In the brief span of two seconds, the distance between Ronnie, who had turned back to help, and Hedicurie had shrunk to less than fifty meters. As the last echo of the word "idiot" left Fang Senyan's mouth, Ronnie suddenly saw, to his horror, that Hedicurie was expressionlessly extending a hand toward him. Familiar runic lines lit up clearly on that palm before surging with energy.

This was the clear sign of another Shifting Position cast.

Then the light flashed. When Ronnie blinked his stunned eyes open, Hedicurie was gone, leaving only a cold, merciless silhouette running ahead with a limp. Close behind him, the Legendary Raging Beasts stirred up swathes of lethal shadows, darting and lunging.

Ronnie felt as if plunged into an ice cellar, freezing instantly. His mind seemed to stall, not just from fear, but from the overwhelming surge of dejection, defeat, and, yes, unwillingness!

It was only when the brutal fangs of the ferocious Legendary Beasts clamped onto his arm, flesh and blood dissolving in the monster’s maw, that the intense pain triggered Ronnie’s last-ditch survival mechanism. The ring on his finger instantly flared with an icy light, and a shard of unbreakable ice encased him in a split second.

No attack could shatter this ice block, which seemed as ancient as time itself, but Ronnie was frozen within it too, immobilized.

This action was purely instinctual—every creature strives to prolong its life. However, the spell was not infinite. Five minutes at most. After five minutes, the ice would melt, and Ronnie would remain a fish on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered.

Meanwhile, the few powerful Legendary Beasts continued their futile, frenzied attacks on the ice layer. They roared in frustration, and although ripples constantly shimmered across the surface, confirming the futility of their efforts, they persisted, gnawing with their teeth and ramming with their heads, even as streaks of blood stained the ice.

Suddenly, a radical shift occurred. Just as Hedicurie was running for dear life, believing he had escaped, the swamp before him began to roil violently. Then, a massive sinkhole erupted from the muck!

A colossal figure sprang forth! It possessed razor-sharp claws, horns, and a long, thrashing tail, its body covered in a thick layer of black carapace that resembled natural armor. Because of the churning mud and water, its exact appearance was obscured, leaving only the clearest impressions: massive, savage, agile, and terrifying!

The manner in which it leaped from the mire held a cruel sort of elegance.

Hedicurie, already at the end of his tether, was slammed down into the muddy water by this massive black shadow. Furthermore, it seemed there were tunnels beneath the swamp floor, because after the impact, both figures sank deeply into the water, though it was less than half a meter deep! It was as if the dark, malevolent swamp had swallowed them whole. All that remained was the continuous, piercing shriek of Hedicurie, receding into the earth below...

Fang Senyan narrowed his eyes, murmuring very softly, "Just as I suspected... he didn't escape my calculations."

Because Fang Senyan spoke so quietly, no one around him heard. When he turned, he saw Aldaris and Pokan both staring at Ronnie encased in ice, then looking back at him with questioning expressions.

Fang Senyan then uttered a single, flat word, delivered with absolute finality: "Save!"

Aldaris sneered, "That idiot has been targeting you relentlessly. The last time you saved him, you earned only ridicule and scorn. Are you going to repeat that mistake?"

Fang Senyan replied coldly, "Though this guy has a foul mouth, the fact that he turned back to save someone is enough for me to risk rescuing him once! I want him to know that concepts like fairness and justice still exist in this world! Not everyone is as utterly without principle as Hedicurie!"

Pokan, standing nearby, remained silent but used his remaining mana to grant Fang Senyan a layer of Stone Skin. Though this added to Fang Senyan’s weight, for his already immense strength, the extra burden was negligible.

Aldaris suddenly sent a mental wave over, dripping with sarcasm, "Do you think I don't know you? You simply need Ronnie because he’s excellent at scouting and quite capable in damage output. He’s highly valuable."

Fang Senyan didn't bother to respond. He stomped his foot and charged toward Ronnie in the ice block, churning up an astonishing spray of mud and water.

In truth, the mysterious giant black shadow posed an equally significant threat to Fang Senyan. But what set Fang Senyan apart from Hedicurie was his extraordinary perception!

Even before the mysterious giant shadow had physically manifested, Fang Senyan, from nearly a hundred meters away, had sensed a strong threat and warning. His decision to charge forward now was only made possible by this superior sixth sense, daring him to penetrate so deeply into the enemy formation.

More importantly, Fang Senyan was near peak condition. Although Glimmering Heal was on cooldown, the Honor Potion had not been used. This stood in stark contrast to Hedicurie’s near depletion earlier. Combined with the Dark Gold Ring's special effect being ready to deploy, these factors gave Fang Senyan the confidence to attempt the rescue.

Inside the ice, Ronnie, though unable to move, watched Fang Senyan charge toward him like a ferocious beast, kicking up towering sprays of mud behind him. His heart churned with conflicting emotions. The person he thought he could rely on most had abandoned him at the most critical juncture, seemingly ready to kick him while he was down! Yet, the person he argued with most fiercely on the team was now rushing in at all costs in this desperate situation!

This bizarre turn of events completely upended Ronnie’s understanding. His mind was a chaotic tangle, leaving him unsure how to process the situation. But one thing was undeniable: under the excruciating pressure of his desire to live, Ronnie would no longer harbor hostility toward Fang Senyan. In fact, he felt a complex emotion rising, almost bringing tears to his eyes.

Upon seeing Fang Senyan charge, the Legendary Beasts instantly found a new target for their aggression. They raised their tentacular compound eyes, waving them excitedly and emitting inarticulate, eager roars.

Ripples reappeared in their dark-gold single eyes! Their attack range was 400% that of common Raging Beasts, reaching 20 meters. Once Fang Senyan entered that zone, they were prepared to unleash a barrage of frantic assaults upon his body.

However, before entering their range, Fang Senyan suddenly accelerated. A phantom image of a monstrous bull appeared behind him, and he shot forward at incredible speed, slamming directly into the Legendary Raging Beast closest to the ice block, leaving the bulk of the Disintegration Ray attacks splashing harmlessly behind him.

Then, Fang Senyan twisted his wrist and hurled a vial of Curse Potion toward the ground! An invisible shockwave spread out, and toxic mist began to rise. But the very instant the Curse Potion was thrown, at least six Disintegration Rays struck Fang Senyan’s body!

This was the combined attack of six powerful Legendary Raging Beasts! Was their combined attack power not more than ten times that of the common ones?

More terrifyingly, the strike was almost entirely focused on one area of Fang Senyan’s back. Instantly, even his formidable defenses could not withstand it. The Rock Shield shattered, disintegrating into dust with a crisp crack. A basin-sized area on his back instantly exploded into mangled flesh and gore—a horrific sight that exposed glistening white bone!

Witnessing this, both Pokan and Ronnie felt a crushing clench in their chests, as if an enormous hand had squeezed their hearts. Regardless of whether they admitted it aloud, since Fang Senyan had aided them, they had tacitly made him their pillar of strength. Seeing this concentrated volley, they subconsciously assumed Fang Senyan was finished.

Fortunately, only one Legendary Raging Beast with Petrification ability had managed to land a blow, and its effect failed to pass Fang Senyan’s Toughness check. The remaining Legendary Beasts mostly employed poison, disease, or weakening effects, all perfectly countered by the Sun’s Staircase.

At this moment, Fang Senyan no longer intended to conceal his strength. He endured the pain with a muffled groan and unleashed his full power! He roared, and the Nightmare Sigil on his chest blazed with dazzling light, seemingly aiming for the heavens, forming a pattern of crossed, tightly clenched fists and a shield!

"What the hell!" Pokan gasped, sucking in a cold breath at the sight. "That sailor bastard actually has dual-attribute specialization? And he’s also an MT?"

Ronnie, trapped in the ice, had his eyes widened so much his pupils seemed ready to pop. If he could move, his jaw would likely have dropped to the floor. MTs were rare enough in the Zone, and dual-attribute specialists were even scarcer. To possess both roles simultaneously? That was unheard of, yet... it was manifesting before his eyes!

A surge of wild ecstasy flooded Ronnie’s heart, like a drowning man grasping a lifeline. Hope reignited in his despair, an intense yearning for survival!

After taking that hit, Fang Senyan's health plummeted. Fortunately, the shockwave from the Curse Potion took effect, stunning the frenzied creatures for three seconds, while the curse mist also spread outwards.