"RAOR!"
With a thunderous roar, the Elemental Leopard King retaliated vehemently.
Skill activated: Elemental Explosion!
"BOOM!"
A tremendous burst of elemental force erupted from its body, sending dozens of skeletons flying amidst a resounding explosion.
The deadly radius of the elemental explosion then widens, catching skeleton mages several meters away in its destructive wake.
Lin observed that this ability closely mirrors that of the Elemental Queen, except the Elemental Queen also utilizes a star ring, which is not seen here.
Clearly, the elemental Queen exhibited superior control over the elements.
Recalling the scene upon entering the dungeon, Lin deduced the origins of the Elemental Plain, the birth of the Elemental Secret Realm, and the emergence of the Elemental Queen.
These events were triggered by the use of a forbidden curse in battle.
This Elemental Leopard King was a catalyst in that process.
Regrettably, the dungeon merely replicates its form, with constraints on level, attributes, and abilities. The facsimile Elemental Leopard King falls short of the Elemental Queen in every aspect.
Its identical ability proves significantly less potent.
Unperturbed by being cast aside, the skeleton warrior resumes its assault as if unaffected.
It disregards the Elemental Leopard King's attack entirely.
The Elemental Leopard King's fury intensifies.
A relentless barrage of abilities ensues.
Skeleton warriors are repeatedly dispatched, only to return undeterred, their approach marked by the clatter of bones.
With each attack, the creature's stature diminished.
It soon stood at merely 70 meters tall.
A vast quantity of black energy is released with each assault, drifting towards the human realm.
Enraged, the Elemental Leopard King unleashes another ability.
Skill: Elemental Sweep.
Its fur transforms into whips, lashing wildly.
Each strike carries an amalgamation of elements, delivering a dual assault of physical and elemental forces.
The spectacle of wind, thunder, ice, and fire is magnificent, albeit ineffective.
The skeleton warrior remains unfazed.
To Lin, this formidable foe is merely a resilient target.
Its vaunted speed is nullified by a slowing curse, rendering its defeat a matter of time rather than effort.
The Elemental Leopard King proves disappointingly weak.
Lin's curiosity was piqued.
This dungeon, despite its hellish difficulty, appears simpler than introductory levels.
A well-coordinated team of twelve could surely prevail.
Yet, the true challenge of a hell-level dungeon likely lies elsewhere.
"Could the human pathway present greater difficulty?" Lin wonders, quickly dismissing the thought.
As the creature diminishes further in size and strength, its apparent resilience and defense only prolong its inevitable defeat by minutes.
Upon its dissolution into the last wisp of black smoke, darkness is banished from the dungeon, which is now bathed in light.
[Defeated level 36 Elemental Leopard King, awarded +2,160,000 experience]
[Acquired Elemental Staff]
[Elemental Staff: Gold-level equipment, boosts mental power by +600, physical strength by +400, and enhances mage skills by 22%]
The experience gain is satisfactory, though the loot is underwhelming.
The Elemental Staff, inferior to the Hell Outpost staff, is not what one expects from a hell difficulty dungeon loot.
Apart from its resilience, the dungeon presents little challenge.
As Lin approaches the dungeon exit, a sense of unease lingers.
"Is this truly the end?" Lin muses, sensing an anomaly.
Ning Yiyi rushes over, pointing towards a disturbance in the dungeon's human realm.
A mage, radiating elemental energy and wielding a staff, materializes. Not flesh and blood, but an energy construct akin to the Elemental Leopard King, albeit more formidable.
Upon locking eyes with Lin, the mage lowers its gaze in acknowledgment.
An ancient, authoritative voice resonates directly within Lin's mind, unheard by Ning Yiyi.
Driven by instinct, Lin knows he must confront this challenge.
"Yiyi, await my return," Lin assures, stepping towards the human realm, armed with resolve.
The dungeon, a battleground, now cleared of abyssal energy, channels this power into the human realm, amplifying its inhabitants' might.
Emerging monsters, now Hell Enhanced Elite Mages, pose a formidable challenge, resistant to both physical and elemental attacks, necessitating strategic combat.
Despite the daunting odds, Lin proceeds, determined to confront the final mage.
"Come! Find me and kill me" the mage commanded, setting the stage for a climactic confrontation.