Before stepping across the boundary line of the forbidden zone, someone in the Mortal Guild was still quite worried and asked, "Boss, is it really fine for us to just head over like this? Even the elite powerhouses came back with their tails between their legs. Can us commoners really do any better than them?"
"Humph, don't build up their prestige and dampen our own spirit! We prepared thoroughly long ago; we were just waiting for an opportunity. Don't forget our goal—we're here specifically to beat those so-called powerhouse clubs up on their high horses!"
Full of confidence, Luan Shi Fu Sheng pulled a stack of spell scrolls from his backpack—purchased at great pain after draining his life savings. Brilliant magical auras shimmered across them.
At this sight, the eyes of the Mortal Guild members lit up at once.
"The Guildmaster's so generous!"
"What lavish spending! Truly the strongest fighter in our Mortal Guild!"
"Those scrolls must have cost a fortune..."
Luan Shi Fu Sheng snorted. "What does a little money matter in the face of our grand cause?"
Though he spoke lightly, his heart was bleeding. At this stage of the game, wizards had become hot commodities fought over by every guild, yet they remained a class only wealthy pay-to-win players could afford to play.
As a purely grassroots guild, Mortal had no sponsors, no startup capital, and no reserve of spellcasting resources. They only had two half-baked level-four wizards in their ranks who knew nothing other than how to cast Fireball, useless for anything else.
Under these circumstances, Luan Shi Fu Sheng had been forced to take odd jobs everywhere, scraping together gold coins to buy spell scrolls in the hopes of turning their fortunes around with this precious opportunity.
Suppressing the agonizing ache in his chest and forcing a completely indifferent expression onto his face, Luan Shi Fu Sheng activated the spell scrolls one after another.
The first was Mass Endure Elements. An almost transparent film of energy enveloped the surface of everyone's body.
This membrane insulated against both heat and cold, regulating the skin's surface temperature so the recipients could tolerate temperatures from -30°C to 60°C without taking harm, allowing them to walk freely through extreme climates.
The second was Mass Resistance. A shimmering white light covered their bodies, granting each recipient a +3 resistance bonus to saving throws.
The third was Mass Protection from Energy...
...
After a dozen-odd scrolls were triggered one after another, intersecting magical auras shimmered across the Mortal Guild members, manifesting multi-layered shields.
Though these were all jack-of-all-trades low-level spells, they still gave this group of commoner players an immense sense of security.
"Brothers, follow me!"
Luan Shi Fu Sheng took the lead. Bolstered by Jump and Feather Fall, and relying on his robust physique as a level-nine Champion, he leaped upward, bounding a dozen meters into the air directly over the River of Lava.
"As expected of the Guildmaster!"
"So dashing!"
The Mortal Guild members showered him with flattery. Two others followed close on his heels, gathering their strength to leap into the air, their bodies as light as the wind.
Seeing that the opposite bank was almost within reach, Luan Shi Fu Sheng felt a surge of joy, eagerly anticipating how he would show off his might.
Yet right at that moment, an immense force abruptly pressed down upon his shoulders like a heavy mountain, trying to smash him forcefully into the River of Lava.
Amid everyone's cries of alarm, Luan Shi Fu Sheng plummeted. But he was, after all, a higher-level fighter possessing physical control far exceeding that of ordinary people. He twisted desperately in midair, wrenching his body around and using every ounce of strength to hook his arms onto the rock ledge of the riverbank, barely avoiding a plunge into the scalding River of Lava.
"Phew... huff... What was that? Did someone ambush me?"
Having brushed past death, Luan Shi Fu Sheng scrambled up onto the opposite bank, gasping for breath. He still had lingering fears, but also felt somewhat lucky.
Had he died in the River of Lava, he would have completely disgraced himself before the players, and all his earlier confident declarations and boasts would have become fodder for mockery.
Then, from behind him came terrified shrieks, followed by dull thuds and the bubbling gurgle of lava.
"Oh no!"
His expression changed drastically, his face turning pale. He whipped his head around only to see that his two top vanguard fighters had already been swallowed by the molten rock, vanishing without a trace, leaving only the slow churning and bubbling of the lava.
"Wait, are they doing comedy?"
"Haha, I've seen people die on stage one, but I've never seen anyone die on the title screen!"
"Classic Bad Luck Bro..."
Roars of laughter echoed from the players across the river. Luan Shi Fu Sheng's face flushed crimson. Trembling with rage and brimming with frustration, he was rendered utterly speechless.
"Boss, something's weird about this place."
"Two died right off the bat. Shouldn't we wait and observe the situation a bit more...?"
Luan Shi Fu Sheng barked sharply, "No, we press on! I staked everything I own on this! This is our last chance as commoners to surpass those pro players!"
"Boss!"
His words were resolute and powerful, stirring the blood of many Mortal Guild players and even bringing tears to their eyes.
What spirit!
What willpower!
The other players, however, merely watched them as if looking at fools, enjoying the show while hoping to glean some lessons and experience from their ordeal.
Fortunately, Luan Shi Fu Sheng had prepared a backup plan in case Fly failed. He pulled a longbow from his backpack along with an arrow rigged with a grappling hook and rope.
Nocking the arrow to the string, he drew the longbow to full draw, gathering his strength. With only a brief aim, he released his fingers, sending the arrow shooting outward.
The grappling hook caught on the rock wall of the opposite bank, and the rope traced a graceful arc through the air, linking the two sides of the River of Lava.
Luan Shi Fu Sheng smoothly stowed the longbow and tied the near end of the rope securely around a boulder, shouting back, "You can cross now! Don't worry, that was just an accident! I have the confidence and strength to lead you through this dungeon!"
The twenty-odd players of the Mortal Guild slid across the rope one by one. This time, everything went exceptionally smoothly without any mishaps.
Seeing the exploration progress bar tick up slightly and his ranking climb to the top, Luan Shi Fu Sheng rejoiced. "Move out! We're going to be the pioneers of this dungeon!"
The group advanced deeper into the Doomsday Forbidden Zone.
Dense smoke permeated the air, reducing visibility to almost nothing. After walking only a few dozen meters, their silhouettes grew faint before disappearing entirely from the sight of the onlookers behind.
"The smoke is so thick, I can't see the path at all," a player beside him frowned.
The wizard in their team waved his staff and cast Gust of Wind, but it only cleared a small patch of smoke right in front of them, doing nothing to reveal what lay further ahead.
Moreover, flowing magma and solidified lava lay everywhere, shrouded under volcanic ash. The temperature was blistering, hot steam billowed all around, and even the air warped slightly under the heat.
Yet thanks to Endure Elements, they were temporarily shielded from being harmed by the scorching currents.
Tense yet exhilarated, Luan Shi Fu Sheng gripped his longsword tightly and whispered, "Don't worry. We take whatever comes—soldiers to block the enemy, earth to stem the flood."
Sweat dripped from his brow. He could hear his teammates' breathing growing increasingly rapid and labored.
"Ah!"
A sudden shriek erupted from the rear of the formation. Everyone turned around in terror to see that the team's druid player had stepped through a fractured crust of rock and was falling into an underground magma pool.
Fortunately, a fighter player reacted with lightning reflexes, grabbing him just as he was about to fall. Broken stones tumbled into the pool below, splashing scalding magma that hissed and corroded pits into the rock wall.
The druid player was scared out of his wits. Clinging tightly to his teammate's hand, he wailed, "Holy shit, this place is full of death traps! Pull me up, quick!"
"I'm saving your life here. Calling me Daddy isn't too much to ask, right?"
"...Daddy!"
"Haha, good boy, my son! Up you come!"
Luan Shi Fu Sheng frowned. "Stop joking around and wasting time."
For some reason, an ominous premonition stirred within him, as though a fatal crisis was about to descend upon them.
As a Champion, his combat instincts and intuition were usually spot-on. What was more, he seemed to hear the underground magma churning and surging, as if something were stirring at the bottom of the pool—a sound that was definitely not natural!
"Watch out! There's something beneath your feet!"
"What?"
Before the two players could react, disaster struck.
Boom!
With a deafening roar, a colossal dark shadow leapt out of the lava pool, instantly throwing up a monstrous wave of magma. Opening a gaping maw like an abyss, the behemoth swallowed both players in a single gulp.
It shattered the ground in an instant, sending debris flying and magma splashing everywhere, soaring a dozen meters into the air to reveal its grotesque, ferocious form.
It was a fish-like monster, over ten meters long and fiery red from head to tail, covered in a rock-hard carapace. Scalding magma seeped continuously from the gaps in its armor plates.
Suspended in midair, the monstrosity glared down at the players with eyes flashing fierce, vicious intent, ablaze with raging fire.
Magma Ichthyosaur
Challenge Rating: 9
Luan Shi Fu Sheng's heart jolted once more, and he shouted, "That's... a fire elemental creature! Look out, scatter! Those two weren't its only target!"
Sure enough, the monstrous fish twisted its massive body in midair, plummeting clumsily toward the players like a miniature mountain crashing down from the sky.
"Don't—stay away—!"
Boom!
Amid a resounding crash, the earth shook and rumbled as another giant crater was smashed into the ground. Three players who failed to dodge fell into the magma pool, turning into food for the beast.
"Run! This monster won't let us off easily!"
The players ran for their lives. The monster leaped repeatedly from the magma pool, smashing the ground to pieces; several more players were too slow to evade and plunged into the depths. Only when the survivors fled beyond the reach of the underground magma pool did the beast open its bloody maw and roar at the sky.
"Damn it!"
Luan Shi Fu Sheng punched a boulder in front of him, furious. "I warned them over and over to stay alert and watch for danger! But look at them—not only did they throw their lives away, they dragged the rest of the team down with them!"
In this ambush, the Mortal Guild had lost eight players. Counting the two who had fallen into the River of Lava earlier, half their team was already wiped out.
And so far, they had only explored a few hundred meters into the Doomsday Forbidden Zone and stayed for barely ten minutes!
Suddenly, the players' voices trembled, thick with dread.
"G-Guildmaster..."
"You..."
"Get away from there!"
Exasperated by his disappointing teammates, Luan Shi Fu Sheng snapped impatiently, "What now?"
Soon, however, he realized something was wrong. The rock he was touching was vibrating violently, heating up at an alarming rate until it glowed red-hot. Immediately afterward, a massive shadow loomed over him, engulfing him completely.
"Holy shit..."
As the earth rumbled, Luan Shi Fu Sheng stiffly tilted his head up, only to find that the "boulder" before him was rising from the ground, transforming into a colossal giant coursing with molten rock. Its body radiated extreme heat that warped the air, sending steam billowing and sparks flying.
Fire Elemental Behemoth
Challenge Rating: 15
"Roar—!"
The fire elemental behemoth roared toward the sky, twin jets of wrathful fire blasting from its eyes. It swung a massive fist through the air, distorting space with terrifying force as it smashed down toward Luan Shi Fu Sheng.
Boom!
The ground ruptured, sending shards of stone and clouds of dust blasting into the air as a massive crater was gouged into the earth.
Relying on his astonishing fighter reflexes, Luan Shi Fu Sheng threw himself to the ground, narrowly dodging the blow. His longsword was knocked from his grip, spinning through the air several times before plunging upright into the earth.
Instinctively, Luan Shi Fu Sheng lunged forward to retrieve his weapon, only to find the hilt heated red-hot by the subterranean heat, impossible to hold.
With a painful pang, he abandoned his sword and took off sprinting deeper into the forbidden zone, shouting back:
"Run! This is its home turf—we can't beat it!"
"Get out of here!"
"What kind of hellhole is this? Why are there boss-level monsters everywhere?!"
Yet the fire elemental behemoth, awakened from its slumber, was in a state of frenzied rage. It slammed its fists into the earth and roared at the top of its lungs, unleashing the volatile elemental energy surging within its body.
Boom! Boom, boom!
Amid the violent rumbling, blazing pillars of magma shot up from below, destroying several players in an instant.
"That was close..."
One player had just breathed a sigh of relief, celebrating his narrow escape from the magma pillar, when a flaming rock plummeted shrieking from the sky, instantly pounding him into a scorched paste of flesh and bone.
For these players, who had never undergone specialized combat training nor possessed any coordinated tactics, a level-fifteen boss was utterly insurmountable.
The Mortal Guild, so full of high spirits moments ago, was now reduced to just a handful of survivors!
Luan Shi Fu Sheng looked back, watching his fellow commoner teammates—with whom he had sworn to achieve great ambitions—getting slaughtered one after another. Overwhelmed by grief, bitter tears streamed down his face.
"Heaven is out to destroy me! Can commoners really never have their day in the sun?!"
Chapter 836