20: Team up with the number one assassin to kill the BOSS

—"Roar!"

When Bai Tian approached the vicinity of the Elite Boss, he suddenly heard a fierce beast's roar echoing from a distance.

Had someone discovered the Elite Boss before him?

Without a doubt, it had to be the number one female Assassin, Flowers in Full Bloom.

For this woman to appear here ahead of him, was it sheer luck, or had she also reached a special map like he had?

But regardless of which it was, it wasn't good news for Bai Tian.

One thing was certain, though: for Flowers in Full Bloom to dare to solo an Elite Boss as an Assassin, she must possess extraordinary talent and superb mechanical skills.

Having been beaten to it, just as Bai Tian was hesitating whether to head over...

Suddenly, a graceful figure as swift as a cheetah quickly retreated from the dense forest ahead.

This figure was indeed Flowers in Full Bloom, but her current state was not looking good; she was fleeing with low health.

Bai Tian's eyes lit up; it seemed she couldn't handle the boss.

—"Roar!"

Simultaneously, an ape-like boss, snow-white all over and resembling a giant white ape with a pair of dragon horns on its head and a snow-white tail over three meters long, chased after her at high speed.

Clearly, this was the Elite Boss.

—[Flying Snow]!

(Elite Boss)

Level: 18

HP: 300,000

MP: 6,500

Attack: 1,229

Physical Defense: 499

Magic Defense: 501

Skills: Basic Lifesteal, Terrifying Roar, Thunder Strike.

This was actually a Level 18 Elite Boss.

But at this moment, the boss's 300,000 HP was already less than half. Its pupils glowed crimson as it chased the low-health Flowers in Full Bloom like a madman.

"Dammit!"

Flowers in Full Bloom cursed under her breath. Her speed was clearly not as fast as the boss's, and she was caught in an instant.

The boss smashed down like a cannonball, its arms like hammers creating a storm as they blasted toward her.

She's done for!

Just when Bai Tian thought Flowers in Full Bloom was certain to die...

As it turned out, the woman executed a beautiful S-shaped maneuver, successfully dodging the boss's terrifying strike despite her low health.

Furthermore, while maneuvering, the dagger in her hand swung in a flanking arc, slicing across the boss's underarm.

Weak Point Critical Hit: -988!

Lifesteal: +593!

Flowers in Full Bloom, who had been on the verge of death, immediately recovered half of her health.

This woman actually has such high lifesteal?

At least a 60% lifesteal effect.

At this stage, such a high lifesteal effect couldn't possibly come from equipment. This proved that Flowers in Full Bloom's talent was very likely Advanced Lifesteal.

The boss, whose attack had missed, was exceptionally furious. It suddenly leaped over five meters high, then slammed into the ground like a massive boulder, its throat swelling violently.

—"Roar!"

The boss activated the skill [Terrifying Roar]. Fierce sound waves materialized, spreading like a hurricane and affecting everything within a 20-meter radius.

Against such a powerful area-of-effect skill, no matter how beautiful Flowers in Full Bloom's positioning was, it would be useless.

Just as Bai Tian thought Flowers in Full Bloom would definitely be hit, a burst of golden light suddenly erupted from her perfect figure.

This was clearly the special effect of an invincibility skill.

It was impossible for an ordinary Assassin to have an invincibility skill in the early stages; clearly, Flowers in Full Bloom was a Hidden Class.

Flowers in Full Bloom had once again perfectly neutralized the boss's fierce attack.

However, the boss seemed to have anticipated this. Without the slightest pause, dazzling thunder runes flashed across its body as it transformed into a terrifying ball of lightning.

It blasted toward her, perfectly timed for the exact moment Flowers in Full Bloom's invincibility ended.

Such a sequence of killing moves should, by all rights, leave no way to survive.

Yet, at the moment her invincibility ended, Flowers in Full Bloom pulled a pitch-black jade umbrella from behind her back with her left hand to block.

With a "boom," both Flowers in Full Bloom and the umbrella were violently sent flying by the boss's collision.

After flying seven or eight meters and smashing onto the ground, she actually survived with a final sliver of health.

It seemed the black jade umbrella she used had a high damage reduction ratio; otherwise, this single skill from the boss would have even one-shotted a Class.

However, although Flowers in Full Bloom had survived by the skin of her teeth, her entire body was stiff, sparking with electricity, and she couldn't move at all.

Clearly, after being hit by the boss's Thunder Strike, she was afflicted with a paralysis effect, making her unable to move for a short time.

Seizing the opportunity while she was incapacitated, the boss lunged forward frantically, intending to brutally finish off Flowers in Full Bloom.

At this moment, the distance between Flowers in Full Bloom and Bai Tian was exactly within 50 yards.

Recalling that Flowers in Full Bloom had warned him earlier, Bai Tian finally decided to take action.

A Healing Spell was cast instantly, perfectly timed to land just before the boss's attack reached Flowers in Full Bloom.

HP Recovery: +1,600!

Flowers in Full Bloom's total HP should be around a little over a thousand.

Bai Tian's amplified Healing Spell instantly filled her health to the max.

The boss's fierce attack landed at the same time, reducing the instantly full-health Flowers in Full Bloom back to low health.

At the same time, the boss's eyes gleamed with malice. It glared fiercely at Bai Tian before continuing its assault, determined to finish off Flowers in Full Bloom once and for all.

But by now, Flowers in Full Bloom's paralysis effect had worn off. As agile as a calico cat, she sprang out, actually dodging the boss's fatal blow.

—(Ding-dong!)

"(Player [Flowers in Full Bloom] has sent you a party invitation. Do you accept?)"

Bai Tian chose to accept and successfully joined the party.

The boss clung stubbornly to Flowers in Full Bloom, continuing its fierce and terrifying pursuit of her.

Although Flowers in Full Bloom had downed a Medium Health Potion, it only restored 400 HP, leaving her still in the danger zone.

At that moment, Bai Tian instantly cast [Group Heal] from a distance, and two beams of clear light enveloped both him and Flowers in Full Bloom simultaneously.

HP Recovery: +2,306!

Flowers in Full Bloom was instantly back to full health, causing her beautiful eyes to tremble. She hadn't expected Bai Tian's healing output to be so powerful.

To be able to burst twice in an instant and fill her health to the brim...

Truly worthy of being the number one Priest!

With Bai Tian's help, Flowers in Full Bloom's condition improved instantly. After dodging one of the boss's attacks, she countered with a Gouge, stunning the boss for 0.5 seconds.

Weak Point Critical Hit: -1,022!

Lifesteal: +613!

This woman is truly something else!

Every time she attacked, it was a guaranteed weak point critical hit. Such sharp mechanical skill wasn't something just anyone could pull off.

While Bai Tian was marveling at Flowers in Full Bloom's extraordinary mechanical skill, he also cast [Cold Abyss Blessing] from where he stood.

Immediately, four buffing auras appeared beneath Flowers in Full Bloom's long, athletic legs.

Attack, Defense, Attack Speed, and Movement Speed were all increased by 10% for 3 minutes.

"Such a strong buff skill?"

Flowers in Full Bloom was incredibly shocked by Bai Tian's skill.

Already possessing top-tier mechanics, she found facing the boss even more effortless after her various attributes were temporarily boosted.

Furthermore, with every single strike being a weak point critical hit, the boss roared repeatedly in pain as its health bar continued to plummet.

At this point, Flowers in Full Bloom didn't even need Bai Tian to heal her anymore. Relying solely on her sharp mechanics and high lifesteal talent, she handled the boss alone with ease.

—"Roar!"

After the boss failed to take down Flowers in Full Bloom for the time being, it let out a violent roar, then stomped the ground and leaped, actually lunging toward Bai Tian's direction.

"Be careful, the boss is coming for you."

While warning Bai Tian, Flowers in Full Bloom decisively activated her movement speed skill, which had come off cooldown, and chased after the boss to intercept it for him.

Coming for me?

Good!

Bai Tian's lips curled into a smirk as he instantly activated the skill [Cold Abyss Burst].

This time he didn't embarrass himself, successfully hitting the boss from over 25 yards away.

Damage: -1,121!

"A Priest can deal such high damage?"

Flowers in Full Bloom, who had caught up to the boss, had a look of disbelief in her beautiful eyes.

You had to realize that this boss's Magic Defense was as high as 501 points!

In this short amount of time, Bai Tian had given her far too many surprises.

But Bai Tian himself was gently shaking his head in dissatisfaction.

The fact that it didn't cause freezing or secondary explosion damage proved that this boss's Intelligence attribute was no lower than his own.

And while Flowers in Full Bloom successfully intercepted the boss—using beautiful positioning and constant stutter-stepping, with every strike a weak point critical hit that made blood spray—

the boss seemed to have identified Bai Tian as a soft target and was determined to crush him first.

Ignoring the damage from Flowers in Full Bloom, the boss bypassed her and continued its charge toward Bai Tian.

"I can't hold the aggro! Run further away, quick!"

"Come back to share the XP when the boss is low on health."

Seeing she couldn't hold the aggro, Flowers in Full Bloom quickly warned Bai Tian to flee while she did everything possible to slow down the boss's charge.

"No need. Just let it come."

Bai Tian didn't listen to Flowers in Full Bloom. While Cold Abyss Burst was on cooldown, he followed up with one basic attack after another using the green wave pure lotus splendor.

The effect of Cold Abyss Blessing was doubled for Bai Tian, bringing his current Magic Attack to as high as 1,139.

A single basic attack could deal no less than 638 damage to the boss.

And the boss, its eyes red with rage, became even more infuriated when it saw Bai Tian—a fragile Priest—daring to face its ferocity without running.

"Move, quick!"

Flowers in Full Bloom grew anxious. Seeing the boss about to pounce on Bai Tian, she immediately applied a crowd control skill, stunning it for one second to buy him some time.

"Don't worry, let it come."

But Bai Tian remained calm, still standing in place. And then, under Flowers in Full Bloom's dumbfounded gaze, he took off half of his defensive equipment.

Is he crazy?

Does he want to die?

Bai Tian's behavior left Flowers in Full Bloom completely bewildered.

The one-second stun passed in the blink of an eye.

The boss immediately lunged toward Bai Tian like a terrifying beast of prey.

—[Cold Abyss Shield]!

As Bai Tian landed a basic attack on the boss, he instantly activated the skill. A protective shield of interwoven black and white energy immediately manifested around him.

—"Boom!"

The boss's terrifying attack slammed heavily onto Bai Tian's energy shield.

It's over!

Just when Flowers in Full Bloom thought the shield would shatter and Bai Tian would die...

Critical Damage: -2,196!

Absorbed Damage: -2,196!

40x Rebound: -87,840!

—"Awoo!"

The boss, which had a little over 90,000 HP left, suddenly let out an agonized roar as its health instantly dropped to a critical level.

On the other hand, the energy shield around Bai Tian was perfectly intact, and his own health bar hadn't budged an inch.

—[Cold Abyss Burst]!

Bai Tian cast the skill, which had come off cooldown, at close range. Once it hit the boss, it directly emptied the last of its health.

The boss's health immediately hit zero. Its entire body stiffened, its pupils lost their color, and it collapsed flat on its back.

—(Ding-dong!)

"(Congratulations! Your party has defeated the Elite Boss [Flying Snow]. Rewards for each member: +24,000 XP, +2 Attribute Points, +20 Prestige!)"

Flowers in Full Bloom's beautiful face was now completely dumbfounded. Her soft, sexy red lips seemed frozen as she stared at Bai Tian in disbelief.

"Hey, the boss dropped some items. You're the leader, aren't you going to pick them up?"

Since Flowers in Full Bloom had initiated the party invitation earlier, she was the leader and the only one who could pick up the items dropped by the boss.

"Oh..."

Flowers in Full Bloom was no ordinary woman, after all. She quickly regained her composure, her cheeks flushing slightly as she realized her lapse, looking strikingly beautiful.

She had clearly realized that for Bai Tian to deal such explosive, freakish damage instantly, his talent must be an incredible damage reflection type.

No wonder he, a Priest, was the second person in the entire server to reach Level 10.

Flowers in Full Bloom didn't keep anything for herself, displaying all the items the boss had dropped in the party window.

There were two pieces of equipment and a Rune Scroll.

Additionally, the boss dropped 218 silver coins, of which Bai Tian received 109.

Huh, this scroll!

Bai Tian's eyes suddenly lit up. His attention wasn't on the equipment; instead, he stared intently at that scroll...