In the blink of an eye, a student known for his strong defense was dead—cut down right in front of everyone.
The gruesome scene stunned the entire crowd into silence. Moments ago, he had confidently marched toward the treasure hill, shield raised high, thinking he could endure anything. Now his body lay motionless, blood seeping into the dirt.
Screams erupted from several female students, and many others stumbled backward in panic. The arrogant students who had been loudly arguing just moments earlier shut their mouths, faces turning pale.
They had all believed that if anyone could withstand the attacks of those summoned beasts, it would be that student. Even if he failed to take a chest, surely his defense would hold.
They were wrong. Terribly wrong.
The truth hit them all at once—the strength of those sharp-edged worker bees was far beyond imagination. Only three of them had attacked, and yet the shield-bearer hadn't stood a chance. His golden shield was shattered, his life ended in seconds.
Dozens more worker bees were still perched motionlessly atop the treasure chests, their metallic bodies gleaming under the sun. If just three could kill a gold-ranked defender, what would happen if all of them attacked at once?
The thought sent chills down every spine.
"No treasure is worth that," someone muttered, trembling.
Without needing any persuasion, the crowd began retreating. Fear overpowered greed. The group that had been most eager to grab the treasure turned and fled fastest, terrified that the mysterious owner might return and take revenge for their insolence.
Only a few remained behind, their curiosity stronger than their fear. They whispered to each other, wondering who commanded these summoned beasts. Whoever it was must be powerful beyond comprehension. Some even began to imagine what it would be like to earn that person's favor.
Meanwhile, Fairwind hurried toward the battlefield, where Lily Winters was already fighting alongside the giant ants.
The battle was chaotic but strangely coordinated. The giant ants took the lead, charging straight into the horde of stone men. Their massive mandibles crushed rocks and bones alike, clearing paths for Lily and the others to strike from behind.
With these colossal creatures at her side, Lily realized she could kill monsters ten times faster than before.
And the best part—it was safe.
For reasons she couldn't fully explain, the summoned beasts didn't view her as a threat. They tolerated her presence, allowing her to attack freely alongside them.
Ethan was no selfish man. He wouldn't hoard all the monsters or rewards for himself. If someone dared to fight by his side, he welcomed them.
Still, only three people were brave—or foolish—enough to join in. The rest stayed far away, too terrified after witnessing what had happened near the treasure hill.
Besides Lily and Fairwind, only one more—a nimble new recruit—used his speed to sneak around the edges of the battlefield, picking off weakened monsters left behind.
As the minutes passed, the number of wild monsters began to thin, their roars growing fewer and weaker. The end was finally in sight.
High above them, Ethan stood atop the mountain, facing the last of the lava stone men. His crystal wall worker ants had fought valiantly, but they couldn't defeat such powerful foes alone. He had joined in personally, wielding the massive blade known as Da Dao Zai.
Now, as his blade cut through the final lava creature, silence descended over the mountainside.
But that peace lasted only a heartbeat.
Suddenly, the ground trembled violently beneath his feet. Rocks cracked and tumbled down the slope.
ROAR—!
A deafening roar split the air, echoing through the entire secret realm.
Everyone froze.
"Was that… a BOSS?" someone whispered, eyes wide.
The sound was followed by a rumbling like thunder. Massive chunks of stone cascaded down the mountainside, sending dust clouds billowing across the battlefield.
Fairwind looked up just in time to see the peak of the mountain split open.
Ethan steadied himself as molten lava erupted from the crater above. He squinted through the heat haze—and then saw it.
A monstrous shape was emerging from the volcano, its body glowing like liquid fire. It was a giant lava elemental, a being of pure molten rock and rage. Its size was beyond comprehension—over a hundred meters tall, towering like a thirty-story building.
Every step it took made the entire mountain quake.
"By the gods…" someone gasped below. Even from the base of the mountain, the students could see the creature's glowing eyes glaring down through the haze.
"This… this is the BOSS?"
"Can those summoned beasts even fight something like that?"
"We're dead," a girl sobbed. "We're all dead. I want to go home! I don't want to take this stupid exam anymore!"
The falling rocks struck like artillery shells. Even with the distance between them, the students were battered by the shockwaves. Dozens were injured. Some giant ants were crushed outright, their shells cracking under the force.
The aura radiating from the BOSS was suffocating—a tangible wave of despair that made hearts pound and knees weaken.
Then came another roar.
ROAR!
But this time, the sound was met with something else—another, sharper clash that echoed like steel meeting stone.
Someone was fighting the BOSS!
Every student's head jerked upward.
"Who… who dares to fight that thing?"
"Could it be… Ethan?"
Though they couldn't see clearly through the smoke and falling debris, hope began to flicker in their hearts.
Some students clasped their hands together, whispering prayers through trembling lips. "Please, whoever you are—defeat the BOSS. Please save us."
The battle raged above them. The clash of weapons, the roars of rage, and the sound of molten rock bursting filled the air.
Even the injured students stayed silent, gritting their teeth through the pain. No one dared to make a sound for fear of distracting the mysterious fighter battling the monster.
Minutes dragged on. The earth shook again and again as if the mountain itself were alive and suffering.
Then, suddenly—silence.
The roaring stopped.
No one dared to breathe.
"Did… did he win?" someone whispered.
All eyes turned to their personal panels.
And then it appeared—a glowing message across everyone's interface.
> [System Notification: Scarlet Secret Realm cleared. Contribution value tally in progress…]
For a moment, everyone was frozen. Then, relief flooded through the entire group.
Cheers, sobs, and laughter erupted all at once.
"We're alive!"
"He did it! Whoever's up there—he killed the BOSS!"
"Thank the heavens!"
Students hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces.
Up on the mountaintop, Ethan stood amidst the remains of the fallen lava giant. The molten creature's body was split cleanly down the center, its inner core exposed.
Its combat power had exceeded one thousand, enhanced further by the natural buffs of a realm boss. To the students below, it was a godlike being—an unbeatable force of nature.
But Ethan had ended it with one strike.
His summoned warrior, Da Dao Zai, had unleashed a new skill—"Cutting Gold and Breaking Stone."
At first, even that powerful blade had struggled. Each time it cut the lava creature, the molten wounds closed instantly, healing under the boss's immense regeneration.
But once Ethan commanded Da Dao Zai to use the new skill, everything changed.
The shining arc of sword light ignored all defense, slicing straight through the elemental's molten body.
One strike.
Then another.
And another.
Three times the blade fell, each blow faster and heavier than the last. The BOSS's enormous frame split apart, and its glowing crystal nucleus was exposed.
With the final strike, Da Dao Zai shattered it completely.
The roar that followed was its death cry—the end of the BOSS and the end of the trial.
A final notification appeared before Ethan's eyes:
> [Reminder: Scarlet Secret Realm successfully cleared. Calculating contribution score…]
[Contribution: 99.9%]
[Evaluation: SSS+]
Ethan exhaled slowly, lowering his blade.
Below, the students continued cheering, some even kneeling in gratitude. They didn't know who the savior on the mountain truly was—but in their hearts, they were all praying for him.
"Whoever you are," one whispered softly, "thank you for saving us."
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