Kyle's Death

But the Blood Moon Law is cruel, and things didn't go as Kyle had predicted.

The excruciating pain of being torn apart and the continuous blood loss finally drove the Ironback Horned Rhino to its last stand.

The enormous creature suddenly raised its head from the mud, its roar shattering the entire trench and causing soil to fall from the mud walls.

Its neck and back were taut inch by inch, and the blood vessels bulged under the black and gray bone plates, as if something scalding hot was pushing hard out of the muscles.

The layer of dark gray bone plates covering the body suddenly became hot, and dark red blood vapor steamed out from the gaps.

First came wisps of white smoke, then fine cracks rapidly spread across the surface of the bone plate, making a series of "crack, crack, crack" sounds that sent chills down one's spine.

"Boom!!!"

The next instant, a muffled explosion rang out, as if the air itself had been shattered.

The heavy armor on the back and shoulders of the Horned Rhino exploded on the spot, and large fragments of bone plates shot out in all directions amidst a foul stench.

"Crack! Bang!"

The shattered armor slammed into the shield with a series of cracking sounds, sparks flying everywhere.

The attacking warriors almost instinctively raised their shields and crouched down, pressing half their bodies into the mud to minimize the damage they took.

The entire trench was filled with mud and water, and bits of armor flew everywhere, as if something had exploded off their faces.

This is just the beginning. The Ironback Horned Rhino has entered the Second Tier. Once its thick armor is peeled away, a layer of bright red muscle is revealed underneath, constantly expanding and contracting, emitting heat like a red-hot iron block.

As the monster visibly shrank in size, its movements suddenly became much faster, clearly sacrificing half its life for absolute explosive power.

The Horned Rhino was already furious. Instead of trying to create distance, it suddenly lowered its body, its heavy horn pressing down so low it was almost touching the ground.

Those scarlet beastly eyes were fixed intently on the shield wall ahead.

"No! Quick—" Kyle yelled, but it was too late.

The crimson muscles suddenly tensed, and the entire Horned Rhino slammed forward with a powerful horn-splitting thrust that almost touched its face.

"Bang!"

The young shield bearer, positioned to the side and in front of Kyle to absorb the force of the impact, had no time to react.

Before he could even readjust the shield, he and his Ironbound Oak Shield were hurled head-on into the air by the thick, split horn.

The muffled sound of his sternum shattering exploded, and before he even hit the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs.

When he crashed heavily into the mud, his chest collapsed completely, and he barely even twitched a few times.

The grappling hooks that had been firmly holding the Magic Creature's forelegs, along with Finn, were all thrown away by the brute force, crashing heavily against the side wall of the trench like a few tattered sacks that had been tossed aside.

Several people groaned simultaneously, kneeling on the ground and vomiting blood.

The once tightly entrenched rhinoceros-encircling formation was torn apart with a single strike.

The team members' hot blood splashed onto Kyle's face, trickling down his temples.

His fleeting sense of hope was extinguished by the sight of blood.

Even if you've already crushed Third Tier magical beast to death, and it's just one breath away from being defeated, you can't let your guard down.

The entire trench echoed with cries of agony, and the body lying in the mud, fresh from the fall, was bleeding profusely—the price of movement.

The Ironback Horned Rhino did not stop. Its massive body twisted violently in the narrow trench, like a torrent crashing against the ground, continuing to charge towards the already crumbling formation ahead.

The two spearmen, unable to dodge in time, didn't even have time to scream before being slammed straight into the mud wall by the brute force. Their bones and flesh were embedded in the Frozen Tundra soil, leaving only a collapsed patch of bloody mud.

Everyone was tempted to retreat, but the trench was only so wide, with mud walls on both sides and mud and corpses all around them. There was nowhere to retreat.

Just as everyone was in despair, Captain Kyle quickly recovered from the shock. He wiped the hot blood smeared on his face and roared, "Brothers, hold on! Don't scatter! Keep the formation locked!"

After saying that, he strode out to face the berserk Third Tier behemoth.

He squeezed out the last of his Third Tier Battle Aura, and the Platinum Battle Aura flowed down his arm and into the already deformed Ironbound Oak Shield.

This flesh and blood body, already nearing its limit, was forcibly wedged into the mud, stuck directly in front of the charging beast.

"Come on, you beast!"

He crushed the mud beneath his feet, and half of his boot sole sank into the cracks in the Frozen Tundra soil.

"Boom--Crack!"

The rift, carrying terrifying kinetic energy, slammed violently into the shield.

The heavy wooden shield that had shielded the new recruits from countless attacks shattered on the spot with only a piercing crack.

The ironwood splinters exploded in all directions, like a scattering of black rain.

The thick beast horn, its momentum undiminished, pierced straight through Kyle's chest, pinning him to the hard Frozen Tundra behind the trench.

Fresh blood gushed out from the wound on his back, scalding the surrounding mud and water until it steamed.

But he hasn't given up yet!

The Horned Rhino furiously shook its head, trying to tear the prey hanging on its horn to shreds on the spot.

But Kyle immediately released the broken shield handle with both hands, his ten fingers gripping the beast horn that pierced his chest like iron hooks.

It was as if they wanted to use this body, which was already mostly rotten, to pin that giant beast down for just one more moment.

Black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs kept gushing from his mouth, flowing down his chin and into his nails.

The scarred face turned with difficulty toward Todd, and a final growl escaped from deep within his throat, "Hold it back! Hold it back!!"

The next instant, the impatient behemoth swung its neck violently.

Kyle's mangled body was thrown violently, crashing into the mud and rolling to Todd's feet before coming to a stop.

This usually cold-hearted but warm-hearted rough man now had bulging eyes that were completely devoid of light.

Blood was still gushing from the large hole in his chest, spreading along the muddy water and gradually soaking through Todd's boots.

Todd looked down, his mind blank, no thoughts coming to mind.

He instinctively stepped over Kyle's corpse, stomping through the blood-soaked mud, and pressed the silver-plated spear, soaked with his comrade's blood, against his lower back, using both hands to brace himself and leaning slightly forward.

The Horned Rhino, its scarlet beastly eyes sweeping over him as if he were a piece of gravel that could be kicked away at will, showing that it did not regard him as an opponent at all.

It exhaled a heavy puff of white steam, a low rumble rolled from its nostrils, and slowly raised its forelegs.

Yet, facing the berserk beast about to charge towards them, the young warrior showed not a trace of panic.

Even though this behemoth could crush his head, armor and all, into the mud with a single stomp.

But at that very moment, the ground behind the trenches suddenly erupted with a series of synchronized, heavy-armored stomping sounds.

"Step back!"

Fabien led more than ten fully armed Third Tier heavy Knight, charging in from the inner Defense Zone. Platinum Battle Aura surged and rolled on the outer layer of their armor, blinding them.