Chapter 532: The Sea Lion King Wakes
’Brute force alone won’t be enough,’ Marcus thought. Besides, the Sea Lion King was still asleep, completely unaware that a dangerous predator had already set its sights on him, and that gave Marcus all the time he needed to prepare.
Only an idiot would waste an opportunity like this. Why would he let a free opening slip through his fingers?
In the span of a heartbeat, several attack plans flashed through his mind. If what Silas the Wanderer had said was true, and the Sea Lion King really was a level seventy Golden Boss, then whatever happened next was bound to be spectacular.
Still, beyond the sleeping king, past the shimmering blue gateway, lay the Sea Lion’s Tomb, their true destination. Whatever waited inside was completely unknown, and blowing all of his long-cooldown trump cards just to put on a flashy display here would be shortsighted if it left him with nothing for whatever came next.
’No. I have to think several steps ahead.’
With that in mind, Marcus calmly switched equipment.
The mist-covered, icy-blue Mythic Artifact, the Twin-Winged Ice Owl Bow, settled naturally into his hands. The Diamond Quiver rested across his back, while a crimson Blazing Explosive Arrow crackling with restless flames was already fitted to the bowstring.
Combined with the imposing black Corpse Demon armor covering his body, the bow gave him a sharper, more agile appearance without taking away from his intimidating presence. Instead, it balanced brute strength with the refined confidence of an experienced archer.
’Not bad.’
He had owned the Blazing Explosive Arrows for quite some time, but there had never been a fight worthy of using them. Today would finally reveal what they were capable of, and he was just as interested in seeing how well the Twin-Winged Ice Owl Bow paired with them; after all, it wasn’t every day he got to combine two Mythic Artifacts.
On top of that, this would also be a perfect opportunity to get a proper feel for his secondary class, the Mountain Roarer. It was time.
"Dragon Soul Aegis."
Golden dragons erupted around Marcus, coiling across his armor before wrapping him in brilliant light. Power surged through every muscle in his body as the familiar thirty percent increase spread throughout him.
Dragon’s Crest could only be activated three times each day, with every use lasting thirty minutes. Since he intended to head straight into the Sea Lion’s Tomb after this battle, there was no reason to hold back.
He activated the Corpse Demon set’s Wandering Corpse Souls as well. Like Dragon’s Crest, it could only be used twice per day, with each activation lasting thirty minutes.
Compared to Corpse Demon Shatters Heaven, which he had used many times already, Wandering Corpse Souls rarely saw any action. Most enemies simply weren’t dangerous enough to justify using such a valuable buff.
The black armor shimmered as ghostly gray spirits emerged one after another, circling Marcus like a silent spectral storm.
His dodge increased by thirty percent; attack and defense each rose by twenty percent, while every strike gained an additional three hundred points of dark-element damage. That wasn’t all: every attack now reduced an enemy’s movement speed and attack speed by ten percent, while also carrying a twenty percent chance to inflict either Confusion or Blindness.
By the time all the enhancements settled into place, Marcus could only describe himself one way: he was an absolute monster.
Layer after layer of powerful buffs surrounded him, making his already imposing figure seem even more overwhelming. The dark armor, the swirling spirits, and the golden dragons combined into a presence that radiated quiet confidence instead of empty intimidation. It was the kind of aura that naturally made people believe victory was inevitable.
The girls watching from behind couldn’t take their eyes off him, their expressions filled with admiration, excitement, and complete confidence that Marcus would somehow pull this off.
Then he moved, charging forward with Pebble beside him, accompanied by the two Sea Demon Souls. Their Wraith Cloaks streamed behind them like living shadows as they rushed silently across the platform.
When they were roughly thirty meters from the sleeping Sea Lion King, they came to a stop.
Marcus slowly raised the Twin-Winged Ice Owl Bow, his movements smooth and practiced, and a Blazing Explosive Arrow rested against the string, its crimson flames flickering softly.
He murmured, "Blazing Explosive Arrow," and the single-target skill activated. Beside him, Pebble copied the motion without hesitation.
TWANG! The bowstrings rang out almost as one.
Two crimson streaks tore through the air, racing straight toward the sleeping Sea Lion King.
At first, there was nothing particularly remarkable about them; they looked like ordinary flaming arrows. Then they crossed the final ten meters, and the Sea Lion King’s eyes flew open, his instincts screaming at him.
As a level seventy Golden Boss, his battle senses were extraordinarily sharp; the instant those arrows entered his perception, he realized they carried a level of danger that couldn’t be ignored.
But he realized it too late: ten meters was less than a heartbeat.
The Sea Lion King barely managed to push himself upright before the arrows struck.
THUD! The heavy impact echoed across the platform, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
Then came the true power of the Blazing Explosive Arrows: KABOOM! The instant they connected, both arrows exploded with terrifying force.
A massive eruption of fire engulfed the Sea Lion King’s enormous body, flames roaring outward as blazing sparks scattered across the platform like a shower of molten fireworks, the violent blast swallowing the sleeping monarch in an instant.
The corners of Marcus’s mouth curled into a satisfied smile.
That was the true strength of the Blazing Explosive Arrow’s single-target skill: until the moment of impact, all of its destructive fire energy remained perfectly contained within the arrow itself. To a monster, it simply looked like an unusually powerful projectile flying its way; only after it struck did the compressed flames erupt all at once.
Against players, the effect was even more dangerous: an opponent who misjudged it as an ordinary arrow would have almost no time to react before the delayed explosion detonated right in front of them.