"I can't lose out to the rest!" Kenny roared as she decapitated a Crawler. The creature burst into particles, leaving behind loot in its wake. The hill crumbled on itself as she surged forward to the next one, a healing spell washing over her and restoring her HP to full.
"Bastards... your lives are mine!" she screamed, pulling the aggro of the seven Crawlers stationed at the next hill. The monsters let out furious screeches at her provocation and charged all at once. But Kenny only smirked and brandished her Frost Greatsword.
With a single swing of the blade—
GLACIAL FURY!
The air exploded with icy wind as all seven monsters froze in place, their bodies entombed in shimmering blue crystals. Another swing, and the statues shattered—split clean in half, scattering into particles and loot.
Kenny didn't stop. She dashed toward the next hill like a whirlwind of steel and vengeance. Behind her, Malik calmly stepped in to collect the drops, with Big Nurse right beside him, eyes locked on the battlefield. The healer kept weaving spells without pause, healing any injury the moment it appeared, keeping the rhythm of battle seamless.
"Isn't that sword a little too powerful?" Big Nurse gasped, blinking in disbelief as Kenny obliterated yet another hill. Malik burst out laughing.
"Sure, the sword's strong," he replied, "but it's Kenny who's unlocking its potential. Though I wonder... why is she burning through so much mana to activate its skills?"
As he moved to another hill to gather loot, Big Nurse answered, eyes narrowed in analysis. "Can't you tell? She's in a competition with White Emperor and Tipa. She's already matched Tipa's count—twelve hills cleared—but White Emperor is leading with thirteen. His shield is a monster in itself. Just one bash and the Crawlers tremble. Their defenses plummet like sandcastles in a storm. Makes it easy for Slicer and Young Star to sweep through them."
"Tipa's no slouch either," he continued. "That headgear he's wearing? It's terrifying. Slows the Crawlers down so much that our Elementalists barely have to lift a finger."
Malik nodded, amused and pleased. The fire in their eyes wasn't something he could give—it was something they found themselves.
If he'd been the only one killing monsters while they stood on the sidelines, sure, they would've respected him. But that respect would be born out of fear. And fear isolates. Worse, they wouldn't even dare touch the loot—feeling like they hadn't earned it.
But this? This was a real team. They fought together. They bled together. And because of that, they'd rise together.
---
White Emperor arrived at the next hill with Slicer and Young Star flanking him. This hill was different. Larger. Meaner. A dozen Crawlers snarled atop it. They were Level 15 and had HPs over 4000. A few hours ago, that sight would've frozen White Emperor's spine. But now?
He stood firm, cool as steel.
SHIELD BASH!
A blinding white light exploded from his shield, dealing 500 damage to the monsters and stunning them for five full seconds. That was all the time the swordsmen needed. They charged forward like wolves and began slashing the stunned Crawlers into submission.
In less than five seconds, three monsters had fallen to the flurry of blades.
The stun wore off. The Crawlers lashed out, furious, claws slashing through the air. But White Emperor was ready. His shield rose again, absorbing the dual onslaught. The force shoved him backward slightly, but he held his ground.
Then—the shield shimmered.
A binding light surged out, wrapping around three Crawlers and reducing them to nothing but particles.
"Isn't this shield too heaven-defying?" Slicer muttered, his voice tinged with regret. "Why the hell did I choose Swordsman? If I had that shield..."
But there was no time to sulk. White Emperor pulled two more Crawlers and retreated strategically, drawing aggro while the swordsmen unleashed all they had, waiting for Shield Bash to come off cooldown.
---
Big Nurse shifted his gaze to Tipa's side of the battlefield. The Guardian Knight wasn't slacking in the least.
Tipa activated his headgear's skill—immediately, enemy movement slowed by 20%, and the Elementalists' attack power surged by the same amount. Four Crawlers took the bait, rushing toward him—only to meet Angel Michael at the height of his power.
Arcane Surge!
Mana erupted from his body like a geyser, electricity crackling in the air as he raised his staff and chanted:
Lightning Spear!
Three massive bolts, each three meters thick, appeared in the sky, brimming with blue lightning. With a wave of his staff, the spears shot forward and tore through the Crawlers, softening them for Tipa's sword to finish the job.
Tipa fought like a true Guardian Knight—balancing shield and blade in perfect tandem. Beside him, Taiwo raised her own staff.
Inferno Burst!
A fireball, four meters wide, ignited above her. The sheer heat made even Tipa leap backward instinctively. She flung the ball forward—BOOM!—the explosion shook the ground as the last Crawler collided with the hill and was incinerated instantly.
---
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three explosive booms echoed across the battlefield—three hills cleared simultaneously. Now, only one hill remained. But something was off—there were no monsters guarding it.
The whole team had the same thought: Whoever destroys this hill wins.
Without hesitation, they all charged at it.
Each of them burned with a singular desire—to be recognized by their Party Leader. Big Nurse trailed behind, casting mass heals, while Malik, the Level 4 leader, quietly continued picking up drops.
The team was barely a yard away from the last hill when a sharp cracking sound echoed through the field.
Cracks snaked across the surface of the hill like spiderwebs—then, with a deafening bang, the entire structure shattered into glowing particles.
From within the collapsing debris, a monstrous figure slowly emerged.
[Crawler] [Level 17 Mini Boss]
HP: 7000
This one was different.
It wasn't just large—it was massive. Towering over the players, its hunchback loomed like a grotesque mountain. Its claws were monstrous, and just one of them was the size of Kenny's Frost Greatsword. A sickly green glow pulsed in its oversized eyes as it bared a mouth full of jagged, bone-crushing teeth.
"You puny players... die." The Crawler growled, its voice like gravel grinding through rusted metal. A voice no human could possess.
Before anyone could react, the monster vanished.
And then—boom!—it reappeared right in front of them.
"PINCER SWIPE!" the boss roared.
Its massive claw tore through the air with brutal force, releasing six green energy slashes, each nearly two meters thick. The lines of death screamed through the sky, aimed directly at the group.
Shield Bash!
Lightning Defense!
Glacial Swipe!
The team activated everything they had, throwing out defensive and counterattack skills in a last-ditch effort.
But it wasn't enough.
The green slashes landed like thunderbolts. A shockwave rippled across the field, launching them into the air like broken dolls.
Damage numbers popped up one after the other.
-200! -200! -250!
White Emperor's prized shield went spinning out of his hand. Kenny's Greatsword cracked under the impact. Their HP bars plummeted—some beneath 30%. Panic set in. Even with Big Nurse casting mass healing, they only barely stabilized at 20%.
The Mini Boss wasn't finished.
It snarled as it raised its claw once more, and this time, the energy slashes were even thicker—blinding streaks of green fury tearing through the sky like executioner's blades.
This was the end.
They all knew it.
They had nothing left.
No skills off cooldown. No time to dodge. No miracles left to grasp at.
So they closed their eyes. Some clenched their fists. Some gritted their teeth. Others... just waited.
But death never came.
Instead, a soft sound—thud—like boots on hard earth.
When they slowly opened their eyes, dust was swirling around them, and a dark figure stood ahead—arms calmly behind his back, standing like a lone sovereign against the storm.
He wore a black combat suit, and though his HP had dropped by ten percent, his posture hadn't shifted an inch.
The air was still. Almost reverent.
The green slashes had all struck him. Every last one of them. And yet, he stood—unshaken.
Their eyes widened.
Their breaths hitched.
Because in that moment, they realized who it was.
The level 4 player who had brought them here. The one who had watched from behind. The one responsible for their transformation. The one who never boasted, never demanded attention—but whose presence now silenced the world.
He had taken the full brunt of the Mini Boss's might.
For them.
He slowly turned his head back—his voice low, yet commanding.
"You guys have done well," he said, and they felt a surge of warmth in their heart. "You can rest now."
Then, his eyes—sharp, steady, and resolute—shifted back to the Mini Boss.
And the smile that curled on his lips was as calm as it was chilling.
"Leave the rest to me."