Beastmaster: I'm really just a forest ranger

Chapter 441 The Final Battle Arrives! Iron-Headed Kid Defeats the Enemy with a Single Strike

The underground world at dawn is a tranquil time for all things to rest.

The glowing moss and crystal clusters on the rock face were slightly dimmed, and the air was filled with the cool tranquility that had settled in at night.

After a night of emergency rest, the Giants' Royal Court was still devastated, but the giant warriors were relatively calm, and many of their pets were huddled in corners, making the most of their last moments to recover their strength.

However, this fragile tranquility was abruptly shattered by a terrifying roar that suddenly appeared from the edge of the royal court and rapidly approached.

At first, it was extremely faint, like a dull tremor from the depths of the earth's crust, like countless giant drums beating simultaneously in a very distant place.

But soon, the tremors became clearly audible and amplified and intensified at an alarming rate. The ground began to tremble uncontrollably, and tiny pebbles fell from the rock walls and dome, as if an unimaginably vast army was emerging from the dark abyss with a destructive force.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
The heavy footsteps, like thunder, grew closer and more frequent, interspersed with countless violent and frenzied roars and howls. All these sounds blended together to form a chilling symphony, as if a summons from hell.

In a pile of rubble on the outermost edge of the royal court, a dozing burrowing mole was awakened by the sudden, terrifying noise.

It raised its little head in alarm, its two little ears standing up alertly. When its tiny black eyes looked in the direction from which the sound came, its pupils instantly contracted to the size of pinpoints due to extreme fear.

The once empty passageway was now submerged by an endless black tide.

This is not simply darkness, but a torrent composed of countless ferocious beasts of different sizes and kinds.

Leading the charge were the thick-skinned, ferocious-looking Rock-Splitter Lizards, who advanced in a mighty force, interspersed with several enormous Rock-Splitter Flying Dragons.
In the sky, dark shadow bats surged like dark clouds, emitting piercing ultrasonic waves.
On the ground, the burrowing scorpions brandished their venomous stingers, black-striped spiders formed a dense, dark torrent, and many more unnamed yet equally ferocious pets surged forth like a flood bursting its banks.

"squeak--!"

The burrowing mole let out a short, extremely terrified scream. Almost without hesitation, its small body instantly burst forth with the extreme speed driven by its survival instinct. It used all four limbs to frantically dig at the hard ground beneath it, sending dirt and gravel flying everywhere.

In just two or three seconds, it successfully dug a shallow pit just big enough for it to hide in, and crawled in, curling its body up tightly, leaving only its shivering, dusty little bottom sticking out, as if this would allow it to escape the all-encompassing disaster.

The terrifying black tide paid no heed to the tiny ground squirrel; their objective was clear, and they charged toward the Giant's Court from all directions.

The dark torrent swept through the passage with a thunderous roar, causing the earth to tremble.

Shortly after the main force of the Kuroshio passed, a lark cautiously peeked out from an extremely hidden crevice above a rock wall.

Its bright eyes warily scanned the empty passage below, which was filled with fresh trampling marks and lingering violent aura. Only after confirming that it was temporarily safe did it fly out lightly.

The lark circled twice in the air, uttered a very faint chirp, then flapped its wings and flew silently like an arrow toward a pre-arranged, hidden communication point.

After several twists and turns, the lark flew into a small, seemingly inconspicuous cave.

Inside the cave, several beast tamers dressed in the uniforms of the Criminal Investigation Department were on high alert. The squad leader in charge had a capable face and sharp eyes.

A female beast tamer saw the Flowing Cloud Sparrow fly in, extended her fair right hand, and spread her palm.

"Chirp~"

The Floating Cloud Sparrow landed steadily on the palm of the hand, and immediately all the beast tamers present turned their concerned gazes to it.

"Chirp! Chirp!"

Meeting everyone's gaze, the lark chirped urgently, its little head bobbing incessantly, its wings gesturing as if describing an extremely terrifying scene.

The female beast tamer listened intently, her expression quickly becoming serious as the Flowing Cloud Sparrow reported.

A moment later, she gently stroked the lark's head and praised it with a smile: "Okay, we understand, you did a great job."

She immediately turned to the squad leader, her voice clear and urgent: "Squad leader, it's confirmed. The main force of the dark forces has been mobilized on a large scale and is rapidly advancing towards the core area of ​​the Royal Court along Passage One. The vanguard will make contact with our first line of defense within half an hour at most. The scale far exceeds any previous operation, and the energy reaction is extremely powerful!"

Upon hearing this, the already tense atmosphere in the cave instantly froze.

Although the team members were mentally prepared, upon hearing the confirmation, their faces still couldn't help but show an extremely serious expression.

Some people subconsciously furrowed their brows, their knuckles turning white from the force; others, however, showed no fear in their eyes, but rather a burning fighting spirit, rubbing their hands together, eager to try.

The captain took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Then, his gaze swept over each team member, and his voice was steady and powerful: "The message has been confirmed. Immediately synchronize the intelligence to all combat units via the encrypted channel. Repeat, the Dark Forces' general offensive has begun. All squads, proceed with the pre-arranged plan to enter Level 1 combat readiness."

He paused, glanced at the timer, and ordered, "You have five minutes left. Check your equipment, calm your pets, and get them ready. In five minutes, we'll proceed to our designated position in Passage One as planned. Make sure you hold that position and buy time for our rear defenses."

"Yes, Captain," the team members replied in unison, their voices echoing in the narrow cave.

Just as the team members were quickly beginning their final checks, a younger-looking member, with a hint of worry on his face, couldn't help but whisper, "Captain, I heard that the leader of the dark forces is a Dawn-quality Eternal Night Icescale Dragon."

The captain turned to look at the team member who was on a mission with them for the first time, a smile spreading across his face: "What's wrong? Nervous?"

"No!" The team member shook his head decisively, but when he met the captain's ambiguous smile, he immediately pursed his lips, lowered his head, and whispered, "Okay, a little bit."

As a new member of the Criminal Investigation Department, although he had already undergone various professional studies and training and had some understanding of how to handle various emergencies, he was still uneasy when he encountered a serious incident on his first mission.

Looking at the slightly apprehensive team members, the captain paused for a moment, then smiled and patted one of them on the shoulder, his tone firm: "Don't worry. For this decisive battle, not only have almost all of our elite detectives been mobilized, but the association headquarters has also dispatched a large number of excellent beast tamers to provide support. We are not fighting alone."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the direction of the royal court's core outside the cave. His voice lowered, yet carried a reassuring strength: "And have you forgotten the most crucial point? Advisor Chen is here too."

"Advisor Chen?" The young team member was taken aback at first, then seemed to realize something, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he stared at his captain and asked, "Captain! Is that rumor true?"

"What rumors?"

"Whenever a major crisis occurs in a place that even the association finds difficult to handle, Advisor Chen always happens to appear and ultimately saves the day and resolves the crisis."

The captain was taken aback at first, then exclaimed, "Because only Consultant Chen has this kind of ability."

Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye. The elite team left the cave silently like shadows and sped towards their designated position.

The Court of Giants.

Zheng Zhang's expression was solemn as he hurried through the giant warrior formation that was urgently assembling.

These colossal creatures, averaging over three meters in height, now resembled volcanoes about to erupt, their silence concealing destructive power.

Zheng Zhang arrived at a makeshift tent set up at the edge of the square. Chen Yuan was standing with his hands behind his back, gazing calmly at the entrance to the passage in the distance, as if he were admiring the scenery.

"Advisor Chen!" Zheng Zhang strode forward, his voice solemn. "We just received an urgent report from the front lines: the dark forces have launched a full-scale offensive. The vanguard is expected to reach our first outer defensive line within twenty minutes. The battle... has already begun!"

Chen Yuan slowly turned his head, his face showing no surprise, and simply nodded slightly to indicate that he understood.

At this moment, gazing at the vast army of giant warriors and at Zheng Zhang before him, he felt an urge to sweep his hand aside and utter a single, resounding sentence—Zheng Zhang, take note of the following deployment I have made.
Thoughts flashed by, and Chen Yuan's gaze passed over Zheng Zhang, landing on the towering figure not far away, as majestic as an ice-covered mountain.

The Frost Giant stood silently on the high platform, holding the King's Greatsword. His icy blue eyes gazed into the distance, as if they could pierce through the rock and see the surging dark torrent.

Chen Yuan's lips curled slightly, and he said loudly, "Alright, let's prepare for battle according to the plan."

When the Frost Giant learned that the dark forces had launched a general offensive, it suddenly turned around and faced all the giant warriors in the square who were eagerly waiting, their eyes filled with tension, anger and determination. It raised the King's Greatsword high in its hand, the dark blue blade reflecting a cold luster in the dim light.

"Roar!!!"

The next moment, a roar imbued with the majesty of a king burst forth from the chest of the frost giant, like a thunderclap, instantly resounding throughout the entire plaza, even drowning out the faint rumble coming from afar.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

Like a powder keg that had been ignited, all the giant warriors present exerted all their strength, pounding their chests and letting out earth-shattering battle roars.

The roars merged into one, sweeping across the entire Giants' Court like a tsunami.

At the behest of the Frost Giant, its two elder brothers and the Giant King each led a group of giant warriors to meet the approaching enemy.

Before long, the massive legion of giants, like a sophisticated and heavy war machine, split into several torrents, marching with earth-shaking strides, and rushed to their respective pre-set defensive positions.

Watching the main force of the giant legion depart, Chen Yuan turned around and looked at the little guys who were already eager to try.

Chen Yuan suppressed his smile, his expression turning serious as his gaze swept over each familiar face: Cola, grinning excitedly with his tail wagging like a whirlwind; Spark, with a calm gaze and slightly open wings; Morning and Evening Flower Fairy, with a sweet smile and gentle kindness; Egg, floating gracefully with disdainful dragon eyes; and Iron Head Baby, as steady as a mountain with a low hum of steel blades.

"As you all know, this battle is extremely important, even more important than the Eastern Empire Tournament." Chen Yuan's eyes shone brightly as he spoke in a deep voice, "Because this is a battle for the survival of the Giant Kingdom, a crucial battle that will determine the fate of countless pet beasts." "We must go all out and take this seriously."

"Those weak pets are none of your concern. Our target is the Eternal Night Ice Scale Dragon King and those powerful pets that will cause big trouble."

"How about it, are you confident?"

"Ow!"

Cola was always the first to respond, bouncing around in place, full of fighting spirit, and the little guys followed up with cries in response.

Chen Yuan nodded in satisfaction, and finally turned his gaze to the icy blue figure on the high platform who was looking at him—the Frost Giant.

Chen Yuan declared loudly, "Let's set off and face the battle that is ours."

The Frost Giant nodded, then leaped down from the platform. Its heavy body crashed to the ground with a dull thud, yet it remained as steady as a rock.

Holding a heavy sword, it strode towards the passage leading to the main battlefield, with Chen Yuan and the little ones following closely behind.

same moment.

The outer defenses of the Giants' Court consisted of a relatively narrow pass that connected several important routes.

At this moment, this place has been transformed into a bloody and chaotic battlefield.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, the acrid smell of burning energy, and the pungent, violent aura emanating from various pets—all unbearably foul.

Shouts of battle, roars, the explosive sounds of colliding energy, the muffled thuds of claws tearing flesh, and the wails of the dying... all these sounds mingled together, forming a chilling symphony.

The rock face was splattered with dark red blood and charred marks, and various pets lay sprawled on the ground, some still twitching slightly.

A seven-member elite squad from the Criminal Investigation Department is occupying a strategically important stone platform at the pass, engaging in fierce combat with a tidal wave of dark beasts.

They worked together seamlessly, were well-trained, and navigated the Black Tide with ease.

The entire team moved like a perfectly meshed gear, their offense and defense executed with remarkable efficiency. Within minutes, dozens of pet beasts lay dead on the open ground before them.

"These guys look scary, but they're just a bunch of rabble." A young team member who had just led his pets to victory smiled easily. "They have a lot of numbers, but they have no coordination at all. Some of them even mistook the enemy for the enemy. I think only this formation is scary."

He was telling the truth.

Although these pet beasts are individually fierce, their attacks are completely haphazard, relying entirely on instinct and their numerical advantage to charge forward in a swarm.

Different types of pets may even fight over targets, block each other's way, or even accidentally injure their companions in the heat of the moment, which greatly reduces their overall threat.

But when the captain heard the team member's slightly flippant words, his brows immediately furrowed, his face darkened, and he sternly rebuked him: "How many times have I emphasized the first ironclad rule of carrying out a mission? Never, ever underestimate your enemy. Letting your guard down is like handing your own neck to the enemy's blade."

His sharp gaze swept over the young team member, then swept across the entire field, his voice carrying an undeniable seriousness: "Yes, they look like a disorganized mess right now. But it is precisely this chaos and fearlessness that makes them more dangerous. You never know if, in the next second, some crazed guy will break through our defenses and inflict fatal damage on you."

"Moreover, their numbers are hundreds or even thousands of times greater than ours. Once our physical strength declines, we will be worn down to death by them."

He took a deep breath, pointed to the seemingly endless figures surging into the darkness in the distance, and said in a heavy tone: "More importantly, what we are facing now are only some of the lowest-level pets. The truly intelligent, powerful, and deadly big guys are likely hiding behind this chaos, waiting for the moment we reveal our weakness."

"Everyone, pay close attention!"

The words had barely left his lips when a deafening roar erupted from a relatively wide passage on the flank of the battlefield: "Roar!!!"

The roar contained terrifying power, even drowning out all the noise on the battlefield, making people's eardrums buzz.

The next moment, the ground began to tremble violently, as if a huge creature was approaching at high speed, and gravel fell from the pass.

"Watch out!" The captain's expression changed drastically, and he immediately issued a warning.

The team members all turned their heads to look, their pupils instantly contracting!

Suddenly, a gigantic cave scorpion, far exceeding the size of its kind, burst out from the shadows of the passage.

It is nearly ten meters long, and its carapace has an ominous dark metallic luster. It is covered with vicious barbs, and the huge pincers on both sides of its body are like two huge battering rams, which bring up evil winds when they are swung.

Its stinger was as sharp as a knight's lance, gleaming with a deadly light.

Although the Earth Demon Scorpion's quality is only that of a leader, it is a giant pet beast, and its strength cannot be judged by common sense.

"It's a gigantic pet beast. Everyone, retract your defenses."

The captain remained calm and composed in the face of danger.

As an elite member of the Criminal Investigation Department, he had already seen all sorts of terrifying pets.

Boom boom boom!
The gigantic cave scorpion was like a runaway heavy tank, rampaging wildly towards the team's defensive formation.

Even if the team members cooperate well, if the skill gap is too large, all cooperation will seem pale and powerless.

"No, Captain, its defense is too strong. Our attacks can't break through it."

After a brief struggle with the gigantic cave scorpion, one of the members shouted anxiously.

The team was at a stalemate. They could only rely on their tacit cooperation and the terrain advantage to barely hold on. However, every attack from the giant cave scorpion made their defensive line precarious, and their physical strength and energy were being consumed rapidly.

"Ang~"

A high-pitched dragon's roar, like thunder from the heavens, suddenly exploded from the sky above the battlefield.

Both sides in the battle, whether they were members of the law enforcement force or pets of the dark forces, involuntarily paused and subconsciously looked up.

A dragon-shaped figure, shrouded in wisps of mist, swooped down from the sky with an air of superiority.

Its speed was extremely fast, leaving afterimages in the air. Its dragon eyes coldly swept over the arrogant, gigantic cave scorpion below, as if looking at a filthy insect.

As it swooped down to its lowest point, about to sweep across the battlefield, a proud and upright figure leaped off its back.

Iron-Headed Boy's figure stretched out in the air, his calm eyes showing no ripples, only absolute focus.

The steel blade in front of him had been drawn at some point, and a sharp aura was quietly gathering on its blade.

The gigantic cave scorpion seemed to sense a fatal threat at this moment. It let out a roar mixed with fear and rage, abandoned its attack on the detective squad, and suddenly raised its venomous stinger, which shimmered with an eerie light, and stabbed towards the falling figure in the air like lightning.

This thrust was incredibly fast.

However, Ironhead did not flinch in the face of this fatal blow. Its body continued to fall, and its steel blade continued to gather momentum.

In the next instant, a cold light, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, burst forth with a deafening roar.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Under everyone's gaze, the gigantic cave scorpion with its astonishing defense seemed to be paused, its movements suddenly freezing.

Its venomous barb, which it thrust out with lightning speed, along with a small portion of its tail, suddenly snapped off at the root. From the smooth cut, dark purple venomous blood gushed out like a fountain.

"Pfft..."

Amidst the subtle sound, a faint mark appeared on the seemingly indestructible carapace of the gigantic cave scorpion.

boom!
The next moment, with a dull thud, the gigantic cave scorpion crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

At the same moment, Ironhead landed lightly on the ground. It did not look at the giant cave scorpion that had been killed in one blow. Instead, it raised its head and calmly looked at the enemy tide that was still surging in the distance.

The entire pass fell into a deathly silence.

(End of this chapter)