First Conqueror

"Feilian," Eunhae whispered, her voice trembling as her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. She tried to mask her emotions with a wide smile. "I thought you didn't make it."

"Almost didn't," he replied, his gaze shifting to the side. "If it weren't for this Passive Skill, I'd be finished."

The Ash Wolf Sentinel strikes at him, its massive claw slicing through the air. Feilian narrowly dodged the first attack, and with a quick parry, deflected the second. Now, with his Passive Skill activated, each hit he received reflected a portion of the damage back at the beast, causing it to feel the sting of its own damage.

Unbeknownst to the monster, Eunhae demonstrated several nunchaku techniques which caused that monster to stagger back, releasing Lin Tian. However, they tended to keep their formation intact as Feilian remained in front to maintain its focus on him, allowing the woman to land damage without interruption.

"One more skill, and I'm done!" she called out and about to unleash her move.

"What are you talking about?" Lin Tian asked, confusion flickering in his eyes as he evaded the relentless swipes of the large wolf, occasionally blocking its vicious claws.

"The Passive Skill," Eunhae responded. "To activate it, I need to land two successful skill hits!"

"Then do it fast! Mine only lasts for 20 seconds! Argh—" Feilian grunted, stumbling back after the monster's heavy blow, barely keeping his balance.

"It's time!" Eunhae declared, sprinting toward the wolf, which had turned its attention to her. It had no time to escape as she unleashed her skill. "Triple Shot!"

This time, her attack was different. A yellowish aura engulfed her nunchaku, sparks crackling as the weapon moved. The first strike landed with a slap, igniting the monster with a burn effect that sent waves of pain through its skin. The second hit followed, eliciting a deafening roar from the boss as the burn intensified, each blow more devastating than the last.

Not without reason, its fur was now covered in flames that were difficult to extinguish if it didn't do something. But, Eunhae did not waste this opportunity and completed her combo. Third strike is even better as she charges it, throwing her nunchaku with swift action.

Her Passive Skill amplified the speed and impact of her attack, making it devastating even for a tank class like hers. But the real damage wasn't from the force of the hit—it was the burn effect that mattered. As the flames stacked, the Ash Wolf Sentinel howled in despair, forced to retreat.

The beast flailed, trying to rid itself of the flames that clung to its fur. Seeing his moment, Lin Tian moved in. With a high leap, he launched his favorite skill, his fist cutting through the air like a blade. "Summer Breeze!"

Though he knew his attack lacked raw damage, Lin Tian's true aim was to add another layer of damage over time. As his wind-infused strike connected, it sent the beast reeling, its massive body crashing into the surrounding trees. The Ash Wolf Sentinel's HP bar continues to decrease, the combined effects of the burn and its elemental weakness to fire accelerating its downfall.

"End it, Eunhae," Lin Tian exclaimed, receiving a nod from the woman beside him.

Not only was Eunhae the one wielding a weapon, but her damage output was also superior, thanks to the Epic Gear she had equipped. She sprinted toward the downed Ash Wolf Sentinel, her nunchaku spinning from bottom to top. "One Slap!" she screamed, landing the final, decisive blow.

The monster let out cries as it was defeated, the flames that had consumed it flickering out, ending the burn effect that had lingered for ten seconds. Just as the battle concluded, a notification flashed before the two adventurers—and soon after, across the entire server.

[Special announcement! Congratulations to two adventurers (Feilian & Eunhae) for discovering and defeating the Hidden Boss: Ash Wolf Sentinel! The forest of Newbarin is now safe.]

"Eh? What? Was that broadcasted?" Eunhae gasped in disbelief. "Does that mean we're the first ones to conquer it?"

"Looks like it," Lin Tian replied, realizing with a smile that he had leveled up to 10. The battle had granted him a massive boost in EXP. "I never even knew this boss existed."

"Yeah, same here," Eunhae agreed, her gaze shifting to the spot where the Ash Wolf Sentinel had evaporated, leaving behind a large pile of loot. "Let's see what we've earned."

They both approached the chest, which Eunhae opened, triggering a hologram to appear between them. The loot was impressive: Rare Grade weapons and armor, valuable items from the beast, and materials for forging. Since Eunhae had killed the creature, the weapon drop included a new set of nunchaku.

"Let's split it up," she suggested, turning to Lin Tian for confirmation. "Do you mind if I take the nunchaku?"

"Don't worry about it; you can take everything," Lin Tian replied, his mind elsewhere, reminiscing as he reflected on his Passive Skill.

"No, what are you thinking? I can't take it all, especially since we defeated the boss together," she insisted, her tone firm. "We share everything."

Diverting his attention, Lin Tian noticed the seriousness in Eunhae's eyes, staring deeply at him. It reminded him of how Yu Mei would often do the same, a situation that always irked him. With a sigh, he decided not to argue and accepted her wishes. After all, the loot from a Hidden Boss was bound to be worthwhile.

"You take the armor, this item, and this one," she said, dividing the loot as she kept the rest.

Once they were done, the transparent border surrounding them faded, and they were returned to the normal room channel. Around them, a few wolves still roamed, startled by the sudden appearance of the two adventurers.

"Good to see them again," Feilian remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "This old man's quest still isn't complete."

"What? Are you serious?" Eunhae chuckled, placing her hands on her hips. "How many more do you need?"

"Well, four to go, but you can leave me be," he replied, checking his inventory before equipping the Epic Gear. "I'll be fine on my own."

The Bo Staff materialized in Lin Tian's hand, a shimmering effect rippling along its length. He felt the weight and raw strength of the weapon, its black surface adorned with golden patterns, and an aura pulsing from the tips of both ends. It was clear this weapon was special, ranking among the higher-tiered gear.

"Black Tiger Bo Staff," Lin Tian murmured, turning his gaze to Eunhae, who was busy inspecting her new nunchaku.

"This isn't bad," she muttered to herself, admiring the weapon's appearance and testing its speed as she twirled it. "It should be more than enough to handle the monsters on the second continent."

With a determined step, Lin Tian moved toward the crowd of Ash Wolves. "Good luck, then. I've got something to take care of here," he said, extending his staff in a display of intimidation.

But as he was about to engage, Eunhae's voice stopped him. "What do you do after that?"

"Huh?" Lin Tian halted, turning back to see Eunhae standing there, her face averted, eyes cast downward.

"I think we make an excellent team," Eunhae said, her demeanor shifting to something more earnest. She hesitated for a moment, as if weighing her words, before deciding to speak her mind. "Should we meet again and wander together?"

There was a long silence. Eunhae glanced at Feilian, hoping for a response, but when it came, it wasn't what she expected. "No," he said, continuing his walk, now surrounded by the wolves. "You will be disappointed and suffer with me."

Eunhae froze, not because of the rejection itself, but because those words triggered a flood of memories. A man she had once been close with had said the same thing before they were separated, his decision filled with regret before he vanished from her life without a trace. The similarity was rather weird and unsettling.

Shaking her head, Eunhae tried to dismiss the thought. "It couldn't be him. He's retired," she whispered, trying to convince herself that this was a coincidence, nothing more.