Fatal Shot
chapter-184

"Strange. Really strange…" Feng Luo mumbled.

With his slight change in thought, Unify, who was speeding toward the Quasi-boss Queen Ant beneath the sand slowed down. What was about to happen next made him even more perplexed.

At that moment, the attack moves that filled the sky were blinding—rare skills, special bullets, energy condensation moves… The whole sky was radiating with rainbow colors due to the light emitted from the energies.

The only target of these attacks was the Quasi-boss Queen Ant lying outside the Desert Fire Ant nest, left with less than 2 percent HP.

It was also at this moment that the greatly attack-weakened Quasi-boss suddenly made a new move.

Boom!

The Quasi-boss, already almost paralyzed, suddenly released a violent breath from within its pair of black eyes. After which, within that huge abdomen bitten and torn by the countless Desert Fire Ants, the black gas, which had been released into the surroundings and which had now engulfed more than a 100-meter radius, rapidly receded back all of a sudden.

−2344

−2764

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In a swift moment, as the black gas receded, the surrounding fiery red Soldier Ants, initially madly attacking the seriously injured Queen Ant, rained down from the air onto the sand.

The Desert Fire Soldier Ant, which was the size of a human, crawled on the ground with its huge jaws opened. A high damage number similarly flashed above its head, and collapsed onto the ground, twitching after being engulfed by the black gas.

There was even a glimpse of almost invisible black gas shooting out from their corpses and merging into the black gas cloud receding back. Thereafter, all of the floating black gas shrank back to surround the body of the dying Quasi-boss Queen Ant, forming a layer of an almost completely opaque "energy forcefield" encircled by reddish-black-colored flames before it could meet the strongest attack by the players.

Boom!

The reddish-black energy forcefield rebounded more than 10 attacks from the Quasi-boss left with less than 1 percent HP that all landed on the forcefield. Although it was completely opaque, the forcefield was constantly vibrating, encircled by reddish-black flames, completely absorbing the round of attacks!

"F*ck. What's going on?"

"Almost…"

"It doesn't make sense. Why do I feel like something is wrong…?"

Many people instantly spoke in shock through the public channel. The situation was signaling some transformation that was going to happen to the queen ant, which was totally unexpected by everyone!

Also, many players developed a bad feeling. The Warrior players who had charged ahead were already less than 50 meters from the Desert Fire Ant. Even the slower Manipulators were too already within a 100-meter-plus radius. At this distance, it would take some time to retreat if something were to go wrong.

Additionally, there were some ignorant players who continued firing many bullets and high-damage skills at the reddish-black "Fire Forcefield."

Surprisingly, following the skill attacks, the seemingly substantial Energy Forcefield cracked open. No—the Energy Forcefield was not broken, but…

It had transformed into wings!

Weng!

The reddish-black Fire Forcefield split open down the middle and became two narrow wing-like extensions more than 10 meters in length, encircled by reddish-black flames. And at the root of the wings was the Quasi-boss Queen Ant, left with less than 1 percent HP!

But no. It was no longer a queen ant, because…

"Warning, warning! A high-energy creature has been discovered! Warning, warning…"

At the appearance of the wings, the computer terminals of all the players suddenly simultaneously sounded warning announcements. The only possibility for such a warning was…

A Boss!

In War, the creature with the most superior combat power—the horrifying creature that could wipe out hundreds of players with just one blow—was a Boss!

Boom!

The Fire Queen Ant flapped its two fiery, 10-meter-plus wings. A reddish-black ring of fire formed by the blazing flames, standing over five meters in height, started twisting and spreading to its surroundings.

After its wrath, the desert was like rolling waves on the surface of the sea after a hurricane and formed horrifying sandstorms of crystallized sand particles scorched by the Fire Energy.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Streaks of white light flashed, indicating the deaths of the players who were completely powerless to react. The rolling sandstorms spread until an entire 200-meter radius from the Queen Ant before gradually diminishing!

The players originally charging forward and within a 200-meter radius from the Queen Ant had already completely vanished. All that was left on the battlefield were the players' equipment, ammunition, and potions, as well as energy crystals.

Mutant Desert Fire Ant Queen (Level 45, Boss). Species number: ?. Estimated HP: ?.

"Indeed, a huge problem!"

Through the Eye of the Thunder, watching the Boss-grade Queen finishing off 50 to 60 players with a mere flap of its wings, Feng Luo was glad to have stopped Unify earlier.

An attack that was able to wipe out Heavy Armor Warriors with tens of thousands of HP would have probably been able to kill Unify straightaway, which had less than 4000 HP and was a Commander-grade beetle that had not been hatched very easily.

Normal beetles could be easily hatched, but if a Commander-grade beetle was killed, who knew when another could be hatched again? However, Feng Luo had never thought that his relief would have to be so quickly replaced with anxiety.

Because, seconds after the Desert Fire Ant Queen suddenly "evolved" into a Boss and stood next to the nest that was half demolished by its skill, it raised its head once more and sucked in a deep breath.

Weng!

As its mouth opened, the surrounding fire energy engulfed by black air could be seen to be sucked in as well, darkening the surrounding light rays.

Poof!

Two or three seconds right after, its mouth swung open. 10 red-colored Fireballs erupted with black smoke and launched out of its mouth into the sky, flying in different directions.

One of them was headed straight for Feng Luo!

"Damn it!"

Feng Luo's eyes widened. A premonition of death surged through his bones, consuming his entire body.

Without hesitation, he immediately picked up the Eye of the Thunder and took off. The speed of this type of red Fireball was much slower than that of the female Commander Ant from before. It seemed like there was some hope of escape! However, after running for more than 20 meters, the sense of danger in him not only remained but became even stronger!

"What?"

Feng Luo looked back while running and discovered that the track of the Fireball in the sky hadn't changed much. It was still headed directly toward him and was less than 100 meters away.

"Damn it!"

Feng Luo instantly engaged Quick Sneak and ran with all his might, hoping to escape the range of that skill. Still, it was all in vain. He could feel the increasing heat on his back. The reddish-black Fireball in the air behind him was still locked in position, and he could now even clearly see the long shadow cast in front of him by the glare of the Fireball.

Calculating the height ratio, the Fireball was already less than 20 meters from him!

"I'm finished. It looks like the experience from this level is going to be gone here. I just hope that the mission items and Barett will not be lost. If so, that would really…"

Feng Luo let out a sigh, knowing that he was definitely not going to be saved today.

A Boss with a long-range attack was already difficult to fight. What was unexpected was that it even had this kind of "target lock" skill. With this realization, Feng Luo willingly slowed down.

At that moment, he felt his shoulder lighten.

It was then that 24K, with its eyes filled with panic, loosened its claws and flapped its deteriorated wings with all its might, launching itself toward the fireball.

Boom!

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The reddish-black Fireball exploded in midair, while 24K, with its little body less than two fists in size, was completely engulfed by the blazing flames!