In this terrain, a swamp inexplicably materialized! This was clearly the set effect of Zi’s equipment: the special outcome triggered by Corrosive Mire.

Immediately after, Zi’s twin swords made a violent downward-pressing motion in the air. As her movement concluded, a black hole at least ten meters in diameter appeared directly above Carlos, who had just landed.

The black hole was a mass of violent vortices and intensely fierce lightning. Then, a terrifying giant foot stretched out from the black hole.

The foot was taller than a house, its skin a purplish-red hue, hard as steel, ending in only three toes, each claw nearly half a meter long, extremely sharp, and shimmering with metallic luster. It aimed squarely at Carlos and stomped down… Demon God Stomp!

Amidst the swirling black mist, Zi displayed her horrific burst potential. Deep green light constantly flashed across her body, even as her spiritual energy plummeted like a waterfall.

After landing, the Demon God’s Foot did not dissipate but continued to crush and trample. Black light leaked out, coiling and winding like snakes or insects, spreading across the ground, accompanied by indescribable wails—faint and distant, eerie and profound, as if this were a hell on earth!

Carlos was already entangled by the Chains of Siss that Zi had inflicted, a vicious form of continuous damage. Now compounded by the crushing impact of the Demon God’s Foot, and with his health already below maximum, he was instantly forced to use an Elixir of Honor.

Seeing that Reef was also charging directly toward him, raising a hideous claw near his immobilized body, Carlos could only do what he had done many times before: shout: “Boss, save me!!” Loki was in no better state. The injuries sustained from his battle with Fu were still lingering, unhealed within him.

Firing two Gungnir shots in quick succession had not only drained his potential to its absolute limit but also caused his internal wounds to flare up entirely. At this moment, Loki’s face resembled a Beijing opera mask—deep indigo, crisscrossed with protruding blood vessels and crimson textures, truly monstrous.

Carlos had risked his life to block several blows for him, securing a few invaluable seconds. Now, Loki knew that whether out of loyalty or the pragmatic understanding that if one falls, the other is vulnerable, he had to save him!

But, at this critical juncture, he saw someone stepping in front of him. This person was none other than the sailor whom Loki had once intended to use as a mere pawn!

When at his peak, Loki hadn't given this sailor a second thought. He felt the man’s only value was to wear down Fu’s strength.

Yet, Loki never imagined! This man would stand before him now, in this very posture!

“We meet again, Mr. Loki,” Fang Senyan said, spreading his hands in the darkness, before executing a courteous bow.

“I know what you need most right now is time—time for your body to recover, time for your abilities to cool down. And time for your comrade to clear this now-obstructed tunnel.” Loki’s gaze gradually turned cold.

His hand slowly rose, gripping the Gungnir resting on his back. The mighty holy spear trembled intensely, crying out mournfully, emitting white light that solidified into small angels in the air before slowly vanishing into nothingness.

“I despise arrogant fools, so you will certainly die by my Gungnir!” Fang Senyan smiled faintly: “I look forward to it… Or perhaps we could chat some more? I don’t mind keeping you talking for a while longer.

Truly, stalling for time is quite advantageous for me as well. First, my companion should be finishing Carlos off soon.

Second, my virus needs a little more time to spread.” The mention of the virus made Loki’s eyes narrow sharply. He flashed forward with a sudden movement—in a way that defied comprehension—appearing directly before Fang Senyan and driving a knee upward!!

This impact was followed by a barrage of blows, like a raging storm. With a massive BOOM, white holy flames scattered explosively around Loki’s body, igniting everything visible—even water and rock became fuel.

Fang Senyan was thrown convulsing forward, slamming onto the ground ahead. White flames coiled around his body like hungry serpents, gnawing at his flesh, sizzling as his skin burned.

Immediately after, sheer ferocity flashed in Loki’s eyes. He raised the Gungnir, now wreathed in white flames, and lunged straight for Fang Senyan’s eyes!!

But Fang Senyan, seemingly powerless to resist, fiercely clamped his hand around the tip of the Gungnir! The white holy flames scorched his palm, causing it to sizzle, yet black, root-like tentacles were constantly repairing his flesh!

Fang Senyan slowly pushed himself up from the ground, applying slow, deliberate force, managing to push the Gungnir back inch by inch. A sinister smile touched his lips as he looked at the stunned Loki, speaking each word deliberately: “Did you not expect this?

That an insignificant ant like me could push you to such a state?” Loki violently shrugged his shoulders, re-engaging Fang Senyan in close-quarters combat. Blood and white holy flames sprayed wildly as both unleashed frenzied assaults.

Though Loki’s attacks rained down like artillery fire on Fang Senyan’s body, Fang Senyan remained remarkably calm under the onslaught, his occasional counterattacks proving highly effective, forcing Loki to exercise caution. Suddenly, Loki seized an opening and thrust his spear like a blinding flash of lightning, piercing straight into Fang Senyan’s chest.

Holy light exploded violently outward, accompanied by the resonance of hymns and spurting blood—a brutally intense scene. Naturally, after expending his full power in that final thrust, Loki left himself open.

Fang Senyan landed a solid punch to his face, causing him to stagger backward, clutching his nose. Loki had expected this blow to finish his opponent, but he saw Fang Senyan stagger back only a few steps before coldly letting go of the Gungnir, wrenching it free!

He then beckoned toward Loki with a finger! Although the Gungnir was a legendary weapon and automatically returned to Loki’s hand after being pulled out, Loki watched Fang Senyan’s utterly unconcerned demeanor, causing the muscles in his face to twitch.

He halted his attack and slowly lowered his head: “I must admit, I misjudged you entirely. However, that absolutely does not grant you leave to act insolently before me!” Fang Senyan narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly: “What unfortunate timing, Mr.

Loki. One of the things I enjoy most is trampling on the pride of men like you.” “You fools still don’t understand the true power of the Refiners…!” Loki’s voice began to swell, resonating throughout the entire tunnel space!

“In the spatial sequence, the critical numbers 4, 7, and 10 represent major thresholds. Once surpassed, they yield immensely significant progress!” Loki sneered: “The difference between an Awakened and a Refiner is nearly comparable to the gap between a Contractor and a Colonist.

Let the weak tremble before the terrifying power of a Refiner!” With every word Loki spoke, an intensely violent energy seemed to spawn and churn in the air. It felt as though living flesh was becoming nourishment for this power.

With every beat of his heart and pulse of his blood, that energy swelled in response! Immediately, a series of sharp cracking sounds—kaka-kaka—emanated from Loki’s right hand.

Then, that hand grotesquely swelled, accompanied by a fine, dense sound of breathing mingled with it. “Every individual, based on their inherent characteristics, theoretically possesses an optimal fighting method.

But the normal human physique is merely the most basic template for a biological weapon! To unleash one’s greatest strength, one must adopt the most suitable combat form.

And the Refiner is a warrior already touching the edge of that optimal combat form!” Loki’s voice hummed and vibrated throughout the tunnel. “Awaken, my true power!” His right hand, gripping the Gungnir, had become grotesquely huge, corded with bulging muscle, clearly brimming with explosive power.

Yet, despite its abnormal size, the hand maintained a harmonious integration with the rest of his body—like the extraordinarily long trunk of an elephant, the unusually bushy tail of a squirrel, or the elongated arms of a great ape… And the Gungnir, cradled in Loki’s massive palm, now crackled with electrical energy, utterly transformed and renewed! If the previous Loki could only utilize fifty percent of the Gungnir’s power, now!

He could wield seventy to eighty percent of its strength!! Simultaneously, in the rubble pile of the collapsed fifty-meter tunnel section, a grinding sound—gele gele—erupted, followed by an explosion!

As the dust cleared, a Steel File, noticeably bulkier, strode out like a mechanical automaton! The area of his mutation was his back; at first glance, he appeared distinctly hunched.

Two shields seemed embedded on either side of his thickened, widened back. Diamond-like, transparent crystalline facets occasionally flashed around his body!

The emergence of two Refiners and their convergence created a pressure that was utterly indescribable. Even though Fang Senyan and his allies had just killed Carlos, the situation had instantaneously plummeted, trapping the trio of Fang Senyan in the center, surrounded.

The Ace team had transformed from hunter to hunted in a matter of moments!

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