In the battlefield, even though everyone noticed the change in Leon, there was no time to wonder.
Before Welt could act on the lotuses covering the ground, Jing Yuan moved first.
"Such stale tricks need not be used again!"
"Radiant spirit, heed my word. Show no mercy!!"
Jing Yuan's ultimate landed precisely on a segment of extremely rousing melody, annihilating every lotus on the field.
That melody was not only blood-boiling to hear, but carried a thick resolve.
Behind the resolve lay solemn tragedy.
Players with strong empathy, able to keenly detect the emotions carried in the music, felt an urge to tear up.
A good story cutscene paired with good music could bring players an unparalleled sense of immersion and satisfaction.
"Maya, Jing Yuan is way too cool!"
[This BGM is the Xianzhou melody—the moment of counterattack has come, kill!!]
[I almost cried; this tragic melody must mean Jing Yuan is fighting for his life!]
Many players had been wondering earlier:
In an Emanator-level battle, within the framework of a turn-based game, how exactly would it be presented for players to feel satisfied with clearing it?
Now the story cutscene made it crystal clear—no need to think anymore.
[Explosive hype; after finishing the BOSS fight, I'll have to rewatch a few episodes of Boruto to cool down!]
[Count me in!]
[Boruto, the ultimate fire extinguisher.]
Yet no player could realize, much less anticipate—
After the BOSS fight ended, there would be no need for Boruto to extinguish the fiery excitement from the plot.
The emotions stirred by the subsequent plot far exceeded the players' need to cool down.
Leon: "Everyone, attack with full force. The barrier can weaken Phantylia's attack intensity—I'll handle her techniques!"
"A mere mortal dares to boast of withstanding my offensive?" Phantylia laughed in disdain.
Of course, that was just talk.
In reality, ever since Leon deployed the barrier, Phantylia had been on high alert.
The more ordinary something appeared, the more unexpected the consequences it often brought.
While remaining vigilant, it was time to deliver that grand gift to this group.
Tanking one full round of everyone's united attacks, Phantylia glanced at her rapidly healing wounds and chuckled behind her hand.
"You are all so enthusiastic. If this little lady does not return the courtesy, it would be far too impolite."
"Devour!"
With Phantylia's light shout, the ground and midair bloomed once more with countless lotuses, tirelessly opening.
The invisible imaginary ripples were many times stronger in scale than before.
The ripples moved so fast they seemed to break the laws of time, instantly swallowing everyone within.
Everyone stood ready, deploying their own defensive techniques, yet the result left them stunned.
"Huh? It seems like nothing happened…?"
March 7th looked down and scanned herself—no missing arms, no missing legs.
"Haha, Phantylia, is this your technique?"
Stelle, the shrimp-ren pig-heart, immediately mocked:
"I thought you were going to set off fireworks for a big one, but you didn't even light a single spark."
March 7th: "I thought I'd be smashed to death by an invisible giant wave—scared this girl for a second."
"Phantylia, is this move of yours specifically for scaring people?"
"…"
The expected scene still did not appear; Phantylia's smile stiffened slightly, utterly baffled.
How could this be?
The moment she unleashed this move, aside from Jing Yuan who could slightly resist with Emanator power, everyone else should have their remaining lifespan drained in one or two seconds, turning into handfuls of ash that scattered with a single breath.
"Hmph."
Welt's gaze chilled as he unleashed his signature attack.
Star of Eden, Zero Rated Power—
Release!
A black hole manifested behind Phantylia, swallowing her whole in one gulp.
The terrifying suction force that erupted also dragged every newly bloomed lotus on the field into it.
The pitch-black singularity collapsed inward, detonating all the imaginary energy constituting the black hole.
[Holy crap? Old Yang suddenly got cool?]
[Bro, why didn't he use this against the deer earlier?]
The next second, the players understood why.
Very simple: because it couldn't kill her.
Phantylia reemerged from the center of the imaginary energy; the cracks healing on her surface told everyone she was not unscathed.
But backed by an inexhaustible energy reserve, she was tougher than an unkillable cockroach.
Back then, the Abundance Mystic Deer had also relied on the Ambrosial Arbor's root system to continuously revive.
What was the Ambrosial Arbor?
A miracle personally bestowed by the Abundance Aeon Yaoshi, transforming the Xianzhou Luofu into a long-life species.
The power drawn from the Ambrosial Arbor possessed Abundance's immortal authority.
From the fact that the Xianzhou could not completely destroy the Ambrosial Arbor and could only seal it, it was clear: something from an Aeon's hand—how could mortals easily destroy it?
Even an Emanator could not.
And this was the reason for Phantylia's brazen confidence.
"How exactly do we fight this?"
Ah Xian was also dumbfounded.
"The Phantylia we're fighting has a health bar, so that's one thing—but if a real game world like this existed, I can't imagine how we'd win."
"Abundance's infinite wound healing is way too broken."
No sooner had she spoken than she saw Phantylia's health bar refill completely.
"???"
What the hell?!
She shouldn't have jinxed it.
Continuing the attack turn, a fully stacked Divine Lord plunged down and shattered half of Phantylia's health bar—only for Phantylia to refill to full once more.
"Did I trigger some unknown BUG?"
[Not a BUG—there's foreshadowing. Just don't wipe and keep fighting; Phantylia only heals five times.]
"I have all the time in the world to wear you down, but can you maintain peak condition forever?"
Tanking another round of Jing Yuan and Dan Heng's astonishingly damaging attacks, Phantylia dissipated the force and smiled nonchalantly.
"General, that dragon descendant by your side—my attacks are no longer itching him, you know. Judging by his expenditure, he must be nearing his limit."
Jing Yuan showed a gentle smile, but his words were laced with sharp confrontation.
"Before we collapse from exhaustion, it will be enough to shatter your physical body."
No one had lost yet—losing morale was out of the question.
Phantylia's laughter grew louder.
"Showing off again. The general's tongue is far harder than his strength."
"If not for this Mr. Leon's strange and bizarre techniques protecting you, how could you have lasted this long?"
At this, Phantylia looked meaningfully at Leon.
"You are quite surprising. Even I have never seen the power you wield."
"Of everyone here, you alone have never launched an attack against me."
"Is it because you know it's useless and shrink back, or is your ability limited only to defense and support?"
"The ultimate protection… Heh, I admit that power is somewhat interesting and worth studying…"
"Never mind—it's unimportant. The galaxy is full of people with all sorts of strange abilities."
"If I studied them all, who knows how much time I'd waste."
Phantylia's gaze shifted back to Jing Yuan.
"General of Luofu, why not guess: will I outlast you, or will someone among you fall first?"