"What? You're saying this is the Venomous Cat's home turf?"
Hearing Lucas's warning, Jeff recalled the official Gloomy Forest guide mentioning a Venomous Cat residing in a swamp here.
Running into a BOSS in a dungeon is rare, so they didn't expect to encounter it twice. Now realizing the danger, Jeff's face turned pale.
"No worries. We're still far from the swamp, so as long as we stay clear, we shouldn't attract its attention."
Lucas gestured for them to stay calm as he slowly began to back away. Right now, he didn't stand a chance against the Venomous Cat.
Boom!
At that moment, the transfer students had started fighting, clearing the nearby cat monsters around the swamp and drawing out the Venomous Cat.
"They actually dared?" Emily said, wide-eyed. Few have dared to take on a BOSS outside the Loran Forest's depths, especially in these initial-level dungeons.
"These two are reckless. Let's move farther back before we get caught in this." Lucas's expression darkened as he hoped the Venomous Cat wouldn't turn its attention on them.
"Roar!"
A fierce roar erupted from the swamp, loud enough for Lucas and his friends to hear even from a distance.
Fortunately, Lucas's team retreated quickly, and with the disturbance focused on the swamp, the Venomous Cat ignored them entirely.
"Look at the size of that thing!" Finn chuckled, conjuring a storm of dust and sand that whipped toward the Venomous Cat.
Harvey, with a cold look, also attacked, unleashing a fiery whirlwind in its direction, heat radiating from all around the BOSS.
The Venomous Cat smirked, dodging both attacks with a lightning-quick leap that left the two stunned.
"Impressive," Harvey murmured, then launched a powerful gust that fueled his flames, creating an even stronger firestorm that engulfed the Venomous Cat.
Buzz!
The Venomous Cat bristled, letting out a shockwave that collided with the flames.
Boom!
A fierce explosion shook the battleground as waves of force flung rocks and debris into the air.
As the dust settled, the Venomous Cat and Harvey both looked worse for wear, covered in cuts and scrapes. Harvey's confident expression turned serious.
"Looks like other dungeons aren't as easy as the beginner ones," Finn muttered, activating a water-based skill to soak the dust and turn it into heavy, fast-moving mud that he launched at the Venomous Cat.
The Venomous Cat roared, spitting poison, fiercely battling the two. It was clear it was losing ground, inching closer to defeat.
"Could those transfer students actually defeat the Venomous Cat?" Jeff asked in disbelief, awe clear on his face.
Jack was equally uncertain. "Maybe. With their combo skills, they might actually beat this beginner-level dungeon."
The group watched with bated breath, captivated by the battle unfolding before them.
"Not so sure," Lucas murmured. The Venomous Cat wasn't easy to beat, and he was starting to feel the weight of the upcoming exam.
Even the combined efforts of L City had only managed to defeat a Venomous Cat five times in recorded history. The fact that these two transfer students could even attempt such a feat was not good news for him.
Just as Jeff's group began to think Harvey and Finn would pull it off, something unexpected happened.
Clang, clang!
Statues around the swamp emitted invisible sound waves, disrupting Harvey and Finn's flames and dust, scattering them instantly.
"Retreat!" Harvey shouted as flames erupted from his feet, propelling him away.
Finn activated an escape skill, covering himself in a liquid that allowed him to slip away at high speed.
The Venomous Cat glared at them but didn't pursue, returning to the swamp without a second glance at Lucas's group.
"They failed?"
Jeff exhaled in relief, saying, "Those transfer students are strong, but even they couldn't beat a beginner dungeon BOSS. L City only managed it with military support."
Lucas nodded. "Still, they're powerful. They've mastered three initial-level skills: two for attacking and one for escape—pretty ideal."
It was already rare to have initial-level skills, and combining them was practically priceless.
Lucas was also surprised by the Venomous Cat's ability to activate the statues. In the game, he'd never seen this happen, but he noted it as a useful tip.
"Why would such skilled students come to L City and compete for spots here?" Emily muttered, clearly displeased.
"Let's forget about them," Lucas replied. "We should focus on maxing our stats before the exam."
Jeff and the others agreed, steering clear of the swamp as they headed deeper into the forest.
They began another round of training. With their armor, they felt bolder, unafraid of ambushes by the cat monsters.
Lucas put his game on hold, occasionally stepping in to defeat the cat monsters himself, his arrow skills growing more precise with each shot.
As for his dual-casting, he preferred to keep it as a hidden advantage for emergencies.
By the end of the afternoon, they'd collected hundreds of dust shards. Lucas claimed the majority, around 150 shards, since he did most of the hunting while Jeff and the others mainly distracted the monsters.
Emily, however, stood out, able to take on two cat monsters alone, making Lucas wonder if she was truly suited for the healer role she'd chosen.
Jeff and Jack had struggled, though. Without their armor, they'd likely have been covered in scratches by now.
Lucas glanced at them, frowning. "Start refining the dust shards to boost your stats. It might make things easier."