Silver Moon Wolf stepped forward, with its bristling fur, and released a deep, echoing roar into the black fog ahead. The sound wasn't just loud, but it was sharp enough that several black devil bugs spiraling through the air were blown off course and smashed against the tunnel walls. Their broken shells cracked like thin ceramic.
Tianyu's heart pounded, but his eyes were steady.
He had known the wilderness would be dangerous.
He had known joining the cleaning team wasn't a small matter.
But if he couldn't stomach even this level of danger… how could he ever hope to become an armored envoy?
Sun Xianfeng saw the determination burning in Tianyu's eyes and stopped trying to push him away. He let out a long breath and patted Tianyu's shoulder.
"Fine," he said quietly. "Then stay close. But listen—if anything threatens your life, you RUN. Don't think about us. Don't try to be a hero."
Tianyu nodded firmly.
With that, the cleaning team finally stepped into the black devil bugs' nest.
*
Inside the Underground Nest;
The entrance was a jagged hole blown open moments earlier by the Explosive Black Bear. The tunnel beyond was narrow—barely wide enough for a single person. Damp walls pressed in on both sides, slick with moisture and streaked with black residue. Light barely reached a few steps ahead, and without the bear's flames illuminating the path, none of their magical beasts would've fit at all.
"Roar!"
The massive black bear stepped forward, flames licking its claws. It pressed a fiery paw against the wall. The damp material hissed loudly—
Zzzap—Zzzzzap!
Flames spread rapidly, burning away mold, fungi, and filth. In the glow of the flames, the tunnel seemed to stretch endlessly, then suddenly opened into a massive underground chamber.
The space was enormous—larger than a football field.
Holes lined the walls like a honeycomb, each one about the size of a human head. Black smoke seeped from them. On the far side of the cavern was a deeper hole—pitch black, unmoving, like a maw waiting for prey.
It didn't take a genius to guess what lived inside.
The bug king.
Before anyone could speak, a shrill sound sliced through the air.
SKREEEE—!
The holes on the walls erupted.
Hundreds—no, thousands—of black devil bugs swarmed out. Their wings beat furiously, turning the air into a storm of black shadows.
The sheer number made Tianyu's scalp tingle.
"Everyone, stay sharp!" Lei Feiyu barked, narrowing his eyes. "This nest has grown too big… MUCH too big!"
The cleaning team moved instantly. They formed a tight circle, backs toward each other, magical beasts positioned at the edges like an outer shield.
"ATTACK!"
Lei Feiyu's order shook the cavern.
Silver Moon Wolf also responded instantly. Its body dissolved into a streak of silver-white energy that danced across the battlefield. In that underground darkness, it looked like a meteor surrounded by a sky full of black stars.
Then the claws came out.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Silver Blades cleaved through the tough shells of black devil bugs as if they were paper. Dozens of bugs dropped from the sky every second.
The system notifications exploded in Tianyu's mind—
[ Ding — killed one black devil bug (10,000 = 1 evolution point) ]
[ Ding… ]
[ Ding… Ding… Ding… ]
Silver Wolf's attack speed was frightening. Tianyu couldn't even track its movements anymore—only flashes of silver and the sound of cracking shell.
The pop-ups became a constant stream.
[ Experience full. Upgrade Silver Wolf? ]
Tianyu didn't hesitate. "Yes!"
Silver light erupted from Silver Wolf's body—bright enough to light the entire cavern.
[ Ding — Silver Wolf has reached Black Iron (High-grade). ]
[ Ding — skill upgrade in progress: Wolf Howling Bomb. ]
Tianyu immediately opened the updated panel.
*
Magical Beast: Silver Moon Wolf
Level: Black Iron (High-grade)
Grade: Rare
Talents: Wolf Nature (Normal), Moon Agility (Rare)
Skills:
– Silver Claw (Black Iron)
– Silver Blade (Black Iron)
– Wolf Howling Bomb (Black Iron)
Wolf Howling Bomb: Condenses moonlight power and fires a concentrated energy cannon.
*
Tianyu's chest warmed with pride.
His Silver Wolf had climbed another entire rank in a single battle.
But before he could even take it in—
[ Ding — Killed 10,000 black devil bugs. Evolution point +1. ]
Tianyu blinked in disbelief.
"Already…?"
He hadn't expected Silver Wolf to wipe out over ten thousand bugs in such a short time. When he looked around, the cavern floor was littered with crushed shells and fading corpses. Only a few scattered bugs remained.
Tianyu wanted to test Wolf Howling Bomb, but with so few enemies left… the moment wasn't right.
And then—
"Move forward!"
Lei Feiyu's voice thundered. "We haven't eliminated the bug king yet. Until we slay it, this nest stays alive!"
The cleaning team advanced carefully toward the deepest part of the cavern.
Tianyu followed behind them, heart racing.
Excitement churned inside him.
This was the first time he was experiencing a bronze-level magical beast in combat.
The Explosive Black Bear was terrifying enough…
But a bronze-level bug king?
He swallowed hard and looked up at Silver Wolf.
"Xiao Hui… you're excited too, right?"
Silver Moon Wolf answered Tianyu with a low, throaty growl—its body tense, its eyes glowing in the dimness.
Together with the cleaning team, they pushed deeper into the nest, carving their way through the last remnants of black devil bugs. The air grew thicker and hotter. The soil beneath their feet vibrated faintly, almost like something enormous was breathing beneath the earth.
After about 500 meters, the tunnel widened again.
A faint green glow pulsed in the darkness—slow, rhythmic.
Thump… thump…
Thump… thump…
It was the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat.
Lei Feiyu raised his hand quickly, signaling everyone to hold their breath and stay silent. Even Silver Wolf crouched low, its fur bristling as the strange heartbeat echoed through the cavern.
They stepped into another open area—this one even larger than the last. And there, centered beneath the faint green glow, was a monstrous creature.
It resembled a black devil bug, but it was far larger—twice the size of a man. Its shell was glossy and black like obsidian. A pair of massive, curved pincers jutted from its head, and venomous green smoke seeped from its joints. Under the dim light, its carapace gleamed with an oily, unnatural shine.
Tianyu used the system's probing skill at once.
*
Magical Beast: Dark Pincer
Grade: Rare
Level: Bronze (Quasi–Middle Grade)
Talent: Berserk (Rare)
Skills:
– Savage Charge (Black Iron)
– Reinforced Iron Bone (Bronze)
– Lethal Poison Gas (Black Iron)
– Steel Pincers (Bronze)
*
Tianyu's stomach tightened.
This wasn't just a black devil bug.
This was their king—mutated, evolved, and dangerously close to mid-grade bronze.
Four skills. Two bronze-level abilities.
Powerful pincers. A berserk talent.
This thing was a disaster waiting to happen.
The moment Dark Pincer sensed them, its shell lit with a dim red glow—its aura exploding outward like a shockwave.
"Buzz… BUZZ!"
Its black wings unfolded with a snap, and it shot forward like a fired arrow.
"Everyone, ATTACK!" Lei Feiyu shouted, lunging in front.
Magical beasts surged ahead—Silver Wolf, the red-eyed striped leopard, and several others crashed into the front lines.
But the Dark Pincer was too strong.
It grabbed the Explosive Black Bear mid-charge—claws clamping down with terrifying force—then beat its wings and slammed the bear into the cavern wall.
BOOOOM!
Dust fell like rain. Stones cracked.
The shock ran through the entire underground chamber.
The other magical beasts tried attacking from the sides—biting, clawing, slashing—but the Dark Pincer's carapace didn't even dent.
Lei Feiyu's expression hardened. "This isn't working. It's too tough."
He clenched his fist.
"Explosive Black Bear—RETURN!"
The bear dissolved into black light, shrinking into a swirling mass that wrapped around Lei Feiyu's body like smoke.
Then—
"ARMOR TRANSFORMATION!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Lei Feiyu's heartbeat thundered through the chamber, echoing off the walls.
"ROAR!"
The spectral head of the Explosive Black Bear materialized behind him—massive, fierce, its jaws snapping with flames—before collapsing into a black totem that slammed onto Lei Feiyu's chest.
Illusory green light spread across his skin, lifting him from the ground like a rising flame.
"BUZZ!"
A shockwave of power burst from Lei Feiyu, igniting the surrounding air.
Where heat touched stone, the walls turned red. Flames rolled off him in waves.
His armored form emerged—clad in fiery, black-red plating shaped like the bear that had merged with him. Illusory flames roared around his arms.
Tianyu stared, breathless. "Is this… an armored envoy?"
Silver Wolf's attack earlier hadn't left a single mark on the Dark Pincer.
Lei Feiyu's first punch left a crater.
And he wasn't even done.
Lei Feiyu slammed his burning fists together, sparks bursting outward, and leapt at the Dark Pincer like a falling meteor.
BOOOOOM!!!
The flaming punch collided with the Dark Pincer, sending it skidding across the cavern floor. Its shell cracked—hairline fractures glowing faintly.
The explosion shook the entire nest.
Dust swirled. Rocks tumbled.
But the Dark Pincer wasn't finished.
It screeched, wings whipping up a violent storm. Black gas oozed from its shell, and its aura doubled in intensity. Then, its body began spinning.
Faster. Faster. Faster.
In seconds, it transformed into a swirling black tornado, speeding toward Lei Feiyu with terrifying force.
Lei Feiyu planted his feet, muscles bulging beneath flaming armor.
He stretched out his burning hands—
CRAAAAAAAACK!
The tornado crashed into him.
Flame against poison.
Strength against madness.
Two forces collided violently.
Red sparks shot out. Black smoke curled around the ground. Winds howled like beasts.
Lei Feiyu's eyes glowed red.
"OPEN!"
He roared with all his strength, flames exploding from his arms. His hands pushed through the spinning force—grasping something solid inside.
And then, with a deafening CRUNCH—
Lei Feiyu grabbed the Dark Pincer's spinning claws and forced the tornado to a halt.
The entire nest froze.
Even Silver Wolf stopped moving.
The armored envoy had stopped the bug king's signature attack…
with his bare hands.
The temperature in the cavern rose sharply. The flames around Lei Feiyu intensified until they lit up every corner of the nest, turning the underground world into a blazing furnace.
Tianyu felt his chest tighten with awe.
"So this… is the power of an armored envoy…"