World Boss

Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong'er still headed to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Spirit Beasts, just as in the original story.

Only, Wang Dong-or rather, Wang Dong'er-had changed back into women's clothes by now, and no longer shared a dorm room with Huo Yuhao.

After all, her identity as a girl had been exposed during the Soul Master Tournament. If she kept sharing a dorm room with Huo Yuhao, people would really start gossiping.

Huo Yuhao was still amazed by Wang Dong'er's appearance in women's clothes.

Behind the scenes, Tang Yi shook his head helplessly.

"Just look at that lovesick expression of his. You can tell there's no way he's going to break this dog leash. We'll just have to stew him along with the dog. You can forget about getting the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear's external Soul Bone."

At that moment, all the teams leveling up in the Star Dou Great Forest received the same game announcement.

[World Boss: 3,000-year-old Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear has respawned. Players preparing to challenge it, please get ready. The Boss is powerful, so proceed with caution.]

Seeing this game announcement, all the players got excited. This was a World Boss, after all-something that couldn't be found just anywhere.

Wang Zhongwang: "Could this be the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear from the story? I remember that one dropped an external Soul Bone for Huo Yuhao."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and find it. Those who arrive first had better not act rashly, or they'll get killed instantly."

Only, not many people heeded Ten-Year Veteran's well-meaning warning.

The team closest to it had already reached the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear.

Some overexcited players charged straight at it, and met with utter disaster.

The 3,000-year-old Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear swung a paw, and golden blades sent several players straight back to the Respawn Point.

Fortunately, the Respawn Point in the Star Dou Great Forest instance wasn't too far from the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear. Otherwise, just running back to their corpses would have been exhausting enough.

Nine-Tailed Male Fox: "This World Boss is way too strong! I just got close, and before I could even use a Soul Skill, I was killed instantly."

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "Isn't that what makes it a Boss? Have you ever seen a game's World Boss that's easy to beat?"

I Am Xiao Jian: "There's definitely something wrong with this Boss. Even if a 3,000-year-old Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear is strong, it shouldn't be this strong."

Ten-Year Veteran: "The Boss has definitely been enhanced. Its drop rate for good items and the experience it gives must both be much higher than those of regular monsters."

I Am an Angel: "Those who get there first, don't recklessly draw the Boss's aggro. Wait for the main group to arrive before attacking it together."

With those first few players getting killed instantly, the others didn't dare act recklessly either.

Some stayed far away from the Boss, while others hid to avoid drawing its aggro as much as possible.

The Boss fight only truly began once most of the players who had been leveling up in the Star Dou Great Forest instance had arrived.

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "Fighting Bosses is our old players' job. New players, just try to get in a little damage. Don't get yourselves sent back to the Respawn Point. Running back to your corpses is a real hassle."

Zhou Xingxing: "We don't need you to remind us. Even if you're old players, this Boss won't be easy for you to take down."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "We never said we'd take this Boss down easily. We're just telling you not to die too quickly. It's a well-meaning warning, so don't read too much into it."

Wang Zhongwang: "Exactly. Don't overthink it. We're all players. We play games to have fun."

Qian Xunji: "All right, enough chatter. Let's get started!"

Qian Xixi: "Good, let's go!"

Qian Xixi hurled the shield in his hand, hitting the 3,000-year-old Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear in the head and immediately drawing its aggro.

The Boss, the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear, let out an angry roar and swung its claws again, sending several blades flying toward Qian Xixi.

That was the very same move that had sent several players straight back to the Respawn Point just moments ago.

The attack was incredibly fast, and Qian Xixi couldn't dodge it either. He could only use a Soul Skill to block it.

By then, the other players had already buffed Qian Xixi, greatly boosting his strength and speed-and most importantly, his defense.

At that moment, Ten-Year Veteran leaped onto the Wuzhui Horse, spear in hand, and charged out from the side of the Boss, the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear. He thrust the Formation-Breaking Overlord Spear straight at its vulnerable flank.

Ten-Year Veteran: "Fourth Soul Skill: Spear Thrust Like a Dragon!"

A dragon-shaped spear ray finally broke through the Boss, the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear's defenses, knocking a small chunk off its health bar and leaving a wound on its body.

Qian Xunji: "Impressive! The Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear's defense is incredibly strong. Our attacks only force it to lose one HP, and can't break through its defense at all. Your attack actually broke through its defenses and dealt a good amount of damage."

Wang Zhongwang: "His Martial Soul comes with an armor-piercing effect, so he's practically the perfect counter to a defense-heavy Boss like the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear."

Qian Xunji: "So that's how it is. You were really lucky to awaken a Martial Soul like that."

Ten-Year Veteran: "I improved my Martial Soul bit by bit. Martial Soul quality can be upgraded, though it costs a pretty penny."

Qian Xunji: "There's such a thing? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Wang Zhongwang: "Do you never look at the shop? Aren't you a rich guy?"

Qian Xunji: "There's so much stuff in the shop that I can't be bothered to go through it page by page."

I Am an Angel: "You're so lazy. Even if you're rich, you won't get anywhere in a game."

Qian Xunji: "All I can say is, you know nothing about the world of the rich. There's no time for it now. Next time, I'll show you what I can do."

I Am an Angel: "All right, I'll look forward to it."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Stop chatting. Aim for the Boss's wounds. Attacks will only deal effective damage there. @Qian Xixi, can you hold out?"

Qian Xixi: "I'm doing all right. With the support buffs, this Boss can't kill me in one hit."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Good, got it. @I Am an Angel, keep an eye on things. Draw its aggro over to yourself when Qian Xixi needs you to."

I Am an Angel: "Don't worry, I understand. Nothing will go wrong."

Although the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear had been enhanced by Tang Yi and turned into a World Boss, it was still only 3,000 years old, so it didn't have that much health.

Under Ten-Year Veteran's command, after several rounds of attacks, the Boss's health had already fallen by two-thirds.

But just then, movement came from behind the players.

It turned out that Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er, and Xiao Xiao had noticed the commotion from the battle and hurried over.

The players standing outside the battle circle and playing support had also spotted them.

I Am Xiao Jian: "Aren't those Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er, and Xiao Xiao? What a coincidence, running into them here."