When the cage was opened, Joe Root, Hales, and the others immediately scrambled to escape.
Leo glanced at the few people still in shock and said, "Hold them off for a moment. I'll go release the other team."
At that moment, the wall of fire had already vanished. The monsters were howling as they charged forward.
Seeing this, Joe Root was immediately terrified. His legs went weak, and he couldn't help but want to run.
Hales, standing beside him, grabbed his collar and delivered a hard slap!
"Pa!"
The slap echoed loudly, stunning Joe Root.
"Joe Root, look around you! Where can you even run to?" Hales shouted angrily. "Do you want to live or not?"
Joe Root instinctively nodded. "Yes!"
"If you want to live, listen to Leo. Only if we work together do we have a chance to break through. Understand?"
After speaking, Hales released Joe Root and clenched his fists. The monsters were already upon them. His fists quickly turned black, then shone with a metallic luster.
This was Hales' bloodline ability—Steelification.
Though he was still a novice, he could steelify his fists.
"Brothers, let's go!"
Hales roared and took the lead, charging toward the monsters.
The other two hesitated for only a moment before activating their abilities and following him.
They had all heard Hales' furious rebuke of Joe Root and knew he was right. Only by working with Leo could they hope to survive.
As for Joe Root…
He stood frozen for a few seconds before making his decision.
"Damn it! You monsters—I'll fight you!"
Joe Root roared in anger and activated his ability.
Hidden in the shadows, Ben finally let out a relieved breath.
If Joe Root had abandoned his teammates and fled just now, Ben would have rushed forward and slapped him to death!
Not bad.
The kid was still salvageable.
Then, something surprising happened.
In Ben's eyes, Joe Root's face suddenly twisted abnormally. His mouth began to extend outward, sharp teeth growing rapidly. His body hair expanded at an alarming rate.
Hiss!
His clothes tore apart as his body swelled in size.
In mere moments, Joe Root transformed from a normal person into a werewolf!
Good lord.
So this guy had werewolf blood?
No wonder he became the captain of the four.
Now, Joe Root's monstrous appearance was even more terrifying than the creatures attacking them.
What puzzled Ben was why Joe Root hadn't used this ability in the cage earlier.
Was something in the cage restricting their powers?
The Battle Begins
By now, Hales and the others had already clashed with the monsters.
Though they were all just beginners, they were transcendents—far stronger than the monsters.
The fiercest among them was Joe Root.
His sharp claws became deadly weapons, easily slicing through flesh and tearing monsters apart.
But there were simply too many of them.
And these monsters, devoid of fear, charged forward recklessly, unfazed by death.
Soon, the four were surrounded, locked in a desperate struggle.
Thankfully, they had bought enough time for Leo, allowing him to successfully release another group of prisoners.
These four individuals were from North America.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, they quickly thanked Leo before joining the battle.
It had to be said—North America was indeed a land of wonders.
Even in this desperate moment, its people had unique skills!
The four North Americans actually possessed a combined divine technique that allowed them to obliterate large groups of monsters.
With their addition, plus Leo, a Burning Fruit ability user, the tide of battle shifted.
The pressure eased.
Despite being surrounded, the nine transcendents fought valiantly, holding their ground against the horde.
Among them, the deadliest was undoubtedly Leo.
His flame ability inflicted severe damage on the monsters. Nearly half of them fell to his fire alone.
The power of a Natural Logia Devil Fruit was undeniable.
Even Ben suspected that, without his interference, these nine might still be able to fight their way out and survive.
Then—
A mutation occurred.
The True Horror Arrives
"ROAR!!"
A horrifying roar suddenly echoed from deep within the city.
The sheer force of the sound penetrated the souls of those who heard it.
Even though the source was still distant, the intensity of the roar caused everyone's hearts to skip a beat.
All the monsters froze.
Then, as if obeying a command, they quickly retreated and knelt, bowing toward the city.
The abrupt withdrawal gave the struggling transcendents a moment to catch their breath.
But—
Except for Leo, everyone's faces drastically changed.
Among them, Joe Root reacted the worst.
He was so frightened that he instantly reverted back to his human form, collapsing onto the ground, shirtless and shaking.
"It's coming… that monster is coming…"
"We're doomed…"
The others weren't much better off, their faces filled with despair.
Even Hales, normally calm and collected, turned pale.
The four transcendents from North America tried to run, but the monsters had encircled them, blocking every escape route.
They were trapped.
Left with no choice, they stood there with helpless, unwilling expressions, awaiting their fate.
"You…"
Leo was shocked.
Just a roar had reduced these people to trembling wrecks?
What kind of monster was this?
Was it really that terrifying?
"Leo, thank you for trying to help us."
Hales suddenly spoke in a low voice. "I'll cover for you later. If you find an opening, run. Your mental attributes are strong—you might have a chance to escape."
Leo frowned, as if recalling something.
"Is it that Rozen?"
This girl was indeed sharp. Even amidst this chaos, she remembered the name.
Hales nodded grimly.
"Before… when we entered the Earl's Mansion, we already sensed something was wrong.
"At first, we were united. We planned to break out—these monsters alone couldn't stop us…
"But then, he appeared.
"That monster is the real nightmare!"
"In just one move, all twelve of us were defeated."
"In front of that thing, we had no chance."
Hearing this, Leo's expression changed dramatically.
"How is that possible?"
He hadn't expected such a powerful creature to be hiding in this town.
From what he had seen, Hales and Joe Root were strong—they had slaughtered many monsters with ease.
The four from North America were also incredibly skilled.
Yet all twelve of them had been crushed instantly?
Before Leo could ask more, a sudden sound of hooves echoed through the night.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop…
A cold wind blew.
Leo raised his gaze.
In the eerie, blood-drenched darkness, a knight in heavy armor, mounted on a gigantic, unnatural steed, approached.
The real nightmare had arrived.
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