Though the Lizard King’s attacks were currently unstoppable for players—each strike wiping out several adventurers—they were ultimately futile against the sheer number of players swarming it. Conversely, the Lizard King’s health bar was steadily dropping under their relentless assault. Even with its natural regeneration, the healing rate couldn’t keep up with the players’ damage output.
After enduring the mob for a while, the Lizard King suddenly seemed to recall something. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed a torrent of flames. Under its overwhelming attack power and level suppression, players had zero resistance—anyone grazed by the fire died instantly. The blast cleared a wide, empty zone directly in front of the beast.
This fire-breath skill was actually a new ability gained after its mutation. Since it had been useless against Mysterious during their previous fights, the Lizard King had never used it… until now. Originally meant to counter kiting tactics, it proved unexpectedly effective here.
The players who narrowly avoided the flames only hesitated for a moment after seeing so many allies perish. Then, reinforcements surged forward from the back, rushing toward the Lizard King without hesitation.
As a skill, the fire breath couldn’t be spammed. Right after exhaling, the Lizard King was swarmed again—the attack failed to turn the tide.
Time wore on. The Lizard King’s health kept draining. During the battle, it unleashed several wide-area skills. Each one claimed dozens of players, but their numbers were simply too vast. Eliminating a few dozen solved nothing.
Mysterious even felt the crowd seemed larger than before…
Just as he pondered whether more players had joined, his private chat pinged.
**Melodic Moon:** Pro, is that lizard really your pet?
**Nameless One:** …The forum livestream?
**Melodic Moon:** Yeah… Is it actually your pet?
**Nameless One:** No. Just a quest target. I’m supposed to protect it.
Though Mysterious’s description slightly deviated from the actual quest, the essence was accurate.
**Melodic Moon:** Then get it out of here fast! More players are heading to the canyon to kill it. If you wait, it’ll be too late.
Having seen Mysterious in his new gear before—paired with that ever-present Novice Sword and their shared BeginnerVillage origin—Melodic Moon instantly recognized him from the forum screenshots.
What began as a large-scale team raid had twisted entirely because of Mysterious’s presence. No player wanted anyone owning such a "game-breaking" pet. They’d never allow the Lizard King to survive. Without Mysterious, no one would waste time grinding a healthy, over-leveled boss monster.
Faced with a player wielding an absurdly powerful "pet," would you let them skyrocket past you while you cheer "666" from behind? Or would you drag them down to your level? The answer was obvious… This wasn’t just about a boss anymore.
Neither Mysterious nor Melodic Moon—and indeed, no player—believed the Lizard King could truly wipe out so many. However mighty the Jungle Heavy Lizard King was, it was still just a game monster, designed to be defeated. Against the endless tide of players, its death was inevitable.
Hearing Melodic Moon’s warning, Mysterious frowned. At the Lizard King’s current kill rate, it could never eliminate hundreds of players before respawned reinforcements flooded in from BeginnerVillage. Continuing the fight meant the beast’s death was only a matter of time.
A standard hate-mechanic monster would certainly perish… But recalling their past two battles, Mysterious remembered how the Lizard King had fled twice without being near death. It didn’t strictly follow hate mechanics. Maybe he could make it run away voluntarily.
If it fled now, players likely couldn’t stop it—newcomers hadn’t arrived yet, making this the least crowded moment. Reaching the high-level monster zone would at least buy it temporary safety.
If hate mechanics influenced it, things would be simpler: Mysterious could just deal enough damage to lock its aggro, then lead it away.
Either way, he had to act—ideally triggering the Lizard King’s escape. Perfectly completing Saya’s quest was impossible now; Mysterious only wanted to save the beast.
Standing still wouldn’t help. He moved—aiming straight for the Lizard King.
Though players packed tightly around it, reaching the beast wasn’t hard for Mysterious… This was a game, after all.
He sprinted toward the Lizard King, leaped high over the crowd, and landed squarely on a player’s head. Using it as a springboard, he kicked off again mid-air.
Mysterious vaulted across heads and shoulders, darting toward the Lizard King. Chaos erupted beneath him—players stumbled and cursed—but the noise drowned in the battlefield’s roar. He landed cleanly on the beast’s back.
"Look! Someone’s on the boss’s back!" Nearby players spotted him. "Push harder! Kill this boss! We’ll split the loot!"
They couldn’t reach him, so they kept hammering the Lizard King.
"*Hiss—*" The Lizard King twisted its neck, glancing at Mysterious on its back but making no move to attack.
"You understand me, don’t you?" Mysterious crouched low, leaning close. "Countless Adventurers are coming to kill you. Run now while their numbers are thin. Head that way—into the forest. Deep inside, you’ll be safe."
"*Hiss!*" The Lizard King swiped its claws, crushing several players, and let out a sound that seemed like a reply… Yet it didn’t budge.
When it ignored his words, Mysterious tapped its spine with his sword’s flat side. He pulled out the Ancient Scale—the Radiance of the Mighty Dragon—from his bag. Since its passive effect worked on the Lizard King, Mysterious guessed it was a draconic subspecies. And draconic creatures should react to this dragon scale.
Any reaction would do. If it showed fear, he’d herd it toward the forest with the scale. If it coveted the scale, he’d use it as bait.
The moment the Radiance of the Mighty Dragon appeared, the Lizard King reacted—its head snapping toward the scale in Mysterious’s hand.
"Don’t stare. Run *now*!" Mysterious shoved the scale back into his bag and pointed toward the forest.
"*Hiss…?*" The Lizard King stared at him, its hiss sounding almost puzzled.
"Hurry! Run! It’ll be too late soon!" Mysterious parried arrows and Magic Missiles with his Novice Sword. He’d spotted fresh players sprinting toward them—reinforcements would only grow thicker.
This time, the Lizard King responded—but not by fleeing. It lifted its head and unleashed a deafening roar toward the sky.
***ROAR!!!***
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground around it. Then—***CRUNCH!***—dozens of Earth Spikes erupted like fangs, forming a lethal ring ten meters wide. Every player within the radius was instantly teleported back to town.
After wiping out dozens, the spikes retracted like clockwork. Even the ground smoothed over—as if the Lizard King had simply cleared its personal space.
"*Hiss.*" The beast lowered its body and gave a soft call toward Mysterious.
Seeing its clear signal to dismount, Mysterious jumped off without hesitation.
"Go while you can," he urged, turning to face it.
In reply, the Lizard King nudged him gently with its head—urging *him* to leave.
"Kill this boss NOW!" Witnessing their blatant interaction, players grew certain the Lizard King was tied to Mysterious. Such an overpowered boss-pet was unacceptable!
Reinforcements—both fresh arrivals and first-wave respawners—resumed their assault after a brief pause. The Lizard King’s health was already down by a third from their earlier suicide charges.
"Just *run* already!" Mysterious slashed away arrows, nearly kicking the stubborn lizard. What kind of teammate wastes a perfect escape chance?!
***"ROOOOAR—!!!"*** The Lizard King raised its head for another skyward bellow.
Charging melee players instinctively slowed—the memory of being impaled by Earth Spikes was fresh.
But this wasn’t another spike attack. As the roar faded, the Lizard King’s body blazed with intensely bright, sun-like golden light.
Simultaneously, a system alert echoed in every player’s ears:
**[Jungle Heavy Lizard King is evolving. Choose whether to continue combat. 30 seconds remaining.]**
