Chapter 43: Real Battle at the Forest Ruins (Part 1)

Ssssskkreee!

A sharp shriek ripped through the Forest Ruins.

Half the players in the area instinctively turned toward the sound.

And what they saw made their blood run cold.

A Dark Bat, easily several times larger than a full-grown elephant, hovered ominously.

With just a single flap of its wings, a tide of black mist spread outward, taking the form of countless bat-like shadows.

Players nearby barely had time to react before they were swallowed by the swirling black haze.

Their health bars? Gone.

It dropped like waterfalls—zero resistance, zero chance.

Only those farther away managed to dodge the assault in time.

In just a few minutes, a wide ring of emptiness formed around the Dark Bat.

No one dared step within a hundred meters of the beast.

“That thing’s gotta be a boss-type Dark Bat!”

“That damage is insane—what the hell?!”

“No way, minibosses don’t hit that hard.”

As the shock settled, chatter exploded across the Forest Ruins.

More players arrived, drawn by the spectacle.

But none had the guts to enter the beast’s domain— they simply watched from afar, like visitors at a zoo.

Soon, a few players activated Inspect.

And the name that appeared made their jaws drop.

***

Dark Bat King [Boss] – Lv.15

***

“It is a boss! A real boss!”

“That explains why it’s so terrifying.”

“Level 15 boss… First time I’ve seen one of those!”

***

The name “Dark Bat King” began circulating across chat channels.

And naturally, guild members embedded in the Ruins immediately reported back to their leaders.

The Forest Ruins had long been a top-tier training spot near Soma Town.

Several guilds already had squads stationed there.

And now—with a Boss-level monster confirmed?

Everyone knew this was big.

Word spread like wildfire.

Even players from other regions began teleporting to Soma Town to investigate.

But none reacted more swiftly than the major guilds.

***

Astana City – Silent Valley – Orwin Empire

Inside a shadowed valley, Black King Caesar, legendary warrior and commander of the Stormwind Guild, received the report mid-raid.

He quickly rotated out from Tank Position 1 against the Mountain Giant boss, handing it off to one of the three alternate tanks.

“…Forest Ruins?”

His sharp eagle-like eyes glinted with intrigue.

The information had certainly caught his attention.

“You’re sure this is legit?”

“Yes, sir. One of our guys recorded it. Confirmed: Boss-level Dark Bat.”

The officer added more:

“Other guilds are already on the move. Teleportation hubs in Soma Town are packed. We’ve seen movements from Myth of Stars, Imperial Epic, Eternal Spire… all headed that way.”

“Good. Keep an eye on them. I’m taking a team over.”

Just as he ended the call, the Mountain Giant collapsed under the guild’s concentrated firepower.

Cheers erupted across the raid.

“Alright, everyone, pack up. We’ve got a real fight next.”

As the rogues looted the boss drops, Caesar clapped his hands to gather the squad’s attention.

“Don’t tell me we found another miniboss?”

“Heck yeah! I wasn’t done hunting yet. Where’s the next big fish?”

“Says the masochist tank who keeps asking for punishment.”

“So that’s why Bai Ren always rushes in first~”

“Shut it! Don’t slander me like this!”

Caesar didn’t mind the banter.

In fact, he saw it as a symbol of their camaraderie.

These bonds were what made Stormwind so formidable.

With a rare smile, he spoke—

“We’ve got a real one this time. A Boss-level monster just showed up in Soma Town’s Forest Ruins.”

“You serious?!”

Gasps filled the air.

Everyone began talking at once.

“Bosses are way tougher than elites! Can we even beat it?”

“Who cares? Let’s go try!”

“I’ve never fought a real Boss before… kinda excited now.”

“Relax. I’ve already called up Kino’s squad from Division 4. They’re joining us.”

Caesar laughed boldly.

“We’re not the only ones heading there. Myth of Stars, Imperial Epic, Eternal Spire— They’ll all be in play.”

“So let’s show them what Stormwind is made of!”

“YEAH!!”

The elite squad exchanged glances—then shouted in unison, a battle cry echoing through the Silent Valley.

***

Sandrew Plains – Orwin Empire

Meanwhile, Rose Red was mid-escort mission when her comm link lit up.

“What’s up, Eleven?”

“Boss-level monster in Forest Ruins. Soma Town.”

Short and to the point.

“Do the other guilds know?”

“They’re already moving. Myth of Stars, Eternal Spire, Imperial Epic… And yes, Stormwind too.”

Rose Red frowned slightly, then nodded.

“I’m tied up on this hidden quest. I’ll contact Doran and Coral. Tell them to mobilize Teams 1 and 5.”

“Also… one more thing.”

“Hm?”

“This info came from Xiao Tong. She says we’d be better off not getting involved. But if Owe do, she says… make sure to retreat when the boss hits low HP.”

Rose Red fell silent for a moment.

“…Got it. I’ll tell them to be careful.”

Eleven understood.

No leader could change plans on a whim, not over a single warning.

But still—

“If anything, we should thank Xiao Tong next time. She’s an angel. So sweet. So pure. So adorable~”

“Agreed. I wanna thank her too!”

Eleven clearly wasn’t done fanning the flames.

Then—

“…Hey, Eleven?”

“Yeah?”

“Didn’t you forget something?”

“?”

“You’re supposed to call me Mom.”

Click.

The line went dead.

Rose Red couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

She continued her escort quest, contacting guild executives on the side, reminding them to proceed with caution.

Stormwind and Roseheart were moving.

And so were the rest.

It didn’t take long for everyone to realize—

The Forest Ruins were about to become a battlefield.