Chapter 904 The Last Lord of Cinder

The dungeon, now reduced to a glorified transit hub, was utterly frustrated. Adventurers no longer sought its depths, treating it merely as a waypoint. But what could it do? It was powerless to change the situation.

Setting aside the dungeon's plight, the Loki Familia pressed onward, layer by layer, returning to the Dark Souls World. Their target this time was none other than the last Lord of Cinder, the guardian of the First Flame.

Defeating this formidable foe would mark the end of their trial and bring them closer to the First Flame itself.

This Lord of Cinder was a formidable opponent. With a massive health pool spanning four phases and a diverse arsenal of attacks, it was a tough challenge, even in the game.

While not the most difficult boss, in reality, its overwhelming strength stood unmatched.

However, the Loki Familia had an ace up their sleeve, their burgeoning divinity. With their collective power enhanced by god-like essence, their strength now rivaled that of demigods, akin to Heracles.

While they didn't fully understand the transformation taking place within them, the influence of divinity was undeniable, manifesting in greater physical and magical prowess.

Their journey brought them back to the dilapidated Firelink Shrine, where they had once begun their quest. This place, bathed in darkness, was the true Firelink Shrine.

Yet outside, the world had transformed. The horizon blazed in fiery hues, and before them lay scorched land. In the distance loomed a swirling vortex, at the center of which flickered a faint, dying flame.

This was the First Flame, now barely holding on. Without a new Lord of Cinder to rekindle it, its extinction was inevitable, and with it, the encroaching darkness would consume all. Only the souls of the damned would thrive, while all else faced annihilation.

"That figure must be the final challenger. We may not have come here to undergo the trial, but defeating him will yield us a trove of souls!"

The group spotted the Lord of Cinder standing amid the ash-strewn ground. Though not physically imposing, his very presence exuded overwhelming pressure.

"That's definitely him. Let's take him down and summon the Fire Keeper to claim the flame. It's going to die out eventually anyway, so we might as well take it with us!"

After Finn finished speaking, he drew his weapon and walked towards the Lord of Cinder in front of them. Knowing that this was the strongest one, and with some lessons from the past, they would naturally not be careless now.

Just like that, the group of people approached the last Lord of Cinder. Sensing their presence, the Lord of Cinder stirred, shouldering his massive sword and immediately charging at them with ferocious speed.

"Such speed! His reaction time is incredible."

Bete and Ais managed to keep up with the Lord of Cinder's blinding movements, engaging him in close quarters. Finn, despite his agility, had to activate his skills just to stay on par.

However, the Lord of Cinder's relentless speed and erratic attacks made it difficult for Lefiya and Riveria to provide magical support. Their spells risked harming their allies locked in combat with the swift foe.

"Riveria, Lefiya! Don't worry about us! Gareth, raise your shield! We'll bait him into position!"

Understanding the mechanical nature of the Lord of Cinder, the group didn't bother to hide their strategy. Gareth and the others nodded, immediately setting their plan into motion.

The other two continued their spell chants. As for the sisters, they were well-protected. Seeing that the sisters had secured Riveria and Lefiya, Gareth exposed a gap in his shield, precisely where Ais and the others had entered earlier.

With no need to focus on protecting them, Gareth focused entirely on defense. Soon, the chants echoed louder, and just as Riveria and Lefiya were about to complete their spells, Gareth roared from the frontlines, signaling the others. Immediately, they lured the enemy closer.

Due to their speed, the opponent couldn't catch up in time and failed to react. By the time the opponent realized it, the others had already hidden behind Gareth's shield.

Left with no choice, the Lord of Cinder attacked the shield, but breaking through Gareth's defense was no simple task.

'"This guy's strong, but my shield isn't something he can easily break through. Riveria, what are you waiting for?"

With Gareth holding the shield firm, Riveria and Lefiya unleashed their spells without hesitation.

Two devastating magical blasts engulfed the Lord of Cinder.

These were their latest single-target offensive spells, a potent new magic that proved highly effective against this foe.

"It worked!"

The group cheered as they watched the Lord of Cinder's body blasted apart, leaving half of it obliterated.

However, just as it seemed to be over, flames surged again. The body regenerated, and a new Lord of Cinder emerged, its aura even more oppressive than before.

This creature had multiple lives, much like the four health bars in the game. Each time it was defeated, it would revive stronger than before.

"Damn it! Why is this thing so persistent?!"

The group resumed their fierce assault, but suddenly, Ais felt an overwhelming surge of power flowing through her weapon.

For a moment, her blade's strength increased exponentially.

With one swift strike, she shattered the Lord of Cinder's weapon and decapitated it in a single blow.

Even Ais was startled by the result, while the others stared in disbelief.

"This… Ais, how did you manage that?"

Finn asked in astonishment. Ais, equally puzzled, could only shake her head. She wasn't sure what had happened.

What she didn't realize was that, in her moment of need, she had unconsciously drawn upon her latent divinity. Attacks empowered by divine energy possessed unparalleled potency.