The ground beneath Broken began to crack open in multiple places, and suddenly, columns of lava erupted into the air. His instincts flared-there had to be a powerful monster close by. Should he run?
But before he could decide, another violent eruption split the earth. From the rising surge of lava emerged the creature he dreaded. A towering demon, fearsome and menacing, stood before him, cloaked in swirling flames. Its dark, cracked obsidian skin oozed molten lava through its fissures, casting a sinister, hellish glow. Massive, jagged horns jutted from its head, while its wings were living fire, flickering with chaotic life. Its claws and teeth, forged from molten rock, dripped fiery liquid that sizzled upon hitting the ground.
The demon’s voice boomed with amusement. “Ha ha ha! You dare step into my domain? Now, I will burn you to ashes!”
[Epic – The Scorched Tyrant Infernak Lvl. 220]
Epic Monster level 220? Its level was daunting, and the grade was Epic. But for some reason, Broken felt an irresistible urge to take this creature down. It was the first time he had encountered a monster of this caliber-both in level and grade in Hell. Wasn’t this a rare opportunity?
He decided to test the demon’s strength. He equipped his Invincible Paragon set, draped the Flowing Tide Cape over his shoulders, and pulled out his Wavebreaker Spear. The spear had a water element which was effective against the demon that was cloaked by fire.
With quick reflexes, he dashed repeatedly, using his skill to avoid the explosions and the lava spurting from the ground. The demon stood at the center of the chaos, raising its right hand, and each time it clenched the air, an explosion erupted around Broken.
“Ha ha ha! You came here alone? Now, come to me, and I will burn you to ashes!” the demon taunted once again.
“Don’t you have any cooler lines, idiot? You’ve already said that,” Broken yelled back, provoking the creature.
“You dare challenge me?” the demon growled.
The demon flapped his blazing wings and shot forward with terrifying speed, leaving only a fiery blur in his wake. He swung his massive claws at Broken, lava trailing behind them in an
arc.
Broken quickly switched to his Gravestone Greatsword and braced for impact, blocking the strike. The runes on the sword instantly absorbed the hit, filling three slots at once-it was a massive amount of damage! However, the sheer force of the attack sent Broken flying through the air, tumbling across the ground. He immediately scrambled back to his feet, adjusting his stance and readying himself for the next move.
Damn, the monster is tough. Is it time for Broken to go all out and use everything he’s got to take it down? But wouldn’t that be overkill? Besides, this is the only monster around that seems stronger than the others, and it’s an Epic grade. He can’t waste this opportunity, right? Broken kept dodging the monster’s attacks, occasionally blocking with the Gravestone, hoping to fully charge the runes so he could strike back.
Subaru and the others were waiting, and they might need help. He had to finish this thing off quickly. With that decision made, Broken finally chose to summon Everything.
[Summon the Guardian (Active Skill)]
Dendros, the plant warrior, emerged instantly, his Moonvine Knuckles glowing as he stepped into the fray.
[Awaken the Nature Goddess (Active Skill)]
Gaia’s figure appeared behind Broken.
[Nature Conjuring (Active Skill)]
Twelve Nature Beasts were summoned next, filling the battlefield in a wild rush of life.
Without hesitation, Broken began casting every water elemental skill he had.
[Ocean’s Wrath (Active Skill)]
[Sea of Storms (Active Skill)]
[Boar’s Flood (Active Skill)]
He also activated the Flowing Tide Cape, triggering his Water Domain skill.
[Water Domain (Conditional Active Skill)]
A massive wave surged across the ground, swallowing up the fiery terrain before him. Hundreds of water spears rained down from the sky.
Broken charged forward within a dome-shaped water barrier, now face-to-face with the demon. The water slowed the demon’s movements, reducing its speed considerably.
As the hundred water spears entered his Water Domain, Broken swiftly took control of them, directing every spear to strike the demon. The powerful impacts slammed into the demon’s flaming body, forcing the flames to extinguish. It was pure devastation-a massacre.
Ten massive vines slammed into Infernak’s body repeatedly. The demon was also bombarded by poison from the Poison Ivy Rat, rammed by the Thorn Ox, and blasted with fire from the Chili Pepper Rooster.
However, the rooster’s flames didn’t seem to do much, so Broken ordered it to retreat.
High above, the Elder Dragon Tree unleashed a massive burst of magical energy, creating a powerful explosion that dealt heavy damage to the demon.
Meanwhile, Broken spun his spear, launching attacks from all angles. It was almost effortless for him, given the layers of protection he had. Gaia provided him with unlimited regeneration, and the Invincible Paragon set shielded him with thick defenses. The demon, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of attacks, was left confused about where to strike back.
[Berserker Rage (Active Skill)]
Broken activated the Armor Set skill from Invincible, converting 80% of his Constitution into Strength. Though the boost wasn’t massive due to his already high Strength stat, it still allowed him to deliver even more devastating damage.
He and all of his summons kept attacking relentlessly. His Water Domain significantly weakened the demon, as it appeared to have a vulnerability to water elements. This gave him a clear advantage, especially since his Wavebreaker Spear delivered water element damage with every strike.
But the fight dragged on longer than he had expected. What he thought would be overkill was turning into a prolonged battle. Why wouldn’t this monster die already? Still, he pressed on, knowing that Gaia’s summon had time left. He was determined to keep attacking until Gaia’s duration ran out-and if the demon still wasn’t defeated by then, he’d consider retreating. “Damn,” he thought, “Epic-grade monsters in hell are really this tough.” Infernak shifted its strategy, now wielding a blazing sword. Unable to move freely under the relentless assault from all sides, the sword gave it a way to strike back in all directions. With a single slash, the demon sent the Thorn Ox flying, while the other summons were hit as well. Seeing this, Broken adjusted his own strategy. He switched to the Gravestone Greatsword, hoping to block the demon’s strikes and gradually wear down the sword’s durability. But this proved to be a challenge-each of Infernak’s powerful attacks sent Broken flying backward, the sheer force overwhelming him.
The demon momentarily escaped the Water Domain but quickly charged back toward Broken, recklessly throwing itself back into the watery barrier.
The battle showed no clear signs of ending anytime soon. Despite the immense damage Infernak had taken from the twelve Nature Beasts, each at level 200, and the barrage of Legendary skills Broken had unleashed, the monster still fought on, defiant and resilient.
He knew the duration of Gaia’s summons was running out, but he couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity. He had already invested so much into this battle-there was no way he could let the monster escape, nor could he face the shame of retreating after failing to kill it.
What should he do?