Chapter 85
Chapter 85
“You only dare hide in the distance! You don’t even have the courage to face me head-on!” Zhou Ming stood proudly within the fire and swept a crushing gaze across the battlefield. “What right do any of you have to kill me?!”
“Ding!”
[You have used Flame Soul Art. All Attributes +80% until the battle ends. As a price, when the skill enters cooldown, Level -5 and you enter a Weakened state for 5 hours!]
Flame Soul Art!
This was the exclusive skill rewarded for clearing the Sin of Envy. The price was steep, but it was unquestionably an ultimate move capable of overturning an entire battle.
Crimson flames surged around Zhou Ming, intertwined with strands of black matter.
When Lin Tao charged again, Zhou Ming did not retreat.
After being transformed by the third Demon God, Lin Tao had lost all reason. His Attack and Speed had become exceptionally high, but the corresponding price was mediocre Defense.
The best way to deal with an enemy like this was to meet him head-on. Fighting while retreating would only put Zhou Ming at a disadvantage.
Blazing Slash! Rending Slash!
Zhou Ming unleashed every offensive skill without reserve. Wrapped in raging fire, the Flamecloud Sword carved wound after bone-deep wound across Lin Tao’s body, sending blood spraying through the air.
“Urgh!”
Repeated pain drove Lin Tao into even greater madness. The black sword hacked into Zhou Ming and forced him several meters back.
“Ding!”
[Corrupted-Bone Blade · Lin Tao has used Bloodthirst Sword Aura, dealing 250% damage to targets hit and reducing their maximum HP by 1% per second for 10 seconds!]
-12,035!
Zhou Ming’s maximum HP was now nearly one hundred and seventy thousand. Even at half health, Bloodthirst Sword Aura was nowhere near enough to kill him, especially with Flame Soul Art raising his Defense even further.
Holy Flame Purification!
+33,475!
Expressionless, Zhou Ming healed himself and dispelled Bloodthirst Sword Aura’s debuff. Then he resumed the desperate melee, every sword stroke drawing blood.
“Take my spear!”
Lu Pingyong attacked from behind, thrusting the long spear straight at him.
Dawnbringer!
Zhou Ming did not flinch. He summoned the phantom sword and forcibly Suppressed Lu Pingyong to buy time, while its area damage wiped out the players interfering around him.
Damn it!
Pinned in place, Lu Pingyong grew increasingly anxious.
The plan was obvious. Zhouyou Shijie intended to eliminate Lin Tao as quickly as possible. Once that happened, the pressure would plummet and Zhou Ming would finally have room to maneuver.
“How can he be this strong?” Bawang watched from a distance with a grave expression, not daring to approach.
Under Flame Soul Art’s enhancement, Zhouyou Shijie was terrifying!
The skill’s price might be severe, but it would not take effect until after the battle ended. Right now, with Dawnbringer firing every twenty seconds, no player within one hundred meters could survive. Only the two Radiant Bosses could remain nearby.
Gaibang Laoda, however, was not surprised. “Demonic Flame Armor has ended. Archers and mages with control skills, attack together on my command!”
“Fire!”
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Skills capable of inflicting Stun, Launch, and Knockback effects rained down on Zhou Ming.
The gaps in level and attributes might make each effect’s chance extremely low, but if enough were launched at once, even the smallest probability became a certainty!
“Mint, it’s your turn!”
Gaibang Laoda looked toward the powerful guild member recruited beside him.
Lemon Mint was a female player with the hidden class Plant Mage. On the Falling Leaf Plains, she had once used control skills to pose an enormous threat to Zhouyou Shijie.
“Got it!”
Lemon Mint understood and raised her staff, whose tip began glowing green.
From one hundred meters away, she summoned two thorn-covered vines beneath Zhou Ming. They rapidly wrapped around his feet and immobilized him.
“Ding!”
[You have been hit by Lemon Mint’s Vine Bind. You take 500 fixed damage and are Immobilized for 0.74 seconds!]
Zhou Ming’s movements came to a halt. Combined with the endless control skills launched by players unafraid of death, the interruption severely hindered his combat rhythm. Caught between Lu Pingyong and Lin Tao, he fell into an absolute disadvantage.
40%!
20%!
10%!
Zhou Ming’s HP dropped at a speed visible to the naked eye.
“He’s low! He’s low!”
Bawang saw that the battle had reached its critical moment. His breathing quickened, and he could no longer restrain himself. Spear in hand, he charged forward with the phantom of an azure dragon coiled around his body, his strength rising dramatically.
“Ding!”
[Fearless Spear · Bawang has used War Dragon Art. All Attributes +50% for 30 seconds!]
“Ding!”
[Fearless Spear · Bawang has used Furious Dragon Strike. The next attack deals 350% damage and an additional 100% True Damage!]
Like a ferocious beast, Bawang charged Zhou Ming with murderous intent.
As president of the Myth Guild, Bawang ranked on both the Eastern Region’s Level Rankings and Talent Rankings. He also possessed the rare hidden class Dragon Warrior. How could he lack trump cards?
His opponent was simply too inhuman, forcing him to avoid Zhou Ming’s edge until now.
5%!
3%!
Zhou Ming was down to a sliver of HP.
“Your life is mine!” Lu Pingyong unleashed the strongest technique available, determined to claim the final blow.
With Zhouyou Shijie’s massive Infamy, anyone with eyes could tell he would drop nearly every treasure on his body.
“Die!”
Bawang thrust his spear.
Gaibang Laoda and Die Beneath the Peonies refused to fall behind, rushing to attack with everything they had.
Astral power, Bloodthirst Slash, Venomous Vines…
Every kind of skill crashed toward Zhou Ming at the same moment.
With so many attackers and no distinction between friend and foe, only the person who landed the killing blow would receive the right to collect the drops.
Everyone wanted that final blow. It would overturn their destiny and launch them into glory.
“Please, heavens, give me the kill!”
“If I take Zhouyou Shijie’s head, I can live easy for the rest of my life!”
“The kill has to be mine!”
The crowd had gone completely mad with greed.
When Zhou Ming’s HP fell to just 1%, countless attacks arrived one after another.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
“I already told you…”
Trapped inside layer after layer of enemies, Zhou Ming stood drenched in blood, his hair flying wildly. “A pack of cowards who hide at a distance and don’t even dare face me head-on have no right to kill me!”
Boom!
Zhou Ming locked another Dawnbringer onto the soldiers in the distance and smashed it down with overwhelming force. Waves of fire swept outward and carried away an entire group.
Flash!
Golden light scattered around him.
“Ding!”
[You have leveled up!]
Earlier, Zhou Ming had avoided fighting players and killed countless monsters across the battlefield instead. His goal had never been limited to controlling the timing of the confrontation and wearing down his enemies’ morale!
He had also pushed his EXP bar above 90%!
Every resident and adventurer who had been screaming themselves hoarse froze for a moment.
Zhou Ming had been at death’s door, but because he leveled up…
He was back to full HP?!
…