Read Novel Full Chapter 2339: The Next Phase (Part 2)
Chapter 2339: The Next Phase (Part 2)
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Witnessing the overwhelming combat prowess of the three newly emerged monster bosses, the surrounding experts immediately revised their initial assessment of the Trinity Apes.
At almost the same time, the experts seemed to reach an unspoken agreement. Rather than allowing the three monsters to wreak havoc unchecked, they would divide into groups and engage each of the Trinity Apes separately.
Mad Lion Kross and Crazy Dragon Criss took the initiative, charging toward the nearest target: the Steelfist Ape, which was still unleashing a relentless barrage of devastating punches against everything around it.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The two brothers sprinted forward, nimbly dodging the compressed air waves produced by the monster’s fists as they closed the distance.
Shing! Shing!
The moment they reached their ideal striking range, both men swung their weapons. Two brilliant arcs flashed through the air as their attacks cut toward the Steelfist Ape from opposite directions.
Bang! Bang!
However, before either strike could land, the Steelfist Ape abruptly raised both arms, blocking the incoming attacks with its iron-hard forearms.
The brothers’ weapons struck with tremendous force, yet their attacks barely left a scratch on the monster’s metallic limbs. The Steelfist Ape’s arms were so sturdy that they resembled a pair of enormous steel gauntlets.
Nevertheless, Kross and Criss showed no sign of disappointment.
Their initial objective had never been to inflict serious damage.
They had succeeded in stopping the Steelfist Ape’s rampage.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
That brief opening was all the other experts needed. Seeing the monster’s relentless assault interrupted, they surged forward and swarmed the Steelfist Ape from multiple directions, forcing it to defend itself rather than unleash another devastating barrage.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Meanwhile, the experts positioned farther away began providing support. Members of renowned mercenary groups and adventurer teams, including the Jadeite Mage Corps, unleashed a succession of long-range skills and spells, bombarding the monster from a safer distance while their frontline allies kept it occupied.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
For a brief period, the experts managed to suppress the Steelfist Ape’s advance, even forcing it to retreat several times. The pressure increased further as additional forces joined the assault, including the Helix Brothers Group and the Outworld Adventurer Team.
Despite the monster’s overwhelming strength and devastating attacks, its combat style was relatively straightforward. Its movements revolved primarily around powerful punches and the shockwaves generated by them.
Moreover, its attack patterns were somewhat repetitive, allowing the experienced experts to gradually develop a rough understanding of its capabilities.
For veterans accustomed to fighting powerful monsters, identifying and exploiting such predictable patterns was far easier than dealing with an opponent whose every move concealed an unexpected trick.
However, that did not mean they could afford to let their guard down.
The Steelfist Ape’s straightforward fighting style did nothing to diminish the terrifying attributes behind its attacks. Even if the experts could anticipate its next move, avoiding it was an entirely different matter.
A direct hit from one of its fists could very well kill any of them in an instant. Only those belonging to Knight Classes, with their superior defensive capabilities, had a realistic chance of surviving such a blow.
As a result, the experts had to remain exceptionally vigilant. They could work together to restrict the Steelfist Ape’s movements, but a single mistake could still cost them their lives.
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Meanwhile, the experts on the other side of the battlefield were facing an entirely different problem.
Compared to the Steelfist Ape, whose attack patterns were relatively straightforward, the Stoneback Gorilla was far more difficult to deal with.
Its thick hide was reinforced by layers of stone armor, giving it a level of defense that far surpassed that of its counterpart. Most attacks that struck its body barely left a scratch, leaving the melee fighters surrounding it at a loss.
Even when their attacks landed cleanly, the damage they inflicted was negligible. Physical attacks alone seemed insufficient to bring the monster under control, making it extremely difficult for the experts to keep it occupied.
Worse still, the Stoneback Gorilla was not merely a physically powerful monster. It was also capable of wielding Earth Elemental Magic, allowing it to manipulate the battlefield itself.
With both formidable physical defenses and the ability to reshape the terrain, the Stoneback Gorilla was proving to be a troublesome opponent.
BANG! BANG!
Just as the surrounding experts were struggling to make any meaningful progress, a powerful beam of light tore across the battlefield and slammed into the Stoneback Gorilla’s back—the very part of its body that was supposed to be the toughest.
The attack came from Thunderlord, the Calamity Cannon himself!
BOOOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the surrounding area. A massive cloud of smoke and dust billowed into the air, forming a small mushroom cloud that briefly obscured the Stoneback Gorilla’s enormous figure.
(-1,423,521)
A string of enormous crimson damage numbers appeared within the cloud, indicating the damage inflicted by Thunderlord’s attack.
Yet despite the impressive figure, the damage was noticeably lower than what Thunderlord had dealt to the original Heavenly Dominator.
Thunderlord, who had returned to the battlefield after escaping the original Heavenly Dominator’s initial pursuit, raised an eyebrow as he examined the result through the scope of his mana cannon.
"Just over a million, huh?" he muttered. "Looks like this guy is even tougher than I expected."
Valtherion, standing beside him, studied the damage report before offering his own assessment. "It seems to have inherited most of the main body’s defensive capabilities."
"Fortunately, it looks like it’s still somewhat more vulnerable to magic attacks," Thunderlord smirked before readjusting his aim. "Let’s see how much punishment it can take."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He immediately resumed firing, sending successive beams of destructive energy toward the Stoneback Gorilla.
The surrounding experts quickly reached the same conclusion. If even Thunderlord’s devastating cannon fire struggled to inflict significant damage, continuing to rely on physical attacks alone would be an inefficient way to deal with the monster.
They promptly adjusted their battle formations.
The melee fighters focused on restricting the Stoneback Gorilla’s movements and preventing it from freely manipulating the battlefield, while the ranged combatants unleashed a continuous barrage of attacks from a distance.
Those capable of inflicting magical damage received particular attention, as their attacks appeared more effective against the monster’s defenses.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
For the first time since the Stoneback Gorilla had entered the fray, the experts began to find a more promising way to challenge its formidable defenses.
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If the first two battlefields were gradually coming under control, the third was facing an entirely different problem.
Unlike the Steelfist Ape and Stoneback Gorilla, which were individual opponents that the experts could concentrate their forces against, the Ironhead Chimpanzee commanded an entire army of armored stone monkeys.
ROAR! ROAR!
The Ironhead Chimpanzee repeatedly unleashed thunderous roars, seemingly issuing commands that dictated the movements and formations of its army.
It behaved less like a rampaging monster and more like an intelligent commander leading its troops into battle.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
With the armored stone monkeys advancing in coordinated formations, the experts caught in this part of the battlefield found themselves in an increasingly difficult predicament.
They could only curse their bad luck for being caught in the immediate vicinity of the Ironhead Chimpanzee when it summoned its army. Now, they had little choice but to fight their way through the seemingly endless ranks of armored monsters.
Even a single soldier in this army was troublesome enough to handle. The combat prowess of these armored stone monkeys far surpassed that of most monsters the experts had encountered before.
For the more experienced veterans who had already set foot on the Awakened Continent, the resemblance was particularly striking. These creatures reminded them of the monsters they had encountered on that second continent, where even ordinary enemies could pose a serious threat to unprepared players.
The armored stone monkeys were not merely powerful. Their combat instincts and battle AI were comparable to those of NPCs—and, in some respects, even the players themselves.
More alarmingly, they did not fight as isolated individuals.
Instead, the stone monkeys advanced in organized squads, with each unit operating like a genuine military formation. Frontline fighters charged at the enemy to engage them directly, while others provided auxiliary support, exploiting openings and assisting their allies whenever an opportunity arose.
Their coordination allowed them to cover one another’s weaknesses, making it difficult for the experts to break through their ranks.
And with the enemy outnumbering them by a considerable margin, the experts were quickly pushed into a disadvantageous position.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
The armored stone monkeys pressed forward relentlessly, their coordinated assaults forcing the experts to retreat again and again. Every time one group managed to repel an attack, another squad would move in to exploit the opening.
The battlefield was gradually turning into a grinding war of attrition—and the experts were losing ground.
It was at this critical moment that two figures appeared, each prepared to confront the seemingly overwhelming army in their own way.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Countless black chains erupted from beneath the desert floor, snaking across the battlefield before wrapping themselves around the armored stone monkeys. The chains coiled tightly around their limbs and torsos, abruptly halting their advance and disrupting the army’s carefully coordinated formations.
At the same time, a figure appeared in the midst of the enemy ranks.
It was Divine Soul, the Guild Leader of Mirage Soul.
Hovering above the battlefield, he began chanting a series of incomprehensible words. His voice was barely audible amid the surrounding chaos, yet the strange incantation continued uninterrupted for several seconds.
Then, he finally uttered a single word. "Devour."
Swoosh!
An invisible force swept across a large portion of the battlefield.
In the next instant, black markings appeared across the bodies of the restrained stone monkeys. The markings pulsed ominously as the chains surrounding them began absorbing the elemental mana contained within their bodies, drawing upon that energy to strengthen themselves.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The chains tightened one after another.
Their links constricted around the stone monkeys with crushing force, cracking their armored bodies before shattering them completely.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
One stone monkey after another broke apart, their bodies collapsing into piles of useless rocks.
In a single coordinated strike, Divine Soul had eliminated a considerable portion of the enemy army.
Yet he wasn’t the only one turning the tide.
Woo~! Woo~! Woo~!
Eerie cries echoed from another part of the battlefield, where a massive spiritual gate had appeared amid a complex magic formation.
Standing before the gate was Isabella.
She repeatedly tapped the bottom of her shaman staff against the desert floor, channeling her power into the formation beneath her feet.
Woo~! Woo~! Woo~!
The eerie cries grew louder as ghostly figures began emerging from the spiritual gate one after another.
They were ghost soldiers clad in exquisite armor, each carrying a different type of weapon. Swords, spears, axes, and other weapons gleamed in their spectral hands as their ranks steadily grew.
Before the last of the summoned soldiers had even emerged from the gate, Isabella raised her staff and pointed toward the enemy army.
"Go!"
Woo~! Woo~! Woo~!
Responding to her command, the ghost soldiers surged forward and charged straight into the ranks of the armored stone monkeys.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The two armies collided in a fierce clash, filling the battlefield with the sounds of weapons striking armor and bodies crashing against one another.
Isabella, meanwhile, remained behind her summoned forces, continuously casting spells to strengthen her ghost soldiers.
She also activated the totems she had scattered across the battlefield, channeling additional power into a more formidable magic formation that supported her army and enhanced its fighting capabilities.
With Divine Soul restraining and destroying the enemy through his black chains, and Isabella deploying an army of her own to meet the armored stone monkeys head-on, the experts finally gained some breathing room.
For the first time, the overwhelming numerical advantage of the Ironhead Chimpanzee’s army was being challenged by forces capable of matching its coordination and sheer numbers.
However, with the Ironhead Chimpanzee still commanding its troops, the battle was far from over.
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