Chapter 30: Inferno’s Crucible: The Battle of Survival

[Burning] Effect experienced! Flame Damage over time! Weaken! Reduce physical attack!

"Tsk!" Gabriel muttered under his breath as the effects took hold.

In response, Gabriel activated his unique ability, [Yang-Soul-Harmony]. He intended to use this powerful skill to counter the negative statuses inflicted on him during the battle and redirect them towards his formidable opponent, the Raging Inferno Liger. With unwavering resolve, Gabriel began channeling his energy, preparing for a decisive confrontation.

...

[Yang-Soul-Harmony Activated]

[Detected negative status: [DamageDown]]

Reverse: No

Redirect: Yes

[Detected negative status: [Burning]]

Reverse: No

Redirect: Yes

...

Gabriel found himself in an increasingly dire situation as the Raging Inferno Liger unleashed its fiery wrath upon him. The more negative effects Gabriel deflected onto the Liger, the more furious and powerful the creature became. Its fiery aura intensified, turning the surroundings into a blinding, searing inferno.

Realizing the urgency of his predicament, Gabriel quickly cast [Goddess Blessing], boosting his total Matk to an impressive 1010 points.

[DamageUp] Effect experienced! Increase Magic Attack!

[Shield] Effect experienced! Blocks damage 3x the caster's HP!

[Immunity] Effect experienced! Immune to negative buffs!

Armed with newfound strength, Gabriel unleashed [Light Hurricane] toward the Liger. Simultaneously, the [Burning] effect began reducing the Liger's HP by 1200 points over time.

WHOOSH!!

-2,836HP

WHOOSH!!

-2,500HP

WHOOSH!!

-2,750HP

As his spell struck the Liger, Gabriel noticed the landscape around him transforming rapidly. What had once been a peaceful scene was now an apocalyptic inferno, with molten magma erupting from the ground and flames engulfing everything in sight. Amid this chaos, Gabriel remained resolute, his eyes fixed on the beast, ever ready to respond to its next move.

Suddenly, Gabriel felt a strange sensation in his foot. Reacting instinctively, he leapt out of harm's way, narrowly evading the Liger's attack. The ground beneath where he had just stood erupted in a deafening explosion.

BOOOOM!

A massive inferno burst from the spot, expanding rapidly and consuming everything in its path. It was undoubtedly one of the Raging Inferno Liger's most devastating abilities, a testament to the creature's fearsome power.

[Incinerate: Envelopes the enemy in a massive pillar of flame, causing tremendous damage. A successful hit brands the target with burning, inflicting ongoing damage.

Mana cost: 300

Cooldown: 10 seconds]

Unbeknownst to Gabriel, after dodging the towering inferno, a menacing flame shadow was closing in on him with alarming speed. As it drew nearer, the shadow unleashed one of its deadly skills. Flames gathered at the center of the shadow's mouth, signaling another imminent attack.

[Flame Blitz: Concentrates fire elemental energy in the caster's mouth and fires it at the enemy, dealing damage equal to 6 times the caster's attack.

Mana cost: 200

Cooldown: 10 seconds]

Gabriel's heart raced as he realized he was caught off guard by the ferocious Liger's sudden attack. Though he remained calm, his mind raced to find a way to evade the oncoming assault. Unfortunately, his body wasn't quick enough to react, and he braced himself for the inevitable impact.

The Liger's skill struck him at point-blank range, exploding upon contact with a deafening roar that sent both Gabriel and the beast flying. The impact was brutal—Gabriel's shield shattered instantly, leaving him exposed to the full force of the attack. His health plummeted, losing a staggering 6930 points in an instant.

Struggling to recover from the blast, Gabriel assessed the situation. The Liger stood its ground, its fiery rage undiminished. Although Gabriel had managed to redirect some of the damage and reduce the Liger's physical attack strength, it remained a formidable foe.

Despite his efforts, Gabriel couldn't land a counterattack. The Liger was simply too fast, darting around him with lightning speed. As Gabriel landed, the Liger charged at him once more, jaws gaping wide in a feral snarl.

Seizing a brief respite, Gabriel quickly deactivated [Yang-Soul-Harmony] and activated [Yin-Soul-Harmony]. Without wasting time, he cast [Darkness Grip (☯)], slowing the Liger's speed by 30% for five minutes. Simultaneously, he cast [Curse Totem (☯)] to increase his damage over time while evading the Liger's relentless attacks.

A loud boom echoed as the Liger took a significant hit of 2,218 HP when the totem was summoned. Gabriel's [Curse Totem], now at level 3, delivered AOE damage upon summoning and added reverse healing damage per second, as well as the [Burning] status he had redirected at the beginning of the fight. Even while dodging the Liger's attacks, Gabriel continued to deal substantial damage.

Suddenly, an eerie sound resonated through the area, causing the Liger to take an additional 5,354 points of damage. Four seconds later, the totem vanished, dealing another 21,416 points of damage plus an additional 1590 points as the [Burn] status faded. Gabriel, too preoccupied with evading the Liger's attacks, had no opportunity to cast [Light Hurricane].

Realizing the need for a strategy, Gabriel decided to observe the Liger's status while avoiding its attacks. He needed to assess the Liger's remaining HP to plan his next move.

...

[Name: Raging Inferno Liger]

[Health Point: 207,906/250,000]

[Mana: 4400/5000]

[Physical Attack: 1300(-260) – 1600(-320)]

[Defense: 400]

[Rank: Bronze Stage ★, Lord Type]

[Skills: Mighty Roar, Scorch, Incinerate, Flame Blitz]

...

Gabriel's eyes widened as he saw the Liger's remaining HP. "If I want to bring this beast down, I'll need to cast [Curse Totem (☯)] at least more times," he calculated, feeling the pressure of time as he realized his [Immunity] would end in just five seconds.

With a determined expression, Gabriel cast [Curse Totem (☯)] once more, deftly dodging the Liger's sharp claws. The totem appeared with a loud **BOOOOM**, dealing 900HP damage and throwing the Liger 10 meters away. Gabriel seized the opportunity and quickly cast [Light Hurricane] toward the Liger.

Knowing he had to act fast, Gabriel deactivated [Yin-Soul-Harmony] once his [Darkness Grip (☯)] cooldown ended. He then cast [Tail Wind], boosting his movement speed by 30%. He couldn't afford to waste time by reactivating the talent.

With swift precision, Gabriel unleashed a barrage of attacks on the Liger. His [Light Hurricane] dealt -2,900HP damage, followed by two more hits of -2,844HP each. The Liger roared in pain, but Gabriel refused to relent.

[SpeedUp] Effect experienced! Increase movement speed.

...

"199,318 HP more to go!" Gabriel exclaimed, determination etched in his voice. He swiftly dashed around the Liger, evading its attacks as he awaited the [Curse Totem (☯)] damage-over-time effect to do its work.

Gabriel's agility was impressive, as he dodged every strike with minimal effort, though some attacks came dangerously close. After five seconds of evasion, the Liger had taken a total of 26,770 damage, reducing its remaining HP by 13%.

As the [Immunity] effect ended, Gabriel was immediately affected by the passive effect of the Liger's [Scorch] skill.

[Burning] Effect experienced! Flame Damage over time! Weaken! Reduce physical attack!

...

Gabriel bided his time, waiting for the Liger to unleash its powerful Roar skill. But to his disappointment, the Liger didn't use the skill as expected.

Without warning, the Raging Inferno Liger charged at Gabriel with blinding speed, swiping its sharp claws at him. Gabriel managed to dodge the attack, but the intense heat from the Liger's claws inflicted a burn, causing him to lose 25HP.

The battle raged on, with both combatants exchanging blows. Gabriel's precise attacks caused minimal damage to the Liger, which seemed nearly unfazed. Meanwhile, Gabriel continued to suffer from the DoT effect, losing an additional 250 HP.

In a desperate move, Gabriel reactivated [Yin-Soul-Harmony] and cast [Healing Wind (☯)] on himself to heal and avoid the Liger's next assault. However, before he could fully recover, the Liger launched a surprise attack, pouncing on him. Gabriel narrowly dodged, quickly moving to safety. But his reprieve was short-lived—a wall of flames erupted where he was supposed to land, engulfing him. The Liger had anticipated Gabriel's move, using [Incinerate] to catch him off guard. The impact was devastating, costing Gabriel 1600HP in a single blow.

Thrown 15 meters into the sky, Gabriel struggled

 to regain his composure. The Raging Inferno Liger, relentless in its assault, began gathering fire elements in its mouth, ready to unleash the deadly [Flame Blitz]. Gabriel, still airborne, realized he was in grave danger as the Liger waited for the perfect moment to strike.

...

Gabriel was in a precarious position, having already lost 30HP. But he wasn't one to give up easily. He used [Healing Wind (☯)] repeatedly, regaining 2000HP with each cast. However, the [Burning] effect continued to torment him, causing a burning sensation all over his body.

As he prepared to counterattack, Gabriel noticed that the Liger had begun employing more strategic tactics. It was charging elemental energy in its mouth, preparing to use [Flame Blitz]. Gabriel cursed under his breath, realizing that the Liger was learning to strategize.

While still airborne, Gabriel suddenly heard a vacuum-like sound followed by a loud VROOOOM!!!

The Raging Inferno Liger had released the energy gathered in its mouth, aiming it directly at Gabriel with incredible speed. With his falling body nearing the ground, Gabriel had little time to react to the oncoming attack.