Clang!
Arthas was sent flying, slamming hard into the wall. As he hit the ground, he couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood.
He had activated every damage reduction tool: Ardent Defender reduced damage by 30%, Consecration by 10%, and Devotion Aura by another 10%. Combined with a 100% block rate, he had forced the damage down to 20%. Even so, he was knocked back and spitting blood. His head spun from the impact; the force was like being hit head-on by a high-speed fighter jet.
Splat! The Firelord, Ragnaros, also let out a cry of pain as the reflected damage took effect, his entire arm falling off. Although the magma below quickly began to reform the limb, the injury shocked Alleria and the others. Onyxia was especially stunned by her mate.
He clearly wasn't that strong, so how could he challenge someone so much higher in level? What was this move? What magic? Holy Light? Bullshit! Holy Light didn't do that; it had to be the protection of a Titan soul!
Nefarian, after being scolded, had been ready to gloat. Want to play the hero? Go ahead, just try not to lose your life!
However, when Ragnaros's arm was severed and he showed extreme pain, Nefarian's expression finally changed. He couldn't handle the Firelord on his own, much less kill him. If he could have, he would have done it long ago instead of wasting time in Blackrock Spire. Yet this brother-in-law, whom he looked down upon, could actually wound a Demigod! Ragnaros had definitely recovered to Demigod-level strength; otherwise, his pressure wouldn't be so overwhelming.
"Haha! Ragnaros, is that all? Didn't you have breakfast? You trash, even a woman has more strength than you. After sleeping for so many years, did your servants feed you shit? How did you get so weak? I think I'll call you Ragna-woman from now on. Seriously, you're pathetic!" Arthas mocked him shamelessly. He wanted to provoke the giant, to drive him into a blind rage before the final clash.
To deal with such a powerful foe, the best way was to make them lose their mind with rage, then reflect the damage back. The harder the hit, the more exaggerated the reflection. That was why Arthas taunted him. He wasn't afraid of a strong opponent; he was afraid of an opponent who was too cautious and would drag the fight out.
"Ah! You lowly trash! You dare mock the great Firelord! I will crush you! Die! Die! Die!" Ragnaros's rage caused the magma to boil furiously. This time, the lava didn't rise; instead, it began to recede at a visible rate. The energy within the magma was being completely absorbed. Ragnaros's size ballooned again, and as he gripped his mighty warhammer, his elemental power reached its absolute peak.
An intense heat, seemingly capable of incinerating space itself, concentrated on the warhammer. His massive form swung the hammer with such speed it created a gale. The very air became oppressive; with every breath, it felt as though the air had turned into sharp blades cutting the throat.
"Die!" Ragnaros gathered his power to its limit and slammed it down toward Arthas. His fire-flickering eyes were full of malice, and a cruel smile made him look even more hideous, as if he could already see the tiny mongrel being crushed to death. He could swear that even Therazane, the Stone Mother, couldn't withstand a full-power blow like this!
"Arthas!" Alleria cried out in horror. The immense pressure from Ragnaros made it difficult for her to breathe even from a distance. She couldn't imagine the pressure her husband was facing! She began to draw her bow, gathering power to try and help him.
A fair hand reached out and stopped her. Alleria looked over to see it was Sinestra, the Black Dragon Queen. "Don't be impulsive. Arthas is the most cunning and despicable human I have ever seen. Though I'm loath to admit it, he is indeed favored by supreme beings. Everything he does has a purpose; do not interfere. If he needed help, he wouldn't care about his 'pride.' He is the most shameless man I've ever met, and that's exactly why he succeeds. Dignity is built only upon strength."
Alleria hadn't expected this woman—no, this dragon—to have such a deep understanding of her husband. She hadn't thought that far ahead herself, likely because she was blinded by concern. An outsider saw it more clearly. Her husband's rise hadn't been long; as he put it, he had been "biding his time," staying low-key until he had enough strength to be loud.
At this moment, Arthas did feel immense pressure. The power of this strike was suffocating. He knew without a doubt that if he tried to tank this normally, he would be killed. This move was the Firelord's full power—it was no exaggeration to say it contained everything he had. It wasn't just a massive physical attack; it was infused with the laws of fire. Combined, it would obliterate anyone careless enough to face it!
But he wasn't without a trump card. Seeing the enraged Ragnaros, Arthas laughed wildly. A wave of pure Holy Light radiated from within him, covering his entire body. The light was gentle, almost dim, looking somewhat lifeless. Yet, it was this faint glow that allowed Arthas to withstand Ragnaros's ultimate strike.
He remained in his blocking stance, shield raised high, but this time, Arthas didn't go flying. Instead, it was Ragnaros who wore a look of terror, screaming "Impossible!" His entire body began to crack, and magma spilled out uncontrollably, as if some force were tearing him apart from the inside.
Internal damage? No, Ragnaros had simply been struck by the rebound of his own power. An attack of that magnitude, when converted into damage, exceeded a hundred million. Even Ragnaros himself had only a bit over three million HP. Even if only 50% of the damage was reflected, it was still fifty million—far surpassing his health pool. Thus, the famous scene of instant death occurred: I killed myself!