Magic Rock Lizard

The gloomy sky pressed low, its leaden clouds churning as an ear-splitting roar tore through the silence, shaking the earth violently.

In the distant mountains, pairs of blood-red eyes suddenly ignited, and massive figures burst from the ground—a horde of Rockfang Lizards, each measuring five meters long and two meters tall, their bodies armored with rock-hard scales that gleamed with a cold metallic sheen under the dim light.

"Attention! Those are Rockfang Lizards, monsters classified by the Super Martial Alliance!" Wang Yanran's voice, cool and resolute, echoed through the tactical comms as she stood at the foot of the mountain, gripping her communicator.

"Their weak spot is the underbelly. The back is their most armored area. Aim for the eyes first to create openings for belly strikes!"

As the current rising star of the Wang Family, she wore a custom tactical battlesuit, the emblem of her elite lineage shimmering on her chest. Thanks to the Wang Family's growing influence in the Super Martial Alliance, the young woman in her early twenties had already become a core commander among her peers.

This was also part of Ye Chuan's covert plan—to have the Wang Family replace the incumbent Minister Shen and take control of this branch of the Super Martial Alliance.

That day wouldn’t be long now.

With her orders issued, over a hundred super martial artists sprang into action, splitting into five-person squads, each locking onto a Rockfang Lizard.

Close-combat specialists, wielding custom-forged weapons, shot forward like arrows, while ranged fighters channeling elemental energy gathered power at a safe distance, multicolored light swirling at their fingertips, ready to strike the monsters' weak points.

"Screeee!" The Rockfang Lizards let out piercing shrieks, charging first!

They barreled forward like enraged bulls, their massive tails whipping through the air with enough force to send gusts of wind howling.

The frontline fighters braced themselves, weapons clashing against scales in showers of sparks. The battlefield erupted into a cacophony of battle cries, monster roars, and the clang of steel.

Fighting monsters was nothing new for these warriors. Since the creatures' sudden appearance in this world, human life had undergone earth-shaking changes in mere months.

Schools everywhere had introduced monster studies, researching these beings from unknown realms. The creatures' unique biological materials, along with rare ores occasionally found in dimensional rifts, had become invaluable resources for crafting advanced weaponry.

Hunting monsters wasn’t just about defending humanity—it was also a fast track to wealth and power. Overnight, becoming a super martial artist and joining monster-hunting operations had become a global craze.

"Word is Rockfang Lizard organs are super nourishing—one kidney alone weighs ten pounds," Zhang Chao quipped, swinging his massive cleaver. Forged from monster materials and rare metals, the weapon was nearly indestructible, unscathed even by rifle fire. His remark drew chuckles from his teammates.

"What, your kidneys failing you?" Wang Yanran crossed her arms. As a ninth-tier super martial artist, she didn’t need to engage directly yet—her role was overseeing the battle.

Thanks to their seamless teamwork, the fight progressed smoothly. Within half an hour, many Rockfang Lizards lay bleeding out. Wang Yanran promptly ordered the second wave to rotate in, preparing to wipe out the remaining monsters.

Just then, her phone rang. Seeing it was her grandfather, she answered.

"Yanran, how’s the situation?"

"Everything’s under control, Grandfather. Just a standard rift-clearing mission. The Rockfang Lizards aren’t too aggressive, and we haven’t encountered any alpha specimens yet—"

Before she could finish, a terrified scream cut through the air: "Alpha monster incoming!"

Wang Yanran’s heart lurched. She whipped her head toward the sound, her pupils constricting—a behemoth twice the size of a normal Rockfang Lizard had shattered their defenses, sending super martial artists flying like ragdolls. Its scales pulsed with an eerie violet glow, and corrosive mist billowed from its maw.

"What’s going on?!" Wang Yanran demanded. "The drones didn’t detect any alphas!"

"It must’ve just emerged from the rift’s depths!" Zhang Chao shouted, rallying the others. "Hold the regular ones back! Everyone else, focus on the alpha!"

The resting fighters immediately rejoined the fray, the tension skyrocketing.

"Sis, are you okay?" Wang Nuonuo, a newly awakened first-tier recruit who’d come to observe, tugged at Wang Yanran’s sleeve, her face pale with fear.

"Nuonuo, stay back!" Wang Yanran shielded her sister, her expression grim. "Fall back when you can. I’ll handle this!"

Without another word, her hands flew through a series of seals. A burst of ghostly blue light erupted behind her as her spectral guardian materialized—an armored spirit wielding a gleaming spear. Since cultivating the techniques Ye Chuan provided, her spectral companion had grown vastly stronger.

On the battlefield, the alpha Rockfang Lizard’s assault intensified!

Every tail swipe gouged deep trenches into the earth; every lunge made the air tremble.

The super martial artists’ defensive line wavered, but no one retreated. Ranged attacks peppered the monster, only to spark harmlessly off its hide, while melee fighters scrambled for openings to strike its weak points.

Wang Yanran took a deep breath, unleashing a barrage of talismans that detonated against the lizard with thunderous force.

"So strong!" Many fighters brightened at the display, but their hope quickly froze—Wang Yanran’s attacks had barely scratched the alpha.

"This tough?" Wang Yanran was stunned. She’d faced alpha monsters before, but none with defenses this terrifying.

Her assault only enraged the beast further. Like a rampaging tank, it charged straight for her.

"Cover Wang Yanran!" Others rushed to intercept, but the monster plowed through them without slowing.

Dodging its attack at the last second, Wang Yanran directed her spectral guardian to counter—only for another cry to ring out from the crowd: "Two more alphas incoming!"

"What?!" Her head snapped toward the new threat. Two more alpha Rockfang Lizards had breached their defenses.

More of them?!

"Full retreat!" Realizing the catastrophic losses they’d suffer if this continued, Wang Yanran chose to hold the line alone, buying time for the others to escape.

Despair clawed at her—until a streak of golden light streaked across the distant sky.