Chapter 244: - Unsessful st, Vanishing Shadow


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    [Ethereal Form has been activated. This will protect you from physical attacks and increase the damage you receive from magic for five seconds. Your Health will also be fully restored to 100%.]


    The damage was immense, and Broken''s Health plummeted to zero. Without the Ethereal Form, he would have already been sent back to the Temple or Resurrection point. He was thrown violently backward, but he managed to stash his spear in his inventory in the chaos. Regaining his footing, his Health began to regenerate quickly. He had a second chance, but for the next five seconds, he would be highly vulnerable to magical attacks.


    Broken drew the Thorned Vindicator Sword, sprinting to evade the wild shadow tendrils, assailing him from every direction.


    [Charged Attack (Active Skill) Lv. 3]


    He needed to inflict damage on Tristan and interrupt whatever spell the mage was casting, especially to prevent him frompleting his transformation. Broken''s body elerated, moving with urgency towards Tristan. He had to strike fast and decisively.


    But Tristan''s face still bore a maniacal grin. "Not bad. You can put up resistance, but it''s futile!"


    Broken was almost within striking distance when dozens of shadow tendrils erupted once again, speeding toward him in an attempt to entangle and immobilize him. If he were captured this time, there would be no escape-he would truly die.


    However, this time was different. Two thick vines emerged from beside Broken, binding around him and hurling him into the air. It was Dendros,ing to his aid at the critical moment. Now airborne, Broken had a clear shot at Tristan, and he was ready to deliver another powerful attack.


    Broken plummeted toward Tristan, gripping the Thorned Vindicator Sword tightly, ready to unleash his attack.


    [Quick Strike (Active Skill) Lv. 3]


    His sword was mere inches from cleaving Tristan when, once again, countless shadow tendrils ensnared his legs, yanking him away and hurling him backward.


    "Damn!" Broken cursed furiously as he was thrown, almost colliding with the cavern wall. But at thest moment, two robust vines emerged from the surrounding shadows, coiling around him and halting his trajectory. Gently, the vines released him, allowing him tond gracefully on his feet.


    "Thanks, Dendros," Broken muttered under his breath, though frustration simmered below the surface. This fight was far from over.


    Polly and Dendros persistently attacked Tristan from all sides, but the shadow tendrils shielded him with rming efficiency. Tristan''s transformation was nearingpletion, and the consequences could be catastrophic.


    Dendros lunged forward, delivering powerful blows in rapid session, seeking any opening in Tristan''s defenses. Yet each time its fists were about to connect, a magic shield materialized, deflecting the attacks. The sight was maddening for Broken, who observed the struggle from a distance.


    Determined to find a way through, Broken dashed towards the pickaxe lying on the ground and mmed it hard into the earth.


    [Quake Strike (Active Skill) Lv. 1]


    The impact rippled through the ground, sending shockwaves in every direction and almost catching Tristan. But Tristan swiftly hovered, shifting position to avoid the attack. Broken clenched his teeth, still seeking an effective strategy. Using his bow skills wasn''t viable since they required a charge time, and he couldn''t afford to stay still while dodging the shadow tendrils.


    But their hard work started to pay off. Polly unleashed a flurry of relentless attacks. She managed to interrupt Tristan''s transformation, and it was clear he was getting more and more angry. Furious, he changed his strategy and sent out a storm of magic missiles in every direction.


    Dendros got hit several times but managed to withstand the barrage. Polly, who could better handle magical strikes, kept moving swiftly around Tristan, attacking him from all sides.


    All the skills from the Wavebreaker Spear had finished their cooldowns, and Broken knew this was his final push. Without hesitation, he switched back to his spear, ready to unleash his most devastating attacks.


    [Ocean''s Wrath (Active Skill)]


    [Sea of Storms (Active Skill)]


    [Boar''s Flood (Active Skill)]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He simultaneously cast three skills. Massive waves surged forward, sweeping away the shadow tendrils in their path. Following closely behind, a rain of spears descended randomly, decimating most of the remaining tendrils. The climax of the assault came when a wild boar made of water exploded into existence and charged directly at Tristan, hitting with thunderous force.


    Tristan narrowly evaded, hovering to maintain distance, but Broken had anticipated this. As Tristan focused on maneuvering away from the chaos, Broken dashed forward with astonishing speed, his spear whirling. With a precise spin, he struck the back of Tristan''s neck, drawing a sharp arc of blood.


    [Spiral Pierce (Conditional Passive Skill) Lv. 1]


    Tristan yelped in panic, retreating quickly to reassess. But Broken was relentless. He swiftly switched to the Bow of Artemis, ready to test his new skill. Drawing an Epic-grade Iron Piercer Arrow for maximum damage, he focused intently.


    [Sniper''s Focus (Active Skill) Lv. 1]


    The shadow tendrils were slowing, granting him a brief window. He had 2 seconds to charge the skill. As Polly and Dendros maintained relentless pressure on Tristan, Broken meticulously aimed. When the bowstring was released, the arrow shot forth, its trajectory leaving a luminous trail.


    At 1500% physical damage and reducing his target''s defense by 30% for 10 seconds, the arrow struck true, embedding itself deep in Tristan''s chest. The mage crumpled slightly, his defenses markedly weakened, his expression twisted in shock and pain.


    This was the moment to finish him.


    With a fierce cry, Broken charged, spear at the ready. As he closed the distance, Tristan struggled to counter, his weakened state evident. His eyes zed with determination. He would end this now!


    With one final, powerful thrust, he aimed to deliver the coup de grace, sealing the fate of his formidable opponent.


    Five massive vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Tristan and immobilizing him. Broken seized the moment, spinning his spear with deadly precision for a final thrust to Tristan''s neck. Victory was within his grasp.


    But Tristan''s maniacal grin remained. "You''re too naive to think you can defeat me!" he spat. A shadowy explosion enveloped him, and his body disappeared. Momentster, shadowy energy streaked into the air, revealing Tristan hovering above, his lower half now a swirling


    mass of shadow energy.


    Understanding the urgency, Polly sprinted toward the exit, ready to intercept Tristan if he tried to flee. Tristan''s elevated position made it difficult for Broken tond a direct hit. He had one option left: another skill from his Super Novice.


    [Explosive Arrow (Active Skill) Lv. 1]


    The charge time was 5 seconds-an eternity in this chaotic battle. Broken knew he needed Dendros to buy him precious time.


    Dendros, sensing the urgency, relentlessly attacked, using his vines to chase Tristan in the air and disrupt his attempts to cast offensive spells. Tristan''s high position seemed to hinder his ability to use his skills effectively.


    Those 5 seconds felt like an eternity, but Dendros managed to keep Tristan preupied.


    Finally, the charge time psed.


    [Projectile''s Kiss (Active Skill)]


    This would double the skill''s damage, thanks to the ring he had received from Melliandra. Broken released the bowstring, the arrow rocketing towards the air. It found its mark, striking Tristan with pinpoint uracy.


    A colossal explosion followed-KABOOM! The impact was earth-shattering, causing the entire cavern to quake. Sections of the cavern wall crumbled, sending debris cascading down. The st wave was immense, reverberating through the entire area and making the ground vibrate underfoot. It felt as though the very foundation of the cave was being uprooted, with chunks of rock raining down from above.


    Broken crouched, seeking shelter from the chaos. Dendros immediately moved to protect him, using his body as a shield. Polly dashed around, deftly avoiding falling debris while swatting away stones that threatened Broken from above. It was utter pandemonium, and the cave plunged into darkness as the crystalmps were shattered, leaving them in pitch-ck


    chaos.


    Worse yet, Broken hadn''t seen any notification confirming Tristan''s defeat. His fists clenched in anger and frustration as he waited for the dust to settle. After several tense seconds, he pulled out a crystalmp, illuminating the immediate area in search of any sign of his adversary. To his dismay, there were no traces of Tristan.


    Polly approached gently, removing the rubble from Broken''s shoulders and head with a nudge


    of her own.


    "Master, I''m sorry... I saw the mage flee just after the explosion. He transformed into a


    shadow and escaped quickly. I was worried about you, so I chose to make sure you were safe,"


    Polly said, her voice tinged with guilt.


    Broken sighed, cing a reassuring hand on Polly''s head. "It''s okay. Now, we need to focus


    on rescuing the Princess."


    ***


    (Author''s Note: I''m not trying to prolong the battle scenes. But Broken''s level isn''t that high yet, so it''s natural for him to struggle. He also needs experience to get used to the various skills and fighting styles he possesses. I hope you aren''t getting bored with the battle scenes. I promise to focus only on the important things.)