Yan Feiyu drew back, fire gathering once more as she formed her bow.
[Crimson Sunstring].
She released.
The arrow streaked forward—but this time, Krothak reacted instantly. Water surged in front of him, condensing into a layered barrier.
The fire and water collided.
The arrow dissipated, canceled out almost completely.
Feiyu clicked her tongue and prepared to draw again, but Krothak didn't give her the chance. He closed the distance in a burst of speed and struck, sending her flying across the cavern.
She rolled, skidding to a stop, then pushed herself back up.
Her expression hardened.
Flames erupted around her back.
[Emberwing Descent].
Condensed fire manifested into blazing wings, unfurling behind her shoulders. Heat surged outward as she took to the air.
Feiyu glanced back once.
Old Qiao nodded and raised one hand.
A circular zone spread beneath Feiyu.
Heat intensified.
Fire-type energy stabilized and surged.
She formed the bow again midair.
[Crimson Sunstring ++].
This time, five arrows took shape instead of one, each burning brighter than before.
She released them all at once.
Krothak retreated rapidly and raised his defense again, water barriers layering over each other.
The arrows punched through.
One after another.
They pierced the defenses, struck his body, and exploded in sequence.
Krothak staggered, then collapsed heavily to the ground.
Feiyu descended quickly, landing near the group.
Old Qiao shook his head slightly. "Young miss, I told you not to use that skill. It puts too much strain on your body."
Lan Xue hurried over. "You did great,feiyu."
Zhou Kang grinned despite his injuries. "Yeah. Finally cleared it. Just rest—you finished it."
Mu Chen leaned back weakly. "About time."
Old Qiao didn't relax.
He looked past them—toward Krothak's body.
"No notification yet…" he murmured.
Before anyone could react—
The trident flew.
Jin sensed it instantly.
"Move!"
He struck it aside with a sharp motion. The impact sent pain shooting up his arm, skin splitting under the force.
The trident embedded itself into the stone behind them.
They turned.
Krothak stood up.
Scales cracked, eyes glowing wildly.
The Lizard King roared.
"Looks like It went Berserk," Old Qiao said calmly.
Lan Xue swallowed. "What… what now?"
Old Qiao smiled gently. "You all did well. Truly. If this were a normal unique dungeon, you'd have cleared it long ago."
He stepped forward.
"So don't be disappointed."
Then he turned to Jin and leaned close, whispering something Jin alone could hear.
Jin stiffened. "Do you really think I can? I'm already weak. My gene energy's almost gone. I've pushed myself enough."
Old Qiao replied quietly, "We don't have a choice."
He straightened.
"I'll weaken him as much as I can. You finish it with your strongest attack."
Jin clenched his injured hand. "You're asking a lot."
Old Qiao smiled faintly. "I know."
Then he turned and walked forward, stepping alone toward the berserk Lizard King.
Old Qiao stepped forward.
Krothak roared and charged bare-handed, claws slamming into the ground as his body surged forward. his movements were wilder, heavier—each strike carrying raw water-aspected force.
Old Qiao didn't retreat.
A thin layer of fire spread beneath his feet, anchoring his stance.
[Infernal Domain].
The surrounding heat shifted instantly. Steam hissed as Krothak's water aura destabilized. His movements slowed— slightly, but enough.
Krothak swung his arm in a wide arc, water pressure exploding outward.
Old Qiao raised one hand.
[Fire Shield].
The clash erupted into steam. The force pushed Old Qiao back several steps, his coat singed, but his posture remained upright.
Krothak followed up immediately, tail whipping forward.
Old Qiao twisted aside and responded with a compact gesture.
[Compressed Fireball].
The dense sphere slammed directly into Krothak's chest at close range. Scales cracked.
The Lizard King staggered back for the first time.
But he didn't fall.
Krothak roared and rushed again, abandoning any form of restraint. His attacks became violent—claw, tail, body slams—each one meant to crush.
Old Qiao moved with restraint and precision.
Short bursts of fire redirected attacks. Controlled heat warped Krothak's footing.
He wasn't overpowering the king—he was shaping the fight, forcing openings.
From behind, Jin watched closely.
He's not trying to win, Jin realized.
He's setting it up for him.
Krothak slammed both fists into the ground.
Water surged upward violently, knocking Old Qiao back. He skidded across stone, breath finally hitching.
"About time," he said quietly.
He raised both hands.
[Infernal Bind].
Fire condensed instantly into layered restraints, wrapping around Krothak's limbs and torso. The flames didn't burn—they compressed, locking movement and crushing inward.
Krothak roared, muscles bulging as he fought the bindings. Cracks spread across his scales.
Old Qiao turned his head slightly. "Now."
Jin exhaled.
Fire condensed into interlocking bands that wrapped around Krothak's limbs and torso, burning not with heat but pressure. The Lizard King roared, struggling violently, scales cracking further as the bindings tightened.
Old Qiao turned his head slightly. "Now."
Jin exhaled.
He stepped forward and grabbed the trident embedded in the stone. His injured hand screamed as he lifted it, but he ignored the pain.
He threw it.
Krothak twisted at the last moment, breaking one arm free and ducking aside. The trident missed and skidded across the ground behind him.
For a split second, Krothak looked up—
Jin was already there.
Lightning surged around his arm.
[Lightning Claw].
He drove forward and slashed across Krothak's throat in a single clean motion. The lightning tore through scales, flesh, and bone.
Krothak froze.
Then he collapsed.
Jin staggered back, breathing heavy, lightning fading from his arm. He stayed conscious—barely.
He looked at Old Qiao and laughed weakly. "You owe me two now, old man."
Old Qiao chuckled. "I'll remember."
A notification appeared in front of Jin.
[ Dungeon Cleared ] Boss Defeated: Lizard King Krothak (Unique++) Clear Condition Fulfilled.
Jin let out a slow breath. "That makes three times today… yeah. That's my limit."
System notifications appeared before them.
Dungeon rewards were being calculated.
Total Drops Obtained:
• Lizardman Scales (Elite) × 5
• Shaman Staves × 1
• Boss Material — Krothak's Scale, Core (Unique++) × 1
Jin glanced over them briefly, then turned toward the others.
"How should we split the drops?"
Zhou Kang waved a hand lazily from the ground. "Take them."
Mu Chen nodded. "You earned it."
Han Rui gave a short laugh. "We're alive. That's enough."
Lan Xue smiled tiredly. "I don't need anything."
Yan Feiyu looked at him for a moment, then said calmly, "Keep them."
Jin paused. Just for a second.
Then he nodded. "Thanks."
He didn't hesitate after that. He moved down the line, shaking each of their hands—firm grips, genuine.
Lan xue chuckled, Then another. The mood lightened and the tension that had hung over them since entering the dungeon finally cracked.
Old Qiao straightened. "Alright. One last thing."
He looked toward the heart of the cavern, where a pulsing crystal embedded in stone began to destabilize.
"Let's destroy the dungeon core so we can leave from here."
Jin nodded once.
Together, they shattered the core.
They began moving toward the exit as the dungeon prepared to collapse.
Jin fell a step behind them.
A new notification appeared before his eyes.