Chapter 25: Odds of Victory

In the Mountain Tiger's cave, the two groups faced each other with swords drawn and crossbows raised, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

The thunderous roars of the tiger reverberated wildly within the semi-enclosed cave, colliding against the walls and amplifying the heart-stopping intensity of the sound.

Yet the meaning behind these roars remained utterly baffling.

Prison? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Ke Lu frowned at the cryptic word.

Surveying the surroundings, the cavernous space was filled with mountains of bones piled on the ground, stalactites hanging from the ceiling like upside-down bells, and overturned stone tables and chairs scattered across the floor—their original purpose unclear.

On the surface, the Mountain Tiger seemed to be living quite comfortably here, showing no signs of imprisonment. On the contrary, it appeared more like a mountain overlord, ruling supreme within this Secret Realm, a lawless tyrant with unchecked power.

Moreover, what could any of this have to do with her?

The Mountain Tiger's bizarre behavior toward Ke Lu only deepened the confusion.

Ke Lu's gaze narrowed, her eyes darkening as they settled on the center of the grotesque crown—the ominous ruby that pulsed with a malevolent red light.

This object, which resonated with her in a peculiar way, might hold the key to unraveling all these mysteries.

Perhaps... she needed to try and seize it.

In a flash of thought, Ke Lu made her decision.

If they won, they could uncover the secrets. Even if they lost, the Secret Realm's rules would safely teleport them out.

They could afford this risk!

She steadily raised her left hand. A blue light flashed in her palm, and a miniature chessboard radiating an arcane aura materialized in mid-air, hovering above her hand.

System Reward: [Chessboard]

If that's the case, then... I'll go all out, holding nothing back!

Ke Lu's voice was deep and resolute, carrying an unquestionable calm as she addressed her teammates. "Wait. Follow my commands."

Suddenly, darkness enveloped them.

The Mountain Tiger's powerful hind legs launched it into a massive leap, its colossal body carrying an unstoppable momentum as it charged toward the group with ferocious intensity.

With astonishing agility, it nearly blocked out the light from the hole above in an instant. The Mountain Tiger's towering silhouette loomed oppressively over the ground, its mountain-crushing aura enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

Strike first, seize the initiative, Ke Lu thought, instantly grasping the enemy's strategy.

This boss wasn't the team's original target—it was the Secret Realm's ultimate boss.

In other words, Ke Lu and her team weren't very confident about facing this boss.

The Mountain Tiger clearly sensed this. Relying on its overwhelming strength, it had no intention of giving the intruders any chance to maneuver or catch their breath, aiming to end the battle instantly with its most savage assault!

Ke Lu's mind raced: "Striking first could indeed seize the initiative and use offense as defense."

"But striking second would allow us to clearly assess the enemy's strategy, bide our time, and strike directly at their vital point!"

Moreover, they had few opportunities to overcome such a formidable foe.

In the air, a flicker of disdain and urgency crossed the Mountain Tiger's crimson eyes. Its lofty demeanor made it clear that it held these intruders in utter contempt.

The only one worthy of its attention was Ke Lu, positioned at the center of the group.

Only the heavens knew the cataclysmic turmoil that erupted within the Mountain Tiger the moment it laid eyes on Ke Lu!

The crown that had been fused to its head since birth had actually begun to loosen slightly.

A desperate madness flashed in the Mountain Tiger's burning bloodshot eyes.

An instinctive, overwhelming premonition roared within its heart: if it were to be defeated by these puny humans in its own lair, it would utterly lose its status as overlord!

Therefore, it absolutely could not fail! It had to win!

In the battle for supremacy in the animal kingdom, victory must come from overwhelming dominance, earned through sheer force. Any retreat or trickery would tarnish the title of "King"!

This law was etched into its very blood.

The battle erupted in full fury!

"Listen to her!" Shi Lei roared at Ma Fei and Bai Yu, his former teammates.

He hefted the massive greatsword, a brown-yellow Spirit Power radiating around him, and charged like an arrow loosed from a bow toward the terrifying figure descending from the sky!

Despite their earlier disagreements, Ke Lu's extraordinary calm judgment, memory, and calculation skills had secretly impressed Shi Lei.

Most importantly, though Shi Lei loathed to admit it, if he were in command, facing the Mountain Tiger's overwhelming power, he wouldn't have the slightest confidence in securing victory.

Since that was the case, he might as well gamble—treat this desperate situation as a long shot and trust her judgment completely.

Ke Lu, hearing this, wasted no time. Her cold, clear voice immediately rang out: "Everyone, retreat to maximum firing range."

"Maximum Range," as the name suggests, refers to the farthest effective firing range for ranged attackers—a distance that maximizes their safety.

However, according to Ke Lu's order, Shi Lei, who was actively charging towards the Mountain Tiger, was now in immediate and extreme danger!

Real combat is far from static turret play; battlefield conditions shift rapidly, and positions must be constantly adjusted.

If they retreated to their respective maximum ranges, the distance between them and Shi Lei would widen to its greatest extent. This would severely hinder their ability to provide timely support and maintain coordination, leaving Shi Lei vulnerable to being torn apart by the Mountain Tiger in an instant!

Bai Yu and Ma Fei choked on their breaths, their faces instantly contorted with shock and disbelief. They instinctively assumed Ke Lu was still nursing a grudge from their earlier conflict and was deliberately trying to sabotage Shi Lei.

"What kind of insane order is that?!" Ma Fei roared. "If you dare abandon Brother Lei at a time like this, we'll never forgive you!"

Though Bai Yu remained silent, his gaze towards Ke Lu was filled with suspicion and guarded wariness.

Despite their misgivings, both men gritted their teeth and reluctantly began retreating as ordered.

A fundamental principle of team combat dictates that the worst thing a team can have is conflicting commands.

On the battlefield, there's often no time to question orders.

With Ke Lu in command, there was no room for questioning. All they could do now was pray she knew what she was doing.

Ahead,

Shi Lei raised his massive sword high above his head, tracing a powerful, sweeping arc beside him. Leveraging the rotation of his torso and the full momentum of his body, he slashed upward with tremendous force.

Melee Class Skill: Upward Slash!

At that moment, Shi Lei was like a fully drawn warbow, channeling all his power into this upward strike against the tide.

Under normal circumstances, this skill would have launched his opponent skyward into the "airborne" state, creating a perfect opening for his teammates to unleash their damage.

Alas, the ideal rarely matches reality.

The descriptions on skill lists often fail to capture the unpredictable nature of actual combat.

To the Mountain Tiger, Shi Lei's sword felt like a mayfly trying to shake a tree—yet it blocked its path with perfect timing.

Enraged, the Mountain Tiger reversed the direction of its massive claws, slashing downward to meet Shi Lei's greatsword. A silver-white arc flashed through the air.

Clang!

The ear-splitting clang of metal against metal reverberated through the air. The instant the claw met the sword, the momentum shifted decisively in the Mountain Tiger's favor.

Shi Lei felt a violent tremor surge through his arms as terrifying force, like a raging flood, coursed down the blade.

His hands instantly went numb, losing all sensation. His knees buckled, and he crashed heavily to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He couldn't withstand it—utterly overwhelmed.

Mountain Tiger's Strength Rating: Approximately 7.3.

In that split second, Ke Lu's brain whirred like an overclocked processor, racing through calculations.

This assessment was based on several factors: Shi Lei's Upward Slash skill's initial speed, angle, and the intensity of the Spirit Power it contained, combined with the Mountain Tiger's pouncing trajectory, velocity, and the sheer mass of its colossal body.

These variables were then fed into a complex, advanced computational formula to arrive at the conclusion.

While this figure wasn't precise, it still offered a valuable reference point.

For instance, by comparing this estimate with the guide's listed rating of 7.5, Ke Lu deduced that the Mountain Tiger's actual strength aligned closely with the guide's description.

She had initially been wary, wondering if the ruby on that eerie crown might drastically amplify the Mountain Tiger's combat prowess.

Now it seemed the gem served another purpose, not directly enhancing its fundamental attributes.

Since its strength parameters remained within the guide's scope, Ke Lu's eyes flashed with sharp determination. If that's the case, she thought, we can win this encounter!