356: Chapter 356: Is this damage number something a level 45 player could achieve?

Crossing the obsidian archway, the scene before their eyes instantly transformed.

Crimson lava churned at the bottom of the chasm, massive bubbles constantly rising from the depths and bursting on the surface, spewing pungent sulfurous fumes.

The surrounding rock walls were scorched red-hot by the extreme heat, the air severely distorted by the intense temperature.

A system notification sounded in the party channel.

[Warning: You have entered the level 45 raid dungeon [Snowy Lava]. The ambient temperature is extremely high. Maintain your health.]

This was the first basic rule of the [Snowy Lava] dungeon. Without sufficient fire resistance, you would continuously lose health.

Chen You stood on the obsidian platform at the entrance.

With his Foundation Establishment cultivation, things like resistances were irrelevant. He ignored them outright.

He turned his head to look behind him.

The thirty-nine self-assured tools, who moments ago had been so confident, were now collectively huddled against the cold stone wall of the entrance.

The priest wielding a wooden staff hid at the very back of the group, his face pale. Seeing his health begin to drop, he hurriedly cast a heal on himself.

Although the health loss wasn't rapid, the sense of urgency felt unnervingly real.

At that moment, a deep roar echoed from behind the lava waterfall ahead.

Six massive Molten Hounds leapt out from the lava.

Their bodies were covered in burning obsidian scales, their four eyes gleaming with ferocity, their sharp claws gouging deep furrows into the ground.

[Molten Hound (Elite)]

[Level: 45]

[Health: 1,200,000]

A Berserker paled in shock and immediately yelled at the top of his lungs, "They're the gatekeepers! Spread out!"

"Watch for the fire circles underfoot! Getting bitten stacks an armor break debuff! Priests, get ready to heal! Mages, apply frost slows!"

His commands were purely instinctual, the standard opening strategy he had memorized.

Under normal circumstances, a fully equipped forty-man raid, including thirty core DPS classes, would require extremely coordinated teamwork to face these six gatekeepers.

Tanks pulling aggro, DPS dodging fire circles, healers timing their heals perfectly.

The entire process required at least a minute of high-intensity operation with very little margin for error.

The thirty-nine players subconsciously began to move their feet.

"What did I just say?" Chen You's voice was devoid of inflection.

The Berserker froze.

"Stay where you are. Be logs."

Chen You stood with his back to them, his right hand gripping the hilt of the yuhuang sword.

The Molten Hounds opened their maws wide, spewing six fan-shaped cones of flame that sealed off all avenues of evasion ahead.

The searing flames rushed towards them. Several melee players in the front row even closed their eyes, bracing for the white light of death.

Chen You drew his sword.

Spiritual energy surged wildly through his meridians, following the pathways of the [Nine Revolutions Primordial Chaos Art].

The total amount and purity of spiritual energy at the Foundation Establishment stage were utterly incomparable to the Qi Refining stage.

He didn't even activate the [Burning Blood Heaven Incineration Art].

[Heaven-Breaking Sword Technique] — Chaotic Stars.

His wrist rotated.

The yuhuang sword traced a perfect arc through the air.

Pale golden sword energy erupted instantly, transforming into hundreds of sharp, brilliant streams of light that shot directly to meet the oncoming flames.

The sword energy tore through the fire.

There was no stalemate, no deafening collision.

Only the pure sound of slicing.

Hundreds of sword energies pierced precisely through the bodies of the six Molten Hounds.

Their massive bodies stiffened abruptly mid-air.

-189,500! (Critical)

-124,000!

-191,000! (Critical)

-125,000!

A dense cluster of red damage numbers rose above the Molten Hounds, forming a crimson curtain of light.

Chaotic Stars triggered the [Divine Might Like a Prison] effect. The distant mobs, still sleeping on the ground, inexplicably became collateral casualties.

The bodies of the Molten Hounds disintegrated in mid-air, shattering into countless burning stone fragments that rained down upon the ground.

Several pieces of equipment emitting a blue glow dropped amidst the rubble.

The battle was over.

Time elapsed: less than 3 seconds.

A deathly silence fell upon the obsidian platform, broken only by the continued sound of lava bubbles bursting.

The thirty-nine players remained frozen in various comical postures.

The Berserker held his greatsword aloft, the priest his wooden staff, the Thief poised in a one-legged retreat stance.

They stared dumbfounded at the field of rubble ahead, then looked up at the slowly fading six-digit damage numbers.

"Holy shit!"

Someone was the first to shout those two words.

The entire party channel instantly exploded.

"God You is insane!"

"What kind of damage is this? Am I seeing things? Hundreds of thousands?"

"Is this a basic attack? This is a fucking nuke!"

"Six level 45 elite mobs, and they didn't last three seconds?"

"Mom asked me why I'm kneeling while playing the game!"

The Berserker directly threw down his greatsword, his knees going weak as he knelt on the ground, raising his hands high above his head.

"God You! From today on, I am your loyal dog! I'll bite whoever you tell me to bite!"

The priest with the wooden staff flushed with excitement, waving his staff and shouting, "Praise God You! This is a true miracle!"

Chen You sheathed the yuhuang sword.

He looked expressionlessly at the scattered loot on the ground.

These low-level items were beneath his notice.

He turned his head to look at the group still frantically showering him with praise.

"Pick up the loot. Roll for it by class," Chen You issued the order.

The group snapped out of their daze and frantically rushed towards the pile of rubble, scrambling for the dropped equipment.

Chen You sighed inwardly.

These people were truly noisy.

He turned and continued walking forward along the obsidian passageway.

In the time that followed, the thirty-nine tools experienced what it truly meant to "be carried."

Various monsters continuously spawned in the passageway.

Flame-engulfed Ember Patrols, Fire Elemental Lords lurking in the lava, Flame Bats swooping down from the rock walls.

No matter the monster type.

No matter the monster's health pool.

In the face of absolute numerical superiority, they were all a joke.

Chen You walked at the very front, not even pausing his steps.

Encounter monsters, draw sword, Chaotic Stars, sheathe sword.

The sequence flowed seamlessly.

Screens full of red damage numbers constantly shattered the players' understanding of upper limits.

They didn't even get a clear look at the monsters before the battles ended.

The only thing they needed to do was follow closely behind Chen You, frantically picking up the dropped equipment and materials.

"This isn't a dungeon run; this is a shopping spree!"

A Thief muttered excitedly to himself while stuffing materials into his backpack.

"I think my positioning has reached its peak," the Berserker said smugly.

"As long as I stick within three meters behind God You, no monster can touch me."

At the end of the passageway, their field of view suddenly opened up.

It was a massive circular platform.

A river of boiling lava encircled the platform.

In the center of the platform, an enormous stone giant lay sleeping.

The giant was composed of dark red volcanic rock, with blinding magma flowing through the crevices.

It lay on the ground, each breath causing violent tremors in the surrounding air.

[Molten Giant · Malphite (Lord)]

[Level: 45]

[Health: 15,000,000]

A Lord-level BOSS with fifteen million health.

The thirty-nine players' recently inflated confidence was instantly crushed the moment they saw that health bar.