The City Guards stood frozen, staring at the scene before them in stunned silence, unable to believe their own eyes.

  The Iron-Mountain Behemoth, which had been an unstoppable force only moments ago, was now sprawled helplessly on the ground. Everyone wondered: what kind of titanic strength did the man sitting on its back possess? To bring such a monster to its knees with a mere two strikes was beyond comprehension.

  The mercenaries—those who had scrambled in panic after the beast was initially halted—now looked at Tiger-Hunt as if he were a freak of nature. As fellow denizens of Cloud Mist City, they had all heard of Tiger-Hunt’s reputation, but they never imagined he had ascended to such a level of power.

  The defensive hide of an Iron-Mountain Behemoth was notorious; even a Level 60 Grandmaster-rank expert would find it difficult to pierce. Yet, before Tiger-Hunt, it had been as fragile as wet paper. Two simple cleaves had severed its spine. Such destructive output was nothing short of horrific.

  Berserk Bear, who had been the first to flee when the monster appeared, stood rooted to the spot. It was terrifying enough that Blood Wolf had intercepted the charge, but Tiger-Hunt’s feat was utterly inconceivable.

  "These people... they're monsters," he muttered.

  Qin Ming cast a surprised glance at the duo, but his eyes quickly sharpened as he noticed the weapons in their hands.

  "I truly didn't expect them to actually take down the Behemoth," Qin Ming muttered, a rare smile tugging at his lips before he regained his stern military bearing.

  "All City Guards, hear my command! Assist the Blood Wolf Squad! Exterminate the horde!"

  It wasn't that Qin Ming was unaware Kael’s shop sold these weapons. However, the Holy Knight Sword had a strict requirement: it could only be wielded by a Guardian Knight of Class-rank or higher. In the hands of any other class, it was no better than a rusted iron blade. The Dragon-Rune Greataxe operated under similar restrictions.

  It wasn't that Qin Ming didn't want to use them; he simply couldn't.

  Fortunately, both Tiger-Hunt and Blood Wolf had reached Class-rank just before the tide hit. Otherwise, this single Behemoth would have left Cloud Mist City defenseless. Now, the tables had turned. The monster horde was being slaughtered and driven back, leaving behind a carpet of carcasses as they retreated in disgrace toward the forest.

  Watching the retreating beasts, Qin Ming finally let out a long breath of relief.

  "Another massive harvest," he whispered.

  Deep within the Cloud Mist Forest, inside Naga’s command tent.

  Naga and the Priest Nalo sat in their high chairs while an orc soldier knelt before them, reporting the frontline situation.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "We lost again?! Even the Behemoth sent by the Empire was taken down?" Naga let out an animalistic growl, his fist slamming onto the bone table beside him. The table, crafted from the remains of a Class-rank magical beast, groaned and cracked under the force of the blow.

  "Their weapons... there is definitely something strange about them," Priest Nalo remarked. He had watched the Behemoth's assault through his magic. He refused to believe that a mere human who had just recently ascended to Class-rank could halt a Level 60 Behemoth’s charge.

  "Damn it! Where the hell are they getting these weapons and armor?" Naga’s face was dark with fury.

  "Be patient. We’ve captured a few of the City Guards. I’m sure we’ll have our answers soon," Nalo said coldly.

  Though the Behemoth’s fall had turned the battle into a one-sided rout for the monsters, the Orc soldiers embedded in the horde had managed to snatch several humans during the initial chaos of the City Guard's retreat.

  As long as they found the source of the equipment, their mission wouldn't be a failure—even if this specific assault was repelled. Their ultimate goal had never been just the conquest of Cloud Mist City.

  As Nalo expected, a soldier soon entered to report the results of the interrogation. By chance, one of the captives was a member of the elite squad that had accompanied Qin Ming to Kael’s shop.

  There were many ways to extract information—and even more magic spells designed for that exact purpose. Priest Nalo was certain the intel was genuine.

  "So, the source is right inside Cloud Mist City. A true master hiding in plain sight," Nalo mused, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light.

  Orcs were born with naturally powerful physiques; as a result, their blacksmithing skills lagged far behind those of the humans.

  (Note: Here, one must distinguish between Orcs and Demi-humans. Tribes like the Wolf-Kin or Moon-Cats are Demi-humans. Unlike pure-blooded Orcs, Demi-humans look very similar to humans unless they undergo "Beastification," usually only displaying traits like animal ears, tails, or patches of fur. Only Demi-humans possess the innate ability to transform. Pure-blooded Orcs are a distinct race, physically massive and vastly different from humans.)

  As the report continued, a flash of greed appeared on Naga’s face.

  "A Master Smith of that caliber... our tribe must possess him," Naga declared firmly.

  "Indeed. If we can bridge the gap in our forging techniques, the human race will be no match for us," even the usually stoic Nalo sounded excited.

  "In that case, we shall use the Shadow Token to ensure there are no mistakes." Naga reached into his vest and produced a token as black as ink. On the front was the character for "Shadow," and on the back, the character for "Abyss."

  This was the special command token required to deploy the Shadow Squad—the most elite unit of the Orc tribes, raised with vast resources specifically for assassination and infiltration.

  Naga channeled a wisp of Battle Qi into the token. The pitch-black wood trembled, then ignited with a cold, flameless heat, crumbling into ash.

  "The Shadow Squad has been deployed."

  Back on the battlefield, the outcome was settled. Only a few scattered monsters remained, putting up a futile resistance. The City Guard was busy clearing the field, while the mercenaries had retreated to the foot of the wall to await further orders.

  Blood Wolf, Tiger-Hunt, and Berserk Bear returned to the ramparts.

  Qin Ming finally offered a genuine smile, rising to greet them. "Captain Blood Wolf, Tiger-Hunt, Captain Berserk Bear—you’ve worked hard today."

  "It’s what we’re here for. Besides, we aren't doing this for free," Blood Wolf joked.

  "I was just helping Blood Wolf out. It was a good chance to test the power of my new axe," Tiger-Hunt said heartily.

  "You’re too kind, City Lord. This was our duty," Berserk Bear added, maintaining his sycophantic act.

  Qin Ming just smiled and continued, "Of course. Regarding the rewards for this mission... I believe Vice-Guild Master Mu Qianqiu has already briefed you all on the details."