Chapter 85: First, give big brother a status!

This damned darkness.

Holding a torch, he illuminated the 5 sword marks on the iron-blue stone the size of a roller before him.

The berserker Leimeng Keli's fury had begun to spill uncontrollably from his eyes.

"How did I end up back here again? I swear... this is absolutely the straightest line I've ever walked."

Leimeng Keli let out a low roar.

Right after the heavily armoured knight Makusi entered, the berserker Leimeng Keli, who had followed him in, discovered he had lost Makusi.

And the darkness of the Demon King's tomb was truly black.

His torch could only illuminate up to two meters around; anything farther away was invisible.

After walking around here with his torch lit.

He discovered two strangely alike stones.

Then something miraculous happened: each time he went past that strange stone and walked a distance forward, he would see the same strange stone again.

After repeated examination.

Leimeng Keli discovered.

The several stones he had encountered were clearly the same stone.

The disbelieving Leimeng Keli carved sword marks into the stone, then walked straight away with his back to it.

Something strange happened, despite feeling he was walking straight.

But that strange stone would miraculously appear before his eyes.

This was already Leimeng Keli's sixth attempt to leave that strange stone.

"It must be this stone's doing."

Angry, Leimeng Keli swung his broadsword and struck down hard.

Boom—

The broadsword split the stone in two.

But that wasn't enough.

"Blood Wind Sword Light Slash!"

With Leimeng Keli's low roar, his solid, sturdy muscles bulged, and the blood-red 【anger】 poured into the broadsword.

The bloody sword qi intertwined, frenziedly cutting the strange stone.

When the strange stone shattered completely, light shone in.

"Sure enough, this damned stone was behind it."

Leimeng Keli was overjoyed.

Following the light, he saw a mass of shadow.

"Ta Ke?"

Leimeng Keli tried shouting.

"It's me!"

Ta Ke's voice came from the shadow.

"Don't come over, be careful of that stone." While running toward Ta Ke, Leimeng Keli shouted.

"Stone?"

"Yes, that strange stone makes people go in circles; good thing I smashed the stone, breaking that strange circle."

Leimeng Keli's tone was full of confidence and affirmation.

Ta Ke looked at the pile of stone fragments that had been brutally cut behind Leimeng Keli.

You say, is there a possibility that it's just an ordinary stone?

Ta Ke nodded: "Indeed, it's a bit strange in here, but light can dispel darkness, so we won't lose our way."

Leimeng Keli glanced at the rich light of Ta Ke's horse lantern and at Ta Ke in his shadow state.

"Light and darkness, so close together—can they coexist peacefully?"

"The wizard's tricks are indeed miraculous."

Looking in a direction, Ta Ke spoke softly.

"Alright, let's go find Makusi!"

Leimeng Keli followed behind Ta Ke, moving along with the light.

Not long after.

Then came the fierce sound of fists striking the rock wall.

When the light shone past.

Makusi's low, powerful voice came through.

"Don't come over, be careful of this wall; it will make you lose your way here."

"Good thing I smashed this wall, happen to dispel the strange that causes one to lose their way."

Wielding both fists, bearing a battle shield like a door panel, Makusi strode over, his steps confident.

Meanwhile, hearing these familiar-sounding words.

Leimeng Keli couldn't help but glance at the figure beside him holding the light, hidden in shadow, the wizard.

Then he looked toward the large cracked wall behind Makusi, and a strange thought arose.

"Is there a possibility that it's just an ordinary wall?"

While one was confident and the other doubtful.

Ta Ke looked in a direction and spoke softly.

"Stay close to me, don't fall behind; those few have run into trouble."

The two felt their spirits surge, gripped their weapons tightly, and kept right behind Ta Ke.

The previously silent darkness amplified instantly as the three drew near, the sounds of battle swelling.

The "Darkness" attribute not only devours light, it also muffles sound.

Only Gu Dar, Ba Nuo Fu, and Huo Ni were seen.

They were being wildly pursued by a flock of Bone‑gnawing Birds.

Bone‑gnawing Birds resemble ostriches.

But they possess terrifying bite force; bones are easily crushed in their jaws.

That is why they are called Bone‑gnawing Birds.

Fortunately, Huo Ni's lantern shone strong enough to pierce a wide swath of darkness.

Otherwise, trapped in darkness circling while the Bone‑gnawing Birds closed in, their bodies would be torn apart in moments.

If it were only three or five, or seven or eight.

The three of them could naturally handle that.

But now the number of Bone‑gnawing Birds reached fifty or sixty.

And all were above level 25.

Among them were Elite Bone‑gnawing Birds over three meters tall, whose massive beaks could crush a skull in a single bite.

No wonder the three fled at lightning speed.

When Gu Dar, leading the group, saw Ta Ke and the others, he roared immediately.

"Run, don't linger here; these Bone‑gnawing Birds are fierce."

"We just killed some; it seems we provoked them."

His words fell as soon as they were spoken.

Bang!

A powerful booming roar ripped the air, exploding against everyone's eardrums.

Arcane Shot is a gestural sorcery that blends Arcane Magic Net with Steam Shot.

Under Ta Ke's focused enhancement.

A level‑19 Arcane Shot already rivals some direct offensive spells.

Accompanied by the roaring of the Arcane Shot.

Among the flock, the tallest, most ferocious Elite's skull exploded on the spot, half its brain blown away.

Its body thudded and collapsed to the ground.

The level‑29 Elite Bone‑gnawing Bird was head‑shot by Ta Ke with a single blast.

However, what shocked everyone even more lay ahead.

Bang bang bang…

The booming gunfire kept echoing, like a dense, rhythmic drum pattern.

The charging Bone‑gnawing Birds fell one after another.

Especially the elites, which Ta Ke targeted first.

The fallen birds ahead tripped many behind them.

The flock descended into chaos.

The almost divine Arcane Shot struck the team's spirits mercilessly.

"Counter! Counter!"

Startled, Gu Dar immediately made a decision.

Heavy‑armor Knight Marcus and the Berserker charged toward the Bone‑gnawing Birds.

They would block the incoming birds, acting as a fire‑power draw, giving Ta Ke more time to cast sorcery.

The Arcane Shot's trajectory precisely pierced the birds' eyes.

Each strike would take a Bone‑gnawing Bird's life.

As flesh beings, their weak‑spot damage is especially "fatal".

Now, following the eye to the skull, it inflicts shattering "fatal" damage.

Allowing Ta Ke to kill one Bone‑gnawing Bird per shot.

Gu Dar's "counter" was not an attack on the birds.

Instead, he first granted Ta Ke, the "big brother", the Ranger's Battle Song buffs.

The three Battle Songs—"Haste", "Sharpness", and "Source Energy"—boost Ta Ke's casting speed, the Arcane projectile's penetration, and source energy recovery.

With that, the gunfire grew even denser.

Injured in the arm, Priest Huo Ni stopped healing herself, first placed a Life Shield on Ta Ke, then added a "Stamina Recovery" buff to Ta Ke's casting arm.

Only then did she heal herself.

Such Arcane Shot techniques place heavy strain on the arm.

The Life Shield can absorb the arm's backlash pressure.

Stamina recovery restores the arm, making it as durable and fierce as a "Qilin Arm".

I must say,

These two support‑sequence guys.

Their leg‑clinging speed is outstanding—fast, accurate, steady, and ruthless!

And Ta Ke's performance far exceeds their understanding of a sorcerer.

In this dark depth, the area where light surges.

Gunshots and death intertwine the city's melody.

The death knell of the falling bone-eating bird flock was rung.

There are still two more night watches!