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As the two goblins were recounting what had happened, the ground suddenly trembled. A suffocating pressure filled the air, as if even the elements themselves had grown restless.

“It’s over… we’ve been discovered!”
“It’s the Diamond Lizard! Damn it, we can’t stay here either. Can you help us deliver this message to the tribe? We’ll do our best to stall that monster!”

An A-Rank quest just for delivering a message??

The sudden prompt startled Zane so much that he hurriedly accepted.

The two goblins revealed relieved expressions. “It seems not all humans are bad after all. We were right to believe so.”

They shouted loudly, “Quick, ride that strange beetle of yours and run! Head westward from here, and before long you’ll find our temporary base. Tell them the Diamond Lizard is coming!!”

The two sentries then dashed forward recklessly. Even though sweat poured down their bodies from the shadow of fear clinging to them, they did not stop.

Quite brave, though their trembling legs barely carried them.

“Wait!” Starry activated Thousand Flash Steps and easily appeared in front of them.

The goblins could not understand what she intended. Zane followed behind at a steady pace and said, “We can relay the message, but not on your behalf. You must go yourselves.”

Kanrel understood what the two human girls meant. “You’re insane! The Diamond Lizard’s power is far beyond your imagination! If you don’t leave now, none of you will survive!!”

Starry chuckled lightly, flicking her blade until sparks danced through the air. “And how will we know unless we try?”

Their faces turned pale.

“Liburi, you go back and report! I’ll buy some time!” Kanrel’s face was filled with grim resolve.
“It’s too… late…” In Liburi’s eyes reflected a massive brown silhouette.

The Diamond Lizard had arrived!

“Is the Snowfeather Goblin tribe truly doomed to extinction…? Damn it!”

A colossal lizard, five meters long and two meters wide, entered their sight. Its body was brownish-black, its head flat like an oversized gecko, with a pale gray underside that darkened gradually toward its back.

Its four limbs stood firm and rigid, far sturdier than any gecko’s. Though smaller than a Bioraptor in size, comparing monsters by bulk alone was meaningless.

A Unique-rank monster! No wonder the goblins stood no chance. Its sheer stats were overwhelming, their attacks unable to even scratch it. What worried Zane most were its skills, this was a boss adept in both physical and magical combat. If he wasn’t careful, Starry could be wiped out in an instant.

“Roooar—!!!” The Diamond Lizard bellowed. To see its prey not fleeing in panic was the greatest insult.

“Tch, what a nasty debuff.” And it couldn’t be dispelled by Unchained Will either. It was a debuff skill belonging to an entirely different system. Without Purify to dispel it, he had no choice but to endure it.

“Invoke: Blessing!”

Fortunately, with the clear ring of that incantation, the lost strength returned, though not completely. The Blessing skill increased attack power based on current stats. That meant 0.8 × 1.2 = 0.96. Still slightly reduced, but losing only 4% was negligible.

The goblins, however, collapsed under the pressure of the Roar, fainting on the spot. They could no longer be relied upon for help.

Taking advantage of the enemy’s brief delay, Starry unleashed a combo with Normal Attack + Icy Moon Slash + Normal Attack!

The frosty slash landed squarely on the Diamond Lizard’s head, yet not a trace of freezing appeared. It seemed completely immune. However, the strike triggered her Lightfooted state, sending her movement speed soaring.

The beast roared in pain, its jaws stretching wide to reveal a void of darkness where jagged fangs glimmered faintly. It was using its Consume skill! If she were swallowed whole, not even the toughest physical defense could save her!

Yet its maw exerted a strange pull, dragging Starry backward.

“Oh crap! *Invoke: Vines*!”

Countless branches shot out, coiling tight around the lizard’s head and jaw. But no matter how much they strained, they could not force its mouth shut.

‘It’s useless! No way, is Starry really about to be eaten?’

Suddenly, a rustling sound swept past Zane’s side as a gray-black silhouette streaked forward, kicking up a gust of wind.

**Bang!**

The massive impact struck the Diamond Lizard, making it stagger violently. Its attempt to Consume was abruptly cut off.

“Beautifully done, Morthar!” Zane exclaimed in delight.

But the price of that strike was dire, the Diamond Lizard shifted its target. The horn atop its head gleamed with a brown radiance, shining brilliantly within the space. Something invisible from the air seemed to be flowing straight into that horn!

‘Morthar is in danger!’ Zane would never allow the monster to act unchecked. Starry raised her Autumn Strike Sword with deadly resolve and unleashed Frenzied Blade. At the same time, Zane cast *Invoke: Spirit’s Heart*, granting her a guaranteed critical. Her blade cleaved forward with unstoppable force, the sword aura surging in a torrent that crashed against the Diamond Lizard’s horn.

The damage was terrifying, a clean five-digit number!

“Rooooar! Rooooar!” But even that was not enough to interrupt its spell. Its horn was unnaturally hard. The Diamond Lizard’s enormous eyes bulged with fury. Its terrifying elemental power completed, and it hurled the strike straight at Morthar!

“Invoke—Blazing Fire!”

At the critical moment, a wall of flame erupted, rising to shield the Sacred Scarab. Morthar, sensing the danger as well, activated its only skill, Burrow!

Within less than a second, the fiery barrier wavered violently, its surface breaking apart under the strain. It was the same as when Elna had blocked the Undead Wolf Alpha’s dark breath, if the force was too great, this spell could not last long!

**Fwoom!**

The wall of flame collapsed under the crushing weight of the brown-black Elemental Blast. At the same time, Morthar’s limbs whirled frantically, digging a hole into the ground and slipping inside.

**Boom!**

The Elemental Blast hurtled on, smashing into a distant stone wall and tearing straight through it. No one could guess how much damage that strike could cause!

Seeing Morthar safe, Zane finally breathed easier. Starry spun her Autumn Moon Sword, her body weaving as the blade swept in wide arcs, unleashing a combo of Normal Attack + Blade Dance + Normal Attack!

Luck favored her, the third strike landed as a critical!

The Diamond Lizard seemed to sense its life fading. Unwilling to perish, elemental light once again surged along its horn!

‘Again!?’

Starry’s reflexes were lightning-fast. With one decisive slash, she struck, and Autumn Strike triggered, unleashing a devastating 6704 damage. The Diamond Lizard collapsed instantly.

This Diamond Lizard was ferocious beyond measure, surely one of the strongest among Unique-rank monsters.

Then, its body suddenly sank straight down!

“Nani?”¹　

Zane crept forward cautiously. To his surprise, Morthar had hollowed out the ground beneath and was feasting eagerly on the corpse. Zane could only stand there with dark lines across his face. ‘A body as hard as diamond, and you still have the stomach to eat it?’