Shadowed Forest — Core Zone — edge of the Blood-Cold Pool.
Two figures crouched low in the grass, eyes locked on the dark, rippling reflection of the pool ahead.
Lois had her trademark lollipop between her lips, eyes narrowed to slits as she counted on her fingers. "One, two, three… sixteen. Sixteen level-five Shadow Serpents. Tsk. The Blood Crocodile King really knows how to run a crew—turned this many elites into its lapdogs."
Alex's eyes lit up. "That's insane EXP. Wipe them all out and I can hit level five easy."
"…?"
Lois blinked and turned to him, puzzled. "You're saying… kill all sixteen?"
"Mm." Alex nodded. "What's the problem? One punch each—sixteen punches, job done."
The lollipop in Lois's mouth plopped to the ground, and she nearly choked on air.
"Have you ever even run a dungeon? We're here for the boss. Kill the big guy, and the little ones scatter! Why the hell would you waste time clearing mobs first—did one of those serpents bite into your brain?"
She gave him a look usually reserved for complete idiots—like she was one second away from prying open his skull to count how many brain folds he actually had.
But Alex, utterly serious, bent down, picked up a stone, and flicked it toward the nearest serpent.
Pop!
A health bar appeared instantly: 3400 HP.
Alex frowned. "Its health… doubled?"
Lois rolled her eyes. "You're only figuring that out now? The moment I stepped into the core zone, I noticed—every monster's stats are doubled. Attack, defense, magic resistance—all ridiculous."
Her voice shifted, dripping with mockery. "If you can really one-punch them, I'll swallow this lollipop whole."
Alex arched a brow, a faint smile tugging at his lips, though his mind was already racing.
—If all the monsters' stats had doubled, then the Demon-Eyed Lizard Emperor would be far stronger than expected. He'd have to track down Gregory fast. With Gregory's Wrathful Buddha talent, the boss fight would be a whole different story.
Lois, however, thought she'd just caught him in a bluff and assumed he was embarrassed.
She clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "It's fine, man. Little bit of bragging between bros—nothing to beat yourself up over."
And with that, she shoved a lollipop into his hand in a show of deep, manly camaraderie.
Straightening her petite frame, Lois declared with supreme confidence, "I'll handle the Crocodile King head-on. You distract those snakes and keep them busy for ten rounds—then I can take it down!"
The way she said it, you'd think she really could solo the Blood Crocodile King.
Alex shot her down instantly. "No. New plan. You aggro everything—bring all the serpents here—and I'll take them out in one kick."
Lois: "…?"
Alex's tone was deadly serious. "I'll use Bone Shatter. As long as you can bait the Crocodile King into using its skill first, I can finish the fight in five rounds."
Lois froze, a giant question mark practically stamped on her face.
"What the hell kind of spiraling thunder bullshit are you talking about?"
She was pretty sure this man needed a full mental evaluation.
But before she could explode, Alex's voice rang out—light, almost cheerful: "Go, twin tails!"
The next second, she found herself shoved right out of the grass and to the edge of the cold pool.
"!!!"
Lois was stunned—flung forward like a boulder from a siege catapult.
Sixteen massive serpents turned in unison, their slit-pupiled eyes locking onto her with deadly intent.
"Alex! FUCK YOU!"
She roared in fury and bolted, the ground behind her writhing and boiling—every last serpent surging into motion, tongues lashing the air as if some primal hunting ritual had just begun.
And there she was—
A black-haired, twin-tailed girl, lollipop clenched between her teeth, sprinting full tilt around the cold pool with a stampede of mountain-sized serpents roaring in pursuit.
With every step, dense shadow energy rippled off her movements. Even her awakened talent, Shadow, flared to life from sheer fury, leaving a long, seething trail of black mist in her wake.
"Go, twin tails! Not bad, keep running!"
From the safety of the grass, Alex was still cheering her on with great enthusiasm.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, ALEX, YOU BASTARD!"
By the second lap, Lois's cheeks were flushed, her breath ragged, her pace visibly slowing.
The lead serpent lunged, jaws gaping wide, its fangs close enough to tear the hem of her coat—
In that instant, a figure shot from the grass like a gale.
Alex's arm hooked around her waist, yanking her off her feet and tossing her backward. His stance sank low, and his right leg whipped out in a sweeping arc.
The very air detonated.
[Skill: Bone Shatter] — Activated!
The kick came down like a collapsing mountain, like thunder tearing the sky apart. A brutal shockwave erupted outward, the aura of a war god descending.
The sixteen serpents barely took a step before the force hit them—an instant later they were airborne, their bodies bursting into storms of scales and blood.
The ground split open in a deep crater, trees and grass ripped from their roots, the shockwave overturning the entire edge of the cold pool.
Before Lois could even process what had happened, Alex caught her firmly in his arms.
"See?" he smirked. "Told you—one punch each."
Lois: "…"
She looked down at the half-finished lollipop in her hand, her expression twisting.
—Was she… still supposed to eat it?