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Chapter 298: Watch Closely, This Is How You Play With No Friendly Fire!
Ever since the concept of a BOSS battle appeared in video games, the rule that players and the BOSS are forcibly confined to the same area has hardly changed.
The most classic and memorable example is 'Mega Man'.
Upon officially triggering the BOSS, the door the player passed through would lock, and the BOSS's health bar would appear. Unless one side was completely defeated, the BOSS room door would not reopen.
Similar situations can be found in games like Castlevania, God of War, Metal Slug, and so on.
In contrast, situations like the early 'Monster Hunter' where you chased prey across different zones to hunt were actually quite rare.
By the way, remember to be far from the zone exit when cutting off tails or killing prey, otherwise, the consequences are your own responsibility~
Ys Origin follows the most ancient BOSS battle trigger rules.
Whether it's triggering a story NPC battle or a BOSS battle with the floor's monster guardian, both sides are forcibly confined to a fixed area. Players cannot escape even if they want to, and can only be forced to confront the BOSS and the difficulties presented by the environment.
What Cheng Tian did was merely restore the game's original mechanism and use the environmental confinement mechanism to forcibly drag back Demon King Darm.
Theoretically, as long as he himself doesn't die, then Demon King Darm will never be able to leave this twin black and white tower confrontation area for the rest of his life.
Players were always the ones unable to escape due to this rule, forced to face the BOSS. Now, it's the BOSS's turn to be dragged back by an invisible wall, forced to face the player—
No, it should be called our side's BOSS!
At this moment, Cheng Tian's blue wings had not faded, and the Order of the Azure Moon was still active.
All players, including Cheng Tian himself, received this notification at this very moment.
['Ritual of the Azure Moon activated, original rules reappear—']
['All units from both allied and enemy factions will receive the "Friendly Fire Immunity" BUFF.']
Chosen Players often found themselves constrained because their damage could also harm teammates. High-level team contracts that provided the "Friendly Fire Immunity" BUFF were priceless in the market; even if one was lucky enough to acquire one, they would almost never choose to sell it.
This was another reason why shield-wielding warriors like Congming Tou were popular: occasionally taking friendly fire wouldn't immediately put them in mortal danger.
With this "Friendly Fire Immunity" BUFF applied, all players straightened their backs as if a seal had been broken, and their spirits lifted. They looked at Demon King Darm, who was currently smashing against the invisible wall in the sky, their eyes filled with eager excitement.
Uh, here's an example using a Psion.
A Psion's psionic lightning automatically seeks out the nearest living creature to damage. Under normal circumstances, the caster needs to actively interfere with the lightning's target using their mind, which not only consumes more energy but also often results in friendly fire.
However, with the "Friendly Fire Immunity" BUFF, a Psion can recklessly throw lightning directly into their own group of people. Not only do they not have to worry about accidentally harming allies, but they can even use allies as a conduction chain for the psionic lightning, extending its attack range.
It's no exaggeration to say that this BUFF was like breaking a seal for the players. Many wide-area damage skills held by players were already in a state of readiness.
As a maintainer of order, the rules re-established or created by the Order of the Azure Moon must demonstrate fairness and impartiality. Just like how Demon King Darm was pulled back by the BOSS battle trigger rule, if he doesn't die, Cheng Tian also cannot leave the current area.
And Cheng Tian, based on the rule in the original game that "monster enemies' attacks will not harm each other," restored the "Friendly Fire Immunity" BUFF.
Since the enemies could use it, then their own side could also use it; the Order of the Azure Moon was just that fair.
On the Twin Goddess faction's side, the Twin White Tower, there were numerous players, player-derived units, and NPCs.
On the side of the Dark Clan (crossed out) Cain Fact faction, the Black Tower, only Demon King Darm remained.
One can only say that the rules were fair, but if you couldn't enjoy them, that was purely your own problem.
Finally, Demon King Darm gave up on his futile efforts to smash through the invisible wall, turned his bloated body, and looked once again at the Avenger, who shimmered under the sunlight.
In response, Cheng Mouren simply made a gesture.
He raised his Blazing Dragon Sword high above his head, swung it forcefully in Demon King Darm's direction, and shouted loudly,
"Get him!"
The air momentarily froze, then a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd.
Players, their dungeon projections, and even the native NPCs, all burst forth with astonishing fighting spirit at this moment!
Especially the players, although most of them still hadn't figured out whether Cheng Tian was a player or a local NPC, Cheng Tian's gesture for them to participate in attacking the BOSS was directly equated with "increasing BOSS battle contribution."
This dungeon was indeed a bounty dungeon, but it had the dual attributes of "first clear" + "top priority." Moreover, players who had reached the current level were all quite experienced, and a battle of this scale clearly surpassed all their previous main story dungeon experiences.
Given this situation, as long as they participated in attacking Demon King Darm, they would likely get a share when the treasure chests dropped.
Even the remaining players present couldn't help but think of the three players who chose the retreat branch, wondering if they would regret it.
In a matter of mere breaths, Demon King Darm was submerged by the attacks from the player group.
Due to the existence of the anti-magic effect, Demon King Darm, who was unable to cast the Fact Barrier or directly summon an original magic barrier using magic power, could only endure all the attacks head-on.
Although his true health bar didn't move much because Darm protected the irretrievable black pearl on his chest with his large, WarGreymon-like claws, his outer shell, a mixture of demonic components, inevitably sustained damage.
Even more terrifying, the Avenger on the opposite side was like the eye of a typhoon, sucking all the soul fragments that peeled off Darm and scattered into his gauntlets, directly causing Darm to lose the regeneration ability of the corresponding parts.
This cannot continue!
Facing the furious concentrated fire from the players, Demon King Darm spread his wings and charged directly into the player group.
If he couldn't defeat the Avenger, he would use the flesh and souls of these humans to replenish his own physical losses!
His massive body crashed directly to the ground, the Asura Battle Axe in his hand already raised.
But at this moment, the previously solid ground suddenly became incredibly brittle, causing Demon King Darm's lower body to almost sink into it... No! This was a trap!
By the time Demon King Darm sensed something was wrong, the mechanical mouth constructed from high-purity Cleria ore had already snapped shut.
This was the super-dreadnought bedrock excavator "Heaven's Serpent Nero," re-activated by holy fire!
Heaven's Serpent, which even had some unlucky allied individuals deep in its throat, had already bitten down firmly on Demon King Darm's lower body. Thanks to the friendly fire immunity BUFF, these unlucky individuals who hadn't been ground up by the tunnel boring machine watched as the depths of the Serpent's throat began to glow brightly, and then felt an unprecedented warmth—
The Heaven's Railgun, imbued with holy fire, completely engulfed Darm's shattered demonic body from bottom to top!