The desert was burning.
The air trembled with the stench of venom and blood.
The Gate of Karzakh pulsed like a heartbeat, its crimson glow spilling across the dunes like liquid fire.
And then—
It arrived.
From the shattered earth beneath the gate's arch, the true boss monster rose.
The King of the Desert, The Sasori Monster.
Its colossal body was a grotesque fusion of the scorpions and worms the groups had already fought. Its lower half was serpentine, stretching endlessly like a titanic sandworm, while its upper body bore six scorpion legs the size of towers. Each claw glistened with obsidian armor, sharp enough to shear through stone. Three massive stingers arched over its back, dripping molten venom that hissed and burned holes into the sand wherever it fell.
Its roar split the air, shaking the dunes like an earthquake. The ground beneath the students cracked and shifted, dunes collapsing into pits.
For the first time, silence fell over the battlefield. Six groups—once rivals, once determined to prove themselves—now stared at the same nightmare.
The six groups, spread across the dunes, all turned toward the same direction. Their smaller battles had ended; this was the fight they had truly entered the gate for.
Tendou Mori clenched his sword.
"So that's the real boss. Are they really believe we can defeat this monster? This is getting interesting...."
Trueso Dom's group arrived first, weapons ready, lightning still crackling from Claire's staff. Behind them came Yuvel Oblik, her shadow flames magic spell swirling like a cloak. Uriel Aegis's Sandstorm Vow climbed the dunes, followed by Angela Smith's Frozen Hammer, and Damian Cane's Heavy Style: Shattered Mountain.
For a moment, the desert fell silent as all six groups stared at one another.
Peter York spat to the side.
"Great. So now we're supposed to share the kill?"
Yuvel's eyes narrowed.
"The boss belongs to the strongest. Don't get in our way."
Uriel raised his greatsword.
"Say that again, and I'll cut you down before the worm has the chance."
Tension sparked like flint and steel. Rivalries that had simmered in classrooms now threatened to boil over in blood.
But the King of the Desert did not wait.
The monster slammed one colossal claw into the dunes, sending a shockwave that knocked several students off their feet. Its stingers lashed forward, striking down entire dunes in a single swing.
Tendou Mori broke the silence. His eyes hardened as he drew his blade, water mana flowing across its edge.
"Everyone! No time for pride. We kill this thing together, or you guys get out of the way!"
The others answered with steel and mana.
Trueso Dom's elemental sword blazed to life as he charged at the front.
Claire Vetson raised her staff, summoning a howling storm.
Yuvel Oblik's shadow flame writhed into a black inferno.
Angela Smith conjured ice lances that froze the air around her.
Damian Cane's saber blazed with blue mana, a warlock's chant on his lips.
The desert lit up with magic.
Bolts of lightning struck down on the monster's shell.
Spear after spear of fire and ice hammered its armored hide.
Rogues and duelists dashed in, carving at its joints, while shield knights braced against the monster's thrashing claws.
The King of the Desert screeched, enraged, and slammed one claw into the dunes. The shockwave sent entire groups flying backward, shattering their formations.
"Damn it! If you don't cover the left side, we'll all be crushed!" Angela shouted, frost mana swirling around her.
"Then stay out of our way!" Yuvel snapped, black fire spiraling from her staff.
Uriel Aegis snarled, swinging his obsidian greatsword to block one of the stingers.
"Enough bickering! The gate doesn't care who kills it, only that we bleed for it!"
Peter York cursed under his breath, darting beneath the monster's body to drive his daggers into its softer underbelly.
"He's right. Save the fighting for later!"
As the battle raged, the runes on the Gate of Karzakh grew brighter, feeding on every wound inflicted, every drop of blood spilled on the sand.
A whisper slithered through every student's mind:
"More… fight more… the worthy will remain… the weak will be devoured…"
The King of the Desert reared back, its three stingers glowing with venomous light.
In a single strike, all three lashed down toward the battlefield, aiming to pierce the students where they stood.
"Louis, shield wall!" Trueso roared.
Louis Guard slammed his massive tower shield into the ground, mana flaring.
"Bulwark!"
Howard Stern crossed his circle shields in front of him.
"Iron Fortress!"
Dick Ashdrew's warhammer shone as he called on divine power.
"Sanctuary Dome!"
The three defenses overlapped, forming a shining barrier that caught the stingers mid-strike. The ground shattered beneath them, but the line held.
"Now! Fight with everything you had.While it's pinned down!" Tendou shouted at the other groups.
Claire unleashed a storm of slicing wind.
Angela rained frozen spears from above.
Yuvel hurled his shadow flames into its open maw.
Levy Greenwood's spirit tigers materialized, clawing at its sides.
Kyle Larson's blood-drinking blade flared crimson as he slashed through a leg joint.
And Tendou dashed up the creature's armored body, blade glowing with flowing water mana.
"Flow Style: Moonlit Sever!"
"Lava Style: Crescent Slash!"
He carved a deep slash along its upper carapace, cutting through to its core. The King of the Desert shrieked, venom spraying as its body convulsed.
But it did not fall.
Instead, the ground shook violently. From beneath the sands, dozens of lesser scorpions and worms erupted all around the battlefield. The boss was calling reinforcements.
"Now,we are also fighting with all the monsters from this gate. This is going to be one hell of a work. Are they telling us to surrender?...."
Trueso said while cursing out the teacher.
For the first time, every group leader understood—
This fight would not be against one monster alone.
It would be against the entire Gate of Karzakh.
*********
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