"CHARGE—!"

  Blood Wolf drew the Holy Knight Sword in a blur of motion. His Battle Qi surged madly into the blade, causing it to erupt with a blinding, sacred brilliance that rivaled the sun itself.

  [Skill: Holy Radiance!]

  In that split second, a phantom image of a colossal knight holding a massive shield materialized behind Blood Wolf, standing tall between heaven and earth. Though it flashed for only an instant, its majestic and imposing aura made everyone’s heart skip a beat.

  BOOM—!

  A dull, thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield as the Iron-Mountain Behemoth collided with Blood Wolf.

  A shockwave of sound erupted, instantly kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

  As the dust settled, the spectators stared in disbelief. The Behemoth, a creature with the mass of a small mountain, had been stopped cold. It couldn't advance a single inch past the human knight.

  "How is that possible?!"

  Berserk Bear’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

  The others weren’t fairing much better. They stood frozen in place, jaws dropped, completely forgetting their retreat. No one had held any hope that Blood Wolf could actually stop the monster.

  But the scene before them shattered their understanding of reality.

  A Level 40 Guardian Knight had forcibly halted a charging Level 60 Behemoth. Even the most exaggerated hero legends wouldn't dare write something so absurd.

  "The weapons from the Boss's shop... are seriously handy," Blood Wolf wheezed, his voice strained.

  He was locked in his stance, unable to move a muscle.

  Holy Radiance (Active Skill):

  Description: A Knight's duty is fearlessness! Within the light of the Holy Radiance, the user enters a state of Absolute Defense but is immobilized and cannot attack.

  Buff: All allies within range receive a 100% increase to all stats (Double Attributes).

  Duration: 10 minutes.

  Cooldown: 12 hours.

  It was this state of Absolute Defense that allowed Blood Wolf to tank the Behemoth's charge. While Rare-grade weapons had strict usage requirements, their burst potential was terrifying.

  The shock didn't last long. The members of the Blood Wolf Squad were mentally prepared. They had long since stopped being surprised by the miracles of Kael's equipment.

  "KILL!"

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  With a roar that shook the sky, the Blood Wolf Squad swarmed out, charging straight into the monster horde.

  Thanks to their recent earnings, a significant portion of the squad had upgraded to Superior-grade equipment. Combined with the hellish torture they endured daily in the Combat Simulation Room against those four monsters, every member was now worth ten ordinary soldiers.

  Even City Guards equipped with Superior gear couldn't compare. The gap in combat technique and battle awareness was simply too wide.

  "City Lord Qin, get ready. I’m going to finish that thing off."

  Tiger-Hunt grinned, reaching back to grip the handle of the Dragon-Rune Greataxe on his back.

  He stomped down. The granite of the city wall cracked under his feet, leaving two distinct depressions.

  Tiger-Hunt launched himself like a cannonball, soaring from the wall.

  As he approached the space above the Behemoth, the golden light radiating from Blood Wolf washed over him.

  Holy Radiance: Ally Stats Doubled.

  Tiger-Hunt was already a Berserker, a class specialized in raw power. With his strength doubled, his muscles swelled with explosive energy.

  He drew the Dragon-Rune Greataxe in mid-air and brought it down with the force of a collapsing mountain.

  CLANG—!

  The axe blade met the Behemoth’s armor, creating a deafening sound of metal on metal.

  The Behemoth’s thick, stump-like legs buckled under the terrifying impact.

  THUD!

  The ground screamed. Dust billowed upwards. The earth beneath the Behemoth’s feet shattered in concentric circles, sending rocks flying as cracks spread outward like a spiderweb. The sheer force of the blow hammered the monster's legs deep into the soil.

  "Not enough!"

  Tiger-Hunt raised the Greataxe again. The sharp blade glinted with a chilling light.

  In a fluid motion, he tossed a Minor Strength Pill and a Strength Pill into his mouth. They dissolved into a warm current, rushing through his body, further amplified by his passive skill, Hot-Blooded Combination.

  Add to that the permanent attack boost from the Demon Blood Pill he had consumed previously.

  Add to that the double-stat buff from Blood Wolf’s Holy Radiance.

  At this moment, Tiger-Hunt's attack power far exceeded anything a Berserker of his level should possess.

  "This is... my strongest strike!"

  Every muscle in Tiger-Hunt’s body bulged, veins throbbing as boiling blood rushed through them. Battle Qi wrapped around the Dragon-Rune Greataxe.

  ** Axe Fall!**

  A flash of cold light. A spray of hot blood.

  [Trigger: Shatter Effect!]

  Before the Dragon-Rune Greataxe, the Behemoth's impenetrable armor was as fragile as a sheet of paper. The blade tore through the shell instantly. The knotted muscles beneath were twisted and shredded by the violent force.

  The axe didn't stop. It cleaved down, smashing into the monster's spine—a bone as hard as diamond.

  Crack.

  The spine was severed.

  "ROAR—!"

  The Iron-Mountain Behemoth let out a wretched, mournful cry. Massive amounts of blood gushed from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the ground.

  With its spine broken, the mountain collapsed. Even a true dragon would fall if its spine were severed, let alone a beast with only a trace of dragon blood.

  Tiger-Hunt gasped for air, his stamina drained by that single, cataclysmic strike.

  It hadn't been easy. The Iron-Mountain Behemoth had zero offensive capability beyond its charge; all its evolution points were dumped into defense. Its bones were harder than its armor.

  If Tiger-Hunt hadn't lucked out and triggered the Shatter effect of the Greataxe, he might have broken the armor but failed to sever the spine. As he said, that was his all-or-nothing shot. He didn't have the stamina for a second try.

  "It's over."

  Ignoring the pool of blood beneath him, Tiger-Hunt sat down directly on the Behemoth's back.

  The beast wasn't dead yet, but it was paralyzed. Lying there, its massive body now served as a barricade to protect Cloud Mist City.

  "Nice work." Blood Wolf, still immobilized by his skill, signaled with his eyes.

  "Right back at you." Tiger-Hunt gave him a thumbs-up.

  Meanwhile, the Blood Wolf Squad, still glowing with the Holy Radiance buff, crashed into the monster horde.

  With doubled stats, they were unstoppable. The combat techniques they had learned through countless deaths in the simulation room were now being put to practical use.

  They moved like wolves among sheep.