Mason didn't stop. He unleashed his full power, finishing off all the large beasts within a minute. His highest speed and teleportation skills allowed him to defeat them effortlessly. But now, the real challenge awaited—the ultra-large beast. Only ten minutes remained.
A notification popped up on his screen: Level Up! Mason had gained immense experience points from slaying the large beasts, pushing him to Level 15. His strength had grown exponentially, and a surge of energy coursed through his veins. He was now more powerful than ever, ready to take on the true boss of Beast Mania.
While fighting the large beasts, Mason had noticed they possessed supernatural abilities, but they weren't strong enough to pose a real challenge. However, the boss was different—he had the same abilities but was a hundred times stronger. His aura was overwhelming, radiating sheer power. As Mason processed this realization, an eerie sensation crept over him. Instinctively, he turned around—too late. The beast had teleported behind him.
"Oh no... How is he here?" Mason thought, startled.
Before he could react, the beast struck. A massive claw swiped at him, sending him flying backward. Pain shot through Mason's body as he crashed into a boulder, cracking it upon impact. He gritted his teeth, pushing himself up despite the burning pain in his ribs. He refused to fall. Clenching his jaw, he stood up once again, determination burning in his eyes. Now, the real battle was about to begin.
Mason relied on his speed and teleportation to confuse the beast, attacking from different angles. His movements were swift, almost invisible to the naked eye, but the beast had mastered teleportation far better than Mason. Every time Mason thought he had the upper hand, the beast reappeared behind him, countering his moves effortlessly. Worse, Mason's sword barely scratched the creature's thick hide. His attacks were landing, but they weren't enough to cause real damage.
The beast let out a deep growl, its glowing red eyes locking onto Mason. It lunged forward, its massive fists crashing down like meteors. Mason barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as the ground exploded beneath the beast's impact. Dust and debris filled the air, limiting Mason's vision. He knew he had to act fast.
"This isn't working… I need a new strategy." He glanced at the timer—only two minutes left. They had already been fighting for eight intense minutes.
A plan formed in his mind. If he combined his teleportation and speed in a seamless loop, he could overwhelm the beast with sheer volume of attacks. He decided to strike 120 times in a single minute, preventing the beast from healing. But it wouldn't be easy. Mason would need to push his body beyond its current limits.
Summoning all his strength, Mason took a deep breath and activated his teleportation ability at full power. His body flickered like a shadow, appearing and disappearing from every direction. The beast tried to track him, its eyes darting around, but Mason was too fast. Before the creature could react, Mason unleashed a relentless storm of sword slashes. His blade became an extension of himself, moving faster than ever before. Each strike cut deeper, chipping away at the beast's defenses.
The beast roared in pain, thrashing wildly, but Mason didn't stop. His arms ached, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he refused to slow down. He pushed forward, delivering the final blow—a powerful slash straight through the beast's core. The monster let out one last, deafening roar before collapsing, its massive body dissolving into nothingness.
A notification popped up:
Congratulations, Player! You have defeated the Boss and completed the level. Rewards unlocked:
Health Potion
Strength Potion
Power Potion
New Ability: Beast Sense (Allows you to detect the presence of beasts nearby. Works only on beasts.)
Level Up! You are now Level 18.
Mason collapsed to one knee, panting heavily. The battle had drained him completely. But he had won. He had proven his strength. After catching his breath, he collected his rewards and exited the battlefield.
---
Meanwhile, Owen, SJ11, and SJ14 had searched multiple areas but hadn't found any other players. Their frustration was growing. "We're wasting time," Owen muttered. "We should level up while we have the chance."
Deciding to take action, Owen accessed the Game Selection menu and chose a game for three players. A screen popped up, displaying the game's details:
~ Rush Hour ~
Level: 1 | Difficulty: Normal
Objective: Catch the Suzan dummy players before they escape. If players fail to catch them within two hours, they lose.
Rules:
1. Players with teleportation or blink-speed abilities cannot participate. If they do, their powers will be disabled during the game.
2. Dummy players cannot be attacked or killed from a distance. Any violation results in immediate elimination.
3. Skills can be used only for movement—not for harming the dummies.
---
Owen read the rules carefully and said, "Well, none of us have teleportation abilities, but SJ14, you need to be careful. Your position-shifting ability is similar to teleportation, so it might be against the rules. Try not to use it."
SJ14 nodded. "Got it."
"We just need to focus on catching them within the time limit. No unnecessary risks," Owen added.
The three of them pressed the Enter button, ready for the challenge.
---
At the same time, Lian, Sophie, and SJ12 were also browsing the Game Selection menu. They applied the Level 1 filter and found an intriguing game called "Lost For You". Lian clicked on the Introduction button, and a brief description appeared:
~ Lost For You ~
Level: 1 | Difficulty: Normal
Objective: Players must find three hidden items within the given time while overcoming obstacles. Each item has a unique fragrance and color, making them easier to track. However, the main challenge is surviving and defeating the obstacles that block the path.
Additional rules and details will be provided upon entering the game.
"Sounds interesting," Lian said. "Let's do it."
SJ12 nodded. "Let's hope the obstacles aren't too crazy."
With a single click, the three players entered the game.
---
To be continued...