The swarm of Cannomites continued their relentless assault on Nolan’s group. Each of them dived at the hunters before flying back, making it difficult for anyone without strong ranged attacks to retaliate.

Luckily, all the hunters Nolan had chosen specialized in long-range combat. Lambert’s hands released a barrage of needles as he linked with his porcupine monster, which also joined the attack. The others fought alongside their monsters, focusing on thinning the swarm’s numbers.

Suddenly, a small light appeared a few metres away. Nolan glanced toward it, and was stunned.

"Woodthera! Cast Root Wall!"

Woodthera, who had just finished off one of the Cannomites, immediately leapt in front of him. Its four limbs merged with the roots beneath it, and the roots rapidly grew, forming a thick wall.

From the side, Oliver could see everything clearly. The light was coming from the rogue boss as it charged its cannon.

BANG!!

A deafening sound echoed through the forest. A massive blast shot toward Nolan’s group, obliterating every Cannomite in its path.

BOOM!!

A huge explosion erupted as the blast collided with the root wall, shaking the ground violently.

Oliver nearly fell from the tree branch as it shook violently. Luckily, Husk grabbed him and steadied him.

The explosion left a massive dent in the Root Wall, many of the roots charred and burned.

’Luckily the Root Wall was able to absorb the impact. If I had been even a second late, our group would have been completely obliterated,’ Nolan thought. He looked ahead, and finally saw the rogue boss they had been searching for. The one that had injured Garret and Arnold.

It was enormous, nearly 5 metres tall. It had four wings, a hardened carapace body, and rows of sharp teeth. But its most prominent feature was the large cylinder attached to its left arm, shaped like a massive cannon.

It was currently hovering in the air.

---

[Cannonyx, Carapace Cannon Beetle]

<Monster Image>

Rank: A+

Lv: ???

---

"Rank A+, huh? That means it is stronger than Rank A, and already close to Rank S." Sweat trickled down Oliver’s temple as he looked at Cannonyx’s information. The unknown level meant it must be a high-level monster.

"It must had been absorbing mana for decades to reach this rank. I am surprised it managed to escape the hunters’ notice for so long," Husk said.

"You couldn’t monitor it while you were the guardian of this region?"

"No. I can only monitor monsters inside the dungeon, not beyond it."

"I see. Now let’s make our move. Ahh, before that, let’s see what Tamera actually prepared for us." Oliver opened the leather bag.

The first thing he pulled out was a set of handmade bombs. Oliver was already used to the bombs Tamera made. Since his house was near the forest, his parents often used them to chase away monsters. The explosive powder was obtained from nearby dungeons and was readily available in town at a low cost. It was wrapped in animal skin, with a fuse attached on top.

"This will be handy," Oliver said.

The next thing he pulled out was a wooden mask.

"A mask?" Oliver examined it. It was crafted from wood and carefully polished to give it a smooth, comfortable surface. It only had two holes for the eyes.

<Mask Image>

"That girl must have already thought about you trying to hide your identity. Not bad. She is thinking ahead," Husk remarked.

"Tamera... when did she even make this?" Oliver smiled. He then put on the mask, revealing only his red and golden eyes.

[Due to your familiarity with Velkryss (Husk) reaching over 100, you have gained access to some of the monster’s skills while it is active.]

[Unlocked: Crimson Fang]

[Unlocked: Crimson Slash]

[Unlocked: Crimson Moonlight]

"Perfect! This is exactly what I needed," Oliver said, clenching his fist. He then leapt onto Husk and charged toward the battlefield.

On the other side, Cannonyx continued flying straight ahead. Nolan and his group unleashed their attacks, but due to its hardened shell, they had little effect, barely leaving a scratch. The boss simply passed through their assault as if it were nothing.

Meanwhile, the Cannomites continued their attacks, though their numbers had been reduced to half thanks to the relentless efforts of Lambert and the others.

"It seems it considers us nothing. If it continues on this path, it will reach our town soon," Diana said.

"All of you, just focus on the other monsters. I will do my best to stop that boss," Nolan ordered. The hunters nodded and intensified their attacks on the swarm.

Nolan leapt forward, positioning himself in front of Cannonyx alongside his monster, Woodthera. His gaze sharpened as he locked onto the boss.

"My friend, let us give it our all tonight. Our home will be destroyed if we fail," Nolan said, gently patting Woodthera.

"Aaaumm!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Woodthera roared. They had been together for nearly three decades, through hardship and ease alike. They had fought in hundreds of battles, winning most of them. But this time, the enemy before them was far stronger. They would have to give everything to defeat it.

"Root Frame, Thorn Form!"

Nolan steadied his stance. The roots from the surrounding trees surged toward him and Woodthera, wrapping around his hands and feet, forming spiked knuckles and thorned boots. It was one of the three forms he had mastered to enhance his fighting power. Meanwhile, Woodthera’s claws were also reinforced, covered in sharp roots.

"Uraaa!" Nolan shouted as he leapt forward. He pulled his arm back before smashing it into the boss’s body.

BANG!

The boss was slightly pushed backward, but it did not stop its flight.

"Tch! Do you think my attack is so weak that you can ignore it? Then how about this?"

"Double Growth!"

The roots on his left arm expanded rapidly, growing larger as more roots converged onto it. He leapt high into the air, raising his massive arm above his head before bringing it crashing down onto the enemy’s head.

BOOM!