"What's happening? His teammates—where did they come from? I totally forgot about those ants. To think they'd become pests now." Gorthok gnashed his teeth, his eyes fierce with regret for not killing the party when he had the chance.
"They're just eight... and their aura is far weaker than Malik's. I'm sure my knights can handle them." He finalized the thought with a smirk curling on his grotesque lips.
Malik, whose gaze had softened for a moment, noticed the expression twist across the Infernal Feral King's face. From that alone, he could already guess what the bastard was plotting.
"Since you asked for it… I won't be so polite then," Malik muttered, voice low and calm, folding both fists tight.
Schlick!
Six blades extended from his knuckles—three from each fist like deadly talons drawn for war.
"But remember this," he shouted suddenly, catching the attention of the team, all eyes snapping to him in sync. "The loot of the monster you kill belongs to you! And I'll reward you accordingly."
With that said, Malik launched forward like a cannonball, charging at Gorthok, who had just managed to recover 5% of his HP. But the moment he moved—
LIGHTNING SPEAR!
A lightning bolt, thick as a tree trunk, condensed into a spear and ripped through the battlefield. It was aimed to one side while a fireball surged from the other, colliding in midair with another, creating a grand explosion that shook the ground.
Malik weaved through the burst of flames like a ghost, undeterred, slicing through smoke and embers as he pushed toward Gorthok—who now stood surrounded by Feral Crawlers and Gnarl Rats like a corrupted general cloaked in decay.
"White Emperor… Let's do this!" Tipa roared, sprinting toward White Emperor with his shield raised. The towering tank met him halfway, and together, they slammed their shields side by side and drove them forward like a wall of steel.
SHIELD BASH!
A collective damage of –40 flashed above every surrounding monster's head. All of them screeched, switching aggro immediately. They surged toward the duo, but standing behind them were Slicer, Young Star, and Big Nurse—blades drawn, spells brewing.
On the other side of the battlefield, the two Elementalists tag-teamed one of the Infernal Knights. Taiwo clashed fire with fire, while Angel Michael landed precision strikes at every possible opening, dealing critical damage wherever he could.
The last Infernal Knight was locked in a duel with Kenny, whose aura pulsed, growing more savage with every clash. Malik caught a glimpse and couldn't help but muse—
'This must be the effect of the Beast Carver ring…'
But there was no time for curiosity. Every second he spent observing was another second for Gorthok's HP, now climbing fast toward 30%.
"RENDING CLAW STRIKE!"
Six blades gleamed with black energy, slashing out in a vicious arc. Gorthok raised one monstrous arm to block, and the impact sent out a shockwave. A clean –500 floated above his head, dragging his HP back down to 23%.
"You're weakened. This is the best chance I have to end you!" Malik grinned coldly, charging again.
But Gorthok's arms transformed—morphing grotesquely into a cannon-shaped appendage. A massive hole gaped in the center of it, glowing with burning fire.
"DIE!" the boss monster howled, firing a fireball the size of a car at Malik.
"Rending Claw Strike!" Malik roared back, pouring spiritual energy into his blades. Six black streaks tore through the inferno, splitting the fireball and parting the flames as Malik burst through the blaze—his figure now in front of Gorthok.
"Any more tricks—"
"You puny human! You can't defeat me!" Gorthok bellowed as his body began to split—morphing like melting wax—until it divided into two smaller forms. One wielded a staff; the other brandished twin sabers.
"With the power of my Mage Form and my Warrior Form… I'll kill you!" the one with the sabers screeched, rushing forward.
Malik ducked to the left, twisted low, and dodged both blades. He raised his left fist and blocked one saber with his own claws—sparks flying like red stars. Then he countered fast, driving his right fist toward Gorthok's eye, but the monster parried with his saber just in time.
For a split second, both froze in place, locked in a deadlock.
Then, a magic array appeared—first beneath Malik's feet, then above him. Radiant red runes spun violently in the air. The second Gorthok—the mage—hovered nearby, staff raised, chanting madly.
The air turned molten. The temperature spiked. Malik gritted his teeth as he felt the oppressive heat descending. It wasn't just a spell—it was a flame domain.
And it was about to rain fire.
The magic circle expanded, threatening to engulf not just Malik, but his entire team.
Gorthok laughed darkly, voice booming like thunder.
"I told you, Malik—your soul is mine! I lock you in here with me!"
"Oh, you think so?" Malik arched a brow.
Without a second's hesitation, he activated the skill from his Feral Boots. His agility surged by 30%. Then he feinted—a flash of motion, a false punch.
Gorthok struck out.
Too late.
Malik vanished.
"No... He used that skill again!" Gorthok panicked, spinning around—
Too slow.
Malik was already behind his Mage Form. Six blades plunged into its chest with terrifying precision. Its HP dropped instantly to zero. The body faded like ash, and with it, the magic arrays shattered.
Gorthok's main body was left with barely 5% HP.
"You should've used that spell on me," Malik said, voice flat. "Maybe it would've worked. But your greed for control is what doomed you."
"Anyway… this is my win. It's time to die."
Gorthok, desperate, spun and ran straight toward the others.
"I won't go down without taking at least one of you!"
"We're not as weak as you thought!" Kenny barked.
Arcane Surge – Lightning Spears!
Inferno Burst!
Crawler's Strike!
Shield Bash!
Slash!
Glacial Fury!
The team's combined attacks rained on Gorthok like divine judgment. His HP plummeted—hanging by a thread.
He leapt high, preparing to detonate into molten lava—ready to engulf them all in death.
But Malik appeared mid-air behind him.
"Rending Claw Strike!"
Slash!
His head was severed in a clean arc. Gorthok's body exploded—not in fire, but in a burst of loot, showering the team with shimmering items.
Their eyes gleamed with triumph.
Did they do it?
Did they kill the final boss?
---
System Notification:
You've defeated the third Boss of the Feral Dungeon.
You've cleared the Hard Mode of the Feral Dungeon.
System Reward:
+5 Levels
+30 Reputation Points (Green Leaf Town)
+50 Stat Points
+100 Gold Coins
Level requirement uplifted for all Feral Dungeon loot
Regional System Announcement triggered.
System Prompt:
Do you wish for your name to be included in this announcement?
[Yes/No]
"Huh." Malik stared at the notification, then quickly pressed No.
He didn't want attention. Not yet. Not until he was strong enough to crush every one of his enemies.
---
Green Leaf Town Regional System:
Team Incognito has cleared the Hard Mode of the Feral Dungeon.
+10 Gold Coins each
+50 Reputation Points
+Noble Access in Green Leaf Town
Black Moon Kingdom Regional System:
Congratulations to Team Incognito for being the first to clear Hard Mode in the Kingdom.
+2 Levels
+10 Reputation Points
+20 Gold Coins each
The announcement rang out twice—echoing into the ears of every player in the region.
And the world stirred.