Chapter 601: The Phoenix’s First Resurrection
"Phoenix Rebirth!"
Marcus’s corpse was instantly engulfed in a massive blaze of crimson flames. Within the roaring fire, the Phoenix’s unique divine-grade skill took effect, and his lifeless body was restored to life.
The system notification appeared almost immediately.
[Congratulations, Stonehaven. You have been revived by Princess Phoenix’s Divine Beast, Phoenix, using Phoenix Rebirth. Under this divine-grade resurrection skill, you lose no experience. All stats and skills have been fully restored. For two hours after revival, all stats are increased by 15%.]
’Damn.’ That was an insanely powerful resurrection skill. The two princesses had already blown Marcus’s mind more times than he could count, and this was just another reminder of how extraordinary they were.
Ordinary Cleric resurrection skills generally restored between 50% and 100% of a player’s health, but the player still suffered the experience loss imposed by the game’s death rules. Phoenix Rebirth was on an entirely different level. It restored everything, even his skill cooldowns, cost him no experience, and then gave him a 15% increase to all stats for two full hours.
No wonder the skill was called Phoenix Rebirth. The description itself was almost legendary: In the blazing flames, the Phoenix is reborn. Its feathers grow more vibrant, its voice clearer, and its spirit more refined. Through rebirth, it transcends its former self and gives birth to an even greater life.
"Amazing!" Marcus couldn’t help voicing his awe.
"Of course!" Princess Celeste beamed when she saw him alive again. She quickly returned his dropped equipment before proudly explaining.
"Phoenix Rebirth is one of Sister’s ultimate skills. It can automatically revive her three times a day, and every revival makes her stronger. The first revival increases all her stats by 15%, the second by 30%, and the third by 50%. Each revival is stronger than the one before."
Marcus was stunned. That was ridiculous. He had already thought Princess Phoenix was overwhelmingly powerful, but three separate revivals, with each one granting an even greater stat increase, was simply absurd. The more he thought about it, the more a single thought rose naturally to the surface. ’I want a Phoenix too.’
After finishing her explanation, Princess Celeste glanced toward the direction in which the Heavenly Thunder Leopard had escaped, and the excitement on her face faded into concern.
"Stone, do you think the leopard will return to its lair? If we have to search the entire mountain for it, finding it again will be nearly impossible."
Even Princess Phoenix, who had always carried herself with complete confidence, looked slightly troubled. They had already witnessed how cunning the Heavenly Thunder Leopard was. Most monsters stayed within their own territories and rarely wandered far from them, but this one was different. It was cautious, intelligent, and, worst of all, completely willing to run when the situation turned against it.
Princess Phoenix frowned as she considered the problem. Even if they managed to find the leopard again, there was no guarantee it would stay and fight. The moment it realized it was at a disadvantage, it could simply flee once more.
In terrain it knew intimately, combined with its stealth and Lightning Phantom Clones, tracking it down would be a nightmare. And now that it had witnessed Princess Phoenix’s strength firsthand, it would be even more cautious than before.
Both princesses eventually turned their attention to Marcus. He was the only one among them who knew where the Heavenly Thunder Leopard’s lair was. For once, it was Marcus’s turn to look smug.
He gave them a confident smile before sharing his deduction.
"The ambush was probably opportunistic. The leopard doesn’t know we’re specifically hunting it, so there’s a good chance it’ll eventually return to its lair. The real problem is what happens once we find it. If it realizes it can’t beat us, it’ll run again. Unless we can kill it quickly or find a way to trap it, this could become troublesome."
Both princesses nodded. They clearly agreed with his reasoning.
Princess Phoenix, however, still wasn’t particularly worried. She raised her chin with the same proud confidence as before. "You two just focus on protecting yourselves. If the leopard tries to escape, Little Phoenix and I will chase it down." Neither Marcus nor Princess Celeste had any reason to doubt her.
With Marcus leading the way and Princess Celeste constantly using Saint Jade Eyes to watch for another ambush, the three of them resumed their journey toward Red Thunder Valley, where the Heavenly Thunder Leopard’s lair was located.
"Stone, be careful from now on," Princess Celeste reminded him, flying alongside him on her Holy Light Wings.
"Little Phoenix’s Phoenix Rebirth can revive Sister three times, but using it on someone else consumes all three of those chances at once. They won’t recover until tomorrow, so Sister can’t use Phoenix Rebirth on you again today."
Her voice was filled with genuine concern, and Marcus couldn’t help noticing how much more warmly she treated him now. Princess Celeste stayed close beside him as they traveled, a gentle smile on her face. Marcus couldn’t help wondering what her Intimacy Level with him was now. ’She’s really kind.’
He glanced toward Princess Phoenix, who was leading the way ahead of them. She had also used her Phoenix’s resurrection ability on him without the slightest hesitation. Considering how proud and aloof she usually was, that alone seemed to prove that she didn’t dislike him.
Princess Celeste suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice as though she were sharing a secret. "Stone, you know something? Ever since Sister’s Phoenix learned Phoenix Rebirth eighty years ago, you’re the first outsider she’s ever used it on."
"Really?" Marcus lowered his voice as well, but he couldn’t completely conceal the pride in his expression. He was secretly feeling pretty good about himself.
Ahead of them, Princess Phoenix finished cutting down the last of the Thunder Fang Wolves, clearing the path so the group could safely pass through their territory. Once the final wolf fell, she returned to join them, her attention still fixed on the surrounding mountains in case the Heavenly Thunder Leopard attempted another ambush.
Marcus saw the opportunity and immediately brought up the question that had been bothering him since the earlier battle. "Princess, was that Phoenix’s Fury Chain Combo a chain attack?"
The devastating combo had left a deep impression on him. More importantly, he was extremely interested in learning how it worked.
"Yes." Princess Phoenix gave a short, proud nod, but apparently had no intention of elaborating.
Princess Celeste, on the other hand, eagerly picked up the explanation. "Stone, a chain attack is a skill that allows you to strike an opponent continuously. Once an enemy is caught in the chain, it’s very difficult for them to fight back."