82: Hunting in the poisonous fog
"Hiss, hiss, hiss—!"
Sharp, piercing hisses echoed through the dense poison mist, filled with endless fury and malice.
Losing her sight plunged Medusa's phantom into complete frenzy.
Her proud [Petrifying Gaze] was completely ineffective, and the pervasive Deadly Poison Mist, like maggots clinging to bone, continuously eroded her Life value, making her noble phantom body feel clear pain for the first time.
"You lowly ants, do you think this is enough to challenge the majesty of a goddess?"
The cold, malicious voice seemed to resonate directly in the minds of Lin Mo and the other two.
"I will make your flesh and blood the nourishment for my hair!"
The moment her voice fell silent, Medusa's seaweed-like black hair, atop the throne, seemed to come alive, beginning to wildly writhe and grow!
The next second, countless black vipers, as thick as wrists, burst out from the roots of her hair, sweeping across every corner of the poison mist like a breaking flood.
[Binding of Snake Hair]!
"Watch out! It's an area attack!" Lin Mo's pupils constricted abruptly, issuing a warning immediately.
These vipers, transformed from hair, moved at an astonishing speed, and as if they had eyes, they accurately bit toward the trio's positions within the poison mist.
"Pfft!"
Iron Wall reacted extremely quickly, raising his shield to block immediately, but two vipers still bypassed his defense and bit fiercely into his calf.
-650!
-650!
[System: You have been affected by 'Snake Hair Deadly Poison'. Movement speed is reduced by 30%, and 150 Life value is lost per second for 10 seconds!]
"Damn it! This skill includes a slow and damage over time!" Iron Wall's expression changed.
For a tank who needs to constantly maneuver to kite monsters, the slow effect was undoubtedly fatal.
Summer Rain's situation was equally grim; although she tried her best to dodge, the range of the snake hair attack was simply too vast, and she was still grazed once, incurring the same debuff.
"Dispel!"
Summer Rain immediately dispelled the poisoning effect on herself and Iron Wall, but the 30% slow persisted, clearly a powerful control effect that could not be dispelled.
"This won't work if we continue like this!" Lin Mo's brows furrowed tightly.
The appearance of [Binding of Snake Hair] instantly shattered the advantage he had established using the poison mist.
These snake hairs seemed to locate targets using hearing or some special perception; the blinding effect of the poison mist was completely ineffective against them.
Under their frenzied attack, the maneuvering space for Iron Wall and Summer Rain was greatly compressed, making self-preservation difficult, let alone coordinating with Lin Mo to kill the eight hydras.
The situation had once again become precarious.
"We can't just take hits passively!"
A cold light flashed in Lin Mo's eyes, and he made a decision instantly.
"Iron Wall, take Summer Rain toward the edge of the area. Try to circle around and use your movement to stall the snake hair attacks! Leave the hydras to me!"
"You, alone?" Iron Wall was startled.
"Trust me."
Lin Mo's voice was quiet but carried an undeniable confidence.
"Alright!" Iron Wall hesitated no longer, immediately taking Summer Rain and beginning the arduous task of kiting the endless snake hair along the edge of the stone hall.
Lin Mo, meanwhile, took a deep breath, and his figure merged ghost-like into the deeper poison mist once more.
The hunt had begun!
His targets were the eight Swamp Hydras still rampaging in the poison mist.
If they didn't clear out these "trash mobs" first, they would have no space or energy to focus on dealing with the BOSS.
[Ghost Shadow Step] activated!
Lin Mo's speed instantly reached its maximum, and he transformed into a phantom weaving through the thick mist.
He did not approach any single hydra immediately; instead, he moved rapidly between them, using his absolute control over the poison mist environment to continuously stack a layer of [Endless Poison Source] toxin onto every hydra.
-1 (Poison)
-1 (Poison)
...
His movements were fluid and seamless; every strike of his blade precisely grazed the target's body, and then he immediately disappeared from his spot under the cover of the poison mist, giving the opponent no chance to retaliate.
Although the eight hydras were fierce, having lost their sight and being continuously slowed by the poison mist, they were like eight targets, only able to futilely spray venom into the air without even touching Lin Mo's clothes.
In just ten seconds, all eight hydras had accumulated five layers of toxin, triggering the [Corrosion] effect and causing their defense to slowly drop.
"Now!"
Lin Mo's gaze locked onto one isolated hydra, and his figure accelerated suddenly like an arrow shot from a bow!
"Poison Blade!"
The poisoned dagger cut a deadly cold streak through the thick mist, accurately piercing the hydra at its vital spot!
-2850! (Crit!)
An astonishing damage number floated up. The hydra cried out in pain with a miserable hiss, and its massive snake tail swept toward Lin Mo with tremendous force.
However, Lin Mo seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, easily dodging the heavy attack with a nimble back jump.
Immediately after, he landed and spun, his dagger striking out again, like an elegant dancer performing a dance of death on the blade's edge.
-855
-890
-1 (Poison)
-1 (Poison)
...
Man and snake engaged in the most primal struggle within the poison mist.
But this struggle was unfair from the very beginning.
Lin Mo possessed complete vision, while the hydra was "blind."
With one side gaining and the other losing, in less than thirty seconds, this elite monster with a Life value of 50,000 had half its health ground away by Lin Mo!
"Roar!"
The hydra seemed to realize its predicament; it violently raised its head, and an ominous red glow appeared on its body, clearly indicating it was about to unleash a powerful skill.
"Trying to fight to the death?"
Lin Mo sneered, refusing to give it the chance.
"Poison Burst!"
He shouted softly, instantly detonating the dozens of layers of Deadly Poison that had already been stacked inside the hydra's body!
Boom!
A muffled explosion sounded from within the hydra, as if something had been set off internally.
-15800!
A terrifying damage number soared above the hydra's head!
Its Life value was instantly emptied!
Its massive body crashed to the ground, dissolving into specks of starlight.
[System: You have killed 'Swamp Hydra' and gained 8,000 experience points.]
[System: Talent 'Poison Absorption' triggered. You have absorbed 'Swamp Serpent Poison'. The damage of your next Poison Class skill is increased by 50%!]
Success!
Lin Mo was delighted and immediately turned toward the next target without stopping.
With the damage boost from [Poison Absorption], his speed in clearing the remaining hydras would only increase!
On the other side, although Iron Wall and Summer Rain were under immense pressure, their spirits lifted when they saw the first hydra fall.
They knew the scales of victory were beginning to tip in their favor!
The two cooperated more tacitly; Iron Wall was responsible for drawing the snake hair's fire, while Summer Rain, while ensuring she maintained her Healer, occasionally found time to use punitive skills to help Iron Wall eliminate some stray snake hairs, relieving his pressure.
Time passed minute by minute.
The second!
The third!
The fourth!
...
Under Lin Mo's efficient and deadly hunt, the number of Swamp Hydras continuously decreased.
And the [Poison Absorption] buff on Lin Mo stacked layer upon layer.
50%... 100%... 150%...
When the eighth and final Swamp Hydra crashed to the ground, Lin Mo's next Poison Class skill damage bonus had stacked to a terrifying number—400%!
"Hoo..."
Lin Mo let out a long breath, glanced at his status bar, and his eyes shone brightly.
Having cleared all the trash mobs, now only the culprit remained!
He cast his gaze toward the depths of the poison mist, at the enchanting figure still seated upon the throne.
Seemingly sensing that all her summoned creatures had been annihilated, Medusa's phantom let out an even sharper roar.
"You... will all die!"
The endless snake hair swept over even more violently than before, practically sealing off all space in the entire hall.
Simultaneously, an energy fluctuation that made Lin Mo's heart pound began to gather above the throne.
He saw that two identical figures had appeared beside Medusa's phantom!
[Phantom Clone]!
The most difficult second phase of the first BOSS battle had finally arrived!