The battlefield shuddered as if the world itself were gasping for air. Beneath Hikaru's boots, the ground split with veins of crimson light. Above, the convergence core fractured in midair, shards of obsidian falling like cursed snow.
And at the heart of it all, Lucien screamed.
[Phase Transition Triggered – Lucien, Emberlord (Ascended) → Ember Reborn Form]
Health Reset: 4,000,000 / 4,000,000
New Mechanics Detected
World Alteration: Core Collapse Countdown – 45 Minutes
"Everyone get ready!" Hikaru shouted, his voice strained. "Phase Two is starting!"
The platform cracked open beneath Lucien, and from the abyss, tendrils of corrupted mana surged upward, wrapping around his flaming body. His silhouette stretched, warped, and exploded outward in a torrent of molten ash and voidlight.
When the flames cleared, Lucien no longer resembled a man.
He was a titan now—fifteen meters tall, wings made of searing plasma stretching wide. His horns twisted upward like a crown of judgment, and his face was a blank obsidian mask, with only glowing red slits for eyes.
[Boss Update: Lucien the Ember Reborn – Level 65 World-Class Threat]
Raid Mechanic Changes:
– Heat Sink Overload
– Voidfire Cascade
– Flamebrand Meteorstorm
– Rebirth Core Defense
"He's… beautiful," Illya whispered.
"He's death," Hikaru corrected, eyes narrowed.
Lucien raised his hand, and three enormous orbs of flame formed above his palm. Each one pulsed like a beating heart of molten fury.
"Your defiance ends here."
He hurled the meteors.
[Warning: Flamebrand Meteorstorm – Area Annihilation Incoming]
Impact in 10… 9…
The system pinged across every player's interface, flashing bright red.
"Scatter!" Hikaru yelled. "Use all movement skills! Mages, shields up now!"
The Heartguard split into three groups, sprinting for cover as the burning orbs descended. Every step was a gamble—arcane fire had turned the land into liquid glass.
Illya raised her hands to the sky, focusing every remaining ounce of her mana.
[Skill: Arcane Dome – Emergency Cast Lv3]
A transparent blue sphere enveloped one squad just as the first meteor slammed down.
BOOM!
The impact sent shockwaves rippling across the land. A deep crater formed instantly, taking with it five players who didn't get clear in time.
[Player Death – Fenrir07, Natsuko, DreadCore, Amari, LancerBlade]
"Damn it!" Hikaru gritted his teeth. "Everyone keep moving! No stationary targets!"
The second meteor came down. Rourke intercepted it.
[Ultimate Activated: Bastion's Last Stand]
A glowing barrier erupted from his shield, halving the impact radius. Still, the force blasted him backward fifty feet, armor smoking, but alive.
The third meteor struck just outside the core zone—right near the support squad.
"No!" Illya screamed.
But just before impact, a new voice rang across the comms.
"Hold on, I've got this!"
[Skill: Mirror Barrier – Reflector's Edge Lv5 (Player: HelixJump)]
The fireball rebounded—harmlessly crashing into an already scorched wasteland.
Cheers erupted across the channel. HelixJump—one of the few aerial support rogues still alive—twirled through the air, throwing a thumbs-up.
"Buy me lunch later, Hikaru!"
"You'll get a buffet if we survive this," Hikaru replied. "Back to focus!"
Lucien now hovered above the convergence site, a ring of fire circling his body.
[System Update: Rebirth Core Exposed – DPS Window Open for 120 seconds]
"There!" Illya pointed. "His chest—see that scar in the center? That's the core!"
The scar glowed white-hot—a fissure in his otherwise invincible frame.
"All units!" Hikaru raised his sword. "Burn him down! Focus fire on the core!"
[System Buff: Critical Vulnerability – 200% Damage Multiplier for 2 Minutes]
Rourke charged first, smashing into Lucien's ankle with enough force to stagger him. Arrows, spells, and bullets followed, all converging on the exposed weak point.
[Team Critical – 52,130, 60,011, 44,728, 93,000 (Illya)]
[Lucien's HP: 3.8M → 2.9M → 2.4M…]
The raid bar plummeted.
Lucien roared in agony, unleashing a storm of voidflame in every direction. Dozens of players were caught in the blast, their health bars evaporating.
[Player Death – ReaperQueen, TaoStrike, Arsenik]
Still, the Heartguard pushed forward.
Hikaru activated every skill he had left.
[Skill: Stormrend Combo – Phase Sync Lv6]
His sword lit up with lightning and sliced across Lucien's core three times in rapid succession.
[Critical Strike x3 – 240,000 Total Damage]
Lucien's body shuddered.
The core pulsed violently.
And then—it cracked.
[Boss Critical State Achieved – Rebirth Core Destabilizing]
Final Attack Imminent – Countdown 20 seconds
Lucien fell to one knee, wings folding inward. Flames consumed his entire form, rising higher and higher until the sky above him warped like melting glass.
"I… will not fall… to insects…"
He raised both hands and began to form a final spell—an orb of condensed destruction larger than anything seen so far.
The system beeped:
[Cataclysm Charge: 78% → 86% → 94%...]
Hikaru turned to Illya. "We have to stop that cast!"
Illya's face was pale. "We're out of time."
Hikaru clenched his fists. "Then I'll stop it myself."
He sprinted forward, ignoring the heat, the flames, the burning pain spreading through his limbs.
[Ultimate: Stormpiercer – Overdrive State]
Health Sacrifice: -80%
Movement Speed: +400%
Damage Multiplier: +350%
Duration: 5 Seconds
Hikaru's body ignited with pure energy. He launched himself straight into the core.
"LUCIEN!"
His blade struck true.
There was silence.
Then—an explosion of light.
Victory
[World Boss Defeated – Lucien, Ember Reborn]
Final Blow: Player Hikaru
Raid Completion: 100%
Damage MVP: Illya
Survivors: 112 / 370
[System Update: Convergence Ritual Disrupted]
Collapse Reversed
Region Stabilized: Blackflood Basin – Temporarily Cleansed
Lucien's body disintegrated, fire turning to sparks that floated gently through the air. The sky cleared for the first time in days. Stars emerged—dim but visible.
Hikaru collapsed to one knee, panting. His health bar was a sliver.
Illya ran to him, falling beside him.
"You crazy, stupid, brave idiot," she whispered, half laughing, half crying.
He looked at her, grinning. "We won, didn't we?"
"Yeah," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "We did."
From the distance, the rest of the Heartguard approached—bruised, bloodied, but alive. They had done the impossible.
And yet, even as the victory banners flashed across the System UI…
[New Alert: Rift Signatures Detected in Dreadmoor, Veilspire, and the Withered Coasts]
Event Status: Ongoing Threat
Next Objective: Form Regional Alliances and Secure Player Settlements
The war wasn't over.
It was just beginning.