Chapter 135: The Deadly Fog of the Ominous Den (2)

The first floor was teeming with monsters, though the vast majority were common fodder. Under the suppressive firepower of the team, these creatures, which had attempted to gather and resist, were swiftly purged. Meanwhile, the elite monsters were isolated by Li Mei’s barrier, reserved for Zhao Tianhe and Black Saber to face in single combat. With the significant boost in his strength, Zhao Tianhe provided support that allowed Black Saber to behead even A-rank elites with a single, clean strike. This wave alone yielded over twenty exclusive materials.

"Are these the materials comparable to elite-grade equipment of the same level?" Moore picked up a silver cavalry chess piece, examining it with curiosity. "It doesn't seem to have any special energy fluctuations."

"You'll know once you use them," Xellos said with a smile. "But there is one more thing to do today: capture an enhanced elite alive."

"They should start appearing on the second floor," Saida noted. "I'll just use an eighth-tier spell to restrain one."

Upon entering the second floor, the common monsters looked quite different. Every Death-Mist Laborer possessed two heads; the second head was grotesquely deformed, drooling and bulging with eyes as it let out continuous, shrill shrieks. The moment these creatures spotted Zhao Tianhe and his party, they charged with frenzied abandon.

"These are Death-Mist Berserkers—mindless madmen," Saida said as he began to hover. "I’ll go fetch an enhanced elite."

An A-rank enhanced elite is, in terms of raw power, comparable to a B-rank boss. The reason it falls short of being a true boss is its inability to manipulate the surrounding environment into a 'domain.' Much like the melee boss they had encountered in the Evil Light Sea Tomb, a true boss possesses a physiological structure that allows it to rapidly absorb energy from its surroundings to grow stronger. While monsters receive certain bonuses within their natural habitats, they cannot fully exploit that energy unless they are bosses. It is like a fish being more agile in water than on land; it cannot swallow or manipulate the surrounding water, nor can it draw upon the elemental power of water to cast spells. A creature that could do such a thing wouldn’t just be a fish—it would be a magical beast. A boss is effectively a monster that has been favored by heaven and earth, essentially becoming a 'spirit.'

The domains they control are formally known as 'environmental domains.' Above those are 'law-based domains,' a top-tier power that even S-rank bosses struggle to grasp. A law-based domain can exist independently of a dungeon; in fact, sometimes the dungeon itself serves to constrain such a domain. This was precisely why, when Abu Far stepped out, his first act was to destroy the dungeon; it was simply too small to contain his domain.

"Hey, beautiful!" Moore persisted, crawling over to Black Saber’s side, fawning as he tried to strike up a conversation. "Let us fight together! I will protect you!"

Zhao Tianhe watched the scene with an expressionless face, though dozens of pseudo-Pure Yang swords suddenly manifested beside him. A series of crimson glints flashed through the air, knocking several monsters toward Moore.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why so many all of a sudden?! If you’ve got the guts, fight me one-on-one... ugh!" Before Moore could finish, a monster kicked him flat on his back.

A pale blue barrier intercepted the path to Artoria, cleaving the battlefield so that Black Saber could focus entirely on the elite monsters. The deformed heads of the second-floor Berserkers were not merely for show; they constantly chanted, casting Bloodlust, Stone Skin, and Healing spells at random while the Berserkers fought. The innate magical effects of these monsters carried built-in meta-magic enhancements; the obsidian-like Stone Skin was far harder than steel, reaching five centimeters in thickness—or ten, in the case of the elite-grade ones. Even with the sharpness and elemental damage of the Caliburn, it was difficult to pierce such heavy armor. Without the 'Super-Magic Premonition' triggering, the pseudo-Pure Yang swords could barely harass or constrain the elite Berserkers at all.

Realizing this, Zhao Tianhe changed his tactics, abandoning the use of his Infinite Armament to focus on casting curses. The results were immediately better; the high-level curses triggered frequently, making Black Saber’s strikes far more effective.

In the air, Saida stood atop an enhanced elite that had been frozen into a block of ice, surveying the situation across the second floor. Three enhanced elites were driving large groups of common elites and monsters to fully surround the party. However, protected by Ralph, the mages were in no danger, freely unleashing wide-area spells to clear out the common monsters. Li Mei focused on deploying barriers to assist Zhao Tianhe and Black Saber, ensuring they could duel the elites in peace and guiding the unpurged elite monsters toward them. Moore was occupied holding back one enhanced elite, while Tian Xie transformed into a four-meter-tall black giant to tie down two others.

Having been baptized by the Great Battlefield, Zhao Tianhe had felt that A-rank monsters—including elites and even bosses—were nothing special. But now, facing them inside a dungeon, he realized his perception needed an adjustment. Whether in the normal world or the Great Battlefield, those were not the monsters' territories; they were the domain of the Holy Council. It was like expecting a tropical rainforest gorilla dropped into the Antarctic to perform at its peak.

Here in the dungeon, nourished by an abundance of alien life energy, the monsters received buffs to all their attributes, with extra bonuses to the recovery of stamina, mana, and health. An A-rank elite, which even a B-rank hero could easily solo on the Great Battlefield, could now withstand the shockwave of a sixth-tier spell without suffering a scratch.

*This won't do. Mana recovery is a constant problem. Even the +6 Boiling Book isn't enough; I need to acquire A-rank boss-grade gear focused on mana regeneration.* Zhao Tianhe took a deep breath and stopped casting curses.

Beside him, Black Saber suddenly erupted with astonishing magical power, instantly slaughtering every elite on the field.

"How impressive!" Tian Xie exclaimed at the sight. "Is the summoned entity even stronger than the summoner? The sword in her hand also feels quite extraordinary..."

Once her mana was exhausted, Black Saber returned to Zhao Tianhe’s side.

"Hard work," Zhao Tianhe said with a smile, watching the mana armor dissipate from her form, revealing the dampness on her fair skin.

"It is nothing. This is my duty," Black Saber replied, shaking her head as she looked at him. "What about you? Are you still hesitating?"

"Hm?" Zhao Tianhe was stunned.

"I have some of the original's memories, after all," Black Saber said coldly. "You treat her so well—you must have some ulterior motive. So, I advise you to make up your mind quickly."

"What do you mean?" Zhao Tianhe asked, bewildered.

"What do I mean..." Black Saber offered a faint smile and vanished.