The battlefield roared with chaos as Evan and Lucas continued their rampage through monsters. Both had just leveled up—Evan reached Level 54, while Lucas hit Level 57.
Despite the gap, Evan's unconventional solo hunting style, paired with his ever-expanding army of summons, allowed him to close the level difference significantly. While Lucas relied on himself and his tightly-knit crew, Evan was a one-man army—figuratively and literally—gaining EXP from countless hands simultaneously.
Still, Evan hadn't even touched his unassigned stat points. He was saving them, either for a decisive fight against Lucas or for a deadly crisis.
As he scanned through the battlefield, Evan's brow furrowed. His undead were vanishing rapidly—elite and normal alike. Sothing was decimating them.
He glanced around, yet saw nothing out of the ordinary. But Lucas, always keen in observation, narrowed his eyes toward a tremor in the distance. Both turned to the horizon as the ground itself trembled.
A low rumble shook the terrain beneath their feet.
Before anyone could react, the earth split open. A massive mound of dirt exploded skyward, scattering dust and debris as a monstrous figure rose from the underground.
A colossal lizard-like beast erged. Its body was covered in thick, earthen scales, and jagged claws dug into the shattered ground. Its back radiated an aura that both Evan and Lucas instantly recognized—dragon blood. This wasn't just so mutated creature; it was a draconic beast.
Controlled remotely by the maddened Malwrath, the beast's glowing eyes fixated on its targets: Evan and Lucas.
The creature's first motion was a violent charge.
Lucas sprang into action, shoving his crew out of the way before lunging forward to intercept. anwhile, Evan commanded his army to engage, raising new undead to replenish the ranks while his existing forces threw themselves at the behemoth.
The battle began in earnest.
Evan's army, boosted by his Death March skill, surged forward. Among them, his Undead Mage stood out—its spells bombarding the beast with consistent pressure. But even with their enhancents, the beast was overwhelming them. Evan's mana drained rapidly as he continuously revived and reinforced his forces.
Soon, the Tier 0 zone beca a battlefield devoid of lesser monsters. Hunters across the area now focused on the erging threat.
The beast, frustrated by the constant interference, turned its full fury on Evan. Its roar shattered the wind as it launched itself toward him with jaws wide open.
But Evan was ready.
A grin curled on his face. The mont it entered his range, sharp bone pillars erupted from the ground, impaling the beast's exposed underbelly and suspending it mid-air.
"," Evan muttered.
The beast let out a shriek that echoed across the plains, its form trembling as the bones held it aloft. But the earth rumbled again. Massive spikes burst from the ground, piercing friend and foe alike as the lizard violently broke free and burrowed underground to recover.
Lucas, now analyzing the battlefield, activated Draconic Insight.
"He's under the ground! Anyone with an Earth-based skill—bring him back up!" Lucas shouted.
While others scrambled, Evan didn't hesitate.
Combining Leap and Seismic Rupture, he soared into the sky and ca crashing down, his kick detonating a tremor that shook the battlefield.
The shock forced the beast out of hiding, revealing its wounded form. Instantly, mages launched volleys of spells. Hunters surrounded it. Lucas's team coordinated like a well-oiled machine, with Ilya's healing spells earning admiration from nearby hunters. Whispers of her being a "Saintess" spread through the ranks.
Evan's own contribution ca in waves—massive elite boars, dire wolves, high-level hobgoblins, and the Undead Mage—each pressing the assault.
He chugged MP potions, eyes locked on the beast. Sothing was off. The lizard's rage wasn't random. Its eyes followed Evan like it harbored a personal vendetta.
Just as Evan's mana crossed the 2,000 threshold, he moved forward.
"You want to kill , huh?" Evan muttered. "Too bad. That wish'll have to wait till your next life."
He raised a hand.
""
A thick fog of darkness blinded the lizard, distorting its senses. Then ca the bone spikes, piercing it once again.
That's when Evan activated his trump card.
""
A dark aura spread through Evan's body and his summons. Their hands transford, glowing with eerie corruption. The mont they struck the beast, it began to falter.
Every blow from his undead reduced its attack and defense by 5%, stacking up to 10 tis.
The beast's blood turned black. Corrupted veins ran along its body. The hunters stepped back—none wanted to be near such a cursed state.
After a full minute of this necrotic assault, the beast could barely move. Then—
BOOM!
A burst of Necrotic Energy erupted, leaving the beast nearly dead. Evan stepped forward.
"I told you," he said calmly. "You were dood to die here."
He was about to finish it when he saw sothing—a glow in the lizard's eyes.
Demonic energy.
Before he could react, the beast lunged, clamped its jaw onto Evan's shoulder, and bolted.
Shrieks erupted as the beast crashed through hunter formations, carrying Evan with it, headed straight for the Tier 1 border—to deliver its prey to Malwrath.
But luck wasn't on its side.
A blazing orb of fire appeared overhead.
Lucas.
For the first ti, he cast the skill purely using his own mana, ignoring system restrictions.
The Fla Orb slamd into the beast like a divine judgnt, tearing it apart before it could cross the border.
The lizard dropped lifelessly, and Evan lay sprawled next to its remains.
Hunters rushed forward.
Lucas shouted, "Ilya! Now!"
Ilya sprinted toward Evan, her eyes widening at the sight—his shoulder was torn off, his heart barely protected by shredded flesh.
Even she wasn't sure she could save him.
But she tried.
Then ca the others. One healer. Two. Three.
Soon, fourteen healers stood in a circle, pouring their mana into Evan. His wounds began to nd, but slowly. Death still hovered close.
Evan fought to stay conscious. 'I need to live. I have to go back. My parents… they're waiting.'
And then—
Ding!
[Detected a massive energy source within the host's body.][Energy Source Detected: Life and Holy Magic.][Your Physique: Death Monarch, is reacting to Life Energy.][Body is undergoing rapid self-repair.]
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