Location: Inside the Glitchy Gate (The Primeval Forest - The Apex Den)
Date & Time: Day 7 (Unknown External Time)
The scene outside the cavern had devolved into a one-sided slaughter. The N.D.A.I. B-Rank leader was now completely disarmed, holding nothing but the useless hilt of a shattered D-Rank sword. His breathing was ragged, his lungs burning with every gasp.
He was utilizing his 120,000 MP speed to barely dodge the crushing claws of the 180,000 MP colossal bear. But dodging was not winning. In a war of attrition, his exhaustion was a death sentence. Nearby, the four C-Rankers stood helpless; their own fractured blades were useless in a clash of this magnitude.
From his perch atop the eighty-foot ancient tree, Rudra observed the catastrophe with cold, unblinking eyes. His mind, void of emotion, constructed new equations with every passing second.
"Their weapons have failed them," Rudra noted in a flat tone to Ruin Soul. "What happens now?"
Ruin Soul remained silent for a heartbeat, conducting a final mathematical analysis of the bear's speed, the Leader's flagging stamina, and the unarmed squad.
"Their calculation was flawed. They believed MP alone would secure victory, forgetting the necessity of weapon grade," Ruin Soul replied. "If this B-Rank Boss is to be ended... I see only one path remaining."
Rudra rested his hand on the hilt of his upgraded C+ Blood Crescent. He already knew the move.
"That B-Rank leader is our only variable for survival," Ruin Soul's icy voice resonated. "He has the B-Rank mana but lacks the tool. Your dagger possesses C+ durability; it can withstand the pressure of his mana. Draw your blade and give it to him."
Rudra hesitated for a micro-second. Giving away his most valuable asset to a stranger seemed like a tactical error, but the math was undeniable: if the leader fell, Rudra—with his 43,820 MP—wouldn't last a minute against the Boss.
He drew the dagger without a flicker of emotion and called out from the darkness of the canopy.
"Catch this!"
The voice echoed across the battlefield as Rudra hurled his dagger toward the leader with pinpoint accuracy.
Below, the leader—struggling to stay alive—was momentarily jarred by the sudden voice. His mind raced: Who is in the trees? The D-Rankers fled! Whose voice is that? The interference nearly cost him his life, but a B-Ranker's combat reflexes operated faster than conscious thought. From the corner of his eye, he saw a dark-red blade slicing through the air. In a pure reflex action, he reached out and snatched the hilt mid-air.
The moment the dagger touched his palm, the leader's confusion vanished, replaced by a surge of hope. He felt the weight and density of the metal. This wasn't a cheap D-Rank toy. It was a high-tier C+ Rank weapon.
Without wasting a heartbeat, he channeled his remaining 120,000 MP of compressed mana into the small blade.
The dagger did not shatter. Instead, the entire blade erupted in a blinding radiance, crackling with blue lightning. The weapon had reached its lethal peak.
The Boss, assuming the leader was still toothless, lunged with its massive maw wide, intending to swallow him whole.
But the leader was no longer dodging. With B-Rank speed and a lightning-charged blade, he moved like a blur, slipping inside the Boss's guard.
The First Strike: The leader drove the dagger deep into the bear's massive chest. The B-Rank mana combined with the C+ blade tore through the 180,000 MP hide like it was wet paper. The dagger sank in, reaching the vicinity of the beast's heart.
ROOOAARRR! The bear let out an ear-splitting shriek that shook the entire forest. It wasn't a roar of anger; it was the scream of the dying.
The Second Strike: The leader didn't stop. Exploiting the scream, he ripped the dagger out and leaped high into the air. The lightning-charged blade moved in a blur, tracing a perfect, invisible arc through the air.
SKRCHH! A sickening sound of severing bone and sinew followed. The colossal B-Rank Boss's head was completely severed from its shoulders. The head hit the ground with a sickening thud, followed by a geyser of blood that sprayed toward the darkened sky. The massive carcass collapsed with a tremor that felt like a localized earthquake.
A heavy, deathly silence descended over the clearing.
Miles away, the D-Rank Dungers fleeing through the dark skidded to a halt. They turned back. They had heard that final shriek—a sound distinctly different from the earlier roars.
And in the next moment, they saw it. From the direction of the battlefield, a pillar of golden light pierced the dense fog and reached toward the heavens. It was the unmistakable, divine signal of a Boss's Mana Core shattering upon death.
The fear vanished from their faces. They understood. Their leader had ended the impossible threat. Together, they began to trek back toward the source of the golden light.
Chapter Summary
The Intervention: Rudra realizes the leader cannot win without a weapon and throws his C+ Blood Crescent to him.
The Infusion: The B-Rank Leader infuses the dagger with Blue Lightning mana, pushing the weapon to its limit without it shattering.
The Execution: Using the dagger, the Leader delivers two lethal strikes—piercing the heart and decapitating the B-Rank Boss Bear.
The Aftermath: A golden light signals the Boss's death, prompting the scattered D-Rankers to return to the clearing.
Current Status:
Boss: Dead (B-Rank).
Leader: Victorious but heavily exhausted.
Rudra: Still hidden, weaponless for the moment.