BXBX NOVEL Chapter 137: Furnace King
The name "Furnace King" itself suggests a significant connection between this creature and the steel mill's furnaces. It is even conceivable that this monster might have been formed from the very furnaces of the steel mill.
"Jeremy, did you hear something? It seems like something is approaching us." Bonnie said, her voice tinged with concern as she, too, picked up on the advancing sounds of the Furnace King.
With a slightly worried expression on her face, she asked Jeremy, "Did you hear that?"
Jeremy nodded, acknowledging her concern.
"Everyone, prepare for combat. A formidable creature called Furnace King is heading our way. We may not be able to defeat it, so my strategy is to bypass it entirely!"
Given the prompt from the Eye of Omniscience, Jeremy knew that eliminating the Furnace King before entering the instance wasn't an option.
His current situation demanded a high level of skill and powerful weaponry, and he was determined not to forgo any opportunity for additional rewards.
The other three members of the group showed no signs of surprise. They trusted Jeremy's judgment and were ready to follow his lead.
Because they all understood that when confronted with an invincible adversary, the logical course of action was to find an alternative route.
As the four of them braced themselves for what lay ahead, the furnaces around them suddenly ceased operation. Molten steel, in its liquid state, spilled uncontrollably from their containers.
"Quickly, fall back! The temperature of this molten steel is incredibly high! Even with your awakened abilities, you could still suffer severe injuries from it." Jeremy urgently warned.
Prompted by Jeremy's warning, the others swiftly began to retreat.
However, Jeremy himself did not join them in their backward withdrawal.
He needed to witness firsthand the full extent of Furnace King's power. Despite his decision to circumvent the Furnace King, it was crucial for him to gauge the monster's strength.
After all, to exit the industrial district once they completed The Iron Lair instance, he would ultimately need to defeat the Furnace King.
As Jeremy watched intently, a monstrous entity gradually emerged within his field of vision—an amalgamation of various industrial machinery, emitting a continuous glow of red and yellow light and steam from its many seams.
This creature was none other than the Furnace King.
Name: [Furnace King]
Level: [Level 44]
Rank: [Gold]
Special Attributes: [Steel Mill Area Boss, Guardian of The Iron Lair]
[Note: Ice-based attacks can inflict greater damage on the Furnace King.]
The moment Jeremy grasped the details about the Furnace King, he found himself enveloped in a cloud of extremely hot steam.
"Though you appear cumbersome, your attack speed is anything but slow! However, if you think you can defeat me with such tactics, you're sorely mistaken!"
Jeremy exclaimed as he gripped the precious gemstone obtained from the World and dashed out of the scalding steam at breakneck speed, racing toward the other three.
Bonnie was the first to spot Jeremy. The moment she saw him, she realized he was surrounded by extremely hot steam.
Without hesitation, she drew her staff and, with a swift gesture, cast a Blizzard spell.
As a frost spell, Blizzard could rapidly lower the surrounding temperature, transforming the intense steam into a misty rain.
"Thank you for the assist, but now's not the time for gratitude!" Jeremy acknowledged Bonnie's help without missing a beat.
"The Furnace King is incredibly powerful. While your frost spells can counteract him to some extent, defeating him together would still consume a lot of time.
Therefore, I need you to use your frost magic to immobilize him. During the time he's trapped, we must advance further into the steel mill.
I've already scouted the area, the entrance to The Iron Lair instance isn't far from here. If we can restrain the Furnace King for just a few minutes, it'll be enough for us to enter The Iron Lair."
Jeremy, with the utmost speed, conveyed his line of thought to Bonnie in meticulous detail.
Without a moment's hesitation, Bonnie wholeheartedly endorsed Jeremy's plan.
Bonnie clasped her staff firmly, her eyes immediately beginning to glow with an intense blue light. A formidable surge of frosty power emanated from within her, cascading outward.
Guided by the staff, this overwhelming wave of icy energy coalesced into an imposing ice coffin.
"[Icy Coffin]!"
Bonnie invoked her most powerful skill without hesitation.
The [Icy Coffin] not only possessed formidable frost power, capable of significantly countering fire-based monsters, but it also had the ability to confine the space around its target.
An entirely ice-formed coffin encapsulated the Furnace King. Although the Furnace King wasn't severely damaged, he found it difficult to break free from the icy prison.
"Let's move quickly while we have the chance!" urged Jeremy.
Thus, Jeremy, accompanied by the other three, pressed on deeper into the heart of the steel mill.
As the group advanced, the steel mill itself underwent dramatic transformations. The network of pipes laid beneath the mill seemed to come to life, merging seamlessly with the machinery within the facility to form grotesque, monstrous entities.
These monstrous had a singular target: Jeremy. They paid no attention to Bonnie, who wielded frost magic.
Jeremy couldn't help but feel a tinge of confusion.
From his perspective, the monsters of the steel mill should have recognized Bonnie as the greater threat due to her frost abilities. Why then, were they focusing their attacks solely on him?
Despite his puzzlement, Jeremy knew there was no immediate solution to his questions.
He also understood the importance of keeping everyone's focus on finding the entrance to The Iron Lair.
Through their coordinated efforts, the group soon arrived at the entrance to The Iron Lair, located in an office at the very heart of the steel mill.
"It seems there are no other monsters around here. I'll stay behind to hold off those pursuing us. The rest of you, quickly enter The Iron Lair instance.
Once inside, do not rush into action. You must wait for my arrival. Inside the instance, you are not to act without my explicit orders." Jeremy directed.
Jeremy chose to remain outside because he perceived greater risks there.
Although The Iron Lair instance was highly challenging, the initial entry posed less immediate danger. The instance's monsters were likely hidden deep within.
Without hesitation, the other three followed Jeremy's command.
Bonnie was the first to enter The Iron Lair instance, with Emma and Claire close behind her.
After the others had entered the instance, Jeremy indeed encountered a horde of pursuing monsters. He had no intention of wasting time on these monstrous.
After fending off the nearest monster, he immediately used a gemstone to set up a seal.
"I have more pressing matters to attend to! Once I emerge from the instance, I'll deal with all of you."
Having uttered those words, Jeremy proceeded directly into the instance known as The Iron Lair.
The moment Jeremy stepped into The Iron Lair instance, the monsters that had been hot on his trail suddenly froze in place.
Near the office housing the entrance to The Iron Lair, the massive form of the Furnace King reappeared.
With his glowing red eyes fixed on the entrance, the Furnace King spoke slowly, "I have completed the task assigned to me by my master. The rest is up to you."
As the Furnace King finished speaking, a mechanical, raspy voice echoed in his ears.
"I am fully prepared. No matter who enters the instance, they will face eternal damnation. Not a single human will leave The Iron Lair alive."
Upon hearing those words, the Furnace King opted to return to his original position.
The monsters that had been pursuing Jeremy also gradually retreated, reverting to their previous forms. The steel mill returned to its former tranquility.
The furnaces and production lines, which had ceased operation due to Jeremy's presence, resumed their relentless activity.
The furnaces and production lines continuously churned out monsters capable of posing significant threats to humanity. Moreover, the strength and intelligence of these monsters were steadily increasing.
If Jeremy cannot quickly close the instance of The Iron Lair, the threats facing Moonlight City will grow increasingly severe. Ultimately, the entire Moonlight City could be destroyed by the iron army.
However, at the moment, Jeremy is unaware of this information. All he knows right now is that he must obtain more rewards within the instance of The Iron Lair.
Standing at the entrance of The Iron Lair instance, Jeremy's expression turned somewhat grim. To his dismay, he was confronted with an endless expanse of desolate wasteland.
In front of him lay a vast, desolate desert stretching as far as the eye could see, making Jeremy feel as if he had somehow been transported back to the Land of Eternal Night.