Chapter Eighty-Three: Rocket Launcher Upgrade

“What homework?” As soon as the Fallen One heard there was more homework, he became interested.

Fang Tang replied, “A painting. It’s an assignment from the art teacher.”

“Let me take a look,” said the Fallen One, pointing at Fang Tang and removing his ability to remain frozen in place.

Regaining his mobility, Fang Tang pulled out his phone and produced a painting.

The subject was simple: a tree and a solitary figure. Yet the minimal lines were imbued with beauty, and a sense of loneliness emanated from the piece, drawing one in irresistibly.

Spirit-bound ability: Lonely Gaze.

Back in the Cradle World, Fang Tang had purchased six spirit-bound items, among which were the Exploding Ball and this painting. He had given the Exploding Ball to Ye Qing, leaving four items in his own possession.

The Fallen One picked up the painting, his eyes growing distant, and tears streaming unconsciously down his clouded face.

Seeing the Fallen One enraptured by the painting, Fang Tang swiftly drew his blade, his figure flickering behind his foe, and brought the sword down in a single, swift stroke.

The strength of the Bear surged within him, doubling his might. Coupled with the keen edge of the Grand Xia Dragonfinch, there was no need to trigger the beheading effect—the Fallen One’s head flew high into the air.

Even in death, the Fallen One’s hand clung tightly to the painting, as if gripping a masterpiece that would endure through the ages.

“Tsk, if I’d known it would be this troublesome, I would’ve just given him the painting in the first place.”

Fang Tang put the painting away, then picked up the blueprints from the table and stored them in his phone. The synthesis tree appeared.

Aircraft: Iron Ingot ×30, Copper Ingot ×30, Gale Stone ×2, Fire Spirit Stone ×1, Lightning Stone ×1.

Level Three Technology!

Fang Tang grinned, having gained yet another tool for making money.

[Oh ho ho! Guess what I’ve found? The ‘Sixth Time’s the Charm’ triggered, and we’ve stumbled upon a special environment cave—Magma. Inside, there’s another blueprint and a formidable Fallen One. Are you prepared?]

Another Fallen One...

Fang Tang was exasperated, but there was nothing he could do; he had no choice but to press on.

Cave No. 156.

Fang Tang stepped inside, and a wave of blistering heat hit him head-on. Molten lava rolled across the ground, and the air was thick with the stench of sulfur.

In the center of the magma stood a figure, half his body rooted in the lava, his skin charred and as hard as stone. Magma coursed through the cracks in his flesh, and two large, curved, sharp horns jutted from his head, making him look every bit the minotaur.

[He’s an unlucky fellow. He went climbing at a volcanic crater with his brother and wife, only to be betrayed and killed by his brother. Before the magma swallowed him completely, he witnessed his brother and wife embracing. The resentment transformed him into a minotaur... The Lava Demon.

Fifth-tier Fallen One. Mutant abilities: Hardened Skin, High-Temperature Blast. Perfect mutation: Magma Mastery.]

Reading the information provided by his eyes, Fang Tang didn’t know what to think.

The Minotaur’s Delight?

But this brother didn’t seem delighted at all; in fact, he harbored deep hostility toward himself. Regardless of how the Fallen One felt about him, Fang Tang genuinely pitied him.

Indeed, art imitates life, yet always surpasses it.

The moment Fang Tang appeared, the Fallen One thrust his massive hand into the magma and yanked out a whip forged from molten rock.

Perfect mutation: Magma Mastery.

He lashed the whip toward Fang Tang, whose heart tensed as he activated Shadow Dash.

A dark silhouette darted through the cave.

With lava everywhere, there were few places to stand, giving the Fallen One ample opportunity to predict Fang Tang’s movements.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The magma whip struck the air, detonating with explosive force.

Driven back with nowhere left to retreat, Fang Tang found himself unable to close in. Any attempt to approach was met with such searing heat, it threatened to melt him.

Still in Shadow Dash, a blue stream of water formed around Fang Tang’s arm.

The water coalesced into a hand-cannon, which he fitted over his arm.

He aimed at the Fallen One, and a flurry of snowflakes fell, instantly vaporizing into steam as they touched the lava.

Due to the suppression of the Twisted Rules, the Frost Cannon’s power was reduced to half; its freezing effect barely affected the Fallen One, serving only to cool the stifling air for Fang Tang.

Chilled snowflakes drifted down around the Fallen One, and soon a stream of water pooled at his feet.

Fang Tang kept up the pressure with the Frost Cannon, while a rocket launcher appeared in his other hand.

The Furious Rocket Launcher.

A spirit-bound item, requiring no ammunition.

However, its attacks were not standard explosive rounds.

Blazing projectiles burst from the launcher, detonating violently upon the Fallen One, sending clods of earth flying.

If the Fallen One had a health bar, one could see his armor rapidly degrading.

Fang Tang’s speed was simply too great; the Fallen One couldn’t land a blow, and in his frustration, he slammed the magma around him, sending sheets of flame into the air.

The flames fell onto the water left by the melting snow, quickly extinguished and turning to black granules.

“Two extremes—ice and fire. I refuse to believe I can’t grind you down. Even if it’s just a slow scrape, as long as you bleed, it’s enough.”

Fang Tang moved with swift precision, unleashing relentless barrages from the Frost Cannon and the Furious Rocket Launcher.

The Fallen One grew ever more enraged, letting out a furious roar as the magma within the cave erupted in chain explosions, sending showers of sparks everywhere.

Faced with such widespread damage, Fang Tang had no way to dodge except to use his mechanical claw arm to soar into the air.

But as soon as he took to the sky, his speed dropped significantly.

The mechanical claw arm’s level was what it was—one couldn’t expect too much.

Now, Fang Tang had to split his attention between dodging the whip and maintaining his attacks, which diminished considerably.

Fortunately, with “Sixth Time’s the Charm,” the Furious Rocket Launcher continued its heavy barrage.

Fang Tang kept squeezing the trigger, not noticing as the rocket launcher began to change ever so slightly.

The battle reached a stalemate. Neither side could prevail.

The Fallen One’s armor and health were high, but his agility was zero—he was a living target.

Fang Tang’s agility was maxed out, but his damage output lagged behind.

Though the Furious Rocket Launcher was a spirit-bound item, it was still fundamentally a hot weapon.

It worked fine against second- or third-tier Fallen Ones, but against a high-tier, heavily armored adversary, it was beginning to falter.

Clack-clack!

Just as Fang Tang and the Fallen One were locked in fierce combat, the Furious Rocket Launcher suddenly fell silent, leaving Fang Tang dumbfounded.

Brother, are you spent already? You’re giving up now?

[Heh heh heh... As a seasoned heavy weapon, the rocket launcher has its pride. But after firing for so long and still failing to bring down the Lava Demon, the launcher grew angry—and thus, evolved.

Furious Rocket Launcher—Spirit-bound ability: Rampage. Unleashes overwhelming suppressive fire, with explosions causing stun and penetration, and a ten percent chance to fire four shots in succession.]

“An upgrade?”

Fang Tang’s eyes lit up. He hefted the rocket launcher once more, aimed at the Fallen One, and pulled the trigger.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of explosions left the Fallen One scrambling, and the upgraded launcher’s blasts now carried a stun effect.

With the rampaging firepower, the Fallen One was repeatedly stunned, the magma whip in his hand falling limply to the ground and merging back into the lava.

Under the relentless barrage of the Furious Rocket Launcher, Fang Tang could clearly see the magma recede from the Fallen One’s body.

That meant the Fallen One was already at death’s door.

“Fantastic!”

Fang Tang’s heart soared. With the Frost Cannon and Rocket Launcher working in tandem, the Fallen One was soon reduced to a statue.

With the threat vanquished, Fang Tang let out a long breath and used the mechanical claw arm to move to the table.

He stored the blueprint in his phone, and the synthesis tree appeared.

Heart of Lava: Fire Spirit Stone ×10.