The Child's Flame (Explosive)

Internal engine status effect. This is the explosive variant of The Child's Flame, a hit-countdown status used during the final boss fight. When a cat is marked with this flame, a countdown triggers that detonates after a set number of hits are taken.

The explosive variant creates a blast that damages nearby units when it detonates, punishing clustered formations during the final boss encounter. The blast radius means that cats standing adjacent to the detonation target take collateral damage, making spacing critical. Track the hit countdown carefully to predict when the detonation will trigger.

Position the marked cat away from allies before the detonation triggers. Other variants of The Child's Flame (Holy, Boris) have different effects upon detonation. This mechanic is part of the final boss's multi-phase flame system that forces players to manage positioning and hit timing simultaneously.