Chapter 860: Second Phase

Beautiful golden flowers bloomed all around Serras and it was like a scene of the dream. But despite how mesmerizing it sounded, it was a sound of agony. It let out a loud, painful scream that resounded in the space and left everyone dizzy. Then, its soft body suddenly stiffened and the rotten flesh solidified from bottom-up while the fluttering tentacles also came to an abrupt halt.

Rhode's eyes glinted with the trace of a smile.

It was neither him nor his summoned spirits who did this. Instead, it was the work of the extraordinary weapons in the hands of the Half-Demons and Battle Mages. Rhode had made all sorts of preparations for this operation. Of course, he didn't want his men to be cheerleaders standing by the rear as he took down all the enemies. Even though they weren't as useful as players, they couldn't be too useless as natives, right?

After his discussion with Lapis, this new, unique function was created—the Order Bomb. Made by the purest magical crystals, its internal structure was produced by Lapis's Behermes alchemy skill. In other words, the magic crystals could instantly release a force that was as powerful as Rhode's Order barrier. As long as the Chaos Creature wasn't overly powerful, it would basically be burned to ashes. This was also the trump card that Rhode had prepared for this adventure. The Chaos vortexes that they would face later on their way to the core were terrifying beyond imagination. However, they could use these weapons to stop the Chaos Creatures from approaching and in other words, these weapons could be used as timely nuclear weapons.

Besides, it wouldn't contaminate the place—it was clean and swift.

If this was Serras's original form, such an attack would only be equivalent to a mosquito sting. But the problem was that Serras was only a projection in this main plane of existence. Rhode judged that its strength was between level 75 and 80. However, the biggest advantage against the Chaos Creatures was that he wouldn't need to be afraid of being dragged into its ridiculous Order Dimension and their battles would be solely based on pure strength. Besides, as a projection, Serras's resistance against Order wasn't that strong and as a result, it could be defeated in a single blow.

But this single blow did cost quite a lot...

An Order Bomb required a magic crystal consisting of the highest purity in order to trigger the Order ritual from the magical powers. The price was also extremely high, where just this explosion alone cost the equivalent of five million gold coins.

"Everyone attack!"

At this moment, Serras was incredibly weak, which was the best time for a massacre. Rhode ordered without hesitation before clasping his daggers and activating [Self-Affirmation].

[Talent Characteristic: Self-Affirmation (LV1) Activate]

[Please select the attribute to strengthen]

Order damage +10086!

[Strengthening complete. Order damage reached 13020]

The spiritual radiance on the two daggers suddenly shone as bright as the sun. Rhode squinted and brandished the daggers. At the next moment, countless dazzling light torrents flowed and violently ripped through the creature. The most purest, powerful strength of Order punctured its body and in an instant, the right side of its body began to dissolve with light dust dispersing everywhere. Shortly after, Serras shuddered and exploded while its tentacles cracked and fluttered crazily.

At this moment, Celia and Celestina launched their attacks.

Celestina's blazing dark flames on her sword crashed on its head like a waterfall. Although the scorching flames weren't as damaging as Rhode's, it continued to devour the creature inch by inch as the dark flames naturally devoured any existence of magical powers. Perhaps Serras wouldn't worry if the flames struck its original form, but its projection was just like a massive gas station for Celestina. No matter if it was diesel or gasoline, it would still be lit by fire, right?

However, Serras wouldn't give up just yet.

"————!"

A piercing screech erupted—it shook even Rhode, who was in midair. Half of its dissolved head crumbled to the ground. But shortly after, its entire body also sank. Then, the air and ground couldn't maintain their form any longer and began rolling like boiled water. Apart from the surface within the Order barrier, everything else changed in appearance with tentacles striking out from the ground and exuding an awful stench.

Its second phase began.

"Bow Knights, change your target to the tentacles around the Order barrier. Clerics, cancel the defensive barrier, use this time to rest, and consume restoration potions! Only strengthen the defense after the tentacles break the barrier! Anne, Marfa, lead the mercenaries and beware of the tentacles. Currently, the Order barrier is unstable, so immediately eliminate them if they break through the barrier. Lize, how is Bell doing?!"

"I'm working on it, Mr. Rhode!"

"Faster!"

Rhode ordered anxiously. Even though he had strengthened his Order damage with the [Self-Affirmation] and there wasn't a problem dealing with Serras, [Self-Affirmation] could only last half an hour. He prayed that this damn projection wouldn't transform into its third phase.

Rhode pushed his arm forward and two shadow clones emerged from him. Then, Rhode and his shadow clones held Gracier and Madaras in hand and darted across the ground, streaking across six trails of dazzling blade rays and rumbling the land with the powerful strength of Order. In an instant, chunks of sliced tentacles scattered all around the place. But shortly after, a pitch-black torrent emerged and enveloped the cracked land. The Bow Knights were ready. They quickly released their spiritual arrows and struck the tentacles that were about to restore, delaying their attack.

"Master, it managed to escape!"

At this moment, Celia, Celestina, and Shira appeared beside Rhode. Celia stared sternly while Celestina gazed in resentment at the enormous sunken hole that Rhode and his shadow clones struck. Even though Celestina tried to blast the dark flames with all her might when Rhode attacked, she was still too late. On the other hand, Shira's pitch-black steel chains had punctured Celestina's wings and she was idly hanging below by the steel chains. Even though her body was fully of ghastly scars, she continued to tilt her head and smiled while swinging in midair and gazed at the tentacles below.

"Don't worry; be wary of your surroundings."

Rhode gazed at the pitch-black sky while clutching the sword. If he recalled correctly, in Serras's second phase, it would turn the entire world into its internal body and dissolve the players. Then, players would need to dodge the AoE acid and attacks from countless tentacles. However, Rhode had a plan that could resolve this once and for all...

Give it a shot.

"Celia, Celestina, Shira, listen to me."

Rhode said before shifting his gaze to below him. The tentacles were getting closer to the Order barrier. Although the Bow Knights were hard at work and the Elf Rangers had summoned thorn walls, defense wouldn't solve all the problems in this place. Currently, Serras was assimilating the entire space and when it was done, the second phase would begin.

"Serras is about to enter the second phase. I want you to listen to my orders. Later on, I will launch attacks from two directions. What you need to do is to instantly fly over and unleash all your powers and eradicate every obstacle that tries to stop you. Don't avoid and be pestered by them. Release all your strength and deal the fatal blow! Then, retreat immediately and if the situation is right, I will seize the chance to deal lethal damage. That creature will instantly be dead if successful, understand?"

"What if you fail?"

"..."

Rhode gazed helplessly at Celestina, who had become a humanoid transport helicopter.

"Don't worry, I won't die even if I fail."

After the brief discussion, the three young ladies got ready around him. Then, Rhode held the daggers tightly. Frankly speaking, if it were possible, he didn't wish to use Gracier and Madaras in this standard of a BOSS fight at all because it felt like weapon warfare against a full-time assassin, which didn't feel great at all. Based on the current situation, Gracier and Madaras weren't too effective against the BOSS, but he could only make use with them.

There's only one chance.

Rhode lifted his head and gazed silently at the pitch-black sky. Serras's biggest flaw was its two eyes. It was just like no matter how a BOSS transformed, it would always contain the same core. Serras' core was basically its eyes and the projection also relied on the eyes for magical powers. As long as they destroyed the eyes, they would disrupt the source of strength powering the projection.

However, this flaw wouldn't be that easy to target. From the start, everyone had targeted its eyes and Rhode had even activated the [Self-Affirmation] on it. It was apparent that Serras was adapting to their attacks, which was why despite the heavy injuries, it protected its eyes at all cost. But even so, Rhode was confident that its eye must have been hurt. If not, it wouldn't have entered the second phase so soon.

All he had to do now was to use the 'cheat code' he had as a player and take a risk. After Serras entered the second phase completely, it would widen its eyes to scan the enemy's location before launching attacks. All the players had to do was to instantly launch all-out attacks on them because the defense of its eyes was the weakest the moment it finished its transformation. If the all-out attack worked, it wouldn't be tough to kill it instantly. But, if it failed, another chance like this wouldn't appear again.

Even though Rhode didn't have a team of players under him right now, he wasn't facing Serras's original form, after all. It was still highly possible that he could slaughter it with Order damage in the ten thousands.

Where are they?

Rhode scanned the pitch-black sky for any movements. He had coalesced all his spiritual powers onto the daggers and was only waiting to strike.

At this moment on the surface, the tentacles smashed the Order barrier.

Boom!

The top of the Order barrier cracked and shattered glass to the meter-long, swinging tentacles. Shortly after, one of the tentacles slid through the gap like a viper and pounced on its prey.

"Heyah——!"

Anne brandished the shield and a wild whirlwind rose from the ground, with razor-sharp wind blades shredding the tentacle into bits. However, the tentacle quickly regenerated from its root, struck, and wrapped a Cleric who couldn't dodge in time. At this moment, Marfa slashed the shimmering sword and hacked it into two. This time, it finally turned into dust. The Cleric who escaped death hurriedly drank a bottle of potion. Then, she raised her arms and a golden rune barrier emerged over her and kept the other tentacles out.

"Lize, how much longer do you need to treat Bell?!"

Anne yelled, swinging the shield and sweeping away the tentacles cleanly. Lize knitted her brows and gnashed her teeth.

"I'm working on it, but Bell has consumed too much energy this time. It will take much longer than usual."

"Calm down, Lize."

Marlene and Christie held onto the unconscious Bell. Even though they were nervous, all they could do now was to stay calm.

"Spell casters have to maintain calmness in their mind in order to release powerful spells. Lize, don't worry. Rhode will get everything done," Marlene said while lifting her head and gazing above at Rhode in the distance.

The situation isn't looking good.

Thousands of tentacles had completely suppressed the Bow Knights' arrows. The Bow Knights swiftly switched to their swords and engaged in close-combat battles with the tentacles instead. On the other hand, the mercenaries overcame their disgust and brandished their weapons to assist the Bow Knights. Even though the Half-Demons and Battle Mages continued to use their magic weapon to blast away the enemies, they were utterly inadequate at this moment.

Where are they?!

Rhode puckered his brows. He knew that the situation was far from good albeit being within a manageable range. As long as Bell could wake up, she could strengthen the Order barrier. But it seemed like it wasn't possible. He was better off relying on his experience...

...

It took only an instant.

Rhode caught onto a trace of faint, insignificant radiance in the pitch-black sky and this was enough for him.

"On the right!"

Rhode yelled. He swung his hands down and two snowy, dazzling blade rays streaked a trail of light toward the deep darkness. At the same time, Celia flew to the left while Celestina and Shira went to the right.

"———!"

As the blade rays faded into the darkness, a mad, miserable shriek rang in their ears. Then, the pitch-black space brightened all of a sudden!