The battle was far from over.
Behind the rampaging Demon Ape, two massive figures emerged from the forest.
One was the heavily armored 【Rock Shell Lizard Lv29 (Elite)】, covered in thick rocky plates like a moving fortress.
The other was slightly smaller but extremely fast, its claws gleaming with a metallic chill—the 【Razorclaw Terror Wolf Lv32 (Elite)】.
“Damn, buy one get two?” Leo’s eyelid twitched.
Was this monster wave’s lineup a bit too extravagant? Sending out three elite monsters all at once.
If he hadn’t been leveling up diligently and happened to run into Irina and Shi Xin’s team, relying only on his previous setup, he’d probably be wiped out.
“Captain Kaiden, I’m counting on you for that big lizard—can you hold it?” Leo shouted.
“No problem!” Kaiden roared, handing over the rampaging Demon Ape to Alice and the Bone Puppet, then turned to face the Rock Shell Lizard.
“Or and Xia, you two handle the wolf—watch out for its claws!”
“Understood!” they replied in unison.
“Emily, Irina, keep clearing the trash mobs! Don’t let them interfere!”
“Got it!”
“Understood!”
Leo quickly made the personnel adjustments. He focused all his attention on the battle against the rampaging Demon Ape alongside Alice and the Bone Puppet.
He continuously summoned new skeleton soldiers and venomous spiders as cannon fodder to wear down the ape’s berserk state, used water elementals to sustain Alice’s HP, and had the skeleton mages constantly apply debuffs.
The battlefield was divided into three sectors.
Alice and the Bone Puppet took the main attack, with Leo supporting them against the rampaging Demon Ape.
Kaiden alone held the Rock Shell Lizard, using his indestructible giant shield to firmly block the moving fortress in place.
Xia and Or, taking advantage of their Ranger and Rogue mobility, engaged in hit-and-run tactics with the swift Razorclaw Terror Wolf.
Irina and Emily, the two mages, formed a rear artillery position, unleashing devastating spells to slaughter the continuously pouring in low-level monsters.
The fight reached a fever pitch.
Though fierce, the rampaging Demon Ape’s wounds grew deeper under Alice’s precise and deadly strikes and the Bone Puppet’s reckless charges, its movements increasingly sluggish.
Its berserk state was fading, but at the cost of becoming weak.
“Now’s the time!” Leo’s eyes flashed with a brilliant light.
Alice understood immediately and unleashed the Knight’s attack skill once more.
【Divine Strike!】
Holy light surged to its peak on her knight’s sword, shining so brightly it was hard to look directly at.
She sidestepped the ape’s feeble blow, her longsword transforming into a silver streak, piercing fiercely into the ape’s heart.
Puh—
The sword passed through.
The rampaging Demon Ape froze in place. It lowered its head to look at the blade piercing its chest, the madness in its crimson eyes fading rapidly, replaced by a void of deathly silence.
Its massive body swayed, then weakly knelt before collapsing with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.
【Killed Lv32 Elite Monster ‘Rampaging Demon Ape’, gained 3333 experience points.】
Leo’s system notification rang in his ears, but he had no time to pay attention.
“One down! Captain Kaiden, we’re coming to help!”
He immediately commanded the freed Alice and Bone Puppet to rush toward Kaiden’s position.
Kaiden’s situation wasn’t good.
Though he held off the Rock Shell Lizard’s attacks, the creature’s collision force was enormous, cracks spreading across his shield; his hand was bleeding from the impact.
With Alice and Bone Puppet joining in, the tide instantly turned.
The lizard’s proud defense was as fragile as paper before Alice’s knight’s sword, which could even cut through holy light.
The Bone Puppet’s extra damage to structures proved surprisingly effective against this rock-type monster as well.
Within five minutes, the elite monster met the same fate as the Demon Ape, reduced to a pile of rubble beneath the trio’s assault.
【Killed Lv29 Elite Monster ‘Rock Shell Lizard’, gained 2829 experience points.】
Only one remained.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to the Razorclaw Terror Wolf still entangled with Xia and Or.
The terror wolf was extremely agile, using its incredible speed to avoid direct confrontations, constantly weaving around to find openings.
Though Xia and Or cooperated well, they could only barely contain it, unable to deal significant damage.
“All units, focus fire on the wolf!” Leo ordered.
Alice, Bone Puppet, Kaiden, and even Irina and Emily, who had just finished clearing a group of mobs, locked their attacks on the Razorclaw Terror Wolf.
Overwhelmed by attacks from all sides, the terror wolf finally panicked. It let out a frustrated howl and tried to break through the encirclement.
But it was too late.
A massive spider web descended from above, trapping it tightly.
Then came Alice’s Holy Light Slash, Kaiden’s shield slam, Irina’s Arcane Missiles, Emily’s Ice Arrows…
Countless attacks poured down on it like a storm.
Finally, the fire elemental summoned by Leo delivered the finishing blow.
A blazing fireball completely engulfed the elite terror wolf.
【Killed Lv32 Elite Monster ‘Razorclaw Terror Wolf’, gained 3229 experience points.】
【Congratulations, you have reached Lv39!】
With the last elite monster down, the remaining low-level mobs lost their leader and scattered, fleeing in panic back into the Black Forest.
The fierce battle, which had lasted nearly an hour, finally drew to a close.
The battlefield was a mess, monster corpses piled high, and the air thick with the stench of blood and scorched flesh.
Everyone was gasping for breath, with Irina and Emily collapsing onto the ground, panting heavily—the stamina of mages was truly fragile.
Leo himself felt his spirit waver; his mana was nearly depleted.
He dismissed most of his summons, leaving only a few water elementals to heal the party.
The setting sun cast its last rays, dyeing the battlefield a stunning shade of crimson.
Leo looked at the scattered loot, then at the comrades who had fought shoulder to shoulder with him, a genuine smile breaking across his face.
It seemed his fate was not yet sealed.
“Everyone,” he cleared his throat, drawing their attention, “thanks for the help. Tonight, the celebration feast is on me!”