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Just like the other resource points, **Lanheart Grove** was vast, surrounded by an endless white barrier that obscured the view of what lay inside. However, outside the barrier, the number of monsters was fewer than expected—around a thousand at most.
"Let's take them down!" Alex declared after observing for a while. Leading the group of over a thousand people, they charged at the monsters.
With the revival pool eliminating the fear of permanent death, many in the group fought with newfound bravery. After more than a week of monster hunting, the humans had become significantly stronger than the monsters. While their stats were similar, human adaptability and their growing experience in battle gave them an edge. Their teamwork, honed over time, allowed them to take on monsters in equal numbers.
It took nearly an hour to clear the monsters due to the relatively small size of the group, but thankfully, casualties were minimal.
The fight left Megan utterly shocked. At her outpost, they would never have been able to clear such a large number of monsters with so few people. In her experience, R-level Ascendants like herself were the main combatants, while N-level Ascendants played a minimal role. But in Alex's group, it was different. The N-level Ascendants fought bravely and effectively, with the R-level fighters serving as emergency support. This method not only saved energy but also significantly reduced the number of casualties.
What puzzled Megan even more was Alex himself—the young man called the "City Lord." He hadn't lifted a finger throughout the entire battle, yet his presence alone seemed to inspire confidence in the others. She noticed a fervent look in the eyes of many as they glanced at him, almost as if they were devoted followers.
And according to the rumors, Alex had already successfully led two resource point captures the day before—something Megan had thought impossible.
"Look! The barrier is disappearing!" someone shouted.
"There are so many monsters inside!"
"The resource point has been taken over by monsters!"
"Yeah, the green marker on the map just turned into a red triangle!"
The sudden shift caught everyone off guard. When they looked again at Lanheart Grove, what had once been a peaceful grassy plain was now littered with monster corpses, and a chilling atmosphere filled the air.
As they finished off the nearby monsters, Alex and his group received a new task notification. Unlike previous resource captures, this one was for reclaiming a monster nest.
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**[D-level Task: Reclaim the First-Level Monster Nest]**
**Description:** This monster nest has taken over an N-level resource point and is filled with monsters. Reclaiming it will yield valuable resources!
**Capture Conditions:** Defeat all monsters in the nest and complete the resource point retrieval.
**Side Quest 1:** Defeat 30 Lesser Spider Reapers (0/30)
**Side Quest 2:** Defeat 10 Greater Spider Reapers (0/10)
**Side Quest 3:** Defeat the Elite Spider Reaper (0/1)
**Side Quest 4:** Defeat the Nest Boss "Belos Lord"
**Side Quest 5:** Destroy the Belos Crystal
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"These monsters must have just taken over this resource point," Alex deduced. "Let's take them down before they fully recover!"
Though there were quite a few monsters, a closer look revealed that the live ones numbered fewer than two thousand, with many dead or wounded. It was clear that the monsters had suffered significant losses while capturing the resource point. With confidence, the group quickly decided to strike the weakened monster nest.
"Are you all insane?! There are so many monsters inside, and we just finished a battle!" Megan protested, incredulous at the group's confidence. Defeating the monsters they had just fought had already been a remarkable feat, but now they were planning to charge into a monster nest? It was madness in her eyes.
Seeing Megan's fearful expression, Sarah chuckled and reassured her, "Don't worry. With Alex around, we just need to handle the small fry."
Megan didn't fully understand Sarah's words, but unable to stop the group's decision, she reluctantly followed along, feeling a sense of dread.
As they entered the nest, Alex and his group quickly realized that many of the monsters were busy "digging" into the resource point, seemingly excavating something underground or expanding the nest itself.
When the monsters noticed the humans, they let out angry screeches and rushed forward to attack.
Chris and the others were undeterred, charging forward with their weapons. But it didn't take long for them to notice something odd about these creatures.
"Be careful! These monsters seem stronger than usual!"
"Could the nest be giving them some kind of boost?"
Others quickly caught on as well. The monsters were far more aggressive, and their attacks hit harder than normal—by a significant margin. This was bad news for the group.
With their current stats, fighters like Dan had around 200-300 health, and with monsters now dishing out close to 20 damage per hit, even small mistakes could be deadly. Especially for the weaker N-level Ascendants, who had only around 100 health, surviving more than a few hits was unlikely.
"We need to retreat while we still can!" Megan shouted. In her mind, retreating was the only logical option in such a dangerous situation. But to her horror, Alex had already dashed deep into the nest, leaving the rest of the group to deal with the front lines. With their leader charging ahead, no one else seemed willing to listen to her.
"Look! There's a massive monster over there!" someone shouted amidst the chaos.
A few observant members of the group noticed something shocking in the distance: a massive blue creature, much larger than the usual monsters. The creature's body was as tall as a two-story building, and the twin scythes it wielded made a distinct, terrifying sound as they sliced through the air.
Megan also spotted the giant creature and immediately recognized it as either the "Elite Reaper" or the "Belos Lord" itself. Its sheer size hinted at immense strength, and for a moment, despair threatened to consume her. But then she saw something unexpected—someone was rushing toward the massive monster.
It was Alex.
What happened next left everyone stunned. As Alex closed in on the creature, he unleashed a devastating slash with his violet blade. The arc of his swing left a visible ripple in the air, and as the blade connected with the enormous monster, it cleaved through its body with ease. The sound of the impact echoed loudly, and in a flash, the giant reaper's body was split cleanly in two.
Chunks of flesh flew upward from the creature's body, a gruesome sight of raw power and precision.