Chapter 54: Ghost Ship (6) Double Wives?!

After probing with the Rainbow Light Bomb earlier, Jeros had already discerned his opponent’s weaknesses—one of them being fire magic.

Above his head, a cloud of fire slowly gathered and coalesced into the lifelike head of a blazing dragon.

Level Six Magic: Roar of the Dragon King!

This dragon’s head was not for show; it was modeled after an ancient, now-extinct breed of wise dragons. The magical structure within could refine mana into a superheated flame known as “Dragonfire.” At the same time, the dragon’s head served as the ignition chamber, forcefully expelling the Dragonfire in a concentrated, high-pressure stream to amplify its destructive power.

Of course, Roar of the Dragon King could also be released at a slower pace for wide-area devastation—its performance was remarkably flexible, a trait shared by all advanced spells. Typically, attack spells above the fifth level were not restricted to single or group targets. Thanks to the caster’s mastery and deep understanding of magic, all high-level spells had multiple forms and could be adapted, unlike the rigid structures of lower-tier magic.

Naturally, the inflexibility of low-level spells was for easier learning and greater casting stability. After all, no one is born a grand mage; everyone starts as an apprentice, learning step by step.

Now, Jeros was using the single-target form of Roar of the Dragon King.

The dragon’s massive jaws opened in a thunderous roar, unleashing a pillar of fire—two meters wide, blazing gold and crimson—shooting forth with tangible force as the dragon’s head dipped and swept.

Far off, Artoria had begun retreating the moment the dragon’s head took shape. She could feel the terrible, annihilating pressure.

“Mages are always so extravagant…” Artoria watched the terrifying flames burn through and melt away most of the blood-red mermaid’s body. She smiled slightly, recalling a certain mischievous, big-eared, elderly nightmare.

“Whew, just in terms of abilities and physical resilience, this monster has reached at least B-rank… And this isn’t even its final form. If it keeps absorbing life energy, it might truly ascend.” Jeros gazed at the blood-colored corpse falling into the lake, sighed, and slumped to the ground.

To withstand two level-six spells with sheer physical might—few B-rank dungeon bosses could do such a thing. The creature had used its larval defensive form, but that only made its resilience all the more terrifying.

And that wide-area true damage skill—even among B-rank bosses, it would be considered top-tier. In fact, just before Jeros unleashed the Roar of the Dragon King, the damage had increased again! This meant the skill’s damage ramped up over time. Who knew if there was a cap, or what it might be? Even at five points per second, the lethality was undeniable.

What made it truly troublesome was the sheer breadth of its range.

On the lake’s surface, the blood-red body slowly faded, and a point of golden light rose gently into the air.

“So this is the drop? It looks familiar…” Artoria picked up the item from the golden light, frowning as she tried to remember. “Wait, isn’t this a Summon Ticket?”

“A Summon Ticket?!” Zhao Tianhe sensed Artoria’s realization, his senses instantly focused, and he leapt down—plunging headlong into the lake...

“A Summon Ticket? Never heard of that kind of drop.” Jeros flew over, eyeing Zhao Tianhe—who was cradled princess-style by Artoria and now excitedly examining the ticket in his hands—with some confusion.

“Well…” Zhao Tianhe’s gaze grew evasive as he sighed. “It’s a long story…”

Five minutes later, Jeros nodded in understanding. “I see. So, equipment drop rates are extremely low now, and instead, bosses drop materials for Heroic Spirit enhancement.”

“That’s right.” Zhao Tianhe nodded. His own equipment drop rate was abysmal—after soloing two D-rank dungeons for half a month, he’d only gotten four items, and not a single elite or boss drop. By any measure, it was outrageous!

“No wonder when you left, you insisted on taking all that useless junk with you. I thought you had some odd habit, but it turns out you were just covering up the fact that you’d sabotaged our team’s drop rates…” Jeros shook his head with a laugh. “It’s better to be honest. One lie leads to ten more, and on it goes. By the way, all the stuff you’ve been picking up lately—they’re not all Heroic Spirit materials, are they?”

“Habit, I suppose,” Zhao Tianhe replied with a helpless smile. “The apartment’s big enough anyway. Even if I dedicate two rooms to storing loot, it doesn’t matter.”

“As you wish.” Jeros chuckled, then asked, “So, how do you use this Summon Ticket?”

“This is something only my system can use. Watch and be amazed!” Zhao Tianhe declared confidently and activated the Summon Ticket.

As the ticket rose and transformed into a swirl of multicolored spiritual energy, Zhao Tianhe was already wondering which five-star SSR Heroic Spirit would answer the call.

“If possible, support or ranged would be best. Eresh is only half a ranged unit, half summoner—her actual combat strength is still in melee.” Zhao Tianhe muttered to himself. “So, better an Archer. Excluding males… Archer Rin? No, Eresh would set the place on fire. Orion? Bringing her husband here—better not. That deadbeat bear would just harass my wife. Then Jeanne Alter Santa Lily? Not bad, and it suits the seaside setting…”

While Zhao Tianhe’s imagination ran wild, a square-framed portrait appeared in the swirling aura.

“Huh?!” Zhao Tianhe was startled—usually, a three-dimensional figure would appear, but this time it was a flat image!

The portrait grew clearer—a golden-bordered card depicting Artoria herself, dressed in a white bikini with blue ribbon trim, white beach sandals, and holding a plastic water gun.

“What?!” Artoria’s reaction was the greatest—her cheeks flushed crimson and she was utterly stunned.

“Double the delight?!” Zhao Tianhe was completely dumbfounded. In the game, Artoria was known as the “Takeuchi-Face Signature Beauty Legion,” with over a dozen alternate forms spanning all classes except Caster, but there should still only be one of her in reality.

But in the next instant, the portrait shattered and exploded into a burst of golden light, surging into Zhao Tianhe’s body. At the same time, Artoria’s armor disintegrated, transforming into the very same white swimsuit from the image. In her previously empty left hand, a large water gun filled with golden liquid materialized.