Boom!
Just as Alex was savoring the tidal surge of power roaring through his veins, the ground shuddered violently beneath his feet.
He turned his head—only to see Gregory, still in the form of the wrath-eyed giant Buddha, striding through the mire of blood. That towering figure was like a walking idol of war, and behind him… not a single beast still drew breath.
"Alex! I've hit level nine!"
A ripple of distorted space shimmered nearby, and Lois emerged from the shadows, her pretty face alight with uncontainable excitement.
The beast tide—vast enough to devour an entire legion—had, in their hands, been transformed into an absurd feast of experience points.
Not only had the disaster been quelled, but the three of them had profited beyond reason.
Lois gave her twin black ponytails a triumphant shake, her bright eyes darting toward Alex with smug satisfaction—
Only for her smile to freeze in place.
"You… you're level ten?"
Her tone was one of near disbelief.
She had only managed to reach level nine so quickly thanks to the gleaming belt at her waist—the Grand Chancellor's gift, the Dragon's Roar Shining Belt, which doubled her EXP gains.
But Alex?
He had no such relic—yet was still a full level ahead of them.
That could only mean one thing: in the slaughter just now, Alex had felled far more monsters than the two of them combined.
"You have to be a Triple-Crown Saint-Talent!"
Lois's voice now carried not a shred of doubt.
Gregory's tone, however, was grave.
"Lois… Alex carries a blood feud. Once we're out, you must breathe not a word of his talent to anyone."
Lois pouted and gave a dismissive huff.
"Relax. I'm not the type to wag my tongue for no reason."
"Gregory, how many levels did you gain?" Alex turned his head and asked.
"Seven!"
Gregory grinned wide, the string of severed-head prayer beads at his neck swaying with the motion. The contrast of feral fangs beneath the serene visage of an ancient Buddha sent a shiver crawling down Lois's spine.
Alex gave a satisfied nod—
This trip into the secret realm had already yielded a harvest beyond perfection:
Brown and Leon were nothing but history now, their levels had skyrocketed, and their packs were heavy with loot.
All that remained… was the ultimate ruler of the Shadowed Forest—
The Lord-tier Boss.
Before the beast tide, challenging it would have required meticulous planning and caution.
But now—should that Demon King lay eyes upon them, it might be the one to feel fear.
After a short rest, the trio sorted their loot, then set off toward the very heart of the realm.
Along the way, they made it official—forming a party. By contract, the EXP and loot from slaying the Boss would be split evenly—one-third to each.
Perhaps it was the lingering shockwaves from the beast tide, but not a single monster blocked their path. Unopposed, they strode straight into the Lord's territory.
This was the heart of the entire realm—shrouded in a dead, oppressive gloom, the air heavy with an icy weight.
For Lois and Gregory, this was their first time facing a Lord-tier. Their expressions had grown solemn.
Alex, however, wore the same calm as ever, taking the lead without hesitation.
They passed through the last stretch of dense forest—
And the world opened wide.
A vast expanse lay before them, smooth and open like a colossal arena, as if crafted solely for a duel to the death.
At its center rose an ancient throne.
Forged of black jade, its steps were flanked by tiered runes of high order, each one a guardian to the seat above—like the dragon throne of a forgotten king, gazing down upon all challengers.
"Alex… is… is that someone sitting up there?" Gregory blurted in astonishment.
Lois shot him a glare and tapped him lightly on the head.
"Look closer. That's a statue."
Sure enough, the figure seated upon the throne was no living man, but a masterfully carved effigy—
A handsome, aristocratic figure, the very image of an ancient noble from the Western Realms. In his left hand, he held an ancient, weathered greatsword. In his right, a length of pitch-black chain.
And at the chain's end coiled a beast so lifelike it seemed ready to breathe—
Its scales were forged like iron, its body shaped like a western dragon, yet its posture was low and predatory, more like a lizard poised to strike. It lay crouched beneath the throne, seemingly asleep.
Only when the trio stepped within fifty paces of the throne did the beast finally lift its head—
Slitted pupils glimmered like frost, radiating the killing intent of a predator born to devour.
"A dragon?" Gregory murmured.
Alex shook his head, blade sliding into his grip.
"No. This is the Many-Eyed Demon Lizard—the Lord-tier boss of this realm."
In his past life, Alex had led countless raids against this very creature.
It always lay coiled at the statue's feet, a silent guardian, awakening only when challengers drew too close.
Hiss—
With a guttural growl, the Many-Eyed Demon Lizard rose slowly to its full height. The pale flesh of its underbelly revealed rows upon rows of vertical pupils—an obscene, unsettling sight that made Lois shiver and quickly avert her gaze.
Gregory and Alex, however, showed no change in expression—only the surge of battle lust.
"Boss, let me be the first to test this abomination!"
Gregory stepped forward, the wrathful aura of the Angry-Eyed Buddha erupting in a burst of radiant force. His frame swelled in an instant, towering several times taller, the visage of the ancient Buddha looming high with six mighty arms spread like mountain peaks.
The sheer presence forced the Many-Eyed Demon Lizard to instinctively retreat half a step—
Among ordinary monsters, it was a colossus, yet before the Angry-Eyed Buddha, it seemed a child before a war giant.
"Thousand-Hell Arhat Palm!"
Gregory roared, his six arms thundering forward. Shadowed afterimages surged like a tide, carrying the crushing might of a prison's collapse, descending upon the Many-Eyed Demon Lizard with unstoppable force—