Kang Kai, bathed in the radiance of divine magic, transformed into a hazy phantom. Yet, even so, when the green mist swept over him, his face contorted in pain. Even Punk, whose perception was obstructed, could sense the sudden weakening of Kang Kai's aura.
"Looks like he took quite a hit."
Punk narrowed his eyes at Kang Kai, mentally assessing the ranger's remaining combat strength. Of course, he hadn't forgotten about Bahanger.
Unlike Punk and Kang Kai, Bahanger had his own way of dealing with the lethal mist. Faced with the approaching danger, the berserker dwarf didn't hesitate—he embraced his frenzy.
Bahanger had been holding back his rage for too long. Now, he fully unleashed it. In an instant, the Level 13 Berserker entered a state of madness.
"ROAR!!"
A deafening bellow shook the chamber. Bahanger's skin turned red-hot, exuding intense heat. His eyes glowed golden as battle aura surged within him. His muscles expanded and bulged with every breath, generating a windstorm. Thick veins pulsed and writhed beneath his skin like coiled serpents.
But brute force alone wasn't enough to resist Tishachar's venomous mist. A second before the corrosive fog engulfed him, Bahanger activated an enchantment on his warhammer.
[Divine Spell—Moradin's Blessing of Steel: Grants the wielder a divine steel armor imbued with Moradin's power.]
[Note: This armor provides double defense against attacks from evil-aligned beings.]
Clad in divine steel, Bahanger looked even more ferocious. His battle aura traced mysterious runes across the armor, forming intricate energy circuits. He became a blazing beacon of raw power, dispersing the mist around him as he charged at Tishachar.
"HRAAAH!"
Without hesitation, Bahanger brought his warhammer crashing down upon Tishachar's limbs. The impact shattered the ground, sending debris flying like bullets. A suffocating shockwave rippled outward, kicking up dust that swirled into thick clouds.
"Damn you! Damn you all! How dare you stand in my way?!"
Gone was the arrogance Tishachar had displayed at the start of the battle. Now, she was a cornered beast, her voice filled with unrestrained fury. To her shock, Bahanger's strength had soared beyond her expectations. His relentless blows, infused with crushing battle aura, slowly bent her chitinous limbs inward. If she still had all her limbs, she could have resisted—but Kang Kai had already severed some, leaving her defenses incomplete.
Tishachar wasn't a true master-level being. Under the combined assault of three elite warriors, she was finally beginning to falter.
But a boss fight wasn't meant to be easy. Even as she struggled, Tishachar began producing swarms of small spiders while recalling the venomous mist she had released earlier.
Yes, the mist could be recalled.
The dispersed fog condensed into a dozen emerald-green daggers, each aimed at Bahanger's exposed back. If these poisoned blades struck, even in his frenzied state, Bahanger would suffer instant death.
Punk wouldn't allow that to happen.
With the legendary artifact now inside Tishachar's stomach, there was only one way to claim it—kill her. And to do that, Bahanger's role as a frontline tank was indispensable.
No words were needed. In a battle like this, speech was meaningless. Instead, Punk's counterattack came in the form of [Kinetic Stagnation].
The venomous daggers froze in midair, caught within the spell's gravitational field. Tishachar's eyes flickered with hatred as she turned toward Punk, her gaze filled with murderous intent. But she couldn't reach him—Bahanger stood in her way.
"You filthy dwarf! Get that disgusting hammer away from me!"
Meanwhile, Kang Kai finally stabilized his aura, withdrawing from his ghostly form. Tishachar's panic escalated. Her promotion had failed, and her link to the Power of Faith was severed. Without that energy source, she could no longer shield herself with divine protection.
But desperation alone wouldn't change her fate.
Under Bahanger's relentless assault, both his warhammer and Tishachar's limbs began to crack. Like shattered glass, they splintered apart, jagged fragments raining down onto the battlefield.
Tishachar let out a tortured wail.
She had lost four limbs. Now, her only weapons were her razor-sharp fangs.
However, Bahanger's warhammer had also been pushed to its limit—it shattered under the immense strain. Yet the berserker didn't falter.
Roaring like a wild beast, he lunged at Tishachar, sinking his bare hands into her exoskeleton. With monstrous strength, he pried at her carapace, forcing out a sickening creak. Even as Tishachar's venom burned his flesh, Bahanger refused to let go.
"Now's my chance!"
Punk's heart pounded with excitement.
He had been preparing to retreat if the fight turned dire. But Bahanger's suicidal charge had changed everything. Tishachar was immobilized—she couldn't escape!
Punk had to be the one to land the killing blow. If Bahanger got to Tishachar first and looted the small wooden box, he would never hand it over.
And if Bahanger turned out to be a devout follower of Moradin, things could get even worse. The dwarf could perform a "Sacrificial Letter"—a forbidden divine ritual where devout believers below master-level could burn a portion of their soul to forcibly contact their god for ten seconds. If Moradin himself took notice, it would be a disaster.
That couldn't happen.
Punk wouldn't allow it.
Taking out the sacrificial dagger he had looted from the High Priest, Punk prepared his [High-Damage Infliction] spell. Then, without hesitation, he activated his second use of [Any Door] for the day.
This time, the portal's exit appeared directly behind Tishachar's head.
For a mage, such close-quarters maneuvering was reckless. But Punk had no choice.
He had to kill Tishachar.
He had to make sure he was the first to make contact with her corpse.
Because Bahanger's frenzy would end soon. And when that happened, the berserker would regain his clarity. If Punk delayed for even a moment, Bahanger might snatch the artifact away.
A dangerous gamble—but necessary.
"I'm usually so cautious. But now I'm playing with fire. Guess I really am a true chaotic lunatic at heart."
Punk smirked coldly.
Still, he wasn't too worried.
Because he still had one last trump card—his final [Any Door] spell for the day.