Chapter 128 Confronting Ghost Rider
The Ghost Rider stood motionless, the ghostly flames within its empty sockets flickering like malevolent embers. Its mere presence appeared to deter the other Savage Malignancies, maintaining a minimum distance of sixty feet.
Even if Eric reached level 20 and assembled a team of twenty elite players, the prospect of facing the level 15 Ghost Rider sent shivers down his spine.
Ghost Rider was just too powerful.
The game had drastically altered the balance of power. In the past, small groups or even solo players could tackle elite monsters and special elites scattered throughout the Wilderness. Now, even a level 5 boss could annihilate a party of twenty well-equipped players. The power creep after level 10 was nothing short of terrifying.
A level 10 boss now required a coordinated assault from at least thirty level 15 players, and even then, casualties were inevitable.
The Ghost Rider, however, was in a league of its own. Not only did it possess an arsenal of devastating area-of-effect abilities, but it also commanded the allegiance of every ghost in Ghost Town. Though technically a level 15 boss, its difficulty surpassed even level 20 encounters.
Eric recollected the hearsay concerning the Divine Radiance Guild's expense-laden triumph over the Ghost Rider. The guild had committed their elite cadre of thousands of warriors, enduring substantial casualties prior to the ultimate subjugation of the beast.
Now, here he was: alone, six levels behind, and practically penniless. Challenging the Ghost Rider head-on was nothing short of suicide.
"There's only one option left," Eric muttered, his gaze sweeping across the central plaza.
He began meticulously calculating distances and angles, mentally simulating various scenarios.
The fountain was 900 feet away. To claim the Frost Azure Flame, he would need to bypass the hordes of Cursed Specters and Savage Malevolences, and finally, overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacle that was the Ghost Rider. One wrong move, one miscalculation, and it would be game over.
With a sigh, Eric reached into his backpack and retrieved two second-tier magic scrolls, the last of his valuable consumables. Obtaining these had been a stroke of luck, and replacing them would be no easy feat.
He wouldn't dare waste such precious items if it weren't for the immense value of the Frost Azure Flame.
"Phantom Slay," Eric whispered, initiating the scroll's magic.
A spectral duplicate of himself, shimmering and translucent, materialized beside him. Eric handed the clone a dozen Frostbite Grenades, his last resort against the overwhelming odds.
The clone, following Eric's silent command, sprinted towards the plaza.
The moment the clone crossed the invisible boundary, the Ghost Rider's skull-like head snapped towards it, the ghostly flames within its sockets intensifying.
"All who live shall perish!" the Ghost Rider boomed, its voice echoing through the desolate square.
It drew its silver greatsword, the blade erupting in an inferno of blue flames. The weapon itself seemed to writhe and contort, the hilt morphing into a grotesque skull, the edges sprouting wicked barbs that pointed menacingly at the approaching clone.
As if on cue, a wave of Cursed Specters, their forms shifting and swirling like a spectral tsunami, surged towards the lone figure.
The clone, reacting instantly, activated a speed scroll and hurled a Frostbite Grenade into the heart of the oncoming horde. The grenade detonated, encasing a large section of the specters in ice. Without hesitation, the clone changed course, leading the remaining ghosts on a merry chase.
Meanwhile, Eric activated Zephyr Stride and a speed scroll of his own. He then triggered Spectral Knight, his form blurring as he entered the Nihility Rift state, and shot towards the fountain like a bolt of lightning.
Time seemed to distort within the Nihility Rift. The distance between Eric and his goal shrunk rapidly.
900 feet...
600 feet...
300 feet...
As he neared the fountain, Eric's grip tightened on the two remaining second-tier scrolls. His expression was calm, his gaze fixed on the heart of the fountain where the Frost Azure Flame flickered enticingly.
"Did you think you could escape my sight?" a chilling voice pierced through the air.
The Ghost Rider materialized directly in front of Eric, as if stepping out of thin air. Its fiery gaze seemed to see through the Nihility Rift, stripping away Eric's concealment. With a contemptuous sneer, it raised its bone-white greatsword, the pale flames licking at the air, making the surrounding temperature soar.
"How is that possible!"
Eric exclaimed, his mind reeling. He had no doubt that the Ghost Rider's next attack would cleave him in two. Reacting instinctively, he dropped into a low crouch, his body coiling like a spring. With a flick of his wrists, he drew Abyssal Blade and Crimson Edge, meeting the oncoming attack head-on.
The clash of their blades reverberated through the air, a shockwave of energy radiating outwards.
Though he had managed to block the attack, the intense heat radiating from the Ghost Rider's blade was taking its toll. Abyssal Blade, being a Demonic Weapon, held its own, but Crimson Edge, a Mithril-grade weapon, was nearing its breaking point. The blade glowed red hot, the metal beginning to soften and melt.
The Ghost Rider, surprised by Eric's resilience, pressed its attack. It swung its greatsword in a wide arc, the flames extending outwards, transforming the blade into a wall of fire sixteen feet high.
Instead of retreating, Eric charged forward, activating Swordsoar Ascension. He shot towards the Frost Azure Flame, seemingly oblivious to the inferno bearing down on him.
The Ghost Rider's attack, Inferno Fury Slash, engulfed Eric, but to its astonishment, it had no effect. Eric, utilizing a combination of skill and sheer audacity, used the momentum of the attack to propel himself forward.
He was almost within reach of the Frost Azure Flame when a new obstacle emerged. Dozens of Savage Malevolences, anticipating his move, pounced from the shadows.
"Freeze!"
Eric roared, hurling a mid-level Frostbite Grenade into their midst.
The grenade detonated, encasing the Savage Malevolences in a thick layer of ice, their assault abruptly halted.
"Fools!" the Ghost Rider bellowed, its voice laced with frustration.
It leaped over the frozen bodies of its minions, intercepting Eric's path. With a roar, it brought its greatsword down in a deadly arc.
"Abyssal Bind!"
Eric countered, unleashing the full power of his demonic chains.
Nine shadowy chains shot out, wrapping themselves around the Ghost Rider's form, holding it fast.
However, the Ghost Rider's strength was monstrous. One by one, the chains snapped, unable to contain its raw power. Eric, knowing he had bought himself mere seconds, didn't hesitate. He lunged towards the fountain, his fingers outstretched.
"You dare!" the Ghost Rider roared, its voice shaking the very foundations of the square.
It broke free from the last of the chains and transformed into a blur of black energy, its form flickering like a dying flame. It shot towards Eric, intent on tearing him limb from limb.
The Savage Malevolences, freed from their icy prisons, were also closing in, their eyes burning with renewed fury.
Eric, a confident smirk playing on his face, unfurled the deep blue second-tier magic scroll.
As if on command, countless Water Elementals materialized around him, their forms swirling and dancing in the air.
"A Towering Wave!"
Eric commanded, pointing towards the oncoming Ghost Rider and its minions.
A magic circle, glowing with an ethereal blue light, formed beneath their feet. A torrent of water, a raging tsunami, erupted from the ground, carving a deep trench through the square. The wave slammed into the Ghost Rider and the Savage Malevolences, engulfing them in a maelstrom of churning water.
The sheer force of the second-tier magic obliterated the Savage Malevolences, their forms dissolving into wisps of ethereal energy. The Ghost Rider, however, was more resilient. It raised its bone-white greatsword, deflecting the brunt of the wave. The impact sent it flying backwards, skidding across the ground for over ninety feet.
It was a temporary reprieve. Eric knew that the Ghost Rider would be upon him in seconds.
As the creature regained its footing, its eyes burning with an inferno of rage, Eric calmly retrieved his final trump card: a golden scroll, pulsating with a power that felt both ancient and divine.
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