Before he could even blink, the energy sphere in the dragon's jaws shot straight toward the four companions like an ice-blue meteor. Lu Chen didn't have time to hesitate; he slammed his greatsword into the ground and channeled all his strength to raise a golden barrier in front of him.
The energy sphere slammed into the barrier with a deafening roar. The sheer impact forced Lu Chen down onto one knee, and cracks began to spiderweb across the shield. Seeing this, Bai Zhi immediately pointed her staff at Lu Chen, channeling a steady stream of magic into the barrier to temporarily stabilize it.
Knowing they had to distract the dragon, Su Yu quickly nocked a specially crafted explosive arrow, pulled the bowstring to its limit, and aimed straight for the dragon's eyes. The explosive arrow detonated right in front of the beast's face. The dazzling light and deafening blast temporarily disoriented the dragon, causing its hovering body to swerve wildly in the air.
Seizing the opening, Lin Xiu activated Shadow Strike once again, flashing underneath the dragon's belly. Concentrating every ounce of his focus, he coated his dagger in a layer of shadow energy and drove it fiercely into a vulnerable spot on the dragon's underbelly. Feeling a sharp agony, the dragon whipped its body around violently, and Lin Xiu was nearly thrown off.
Just as the dragon prepared to strike again, Lu Chen let out a roar and shoved his barrier forward. The shattered shield dissolved into countless golden fragments that hurtled toward the dragon. Acting like razor-sharp blades, the fragments carved a series of gasps across the dragon's ice armor.
Seizing the opportunity, Su Yu loosed a volley of flame arrows. The arrows struck the scratches on the dragon's ice armor, triggering a chain reaction. Large swathes of the ice armor began to fracture, exposing the slightly softer dragon scales beneath.
Bai Zhi wasn't idle either. Chanting an ancient incantation, she cast a powerful Light of Healing over her teammates, restoring their stamina and healing their wounds. At the same time, she summoned a patch of ice spikes right beneath the dragon's feet to restrict its movement.
Enraged beyond measure by the group's attacks, the dragon dove recklessly toward the ground, swiping its massive claws at Lin Xiu. Lin Xiu nimbly rolled out of the way while commanding his Shadow Clone to flank the dragon and strike from the side.
Under the fierce, coordinated assault of the four, the dragon's movements gradually grew sluggish. Most of its ice armor was broken, and multiple wounds covered its body, with blood dripping onto the frozen ground and instantly freezing solid.
Spotting the right moment, Lin Xiu shouted to his teammates, "Now's our chance! Hit its head together!" Su Yu, Lu Chen, and Bai Zhi instantly caught his meaning, unleashing their most powerful attacks directly at the dragon's head.
Su Yu's flame arrows, Lu Chen's greatsword, Bai Zhi's magic, and Lin Xiu's dagger struck the dragon's head simultaneously. The dragon let out a reluctant roar as its massive form slowly toppled over, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of icy dust.
[Experience Points Gained: 8000]
[Level increased to 18]
[Rare materials acquired: Dragon Scale, Frost Core]
Drained of every last ounce of strength, the four collapsed onto the ground unceremoniously, gasping heavily for air as if every breath was a monumental struggle. Their chests heaved violently, and sweat streamed down their foreheads, soaking their clothes.
Thinking back on the heart-pounding battle that had just unfolded, lingering dread and disbelief washed over each of them. They had originally thought this would be an ordinary adventure, never expecting to cross paths with such a formidable enemy: a Frost Dragon. Its colossal size, razor-sharp claws, and frost breath capable of freezing everything in its path were enough to chill anyone to the bone.
Yet, faced with this nearly invincible opponent, they hadn't backed down. Instead, the four of them had united closely, covering for one another and bringing their unique skills and advantages into play. The warrior wielded his heavy sword to repeatedly block the dragon's attacks; the mage chanted mystical incantations to unleash devastating magical power; the rogue nimbly wove across the battlefield, hunting for the dragon's weaknesses to deal a fatal blow; and the priest continuously cast Heal to restore her comrades' stamina and vitality.
Throughout the long and intense battle, they had weathered countless tests of life and death. But it was precisely this indomitable spirit and seamless teamwork that had allowed them to finally find the dragon's weak point and defeat it in one fell swoop. At that moment, gazing at the lifeless Frost Dragon sprawled across the ground, tired smiles bloomed on their weary faces. For they knew this victory belonged not merely to individuals, but was the ultimate embodiment of teamwork.