Just as Firefly saw the Di Xue Zu Elite Infantry raise its rocket launcher and take aim, she didn't dodge.
She charged straight toward it at blinding speed.
A nearby soldier inside a tank widened his eyes in disbelief.
Is this girl insane?!
From his perspective, it was a suicidal move—reckless and unstoppable.
But to Firefly, retreating or dodging would've been the worst possible choice. Doing so would've given the enemy full freedom to fire, and she'd become a helpless target.
By closing the distance rapidly, she forced the Elite Infantry into hesitation. At such close range, firing a rocket could easily backfire—injuring itself in the blast.
Most importantly, Firefly's speed was extraordinary. She reached the monster in seconds, a blur of violet and silver.
The Di Xue Zu Elite Infantry, clearly experienced, immediately abandoned its launcher and lunged with both massive hands, aiming to grab her.
To the Cave Dweller Clan, human bodies were fragile. A single squeeze would be enough to tear her apart.
It grinned, already imagining the blood and gore.
But then—something unexpected happened.
Firefly crouched low, slipping beneath its grasp with fluid precision. She sprang upward, and her right arm—gleaming with metallic silver light—swung out in a brutal arc.
Clang! –356
The impact echoed across the street.
The soldier in the tank watched in stunned silence as the towering Elite Infantry—normally requiring a full squad to subdue—was sent flying several meters by a single punch.
It crashed to the ground, motionless.
That's the power of Excellent-grade equipment…
Firefly glanced at the fallen monster, its breath faint. She exhaled, silently admiring the strength of her Mechanical Power Arm.
But she didn't linger.
She stepped forward and delivered another punch—this time to its helmeted head. The metal caved in with a sickening crunch.
Whatever lay beneath was no longer recognizable.
A glowing light-blue treasure chest floated from the corpse. Firefly quickly stored it in her inventory.
Just then, a squad of Crypt Clan Infantry emerged from the shadows, weapons raised. Without hesitation, they opened fire.
Firefly reacted instantly.
The street offered little cover, so she dove behind the massive corpse of the Elite Infantry. Her petite frame fit perfectly behind it.
Da-da-da-da!
Bullets rained down, shredding the air. If not for the Elite Infantry's armor, the body would've been torn apart.
Even so, it only bought her a few seconds.
She had no weapon in hand and couldn't risk peeking out.
Is this the difficulty of a Despair-level dungeon…?
She gritted her teeth.
If a normal Level 15 or 20 player were here, they'd be shredded on day one…
She considered her options.
Do I have to use that now…?
Before she could decide, a thunderous cannon blast shook the ground.
Boom!
Silence followed.
Firefly cautiously peeked out.
Several tanks and armored vehicles rolled into view. A young man atop one of them waved at her, signaling her to come quickly.
Reinforcements had arrived.
She turned to look—the Crypt Clan squad had been obliterated, their remains charred and smoking.
It was clear the human forces had held back earlier, wary of the Elite Infantry's rocket launcher and armor. Only after Firefly neutralized the threat did they dare to advance.
Moments later, the convoy reached her position.
"Are you alright…?"
The young man on the tank stared at her—stunned by the sight of a delicate-looking girl who had just punched down a monster.
"I'm fine… Thank you for your help."
Firefly smiled gently, her voice soft and warm.
The young man blushed.
"My name's Jim. Get in—we're retreating to the safe zone."
Ding! Jim's favorability towards you has increased to Friendly (90/100)
Almost at Respect already…?
Firefly blinked.
This 99 Charm stat is no joke…
She climbed into the armored vehicle.
On the way, Jim explained the situation.
Most of Selun City had fallen.
The Cave Dweller Clan's underground tactics made their ambushes impossible to predict. Their numbers far exceeded humanity's. The combined population of the remaining three cities was only a few million. The Cave Dweller Clan? Estimated in the tens of millions.
And that didn't include their hidden logistics and underground infrastructure.
Even on home turf, humanity was losing ground. Civilians were dying by the thousands.
The population—already fragile—was shrinking fast.
Firefly listened in silence.
Even though this was just a dungeon mission world, it felt disturbingly real.
The acrid scent of gunpowder lingered in the air. Distant artillery echoed in her ears. Screams—human and desperate—pierced the silence.
She could still see the image of that civilian man being torn apart by gunfire.
It was burned into her memory.
All of this... made it impossible for her to treat these things as virtual.