Fierce Battle

Behemoth's sharp claws were about to pierce Lanbo's body, but Lanbo, a Burning Legion squad captain, fully demonstrated why he had earned that position.

He planted his greatsword into the ground and used it to flip through the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Heh, so you're just a rookie. Never fought much, have you?"

As he spoke, the descending Lanbo kicked Behemoth in the rear.

Feeling pain behind it, Behemoth lunged forward and fell to the ground.

Lanbo looked at the fallen Behemoth, then turned to Leiluo. "Little runt, this is your trump card? A Behemoth that's never fought before? Hah! Hahaha!"

"Looks like you're destined to have your tendons pulled and bones stripped by me. Then I'll take your soul back to the Burning Legion and torture you endlessly."

His gritted voice was as piercing and unpleasant as claws scraping across a blackboard.

Just then, another huge roar came from behind Lanbo. The fallen Behemoth climbed back up and charged at him again.

But just as Lanbo had said, a Behemoth that had never fought really was no match for a squad captain like him.

This time, Lanbo did not use his foot. After dodging Behemoth's attack, he brought his greatsword down heavily across its back, sending blood spraying.

"Roar!"

Behemoth howled in pain. The flames on the greatsword were even more terrifying than the blade wound itself, and the fur on Behemoth's back had already been scorched black.

"No. Behemoth has no experience; it can't win. I need to help."

Taking a moment to use Holy Light Healing on Leolox and Lantresuo, Leiluo saw Behemoth's peril and rushed in with his axe.

"My lord—!"

Garona had barely cried out when a large hand tugged her back. Turning around, she saw Saxi.

"That is the Chieftain's responsibility. All we can do is protect our people and let the Chieftain fight without worry." Saxi watched the imposing figure with calm eyes.

"Old Chieftain... the Chieftain has already surpassed you."

Saxi glanced back at Delong, who was busy helping the tribe members, then at Leiluo, thinking to himself.

"You stupid Behemoth! You're stupid to death!" Once Leiluo was close enough, he activated his aura and blessing, charged straight to Lanbo's feet, and with a flash of his hand, hurled out a Hammer of Judgment.

Hearing Leiluo's shout, Lanbo was prepared. He shifted aside and dodged the Hammer of Judgment.

"Hahaha! You're a rookie too! In a fight, how could you—"

Before Lanbo could finish, he caught sight of Leiluo, who had thrown the Hammer of Judgment, already at his feet. Leiluo directly used Rend, and by then, Lanbo had no time to dodge.

He shouted on purpose. Lanbo understood Leiluo's tactic, but it was already too late to evade.

Then Lanbo felt a sharp pain beneath his right foot. Without stopping to think, he moved his foot and beat his wings, leaping away to the side.

Lanbo reacted quickly, but he felt an invisible force tugging at him. The Behemoth's claws, which he should have easily avoided, left marks across his body.

After rolling across the ground, Lanbo swiftly got to his feet and assumed a defensive stance. Ignoring the claw wounds from Behemoth, he lowered his head to examine the injury on his right calf, where a mass of black mist lingered.

Though the black mist dissipated after a while, Lanbo understood something. He looked up at Leiluo, who was treating Behemoth's wounds.

"Your axe has an attribute?!"

Leiluo naturally understood what Lanbo meant and clearly answered yes.

The axe did indeed have an attribute, but what had slowed Lanbo's movements was the combat technique Leiluo had obtained from Darius—Crippling Strike.

Neither side moved again. Leiluo's attack had put the previously dominant Lanbo at a disadvantage, so Lanbo began considering his options.

As for Leiluo, if the enemy did not move, neither would he. That gave him more time to heal Behemoth.

Behemoth's wounds were visibly healing little by little. Though slow, even that was a factor that could decide victory or defeat in battle.

So, while Leiluo and Behemoth remained still, Lanbo directly cast a crippling spell at Behemoth.

How could the ever-vigilant Leiluo let Lanbo's spell hit Behemoth? He swung his axe down, but unexpectedly, the green light did not vanish after being split apart. Instead, it scattered and rushed into Leiluo's body.

Leiluo immediately felt himself becoming much slower, and his strength weakened considerably as well.

Before he could figure out what was happening, Lanbo, seeing that his attack had succeeded, had already swung his sword before Leiluo's eyes.

Behemoth froze for a moment when it saw Leiluo struck by the unknown gas. But when it saw Lanbo's sword slashing toward Leiluo, it ignored everything else and reached out its claws to block the blow.

Behemoth's slashed claws were flung aside along with the greatsword, knocking the airborne Leiluo away. Fortunately, it was Behemoth's palm that struck Leiluo; otherwise, Lanbo would not have needed to finish him off.

Behemoth had no time to worry about Leiluo either. After his strike failed, Lanbo swung his fist and slammed it into Behemoth's body. The green flames made Behemoth howl wildly again.

But Lanbo had underestimated Behemoth. Even a Behemoth with no battle experience had been born for combat.

Seeing Lanbo so close, Behemoth wrapped both arms around his waist, then kicked off with its legs and shoved him to the ground.

The two mountain-sized monsters grappled on the ground like street thugs.

Lanbo lacked Behemoth's strength and could only desperately drive the flames around his body to burn it.

Behemoth, meanwhile, could only endure the intense pain and use its strength to pin its opponent down while tearing at him with the fangs in its mouth.

Wherever the two rolled, devastation followed. The ground was covered not only in scorched earth and scattered sparks, but also green blood.

The green blood was Lanbo's. Behemoth's blood had been cauterized before it could even flow out.

The two monsters fought with brutal ferocity, leaving the nearby orcs trembling in fear. Leiluo, who had been shielded from the sword by Behemoth, crawled to his feet covered in blood. It took him a long while before he regained his senses.

"Fuck, don't push yourself this hard!" Tears welled in Leiluo's eyes as he looked at Behemoth, whose entire body had been scorched black. He desperately tried to go help, but his movements were like slow motion; he simply could not speed up.

"Ah! Bastard! I'll be back!"

With both hands nearly severed by the grip, Lanbo let out a roar and vanished from Behemoth's arms in an instant, as though he had never been there.

All that remained was a patch of scorched earth, a greatsword, and Behemoth's charred body, proving that he had appeared at all.

As Lanbo vanished, the shackles on Leiluo's body were released as well. He rushed to Behemoth's side in a few strides and desperately cast Holy Light Healing on it.

"Hold on! You have to hold on!"

Hearing the sound, Behemoth turned its head. Its originally savage gaze softened at once when it saw Leiluo, then its head crashed heavily to the ground. No matter how Leiluo shouted, it gave no response.

Seeing that the battle here had ended, Garona, Saxi, and the others quickly ran over as well.

Garona saw Behemoth, blackened like charcoal, and Leiluo, drenched in blood. She threw herself forward and burst into tears, pressing the holy light in her hands tightly against Leiluo and Behemoth.