KIIITTTTTT!

A sound, similar to a broken motor car engine trying to start echoed across the area. It was unsettling, and it made everyone’s ears twitch slightly.

Everyone turned around at once and their bodies stiffened.A huge dark mass appeared from the shadows ahead.

[Phantom Rat Lv4.]

"It’s their leader," Mira muttered and stared at it in a moment of stupor.

"Damn! It’s a boss monster," Kellar said as he quickly grabbed his shield and stepped forward.

The Phantom Rat let out another screech that caused the faint mist around it thickened, and without any warning, it shot forward.

The squad reacted immediately.

"Shoot!" Arvin shouted, his voice tense.

Ren quickly loaded his arrow and released a set of shots in rapid succession. The arrows cut through the air, aimed directly at the rat.

At the same time, Mira raised her hand and released a burst of flames toward it.

But to her absolute horror, the Phantom Rat’s body emitted a faint mist, and its figure blurred. It moved like a shadow, slipping through the air.

The arrows and flames passed through where it had been.

It dodged everything.

Panic spread across their faces.

The Phantom Rat moved again, circling quickly, and then suddenly locked onto Mira as if sensing she was dangerous.

It lunged straight at her.

Mira’s eyes widened, and she froze for a split second.But Kellar reacted in time.

He stepped forward and raised his shield.

CRANG!

The Phantom Rat slammed into the shield, and the impact pushed Kellar back slightly.

For a moment, it seemed like he had blocked it.

But what happened next shocked everyone.

The Phantom Rat twisted its body mid-air and used its flexible hind limbs to flip back. Then, like a spring, it launched itself again with even more force.

It slammed into the shield.

"KHUMM!"

The impact sent Kellar flying backward. He crashed straight into Mira, and both of them rolled across the ground, groaning in pain as dust rose around them.

The Phantom Rat bared its sharp fangs and moved in to finish them.

Just then, a splash shot rushed toward it.

THUMP!

The Phantom Rat reacted instantly. Its body blurred again as it used that same phantom-like speed and dodged the attack with ease.

It landed lightly and turned around, its glowing eyes locking onto the plant shooter that had fired.

Reigns saw this and immediately waved his hand.

"BLOOM!"

SWISH!

Three more shooters appeared and rooted themselves into the ground, their heads turning toward the Phantom Rat.

"Fire!"

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

A large number of splash shots were fired one after another.

However, to Reigns’ absolute shock, the Phantom Rat was incredibly nimble, agile, swift, and crafty. It twisted, leaped, and slid through the attacks, dodging every single one while moving in strange, unpredictable patterns.

Seeing it accelerating, Reigns shouted,

"Attack when it’s distracted."

SWISH!

Arvin did not need to be told twice.

He pushed off the ground and rushed forward with surprising speed, gripping his sword tightly.

In just a few steps, he covered several meters and appeared above the Phantom Rat’s back.

He raised his sword high and brought it down, aiming for the nape, hoping to injure it.

The blade moved fast.But before it could land a whip-like tail struck him.

CRACK!

The blow slammed into his torso, and Arvin was sent flying through the air, his body twisting before crashing onto the ground.

At the same time, Ren quickly loaded another arrow and released it.

The arrow struck the Phantom Rat’s back.

It let out a sharp, angry cry.

"Now!"

The shooters fired again.

THUMP! THUMP!

This time, the attacks connected.

The Phantom Rat was hit once, and then again.

But after the second shot, something changed.

Its body began to emit flashes of darkness, and a strong, distorted screech echoed from it, far more intense than before.

The moment the darkness spread across the Phantom Rat’s body, its entire presence changed.

Its muscles twitched and tightened, and the faint mist around it grew thicker. Its eyes glowed eerily brighter, and a low, distorted screech escaped its mouth as if something inside it had snapped.

Then it moved faster than before.

It rushed forward with violent intent as its claws tear into the ground as it charged straight at the group.

"Spread out!" Arvin shouted, forcing himself up despite the pain in his torso.

The Phantom Rat struck first.

It slammed into Kellar before he could fully raise his shield.

CRASH!

The impact knocked him back again, his body skidding across the ground, dust rising around him.

Lira, who had just recovered a bit, rushed forward and placed her hands on him. Her healing glow flickered as she tried to stabilize him, her breathing uneven.

"I’m okay... just... hold on," Kellar muttered, gritting his teeth as he forced himself up again, though his arms trembled.

Reigns narrowed his eyes, watching the rat’s movements carefully.

"Fire!"

THUMP! THUMP!

The shooters fired again, but the Phantom Rat twisted its body and dodged, its movements becoming more erratic and harder to track.

Mira raised her hand and released a burst of flames, while Ren fired arrows one after another, trying to limit its movement.

Arvin rushed forward again, this time coordinating with Kellar.

"Together!" Arvin shouted.

Kellar stepped in front, raising his shield as Arvin moved from the side.

Ren’s arrows struck near the rat, and Mira’s flames forced it to shift direction.

Reigns’ shooters continued firing, creating pressure from multiple angles.

For a brief moment, their attacks synced.

But the Phantom Rat suddenly went into a frenzy. Its body blurred again, and it burst forward with terrifying speed.

CRACK!

It struck Arvin again, sending him stumbling back.Before he could recover, the Phantom Rat lunged again.

Its claws tore into his torso.

A sharp, wet sound echoed.

Arvin’s body stiffened, his eyes widening in shock as Phantom Rat fangs pierced his body. Blood spilled as he was thrown aside, his body hitting the ground heavily.

And to everyone horror,the body after being thrown laid their lifelessly.