Chapter 437 – Pioneering
The Gray Shadow Hills appeared to be covered in a huge shadow. However, this shadow didn’t only affect players’ visibility but also the rest of their five senses. Moreover, the woodland covered by the shadow seemed to be alive and constantly changing. Even with the help of the system map, players would easily lose their way if they weren’t careful.
To make matters worse, upon entering the woodland, players would have a much more challenging time detecting monsters due to the presence of life everywhere. In this situation, players could only rely on their eyes to determine the location and actions of monsters. Even seasoned experts would attract many monsters if they weren’t careful.
Fortunately, Shi Feng had already reached the fifth-floor standard. Players who had reached the Extrasensory Realm could predict and avoid all kinds of dangers even with their five senses inhibited. So long as Shi Feng didn’t rush his advance, he’d have no trouble avoiding the Level 145-plus monsters that roamed the forest.
Although there are fewer monsters here, the feeling of danger I get has increased. The Regional Boss’s sphere of activity should be close, Shi Feng judged as he looked at a bushy hilltop not far away. Although he couldn’t see what was at the hilltop, his brain warned him of great danger. So, he began carefully trekking over to that area.
!!
Meanwhile, the closer Shi Feng got to the hilltop, the clearer the sense of danger became. Yet, even when he got close enough to get a clear look at the entire hilltop, all he saw was an empty clearing with no monsters whatsoever.
When Shi Feng got within 100 yards of the hilltop clearing, though, the shadows from the surrounding forest converged in the middle of the clearing and transformed into a thirty-meter-tall nine-headed hound. As soon as the hound materialized, it let loose an angry howl as if to announce Shi Feng’s death.
…
[Nine-Headed Shadow Beast (Regional Boss)] (Ferocious Beast, Superior Mythic)
Level 147
HP 40,000,000,000
…
A Ferocious Beast? Shi Feng was a little astonished when he saw the Shadow Beast’s stats. No wonder I felt such great danger. Sure enough, pioneering the Eternal Realm won’t be an easy task.
Ferocious Beasts had varying Bloodlines and Life Ratings. The weakest among Ferocious Beasts were comparable to Angels, while the strongest ones could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Dragons.
Although the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast didn’t have a noble bloodline, it was still at the standard of ordinary Valkyries. After factoring in the effects of Holy Power Protection, even a team composed of 20 Tier 4 experts would have to flee if they encountered it. This was because the Shadow Beast’s 40 billion HP simply wasn’t a hurdle players could overcome with technique alone. Even if a 20-man team of experts could overwhelm the Shadow Beast in terms of techniques, they’d die from exhaustion long before they would be anywhere close to killing the Shadow Beast.
Fortunately, the Gray Shadow Hills’ Regional Boss being a Ferocious Beast was still within Shi Feng’s expectations.
Immediately, Shi Feng took out the Ancient Oath and summoned the Mutated Frostflame Phantom Dragon.
At this time, the Phantom Dragon had become much smaller than when Shi Feng summoned it in the World Passage, its body length only measuring about thirty meters. Its level had also fallen to Level 135, just like Shi Feng. However, the intensity of the aura it exuded was not at all inferior to the Shadow Beast.
…
[Mutated Frostflame Phantom Dragon] (Legendary Flying Mount, Tier 4)
Level 135
HP 5,000,000,000
…
As if stimulated by the Mutated Frostflame Phantom Dragon’s presence, the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast lunged at the Phantom Dragon without any forewarning. However, the Phantom Dragon was extremely quick in both reaction and speed. With a flap of its wings, the Phantom Dragon lifted itself off the ground and evaded the Shadow Beast’s lunge. Then, the Phantom Dragon swiped its tail at the Shadow Beast, landing a strike squarely on one of the Shadow Beast’s nine heads.
-415,675!
A damage value of over 400,000 appeared above the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast. If other players were to see the pitiful amount of damage the Phantom Dragon just did, it wouldn’t even be strange if their eyes fell out of their sockets.
Tier 4 Legendary Flying Mounts stood at the apex among Tier 4 existences of the same level. An attack from such a Mount could deal damage in the millions, even to a Tier 5 Legendary monster.
Yet, the Mutated Frostflame Phantom Dragon’s attack failed to even cause one million points of damage to the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast, a mere Superior Mythic monster. Going by the Shadow Beast’s HP, the Phantom Dragon would need close to 100,000 attacks to kill the Shadow Beast.
Moreover, that was before factoring in the Shadow Beast’s combat recovery. After taking into account the Shadow Beast’s ability to recover 2% of its HP every five seconds, the Shadow Beast was no different than an immortal existence to the Phantom Dragon.
Sure enough, even physical attacks nearing the Tier 5 standard can hardly damage a Superior Mythic here.
Shi Feng wasn’t all too surprised when he saw the negligible decrease in the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast’s HP. Immediately, he took out a bottle of Holy Power Potion and drank it. Then, he brandished the Winter of Eternal Night and Shadow Incinerator against the Shadow Beast.
Going by his previous life’s memories and many experiences of exploring the Eternal Realm, Shi Feng knew that players could only pose a threat to monsters of the same tier when they had the Holy Power Potion’s assistance.
Of course, the Holy Power Potion wasn’t a miracle drug that could solve all problems. So, while it could let players fight against the Eternal Realm’s monsters on an even playing field, players still couldn’t solo monsters of the same tier under normal circumstances.
However, Shi Feng’s Basic Attributes were already at the Tier 5 standard. So, he should be able to solo monsters of the same tier.
-21,348,574!
-113,246,465!
It’s doable! Shi Feng was delighted by the damage he caused.
Even without the assisstance of any Skills, Spells, or Stamina-exhausting combat techniques, the Winter of Eternal Night managed to cause over 20 million damage with a normal attack, while the Shadow Incinerator managed to cause over 100 million damage. Though, in the Shadow Incinerator’s case, its damage was amplified by 500% because it landed a critical hit. Even so, with some luck, it shouldn’t be difficult for Shi Feng to achieve a DPS of 160 million.
Shi Feng’s only concern now was whether three bottles of Holy Power Potion would be enough for him to take down the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast.
However, Shi Feng didn’t have time to ponder that question. With the Mutated Frostflame Phantom Dragon distracting the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast, Shi Feng began landing a continuous stream of attacks on the Realm Lord. Occasionally, he would also use some Skills and combat techniques to amplify his damage output.
Even after the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast entered a berserk state, its situation did not change. Shi Feng continued relying on the Phantom Dragon’s massive body to evade the Shadow Beast’s attacks while sneaking in his own attacks in return.
Eventually, when less than five minutes were left on the third Holy Power Potion’s duration, the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast reluctantly fell under Shi Feng’s swords.
Meanwhile, the death of the Shadow Beast awarded Shi Feng with an astronomical amount of EXP. Even while under the effects of the God of Time’s curse, he still managed to level up from 135 to 137. At the same time, the sound of a system notification entered his ears.
…
System: Congratulations! You have slain the Regional Boss Nine-Headed Shadow Beast. Level difference of 10. EXP obtained increased by 1,000%.
System: Congratulations! You have secured the Regional Boss Nine-Headed Shadow Beast’s First Kill. Pharos Town Reputation Points +20 (100 points to become a noble of the town) and level will be increased by one.
…
When the notifications ended, the Nine-Headed Shadow Beast dropped a tattered recipe, a milky white crystal, and a small silver box full of coins.