Chapter 453: A One-Sided Hunt
Blackscale Bluff was riddled with caves of every size.
Some were little more than narrow openings in the rock, while others were large enough to swallow entire groups of adventurers. Their depths were impossible to judge from the outside. All of them were remnants of the mining operations that had once flourished here fifteen hundred years ago, and together they covered the face of the enormous cliff like scars left behind by a forgotten age.
Marcus found himself wanting to explore them. The women clearly felt the same way. Unfortunately, curiosity alone wasn’t enough.
The skies in front of the bluff were patrolled by large numbers of Corrupted Clawers and Corrupted Ghouls, all around level eighty. They drifted between the cave entrances like vigilant guards. Even if Marcus wanted to investigate, his current strength wasn’t enough to force his way through. And the caves themselves weren’t any safer.
According to the information on Silas the Wanderer’s map, level eighty Corrupted Blackscale creatures roamed the tunnels within.
Blackscale Bluff had long since become Demon Clan territory. The lingering Demonic Energy had transformed the entire region into a stronghold for corrupted monsters, and without enough power, entering the deeper areas was little different from seeking death. It was also the reason Blackscale Ore had become so scarce throughout the Dreamland Continent. The ore still existed, but almost nobody could mine it anymore.
"Brother, Boarmen!"
Amber pointed excitedly toward a group of monsters wandering in the distance. The creatures walked upright like humans, but their bodies and heads were unmistakably those of wild boars. Each carried a long blade and moved in organized patrols.
"And there are Ratmen too."
Several rat-like creatures were mixed among them. Unlike the Boarmen, they carried staffs rather than weapons, making their role obvious at a glance: spellcasters.
Marcus followed her gaze and smiled. "We can level here."
The outskirts of Blackscale Bluff were exactly what he had been looking for. The monsters in this area were around level fifty-five, strong enough to provide excellent experience while still remaining manageable. More importantly, there were plenty of them.
"Awesome!"
Amber’s eyes immediately lit up. After confirming there were no other players nearby, she summoned her mount, Amethyst, and drew Spirit of the Maple Leaf. Her posture straightened as she entered combat mode, the excitement in her eyes impossible to miss.
Marcus couldn’t help smiling. The cheerful girl who spent most of her time acting cute disappeared the moment a fight was about to begin. In her place stood a confident knight eager to charge into battle.
To be fair, among all the women present, Amber was the only one who could genuinely handle monsters at this level on her own. Between her Mythic Artifact and her impressive equipment, she was far stronger than ordinary players. Of course, Marcus didn’t actually need anyone else to fight.
"Everyone stay close."
With a thought, he switched back to his mount, Blackie, the Nightmare Dragon Steed. One after another, his companions appeared. The two Sea Demon Souls. Pebble. Goldie. Wyvern Saint Knight Lyanna. Vixen Queen Camillo. And finally, the Seven-Colored Divine Eagle. The moment they appeared, Marcus activated his buffs, and layers of enhancement effects covered him as his already terrifying stats climbed even higher.
"Ah..."
Icefall and Firebrand couldn’t help letting out soft gasps. Before today, they had only heard stories. FreshwindElara and their grandfather, Old Vine, had mentioned Marcus’s equipment more than once. They knew he was the mysterious knight dominating Dominion’s Level Rankings. But hearing about it and seeing it firsthand were two completely different experiences.
The buffs alone were impressive enough. The real shock came from the creatures standing beside him. The Sea Demon Souls. The dragon-riding Saint Knight. The fox queen whose beauty bordered on unreal. And above them all, the Seven-Colored Divine Eagle. Every single one looked extraordinary.
Icefall and Firebrand found themselves staring at Marcus. The man they knew seemed completely different now. Mounted atop Blackie, holding a massive golden shield in one hand and the Corpse Demon Dark Soul Sword in the other, he looked every bit like a battlefield commander. The dark energy surrounding the sword, combined with the pressure radiating from his equipment, gave him an imposing presence that was difficult to ignore. Even the atmosphere around him felt different. Focused, and sangerous.
"Damn..." Firebrand muttered under her breath. "He actually looks cool."
She wasn’t the only one thinking it.
Then the others began summoning their own companions. FreshwindElara called forth Goldie, the Three-Winged Dark Gold Bat King. Lily summoned her Darkfire Phoenix. Chloe called out her Cloud-Mist Gale Steed. Amber sat proudly atop her Violet Thunderwing Steed. As Icefall and Firebrand looked around, they gradually realized something ridiculous. Almost every famous pet and mount currently occupying the top rankings had gathered in one place. And most of them belonged to Marcus and the women around him. The sight was absurd.
Yet the surprises weren’t finished. After Marcus completed his buffs, Lily and FreshwindElara stepped forward and began casting support spells. Holy light descended. Elemental energy gathered. Buff after buff settled over the entire group. Since their classes were different, their skills didn’t conflict. Instead, the effects stacked together perfectly. Marcus felt his already impressive attributes rise even further.
Satisfied, he nodded. "Ladies, follow me."
The hunt began.
The two Sea Demon Souls charged ahead first, accompanied by Pebble. Their job was simple: establish aggro and control the battlefield. Marcus followed close behind with the rest of his companions while the women remained safely in the rear.
As soon as they crossed into the monster territory, the nearby Boarmen and Ratmen noticed them. The Boarmen immediately lowered their blades and charged. The Ratmen raised their staffs and began chanting spells. But before either side could attack properly, the Sea Demon Souls activated their enhanced Taunt abilities. Every monster in range instantly locked onto them. Physical attacks. Magic attacks. Every single one was redirected toward the two Sea Demon Souls.
Marcus was still outside attack range, giving him enough time to use Insight.
—
Corrupted Boarman
Level 55
HP: 23,000
Once an ordinary wild boar living around Blackscale Bluff. After being corrupted by Demonic Energy, it evolved into a demonized creature.
Abilities:
Demonic Recovery: Restores HP by absorbing nearby Demonic Energy.
Skills:
Boar Charge. Triple Blade Combo
*
Corrupted Ratman
Level 55
HP: 20,000
Once an ordinary rat living near Blackscale Bluff. Corrupted by Demonic Energy and transformed into a demonized creature.
Abilities:
Earth Shift: Instantly teleports up to five meters when HP falls below 10%.
Skills:
Intermediate Earth Magic
Dark Magic Stone: A specialized spell developed by Corrupted Ratmen that combines Earth Magic with Demonic Energy, increasing damage while causing a powerful blinding effect.
—
Marcus nodded. Level fifty-five monsters. Strong enough to be worthwhile.
"We’re clearing them."
The moment the Ratmen launched their first volley of spells at the Sea Demon Souls, Marcus moved. Pebble surged forward beside him.
"Hundred Phantom Strike!"
The Corpse Demon Dark Soul Sword exploded into motion. Countless blade shadows appeared at once, crashing into the tightly packed monsters surrounding the Sea Demon Souls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of heavy impacts echoed across the battlefield. Damage numbers rose everywhere.
7,000.
7,000.
7,000.
Combined with Pebble’s attacks, each monster instantly lost nearly fifteen thousand HP. Marcus clicked his tongue. No critical hits. Otherwise, the entire group would have died immediately.
Even so, the monsters never had a chance. Goldie dove from the sky. Lyanna charged straight into the middle of the battlefield. Camillo followed with a barrage of attacks. The remaining health bars vanished almost instantly. In only a few seconds, the entire pack had been wiped out.
"Ah... Brother..."
Amber looked at Marcus with an aggrieved expression. She had spent the entire trip looking forward to this. She’d already drawn Spirit of the Maple Leaf and was fully prepared to unleash Fluttering Maple Leaves, her favorite area attack skill. Instead, Marcus and his pets had erased the entire group before she could even swing her weapon.
The attack she’d been so eager to show off never even left the starting line.
