Chapter 291
Chapter 291
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 291
Chapter Title: Flame Titan (2)
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It wasn't just Rokan who could unleash ranged attacks. Kai's Gale Wings could also produce a respectable amount of power, even if they weren't particularly outstanding.
However, the powerful gusts from Kai's skill produced an unexpected effect.
"Huh."
It might not have fazed the lava golem, but it sent the rest of the monsters flying.
It wasn't a great distance, but that was more than enough.
Right behind them, bubbling lava awaited.
Sizzle.
Even creatures born of fire couldn't withstand the lava, melting away on contact. Thanks to that, Rokan was able to clean up the rest in short order.
"Good job, Kai! Thanks to you, the work just got easier."
With the situation unfolding in such an odd way, Rokan focused his mana bombardment entirely on the lava golem.
A golem could regenerate as long as its core remained intact, but it had no way to endure such relentless, pulverizing attacks.
Even though its size was enormous, the lava golem was only in the level 360s, so its destruction was only a matter of time. Downing mana potions one after another allowed Rokan to create a one-on-one scenario with the titan.
"Giant Pupa, summon! Curl Up!"
Then, like dropping a bomb, he aimed at the titan and released the Giant Pupa.
Boom!
The startled Flame Titan swung the hammer it held, smashing into the Giant Pupa—but that wasn't enough.
With boosted defense, damage reduction, and the few flame-resistance pet items it could equip—like the collar and cover—the Giant Pupa solidly absorbed the titan's blows.
It began accumulating damage inside its body, preparing to return it in one devastating strike.
"Field Change!"
In the meantime, Rokan altered the terrain properties in the area around the Giant Pupa.
The searing heat of the flame zone lifted in that limited space, replaced by vibrant, life-filled soil.
He had shelled out for a pricey Field Change scroll that turned the area into forest terrain. In forest terrain, the Giant Pupa could recover its life force on its own.
He had originally intended to nullify the flame damage, but this taught him something valuable.
Boom boom bang bang bang bang.
Oblivious to that, the Flame Titan unleashed its fury on the pupa. The fact that it wasn't shattering under its attacks only fueled its rage further, madness flickering in its eyes.
"Time for me to step in."
At that moment, Rokan moved. The Giant Pupa, which had recovered a bit of life force, was down to only about 20% already.
It was definitely more powerful than the Earth Titan.
[You have entered the Flame Zone.]
[The terrain effect deals 5 damage per second.]
[Gale Wings negates negative effects from heat.]
The heat seared his soles the instant his feet touched down.
A normal person would lose life force just from standing there, but Rokan had his Gale Wings.
Wings and cloak item that ignored terrain effects from heat and cold.
Confirming that, Rokan cautiously circled behind the titan.
19%, 18%, 17%...
Watching the Giant Pupa's life force drop rapidly, he prepared his own retaliatory strike.
"Gale Incarnation, Full Body Prowess, Martial Soul Awakening... Martial Soul Awakening!"
He went all-out from the start.
With its attention fully on the Giant Pupa, could he finish it in one go right now?
"Super Transcendence."
A single strike fusing all of Rokan's skills pierced the titan's back.
"Krraaaaaagh!"
"Damn it."
The damage was sufficient.
But the pressure of needing to end it in one hit while also ensuring it didn't die before he could absorb the heart created a slight opening.
Before Rokan could thrust Heart Devourer repeatedly into its heart, the titan initiated its rampage.
Berserk.
What it was using was unmistakably Berserk.
"What a hothead. What the hell is this?"
Rokan tsked, using Blink to escape swiftly. It was ridiculous, even to him.
If he had pierced the heart properly, it might have ended in one shot.
Of course, the damage was still plenty, but acting cocky without even Transcendent Awakening had backfired.
"Overdrive! Full-Body Charge!"
Ignoring Gale Incarnation or whatever, Rokan used charging skills as evasion to dodge the titan's attacks, which seemed like they would kill him on contact.
If it really was Berserk, he knew its weakness all too well.
Duration.
He couldn't be sure if it matched his own 30 minutes, but he had Time Regression. Even if it lasted longer, he could outlast it, kite it around, and wear it down.
"Whew, you're annoyingly persistent."
But simply evading the enraged Flame Titan was no easy task.
Its stats ballooned by Berserk, plus bull-like charges.
If he hadn't mastered backstabs and Blink, Rokan might have been crushed into paste long ago.
Dodging while lost in thought would have been impossible without Gao Khan's special training—the titan was that fast and aggressive.
"Huh?"
After about ten minutes of evasion, had the titan grown accustomed to Rokan's paths? Its responses changed.
Until now, it had charged in straight lines like a bullfighter's foe, easy to sidestep. But now it was using Leap Attack and instant acceleration to pursue him.
He took a couple hits because of it but barely escaped using Knockback.
'At this rate, it'll catch me.'
Even Rokan was starting to feel anxious. If he didn't find a way, it'd grab him soon.
"Blink, Wing Mode!"
In a flash of inspiration, Rokan soared into the air.
There was a risk of resetting the fight, but if he maintained combat status with Aura Bombardment and Throwing, couldn't he buy time?
But the moment he twisted midair, he realized how naive that was.
"Guh!"
Boom!
The flame hammer the titan hurled slammed into Rokan's back.
Thanks to flame resistance, the elemental damage was negligible, but his head spun.
[Strong impact has damaged Gale Wings.]
[Gale Wings has lost flight capability.]
But the real problem was the wings malfunctioning.
Unable to fly, Rokan's body plummeted to the ground, where the Flame Titan waited below, blazing with madness.
"Damn!"
No choice. Rokan crashed down, arms guarding his head.
Boom bang bang bang bang bang!
The Flame Titan, now with a proper punching bag, was ecstatic.
It didn't even think to retrieve the fallen flame hammer, pummeling Rokan with its fists.
'Ugh, not yet.'
He couldn't move at all. Dropping his guard would mean instant death.
Even with his guard up, the impacts rocked his entire body with overwhelming force.
If that hammer had hit properly, guard or no, he might have died outright. His life force had long hit zero.
But he wasn't just taking it mindlessly.
This was buying time.
Rokan still had two trump cards left.
And in that moment, one shattered.
Crack crack crack crack.
'What the...!'
The Giant Pupa, which should have finished Curling Up and brought the Flame Titan to the brink of death, began to break apart.
Had its life force run out? No. Checking the pet management window, it still had plenty.
'No, why is it filling up?'
More than plenty—it was rapidly filling to maximum.
Evolution.
The Giant Pupa cracked its tough shell, successfully evolving to the next stage.
[Giant Pupa has evolved into Giant Butterfly.]
[Giant Butterfly's level has risen to 400.]
[Giant Butterfly's level cap has been lifted.]
'Why now of all times?!'
A pet's evolution was cause for celebration, especially for a hard-to-evolve species like the Giant Pupa.
But Rokan couldn't be happy. Wasn't this the exact moment he needed the Curl Up the most?
'Should I use Time Regression?'
Boom.
Somehow, each punch hurt more than the last.
As he debated using Time Regression, a crumbling sound rang out, and the pain assaulting his body vanished.
"...?"
"Zzz... Phew!"
"What the..."
Wondering if it was a trap, Rokan hesitated to rise, staring in bewilderment at the snoring titan.
He alternated glances between it and the culprit, the Giant Butterfly.
[Giant Butterfly's Sleep Powder has put the Flame Titan to sleep.]
The newly evolved Giant Butterfly had helped Rokan in its own way.
Sleep Powder.
Normal methods wouldn't work, but this was a level 400 entity's skill. Under the right conditions, it wasn't surprising that it did.
"...This is anticlimactic."
Seeing the once-rampaging beast peacefully asleep was absurd.
It had been ready to shatter mountains, and now it was out cold?
Reality felt too unreal, and Rokan nearly poked it before barely restraining himself.
He didn't know how long it would last, but if he could stall like this, it was good. Even if it woke soon, repeating it would nullify Berserk easily.
And unbelievably, that's exactly what happened.
"...Asleep again?"
Sleep Powder lasted about two minutes.
Attacking would wake it instantly, but leaving it be let two minutes vanish.
Plus, if Rokan stalled just a bit when it woke, the Giant Butterfly could put it back under in seconds.
[You have been exposed to Giant Butterfly's Sleep Powder.]
[Earth's Blessing negates all effects.]
From the system message, it didn't distinguish friend from foe, but it didn't matter to Rokan now.
Earth's Blessing granted immunity to all status ailments.
[Status Ailment: Sleep] was no exception.
"Now just stick in the straw?"
Probably due to the titan's low Wisdom stat, but confirming Berserk fade so easily, Rokan chuckled dryly and activated Gale Incarnation again, rewound via Time Regression.
Martial Soul Awakening had timed out, but against a post-Berserk titan, this would suffice.
He inflicted a critical wound with Lightspeed Slash, then flipped it over and climbed on.
Slicing near the heart with his battle axe, he thrust in Heart Devourer.
What ability would come out this time?
His heart pounded.
[Heart Devourer consumes the Flame Titan's heart.]
[Absorbing the power dwelling in the target's heart and soul.]
"Huh."
Rokan’s eyes widened like saucers, unlike with the Earth Titan where he expected some skill absorption.
He had figured a titan would yield something impressive, but this exceeded expectations.
[Absorbing Titan's Wrath.]
[Berserk-line abilities are now 1.5 times more powerful.]