"Carter, we can't delay any longer. Let's finish off this Spikehorn Rhinoceros quickly. I can sense nearby magical beasts lurking, and they're not low-level. They're probably waiting for us to tire out before swooping in," urged the female archer, Jessier, breathlessly as she caught up with the high-level swordsman. Throughout their journey, she and her two teammates had already faced several waves of mid- to low-tier magical beasts. Jessier trusted her instincts, which were often spot on. It was precisely this intuition that had kept their team safe from significant harm while hunting magical beasts in the Qiqihar Mountains for nearly a month. Although she hadn't confirmed the presence of high-tier beasts nearby, her gut told her they couldn't afford to linger. If they waited until everyone was exhausted, it would be challenging to fend off an ambush in the dark.
Carter, the high-level swordsman, pushed back against the Spikehorn Rhinoceros's assault with a swift strike, then stepped back slightly to respond to Jessier. "Jessier, keep watch for us. We'll handle the Spikehorn Rhinoceros. I'll end this fight quickly. Moza, protect Allen. Allen, prepare some powerful spells to support me and Frosar. As for you, Rest, scout the area for the distribution of magical beasts. Everyone, stay alert for potential ambushes." After assigning these tasks, Carter returned to the fray to assist Frosar, who was now responsible for holding off the Spikehorn Rhinoceros after their warrior was injured.
The situation on the battlefield was favorable for the team, but the real challenge lay not in defeating the Spikehorn Rhinoceros they had been pursuing all day, but in dealing with the various magical beasts that might swoop in to take advantage of their efforts. During the day, it would have been difficult for magical beasts to ambush them, allowing them to clean up the battlefield with relative ease. However, due to the Rhino's formidable endurance, the battle had dragged on into the night. This was the time when many dangerous magical beasts roamed, and their ruckus had already attracted a lot of attention. Some beasts might be waiting for them to finish off the Spikehorn Rhinoceros before trying to snatch a piece of the spoils. After all, the team could only carry away a portion of the valuable materials; they couldn't possibly haul the entire carcass of the several-ton Spikehorn Rhinoceros. While the flesh of high-tier magical beasts was worth a lot, preserving it was challenging. They wouldn't mind leaving some of the meat for the lurking magical beasts in exchange for a bit of time to retreat.
However, Carter was most concerned about other high-tier magical beasts that might have their sights set on his team. Jessier's instincts had always been reliable; if she sensed high-tier beasts lurking nearby, it could spell trouble. They had been chasing for so long, from day to night, without much rest. While he felt he could still hold his own, the mage Allen and the female archer were already showing signs of fatigue, and their warrior Moza had sustained injuries from the Spikehorn Rhinoceros. If they didn't handle this situation well tonight, the team he had painstakingly organized could be lost.
Meanwhile, Fars, watching from above, was quite pleased. He knew these magical beasts were no pushovers; his neighbors were indeed cunning. From his vantage point in the sky, Fars could see the entire battlefield clearly, and the darkness posed no hindrance to him as a creature of the night. Within a ten-mile radius around the adventurers and the Spikehorn Rhinoceros, several powerful magical beasts were lurking. Only one of them was high-tier, and Fars was familiar with it; otherwise, he wouldn't have spotted it so quickly. The others were peak mid-tier beasts, either close to high-tier strength or possessing unique abilities due to their lineage. Fars had rarely encountered these beasts; the mid- to low-tier ones were usually more discreet, while the high-tier ones often strutted around boldly. However, the fact that these beasts weren't afraid of the adventurers and ignored the presence of the high-tier beast nearby indicated that they were formidable. If they teamed up, the adventurers would surely be doomed.
Fars was entertained by this outcome but also knew that conflicts among magical beasts were often brutal; they wouldn't coordinate their efforts and share the spoils. They preferred to wait for others to engage first and then swoop in to claim the leftovers. Fars was no exception to this rule, especially since he had likely gone unnoticed, making it even easier for him to take advantage of the chaos.
The battle continued with fervor, and it was evident that the Spikehorn Rhinoceros had exceptionally thick skin. Carter's sword, infused with fighting spirit, barely left a mark when it struck the thicker scales on its back. However, Carter's swordsmanship was impressive, and with Frosar's assistance, he consistently targeted the Rhino's more vulnerable areas, such as its head, neck, and underbelly. Jessier, stationed at a distance, also fired arrows to distract the Spikehorn Rhinoceros.
At that moment, Allen prepared his spell, conjuring a fireball that hurtled toward the Spikehorn Rhinoceros. Against such a thick-skinned beast, effective spells were hard to come by, and Allen's power was significantly lower than that of the Spikehorn Rhinoceros. Mental spells had little effect, so he could only bombard it with raw magic.
With Allen's magical support, the situation for the Spikehorn Rhinoceros worsened. Soon, it bore several new sword wounds and charred patches.
Frosar, who had been holding the line, seized the opportunity while the Spikehorn Rhinoceros was busy dodging Carter's attacks. He infused a large amount of fighting spirit into his great sword and struck down with a dazzling sword aura. Although Frosar's displayed strength hadn't yet reached that of a high-level swordsman, the combination of his body weight and the sword's heft allowed him to deliver a blow that rivaled Carter's. This strike undoubtedly inflicted significant damage on the Spikehorn Rhinoceros.
A mournful cry echoed for miles as the Spikehorn Rhinoceros realized it was in a dire situation. It no longer cared about Allen's spells or the swords slicing across its body; it began to stomp the ground with its hooves, letting out strange roars.
Carter sensed that the magical beast was about to go all out and quickly shouted, "Everyone, fall back!" However, he himself did not retreat, continuing to attack the Spikehorn Rhinoceros. He understood his own strength, but he wasn't sure if his teammates could withstand the beast's desperate counterattack.
The forest erupted into chaos as the lurking magical beasts began to withdraw. Clearly, the Spikehorn Rhinoceros was about to unleash its innate spell, and earth-based spells typically had a wide range. As long as they retreated a bit further, the impact wouldn't be significant. Most of the pressure would fall on Carter, who was at the center of the battle. Fortunately, the team's retreat was timely, and the thief, Rest, returned from scouting the area. Gathering together reduced the chances of being attacked individually by lurking magical beasts.
As the Spikehorn Rhinoceros prepared to unleash its spell, Carter also withdrew quickly, enveloping himself in a powerful aura of fighting spirit. The ground trembled violently with each stomp of the Spikehorn Rhinoceros, sending shockwaves that tore apart the earth within a ten-meter radius. Even though Jessier and the others had retreated far, they were still knocked down by the tremors. Thankfully, they had distanced themselves from the epicenter; otherwise, their formation would have been shattered.
The Spikehorn Rhinoceros's outburst didn't last long. After letting out another mournful cry, it gathered its remaining strength and charged at Carter. For someone as agile as Carter, dodging this attack wasn't difficult. However, having just been at the center of the earthquake, he struggled to maintain his balance and could only brace himself with his fighting spirit. Carter was knocked back, but thanks to the protection of his aura, he wasn't seriously harmed—though it did take a toll on his stamina, and he was close to exhaustion. Jessier rushed to where Carter had fallen, while Rest moved in for the final blow against the Spikehorn Rhinoceros, aiming to extract its magic core. The group dared not linger; securing the magic core was a victory in itself, and they could no longer afford to think about the Rhino's carcass. Leaving it behind might keep some opportunistic magical beasts occupied.
Fars, however, had no intention of intervening just yet. The real show was just beginning; the Spikehorn Rhinoceros's death had been anticipated and lacked excitement. The key was to see how the other magical beasts would perform.
Several mid-tier magical beasts clearly showed interest in the Spikehorn Rhinoceros's corpse, emerging around it, eager to claim it for themselves. The flesh of high-tier magical beasts was highly nutritious, making it one of the best supplements for the growth of lower-tier beasts. As for the magic core, only beasts of the same attribute could consume it and absorb its power. However, the Spikehorn Rhinoceros's magic core was already taken by humans. Fars lost interest in this scene; under normal circumstances, he would have been tempted to savor the blood of a high-tier magical beast. But now, with the prospect of more delectable human blood, he had no desire for such things.
Fars's main focus was on the movements of another high-tier magical beast. If it decided to attack the adventurers, whether it would succeed was uncertain, but it was clear that the team would suffer significant losses. The only member capable of directly countering a high-tier beast was already running low on energy, and the others were exhausted. They would likely struggle to fend off that beast.
As events unfolded, the high-tier beast could no longer contain itself and immediately emerged to pursue the adventurers. It was a burrowing mole, and while ordinary burrowing moles were typically low-tier, this one was clearly mutated, exhibiting characteristics that set it apart from its kind. Firstly, its size was over ten times larger than normal, rivaling that of a cow. Its sharp teeth resembled gleaming steel swords, and most notably, its eyes seemed to possess remarkable vision, glowing with an eerie green light in the darkness. Typically, burrowing moles lived underground or in burrows, and their eyesight was poor. Yet this one adeptly navigated obstacles, directly pursuing the fleeing adventurers.
Like the Spikehorn Rhinoceros, the burrowing mole was also an earth-type magical beast, likely most interested in the magic core in Rest's possession. This would provide a significant boost to its evolution.
The night was not the best environment for humans to fight, and the burrowing mole quickly caught up with the adventurers. Rest hurriedly handed the magic core to Jessier and turned to hold off the burrowing mole, buying his companions some time. The darkness posed little hindrance to a thief like Rest, who brandished his dagger and slashed at the burrowing mole. Despite its impressive size, the agile mole couldn't evade the attack, and blood droplets flew from the wound. This only made the burrowing mole more enraged, as it swung its long tail at Rest. Rest's goal was to delay the burrowing mole, so he avoided direct confrontation, instead focusing on distracting it.
The burrowing mole was fixated on the magic core and had little interest in tangling with Rest, but it was still injured and slowed down by the interference.
Both the burrowing mole and Fars shared a common weakness: they struggled during the day. Now that the night was well advanced, after two hours of pursuit, the burrowing mole would soon be unable to continue. If it didn't hurry to snatch the magic core, it would have to let the adventurers escape.
Both it and Fars were anxious. Time was running out, and regardless of the outcome, Fars needed to return to the ruins to avoid the daylight. Reluctantly, after following for a while longer, he decided to head back to the ruins and wait for the next night to come out and scout again.