The massive figure had already charged to the bottom of the slope. In another breath, it would catch up to the few people at the rear of the group!

Ryo glanced worriedly at Velin, who was still trailing behind at an unhurried pace, and he nearly rushed back to drag him along.

But Velin had finally reached the perfect distance between himself and the leader.

A thought entered Sarah’s mind from behind him.

At the same time, Velin blurted out, "Plan Four!"

From the swarm escorting the samples, more than twenty Bader Dung Beetles suddenly split off.

Their massive bodies carved an arc through the mud as they wheeled around, fearlessly charging back toward the crocodile leader. Their pitch-black carapaces formed a tide flowing against the current.

Ryo understood instantly. He spun around, pointing his ash wood Magic Staff at the rampaging beast.

[Entanglement Skill]

Several tough vines burst from the earth. Tinged with a faint green glow, they coiled like pythons toward the crocodile leader’s limbs.

The crocodile leader’s charge was halted for a negligible instant by the sudden obstruction before the vines snapped, inch by inch, under the strain of its bulging muscles.

But that one instant was enough.

Through the splashing mud and chaotic airflow, Velin’s eyes locked firmly onto the giant beast.

[Inspect]

Lines of cold data were seared onto his retinas.

[Gray Swamp Giant Crocodile Leader]

[Level: 3]

[Bloodline: Carrion Dragon Crocodile (Silver Tier 63%), Titan Earth Dragon (Golden Tier 8%), Mixed Bloodline 29%]

[Abilities: Dragon’s Might Roar, Earth Barrier, Tidal Charge, Death Roll, Underwater Breathing, Heavy Armor]

[Overall Assessment: Its life energy is approaching the Level 4 threshold. A powerful and intelligent Magical Beast that places great importance on the propagation of its species. Capable of short-distance sprints with an extremely strong tearing ability and powerful defenses. Adept at underwater combat. Possesses a faint Golden Tier bloodline, making it both highly valuable for cultivation and extremely dangerous.]

Titan Earth Dragon, Golden Tier.

Velin quickly recorded and filed away this information.

The immediate threat was the top priority.

He spun around and sprinted toward the high ground, his legs pumping. He wasn’t any faster than the guards who trained year-round; in fact, due to his constitution, he was slightly slower.

The crocodile leader broke free from the last vine, its molten-lava eyes locking back onto Velin.

It had already figured out that this seemingly weakest human was the commander of these irritating insects.

’Kill him, and it will all be over.’

It accelerated again, its massive body plowing a deep furrow through the marsh.

The Bader Dung Beetles that had turned back slammed into its flank.

The beetles abandoned all defense, using the most savage method possible—their horns as lances, their shells as hammers—and crashed into it relentlessly.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

The sounds of metal striking and carapaces shattering rang out simultaneously. An earthy yellow glow on the surface of the crocodile leader’s body flickered incessantly.

Each impact caused its charging trajectory to deviate slightly.

It was utterly enraged. Without stopping, the crocodile leader pushed off hard with its hind legs. The immense kinetic energy allowed it to pivot rapidly, and its sledgehammer-like tail swept out with devastating force.

BAM!

A dozen or so Bader Dung Beetles were sent flying, their black ichor exploding in the air. Their heavy carapaces were already shattering in mid-flight.

"Lord Velin!" Ryo cried out in alarm.

"Don’t worry about him, just run!" Ola grabbed a guard who was about to turn back and, with all his strength, shoved him toward the high ground. "Follow your orders!"

He, however, stopped at the top of the slope.

Beneath his bronze skin, his muscles were tense as iron.

’Why am I waiting for this "enemy"?’

’Is it to see if he gets caught and swallowed in one bite by the giant crocodile?’

’Or to lend him a hand at the critical moment?’

Ola couldn’t figure it out. But if Velin died, he would never know how the man who only ever plotted against his enemies found the courage to risk his life for one look back.

He felt his throat go dry as an indescribable heat exploded in his chest.

He wanted to curse, to roar, but he couldn’t get a single fucking word out.

He watched as the crocodile leader broke free, now less than ten meters from Velin’s back.

"Fuck!"

Ola roared and hesitated no longer.

He snatched a human-head-sized rock from the top of the slope and hurled it with all his might at the crocodile leader’s enormous eye!

The rock traced an arc through the air. The crocodile leader couldn’t even be bothered to dodge, letting the stone smash against its orbital bone.

THUD!

With a dull thud, the rock shattered into pieces, failing to hinder the beast’s charge in the slightest.

But the power of a Level 4 Knight still made it feel pain.

Its molten-lava eye moved off Velin for an instant to shoot a venomous glare at Ola on the hilltop.

In that single glance, Velin seized his chance.

He pressed his right hand to the ground beneath him, and an invisible ripple instantly spread out from his palm.

[Spring Messenger]

HUMMM—!

The earth began to tremble.

It wasn’t a violent tremor like an earthquake, but a continuous, low-frequency vibration.

On the chaotic, trampled slope between Velin and the pursuing crocodile pack, countless green shoots broke through the earth at a speed visible to the naked eye.

They were the pre-planted Stone Skin Soft Vines.

Stimulated by his Spiritual Power, the vines twisted, grew frenziedly, and intertwined with each other.

They grew sharp barbs, and their soft branches quickly became like steel wires.

In just a single breath, a green barrier more than a meter high and over ten meters wide, woven from countless Stone Skin Soft Vines, rose from the ground.

BOOM!

The crocodile leader, at the head of the pack, slammed headfirst into the wall of rampant vegetation.

There was no sound of easy destruction, only a crackling, tearing noise as countless barbed vines were pulled taut, digging into the gaps of its Scale Armor.

Its charge was brought to an abrupt halt. Its massive body buckled forward from the inertia, and the entire wall let out a groaning "CREAK."

Countless roots were ripped from the ground, but even more vines grew frantically, wrapping around it layer by layer.

It finally stopped.

The elite guards following behind it also plunged headfirst into this green prison.

Their Earth Barriers could block physical impacts, but they couldn’t keep out these pervasive plants.

Seizing the opportunity, Velin grabbed the carapace of a nearby waiting Bader Dung Beetle and vaulted on top of it.

Ola stood frozen in place.

His eyes widened as he watched the figure calmly mount the beetle’s back, and gazed at the strangely familiar green wall.

The corners of his mouth split into an involuntary, short, strange laugh.

’Of course. It’s this fucking thing again.’

’That bastard. I knew he had another trick up his sleeve!’

After laughing, he also turned and sprinted away.

Velin’s figure finally appeared at the top of the slope. He stumbled and nearly fell to his knees, but managed to steady himself on a nearby rock.

His face was as pale as paper, a fine sheen of cold sweat beaded on his temples, and his chest heaved violently. But when he lifted his head, his wine-red eyes were still clear.

He scanned the terrified faces, and after confirming that no one had been left behind, he issued a command in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Retreat!"

Sarah commanded the surviving Bader Dung Beetles, along with the ones carrying the samples.

They quickly followed Velin’s lead, retreating deep into the dense forest behind the high ground.