Child of Destiny

As the gathering of players in the Raja Desert continued to grow, more and more notable figures began making their appearances.

With so many powerful experts gathered in one place, conflicts were bound to erupt sooner or later.

Old rivals and sworn enemies crossed paths, prideful egos clashed, and new grudges emerged as influential figures encountered one another.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Even before the Semi-World Boss had fully awakened, skirmishes among the top experts had already broken out, spreading chaos throughout the region.

Of course, most of these confrontations stopped short of escalating into full-scale battles. None of the participants wanted to attract the attention of the slumbering monster looming in the distance.

Despite their pride and hostility toward one another, these experts understood the importance of exercising restraint. They knew better than to recklessly unleash their strongest attacks while the Semi-World Boss remained dormant nearby.

Some individuals, however, were deliberately stirring up trouble under the guise of performing reckless stunts. In reality, they had been instructed by their respective leaders to probe the strength of the other experts present, allowing their factions to assess potential rivals before the real battle began.

As a result, the atmosphere throughout the region grew increasingly chaotic, especially as more powerful and influential groups began getting involved.

Shin, who had positioned himself some distance away from the main gathering, watched everything unfold with a hint of interest in his eyes.

”Viper Kings Mercenary Company, Outworld Adventurer Team, Helix Brothers Group...” he muttered, naming one prominent group after another.

All of them had appeared in the intelligence report he had received from Mister Jiang and Miss Bunny.

”It looks like your Desert Bandits are nothing more than a little gathering compared to these guys,” Shin chuckled, teasing Khavin.

The poor leader of the Desert Bandits had no way to refute the remark. He was fully aware of the difference in scale between his mercenary company and the organizations Shin had just mentioned.

His group might have established a certain level of influence within the Green Marbly Kingdom, particularly as one of the better-known mercenary companies in the region.

However, its overall strength and membership still fell considerably short of those larger organizations, especially those with long histories in the gaming industry.

Shin paid little attention to Khavin’s reaction and continued surveying the surroundings. ”It seems even Azure Black and Blood Murder have sent representatives.”

He paused briefly before adding, ”Along with Mirage Soul, Illusion Dream, and the Desert Sun Coalition... it looks like all five Powerhouse Guilds of the Green Marbly Kingdom have gathered here.”

...

Not long afterward, most of the major factions had completed their initial assessments, identifying the individuals and groups they considered the greatest threats in the upcoming battle against the Semi-World Boss.

Even the independent players who preferred to operate alone had begun taking note of the most prominent figures, particularly those whose strength and reputations had already been established throughout the virtual world.

With their preliminary assessments complete, the various factions began reorganizing their ranks and preparing for the impending battle.

That was when the Semi-World Boss in the distance finally began to stir.

Rumble! Rumble!

Even its slightest movements caused the surrounding ground to tremble, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

One after another, the gathered experts turned toward the enormous silhouette in the distance, watching it intently as they prepared themselves for whatever was about to happen.

BOOM! BOOM!

Loud explosions echoed across the desert as the Semi-World Boss began moving more violently, sending enormous clouds of dust billowing into the air.

Within moments, the rising dust had expanded into a massive storm, threatening to engulf the entire surrounding area.

The thick clouds rapidly swallowed the battlefield, obscuring the players’ vision and concealing the true appearance of the Semi-World Boss.

However, even through the dense veil of dust, everyone could still make out the colossal silhouette towering in the distance.

The sheer size of the figure was enough to leave countless players staring in disbelief.

”What the...!?”

”Damn! Is that thing seriously that huge!?”

”That’s not just huge! It’s absolutely humongous!”

”Could it be a Titan!? That thing looks like a Titan!”

The players couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment as they stared at the enormous silhouette hidden behind the swirling clouds of dust.

Its sheer size made even the word humongous feel inadequate.

Their initial description of the creature as a hill in the middle of the desert now seemed almost comically conservative.

Who would have thought that the massive hill they had been observing was nothing more than the back of the monster lying dormant beneath the sand?

ROOOOAR!

A deafening roar suddenly reverberated throughout the entire Raja Desert, sounding as though thunder itself had erupted from the heavens.

”ARGH!”

”URGH!”

”AHHH!”

The terrifying roar carried a powerful sonic shockwave that assaulted the minds and bodies of everyone within its range.

Countless players immediately clamped their hands over their ears, struggling to endure the overwhelming pressure invading their heads.

BOOM!

At almost the same moment, a tremendous shockwave erupted from the monster’s body and swept across the desert.

The surrounding sand exploded upward as the force surged outward, nearly sending everyone within its reach flying.

Those who had already been disoriented by the roar struggled even more to maintain their balance, desperately trying to steady themselves against the violent gusts.

The less fortunate players were swept off their feet and sent tumbling across the desert, rolling miserably through the sand before finally coming to a stop.

Even the peak experts gathered throughout the region couldn’t conceal their grim expressions.

The sheer pressure radiating from the Semi-World Boss was far more terrifying than they had anticipated.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

After several moments, the thick cloud of dust finally began to disperse, gradually revealing the true appearance of the monster hidden within.

The sight left countless players speechless.

It was a colossal gorilla, standing hundreds of meters tall, with a body covered in rugged layers of earth and stone.

Its rocky hide resembled the overlapping strata of an ancient mountain, with jagged ridges running along its back and massive slabs of stone covering its shoulders and forearms. Smaller boulders were embedded throughout its body, making it appear as though the surrounding desert had fused with its flesh.

Its long arms hung close to the ground, ending in enormous fists encased in jagged stone plates. Beneath its rugged armor, powerful muscles shifted with every movement, producing a deep grinding sound as the rocks covering its body rubbed against one another.

Cracks ran across its stony hide, revealing a faint golden-brown radiance beneath the surface. The light pulsed rhythmically, as though the earth’s energy were flowing through its veins.

Its head was equally imposing, with a heavy brow of hardened stone shielding a pair of deep-set eyes glowing with dull amber light. Its broad nose and powerful jaw gave it the appearance of a primordial beast that had slept beneath the earth since ancient times.

When it opened its mouth, a low rumble emerged from its throat, accompanied by tremors that rippled through the surrounding desert.

It was as though the very earth responded to its breathing.

BOOM!

The Semi-World Boss suddenly drove one enormous fist into the ground.

The impact shook the entire region, sending cracks racing across the desert as chunks of rock erupted from beneath the sand.

A vast surge of Earth Elemental Mana flowed through its body, gathering around its shoulders and arms like a swirling mantle of stone and dust.

For a brief moment, it looked less like a living creature and more like an ancient mountain that had awakened.

The gorilla slowly raised its head and swept its gaze across the gathered players.

Its amber eyes brightened.

ROOOOAR!

Another thunderous roar erupted from its mouth, shaking the desert as an overwhelming pressure descended upon the region.

Only then did everyone fully grasp the threat before them.

This was no ordinary monster.

It was a living embodiment of earth and stone, capable of unleashing devastating force with every movement.

And now, it had finally awakened.

...

While everyone was still struggling to recover from the shock of seeing such a colossal monster, Shin, who was observing the creature from a relatively safe distance, couldn’t help but stare at it with an unusual gleam in his eyes.

He studied the stone gorilla intently, seemingly trying to confirm something.

It took him several moments before he finally collected himself.

Then, a wide grin gradually spread beneath his signature mask as he examined the System panel floating before his eyes.

--------------------

[Monster Name]: Heavenly Dominator (Late Infanthood)

[Monster Rank]: Peak Emperor (Semi-World Boss)

[Life Rating]: Descendant of the First Stone Ape

[Level]: 450

???

???

???

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Most of the information regarding the Semi-World Boss remained concealed behind a series of question marks.

However, Shin paid little attention to the missing details.

His gaze was fixed entirely on the monster’s name, particularly the identity it had just revealed.

This was exactly what he had been looking for!

Without taking his eyes off the colossal creature in the distance, Shin casually turned toward Khavin. ”Hey! It looks like you’re going to be a little busier than expected.”

Khavin couldn’t help but turn toward him in confusion, especially since he was still trying to recover from the shock of witnessing such a monstrous creature for the first time.

Unfortunately, Shin had no intention of explaining himself just yet.

Instead, he continued, his tone carrying an unmistakable hint of excitement. ”I need to kill that thing myself and secure one of its drops.”

To Shin, this Semi-World Boss was far more important than anyone else present could imagine.

After all, it possessed something he desperately needed for one of his ongoing quests. It held an item he needed for his Divine Armor!

(Reference Chapter 1254)

And now that he had finally found his target, Shin had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.

...