Gambling wasn't just about luck—it was a test of pure strategy and nerve.
Returning to Immortal City, Ling Ye didn't hesitate for even a breath. He dumped every last Mana Crystal into troop production, pushing his Centaurean Cavalry count to a staggering one hundred and eighty riders. The stables thundered as the recruits poured out, armored hooves stomping the ground in unison, ready for war.
He barely had time to admire his rapidly growing army before the three-minute countdown ended. The earth trembled underfoot, a primal vibration that sent a shiver crawling up his spine. Then came a sound that made even seasoned warriors instinctively tense—a guttural, inhuman roar echoing from the dense forest to the north.
Ling Ye's expression didn't waver. Calm and composed, he raised his arm and gave a single command. "Move out!"
One hundred and eighty Centaurs surged forward like a living tide, their hooves striking the ground like thunder, carrying him toward the source of that terrifying cry. As they approached the treeline, the shadow of their foe appeared—a colossal humanoid, over ten meters tall, charging out of the woods with bone-shaking force. Its body was clad in blackish-purple scales, twisted ram-like horns jutting from its skull, and a feral, hate-filled aura rolling off it in waves.
This was no ordinary monster. This was an E-rank Demon King Avatar, the first boss he had faced in this life. Ling Ye immediately pulled up its stats.
[Demon King Avatar]
[Rank: E]
[HP: 100,000 | Physical Defense: 15 | Magic Defense: 15]
[Attack Power: 60 | Movement Speed: 18]
[Skills: Demonic Flame, Scaled Shield, Sonic Howl]
Even for a low-tier boss, its durability was ridiculous—one hundred thousand hit points, with stats edging out his cavalry. Killing it wouldn't be quick or easy, even with nearly two hundred units at his command. And to make matters worse, it hadn't come alone. Twenty Lesser Demons, each a third-tier monster deadlier than the Emerald Vipers he'd faced earlier, rushed out alongside their master.
Ling Ye's gaze hardened. The strategy was obvious: take out the minions first, then focus on the boss. Not only would it make the battle safer, but it might also push him to Level 4 mid-fight, giving him another shot at pulling a Golden Trait.
"Three riders, pull the boss's aggro. The rest—wipe out those little bastards first!"
His command cut through the chaos like a blade. Two hundred hooves thundered forward, a tide of steel and muscle colliding with the shrieking demons. Axes swung in sweeping arcs, flesh and ichor splattering across the battlefield as the lesser fiends were hacked apart one by one. The numbers advantage evened out the tier difference; within moments, chunks of demon bodies littered the blood-soaked ground.
But the boss wasn't idle. The three Centaurs trying to kite it away barely lasted two minutes before their Demonic Flames engulfed them, burning them alive where they stood. Ling Ye grimaced as he saw their life bars vanish. He bit back his frustration and sent more riders to keep the boss distracted while the slaughter of the underlings continued.
By the time the last Lesser Demon fell, Ling Ye had lost more than ten Centaurs—but the payoff was immediate.
Ding!
[You've reached Level 4. One Infinite Golden Trait is available.]
"Draw!" Ling Ye commanded instantly.
Ding!
[You have obtained Golden Trait: Deathless Rebirth.]
[Deathless Rebirth]
Effect: Any fallen unit will fully resurrect at its place of death after 5 minutes, with no limit to the number of resurrections.
Ling Ye stared at the trait description, stunned for a heartbeat before a grin split his face wide open. "This… this is insane!"
There was no comparison. This was god-tier. The ultimate insurance policy for any commander. In this world, every soldier was precious—training cost time, upgrading cost resources, and every death was a painful loss. But this trait? It erased death. Even if his army was butchered, they'd rise again, stronger than ever, ready to fight without fear.
As if to prove the point, one of the Centaurs who had been burned alive earlier reappeared in a burst of soft golden light. Full health, full stamina, ready for battle once more.
Ling Ye's eyes burned with excitement. "Holy hell… this changes everything."
The last shred of hesitation in his mind evaporated. With Deathless Rebirth on his side, this wasn't a gamble anymore—it was a massacre waiting to happen.
"Forget plans. Everyone… charge that bastard!"
His voice cut through the battlefield like a war horn. Two hundred Centaurs roared in unison, axes raised high, and thundered forward in a reckless, furious assault.
The Demon King Avatar faltered for a brief moment, as if bewildered. It tilted its massive, horned head, as if asking, What kind of lunatic throws his entire army at a boss like this?
But there was no hesitation on Ling Ye's side. The first wave of Demonic Flames burned a dozen riders to ash… and five minutes later, they were back, whole and unbroken, hacking away at the boss's legs. Every strike tore chunks of scaled flesh from its body, hot black blood spraying in thick arcs as its health bar plummeted in steady, brutal increments.
For thirty relentless minutes, the battlefield was a cycle of slaughter and resurrection, an unending storm of steel and blood. At last, with a thunderous crash that shook the entire island, the Demon King Avatar let out a deafening final roar before collapsing, its massive corpse flattening trees beneath it.
Loot exploded outward in glowing motes, filling the area with a golden shimmer.
And then the sweet sound of victory rang in his ears.
Ding!
[You've reached Level 5. One Infinite Golden Trait is available.]
Before he could even gather his rewards, the world chat exploded with system announcements.
[Dark Night's Lord has claimed the first kill of an E-rank Boss. Rewards granted:]
3000 Food, 3000 Mana Crystals
1000 Wood, 1000 Stone
Tier-4 Fire Elemental Nest
S-grade Pumpkinhead Seeds x1
SSS-grade Equipment Chest
Time Scroll x100 hours
The announcement repeated three times, ringing across the entire 518 Starter Zone. Within seconds, the chat window was flooded.
"Holy crap! A first boss kill already? Is this game even fair?"
"Who the hell is this 'Dark Night' guy? We haven't even scouted past our borders, and he's out there slaughtering bosses!"
"Bosses drop rewards? I've got a tier-three nest and good talent; where the hell do I find one?"
"Hah! Destiny favors me too! There's a boss outside my territory. I'm going in, boys! Watch me soar to the top!"
"…Update: DO NOT mess with bosses. My slimes are dead, my crystals are gone, and the thing's tearing down my town. Send help."
"Yo, Dark Night, carry me please! I'll make it worth your while… add me and we can talk details."
Ling Ye only smirked as he scanned the feed. The battlefield around him was littered with glowing loot, his undead army standing proud and unbroken. This was just the beginning. With Deathless Rebirth, even gods would bleed before him.