16
With a clang.
Takatsukasa Arashi heavily stabbed that pitch-black kotetsu into the ice surface, barely stabilizing his stance.
He panted heavily, his stern face slightly distorted by pain.
Although his recent 【Rashomon】 strike had cleanly cleaved and scattered all the meteors.
Yet that eerie dark-green flame was like bone-gnawing maggots, staining his blade and back, burning frantically.
-1452!
-1587!
-1499!
A series of dense damage numbers constantly popped up from above his head.
He didn't care about this bit of damage.
What truly made him feel uncomfortable was that every flame burn was accompanied by a bone-deep soul-piercing pain.
This feeling almost drove him mad.
Just as he was about to endure the intense pain and launch another attack.
A figure silently appeared behind him.
It was Park In-maeng.
"Don't move."
A cold voice came from behind.
Takatsukasa Arashi instinctively wanted to swing his blade to counterattack, but he ultimately forced down this thought.
He could sense that the person behind him had no murderous intent.
The next second.
Park In-maeng reached out and pressed onto Takatsukasa Arashi's back.
He suddenly opened his mouth and took a deep breath!
Whoosh—!
A terrifying suction force burst forth from his mouth!
Takatsukasa Arashi only felt his back lighten.
Those dark-green flames entangling him like bone-gnawing maggots were actually forcefully sucked entirely into Park In-maeng's own body by Park In-maeng!
As the 【Soul-Devouring Netherflame】 was absorbed.
Park In-maeng's injuries recovered rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
A healthy rosy flush reappeared on his already handsome face.
He slowly straightened his body and cast his cold gaze toward Gandalf not far away.
"Interesting."
"This fellow not only underwent Fusion with strange ice, but he actually underwent Fusion with strange fire as well!"
Seeing this scene, Zhou Huai couldn't help narrowing his eyes.
This Flame Emperor Profession indeed had its unique traits.
Even strange fire released by others could be absorbed by him to recover himself.
Viewed this way, Park In-maeng was practically an unsolvable existence in front of other fire-type Classer.
In the upcoming battle, the 【Meteor Fire Rain】 move could no longer be used.
On the other side, Takatsukasa Arashi shook his head, feeling that soul-deep piercing pain finally disappear.
His whole person became much clearer-headed.
He slowly turned around, bowing slightly toward Park In-maeng.
"Many thanks."
Park In-maeng shook his head, his face resuming that cold expression once more.
"We will join forces; let's finish this quickly."
"This fellow's strength is very high; we cannot underestimate him."
Hearing this, Takatsukasa Arashi silently nodded.
He no longer forced himself to act tough.
Through the previous exchange, he had deeply comprehended just how terrifying this Forbidden Spell Mage from the Great Xia Nation before him truly was.
If Park In-maeng hadn't stepped in time to help him resolve that eerie flame on his body.
I'm afraid it wouldn't take long before he would be defeated due to the continuous burning of his soul.
"Together!"
Park In-maeng let out a low shout.
The moment his voice fell, he once again summoned two Avatars identical to himself!
The three figures, at almost the exact same time, raised the magic staves in their hands high and began chanting incantations!
On the other side, Takatsukasa Arashi's figure once again turned into a black phantom, holding kotetsu, and rapidly rushed toward Gandalf's location!
"Roar—!"
The dragon roar shook the heavens!
This time, within that deep blue sea of fire, the number of materialized fire dragons directly reached over a hundred!
They were dense, blocking out the sky, completely submerging the entire dilapidated island!
Zhou Huai's brow furrowed slightly.
Controlling Gandalf, while maintaining the 【Arcane Barrier】, he continuously released the 【Forbidden Spell: Thousand Mile Ice Seal】, attempting to use ice to block those endless fire dragons and that elusive Sakura Country swordsman.
However, under the joint siege of two SS-Rank Experts, he gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Park In-maeng's fire dragons were too numerous and endless.
Takatsukasa Arashi's slashes were too fierce, each time precisely striking the weakest spot of the 【Arcane Barrier】.
The shield on Gandalf's body was shattering faster and faster.
He didn't even have time to chant a large-scale forbidden spell, and could only passively defend and dodge.
...
Polina looked at the island completely submerged by deep blue flames and endless blade lights; a trace of anxiety finally emerged in her azure-blue beautiful eyes.
She turned her head to look at the man beside her who was still gazing affectionately at her.
"Darling."
Polina's voice became pitiful.
"Look, the two of them fighting one, isn't it a bit unfair?"
"Can you go help Gandalf?"
Hearing this, Thor's brow furrowed imperceptibly.
He glanced at the intense battlefield in the distance, and then glanced at this pitiable stunner of the mortal world beside him, a trace of struggle appearing on his face.
"Darling, they are my allies."
"If I make a move against them now, it won't be easy to explain to the Archbishop when I go back."
Hearing this, Polina's eyes instantly turned red.
She reached out her slender fingers, gently tugging at Thor's clothing corner, her voice carrying a hint of a crying tone.
"But... but that handsome young fellow from the Great Xia Nation is also our ally."
"Are we just going to watch him get besieged by those two shameless fellows like this?"
"Mr. Thor, didn't you hate this kind of bullying the fewer by the more the most?"
On Thor's face, an even more obvious hesitation emerged.
But his body did not make the slightest movement.
Seeing this, Polina secretly sighed in her heart.
It seemed Thor's strength was still too strong.
Although her charm power could make him develop a strong goodwill towards her, it was still not enough to make him completely obey her, let alone betray his own faction.
That damned Kalen!
Who knows where he ran off to!
If that idiot were present, with a single order from her, he would definitely rush up without hesitation and fight those two fellows to the death!
Coupled with Gandalf's strength, they could definitely easily crush Takatsukasa Arashi and Park In-maeng.
As a result, plans really couldn't keep up with changes.
Just as Polina was continuously urging Gandalf in her heart to evacuate quickly.
On the island.
Watching the two whose offensive grew increasingly fierce.
Zhou Huai's brain spun at high speed.
Facing two SS-Rank Experts simultaneously now, Gandalf's pressure was indeed not small.
Takatsukasa Arashi's swordsmanship was unimaginably fast, with every blade strike carrying a terrifying shield-breaking effect.
Park In-maeng's endless army of fire dragons turned the entire island into a sea of fire, continuously consuming his shield value as well.
Even though the skill cooldown of the Arcane Barrier was very fast, there was still a risk of it being broken.
Continuing to passively defend like this, defeat was only a matter of time.
Although he possessed a trump card that could definitely turn defeat into victory.
But it wasn't time to use it yet.
That trump card must be saved for the most critical moment.
Zhou Huai's gaze swept across the pitch-black ocean outside the island ignited by the deep blue flames.
The beast tide was still surging endlessly.
He suddenly felt that he was truly foolish.
Who stipulated that the battle had to be fought on this damned island?
Clearly, above the ocean was his home turf!
Thinking of this, Zhou Huai grinned.
Seeing Takatsukasa Arashi's fierce slash and the dozens of roaring elemental fire dragons approaching once more.
The 【Arcane Barrier】 on Gandalf's body was already in imminent danger.
However, this time, he did not choose to hard-resist again.
He actually turned around directly, and amidst the astonished gazes of those two, leaped backward fiercely!
"Plop!"
With a soft sound.
Gandalf's figure was instantly completely swallowed by the black torrent composed of countless berserk exotic beasts below.
Takatsukasa Arashi and Park In-maeng's attacks completely missed.
The berserk Sword Qi and fire dragons slammed fiercely onto that long-since dilapidated ice surface!
Rumble!
The entire island trembled and fractured violently under this terrifying energy impact!
Large chunks of floating ice were blasted to pieces and sank to the bottom of the sea.
Takatsukasa Arashi looked at the churning sea surface, filled with shock and uncertainty.
Is this fellow crazy?
Right now, beneath the sea is entirely a berserk beast tide; jumping directly into the sea, what difference does it make from courting death?
Seeing this, Park In-maeng let out a disdainful scoff.
"I didn't expect him to be driven to a dead end so quickly."
"He actually jumped into the sea to commit suicide!"
He looked at the sea area covered by the deep blue flames, a cruel smile appearing on his face.
"That's right, death is death anyway."
"Whether being killed by us or torn to pieces by those brainless beasts, there is no difference!"
Takatsukasa Arashi didn't chime in.
He only silently gripped the kotetsu in his hand, his stern eyes staring fixedly at that sea surface.
Yet in his heart, a trace of unease surged.
The anticipated scene of Gandalf encountering a large number of exotic beasts besieging him in the sea and letting out miserable screams did not appear.
Beneath that sea area, it was unusually calm.
Not even a trace of the smell of blood was transmitted out.
Just at this moment.
A figure slowly floated up from beneath that churning sea surface.
It was precisely Gandalf.
He still maintained that breezy and calm appearance; even the magnificent Star-Moon Robe on his body didn't have the slightest wrinkle.
Those fierce marine exotic beasts, the moment they saw him, acted as if they had seen a ghost!
They let out waves of terrified hisses, crazily retreating in all directions!
There were even a few huge beasts whose body sizes were massive that, failing to dodge in time, crashed into each other, making the scene extremely comical for a moment.
This scene directly dumbfounded Takatsukasa Arashi and Park In-maeng on the island.
What's the situation?
Why aren't those exotic beasts attacking him?
At this moment, beneath Gandalf's wide Star-Moon Robe.
One of his hands was firmly grasping that huge bronze key.
The other hand slowly reached out.
He gently hooked his fingers toward the two dumbfounded fellows on the island.
The expression on his face was filled with undisguised provocation and playfulness.
As if saying:
"If you have the ability, come over here."