My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

Chapter 120 The Popular Expectations After a Great Victory

That was a little devil unlike any other.

It is only a little over four feet tall, but it has a strange aura that far surpasses that of its kind.

His dark red skin turned into an almost blackish deep purple, with lava-like cracks floating on its surface, as if molten lava was flowing inside him.

Those eyes weren't the scarlet red commonly seen in demons, but a deep, cunning, and arrogant purple, with flames seemingly burning deep within their pupils.

It stood beside Xiuqi, its posture as composed as a victorious general returning home.

His right hand remained in the position of having finished casting the spell, and the dark red flames remaining at his fingertips were slowly dying out.

It glanced at Xiuqi, then turned to the Thorn Demon, and an extremely human-like expression appeared on its ugly face—

It wasn't anger, it wasn't hatred.

It was mockery.

It's as if it's saying: That's all?

This one-star rare-grade demon, awakened with the [Lava Blood] talent, is using its fire control ability, which far surpasses that of its ordinary counterparts, to write its first battle record on the battlefield.

The Thorn Demon's screams continued.

The flames clinging to its flank had burned through its skin, penetrated its muscles, and even reached its internal organs.

Dark red blood gushed from the wound, but evaporated into blood mist the moment it came into contact with the flames, making a hissing sound.

The Thorn Demon rolled frantically on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames.

But the fire seemed to come from the deepest abyss and could not be extinguished.

Alfred stared blankly at the scene.

Glenn had forgotten about his still-bleeding right arm.

Cade slowly lowered his shield, his face displaying an indescribable complex expression.

Allen's bowstring was still half-stretched, but his fingers had forgotten to loosen it.

The four of them fought for so long, at the cost of three people being injured, but still couldn't defeat the Thorn Demon. Then, one of Captain Xiuqi's contracted creatures used a fireball to severely injure it.

No, it wasn't just serious injuries.

The flames were still burning, still corroding. Without timely treatment, this Thorn Demon was certain to die.

The little imp who caused all this was now standing leisurely in place, not even glancing at the Thorn Demon a second time.

His posture made it seem as if he had just casually swatted a fly.

Cade felt his throat go dry.

He remembered that Captain Xiuqi's team included that silver-gray assassin, that overwhelming ogre, and that tactically brilliant and terrifying goblin warrior.

But he never noticed that there was such a little devil.

No, it cannot be described by the term "lesser demon".

The power of that fireball had surpassed all of Cade's understanding of the "small fireball" spell.

A small fireball cast by a common lesser demon is roughly equivalent in power to a military-grade throwing canister; it can burn a hole through leather armor, but has limited effect on plate armor.

And that fireball just now—

Cade witnessed firsthand how Thorn Demon's dark red skin, which was strong enough to withstand ordinary swords, was burned through like paper in the face of the flames.

The edges of the wound were carbonized and curled up, the blood was evaporated into a blood mist, and the charred muscles and bones inside could even be vaguely seen.

This is no longer at the level of "magic trick".

This is a true first-circle spell, or even a more powerful version of a first-circle spell.

The one who cast this spell was a tamed demon.

Cade remained silent, a complex and indescribable emotion welling up within him.

There was shock, awe, a touch of bitterness, and a little bit of... relief.

I'm glad I chose to follow from the very beginning.

Instead of confrontation.

Captain Allen's feelings were more direct.

As a ranger, his senses were sharper than Cade's, and he had a clearer understanding of power levels.

He witnessed the entire process of the fireball's formation, launch, and impact.

That wasn't an ordinary fireball.

The flames were a deeper color, hotter, had stronger adhesion, and were more corrosive.

Moreover, the little demon's spellcasting posture involved no chanting, no hand gestures, and no spellcasting materials.

With just a glance, a thought, flames took shape in his palm.

That's a talent born from bloodline.

True, innate talent.

Just as true divine spellcasters do not need to learn incantations, just as some high-bloodline sorcerers are born with the ability to manipulate elements.

Allen took a deep breath.

He began to understand why Captain Xiuqi dared to act alone with only three people.

Why was he able to emerge unscathed from an attack by hundreds of demons?

Why didn't he even turn his head when faced with the Thorn Demon's assassination attempt?

Because he has far more cards up his sleeve than anyone can imagine.

A silver-gray assassin.

A cannibalistic monster that crushes everything.

The tactical wisdom of the terrifying goblin warriors.

Now there's one more—

A demon spellcaster with fire-based abilities.

Allen suddenly recalled the fleeting feeling of resentment he had felt two days ago in Summertown Square when Chairman Allen personally appointed Xiuqi as the captain of the regiment.

Looking back now, it's really laughable.

"Allen!" Cade's voice pulled him back from his reverie.

The shield captain had raised his shield again, his gaze fixed on the still struggling Thorn Demon.

"It's not dead yet!"

indeed.

Although the Thorn Demon was severely injured by Azkaros's fireball, as a level 2 challenge demon elite, its vitality far exceeded that of an ordinary lower-level demon.

It struggled to its feet, the wound on its side still burning, dark red blood gushing out continuously.

But it is still alive.

Its dark red eyes swept over the humans and contracted creatures around it, filled with pain, anger, and resentment.

Then, it made a decision.

Run away.

The Thorn Demon unleashed its last potential, ignoring the excruciating pain in its side, and frantically fled into the depths of the forest!

It doesn't need to win.

All it needs to do is survive.

As long as it returns to its lair, as long as it returns to the demon's territory, it can survive, heal its wounds, and take revenge!

A five-foot-long two-handed sword pierced through its back, exiting through its chest.

The Thorn Demon's body froze.

It slowly lowered its head, looking at the sword tip protruding from its chest.

Faint battle runes flowed along the blade, gleaming with a cold light in the sunlight.

Then, the sword was sheathed.

The Thorn Demon's body collapsed like a tattered sack, and its dark red eyes quickly dimmed.

Behind it, a giant goblin warrior, eight feet three inches tall, slowly sheathed his sword, his scarlet eyes calmly gazing at the corpse.

Max shook the blood off his sword and turned to walk towards Xiuqi.

It didn't even glance at the Thorn Demon.

The battle—no, it should be called the harvest—lasted no more than three seconds from start to finish.

The four team leaders stood there, speechless for a long time.

Cade watched Max sheath his sword and then nodded calmly at Xiuqi, as if it were just a routine cleanup.

His throat bobbed.

In his twenty-year adventure, Cade has encountered countless powerful figures.

There are rich second-generation adventurers who rely on their equipment, noble scions who rely on their backgrounds, and genius professionals who rely on their talent to crush their opponents.

But he had never seen such a combination before.

It's not the strength of any one person.

It's the strength of the entire team.

The silver-gray assassin instantly killed the Thorn Demon.

The Flame Demon severely injured the Thorn Demon with a single fireball.

The goblin warrior, with a single sword strike, slays the Thorn Demon.

Meanwhile, the ogre, Cade, who was still standing on the periphery clearing out the enemy and hadn't even participated in the siege, swept his gaze across the battlefield and saw Ador's ten-foot-tall, massive body standing like a silent fortress, his clear yellow eyes calmly watching them.

It didn't even show any intention of coming to help.

Because it is not needed.

Because its teammates had already finished the battle.

Cade suddenly realized a fact.

The four level 1 professionals fought together for a long time, at the cost of three people being injured, but still could not defeat the Thorn Demon.

They couldn't last a single round against Captain Xiuqi's contracted partner.

It's not that the Thorn Demon is too weak.

They are too weak.

No, it's not that they're too weak.

He's Captain Xiuqi's contracted partner... He's too strong.

Glenn leaned on his warhammer, and the dwarf captain watched Max's retreating figure, his murky blue eyes flashing with complex light.

He recalled the lofty ambitions he had when he left his dwarven homeland eighty years ago, the good fortune he had escaped death during the demonic tide fifty years ago, and the hardships he had endured over the decades to grow from a novice adventurer into a professional.

Then he remembered the clean and swift sword strike from the goblin warrior.

There are no fancy techniques, no unnecessary build-up, just the simplest and most direct thrust.

But the speed, power, angle, and timing of that sword strike were perfect.

Glenn had lived for eighty years and had seen countless warriors, dwarves, humans, and even elves who wielded greatswords.

But he had never seen a goblin wield a sword with such precision and lethality.

"You've raised good soldiers," Glenn suddenly said, his voice hoarse.

Xiuqi turned to look at the dwarf captain, but did not speak.

"I'm talking about that goblin." Glenn pointed at Max with his only movable right hand. "I've lived for eighty years and never seen anything like it... It's not an ordinary contracted creature, is it?"

Xiu Qi remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"It has its own name, Max."

"Max..." Glenn chewed on the name, then smiled wryly, "To give a goblin a name, and to let it grow to this extent. Kid, you're the most monstrous beast tamer I've ever met."

"I'm not a beast tamer," Xiuqi said calmly. "I'm a mage apprentice."

Glenn paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

The laughter aggravated the wounds on his left and right arms, causing the dwarf captain to grimace in pain, yet he continued to laugh.

"A sorcerer's apprentice! Haha! What a fine sorcerer's apprentice!"

He wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes and gave Xiuqi a deep look.

"If someone like you is considered an apprentice, then those so-called great masters probably haven't even passed the basics of enlightenment."

Alfred leaned on his broken sword; the paladin captain's breathing was still rapid, and blood was still seeping from the wound on his chest.

But his self-illumination always remained in Max.

Not a warning.

It is an examination.

Followers of the God of Justice have a natural wariness of demons and evil creatures; it is an instinct etched into the blood of paladins.

But Alfred could also distinguish which creatures were purely evil and which were merely tools to be used.

That giant goblin...

Alfred looked into Max's bloodshot eyes.

It contains the desire to kill, the instinct to fight, and the pride of a warrior.

But there was no chaos, no madness, no desire for pure destruction.

That is wildness tamed by order.

It is a guided force.

Alfred simply sighed and said nothing more.

Allen stood a little distance away, while the Ranger Captain silently put away his longbow.

He witnessed the entire brief siege.

From the little demon Xiuqi burning through the side of the Thorn Demon with a small fireball, to the earth goblin warrior piercing its heart with a single sword strike.

The entire process takes no more than thirty seconds.

What they accomplished in those thirty seconds was something that the four captains had been unable to do even after fighting the Thorn Demon for a long time.

Allen suddenly recalled the thought he had of Xiuqi saying his team was going to act alone in Summertown Square yesterday, and how he felt about it.

Thinking about it now makes me blush.

It's not that they don't know their own limitations.

The vastness of the sky and the immensity of the earth were all within his calculations.

Allen took a deep breath and walked up to Xiuqi.

"Captain Xiuqi."

Xiuqi looked at him.

Allen paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

He looked earnestly at Xiuqi: "If we have the chance to fight side by side again in the future, I hope I can join your team!"

Xiu Qi remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I see."

There were no superfluous words, no insincere pleasantries.

Allen, on the contrary, felt a sense of relief.

This is exactly what he needs.

It's not flattery or pandering; it's sincere following.

Because he has already seen it clearly.

In this forest swallowed by the demonic tide, only by following this young man can one have a chance to survive.

Cade walked over and stood next to Allen.

The captain of the shield didn't say anything grand or impressive; he simply nodded.

The meaning is clear: the same goes for Squad 31.

Xiuqi looked at the two captains, then at the seriously injured Glenn and Alfred, and finally surveyed the entire battlefield.

The demons on the periphery have been mostly cleared out.

Squads 31 and 32 were wrapping up their work, Link's arrows occasionally pierced the air, and Selena's divine light flickered at the fingertips of the white-robed girl.

The high ground defense line has been stabilized.

The 12th Regiment was rescued.

"Take a five-minute break and take stock of the spoils," Xiu Qi's voice was calm and clear. "Then prepare to retreat."

He looked into the depths of the forest.

The darkness there remained thick, the smell of sulfur still lingered, and faint roars still echoed from afar.

The demonic tide is not over yet.

But at least they won this battle.

The four captains stood there, watching Xiu Qi turn and leave, and the same thought simultaneously arose in their minds—

With a team of such strength, it's no wonder they can take on the demon legion single-handedly.

Cade muttered to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it: "No wonder..."

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