Chapter 339
There's a phrase, "scorched earth," but that's typically used metaphorically to describe the characteristics of dry, high-temperature regions.
The world viewed from the Barrier Towers is literally ablaze with scorching heat.
As if demanding all curses be burned away, flames continuously spew from the windows of the six Barrier Towers, turning not only the Mirror Image Azhdaha but also the Serpent Dragon Kin trying to emerge from the toxic swamps into charcoal.
"Don't let the Fire Spirit Stones run out!! Use the Wind Spirit Stones freely too!!"
The flamethrowers, releasing white-hot flames powered by Fire and Wind Spirit Stones.
Within the sealed space of the barrier, these flames could be called the "most terrifying" in meaning, delivering the most dreadful effect.
Especially with the synergistic effect of the barrier deployed by the Barrier Towers made from Light Spirit Stones and the hymns from Amina's choir, these flames are imbued with a powerful purification effect, transforming into "Holy Flames" that purify by burning.
Using Wind Spirit Stones creates high temperatures, and the sealed environment of the barrier causes the temperature inside to rise at a tremendous rate, deviating from an environment where living beings can exist.
***`'■■■■■■■■■■■!!!'`***
Even under the hellfire of the combo attack mockingly called "delicious kabayaki" by FBO players, the Mirror Image Azhdaha still struggles vigorously. However, the cursed poison on its body surface is being burned away, the scattered curse poison is being incinerated by the flames, preventing recovery.
Moreover, it's an attack by flamethrowers exceeding a thousand degrees.Even for a Class 9 monster, it takes damage.
It spews breath attacks trying to break the barrier, but both the Barrier Towers and the barrier are specially made for this day.Even Azhdaha cannot easily destroy such things.
*`'Liberta! We're ready!'`*
That said, can this flamethrower and barrier combo defeat Azhdaha? It cannot.While it can deal consistent, modest damage over time, the Barrier Towers will reach their limit before the slip damage can finish it off. More importantly, even within these flames, Azhdaha is slowly, steadily advancing towards where Amina and the choir are singing.
The barrier excels at withstanding breath attacks and other long-range assaults, but if physical attacks are added, the barrier's lifespan would drastically decrease.
So, what do we do next?
It's decided. Now, while the flames seal Azhdaha's primary offensive and defensive pillar—its debuffs—is the perfect opportunity to strike.
Turning towards Nell's muffled voice, I see the members who will sally forth this time gathered.Even if Azhdaha takes damage in this space, it's impossible for flesh-and-blood humans, even trained to Class 7 or 8, to jump in.
Could we finish it with long-range attacks? It's difficult to pin down an Azhdaha trying to escape the barrier. To end this quickly, we need to plunge into the flames and engage in close combat.
First, the main attackers: my party.Joining me are Nell, Ingrid, Claudia, and Lady Esmeralda.
All are clad in outfits that reveal their bodyslines, like ridersuits, overlaid with a semi-transparent, veil-like cloak of flame, and wearing full-face masks.I'm similarly dressed, holding my full-face mask under my arm.
Let me tell you, this is equipment made from Rainy Devil materials, packed with resistances.Frankly, it has higher defense than the Sunlight series and stronger debuff resistance.Furthermore, this 'Ifrit Veil' increases fire resistance, and the Rainy Devil material full-face mask ensures breathing even within the flames.Accessories further boost fire resistance, allowing activity in this thousand-degree-plus space.
You sometimes see depictions in games where attribute attacks do zero damage, right?In FBO, you can achieve something similar by min-maxing with specialized gear.
You might doubt if a single accessory can nullify burns from such flames under normal logic, but since it's possible, we should consider it convenient for us.
Overcoming the two hurdles of breathing and temperature, we attack directly within the flames.There's no other way to accumulate damage and secure victory in this battle.
Others plunging into the flames might have inferior equipment compared to the Rainy Devil gear, but they still wear craftsman-spirit-made equipment allowing activity within these flames.Genjiro and his men's armor is also specialized for fire resistance, enabling activity in these flames.Kon, Clarice, Barbatos, and their people are also clad in armor made by the spirits, fully prepared to charge into the inferno.
Not a single person is intimidated.
Flamethrowers continue from the tower windows; leaving these towers means entering a space where human survival is impossible.Everyone was surprised when I explained we'd charge into such a place.When I said we could operate normally with fire-resistant gear, even Claudia stared at me blankly and asked what I was talking about.
In this world, equipment for such extreme environments seems underdeveloped. I explained using the analogy, "Fire spirits can operate fine in magma or flames, right?" and proved we could act within the flames using prototype armor the spirits made for us. That might be why no one is afraid.
Either way, we've countered Azhdaha's trump card, the cursed poison, with these flames, making it easier to defeat, but the enemy is still formidable.
"Proceed as per the operation. Everyone, take down the heads you were assigned."
The enemy will contact the barrier in a few minutes.They've grasped the content from prior briefings.There are no questions.
Everyone performs final equipment checks.If any equipment comes off, they'll be burned by the flames, so they check meticulously.
I also don my full-face mask, checking the visibility and my gear.This time, I'm not equipped with the Mark of Training or the Mark of the Weakling.Or rather, there's no room for that.All equipment slots are dedicated to fire-resistant gear for activity within these flames.
Well, if our levels happen to rise from this, we can just offer the increased portion at the temple and re-level.Where there's life, there's hope.Worrying about EXBP here and risking death would be foolish.
After carefully confirming our preparations, reconfirming in my mind what to do if even these are breached, and judging that everyone is ready...
*`'Let's go!'`***`' ' ' ' ' ' 'OU!!!!' ' ' ' ' ' '`**
The operation begins.
We are the first to charge.Placing a foot on the tower window, we throw ourselves into the scorching space created by the flamethrowers' flames.
My vision is engulfed in flames for an instant, and I think I won't be able to see anything, but mana flows through the full-face mask, providing excellent visibility.
*`'Audio check. Can you hear me?'`**`'Loud and clear.'`**`'No issues.'`**`'Yes, I can hear you.'`**`'No problems here!!'`*
Even though we're inside the flames, it's as comfortable as when Ingrid uses Thermo Control.The equipment performs effectively, and the full-face mask's communication function allows us to send and receive voices without issue. While voices might get swallowed and lost by the magical flames over distance, Dark-san's technology simulates wireless communication by converting our voices into mana waves.The effective range is about ten meters.
*`'Good, then let's move!'`*
The trees are completely burned away by the flames. Kicking off from the ground, which is beginning to show slight viscosity, we start running.Allies continue jumping down from the towers, landing and beginning their actions.Our footgear is enchanted with Liquid Walking, allowing us to advance without issue even if the ground turns to lava.
While our vision is excellent thanks to the full-face masks, for the Mirror Image Azhdaha, advancing through the impenetrable flames towards Amina's song, we are entities moving hidden within the flames, undetectable by mana sense.
*`'Initiating preemptive attack!!'`*
Plus, it's moving towards us, so engagement is swift.Our targets are the four central heads.
*`'Nell, Claudia, use defense-down debuffs! Lady Esmeralda, use lightning magic to harass its movements!! Ingrid, draw aggro with me!'`*
Rather than dealing damage immediately, we start by applying debuffs.
*`'A hello from within the flames!'`*
Aggro is zero. Acting as if it has no interest in humans, it heads straight for Amina. In that case, we can mercilessly ambush and sever its heads.
*`'Neck Hunt!!'`*
The Neck Hunt enhanced by Magic Edge slices halfway through Azhdaha's thick neck, causing one head to wobble.
***`'■■■■■■■!?'`***
A scream-like roar echoes from the severed neck, but the body continues straight ahead, ignoring it.I can see the attacked head regenerating rapidly, like a video playing in reverse, but without curse absorption, it should be consuming its resources.
*`'Flame Array Cut.'`*
However, Ingrid's iaido flashes towards the wound, preventing regeneration.The flame-attribute slash, compounded by the surrounding flames, increases in power.A sizzling sound of burning flesh echoes, further delaying wound regeneration.
At this stage, one head finally notices the entities damaging it and tries to look down, but by then, we've hidden within the flames.
*`'Severing Battle Axe!!'`**`'Hah!!'`*
And the moment its attention turns towards us, Claudia and Nell leap from the flames, targeting another head to apply defense debuffs.There's no aggro shift from these attacks.
The body continues moving, aiming for outside the barrier, while one head, while healing its wound, tries to peer into the flames, but...
*`'Hound Lightning!'`**`'■■■■!?'`*
Lightning erupts from the flames, striking directly in the eye, causing the face to jerk back.Azhdaha reels from the unexpected counterattack.Looking closely, one eye is scorched and blistered.
*`'We cannot let this opportunity pass!!'`***`' ' ' ' 'OOOOOH!!!!!!' ' ' ' '`**
While we attack from the center, Genjiro, leading his red-armored warriors, leaps from the flames and slashes at the rightmost head.When it comes to cutting, the premier swordsmen group of the Eastern Continent successively inflict wounds on Azhdaha's necks.
*`'We shall not fall behind either!!'`***`' ' ' ' 'OU!!' ' ' ' '`*
As Genjiro and Barbatos each damage a head, the Mirror Image Azhdaha's main body recognizes enemies within the flames and halts its advance. It moves the unattacked heads, attempting to spew breath into the flames, but...
*`'Master truly comes up with amazing ideas. To think we wouldn't be noticed inside the flames with this much mana swirling around.'`*
Flame birds swarm towards the charging mouths.Kon and his men, wielding blazing talismans and leveraging the environment, begin attacking their assigned heads.
*`'The fire spirits can also exert their power fully here.'`*
And it's not just Shikigami flying around the Mirror Image Azhdaha's mouths.Clarice and her group, leading Elves and Dwarves lifted by wind spirits, are also there.
With the curses burned away and the space filled with flames, the fire spirits can move about actively.Wrapping their shotels in the power of fire spirits, they slash the necks, producing wounds that are hard to regenerate.
This onslaught stops the Mirror Image Azhdaha's movement.
This is what we were waiting for.
The moment it stops, something falls from the sky at high speed.
***`'■■■■■■■!?'`***
The high-speed projectiles are large stakes.Stakes made of compressed and processed Earth Spirit Stones, possessing absurd mass, were stationed in the spirit corridors opened in the air by the spirits. They plunge down with their falling momentum, magnificently piercing the Mirror Image Azhdaha and pinning it to the ground.
It thrashes, trying to move from the spot, but there isn't just one stake.The second, the third... they pierce its body one after another.
Thus, the "kabayaki" combo devised by FBO players is completed here.