Chapter 344: Firefly's Strength
SAM adjusted its posture mid-air, assuming the stance of a textbook rider kick. It transformed into a meteor wreathed in green and red flames, plummeting straight down toward the two-headed dragon that had only just steadied itself.
The massive white beast seemed to sense an unprecedented threat. Both heads roared simultaneously, attempting to intercept the strike with a barrage of dragon's breath.
But it was too late.
A colossal boom echoed, sounding as if it would tear the entire floor apart.
SAM's heavy kick slammed with immaculate precision into the side of one of the dragon's necks. The chalk-white scales—which could shrug off the vast majority of physical attacks—shattered instantly upon impact, emitting a sickening crunch.
Under the unimaginable force of the blow, the twenty-meter-long monstrosity was treated like a ragdoll. Thrown completely off balance, it toppled sideways and crashed heavily into the basin of the waterfall, directly into the burning azure flames.
Massive waves of water mixed with blue fire shot into the air before crashing down like a torrential storm. The entire battlefield was instantly swallowed by a chaotic blend of scalding steam and violently clashing elements.
"You... you've got to be kidding me..." Daphne's jaw practically hit the floor.
"What... what is that thing...?" Cassandra's legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
Their eyes were dead-locked on the silver mech hovering in mid-air.
Now, a pair of emerald-green twin swords forged from pure energy rested in its hands. The magnificent wings of flame on its back beat slowly, leaving scorching trails in the air with every flap.
Even with the level-boosting sublimation from Robin's Vox Harmonique, Opus Cosmique, Firefly was... she was just a Lv.1 rookie who had received her Falna only days ago! Facing a Floor Boss that would make even veteran adventurers tremble, she showed absolutely no fear. Instead, she had launched a hyper-violent assault with an almost berserk ferocity.
Her courage and power made them deeply ashamed of their own hesitation.
Before the two-headed dragon could even struggle back to its feet, SAM launched another attack. The wings of fire on its back flared, and the mech blurred into a streak of green light. It tore through the steam, closing the distance to the dragon in an instant.
The emerald twin swords carved a deadly cross through the air, slashing ruthlessly into the neck of the dragon's other head.
Clang!!!
An ear-piercing shriek of metal grinding against metal rang out, accompanied by a shower of sparks. Though the iron-hard scales blocked the blades from cutting deep, the sheer kinetic force made the two-headed dragon howl in agony.
It thrashed its two massive heads wildly. One spewed azure breath, while the other snapped its blood-soaked jaws, attempting to tear the mech apart.
However, SAM's movements were faster and far more agile than its counterattacks.
Dodging sideways, SAM let the dragon's breath graze past, melting a massive hole in the cavern wall far behind. It easily sidestepped the snapping jaws, and in the same fluid motion, carved a long, bloody gash across the dragon's snout with a backhand swing.
Dual-sword slashes, explosive bursts of fire—the mech bobbed and weaved through the roaring dragon's breath and flying chunks of rock. Every single attack was precise and lethal. It was a breathtaking display of pure, violent artistry.
"Stop staring."
Just as Daphne and Cassandra were utterly mesmerized, Aiden's calm voice rang in their ears.
"Firefly is no ordinary rookie. Do not underestimate her, and definitely don't drag her down."
"Can't let the new girl show us up, right?" Watching the silver figure descending from the sky like a god of war, the gentle smile Tifa usually wore was replaced by a burning, high-spirited battle intent. She rolled her wrists, eliciting a sharp crack of her knuckles, and without a moment's hesitation, channeled magic into her legs, shooting forward like a loosed arrow.
"You're right. With the rookie fighting this fiercely, I'm embarrassing myself." Daphne took a deep breath and shook her head, throwing off the last remnants of her shock. She gripped her rapier tightly, and the radiant fighting spirit of an adventurer returned to her pale face.
One after the other, under the blessing of the Divine Protection of the Water God, the two figures literally stepped onto the surface of the lake—ignoring the burning azure flames—and charged toward the heavily wounded two-headed dragon as if running on solid ground.
Meanwhile, in the rearguard, Robin had swiftly adjusted their tactics.
"Resound!"
With an ultra-short chant, the magic circle beneath her feet blazed with light. A sonic blast fired out, aimed dead-center at Amphisbaena's torso. Robin was now a Lv.4 Mage, possessing the incredibly rare development ability "Mage." The destructive power of the spells she cast now was incomparable to before.
"Rooooaaaaar!"
Amphisbaena writhed its two massive heads. Facing Tifa and Daphne sprinting across the water, the azure-eyed head spewed another stream of Azure Flame, but the two girls nimbly dodged it.
To counter the howling sonic blast, the crimson-eyed right head spat out a completely different kind of breath. It wasn't fire, but a thick, blood-red mist.
The Crimson Mist sprayed outward horizontally, moving as if it had a life of its own. It rapidly spiraled around the double-headed dragon's massive body, forming a dense barrier.
A split-second later, Robin's sonic blast plunged directly into the eerie fog.
There was no violent explosion. The moment the magic made contact with the mist, its momentum visibly plummeted. The sonic blast, originally powerful enough to shatter rock walls, rapidly shrank. After struggling to pierce the thin layer of fog, the remaining energy struck the Floor Boss's body, producing nothing more than a dull thud.
Its chalk-white scales were completely unharmed.
This was Amphisbaena's Crimson Mist. The moment any magic touched the fog, it would be forcibly disassembled and dispersed. This was the second type of breath the two-headed dragon possessed, fundamentally different from its Azure Flame.
If the Azure Flame, capable of incinerating all things, was the "spear" that swept prey away, then the Crimson Mist, capable of dispersing all magic, was the "shield" that defended against all bombardment.
Flawless offense and defense—this was Amphisbaena's despair-inducing Dual Breath.
Enveloped in the Crimson Mist, it was practically immune to all long-range magic attacks. To defeat it, the only option was to close the distance and rely purely on physical strikes to shatter its scales piece by piece.
"Little Ica!"
Hyacine immediately caught on. At her summons, the small pink pegasus materialized in the air. Little Ica let out a clear, ringing neigh, flapping its wings to conjure a miniature tornado out of thin air, attempting to blow away the obstructive Crimson Mist.
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