Chapter 33: First Encounter with the Leader—the Tongue-Ripping Warden!

"Why does it feel like I'm moving further toward the edge?"

Li Yao, who had been exploring the feeding caverns for over half an hour, felt a flicker of suspicion. "Couldn't they have set up something like a map, just like the online games from my past life?"

The cave system was a complex web of interconnected tunnels. Li Yao had to rely on markings to ensure he wasn't retracing his steps, yet the breeding zone he was searching for remained elusive. In fact, the frequency of monster encounters was gradually decreasing, as if he were approaching the perimeter of the cavern.

With this thought in mind, Li Yao paused.

The moment he turned, a sudden chill washed over him. Immediately after, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air behind him. Li Yao instinctively ducked, attempting to dodge, but his opponent was faster.

"Bang!"

From the moment he heard the sound to the impact hitting his body, only a heartbeat had passed. A damp, viscous sensation spread across the back of his neck.

Li Yao turned around. A giant, monstrous creature covered in transparent, sticky fluid stood before him. It resembled a lizard with a long, slender tail and lacked any outer skin; one could see its horrific muscle fibers pulsing rhythmically. Its elongated head was lined with three layers of sharp, protruding teeth, and from its oral cavity, a barbed tongue several meters long was thrust directly into the back of Li Yao's head.

It caused no damage, yet the insult was profound. Li Yao could even feel the mysterious fluid from the creature's tongue trickling down his back from the nape of his neck. He quickly created some distance and cast an appraisal spell.

[Tongue-Ripping Warden]
[Level: 22 (Boss)]
[HP: 120,000]
[Strength: 615]
[Spirit: 214]
[Agility: 720]
[Stamina: 631]
[Skills: Exoskeleton (LV5), Dynamic Vision (LV2)]

"What terrifying attributes!" Li Yao couldn't help but click his tongue.

However, fitting for a boss-level monster, the Tongue-Ripping Warden had very few skills, and they appeared to be passive. Such monsters were notoriously difficult to deal with, especially in the early stages when a class-holder lacked a deep skill set. These monsters often possessed such overwhelming stats that even breaking their defense was a monumental task.

"Swish!"

The Tongue-Ripping Warden retracted its tongue. Simultaneously, the muscles in its two upright hind legs bulged violently, and veins like crawling insects erupted across its frame.

"Boom!"

The ground beneath the Tongue-Ripping Warden shattered instantly. Li Yao barely had time to react before a black shadow engulfed him.

"Very fast. Its agility is nearly double mine; it's no wonder I couldn't see it clearly," Li Yao evaluated calmly.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

In just an instant, the creature's sharp forelimbs slashed at Li Yao dozens of times. Li Yao remained unmoved, yet the Warden suddenly recoiled, its hollow eyes fixed on him with deep wariness. A few seconds later, the creature crouched, pressing its head to the ground and twitching its nose.

Li Yao watched closely. Its combat intelligence was high; it had realized within moments that he was in an "untouchable" state. Furthermore, its sense of smell was keen—it must have detected the Void Mantis, even if it lacked the detection skills to pinpoint its location.

The Warden no longer considered Li Yao a threat. Its entire body was tense, its long head turning slightly as it stood on high alert, guarding against a surprise attack from its surroundings.

The moment he had first made contact with the Warden, Li Yao had issued a command for his three chess pieces to close in. They were less than five hundred meters away. The Void Mantis had already arrived on the scene, coiled and ready, awaiting Li Yao's signal.

"It's here."

In his perception, the Predator and the Azure Bird were just around the corner behind him. The Warden suddenly erupted into motion, bolting toward the corner!

At that exact moment, the Void Mantis appeared.

[-7051]
[-14320]
[-4132]

"Hiss!" The sharp pain forced a howl from the Tongue-Ripping Warden. Almost simultaneously, the earth shattered and a blizzard descended.

"Swish!"

The Warden gritted its teeth against the pain and lunged to the side, causing both skills to miss. It immediately lashed out with a claw at the Void Mantis, but the creature had already vanished. The Predator stepped in to intercept the Warden. Although it was forced onto the defensive, its high health pool meant the Warden couldn't finish it off quickly.

With the Void Mantis unable to reveal itself before its invisibility cooldown ended, the Azure Bird could only provide chip damage from afar, and the Predator was left to take the brunt of the assault. It looked like they were at a disadvantage, but a faint smile curled at the corner of Li Yao's mouth.

"It's over."

A snowflake landed on the Tongue-Ripping Warden.

[-91]

As the Blizzard's radius expanded to fill the space, the Warden had nowhere to hide. The damage was low, but the slowing effect had taken hold.

Immediately following this, the earth crumbled and jagged rocks burst from the ground. The Warden tried to dash away, but slowed and hindered, it was powerless to act. Double-slowed.

The Void Mantis appeared. Strike while the iron is hot!

[-6142]
[-29534 (Weakness Attack)]
[-4412]
[-154 (Weakness Attack)]
[-621]
[...]

The rupture lasted only five seconds, but the Void Mantis's terrifying damage was enough to critically wound the creature in that window. Furthermore, under Li Yao's direction, the Mantis focused its attacks on one of the Warden's hind legs. By the time the slowing effect ended, the Warden's speed was actually lower than it had been before.

What followed was a one-sided beatdown by the three chess pieces. In less than a minute, the Tongue-Ripping Warden breathed its last.

[Successfully killed a boss-level entity: Tongue-Ripping Warden. Experience +45%]
[Void Predator has completed evolution and consumption, gaining 12,000 Max HP.]
[Obtained exclusive drop from Primal Dungeon first kill: Skill Book - Exoskeleton (S)]
[Killed 'Unknown Entity', gained permission to exit dungeon. Exit now?]
[Time remaining for exit portal: 2:59]

At the same time, a pale gold treasure chest hovered over the Warden's corpse. Li Yao glanced at the remains and, after a moment's thought, decided to open the loot immediately to boost his strength.

Don't let the ease of the kill fool you; Li Yao knew better than anyone how strong the Warden was. With 631 stamina, without the "Goblin Slayer" skill's 15% damage bonus, the Void Mantis's attacks would have been around ten thousand. Breaking the Warden's leg would not have been that simple; it would have required at least another round of slowing effects.

The key was that, given the current state of the dungeon, the Warden was likely just a minor boss, nowhere near the caliber of the final boss. Therefore, to prepare for what lay ahead, Li Yao decided to upgrade his combat power now.

As for the time remaining for the exit portal? Li Yao chose to ignore it. If he were to unleash his [Shackles], he would tear this place apart in under 30 seconds anyway.