Demonized Ancient Tree, an Official Level Demon!
"Now, it’s just you and me..."
Having unleashed his ultimate move, Jon took a slight breath and stepped forward once more.
Without the protection of the sky-filling bee cloud and the clustered tentacles, the massive body of the Demonized Ancient Tree was completely exposed before him.
"It’s time to end this."
Jon pushed off, bursting forward in a sudden dash. The shattered ice along his path exploded under his feet, scattering into fine icy dust and making him look like a Blizzard hugging the ground as it swept forward!
[Glory Charge] + [Pursuing Victory]!
Carrying the momentum of his charge, his sword fell, leaving a deep gash on the trunk of the Demonized Ancient Tree.
And Jon’s movements grew even faster, thanks to the skill’s effect.
Facing this helpless enemy, he unleashed his full arsenal of Skills, recklessly brandishing his Power.
[Swift Strike], [Triple Slash], [Heavy Blade Execution], [Stabbing], [Skull Shattering Slash]...
THWACK! SLICE! SQUELCH!
Every time his sword fell, a spray of wood chips and dark green ice beads went flying.
The edges of the massive wounds he carved instantly froze into a thick layer of deep blue ice that continuously ate its way inward, halting the plant-type Demon’s natural healing instincts.
The Demonized Ancient Tree’s huge body trembled and twisted violently, letting out a pained shriek as muffled as thunder rumbling deep underground.
It instinctively commanded its remaining, unfrozen vines to lash out from all directions, trying to force back this tiny yet lethal intruder.
However, in Jon’s current state, these attacks seemed clumsy and slow.
[Dragon Claw Swing]!
The ice-blue light of his sword condensed into a single point, like the talon of a Giant Dragon. It precisely severed a lashing main vine, and the frigid air spread madly through the vine’s internal network, instantly turning it into an ice sculpture.
[Dragon Tail Sweep]!
He spun and swung his sword. The heavy, powerful blow, carrying unstoppable Power and bone-chilling cold, slammed into the other side of the ancient tree’s main trunk. It blasted open a wound even deeper and larger than before, and frost frantically seeped inward.
Jon’s movements were fluid yet brutal. Every step, every swing of his sword, landed precisely on the tree’s weakest, most damaged points, maximizing the destruction.
The Demonized Ancient Tree’s immense size had now become its own liability.
"GROAN—BZZZZ—!"
As more and more wounds deep enough to show its core appeared on its trunk, and the frozen areas grew larger, the Demonized Ancient Tree sensed a fatal threat.
Its vast Life Force began to burn recklessly!
A dark green halo as thick as ink, carrying a foul aura that strongly corroded life and order, suddenly spread out from its center like a ripple!
[Corruption Aura]!
This was an ability guaranteed to trigger after its health dropped below 50%. It continuously applied "Corruption" to hostile units, weakening their Power. This was also the phase where players needed to race against time to deal as much damage as possible.
If the fight dragged on, the stacked "Corruption" debuff would cause a significant drop in Attack Power, eventually leading to a situation where they couldn’t damage the behemoth at all!
But for Jon, this move was like running straight into the line of fire.
His free hand moved to face the spreading Corruption Aura, forming several complex Hand Seals.
VMMMM—!
A circular Array, composed of countless tiny, intricate Runes shimmering with pure, white-gold light, instantly unfolded on the ground with him at its center, enveloping more than half of the Demonized Ancient Tree’s trunk!
It was none other than the [Dharma Seal of Order], one of the Three Dharma Seals Jon had created during the first part of the Mage’s Advanced trial!
It was designed to specifically counter this kind of chaotic, corrupting, negative Energy Impact!
HSSS—!
When the dark green Corruption Aura collided with the white-gold Dharma Seal of Order, the malicious corrupting power began to disintegrate and dissipate on its own!
Not only was the Dharma Seal’s light not eroded or dimmed, but it actually grew more solid and stable while resisting this disorderly power!
And this power of order wasn’t just for defense; it also had the effect of suppression and weakening!
As the white-gold light traveled upstream against the spreading trajectory of the Corruption Aura and entered the Demonized Ancient Tree’s body, an even more painful, silent shriek that seemed to emanate from the depths of its soul vibrated through the space.
"GUH-ERGH—!"
The Demonized Ancient Tree’s enormous body began to tremble violently. In the wounds touched by the power of the [Dharma Seal of Order], the new bud tissue it had forced into existence by burning its Life Force to repair the damage swiftly withered and turned black!
Its Life Origin, already being consumed at a tremendous rate to forcibly activate the aura, was now directly seared and suppressed by this power of order, throwing it into disarray!
Its resistance, its final struggle, not only failed to harm its enemy but instead became a catalyst for its own destruction!
"Now!"
A cold glint shot from Jon’s eyes!
He swung his sword forward, pouring the power of [Dragon Flame Dance - Ice] into it without reservation. The cold light on the blade instantly surged, almost solidifying!
Taking a step, the layer of ice beneath his feet exploded, and he launched himself high into the air like a space-tearing, ice-blue meteor!
[Dragon Flame Dance - Ice] + [Dragon Claw Swing]!
From top to bottom, a huge, ice-blue arc of light flashed by.
SWOOSH—!
There was no earth-shattering boom, only the long, muffled tearing sound of an ice blade cutting through rotted wood.
The ice-blue sword light sank into the ancient tree’s core without any resistance!
Then, the moment the blade pierced through, an ultimate cold erupted from within!
CRACK! CRACK-CRACKLE—!
With the point of entry as the center, terrifying cracks of ice instantly spread to every corner of the ancient tree’s trunk!
[-1422! (Penetration! Fatal Strike!) -225 (Frost Damage!)]
The behemoth’s outer bark completely split apart. Then, having lost its Power, it could no longer support its massive canopy and collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Huge blocks of ice, frozen wood chips, and filthy, dark-green Ice Crystals... all cascaded down like an avalanche, crashing to the ground. They piled up into a frozen tomb that emanated a grim, cold air, with the Demonized Ancient Tree’s own massive, thick trunk serving as its tombstone.
Jon stood before the ruins, which were filled with swirling ice dust. He slowly exhaled a long, white breath as the Ice Armor covering his body silently faded away, revealing his calm face.
Reflected in his ice-blue eyes was the icy graveyard he had personally created, as well as the kill reward.
[Killed a monster of a higher level. Gained 40,000 combat Experience Points (20,000 x reward multiplier 2.0)]
[Advanced Trial - Oppression: Single-handedly kill 5 enemies with a level no lower than your own (4/5)]