"HP actually surged by nearly 100,000!" A flash of surprise crossed Kalis's eyes, followed by realization. "So when one Boss is killed, its full HP is distributed equally among the remaining counterparts?"
If this mechanic fell on an ordinary player team, it would likely shatter their dungeon exploration confidence completely.
After all, the later the Bosses, the stronger they become, and the margin for error would only get smaller and smaller.
But for Kalis, who possessed the ten-thousandfold amplification, it made no difference whether the opponent had 300,000 HP or 1,000,000 HP—the result would be the same.
"Interesting. Suddenly, I'm a bit curious how panicked ordinary players will be when facing this fusion mechanic." A playful smile curved Kalis's lips.
Thunder Chain's cooldown ended just in time. Blue lightning darted out like a living creature, wrapping around the Azure Lord precisely.
Zap!
-255,600
The Azure Lord's body disintegrated in the lightning. The remaining Emerald and Indigo Lords let out deafening roars again.
Black energy surged around them like boiling asphalt, their bodies swelling another circle, and their HP soared to 530,000/530,000 in sync!
"Perfect timing." Kalis advanced instead of retreating. The Emerald Lord had already opened its maw filled with decaying soil, spitting out a cloud of dark green venom.
Meanwhile, the Indigo Lord raised its rock-armored fist, slamming down with a howling gale.
Squelch!
-612 (Poison DoT, 15% reduced after Corrosion Resistance triggers)
-837 (Physical Damage, 21% offset by Star-Patterned Robe's defense)
-54 (Poison DoT tick)
-54 (Poison DoT tick)
Two rounds of attacks instantly stripped Kalis of nearly 1,500 HP. The dark green venom splattered on his robe, emitting bursts of white smoke.
Fortunately, his Magic Missile had cooled down. The pale blue projectile streaked through the air like a meteor, hitting the Emerald Lord's core precisely.
-2,130,000!
The Emerald Lord collapsed with a crash. The black energy around the last Indigo Lord condensed to the extreme, forming scale-like dark purple armor.
Its body swelled to three times its original size, its rarity jumped from Rare to Epic, and its HP shattered the million mark, reaching an astonishing 1,060,000/1,060,000!
[Mouldering Earth Lord - Indigo (Epic Lord)]
Level: 82
HP: 1,060,000/1,060,000
(Target level is too high to display additional data)
"Even its rarity evolved? It seems not only HP is transferred, but also attack power and defense." Kalis had just thought this when the Indigo Lord's giant palm slammed down with overwhelming force.
This strike was nearly 30% faster than before. He dodged slightly too slowly, and his entire body was slammed into the cave wall, sending stone debris raining down.
-1512 (Physical Damage, Epic amplification triggered)
"This damage boost is somewhat troublesome." Kalis stood up, shaking his numb shoulders. Magic Missile's cooldown ended just in time.
As the Indigo Lord prepared to spit out venom containing Abyssal energy, the pale blue projectile pierced its armor first.
-2,130,000!
The Epic Lord didn't even have time to wail before its massive body exploded into a cloud of decaying soil, scattering a pile of glowing loot.
"You have defeated Mouldering Earth Lord - Indigo, gained 318,000 Experience Points!"
"You have gained Epic equipment [Earthshaker Greatsword], 12 Gold Coins, and 8 Magic Crystal Ore!"
Kalis bent down to pick up the [Earthshaker Great sword], and its attribute panel popped up immediately: Level Requirement 78, Warrior-exclusive, Attack Power +1280, with the special effect Earth Shackle (15% chance to bind the target for 2 seconds on attack).
Although its attributes were powerful, it had nothing to do with his Mage class. He could only store it in his backpack for the time being.
"Sigh, when will I get a Mage-exclusive skill book?" Kalis sighed. He was now Level 38, but still only had two basic skills: Magic Missile and Thunder Chain.
He couldn't learn Crystal Barricade without advancing his class. This "skill drought" made him even more eager to lift the Eternal Hatred Curse.
Passing through the secret door behind the second Boss room, the third floor of the mine unfolded before him.
It was no longer a single tunnel, but a maze of crisscrossing paths, like an abandoned ancient labyrinth.
The system map was shrouded in thick Abyssal Mist, making it impossible to distinguish directions.
Just as Kalis was thinking about how to explore, a weak cry for help came from not far away, heavy with gasps: " Adve... Adventurer, please... save me..."
Following the sound, he saw an NPC wearing tattered miner's clothes lying in a pool of blood.
A broken pickaxe was stuck in his chest, his HP was only 5,000/78,000, and his breath was so faint that he seemed to die at any moment. Kalis glanced at his attribute panel, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes:
[Silverpeak Miner - Tavren]
Level: 50
HP: 5,000/78,000
Attack Power: 370
Physical Defense: 55
Spell Defense: 32
Skills: [Mining (Master)], [Fire Bolt (Novice)], [Magic Missile (Novice)]
...
"He's actually a miner who dabbles in Mage skills." Kalis squatted down.
Tavren struggled to lift his head, his chapped lips moving: "I... I suffered a fatal wound from Abyssal monsters. Only... only a Potion of Holy Radiance can save me..."
"Coincidentally, I have one here." Kalis took out a golden potion from his backpack. It was a rare treasure dropped by killing the Mythic Boss Augustus, and he still had 26 left.
The moment Tavren saw the potion, a light of survival erupted in his eyes. He took it tremblingly and drank it in one gulp.
As the golden liquid slid down his throat, Tavren's wounds healed at a visible speed. His 78,000 HP was instantly restored to full.
He jumped up from the ground suddenly, patted the dust off his miner's clothes, and spoke incoherently with excitement: "Adventurer Kalis! You're my savior! I've been in this Silverpeak Mine for fifteen years, and I know every path like the back of my hand. I'll take you to the Abyssal monsters' lair!"
"Thank you." Kalis nodded and followed Tavren into the fork in the road. The miner was indeed a chatterbox, talking nonstop along the way:
"You don't know, adventurer. We originally discovered a high-purity magic crystal vein deep in the mine.
We were about to start mining when a single pickaxe strike opened an Abyssal portal. Those slimy monsters swarmed out like a tide. My brothers... so many brothers couldn't escape..."
"Once I can get out alive this time, I'll go back to my hometown of Brinton Village. I'll use my savings to open a magic private school and never touch a pickaxe again. Do you think teaching kids to cast Fire Bolt will be fun?"
"Ah! Watch out! It's Abyssal Scorpions!"
From the shadows of the fork in the road ahead, several [Abyssal Scorpions] covered in dark purple carapaces crawled out.
Their stingers glowed with eerie green venom, and their pincers clicked as they opened and closed.
[Abyssal Scorpion]
Level: 80
HP: 15,600/15,600
(Target level is too high to display additional data)
Tavren scurried behind Kalis in fear, clutching his miner's cap tightly in both hands. Even though he knew basic magic, he was left with nothing but terror in the face of these Abyssal monsters.
Kalis raised his hand and cast Magic Missile. The pale blue projectile precisely penetrated the scorpions' carapaces, killing one with each strike. The clearing speed was astonishingly fast.
The two twisted and turned through the forks for nearly twenty minutes, finally arriving at the entrance of a huge natural cave. Faint blood-colored light could be seen deep inside the cave.
Tavren lowered his voice, pointing to the inside of the cave, his tone trembling: "Up ahead... up ahead is the Abyssal Lord's lair.
The portal is right in the center of the lair. The Lord has many tentacles—they can wrap a person into pieces in an instant..."
He was about to continue warning when a deep, piercing voice suddenly came from the depths of the cave, like rusted iron scraping against metal: "Foolish miner, how dare you bring an outsider to disturb the great Lord Zalathor! You are courting death!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Several jet-black tentacles as thick as water buckets suddenly shot out of the cave, like hardened Abyssal vines.
They wrapped tightly around Tavren's limbs and dragged him violently into the cave.
"Help! Adventurer, save me!!" Tavren's cries for help echoed through the mine as his body was lifted off the ground.