Chapter 1015: Chapter 505: Fireball Technique! (Part 2)
Direct the flames that should be engulfing you to the arm shield ahead.
Then, use the edge of the arm shield as a starting point to extend outward, channeling the flames shattered by the shield surface to both sides of your body.
From a distance, Xia Nan looks like the center of a fire vortex, with intense orange-red flames being guided and concentrated before spreading outward.
Such maneuvering maximizes the defensive capabilities of the [Dark Scale Guard], while avoiding the scattered fiery streams from burning himself.
But the skill level of [Gravity Control] Xia Nan has mastered is only at Level 1, and the Snake Scale Arm Shield is just an "arm shield" with limited defensive area.
No matter how he manipulates gravity to concentrate the flames, or subsequently channels them out, some fiery streams still seep into the defense circle and land on his body.
The third layer of protection comes into effect — [Abyssal Stream] armor.
This armor set, primarily made of Shark Beast materials, is structured as two pieces of inner lining and outer protection, with defense coverage far surpassing ordinary armor.
The key is that, thanks to the unique material and the high craftsmanship during forging, the armor has a seemingly insignificant but crucial "+25% Flame Resistance".
You can see that as the orange-red flames seep onto the armor’s surface, the spiral pattern in the center of the [Abyssal Stream]’s chest starts to glow faintly blue.
Moist vapors suddenly intensify!
"Sizzle!"
The fierce flames barely touch the armor before being consumed by the fine droplets exuded on its surface, turning into wispy hot white smoke that dissipates around Xia Nan in the air.
Thus, the three layers of protection come into play successively.
In the face of crisis, this nearly flawless response allows Xia Nan, standing outside the range of the fireball spell, to only suffer minor burns on exposed skin areas like his cheeks and hands, not affecting his combat ability and without needing active healing; they can heal in a few days through his body’s natural recovery.
Combined equipment, battle skill, and physical resilience shielded him from this sudden flame magic attack.
On the other side, the Iron Rock Shield Team’s members were not as composed as Xia Nan.
Though their professional level is similar, their all-around inferiority in the mentioned aspects made the squad’s situation quite awkward under the bombardment of the fireball spell.
Dwarf Hapik, following Xia Nan’s reminder, raised his shield in defense, perhaps not understanding the reason, but it’s proven to be his wisest action in the battle.
Being closer to the fireball spell’s explosion center than Xia Nan, roughly nineteen to twenty feet away, practically on the edge of the flame damage.
The stout dwarf presses himself against the large heavy steel tower shield in front of him, as if carrying a wall.
Fire sweeps past the sides of the shield, singeing the dwarf’s already bushy body hair, nearly igniting the braid hanging on his chest, sending spiraling white smoke.
The skin beneath his dense hair turns red from the scattered flames, clearly in a burnt state.
The two teammates behind the dwarf did not fare well either.
Even though Hapik’s tower shield absorbed most of the fire damage, the two still suffered from the burning wind.
Human Ranger Seli kneels with no concern for her image, gripping her wooden bow tightly and huddling behind the tower shield in an unseemly pose.
All to reduce the body area affected under the heat wave’s impact.
Yet the fiery streams still redden her skin, causing her to tremble slightly from the burning pain throughout her body.
Dwarf Wanderer A Gu manages slightly better, his small stature almost clinging to Hapik’s back, letting the team leader take the brunt of damage, thus largely avoiding the flame’s impact.
In comparison to Xia Nan or the other three members of Iron Rock Shield Team, Half Beastman Howl... wasn’t so fortunate.
The cloudy bloodline within him made his reaction slow by half a beat; as Xia Nan tossed Hogan out the window and swiftly leaped before the cargo in defense, warning others to raise shields, this big oaf just pulled his head out of a box filled with pickled meat.
Even when alerted by Hapik’s shout, running towards the dwarf, it was already too late.
When the fireball spell hit the ground, and fiery streams exploded outward, Howl was only twelve feet away from the explosion center.
If not hit directly, he deeply felt the fearsome power from the 3rd Ring Fireball Skill.
"Sizzle!"
The clothes on him, including the cowhide shoulder armor, the felt padding under it, and the durable pants... were instantly consumed by fire, transforming into indistinguishable charred remains whisked away.
Though proud of his larger, burlier form compared to ordinary humans due to his Beastman bloodline, this advantage made him suffer a larger burn area in the flames now.
The skin exposed is dehydrated, resembling charcoal, black-brown and cracked.
The once expensive totem tattoos inked by experts are unseen, replaced by deep bone, knife-cut needle-like intense pain.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
The Half Beastman warrior, always boasting of fearlessness, acts more pitifully than the most cowardly, pain-fearing child, rolling and thrashing on the ground, his throat emitting sharp, painful cries.
Fortunate or unfortunate, indeed, his Beastman physique didn’t let him die instantly from the fireball spell’s impact, even his screams were robust.
But precisely because of this, he had to fully endure the exaggerated burning pain from head to toe while conscious.
The flames gradually recede, residual hot air lingering, leaving a large scorched mark at the warehouse center.
Ignoring Half Beastman’s piercing wails ahead to the side, Xia Nan glances over at the three boxes he protected behind him with the corner of his eye, relieved to see only the edges of the boxes are singed, otherwise okay.
Then he turns his eyes to the warehouse wall blasted by the fireball spell.
There, reflected by the dark night, are silhouettes rapidly approaching.
Sharp perception plays subtly, following the disturbed magical particle traces through the air by casting, Xia Nan’s dark eyes directly gaze into the night’s depths, to the rear of those dozens of enemies.
Appearing in sight are a sturdy and a thin figure.
The sturdy one has a sinister face, hooked nose, triangular eyes, adult human form, graying temples, around fifty years old, holding a giant axe.
Standing beside him is a thin one, which Xia Nan couldn’t be more familiar with—a Sha Hua Fishman.
Or rather, a Sha Hua Fishman Priest.
Those dull, dark fish eyes faintly hold a lingering orange-red flame glow, two arms naturally hang down while another pair cradles a half-meter long bone horn, around its nozzle gathers dense magical particles.
Undoubtedly, this bone horn is its casting tool.
"Damn, when did they find out?!"
In his ear is Hapik’s cursing mingled with slight panic.
"’Carrion Vulture’ Gerry? I knew it! The Ebbtide Gang is tied to these pirates!"
"Howl, stop screaming! Damned Half Beastman, quickly give him Healing Potion."
No choice but to ignore potion losses now.
Upon hearing leader Hapik’s command, Seli shows hesitation yet eventually retrieves a small test tube-like bottle from her pouch, aiming slightly before tossing it with force at the struggling Half Beastman’s body on the ground.
