Rebooting the Arena

Chapter 78: Tariq’s Armor

As the team completed their legendary accessory crafting and weapon upgrades, Tariq stood at the center of the Guild Hall, his mind focused on one thing: enhancing his tank armor. In every battle, Tariq was the team's wall, the immovable force standing between the enemy and the backline. His role was critical to the success of Phoenix Reborn—if he couldn't hold the line, the beasts and enemy teams would overwhelm them.

After their previous encounters with beast-heavy tactics from teams like the Crimson Reapers, Tariq knew his armor needed to be stronger. He had held off waves of summoned creatures, but the pressure was always immense. Now, with the upcoming National PvP Circuit Qualifiers, he needed to ensure his armor was enhanced to its maximum potential, making him even harder to kill.

Tariq placed his Sunforged Plate Armor on the upgrade station, a hulking set of steel and gold armor that had protected him in countless battles. The armor had already been crafted with durable materials, but now it was time to enhance it with powerful enhancement stones that would further increase his resilience.

Kai, standing next to him, reviewed the enhancement stones they had collected during their Guild Wars victories. "You've already got the best base armor for a tank," Kai said, their voice thoughtful. "But if we want to make sure you can withstand the kind of punishment the Reapers are going to throw at us, we need to focus on boosting your damage resistance and crowd control immunity."

Tariq nodded, his eyes set on the pile of Hardened Mythril Stones in front of them. "Last time, I got stunned and rooted too many times. If we want to keep the team safe, I need to be able to shrug off those effects and keep holding the line."

Armor Enhancement: Hardened Mythril Stones

Tariq selected the Hardened Mythril Stones from the stash, placing them into the upgrade slots on his armor. The stones shimmered with a metallic glow as they fused into the plate armor, strengthening the material and increasing its damage resistance.

As the stones activated, a notification flashed across the screen:

Sunforged Plate Armor: Enhanced with Hardened Mythril (+15% Damage Resistance, +10% Physical Damage Reflection).

The upgrade had added a layer of toughness to his armor, making it far more resilient to incoming damage. But the real power came from the physical damage reflection—any time an enemy struck Tariq, they would take a portion of that damage back. This would be especially effective against the relentless melee attacks from summoned beasts.

Tariq grinned as he felt the weight of the enhanced armor. "That's what I'm talking about. Now, even when they hit me, they're going to regret it."

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Kai nodded approvingly. "It's a solid start, but let's not stop there. We need to add crowd control resistance next. We can't afford to have you stuck in a stun or root while the rest of us are getting overrun."

Enchantment: Rune of Stoneheart

To make Tariq even more formidable, Kai handed him a Rune of Stoneheart—a powerful enchantment that would make Tariq immune to crowd control effects when his health dropped below 30%. This was critical for those clutch moments when the enemy team or summoned creatures would try to burst him down.

Tariq placed the rune into the enchantment slot on his armor, and the metal began to glow with a deep, earthy hue. As the enchantment fused with the armor, another notification flashed across the screen:

Sunforged Plate Armor: Enchanted with Stoneheart (Immune to Stun, Slow, and Root Effects below 30% Health).

The enchantment would give Tariq a second wind when things got tough, ensuring that even in the most desperate moments, he wouldn't be locked down by the enemy's crowd control abilities.

Tariq rolled his shoulders, testing the weight of his newly upgraded armor. "With this, they won't be able to stop me from holding the front. No more getting stunned and stuck while they push through."

Kai, satisfied with the upgrades, gave him a nod. "Good. We're going to need you at full strength. The Crimson Reapers and any other teams we face in the Qualifiers will be expecting us to crumble under pressure. But with this, you'll be able to tank through anything."

Final Upgrade: Fortified Shield

Tariq's armor wasn't the only thing that needed an upgrade—his Sunforged Bulwark, the massive shield he used to block incoming attacks, also needed enhancements. A stronger shield would help him block more damage and protect the team, especially during moments of high pressure.

Tariq placed the shield onto the upgrade station and selected a Barrier Stone, an enhancement that increased the shield's block efficiency and added a passive barrier that would absorb incoming damage. As the stone fused with the shield, it glowed with a brilliant light, and the stats appeared on the screen:

Sunforged Bulwark: Enhanced with Barrier Stone (+20% Block Efficiency, Passive Barrier absorbs 10% of incoming damage).

With the passive barrier, Tariq would now be able to absorb a portion of incoming damage without it breaking through his defense, allowing him to take more hits and stand strong longer.

Tariq lifted the shield, inspecting the new glow. "This is exactly what I needed. No matter how many creatures they throw at us, this shield won't break."

Testing the Armor: Simulation Battle

With his newly upgraded armor and shield, Tariq was eager to test his enhanced defenses in a simulated battle. Kai set up a simulation where waves of summoned creatures—just like the ones they'd face in the Qualifiers—charged toward the team. It was a perfect opportunity to see just how much stronger Tariq's armor had become.

The simulation began with wolves and boars sprinting toward the frontlines. Tariq stepped forward, raising his Sunforged Bulwark to block the first wave of attacks. The beasts slammed into him, but the enhanced block efficiency and passive barrier absorbed the impact, leaving Tariq unfazed.

"I'm holding them!" Tariq shouted, his voice filled with confidence. The damage reflection from the Hardened Mythril Stones kicked in, causing the attacking wolves to take damage each time they struck his shield.

As the battle raged on, more beasts arrived, and Tariq's health began to drop under the relentless pressure. But when his health dipped below 30%, the Stoneheart enchantment activated, making him immune to the stuns and roots that had once locked him down in previous battles.

"I'm not stopping now!" Tariq roared, pushing forward as the crowd control immunity allowed him to keep moving through the chaos, preventing the enemy from locking him in place.

The team, seeing how well Tariq was holding the line, unleashed their full power. Lena dropped her Elemental Cataclysm, wiping out the remaining creatures, while Kai and Nina slipped into the shadows to take out the summoners.

When the simulation ended, the team gathered around Tariq, their expressions filled with admiration.

Kai, ever the strategist, nodded approvingly. "That was perfect. You held them off longer than before, and you barely took any serious damage. With these upgrades, you're going to be an even bigger problem for teams that try to break through our frontlines."

Lena, inspecting the aftermath of the battle, added, "With you holding the line, I'll have more time to set up my spells. They won't be able to overwhelm us."

Alex, always the calming voice, smiled. "Your health barely dipped below half. This is exactly what we needed from our tank."

Tariq, still catching his breath but feeling invincible, grinned widely. "Let them bring their worst. I'm ready. With this armor, I'll hold the line no matter what."

With his newly upgraded Sunforged Plate Armor and Bulwark, Tariq was now the immovable tank Phoenix Reborn needed. He had become harder to kill, harder to control, and more resilient in every way. As the team prepared for the National PvP Circuit Qualifiers, they knew that with Tariq holding the front, their chances of success had grown exponentially.

Tariq upgraded his tank armor with enhancement stones and enchantments, becoming even harder to kill in battle. With increased damage resistance, crowd control immunity, and a fortified shield, Tariq was now the unbreakable wall Phoenix Reborn needed to hold the line in the upcoming National PvP Circuit Qualifiers.