Hunting Mutant Fish

Zhang Mu swiftly began preparations for the hunt of the fearsome fish.

First, he located two large trees standing close together, almost of the same height. It would take about six people to encircle one of them with their arms. Their proximity was such that they left only a meter-wide gap between them, which was perfect for the impending showdown.

He instructed Fatty and Sun Bing to hide in the crevice between the trees while the others took positions up on the branches.

"Everything depends on the two of you," Zhang Mu stated to them, "Stay calm, no matter what. The fish is notoriously aggressive. If it's provoked, it's likely to launch a frenzied assault. But don't worry, its massive head can't squeeze through this gap."

Fatty, trembling slightly in his hiding spot, voiced his concerns, "Boss, I trust you, but are you sure this will work? If that fish charges in, Sun Bing and I are done for."

Zhang Mu threw down a couple of ropes, advising, "Tie these around your waists. If things go south, we'll pull you up." He then handed over potions he had extracted from a treasure chest to Sun Bing and Leng Yun. To Sun Bing, he added, "Your role is pivotal. You don't need to attack. Just taunt the fish. The more you aggravate it, the more persistent its assaults will be."

Nervously, Sun Bing nodded in acknowledgment, "Understood!"

Satisfied, Zhang Mu confirmed, "Let's get started then. I'll lure the fish over."

Fatty called out, "Boss, be careful!"

Without missing a beat, Zhang Mu dived into the water to draw the fish's attention. Within minutes, the fearsome fish, almost ten meters in length and incredibly massive, noticed Zhang Mu and charged at him with a deafening roar.

The sight forced Sun Bing to gasp in shock. Gathering courage, he used his taunting skill. As expected, the fish, infuriated, abandoned its pursuit of Zhang Mu and charged straight for the gap between the trees. The gap, shaped like a 'V' – wider outside and narrower inside, was too small for the fish's enormous head. Its violent collisions caused the massive trees to sway.Everyone was paralyzed with fear, their legs trembling uncontrollably!

Especially the new members, Chen Ling and Liu Yao, who were so scared they nearly wet themselves on the spot.

The Terrorfish was nearly ten meters in length. It had a massive head that tapered down to a smaller tail. Its flat head housed two chilling, blood-red eyes, and its rows of stark white teeth resembled serrated saw blades, sending shivers down one's spine. Surprisingly, the enormous size of its head became its downfall, as it got stuck between trees and couldn't pull itself out.

"Attack!"

At this critical moment, the hefty man, known to his friends as "Fatty," revealed his fierce side. With both hands, he raised his axe and, taking two steps forward, swung at the Terrorfish's head. Fatty, being a Level 4 Berserker, possessed significant strength. His axe was no joke either in terms of damage, but the Terrorfish's thick, durable skin absorbed most of the impact, resulting in a mere 3 points of damage.

With the estimated 900 health points of the Terrorfish, they clearly had a tough battle ahead.

"Everyone, follow my lead!" Zhang Mu climbed a tree for a better vantage point. "Leng Yun, use your Ice Arrow!"

A cold, white mist formed in Leng Yun's hands, solidifying into a crystalline ice arrow, about a meter long, with a chilling aura and considerable power. The casting speed of magic users depended on their mental strength. It took Leng Yun about three seconds to complete her spell, immediately aiming and releasing the arrow at the Terrorfish.

Whoosh!

Given the Terrorfish's size and its unfortunate position stuck between trees, Leng Yun couldn't miss even if she tried. The ice arrow penetrated the Terrorfish's tough skin, inflicting 22 points of damage. Frost began to spread across its body, significantly slowing it down. Elementalists, like Leng Yun, are among the top damage dealers in their world, and it was evident that the Terrorfish's magical defenses weren't particularly strong.The slight injury was merely a superficial wound for the Terror Fish, but it completely enraged the creature. The fish violently rammed into the large tree, occasionally lunging in an attempt to bite, but it couldn't reach fatty and Sun Bing. After a few such attempts, fatty grew bolder and launched a fierce counterattack. In a short span, the Terror Fish had received six or seven gashes.

Zhang Mu directed with methodical precision. His observational skills were impeccable, knowing exactly when to dodge and when to strike. The timing was always spot on. Having been through several skirmishes, fatty's innate combat skills began to shine. Under Zhang Mu's guidance, he advanced and retreated with rhythm, mastering the pace of the attack. However, fatty's damage output was rather low, causing less than twenty points of damage.

The standoff lasted for several minutes. The Terror Fish still had as much as 95% of its health left. Perhaps frustrated by its inability to target its foes, it began to lose interest, readying itself to depart.

"Don't let it escape!" Zhang Mu shouted. "Ice Arrow! Taunt!"

Leng Yun's ice arrow flew, slowing the Terror Fish down. Sun Bing's taunt followed, and it was as if the fish felt deeply insulted. Its rage reignited, roaring and charging at the duo. It took huge bites, tearing off chunks of tree bark. But the tree was so thick and sturdy, it couldn't be damaged in a short time.

This battle of attrition went on for about thirty minutes. Their magical potions were almost depleted. The Terror Fish's health dropped to just over 40%. It had taken countless axe blows to its head, which was now a bloody mess. Its defense had weakened considerably, and now, every swing from fatty's axe inflicted 6 or 7 points of damage.

Roughly another fifteen minutes passed. The Terror Fish's health was below 20%. It had sustained major injuries, its cries growing weaker. Once again, it tried to retreat.

Sun Bing expertly taunted the creature, expecting the Terror Fish to be pulled back as before. However, things didn't go as planned. The fish ignored the taunt, preparing to dive away and disappear into the water.This isn't a video game, it's reality. Even though the Kǒngyú (terror fish) might not be the brightest, it can still discern danger. Persisting in this fight would only lead to death, hence its strong urge to flee. At this point, Sun Bing's level 1 taunt wasn't enough to hold it back.

The plump man yelled, "I'm exhausted! This creature is getting away! Boss, what do we do?"

"Let me handle it!"

Zhang Mu leapt from a tree, landing directly on the enormous head of the Kǒngyú. With a swift movement, he thrust his dagger into the fish's eye, dealing a whopping 50 points of damage. Striking its weak point made the attack even more lethal. As he furiously stabbed the creature multiple times, the Kǒngyú thrashed wildly. Zhang Mu struggled to maintain his grip on the slippery beast and was soon thrown off. As the fish turned, it sent waves crashing. With Zhang Mu off-balance, the Kǒngyú's massive jaws lunged at him. Seeing no way out, Zhang Mu braced himself, surprisingly advancing towards the gaping maw.

Blessings from the heavens!

A radiant glow enveloped Zhang Mu, shielding him from the Kǒngyú's gnashing attack. He quickly pulled out an explosive orb and threw it down the creature's throat. A deafening explosion echoed, with bits of flesh flying from the fish's mouth and a burnt smell permeating the air.

That attack was devastating, and the Kǒngyú's life force was dwindling rapidly.

With his dagger, Zhang Mu ferociously stabbed the roof of the Kǒngyú's mouth multiple times. Eventually, with blood filling its mouth and a sorrowful cry, the Kǒngyú lost its strength, flipped onto its back, and after a few struggles, lay motionless.

Covered in blood, Zhang Mu crawled out of the beast's mouth. Although the heavenly blessings protected him from several deadly blows, the protection was short-lived. The Kǒngyú's teeth had left a huge gash across his chest, revealing a glimpse of his internal organs. The injury was grave.

"Captain!"

"Boss!"Everyone except the non-swimming Pàngzǐ hastily jumped into the water to rescue. Not only was Zhāng Mù the team captain, but he was also their spiritual leader!

When Lěng Yùn saw Zhāng Mù, covered in blood and crawling out from the jaws of the fearsome fish, her heart raced with anxiety, fearing the worst for him.

With the help of several team members, Zhāng Mù swam to safety.

Two minutes later, the fearsome fish was defeated and lifeless.

Zhāng Mù, having delivered the final blow to the creature, earned the most experience points. Lěng Yùn and Pàngzǐ, who dealt significant damage, received the next highest amount, followed by Sūn Bīng. As for Qín Mǐn, Liú Yào, and Chén Líng, they contributed the least and hence received the least experience.

[Level Up!]

Zhāng Mù, Pàngzǐ, Lěng Yùn, and Sūn Bīng leveled up to 5. Fully rejuvenated, their injuries healed instantly. Qín Mǐn's experience increased to 96%. Though Liú Yào and Chén Líng gained less experience, they also advanced to level 4.

The fearsome fish dropped several valuable items.

[Sword of the Fearsome Fish] (Fine Black Iron Weapon) - Level 5 Equipment. Physical damage +18, Sharpness +5. 10% chance to inflict laceration damage. Durability: 30.

[Fishbone Wand] (Standard Black Iron Weapon) - Magic damage +10, casting speed +5%. Durability: 20.

[Jungle Cloak] (Standard Black Iron Armor) - Health +10, Agility +3. Durability: 20.

Monsters superior to regular ones can be classified as solitary or herd types. The fearsome fish was an elite solitary monster, while the Clawed Dragon is an elite herd monster. Solitary monsters usually have a higher drop rate than herd elites, as they are often tougher to combat.

The loot from this battle was generous, amounting to three black iron equipment pieces. Among them was one fine black iron item. Equipment of the same level can be divided into four qualities: inferior, standard, fine, and exceptional, with the exceptional equipment having the highest attributes.Zhang Mu gripped the Sword of Koryu, a blade stretching over three feet in length, emanating a chilling glint. Its double-edged surface was etched with jagged, menacing serrations.

Only rangers, swordsmen, and knights could wield such longswords single-handedly. Among them, rangers, similar to thieves, assassins, and killers, had the ability to dual-wield weapons. In his left hand, Zhang Mu held a fine steel sword, while his right was equipped with the Sword of Koryu. This black iron weapon was of superior craftsmanship, boasting an attack power of 18 points. Zhang Mu's striking power even surpassed that of the hefty man, although due to their different professions, Zhang Mu couldn't match him in sheer strength.

The "Fishbone Staff" was a rare piece of mage equipment, so it was handed to Leng Yun. Elemental mages already had high damage capabilities, and with this staff, their power was even more amplified, like a tiger gaining wings.

The "Jungle Cloak" enhanced agility. Zhang Mu, who always had a penchant for agility, eagerly equipped it without hesitation.

Qin Min heaved a sigh of relief, complaining, "Captain, you're pushing yourself too hard!"

"It's nothing," Zhang Mu responded with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened. "Risk and reward go hand in hand. We've gained quite a lot from this."

Indeed, the group had triumphed over the Koryu — a seemingly invincible beast. Not only did this battle greatly benefit the team, propelling three members to level 5, but it also lifted their spirits, dispersing the feeling of despair.

The rain began to subside.

Ripples started to appear on the water's surface. Evidently, the carcass of the Koryu had attracted a swarm of critters. While these creatures were weak individually, their sheer number made them intimidating. Zhang Mu quickly cut off a few pieces of meat from the Koryu's belly and led the group away from that area. They approached a massive tree near the opposite bank. They decided not to set foot on land just yet; with night approaching, it was safer to spend the night on the tree.

Zhang Mu chopped some pine wood. Due to its rich resin content, even if soaked, the wood would ignite immediately after drying. It was the perfect material for building a warming campfire."Many thanks to Mushui, Duoluo Qiyè, Luoyang Jiaye, Lanse Yuyan, kidd, Xingmeng Moxi, Shihun Feel, gozira1975, and Yuwen Fei for their generous support!"