Chapter 60: It's Over, Completely Doomed

In the distance, the dying sun stained the horizon like blood.

A few dark specks swept across the sky.

Judging by their size and proximity, they were unmistakably large flying monsters.

Qu Ru and Lightning Face had encountered them before, but Yu Yan had only ever met the Fire Tuoh. Unlike last time, when they entered the instance near the oasis, this time the high platform and everything within sight was unfamiliar to Yu Yan.

But this was only natural. The world of the instance was vast and boundless. A high-level instance typically boasted over a hundred entrances scattered across Blue Star. Even the lowest F-rank instances usually had at least two or three entry points.

Each entrance led to a random location within the instance.

If luck favored you, two different entrances could bring you to the same place. If not, even entering twice from the same spot could land you somewhere entirely different.

A flash of gray light swept past, sending a shiver through Yu Yan.

Without hesitation, Yu Yan activated "Windwalk," rising into the air. The high platform where she had just stood was suddenly swarmed by countless beetles, crawling out from who-knew-where. One after another, densely packed enough to send anyone with a fear of clusters into a panic-stricken scream!

Each beetle was clad in thick, iron-gray armor that looked impossibly tough.

Some bore monstrous, scythe-like pincers; others had three long, hooked horns protruding from their heads, nearly half the length of their bodies. Still others unfurled translucent, membranous wing sheaths and took flight, heading straight for Yu Yan suspended in the air!

Yu Yan tried releasing a volley of Wind Blades, but even her third-tier attack couldn't cut through their bodies.

It left only shallow, blade-shaped marks on their armor.

Worst of all, the commotion of Yu Yan and the beetles floating in the air had caught the attention of the Fire Tuoh circling in the distant sky.

They let out cries Yu Yan had never heard before and dove toward the high platform. The dark spots grew larger and lighter in color at a speed visible to the naked eye, revealing themselves not as black birds, but as creatures covered in dense, russet-red feathers.

The leading one let out a piercing screech, flapping its wings with force.

Worm-sized fire serpents shot toward the platform at terrifying speed.

As they drew near, Yu Yan cursed under her breath—

These weren't worms at all, but fire snakes!

Each was as thick as a wrist, the smallest over three meters long. The closer they came, the more Yu Yan could feel the immense fire energy within. This Fire Tuoh was at least sixth-tier—perhaps even Earth-level—to unleash such a devastating elemental attack.

Three serpents raced toward the beetles below, while two aimed straight for Yu Yan!

Yu Yan dodged desperately, caught between flying beetles and fire snakes, nearly in tears.

Her only comfort was that the Fire Tuoh and beetles seemed not to be allies; the Fire Tuoh's attack had forced the beetles to absorb much of the assault.

Moreover, the arrival of the Fire Tuoh had thrown the beetle swarm into chaos for a moment.

It was highly likely they were predator and prey.

Yu Yan hesitated briefly, letting her mental energy unfold. Her figure vanished from the beetles' sight—a trick of her fourth-tier illusion skill. This power not only confused monsters below the Profound tier but also masked her aura to a certain degree.

Unless the monster was fifth-tier or above, they couldn't detect her.

Yu Yan transformed herself into a grain of sand, drifting unobtrusively to the platform, blending into the sea of yellow sand.

The beetles, bereft of their target, froze in unison.

Three fire snakes struck the platform, releasing a thick scent of roasted protein. Yu Yan fought to suppress the urge to swallow—the aroma was overwhelming! Somehow, the meat of these beetles smelled even more enticing than the ninth-tier Fire Rhinoceros she’d once tasted.

It was an allure that tugged at her very soul.

The Fire Tuoh above seemed unable to resist, swooping straight toward the platform. Hidden below, Yu Yan felt as if she was invisible to every instance monster—the beetles, though armored and fiercely horned and pincered, owed their toughness to their species. In terms of tier and intelligence, they ranked rather low.

Otherwise, the Fire Tuoh's three fire serpents would not have roasted a whole swath so easily.

It was only natural that Yu Yan's illusion could fool them.

But as the Fire Tuoh drew closer, Yu Yan counted seven in all.

Aside from that, the leading one was assuredly above sixth-tier. Birds possessed greater intelligence than insects; it could not possibly overlook Yu Yan.

Just as Yu Yan sensed something amiss, three of the Fire Tuoh hovering above split their forms, multiplying in midair.

Before Yu Yan could react, nine indistinguishable Fire Tuoh sealed off every possible escape.

Damn!

She’d been outplayed by a handful of instance monsters—they hadn’t missed her at all, but had laid a trap to capture her.

With her half-baked flying skills, Yu Yan was no match for these true aerial masters. She didn’t risk confronting them head-on, perhaps because her plant spirit belonged to the illusion type as well.

Yu Yan could faintly discern the real from the fake among the nine Fire Tuoh.

She fixed on one she sensed was false, gritted her teeth, and charged.

She had to break through the encirclement while the other four Fire Tuoh were distracted by the platform’s beetles!

Otherwise... whatever scenario flashed through Yu Yan’s mind made her shudder.

The moment she collided with one, Yu Yan realized the power of these flying monsters.

They were far stronger than she’d imagined—by more than a little!

Even a split-form Fire Tuoh, not the main body, radiated a tangible aura of fire energy. “Ugh...” Yu Yan groaned as she crashed into it.

The shoulder that struck the Fire Tuoh was surely roasted.

She could almost smell grilled meat—though the scent from the roasted beetles atop the platform was so enticing, she couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination.

What kind of hell-level instance was this?

Thirty percent power, eh?

Just a few days ago, at ten percent power, she’d struggled through the “Desert Oasis” instance, but it had never felt this terrifying!

Yu Yan stole a moment to mourn her fate.

The Fire Tuoh she’d knocked aside turned and flapped its wings at her—this was it, the end.

Despair swept over her.

Not long ago, the lead Fire Tuoh had done the same, sending five fire snakes shooting forth. Three had roasted a swath of beetles, while the remaining two, despite her best efforts to dodge, left a charred mark on her chest.

This split-form Fire Tuoh might not be as powerful as the leader, but Yu Yan was in no better shape than before.

Even a single fire snake would be more than she could bear!

But surrender was never an option.

Following her plan, Yu Yan plunged into the swirling sands, determined that if she must die, it would be on the path of striving for survival—not as a monster’s blood meal, feeding its strength and paving its way to greater power...