Chapter 294 - Storm of Swords
Although Shi Feng lost against the Balrog Serpent in a direct confrontation, Thunder Flame Explosion, the skill he used, wasn’t just a powerful destructive skill. It was also a control skill.
However, the Balrog Serpent was a Special Elite monster; it possessed a degree of resistance towards control skills.
Hence, the Level 7 Thunder Flame Explosion, which would originally place enemies hit by it in a Fainted state for five seconds, only managed to incapacitate the Balrog Serpent for 3.5 seconds.
For average players, 3.5 seconds might not seem like a long time. For Shi Feng, however, it was plenty of time.
Wind Blade!
Shi Feng instantly arrived before the Balrog Serpent. Simultaneously, his Attack Speed received a 30% increase.
However, Shi Feng was still not satisfied with this. He then proceeded to activate the additional skill of the Purgatory’s Shadow, Purgatory Power.
[Purgatory Power]
When activated, increases Attack Speed by 100% and damage dealt by 30% for 15 seconds.
Cooldown: 2 minutes
Shi Feng then activated Nine Dragons Slash.
Twelve phantoms of the Abyssal Blade suddenly appeared, floating around Shi Feng. Each phantom was capable of dealing 40% damage for 30 seconds. However, it had a long Cooldown of five minutes.
Shi Feng brandished his two swords using his full strength. In addition to the twelve Abyssal Blade phantoms he was controlling, a total of fourteen swords surrounded and madly attacked the Balrog Serpent.
Within moments, the cave was filled with sword images dancing around.
Fourteen… Twenty-eight… Fifty-six… One hundred and twelve…
Countless sword images flashed in the air, forming a storm of swords that devoured the Balrog Serpent whole.
Shi Feng’s swords slashed at the Balrog Serpent’s body one after another, each strike causing close to -500 damage. Moreover, close to half of this barrage of attacks achieved a critical hit, each dealing close to -1,000 damage to the monster.
Meanwhile, each of the phantoms of the Abyssal Blade had also managed to deal over -200 damage to the Balrog Serpent. The total damage of the twelve phantoms was even more frightening than that of Shi Feng himself.
As if the floodgates to the Balrog Serpent’s 150,000 HP had been opened, the Balrog Serpent lost HP incessantly.
Within a short 3.5 seconds, the Balrog Serpent’s HP had already fallen to 61%. When the Balrog Serpent regained consciousness, it immediately released an enraged roar. At this moment, however, Shi Feng pointed the Abyssal Blade at the Balrog Serpent.
“Now is still not the time for you to wake up.” Shi Feng cast Abyssal Bind on the Balrog Serpent right away. If he were to allow the Balrog Serpent to start retaliating, his previous efforts would all go to waste.
In the blink of an eye, nine pitch-black chains emerged from the ground, quickly wrapping around and binding the Balrog Serpent. Meanwhile, the Balrog Serpent could do nothing but roar in anger as it helplessly watched sword after sword piercing its own body, continuously reaping its HP.
The Abyssal Bind had a duration of four seconds. Moreover, the Balrog Serpent’s resistance towards control skills was completely ineffective against it; the Abyssal Bind’s effective duration was not reduced in the slightest. In addition, the Abyssal Bind reduced the Balrog Serpent’s Defense by 100%, rendering the Balrog Serpent’s innately powerful Defense utterly useless.
Now, each of Shi Feng’s sword strikes dealt over -800 damage, with the occasional triple critical hit dealing over -2,500 damage.
A series of splendid numbers appeared above the Balrog Serpent’s head. Before the eye-catching number of -2,500 disappeared, a damage of over -1,700 points appeared on top of it. Practically one out of every two strikes would achieve a critical hit.
Meanwhile, each of the twelve Abyssal Blade Phantoms were now dealing over -350 damage to the Balrog Serpent.
For the Balrog Serpent, these four seconds were a complete hell.
By the time the Balrog Serpent escaped from the chains binding it, it had only 19% HP remaining. However, Shi Feng had long since been prepared for this moment.
“Disappear!” Shi Feng raised the silvery-gray Abyssal Blade.
The dense fire-type mana in the surroundings started gathering around the Abyssal Blade, causing the sword to release a blinding glow.
This was indeed Shi Feng’s ultimate skill, Flame Burst.
[Flame Burst]
Level 5 (Requires 4,000,000 EXP to upgrade to Level 6)
Channeling time: 2 seconds
Gathers the power of flames to a single point and causes 420% damage to the target.
Attack Count: 6 times
Cooldown: 3 minutes 30 seconds
Before the Balrog Serpent could even start attacking, Shi Feng had already brandished the scorching hot Abyssal Blade six times. All six sword slashes immediately sank into the Balrog Serpent’s body.
-3,310, -3,347, -6,784, -6,706, -3,371, -6,754.
Six frightening damages appeared consecutively above the Balrog Serpent’s head, instantly taking away the monster’s remaining 28,000 HP.
Soon after, the Balrog Serpent’s body started fading away, and only after it disappeared completely, did Shi Feng release a sigh of relief.
System: Balrog Serpent defeated. Sixth trial completed. Rewarding 9,000,000 EXP, 20 Free Mastery Points, and 10 Gold Coins. Proficiency of all Skills increased by 500 points.
System: Sixth trial cleared. Do you wish to start the next trial?
Shi Feng’s experience bar immediately rose to 41% of Level 21. If put on the Ranking List on White River City, Shi Feng would only be beneath Violet Cloud and the others. However, he was still two levels behind Blackie, the current top ranking player of White River City.
Finally, I’ve passed the requirement. Should I try to take on the 7th trial, though? Shi Feng looked at the system interface showing the trial’s prompt. Privately, Shi Feng had the notion to take the challenge.
Now that he had cleared the 6th trial, it signified that his task was already over. He had no need to brave the dangers and accept the next trial at all.
Moreover, if he happened to lose his life in the next trial, he would definitely suffer a heavy penalty; it absolutely wouldn’t be limited to just losing a single Level.
Truth be told, however, Shi Feng felt confident about his chances at clearing the 7th trial. After all, he had not even unveiled the Black Emperor Inheritance when he fought the Balrog Serpent. He definitely had the necessary strength to challenge the 7th trial.
After clearing the 6th trial, Shi Feng obtained an additional 1,600 Merit Points. If he were to clear the 7th trial, he could obtain another 3,200 Merit Points, bringing his total to 4,800 Merit Points. It would be enough points for him to exchange for an Epic ranked item.
Just the prospect of obtaining an Epic ranked item made Shi Feng feel that he should give it a try.
Besides, Shi Feng no longer had any burdens to carry, so why not give it a try?
However, Shi Feng was unsure of what kind of price he would have to pay if he were to suffer death. If it was only losing a single level, then Shi Feng would gladly proceed to the 7th trial. However, Shi Feng knew such an outcome was not likely. Just the penalty for not completing the Trial of Gods was already considered unbearable for players; some players might even have to delete and restart their accounts due to the harsh penalties imposed.
Meanwhile, the Twelve Trials was the most challenging trial of the War God’s Temple. It would be an insult to the War God’s Temple if the punishment for dying was only the loss of a single level.
Just as Shi Feng was hesitating, his system communicator rang. Meanwhile, the person calling him was Aqua Rose.
“Did something happen?” Shi Feng asked.
Previously, Shi Feng had already told Aqua Rose that he did not wish to be disturbed as he was about to do a quest, and that, unless there was something big happening, she shouldn’t try to contact him. Based on Aqua Rose’s serious personality, if it wasn’t an extremely important matter, then she definitely wouldn’t try to contact him, hence Shi Feng’s question.
“Dark Star has suddenly declared an all-out war against us, and several hundreds of our Guild members have already been killed by members of Dark Star while they were out grinding. Moreover, the core team, led by Fire Dance, has also been trapped by Dark Star inside the Silverleaf Forest. Although we’ve already sent reinforcements, they were blocked by members of Dark Star outside the forest.
“What I’m trying to say is that, Guild Leader, you need to immediately contact Gentle Snow and have her send some people to help contain Dark Star so that our members can take the opportunity to save Fire Dance and the others!”
Aqua Rose was extremely anxious at this moment. They had already failed to break through the encirclement of Dark Star around the Silverleaf Forest multiple times now. If this situation continued, Fire Dance and the others would truly be finished.
Feng Xuanyang! You did good!
Shi Feng’s expression immediately sank, a cold killing intent gleaming in his eyes.
If Fire Dance and the others belonging to the main force of the Guild were to die a few times, it would be a tremendous loss to Zero Wing.
Leaving aside the fame that Fire Dance and the others had accumulated for themselves, just losing a part of the equipment they possessed would be a serious blow to the Guild. Just how long would it take for them to recover such precious equipment?
Meanwhile, when Shi Feng tried to figure out who was responsible for such a situation, Feng Xuanyang came up as his strongest suspect.
Feng Xuanyang was the true wielder of authority in Dark Star.
After Shi Feng’s previous forthright rejection, it would not be strange if Feng Xuanyang retaliated. Hence, who else could be responsible for Dark Star’s declaration of war?