[Qi: 239,000,560/327,680,000]

The notification had just appeared in the panel. Leon was about to swing his sword toward the next target when...

Whoosh!

A massive figure appeared beside him. The boss. Its speed was so terrifying that Leon hadn’t even sensed it approaching.

The creature swung its polearm.

Bang!

The spear shaft slammed into Leon’s side. His body bent like a bow before being launched through the air.

While Leon was still in the air... The boss moved again. It appeared directly in front of him.

The gigantic polearm descended.

Slash!

The axe blade buried itself deep into Leon’s abdomen. Blood erupted from the wound.

Boom!

Leon was smashed into the ground hard enough to create a crater.

’Damn it!’ Leon coughed up a mouthful of blood. ’I can’t use Berserk Mode. Even if I defeat this thing within sixty seconds, I’ll be paralyzed afterward. In a place like this, that’s no different from suicide.’

The boss raised one of its massive legs.

Leon rolled aside at the last possible moment.

Boom!

The ground exploded beneath the stomp.

But before he could breathe a sigh of relief...

The creature’s tail lashed out like a giant serpent.

Bang!

The attack struck Leon squarely. His body shot through the air once again.

The boss didn’t stop.

Whoosh!

It vanished from its position again. Appearing beside Leon in the blink of an eye, it swung its polearm once more.

This time, Leon reacted instinctively. His left palm shot forward. A massive ice ball condensed instantly.

Boom!

The ice ball exploded upon contact.

A violent shockwave swept across the battlefield.

For the first time...

The boss was pushed back. Its feet skidded nearly two meters across the ground.

Leon was also blasted away by the recoil, but he quickly flipped in midair and landed on his feet.

His eyes immediately swept across the battlefield. ’I need the breakthrough.’ Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. ’Without it, I have absolutely no chance against this thing.’

Without hesitation, Leon charged toward the remaining horde. His figure became a blur. Like a shadow weaving through a forest of monsters.

At the same time, his left hand continuously created explosive ice balls. He didn’t even bother aiming anymore. One after another, the spheres condensed and shot outward.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Some exploded among the monsters. Others crashed into the ground. Dust, ice, and debris erupted everywhere. The battlefield descended into complete chaos.

The boss attempted to intercept him several times. Again and again, the giant creature rushed forward. But, again and again, Leon narrowly escaped.

He avoided direct confrontation and focused entirely on slaughtering the remaining wolf-headed beasts. At the same time, he swallowed every monster core he could get his hands on.

His Qi rose rapidly. And because he was now casting explosive ice balls continuously without aiming, his understanding of the spell advanced at an astonishing rate.

Outside the gate...

Jessica paced back and forth with a grim expression. Her fists remained tightly clenched. ’It’s a trap gate.’ The thought weighed heavily on her heart. ’Once someone enters, they can’t leave until the gate boss is defeated. And nobody else can enter either.’

In other words...

Leon was completely alone.

After several minutes, Jessica turned toward the A-Class hunter carrying the massive battle hammer.

"Remain on guard."

The hunter immediately straightened.

"Yes, mam."

"If a gate breakout takes place, the monsters will try to pour out immediately."

Jessica looked toward the gate. "I’ll contact the nearest guild and have an additional squad deployed. This is a civilian district. We can’t take any chances."

The A-Class hunter nodded.

But Henry’s face turned deathly pale. "What about Leon?" He asked. "Aren’t you going to save him?"

Jessica remained silent for a moment. Then she shook her head. "We can’t."

Henry froze.

Jessica continued quietly. "Once someone is trapped inside a trap gate, the only way out is to defeat the gate boss." Her gaze fell on the swirling gate. "Your friend must be extraordinarily talented if he defeated six D-Class monsters by himself."

She paused. "But against hundreds of monsters... I don’t think anyone below A-Class could survive."

The surrounding crowd fell silent.

"So the chances of him making it out alive are extremely low." Jessica sighed.

Henry staggered backward. His lips moved, but no words came out.

Jessica felt a pang of guilt. She had suspected Leon of hiding secrets yesterday. She had even questioned his motives.

But today...

The young man had saved countless lives. He had walked into the gate alone. It was reckless. Foolish, even. But the courage required to do so couldn’t be denied.

Jessica took out her phone again and began contacting the nearby guild. At the very least... She could prepare for the worst.

Back inside the gate...

Minutes passed. Then an hour crossed. Monsters fell one after another.

Finally...

The last monster core Leon needed disappeared into his mouth. Notifications appeared instantly in the panel.

[You have absorbed Qi.]

[Qi: 328,000,560/327,680,000]

[You have absorbed enough Qi for a breakthrough.]

[You have reached the 9th Stage of the Martial Apprentice Realm.]

Power surged inside him. His injuries and exhaustion vanished instantly.

A smile slowly appeared on his face. "Finally. My damage should be over forty now. A C-Class Knight." His grip tightened around the hilt.

"Let’s see if I can stand against you now."

Leon began walking toward the boss. His steps were steady. Unhurried.

Four wolf-headed beasts lunged at him from the left.

But Leon didn’t even spare them a glance. He casually swung his left hand.

Whoosh!

Five explosive ice balls shot forward.

The monsters were blasted off their feet and sent tumbling across the battlefield.

Three more beasts charged from the right.

Leon’s expression remained unchanged. The Frost Blade flashed.

Schlk!

A crescent-shaped slash swept through the air. The three monsters froze mid-charge. Then their bodies split apart and crashed onto the ground.

Two more beasts attacked from behind.

Before they could even get close...

Four explosive ice balls shot backward without Leon turning around.

Boom!

The explosions swallowed the monsters whole.

At that moment...

A series of notifications suddenly flooded the panel.

[Second Ice Spell Comprehension Level: 100%]

[Congratulations, Host. You have fully mastered the Second Ice Spell.]

[You have comprehended the Third Ice Spell.]

Leon’s eyes lit up.

[Third Ice Spell: Ice Shield]