After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

The saying 'No good deed goes unpunished' resonated in Lin Da's mind, suggesting a plot brewing behind Aiko's kindness.

Lin Da pondered for a moment and responded with a smile.

He then looked towards the other sides of the battlefield and cast Verdant Shield on Klrona and Oru first.

As Lin Da's level increased, the number of times he could use Verdant Shield also increased. Initially, he could use it continuously only five times in a short period, but now it had increased to seven times.

In Mystic Continent, each skill had its usage limits, corresponding to a Magic Circuit within the body.

Using them in rapid succession could cause the circuit to overheat, resulting in physical damage.

Lin Da watched Lia, who was holding a flame greatsword and making a Black Armored Crab General keep retreating. Likely due to her reduced intelligence, Lia's Magic Circuit was naturally more durable than others'.

As the Crab General's pincers struck, Lia ducked low to avoid them, then scanned her surroundings. Both Klrona and Oru had Lin Da's Light Shield, but she did not.

Lia turned around angrily and glared at Lin Da, who was consuming a Mana Potion to recuperate, "Give this lady a shield!"

Lin Da shook his head, "Just focus on the fight; I'm not going to shield you."

"Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you targeting me?"

Lia was stunned, her desire to fight crabs waned.

If Oru had a shield, why didn't she have one?

Lin Da's thoughts were straightforward: To prevent Lia from continuing to act like a spoiled child, he needed to distance himself as much as possible. Only by not intervening could Lia's 'personal line' return to the proper course of the game, allowing her to become a respected Bursting Flames.

"I'll help you out."

Ignoring Lia, Lin Da joined Oru's side of the fight.

"Alright, partner!" Oru laughed joyously.

Together, with support from the rear, they quickly defeated the second Black Armored Giant Crab.

The system announced two accomplishments:

[Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, earned 30000 Mystical Points!]

[Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, damage too low, earned 10000 Mystical Points!]

For the first creature, Lin Da dealt substantial damage and consequently earned more points.

For the second, he arrived when it was nearly dead and managed a last-hit kill, earning 10000 points.

It was better than nothing.

Lin Da and Oru walked side by side toward the last Black Armored Crab General.

Lia's battle was the slowest, with only Klyne supporting her.

Aiko and Monica were both aiding Lin Da, leaving Lia somewhat isolated.

The proud redhead captain, the more she thought, the angrier she got, taking it out on the Crab General.

With every strike, she muttered curses such as 'damned Lin Da', 'just die', 'beat you to death'.

All this resentment over not receiving a shield?

Lin Da remembered those parents killed by their children just because they refused to buy Magic Puppets with money. A chill ran down his spine.

If he had not left Snow Goose and had continued to indulge Lia, the day he refused one of her whimsical requests would have been disastrous.

In no time, together they took down the last Black Armored Crab General.

The materials were split evenly, each extracting their share of Demon Cores.

...

"Hm?"

Kafni paused with her dagger mid-extraction of a Demon Core, suddenly frowning and looking suspiciously ahead.

Daring the chaotic battlefield, an extremely faint noise arose from beneath the ground.

Apart from Kafni, Lia also sensed something off.

She didn't hear the slight sound, but rather felt it through 'intuition.'

Lia inexplicably got goosebumps and felt uneasy, sensing that something was about to happen.

She quickly jumped back to take cover behind Klrona's Shield Wall.

"Everyone fall back a bit, something isn't right," Kafni sternly warned everyone.

Members from both Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose retreated behind Klrona.

Klrona took on the role of defense and bait.

Lin Da tightened his grip on the Healing Art in his hand.

After calming his mind, he too noticed that strange sound.

It came from deep underground.

From afar to near, like a mud dragon speeding through.

Lin Da recalled for a moment and didn't remember any Magical Creatures like this from the game activities. The most powerful one should be deep in Breeze River Beach, currently engaging with the White Dove Adventure Group.

In other areas, it would just be the Black Shell Crab General.

"Level 23... its aura is strong!" Kafni's perception became clearer, her golden pupils seemingly seeing through everything underground.

Upon hearing the level 23, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Lia and Aiko had reached level 25, and Klrona had also broken through to level 23 the day before.

Two squads joining forces to fight a level 23 Magical Creature felt like no problem.

Lin Da thought a little deeper.

A regular level 23 Magical Creature, making Kafni, someone who feared neither heaven nor earth, show such a solemn expression?

Could it be 'that' BOSS?

Lin Da's brow furrowed tightly.

For every thousand Black Shell Crab Generals, only one would mutate.

From Purple Rare Level, it transformed to an orange rarity.

An extremely rare hidden Magical Creature!

The top-tier orange jewelry with set attributes needed for forging came from this kind of creature.

But right now, he truly didn't want to encounter that creature!

The teamwork between Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose wasn't even up to a last-minute preparation.

Up against that creature, Lin Da was confident of victory, but not sure they could all avoid injury.

The dynamics of battle constantly shifted; every adventurer had their own thoughts, and it couldn't go exactly like in the game, where clicking on the ground 5.79 meters away would make teammates walk precisely there, to the exact spot.

The tremors from underground became more distinct, and everyone sensed the terrible aura of the creature.

"What is that?" Klyne, uneasy, leaned close to Oru, her body trembling slightly.

Lia and Aiko, with serious faces, focused their gaze on the ground ahead.

"L-Lord Captain..." Monica's small hand urgently clutched at Lin Da's clothes, her pair of white silk legs trembling like sieves.

All the Murderous Crabs around them backed away in panic, burying their heads in the ground like ostriches.

As if to show submission to an unknown existence.

A tense, oppressive atmosphere loomed in the air, akin to the calm before a storm.

"Small Fry Magical Creatures, come out!"

Klrona's pale face showed she couldn't withstand the immense pressure; she took the initiative to attack first.

Her right foot stamped heavily on the ground, transmitting the force to dozens of meters below.

The signature skill of the Heavy Armored Warrior, Frenzied Trample!

"Hiss—"

A sharp cry of a Magical Creature rapidly approached from below.

The ground beneath Klrona suddenly collapsed.

A monster clad in crimson carapace, resembling both a crab and a lobster, with a long torso like it was dressed in crimson armor, burst forth from the ground.

Its pair of crab pincers were as large as two people embracing a tree.

Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, it burst forth from the mud.

Its form obscured the sky, roaring as it attacked Klrona!

…

(ps: Regarding the progress of the plot, efforts will be made to speed up, hoping for your subscription support)