Chapter 70
After the Phantom Demonic Form's health dropped below 30%, it suddenly stood still.
The damage from Ten Thousand Swords Return To Origin continued to hit, but the Phantom Demonic Form's health did not decrease at all.
No One wasn't surprised; this was a common mechanism for many bosses, reducing or preventing damage after reaching a certain health threshold.
To ensure that the boss doesn't die too quickly.
"Everything is according to plan, refrain from attacking, observe the boss's mechanics clearly!" Mujou shouted over the mic.
Usually, with easier dungeons, players could adapt to new mechanics as they came.
But for Pioneer, or this time Godlike, the most important thing is to fully understand the mechanics.
Using skills and attacks might obscure the boss's skill effects, leaving everyone unsure of what just happened.
The best approach is to accept defeat this time to clearly see the skill effects in their simplest form.
The Phantom Demonic Form fell silent.
It turned to look at the surrounding players.
"What? Not attacking anymore?"
The voice of the Phantom Demonic Form rang out.
It sounded distorted and modified, with an echo.
Then it laughed.
"Cowards."
Right after, the Phantom Demonic Form dropped its sword to the ground.
It raised its hand, then directly stabbed into its own chest.
The Phantom Demonic Form continued, pulling out its own heart.
Then crushed it.
From the crushed heart, a gush of blood exploded into a mist enveloping the Phantom Demonic Form's body.
"This isn't good." Mujou stared at the screen, not even bothering to blink.
【Lv.300 Phantom Demonblade】
Full health.
100%.
Almost in unison, countless viewers watching the live stream gasped alongside the players in the dungeon.
[Damn...]
[Terrifying... It's terrifying!]
[So at 30% health, it transforms into Demonblade?]
[Both Black & White and Noodle Shop today are practically starting the game over.]
[Moonlight Clan: You all mock me as ignorant in the default state, but now what?]
[I can even hear it from Florida.]
Mujou remained calm.
With the new dungeon bosses, he considered himself somewhat experienced.
"Everyone, stay calm. Accept defeat and then reassess the strategy."
"It might be that during this phase, if you don't accumulate enough damage quickly, the Boss will transform into the Demonblade state."
He reassured himself.
There’s no way the publisher would make players fight down to 30% only to start over from the hardest state.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Right?
Right!?
Tofu was munching on popcorn while watching Mujou's team live stream, laughing heartily.
Director Minh sighed.
He was seriously considering whether to limit the freedom of this little demon.
.
.
.
No One watched as the Phantom Demonic Form transformed into Demonblade with full health, and he broke into a sweat as well.
It was terrifying.
The Moonlight Clan's team, after getting information from the Demonic side, paused for a moment to watch.
"Could it be that at 30% in the original state, Avery Snow will also enter a demonic form?" Cherished Dream asked suspiciously.
Lady Lam nodded in contemplation. It was very likely.
"Most likely, in that state, you need to accumulate damage before the Phantom transforms. Or at least, dealing damage will prevent it."
"First, let's try Hau Hau's strategy."
Everyone agreed, and everything was well organized.
The lineup still included Earth Dreamer, Phantom Blade, Ranger, and Onmyoji.
The combo sequence was immediately executed.
Everyone was familiar with this strategy, and everything went smoothly.
When the Boss reached 60%, everyone was ready.
【The Drunken Blade Savors The Moon With This Dance】
Quickly, the mechanism's animation appeared.When Avery Snow's Phantom sword was about to fly into the sky, Hau Hau was already prepared.
【Aerial Escape】
【Domain: Drunken Blade】
Hao Hao's character soared into the sky alongside the sword almost simultaneously.
“Yes! All right!” Hau Hau laughed gleefully.
He wasn't affected by the Drunken effect!
Everyone looked up at Hau Hau in the sky.
Wait a minute.
Something was off.
Hao Hao instinctively glanced at Avery Snow's Phantom and noticed something unusual.
This time, the Phantom was staring at Hau Hau instead of targeting Sword of Love or Lady Lam.
Not good.
The aggro had shifted!
"Hau Hau, use Bullet Rain!"
If Hao Hao fell to the ground now, Phantom of Avery Snow would definitely cut him down.
【Bullet Rain】
Hao Hao immediately drew two pistols, spinning in the air while continuously shooting bullets at the ground.
Phantom of Avery Snow stood directly beneath Hao Hao.
Everyone could feel the pressure from the Phantom of Avery Snow at that moment.
If Hao Hao fell, he would be killed instantly!
【Grappling Hook Shift】
Hao Hao launched the grappling hook to a spot on the ground.
Then he used it to pull himself out of Avery Snow's Phantom's attack range.
“I-I escaped!” Hau Hau said, sweating.
Just a bit more and he would definitely be killed.
Avery Snow's Phantom glared at him.
"It's not time to celebrate yet, keep your distance!" Lady Lam shouted.
Hao Hao immediately drew a matchlock pistol from his back and aimed it at Avery Snow's Phantom.
【Sharpshooter】
The Sharpshooter's shot has a charging mechanism.
The longer the aim, the higher the damage. Maximum time is 5 seconds.
As long as the aim lasts over 1 second, the damage converts to true damage.
Hao Hao planned to wait until the Phantom was close enough before firing a near-range shot.
"Damn it! This effect still hasn't worn off!"
The Drunken effect had been floating above them for a while now, without a countdown for when it might end.
Hao Hao's heart was pounding, but he kept the gun steady.
Earth Dreamer's Domain effect had worn off; now, this skill was the only way to deal damage.
"Really frustrating! I want to move, but I just can't!!!"
Sword of Love was also frustrated, struggling continuously.
It was getting close...
10m...
8m...
4m...
This is it!
BANG!
The gunshot was so loud that it drowned out every other sound in the battle hall.
Sword of Love observed Avery Snow's Phantom's health bar.
56%.
That bullet took 4% of its health.
The situation was still not very promising this time.
Only Hao Hao was able to fight, while the rest of the team was still under control.
Suddenly, Avery Snow's Phantom smiled.
"Dance! Dance with me !"
No One was startled.
He quickly checked the timer.
Dungeon teams often used timers to determine how long certain mechanisms lasted.
It had been 10 seconds since then.
So, if Avery Snow's Phantom doesn't hit anyone within 10 seconds, will this effect end?
Suddenly, at the 9 o'clock direction from the center of the battle hall, a glowing red circle appeared.
The whole team was shocked.
A new mechanism!
That glowing red circle had appeared with many bosses before.
This signals that a player must step into it.
However, it will have certain "requirements."For example, for some bosses, the person stepping into the red circle must be a Tank. Or they must be of a certain gender, male or female. There will be a requirement for whoever steps into the red circle.
Typically, there will be a notification for the whole team, such as "Let a female player step into the circle." But in Pioneer and Godlike modes, the circle's requirement is not announced. It can only be discerned through what the boss says.
"Hau Hau, get into the circle!"
At this moment, only Hao Hao was free to move, the only one able to reach the circle. Hao Hao immediately sprinted toward the red circle.
"Dance, Let's Dance!"
The Phantom of Avery Snow, in a drunken state, was moving and swinging her sword toward the red circle.
"After stepping into the circle, use the dancing emote!"
No One vaguely understood that the person standing in the circle had to dance. The game system, besides the player's own actions, also has "emotes" that can be activated to control the character.
The dance emote allows the player to dance on the spot.
Something was not right.
The whole team was now watching the Phantom of Avery Snow. The sword in her hand was now ablaze with a blue flame.
Azure Flame?
Hau Hau was just a few steps away.
The drunken Phantom of Avery Snow smiled.
[Sever The Mooon~!]
No One was stunned.
A crescent-shaped slash cut across the circle.The sharp slash cut smoothly through Hao Hao's body.
Instant death.
Hao Hao's feet had just reached the red circle.
In an instant, that red circle turned black.
[WRONG]