Bai Xia’s delicate eyebrows knotted tightly. This hulking, rock-hard Lava Colossus was precisely the kind of foe assassin-type classes dreaded most—leaving her momentarily at a loss for where to even begin.
But the Lava Colossus granted no time for hesitation. Though its towering frame moved with deliberate slowness, every strike carried terrifying force.
Missing its first swing, the beast roared. Flames coiled up its other arm like a twisted serpent, then lashed toward Bai Xia with searing heat!
Though Tianzheng stood closer, the monster’s aggro remained locked solely on Bai Xia—the true trial candidate. Its massive size now fully revealed: a single descending arm felt like a collapsing mountain, covering a staggering area. Despite sluggish motions, the flaming limb whooshed down like a stone-whip, shattering the earth on impact!
Dust and molten rock erupted. Only Bai Xia’s petite frame and assassin agility saved her; slower movers would’ve been crushed. In reality, splattering lava alone would’ve been disastrous—but here, such effects barely mattered.
Attacks rained down like a storm, shaking the ground with each blow. Had its speed been slightly faster—paired with an *"ora ora"* sound effect—the intimidation would’ve been overwhelming. Yet even at this pace, Bai Xia struggled desperately, haunted by the chilling illusion of being flattened into paste. Survival itself felt precarious.
Thankfully, she wasn’t alone. Watching the Lava Colossus relentlessly hammer the girl—refusing to stop until she fell—Tianzheng’s patience snapped. Partly from protectiveness… partly offense. *Was this thing seriously ignoring him?*
Frost greatsword raised, he activated Inspire and closed in behind the giant. Ice spirits swirled around the blade as it slammed hard into the Colossus’s back!
*Screech!!*
The recoil nearly wrenched the sword from his grip. He’d braced for toughness—but striking refined steel? *Unbelievably hard!* An ear-grating grind followed, and a pitiful "-31" floated above the monster’s head.
Nearly five levels lower. Lord-class grade suppression. Innate physical defense. Damage-reduction talent…
No exaggeration: the Lava Colossus was a nightmare for physical melee classes. Tianzheng broke defense only thanks to his weapon’s quality and frost’s natural counter to fire-earth affinity. Without that? Forced 1 damage—or MISS.
He stayed calm. Fear wasn’t low damage—it was *no* damage. But the health bar was visible. A way existed.
Now certain of its defenses, Tianzheng moved faster. He sidestepped the sweeping arm by a hair’s breadth, slashing twice more mid-dodge. Negligible damage—but aggro finally shifted from Bai Xia. Molten-red eyes locked onto him. *Perfect.* Assassins like Bai Xia had little opening against this brute; one misstep meant instant death. His role? Hold its focus. Create openings.
Bai Xia lacked frost affinity, but her racial traits granted innate magical damage. The Colossus’s physical defense was insane—but its magic resistance? Far weaker. Otherwise, victory would’ve been impossible.
Proof Qingcheng had *some* decency: she left them a chance.
Low magic resistance—*exactly* the weakness they needed.
*"Just so you know… my dagger’s poisoned."*
She almost licked the blade like in dramas—but no time for foolishness.
As the Colossus’s attention flickered toward Tianzheng, Bai Xia’s silk-wrapped thigh tensed. Like a nimble black cat, she leaped high as her skirt fluttered. Blessing of the Ice Sprite shielded her from heat. Dark energy blades extended from the empowered Shadowfang Dagger.
Three swift strikes. Deep gashes scored the arm. A barely perceptible sliver vanished from the health bar.
*It’s working!*
Her eyes lit with hope.
*"ROAR!!"*
The Colossus, aggro freshly shifted, locked onto Bai Xia again. Its stone leg halted mid-kick. Body twisting at an unnatural angle, it lunged for her—
—but Tianzheng’s cold smile cut through the tension.
"Hey… mind *not* ignoring me?"
**Arctic Bind!**
Before the words faded, he slammed the frost greatsword into the earth. Ground and molten lava froze visibly, thick ice spreading in a blink. Icy blue shackles surged up the Colossus’s limbs, freezing its grasping arm mid-air.
The ice shattered under heat and brute force in under two seconds—but long enough for Bai Xia to land quick strikes and retreat.
Unwilling to let her escape, the Colossus suddenly gaped its maw. Swirling lava and flame coalesced into a deep crimson sphere. A wave of palpable danger washed over the battlefield.
