After the shockwave passed, the world returned to a “calm” state. However, Colin could sense a terrifying presence reviving amidst the sulfurous, acrid smoke. It wasn’t dead yet!


    “Lord Colin, something seems off…” Sanna, also watching the mist, was the first to recover due to her superior constitution. Her presence had also minimized the damage to those around Colin.


    “It’s not dead,” Colin said, then quickly looked at Number One, who had recently been promoted to the second rank. “Number One, have the entire team withdraw as nned. Execute the next step!”


    Number One hesitated briefly before shouting, “Yes!” Under his booming voice, all teams rapidly withdrew from the area. They regrouped at intervals, with each group cingnterns to guide the way. Soon, only Colin and Sanna remained, ready to ensure the n’s sess.


    Just half a minute into the retreat, Colin and Sanna felt a heavy pressure on their shoulders, as if a giant hand gripped their hearts. They turned to see a massive figure emerge from the fog and smoke, less than fifty meters away!


    The figure, standing over five meters tall and illuminated by thenterns in front, was a grotesque, mutated humanoid. It wore a ck cloth over its head and a ck metal mask. Its body, mostly naked except for a cracked golden ceremonial robe, wielded a stone pir-like candbrum with three branches.


    Its body was horrifyingly covered in tumors and exposed, writhing red flesh. The psychic interference it emitted was palpable. It moved in a squatting position, which made its movement seem eerie to Colin. Even when squatting, it required one to look up slightly due to its height. The oppressive aura made breathing difficult.


    The earlier explosion had shattered all the eyeballs on its body, leaving it bleeding profusely, with half its body reduced to bones and internal organs and fragments of stone embedded in its flesh. Its right hand was missing, yet the golden ceremonial robe and candbrum in its left hand remained mostly intact, only slightly ckened by the explosion. Its right-hand stump showed signs of regeneration.


    It wasn’t dead… A wave of uncontroble despair surged within Colin, flooding his mind with distracting thoughts. He activated “Hunting Time” without hesitation, instantly bing as cold and calcting as a bloodthirsty hunter. [You realize this is the terrifying being that pushed you to the brink, referred to as “It” by the ghostly little girl, a lord-level mutant: the Mourning Watcher.]


    [You observe that it has suffered severe injuries from your previous n; its psychic influence greatly weakened, yet it is regenerating.]


    [Understanding its “weakness” is futile because…]


    [It is now within the range of truth! Caliber is justice! Cannons are the answer!]


    “Fire!” Colin’smunication came through the scroll, prompting Number One and others to shout furiously.


    Nine war chariots aimed their cannons at the monster in the forest, less than 500 meters away!


    Boom, boom, boom, boom—


    Deafening sts echoed as the cannons fired in unison,unching shells that hit the Mourning Watcher directly. Blood, bones, and flesh sttered everywhere, yet the monster didn’t fall. It merely paused before continuing its silent advance.


    “Damn it, isn’t force supposed to be mutual? Why isn’t this monster flying back? Ignoring Newton’s First Law?!” A survivor cursed, feeling his eyes sting with pain. He pped himself hard to stay alert.


    “Fire! Fire! Fire!” Anothermand was given, and more shells were fired, hitting the lord-level aberrant again.


    The ground around the war chariots had been moistened with river water to prevent dust. Only the smoke from the cannons filled the air. The monster’s oppressive aura was so intense that even with eyes closed, one could still sense its direction, using its power as a “coordinate” and “weakness.”


    Amidst the booming cannons, steel shells pierced the monster’s body, exploding and scattering flesh. It was only ten meters away now!


    Colin and Sanna stood side by side, showing no fear. Amidst the cannon fire, the creature’s leg, almost reduced to bones, stepped forward,nding less than three meters from them. The Mourning Watcher’s blood-drenched, grotesque body followed, holding up the enormous candbrum in its left hand, ready to strike.


    But at that moment…


    Boom, boom, boom, boom—


    More cannon fire shook the ground, hitting the monster with greater uracy, causing it to pause.


    “Hanging on by a thread, huh?!” Colin threw several barrels of fresh explosives a few meters ahead. Sanna quickly tore open a few barrels, spreading the gunpowder over the others. Colin then pulled out a rusty triangr shield with his right hand and sshed blood from thentern with his left.


    The burning, foul blood sttered everywhere. Then…


    “In the presence of the ‘Shield of the Just Knight,’ I request a fair duel to the death with thisdy!” Instantly, the environment around Colin and Sanna seemed to stretch away…


    … …


    … …


    Note 1: Neglecting education leads to inadvertently revealing oneself as illiterate in moments like this.