The challenge failed again.
The four adventurers stumbled out of the secret realm in utter defeat.
Everyone stared at each other, speechless. It took a long moment before anyone could even breathe properly again.
"What just happened?"
"Even a rocket launcher can't kill that thing?"
"Is this a joke?!"
"Where's the lord? Aya, go get Kanzaki Ren out here and make him explain this!"
"..."
The Pursuer's overwhelming strength crushed their morale.
Was that monster… even beatable?
The angrier and more helpless they became, the more delighted Nanshiriya felt.
She loved nothing more than watching adventurers get absolutely stomped.
The Pursuer lived up to its status as Kanzaki Ren's elite war general.
Its power had surpassed everyone's expectations, defending Miracle City's honor and teaching these arrogant adventurers a brutal lesson.
As for those few who dared complain about wanting to question the lord face-to-face?
Pathetic.
The lord wasn't someone they could just summon on a whim. And Kanzaki Ren had always been open and honorable, never one to rely on underhanded tricks. If the adventurers got beaten, that was their own weakness.
"We underestimated the lord," White Crane Hermit said as he stepped forward.
"This monster is stronger than I initially judged. If I'm not mistaken, it isn't just an elite creature... it has likely reached the level of a two-star, possibly even top-tier two-star elite."
Two-star elite?!
Faces paled.
Just as first-tier monsters varied in strength, second-tier monsters differed even more.
A two-star monster was on a completely different level than a one-star.
Hunters, Spitters, Smokers, and Jockeys were all one-star second-tier monsters, and they were leagues more dangerous than first-tier zombies.
White Crane Hermit had originally identified the Pursuer as an elite, meaning a second-tier monster… but everyone assumed it was low-level elite.
Now, they realized the truth.
The Pursuer was far beyond that.
Judging from its overall performance, it was likely one of the strongest within the two-star elite class.
"This is insane!"
"Its first form's flamethrower has insane range and power. We can't even get close."
"Then in second form, it loses the flamethrower, sure… but its physical strength jumps through the roof. Its attack and speed rival the Witch. Its body surpasses the Tank. And it regenerates like a monster. Plus, it's smart."
"Do we seriously have a chance to beat it?"
"…"
Seeing their shaken expressions, White Crane Hermit continued:
"It's difficult, yes. But not hopeless… and think about it. The stronger the monster, the higher the value of its soul. If its true strength is far beyond what we assumed, then its soul might be worth twice as much. Isn't that good news?"
His words instantly shifted the mood.
"That's true!"
"The Pursuer is still made of flesh!"
"If it bleeds, it dies!"
"Too bad I'm out of stamina today, or I'd fight it again right now!"
"This monster is insane. Its soul must be ridiculously valuable… maybe even more than some three-star elites! One drop and you're rich!"
"That's at least seven or eight years of hard labor paid off!"
"Damn… now I'm fired up again!"
White Crane Hermit understood Kanzaki Ren's brilliance.
The secret realm's design was difficult but never hopeless. Always dangerous, but always conquerable.
This was completely different from other lords' dungeons, which were often impossible grind-fests designed solely to kill players until no one bothered anymore.
Bright-Moon-Over-Snow suddenly said, "With our current skill level, the odds are slim. Old Master… how about you lead us personally this time?"
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Then they started chanting.
"Yes! Old Master, we need you!"
"Just one run!"
"Please carry us!"
"We beg you!"
White Crane Hermit didn't refuse.
"I only have one point of stamina left, so I can try once. My chances aren't great… but I can attempt it."
The crowd erupted.
If White Crane Hermit personally stepped in, maybe—just maybe—there was hope.
Excitement rose again.
Nanshiriya frowned. She thought the day was finally winding down, only for trouble to rise again.
Angry Chick and Blackstone Hammer King were out of stamina. But Bright-Moon-Over-Snow still had one point left.
Grandfather and granddaughter joined Wind-Sleeps-In-The-Breeze and Silent Blade to form a new four-person squad.
Bright-Moon-Over-Snow was thrilled.
Her first time adventuring alongside her grandfather!
For her, it was both fresh and exhilarating.
At this point, almost every adventurer in the hall had run out of stamina. They all crowded around the four-person crystal, watching intently.
Once again, the team entered the Frenzy Apocalypse.
"One chance!"
"We must win this time!"
"We follow Old Master's commands!"
"Move out!"
The four departed and began gathering supplies.
Though they frequently encountered dangers—Chargers, Smokers, and others—White Crane Hermit could handle most threats alone, let alone with a full team.
Their efficiency soared by forty or fifty percent.
Their ammo consumption dropped by nearly a third.
They quickly acquired shotguns, sniper rifles, LMGs, chainsaws, and multiple explosives and Molotovs. Together, they killed the Witch and secured the essential weapon: the rocket launcher.
Preparation complete.
The spectators murmured.
Blackstone Hammer King: "Having a master on the team really is different!"
Nekomi Momo: "Right? They're moving so smoothly today!"
Time Traveler added, "Don't relax yet. The real fight is next."
"Let's go!"
"Do it!"
Before the final showdown, they divided equipment.
Wind-Sleeps-In-The-Breeze and Bright-Moon-Over-Snow would lure the monster.
Silent Blade would fire the rocket launcher.
White Crane Hermit replaced Blackstone's old role, using the sniper rifle for long-range pressure and distraction, and carrying a chainsaw.
The battle began.
Wind-Sleeps-In-The-Breeze and Bright-Moon-Over-Snow got close to the armored vehicle, drawing the Pursuer out.
They alternated fire, suppressing it as they retreated.
At the crossroads, White Crane Hermit fired the first shot, disrupting the Pursuer's attention.
Silent Blade seized the opening.
The rocket hit directly.
Perfect teamwork.
The Pursuer immediately transformed into its second form.
"Fire!"
"Keep it pinned!"
They knew the terror of second form.
Running guaranteed death. Fighting was their only option.
All three unloaded bullets wildly.
But the Pursuer's regeneration was monstrous. Even after taking over a dozen direct hits, its speed didn't falter. It dodged several shots, then used its left-hand tendrils to grab Silent Blade.
"No!"
Gasps erupted among the crowd.
Against second form, being grabbed meant instant death.
Silent Blade shouted, "I leave it to you—!"
And the next moment, he was smashed into the ground.
But then the Pursuer paused.
It heard something.
The sizzling of burning fuses.
Silent Blade had hidden four homemade explosives inside his clothing.
They had gathered all four during the run—saving them for this exact moment.
The Pursuer realized the danger and hurled the body away—but too late.
BOOM.
Its entire left arm was blown off. All tendrils destroyed. Several parts of its body were severely damaged.
"So close!"
"Damn it, that would've killed anything else!"
It wasn't a kill.
But it was a devastating hit.
Wind-Sleeps-In-The-Breeze and Bright-Moon-Over-Snow retreated while reloading.
The Pursuer charged. Its left arm useless but regenerating rapidly, its right arm still monstrously strong.
It leapt in to finish them.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
White Crane Hermit fired several shots—not at the Pursuer.
He shot the support beams of a massive billboard.
The structure collapsed instantly.
The giant metal sign fell straight onto the charging Pursuer, crushing it beneath thousands of pounds of debris.
Gasps erupted.
A master-level strike.
Precise. Timed perfectly. Brilliant.
As flames engulfed the scene, Wind-Sleeps-In-The-Breeze and Bright-Moon-Over-Snow emptied their magazines into the pile, then threw a Molotov.
The billboard ignited, flames roaring, burying everything below.