Chapter 600: Earth Dragon Eruption
Marcus saw everything clearly.
Princess Phoenix had combined five skills, Scorch the Heavens, Phoenix Triple Wing, Phoenix Charge Thrust, Phoenix Blazing Cloud, and Phoenix Dance Slash, together with basic attacks, to create the devastating combo known as Phoenix’s Fury Chain Combo.
Aside from the final strike, which dealt a staggering 400,000 damage, the combo had kept the Heavenly Thunder Leopard locked in place for more than thirty consecutive hits, each one dealing roughly 30,000 damage. The total damage had exceeded 1.5 million.
More than thirty hits, over a million damage, and throughout the entire sequence, the beast hadn’t been able to move, counterattack, or escape. That was real power, real combat. Compared to that, Marcus felt like a complete joke.
Watching the proud and magnificent Princess Phoenix tear into the Heavenly Thunder Leopard, he couldn’t help feeling utterly awed. At the same time, a faint sense of admiration crept into his heart. There was something genuinely impressive about watching someone who knew exactly what she was doing and had the strength to back it up.
"Five Elements, Infinite Power, Earth Dragon Eruption!"
Determined to avenge Marcus, Princess Celeste finally unleashed the ultimate skill she had been preparing. Earth energy surged beneath the Heavenly Thunder Leopard, violently knocking it to the ground. Before the beast could regain its footing, a massive magic circle appeared beneath its body.
BOOM!
A brilliant burst of earthen light erupted from the magic circle and swallowed the leopard whole. Then, like a dragon bursting from its underground lair, a gigantic serpent formed from yellow light shot upward from beneath the earth, smashing into the Heavenly Thunder Leopard again and again.
Although Princess Celeste’s offensive power couldn’t compare with her elder sister’s, she was still a mage, and attacking was precisely what she specialized in. The earth dragon inflicted a total of 100,000 damage on the leopard, while the magic circle itself possessed a powerful binding effect that could trap any monster caught within it.
Princess Phoenix knew her sister’s abilities well. The moment the Earth Dragon Eruption took effect, she and her Phoenix charged back into the fight.
As a melee knight, Princess Phoenix needed to fight at close range. Her Phoenix had only reached maturity fifty years ago, so it still lacked sufficient combat experience. Otherwise, if the Divine Beast were more seasoned, it might have been capable of dealing with the Heavenly Thunder Leopard on its own.
’Finish this bastard off!’ Marcus could only cheer them on from where his corpse lay. If the two princesses could actually kill the Heavenly Thunder Leopard, not only would his death finally be avenged, but he would also get those coveted Thunder Leopard Horns. Once he had them, his Twin Wing Island would finally be complete.
Just thinking about it was enough to make him drool. Unfortunately, Princess Celeste’s power was limited, and the Heavenly Thunder Leopard was already beginning to recover. The lightning that Princess Phoenix had scattered earlier was gradually gathering around its body again, growing brighter and more violent by the second.
The Heavenly Thunder Leopard showed no concern for Princess Celeste’s Earth Dragon Eruption or Princess Phoenix’s incoming assault. Instead, it immediately activated its signature escape skill. Its body flickered, and in an instant, it disappeared from the range of the binding magic circle.
Then it used another escape skill. "Lightning Shadow!" Blue lightning suddenly flared across the leopard’s body. In the blink of an eye, the enormous creature vanished completely from sight.
’Damn. What a cunning beast.’ Marcus finally understood why the Heavenly Thunder Leopard was considered the most difficult monster to kill in Ten-Thunder Mountain. Its terrifying offensive power was only part of the problem. It also possessed stealth and escape abilities that wouldn’t have been out of place on an assassin, making it exceptionally difficult to pin down.
Fortunately, the two princesses had come prepared. Princess Celeste immediately activated her innate skill, Saint Jade Eyes.
Saint Jade Eyes: Active skill. Princess Celeste’s natural-born ability. It can reveal formations, illusions, stealth, traps, and other hidden effects, while also exposing a target’s attributes and weaknesses.
A white radiance spread outward from Princess Celeste. She used Saint Jade Eyes on herself and Princess Phoenix, and almost immediately, the leopard’s whereabouts were exposed. The Heavenly Thunder Leopard had been quietly circling around them, preparing to launch a sneak attack on Princess Celeste.
’Damn beast.’ Princess Phoenix’s expression hardened as she charged toward it.
With Saint Jade Eyes active, she could now see the leopard’s attributes clearly. It was a level 80 low-level Divine Beast with more than three million health. Her Phoenix’s Fury Chain Combo had already taken away more than half of that enormous health pool.
She could finish it. Princess Phoenix pressed the attack without hesitation.
But the Heavenly Thunder Leopard had one more trick up its sleeve. "Lightning Phantom Clones!" Realizing that stealth was useless against Saint Jade Eyes, the cunning beast immediately changed tactics.
Lightning flashed around its body as four illusory copies appeared beside it, each one looking exactly like the original. The five figures scattered in different directions, rushing away from the battlefield.
It was trying to escape. Princess Phoenix was caught off guard by the sudden change. By the time her Saint Jade Eyes identified which of the five figures was the real Heavenly Thunder Leopard, the beast had already sprinted past the Thunder Fang Wolves and disappeared deep into the mountains.
Princess Phoenix could have pursued it, but Marcus and Princess Celeste were still here, and she couldn’t simply abandon them to chase after the leopard. With the Thunder Fang Wolves closing in around her, she swiftly cut down the monsters surrounding her before turning back and walking toward the other two.
"Stone, don’t recall to town. Sister’s Phoenix has a resurrection skill." Princess Celeste had already warned him of this during the battle. She had also taken the time to retrieve the equipment he had dropped after dying, so at least he hadn’t lost everything.
"Damn it!"
Princess Celeste watched the Heavenly Thunder Leopard disappear into the mountains, frustration written plainly across her face. When Princess Phoenix returned, she immediately urged her, "Sister, revive Stone quickly!"
Princess Phoenix nodded and approached Marcus’s body together with her Phoenix. At her command, the Divine Beast raised its head and let out a long cry before spreading its magnificent wings. A cascade of crimson flames descended from above, enveloping Marcus’s corpse in a brilliant sea of fire.