The crystal pillars exploded from the earth.
BOOOOOOM!!
Towering blue spikes erupted beneath Sam's feet, shattering stone and sending clouds of dust into the air.
Sam's eyes narrowed.
"Shadow Step!"
His body dissolved into darkness.
The instant he vanished...
CRASH!!
Another crystal pillar erupted exactly where he would have landed.
Sam reappeared several meters away, sliding across the rocky ground.
"...They're tracking me."
The valley trembled again.
RUMBLE...
RUMBLE...
Crystal after crystal burst from the earth.
The battlefield itself had become the enemy.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex's calm voice echoed.
Analysis Complete.
The Regional Boss possesses complete control over the surrounding mana crystal vein.
Current battlefield has transformed into hostile terrain.
Recommendation...
Maintain constant movement.
Sam clicked his tongue.
"So we're not just fighting the golem..."
"We're fighting the entire valley."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem slowly lowered its massive fists.
Its glowing blue eyes remained locked onto Sam.
Without warning...
It swung.
BOOOOOOM!!
A gigantic crystal wave surged across the battlefield.
Sam disappeared again.
"Shadow Step!"
The wave crashed through the place where he had been standing.
Trees exploded.
Boulders shattered.
Even nearby monsters were crushed beneath the devastating attack.
Leon whistled.
"...That would've killed us."
---
"Scouts!"
"Keep moving!"
The eight elite scouts scattered through the forest.
Each moved like a shadow between the trees.
They weren't trying to kill the Regional Boss.
Their mission remained the same.
Protect the Commander.
Intercept every lesser monster attempting to surround him.
A wolf-like beast lunged toward Sam.
Before it could reach him—
WHOOSH!
An arrow pierced its skull.
The monster collapsed instantly.
Leon smiled as he lowered his bow.
"Not today."
---
More monsters flooded into the valley.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
The Goblin Chief stepped forward.
Its enormous weapon rested across one shoulder.
It released a deafening roar.
"RAAAAAAGH!"
It charged alone.
BOOM!
Its club crushed the first monster into the ground.
Without stopping—
It swung again.
Another monster flew through the air.
Then another.
Its massive frame became a living wall between Sam and the monster horde.
---
Behind it...
The Goblin Mage raised its ancient staff.
Blue mana gathered around the crystal at its tip.
"Fire Missiles!"
Six blazing fireballs shot forward.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Explosions ripped through the battlefield.
Several monsters were engulfed in flames.
Others were blown apart completely.
The surviving monsters hesitated.
Only for a moment.
Then they charged again.
---
Sam smiled.
"Looks like everyone's improving."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem suddenly moved.
BOOOOOOM!!
One step.
Nearly fifty meters disappeared beneath its feet.
It appeared directly in front of the Goblin Chief.
The gigantic fist descended.
The Goblin Chief crossed its weapon.
CLAAAAANG!!
The impact echoed across the valley.
The Goblin Chief was blasted backward.
It skidded dozens of meters before crashing into a crystal formation.
Cracks spread across its armor.
For the first time...
It had taken serious damage.
---
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke.
Warning.
Goblin Chief HP: 68%.
Sam immediately raised his hand.
"Legendary Skill..."
"Heal!"
Golden light burst from his palm.
The brilliant energy covered the Goblin Chief.
Its wounds rapidly closed.
The cracks in its armor slowly disappeared.
The Goblin Chief climbed back to its feet.
Its burning blue eyes never left the Regional Boss.
Sam grinned.
"That's it."
"Get back in there."
---
The Goblin Chief roared once more.
Instead of attacking the golem...
It slammed its weapon into one of the towering crystal pillars.
BOOOOOOM!!
The pillar shattered.
Fragments of glowing mana crystals scattered everywhere.
For a brief second...
Tiny streams of blue energy flowed into the Goblin Chief's body.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex's voice changed.
Evolution Skill Activated.
Absorbing ambient mana...
Evolution Progress: 81%
Sam's eyes widened.
"It absorbed the crystal's mana..."
---
The Goblin Chief smashed another pillar.
Then another.
Each shattered crystal released more mana.
Again...
The blue light flowed into its body.
Evolution Progress: 89%
---
Again.
BOOOOOOM!!
Another pillar collapsed.
Evolution Progress: 96%
The Goblin Chief's muscles expanded.
Its aura became noticeably heavier.
Even nearby monsters instinctively stepped away.
Leon stared in disbelief.
"...It's evolving."
---
Meanwhile...
The Goblin Mage wasn't attacking.
Instead...
It quietly watched the battlefield.
Its glowing eyes followed every movement of the crystal veins beneath the valley.
Its staff slowly gathered blue mana.
Not fire.
Crystal mana.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke again.
Goblin Mage has entered adaptive learning state.
Skill Mutation Detected.
New spell formation underway...
Sam smiled.
"So you're evolving too..."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem raised both fists.
The crystal heart inside its chest blazed brighter than ever.
It slammed both fists into the earth.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The entire valley erupted.
Hundreds of crystal pillars burst from the ground simultaneously.
Sam vanished.
"Shadow Step!"
He appeared above the battlefield.
The moment he landed—
He activated another skill.
"Attack Chain!"
His body blurred.
One strike.
Three strikes.
Seven strikes.
His sword flashed repeatedly against the golem's body.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Sparks flew everywhere.
Not a single strike penetrated its armor.
Sam immediately shifted techniques.
"Vertical Instant Slash!"
A crescent blade of compressed mana shot toward the golem's knee.
BOOOOOOM!!
Dust exploded.
When it cleared...
The armor remained intact.
Only a tiny scratch remained.
Sam frowned.
"...Still too tough."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem swung again.
Sam narrowly dodged.
Its fist struck the ground.
For less than a second...
The brilliant crystal inside its chest dimmed.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke immediately.
Weakness Detected.
Sam froze.
"What?"
During high-output attacks...
The Mana Crystal Heart becomes vulnerable for approximately 0.8 seconds.
Sam's eyes lit up.
"So..."
"It does have a weakness."
---
The Mana Crystal Golem threw back its head.
A thunderous roar echoed throughout the valley.
Blue mana poured into its chest.
The crystal heart slowly opened.
Power unlike anything before gathered inside.
The air itself trembled.
Leon looked toward Sam.
"...Commander."
Sam tightened his grip on his sword.
A determined smile crossed his face.
"Everyone..."
"Buy me one opening."
The Goblin Chief lowered its stance.
The Goblin Mage raised its staff.
Leon pulled back his bowstring.
The eight scouts emerged from the shadows.
Every eye fixed on the towering Regional Boss.
The decisive clash...
Was about to begin.