Chapter 232 Chapter231-Slaying the Desire Treant (1st update, Cheer me with Power Stones!)
John's expression remained unflustered, yet his words sent a shiver down both Blue Sea and Adam's spines.
Had it not been for John's warning, they would have been completely oblivious to any anomaly.
They hastily closed their eyes, trying to sense any changes within their bodies.
However, no matter how intently they tried, they couldn't detect the elusive energy gnawing away inside them.
Even the system had failed to alert them to any adverse effects.
Upon opening their eyes, Blue Sea and Adam shot John a puzzled look.
"Galewind, why can't we feel this corrupting presence inside us?"
John offered a placid smile, calmly elucidating, "That's because the energy within you, compared to this specific power, is vastly different in essence..."
He glanced towards the still writhing and roaring Desire Treant shrouded in the deep blue mist, his eyes profound.
"Now I know which enigmatic being occupies this place... To think that the tendrils of the abyss have reached even here. I wonder, why would such a creature choose such a remote location?"
Blue Sea and Adam were left perplexed, unable to fathom the depths of what John alluded to.
Wisely choosing not to probe further, they realized this matter touched upon themes far beyond their current understanding.
After a brief pause, Blue Sea asked, "What would have happened if we hadn't detected this invasive energy?"
John nonchalantly shrugged, "You'd likely find yourselves, one day in the future, wholly consumed by this force."
"It would ensnare the most primal desires of your heart, turning you both into deranged lunatics."
"This energy would feed on the power within you, growing stronger by the day, eventually usurping your inherent abilities."
"And that's not the end of it," he continued, "Once your powers are completely overtaken, you'd become utter slaves to this energy. Forever bound to the whims of its master, devoid of your own thoughts and will..."
Blue Sea and Adam were instantly struck with horror.
John's calm words echoed in their ears like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
A silent force that could surreptitiously replace their power, turning them into madmen and slaves?
What kind of diabolical energy could achieve such a feat?
John's gaze once again shifted past the Desire Treant, as if trying to pierce through the depths of the darkness.
With a slight smirk, he casually remarked, "The entity that occupies the Thousand Streams Cave thrives on stirring the most primitive desires of the heart, turning beings into its servants."
"Its influence isn't just limited to humans; it can affect everything in this world. That roaring Desire Treant in the distance is but a manifestation of its power."
Adam and Blue Sea, following John's gaze, felt as though they were confronting a deity.
In a daze, they felt as if they saw a shadowy presence deep within the darkness, grinning maliciously at them, waiting for the day they would lose their sanity.
"Turn away! You are not yet ready to meet its gaze!" John exclaimed sharply, interrupting their terrifying reverie.
Adam and Blue Sea quickly averted their eyes, a cold sweat instantly drenching their foreheads.
John stroked his chin, musing aloud, "Seems like we got the short end of the stick with this mercenary quest. The dangers here are far beyond mere 'high difficulty'. Once we're out, we'll need to ensure Saphir compensates us..."
Blue Sea replied with a wry smile, "Galewind, we're in the midst of such peril and you're still concerned about the difficulty of our quest?"
John offered a faint smile, reassuringly stating, "What's there to fear? With me around, do you think I'd let the dark forces truly consume you?"
Hearing John's calm and composed tone, the two guild leaders finally felt their anxiety ease.
Without the formidable presence of John, they would've chosen to flee at the first sign of danger.
To face an enemy capable of silently eroding their very being without even showing itself was beyond the capabilities of the two of them.
Five minutes later, the effect of "Wrath of the Sea God" finally waned.
Desire Treant finally broke free from the continuous damage of 500 HP per second.
Now, the treant looked utterly devastated.
Three of its four sprawling Vampire Vines had snapped from dehydration, and its already withered body had shrunk by half to just over a meter.
The small roots anchoring it to the soil were also broken in many places.
"Wrath of the Sea God" was designed to drain the water element from its foes.
Every living thing is dependent on water, and plants are no exception.
John, looking at the pathetic state of the Desire Treant, couldn't help but praise, "I must admit, Blue Sea, your Legendary skill is truly impressive.
This method of drawing water elements from an enemy's body is a non-reversible damage to creatures of any attribute."
Blue Sea responded with a bitter smile, "It's a pity, though. I'm still at a low level, and I've only upgraded this skill to level 1. If I were at a higher level, I could've probably vanquished this creature instantly."
John chuckled, shaking his head, "The difference between now and an instant kill isn't much. Desire Treant's HP is already below 10%."
"It hasn't activated its berserk mode, which suggests that these creatures, twisted by dark forces and gaining intelligence, likely don't possess a second berserk phase."
"Finish it off quickly and join me to face the true boss," he urged.
At John's confident words, Adam and Blue Sea felt a surge of motivation.
Bathed in the Holy Light of "Divine Guardian", a Divine Skill, they were now back at their peak strength.
Adam hoisted his silvery-white greatsword and positioned his shield in front of him.
Protecting Blue Sea, he advanced step by step towards the grievously wounded Desire Treant.
As John had predicted, the Treant's vitality was now below 10% but it still hadn't triggered its berserk mode.
Its life force seemed utterly diminished, an aura of utter frailty surrounding it.
From a short distance, Blue Sea and Adam unleashed their respective single-target damage skills.
[Divine Decree…]
[Sea Breeze Erosion…]
The Desire Treant, although unwilling to admit defeat, could not withstand the combined assault of the two skills with its drastically reduced health.
It let out a final roar and fell to the ground, lifeless.
[System Notification: You have slain the Level 150 Elite Boss (Desire Treant).]
[Experience Reward: 50,000.]
Since Blue Sea dealt the final blow, the bulk of the experience fell to him.
A beam of white light flashed over him, signaling a level-up.
He had now reached level 94, just six levels away from the coveted 100.
Elated, Blue Sea burst into hearty laughter, patting a visibly frustrated Adam on the shoulder.
He gloated, "Thanks, brother Adam, for gifting me that killing blow."
Adam grimaced, retorting sarcastically, "You think I wanted to give it to you? It's just your dumb luck that the monster happened to die from your skill's damage."
Unfazed by Adam's sour tone, Blue Sea laughed heartily, "Brother Adam, I'm now at level 94, a whole four levels ahead of you. You better catch up!"
Adam huffed, feeling exasperated.
Just thinking about how half of the hard-earned experience he gained would be siphoned off by that gold-eating unicorn made him so frustrated he could scream.
He internally lamented, "What was I thinking choosing the Paladin class when I started the game..."
On the ground, the remains of the Desire Treant morphed into a beam of white light, dissipating into the ether.
What was left behind was a treasure chest, shimmering enticingly.
Blue Sea, with Adam in tow, approached it.
They opened the chest together, extracting two pieces of equipment that gleamed brilliantly.
After utilizing a Detection spell to discern the attributes of these items, simultaneous expressions of delight crossed their faces.
"Not bad at all! Two incredibly top-notch epic equipment pieces," Adam exclaimed, "I never expected such rich loot from an elite boss like Desire Treant."
One was a ring and the other a longbow.
[Ring of the Treant (Epic Ring): Forged from the core energy of the Desire Treant. As the Treant was originally an ancient tree, the ring carries the essence of nature, possessing mystical powers...]
[Level: 150 or 100 points in Nature Affinity]
[Attributes: +100 Agility, +80 Nature Affinity, +150 Attack]
[Additional Skill: Treant Summoning - when activated, summons an 80-level treant creature to aid in battle...]
[Class: Druid or Mage...]
...
[Bow of the Treant (Epic Equipment): Woven from the Vampire Vines of the Desire Treant, this bow boasts incredible resilience and can withstand up to 100 pounds of tension...]
[Level: 150 or 230 points in Strength]
[Attributes: +180 Attack, +60 Nature Affinity, +60 Movement Speed]
[Additional Skill: Keen Senses - when activated, can detect the slightest disturbances within a 300-yard range and can ignore enemy evasion, locking onto a single target...]
[Class: Druid or Archer...]
...
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