Game’s Dogma

Not only did Drako Yau read through Nin’s moves and predicted that Danting would face certain death, he also acted in time to save Danting; his series of moves was as smooth as a flowing river. It was just that the player from Allurers who got swept by the beam was a bit innocent.

‘Ouuu!’ After Drako Yau made its attack, which was supposed to land flushly on Danting, miss its target, Nin started howling like crazy and plucked a tall tree with each hand before charging at Drako Yau.

Idyllic Poet steeled her face and snickered, ‘You dumbass, you really can’t tell who’s the main damage dealer can you!’

With the buff from the Phoenix Ring, her fire-elemental skills were on a level beyond anyone’s reach. She cast Rain of Fire, raining down fireballs onto him. As fireballs poured down from above, she cast another spell.

Apart from Fire Shield, there was another Level 20 skill—Scorching Brand.

Eight out of 10 elementalists chose to give up on the skill. It wasn’t that the skill was weak; on the contrary, it was very powerful. When landed on a target, the target would receive increased damage from all fire elemental damage. The downside though, was that it would take typical elementalists half their mana pool just to cast the spell, and it was very difficult to cast.

Spells like Fireball and Rain of Fire required casters to set a target, then they could simply fire it at the specified location, though they still needed to anticipate their targets’ movement in order for the spells to land. Scorching Brand was different; casters had to actively control the spell’s travel trajectory at all times. If they cast the spell and tried to fire it off like a Fireball, it would immediately vanish along with half of their mana pool.

The mental capability required was extremely high. When class progression became available, countless elementalists had a love and hate relationship with the skill. In the end, many players chose to give up. Casting Scorching Brand was like a gamble in a sense after all; if it missed, the caster would waste half of his mana, which was fatal for mages who relied on mana.

Yet right now, Idyllic Poet used Scorching Brand right in front of the two other elementalists. A slithering snake of fire travelled through the air, almost as if it was distorting space. It was obviously just heat distortion, but it looked pretty awesome regardless.

Under the two elementalists’ awe-struck gazes, the Scorching Brand which was supposed to be very difficult to control accurately struck Nin like a regular Fireball. A flame brand appeared on Nin; it was more vulnerable to fire elemental attacks in the next five seconds.

Rain of Fire, Fireball, Flaming Phoenix… The two elementalists from Allurers weren’t dumb enough to miss the opportunity and immediately sent spell after spell at the weakened Nin. In just five seconds, the three of them dealt tons of damage, leaving behind a battered boss which yelped in pain.

Idyllic Poet also seemed battered, mentally in her case. Her Scorching Brand which seemed to have landed easily actually took her a lot of effort. But she was no ordinary person—she was Idyllic Poet, the Pyrowitch! Still, it was fairly taxing on the mind whenever she used the skill.

Nin was dumbstruck by the sudden flurry of attacks. The mythical monster Nin was a pretty extreme monster; it feared nothing but fire, to the point that fire was almost its nemesis.

To Nin, the tiny orbs of fire shot by the three mages was devastating, especially when it had been under Scorching Brand’s effect. The additional fire damage brought it excruciating pain. Blinded by pain and rage, it ignored Drako Yau who was scurrying away for his life and turned around to charge at Idyllic Poet.

It turned around and before it could take more than a few steps, a familiar pain coming from its rear again.

It wasn’t something which could deal fatal damage, but the pain—it was bone shattering. It was that move again, but the Allurers players all dropped their jaws; one of the elementalists even dropped her staff.

The spear gleaming with moon light was once again stuck in Nin’s buttcrack.

Danting sent Drako Yau his admiring gaze. It’s the boss… It’s the ultimate technique, Thousand Years of Pain…

‘Ouuuu!’

Nin leapt while covering its butt with its palm. Tears trickled out of its eyes on its massive face. A boss monster was actually crying… Anyone would cry after getting stabbed in the arse really, not once but twice no less.

Nin was desperate as it twisted its body while light gathered on its horn—it was pointed straight at Drako Yau. This time though, light was gathering rapidly at its horn, probably due to pain. By the time everyone realised what was going on, the laser beam was already headed straight for Drako Yau.

Staring at the incoming beam, Drako Yau’s mind almost went blank.

Am I going to die?

However, the thought lasted for less than half a second before he denied it.

I shall take charge of my own life, not the heavens! I’m not gonna die here!

The innate survival instinct within him was roaring with life as he looked into the pillar of light.

Boom!

It was as though something within him exploded; only he could hear the boom. After the explosion, he entered the same weird state, the one back when he had been fighting Age of Scholars.

His body seemed to be overflowing with strength, but his mind was freezing cold. However, the chilliness didn’t slow down his thought processes. Instead, everything was in slow motion and his mind was as clear as ever: Dakki who gasped while covering her mouth, Danting and Zephyrwolf who were rushing over as quickly as they could, Greenstone who was casting Heal, and the pillar of light travelling towards him.

Everything was in slow motion, but they still moved nonetheless. His advantage now lay in the fact that he had a bit of time to contemplate his options and choose the best one.

Evasion? Impossible, Nin fired the beam way too unexpectedly. Even if I dodge the initial impact, it can cut me in half just by tilting its head.

This…? Doesn’t work.

That…? Doesn’t work.

Doesn’t work… Doesn’t work… Doesn’t work…

In the few seconds which the beam took to reach him, Drako Yau had gone through countless possibilities in his head, but they were rejected one by one.

In the end, he decided on using the most ordinary of methods. He held his spear in front of him and slanted the weapon to point it diagonally towards the sky.

The beam knocked Drako Yau down and continued to send him gliding backwards with his butt kissing the ground. It slammed straight into his Moon Gazer and was reflected into the sky. However, the force behind the beam was so great that it propelled Drako Yau across the ground, his butt now serving as his sled.