Toad Boss, Ditolan Yu

With a swift slash of his sword, the serpent-headed creature's skull burst into fragments, releasing a dark mist that spiraled upward with a shriek. Xue Que swiftly turned his gaze to the rabbit-headed creature that had just clawed its way out of the shadows. As he pivoted, the serpent-headed monster dissolved into a heap of bones.

The rabbit creature fixed its hollow eyes upon him. Just as it prepared to leap and crush Xue Que with its hefty blade, it froze mid-air. Its head tilted, and a long sword burst through its skull from behind, scattering bone shards across the ground.

Xue Que turned quickly, scanning the other three directions. Three more creatures had crawled up onto the platform—one with a toad's head, one with the face of some twisted hound, and another with a horse's skull. With a look of distaste at these half-decayed monstrosities, he spat and charged toward the dog-headed creature.

Just as the dog-head raised its axe, Xue Que's arm bulged, veins coursing with strength.

"Take this!"

With a swift strike, he unleashed a devastating attack aimed at its skull.

Crack! With a thunderous sound, half the creature's head sheared away, and its body, unsupported, collapsed to its knees, the axe crashing to the ground as its bones splintered behind him in a cloud of dust.

"Only two of you left."

Gripping his sword tightly, he rolled his wrist and strode calmly toward the horse-headed fiend. These undead had never encountered such a brazen prey and charged at him blindly. When the toad-headed monster lifted its blade to strike, Xue Que leaped into the air and swung his right foot in a powerful arc, delivering a spinning kick that sent the creature's head twirling backward.

Before he had even landed, the horse-head monster lifted its staff and brought it down upon him. Xue Que's eyes narrowed, and his sword met the descending staff with a counterstrike, dissipating its force. As he touched down, he lunged forward, slashing upward.

The blade's light streaked like a comet, cleaving the horse-head creature's skull, which shattered with a sickening crunch.

Ignoring the fallen creature, Xue Que threw his sword toward the toad-headed fiend, using a controlled sword technique to pierce its head effortlessly. Surveying the bodies strewn about, he held his sword behind him, standing like a transcendent figure gazing toward the horizon.

"Clang!"

One by one, the extinguished braziers blazed back to life with an eerie, sapphire flame.

In the distance, a figure cloaked in tattered rags emerged, stepping soundlessly over the marshland, as if it bore no weight at all.

A chilling hiss escaped its mouth, revealing a monstrous toad the size of a truck.

[Entity Name: Emperor Dotorlan the Fool (Toadmen Tribe)]

[Level: Above Class B]

[Base Attributes: Strength: 450, Spirit: 320, Constitution: 440, Agility: 130]

[Talents: Nullifying Flesh—when your health is reduced to below 80%, all damage becomes nullified, and you gain a magical shield that absorbs 35% of incoming damage. When health drops below 20%, this talent activates again, providing a magical shield that absorbs 200% of damage and, if unscathed for ten seconds, recovers 120% of health.]

[Talents: Life Drain—attacks inflict additional damage, restoring 10% of inflicted damage as health, and increase health regeneration by 1%.]

[Talents: Resurrected Flesh—when inflicted with severe damage, restores 5% maximum health per second.]

[Skills: Lash of the Giant Tongue, Maw of Devouring, Thick Hide, Abyssal Wander, Minor Dark Recall...]

Seeing its monstrous attributes, Xue Que almost laughed. Had he not come prepared, this fight would likely end in exhaustion and death.

As the giant toad lumbered toward the platform, Xue Que withdrew his potions and scrolls, ready for battle.

The toad roared, swinging its giant sickle with a fierce flourish. Observing that it had emerged from its abyssal form, Xue Que's gaze turned razor-sharp.

"I can't let it regain its strength."

The toad edged closer, studying him with predatory curiosity.

"Is it… mocking me?"

Even as he suspected, the toad swung its sickle at him with alarming speed. Xue Que tensed, channeling energy into his legs, dodging the blade in the blink of an eye.

But no sooner had he evaded, the toad's massive tongue lashed toward him.

"Courting death!"

Xue Que's arm tightened around his sword, launching a flash of blinding energy toward the beast's tongue, striking it in a searing blast. Though it didn't sever, the tongue exploded in a fiery burst, just as he'd anticipated.

Seeing it poised to strike again, Xue Que lunged forward to the toad's right side. The sickle rose, and he unleashed a burst of sword energy directly at the creature's head.

Boom! The strike shattered its barrier, but a pale violet shield enveloped it instantly.

"Guided Sword Technique!"

As Xue Que launched his blade at the shield, he darted toward the toad, daring it to retaliate with its devouring maw. It opened wide, and he seized his moment, throwing both a Weaken Scroll and the cursed "Nightshade Bone."

Only with Nightshade Bone did Xue Que dare face this monster. He wouldn't have risked this battle with any lesser item.

As the toad bit down, the barrier disintegrated. With another bellow, it raised its sickle again—only to tremble as Xue Que shouted:

"Explode!"

The cursed items detonated within, staining its flesh blood-red. The sickle fell from its hands. With weakened stats, its power had plummeted to that of a regular infernal toad.

Xue Que remained cautious, using his controlled sword to test the toad's defenses. When bristles began to protrude from its skin, he grinned.

He'd waited for this moment, knowing his careful plan would finally pay off.

Seize the opportunity! Strike while it's weakened!

As the defenseless toad trembled, Xue Que drew his sword, charging with all his might. Raising the blade filled with a silvery glow, he leaped toward his prey.

The gleaming sword plunged downward in a dazzling arc, illuminating his path with brilliance, nearly revealing the sword's true form.