Chapter 49: Burning Blaze
The Burning Blaze was a cataclysmic event triggered by the Inferno Tyrant, marking a significant phase transition in the battle.
As the boss's rage intensified and its power reached its zenith, the very fabric of the arena stage began to warp and twist under the overwhelming heat.
Fiery fissures erupted from the ground, spewing molten lava and scorching flames into the air. The once stable ground trembled and cracked, giving way to rivers of magma that snaked across the arena, creating hazardous terrain.
"What the hell is this?" One of the Berserkers uttered in disbelief.
"We haven't even attacked but the boss is already changing the stage. Just how messed up is this game?" Another Berserker voiced their complaint, clearly astonished by the scene.
They merely leaped down from the top and had yet to even initiate an attack, but the boss was filled with rage already.
However, their astonishment would only prolong further when the changes hadn't stopped.
Amid this chaos, pillars of fire erupted from the ground at irregular intervals, casting flickering shadows across the battlefield. The air became thick with smoke and ash, obscuring vision and making it difficult to discern friend from foe.
As the Burning Blaze consumed the arena, the temperature rose to unbearable levels, causing them to sweat profusely and struggle to catch their breath.
The crackling of flames and the roar of molten lava drowned out all other sounds, instilling a sense of dread and urgency in those who dared to challenge the Inferno Tyrant.
"Stop being distracted by the environmental change and focus on the front!" Xu Feng's voice echoed throughout the stage as he cast Blinding Strike at the boss.
The Blinding Strike doesn't do damage, but it affected the Inferno Tyrant's eyesight slightly, prompting the Burning Blaze to stop temporarily from altering the stage further.
"The environment is now hostile against us and we will continuously take fire damage over time. But fret not, our Fire Resistance Potions are decreasing the damage, so do your best and attack the boss!" He added, telling them to remain focused.
With Xu Feng's wake-up call, the Gun Knights, Knight Lancers, and Berserkers stopped overthinking as they charged toward the Inferno Tyrant.
"Enjoy this strike of mine!" The Berserkers screamed simultaneously, activating their skill, Crushing Blow, which delivered a powerful melee strike, dealing bonus damage.
Originally, the skill was also supposed to knock back the opponent, but given the Inferno Tyrant status as a raid boss, that effect was nullified thanks to its immunity.
Nevertheless, the damage was dealt, followed by the Gun Knights that activated Rapid Shot, firing a quick succession of bullets at the boss.
"As expected of a raid boss, my shots are dealing peanut damage." One of the Gun Knights clicked their tongue at the mediocre outcome.
The glaring large red Health Points(HP) bar of the Inferno Tyrant still shone brightly, with barely any changes to it.
"No need to be too disappointed. We can just chip it down slowly." A Knight Lancer snickered coldly, activating Shield Bash, and striking the boss with its shield, hoping to stun them.
Alas, the Inferno Tyrant's immunity was still great and the stun lasted only for a brief second before it started to move again.
Just as it was ready to retaliate against the tanks in response to their puny damage, Xu Feng was able to detect its actions first.
"Sorcerers, now! Fire your spells at his right molten arm!" He ordered decisively, detecting the Inferno Tyrant's movement and determined it was trying to use Magma Burst.
If the boss successfully activates it, the Magma Burst will cause a volcano eruption, dealing area-of-effect(AOE) damage and knocking the tanks back.
Thus, Xu Feng could not allow it to use it and commanded the Sorcerers to attack now to interrupt its sequence.
Thankfully, the Sorcerers were efficient and unleashed a collective number of spells at the boss's right molten arm as instructed.
"Lightning Arc!"
"Firebolt!"
"Frost Nova!"
As each of the Sorcerers fired their spells while calling the skill name, Xu Feng was somewhat left in a daze.
'Are they seriously calling their skills aloud? Just be discreet about it when using them!' He was dumbfounded by their actions.
Only an idiot would be calling out their moves to let their opponent know about it!
Luckily, the boss was just a programmed monster and it was still in the early stages of the game.
Otherwise, their spells would have been rendered useless if the boss was capable of deflecting or defending them.
It was a pity that Xu Feng had no time to correct their behavior, given the Inferno Tyrant was further enraged by their collective actions.
"Everyone retreat back to the center and Clerics, start activating your protection skills. Tanks, use your shield to defend the front and side." He yelled out.
A brief seconds later, everyone followed Xu Feng's instructions without hesitation, forming a defensive stance.
Just when everyone barely managed to finish forming their defense, the Inferno Tyrant made another move.
As it unleashed another one of his active skills, the very air seemed to ignite with blistering heat. Flames danced across its massive form, wreathing it in an aura of searing fire that sent waves of scorching heat radiating outward.
As the boss reared back, a deafening roar echoed through the cavern, heralding the impending onslaught. With a mighty roar, the Inferno Tyrant unleashed torrents of flame from its gaping maw, casting molten fireballs and searing projectiles in all directions.
The ground trembled beneath the relentless barrage, and their defensive stance was shaken repeatedly.
Some players were forced to dodge due to not having enough coverage.
As they weaved through the inferno, their clothes and armor were singed by the intense heat. The air crackled with the sound of burning embers, and the acrid scent of smoke filled their nostrils, making it difficult to breathe.
"Don't panic and focus on healing the tanks! Ensure the tanks survive this ordeal!" Xu Feng cast his own healing toward the tanks, focusing solely on the one receiving the most damage.