The undead army began to move.

As they walked toward the black abyssal mist ahead, the Pyro Lich raised his staff high. Crimson flames surged upward, spiraling around the staff like living serpents. The pressure of his mana exploded outward, pressing down on everyone nearby.

A red sigil ignited on the foreheads of everyone present—Jace, Shadow, and each Death Lord alike.

"This will protect you against the mist for exactly three minutes," the Pyro Lich said coldly. "Make it count."

Shadow and Jace nodded as they stepped forward, crossing the boundary and entering the mist.

The Abyssal Mist Fly noticed them.

For the first time, Shadow truly saw its body.

It was as if a housefly had been magnified under a microscope—grotesque, swollen, and obscene. Its surface was covered in greasy, grain-like textures, layers of chitin warped and distorted. Its wings beat slowly, but each movement dragged death behind it, pulling more and more black mist into existence.

Damn… this looks like that man-fly monster from that ring game, Shadow thought, memories flashing through his mind.

The more he stared at it, the more uncomfortable he became.

"Kekeke… let's get it," Jace said pointing at the fly.

At once, several small spheres of condensed black shadow ball shot from Jace's hands, tearing through the air toward the fly. The Pyro Lich acted at the same time, launching searing crimson flames that twisted like chains.

Shadow and the Death Lords charged forward, weapons raised.

But suddenly—

The fly's body dissolved into mist.

It slipped sideways, phasing out of the path of the attacks, and instantly reappeared several meters away. Its wings vibrated violently, and a massive cloud of white gas burst forth, flooding toward the undead army like a tidal wave.

"Stop it!" Shadow shouted.

Two Death Lords stepped forward instantly, slamming their shields into the ground. Dark energy surged across their surfaces, forming a barrier just in time.

The white mist slammed into the shields—

And dispersed harmlessly.

The moment it touched the barrier, it broke apart, its whatever debuff properties completely nullified.

Jace let out a sharp laugh.

"Kekeke… looks like it really can't do anything to us."

High above, mounted on the dragon Mydra, Mike watched silently.

A faint smile formed on his face.

Three minutes, he thought calmly.That's more than enough.

I should learn some archery, Mike thought. That way I could support Shadow while he's fighting on the front line.

He considered it for a second—then dismissed the idea.

Nope. I don't have any archery equipment on me.

So he simply stayed seated atop the dragon, watching the battle unfold from above.

Then—

"Wait… I have this."

A cold sensation spread across Mike's arm. Frost rapidly formed, crawling over his skin and condensing into a weapon. In an instant, a bow of pure ice took shape in his grasp.

It was the Frost Armament skill he had obtained from Leviathan—an ability that allowed him to instantly create any weapon he could imagine, forged entirely from frost.

"Good…" Mike muttered.

He drew the icy string and released.

A freezing arrow shot through the air—but missed, piercing the ground several meters away from the Abyssal Mist Fly and exploding into shards of ice.

"Well… I'm definitely no archery genius," Mike scractched his head seeing such pathetic shot as it was over several meters away not few as he missed the shot.

He tried again.

And again.

Arrow after arrow flew, each one missing as the fly twisted and moved, locked in brutal combat with Shadow and the Death Lords, its blade-like limbs clashing violently against them.

Finally—on the sixth shot—

The arrow struck.

It pierced the Abyssal Mist Fly from behind, ice rapidly spreading across its body as frost exploded outward from the point of impact.

Mike exhaled slowly.

"Got you."

The fly screeched and looked upward—but before it could react, two heavy shields slammed into its body from opposite sides, smashing it straight down.

"Kekeke… now you're under us," Jace said as he slammed his staff into the ground.

Dark mana surged.

Black bone spikes erupted from below, piercing into the Abyssal Mist Fly and pinning it in place. It struggled violently, but at that moment, a rain of molten swords descended from above.

Under the combined pressure of the spells, the fly could only let out a shrill screech as the blades tore into its body.

Shadow also attacked trying out the attack of Eternal Winter. He sheathed it letting it build up.

And then he unsheathed at a very fast speed and unleashed a blood-red, ice-edged slash that tore straight through the fly's torso. Dark ichor spilled as the creature convulsed, its movements growing weaker with every strike.

It was the severing edge skill attached to the scabbard of Eternal Winter.

"Well… it really was a helpless glass cannon against undead after all," Mike thought calmly as he watched them easily subdue a peak Rank 4 boss.

He have stopped firing arrows after his tenth shot, out of ten shots he fired only one reached its mark. Telling him to stop as he is very much worse at Archery then anything else.

Unless I learn an archery skill, this is my limit, he thought.

Moments later, after one final barrage of spells and strikes, the Abyssal Mist Fly gave a last screech—

And dropped dead.

[ You have slain the Rank 4 Boss Abyssal Fly Mist ]

[ Do you wish to submit the quest? ]

Mike pressed Yes.

[ Congratulations on completing the Rank-Up Quest ]

[ Based on your record, your performance rating is: SSS+ ]

[ Rewards ]

• All stats ×3.5

• Two Unique-rank class skills

• Four random skill upgrades

• Talent upgrade (if applicable)

• Potential Rank-Up (SSS-rating exclusive reward) ]

• A-D random class related new Talent (SSS+ rating exclusive reward) ]

"SSS+… there's another rating above SSS?" Mike mumbled as he stared at the screen.

He looked at the golden text three, then four times, still wondering if he got infected by the Abyssal Frost Fly some debuff and now seeing things.

This time, the system rewards are 3.5× stronger… and now it's giving two Unique skills instead of three Epic skills, plus four random skill upgrades!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.