Shi Feng had barely flown a dozen yards when the Great Demon Knatel sensed his presence.
"There's still one more ant? Go, deal with him." The Great Demon Knatel looked down from on high, glancing at Shi Feng, and ordered five Level 40 Leader monsters to take care of him.
In Knatel's eyes, a first-tier player like Shi Feng wasn't even worth his personal attention.
The only reason he had personally killed Punishment was because of the Ring of Moloch — otherwise he would have just sent his subordinates to finish off Punishment and his group long ago.
Shi Feng was still 100 yards from the Ring of Moloch when five enormous Dark Devil Stormbears closed in around him.
"Right on time." Shi Feng smiled faintly and activated Silent Step on one of the bears.
Twenty yards vanished in an instant.
He then triggered the Wind Ring's ability, Air Flight, boosting his speed by 220%. He became a raging gale, slipping past all five bears in the blink of an eye and charging straight toward the Ring of Moloch.
"This little ant is surprisingly capable." Knatel furrowed his brow and extended his left hand.
A ball of black flame bloomed in his palm, covered in dark scales. Though the black fire radiated no scorching heat, Shi Feng could clearly sense the terror within it — even the slightest brush with it would mean certain annihilation.
"To die at my, the Great Demon Knatel's, hands is the highest honor you could ever receive." Knatel flicked his hand lightly toward Shi Feng, and an ocean of black fire surged forward like a tidal wave.
Every monster caught by the black flames screamed and dissolved into nothing in an instant.
Shi Feng didn't dare hesitate. He twisted midair and shot skyward, narrowly dodging the all-consuming inferno at the last possible moment.
"You cursed insect. How dare you dodge!" Knatel roared in fury. Countless black arcs of electricity erupted from his hand — each one as thick as a thigh. He pointed a finger at Shi Feng. "Turn to ash!"
The countless black arcs wove into a massive net, moving at more than double Shi Feng's speed even with Air Flight active.
This was Knatel's signature technique — the fourth-tier magic Dark Vortex. A single cast could not be evaded even by a fourth-tier NPC; they could only endure it head-on. Against players, it was an instant kill.
"Is this really necessary?" Shi Feng muttered helplessly as the black net closed around him. "Guess I have no choice but to play my trump card."
Instead of dodging, Shi Feng charged straight into the black lightning.
"Realizing you can't escape, so you've chosen self-destruction?" Knatel watched the seemingly suicidal rush with a satisfied smile.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted in midair — lightning crackled and thunder roared as though the world were ending. Even the Level 40 Leader monsters couldn't withstand such terrifying power.
Knatel was about to turn away when he suddenly realized something was wrong.
A golden figure was hurtling toward him from the sky, moving at a speed that nearly matched his own.
"How is he still alive?!" Knatel stared in disbelief at Shi Feng, not a single scratch on his body.
In that brief moment of shock, Shi Feng had already reached the spot where Punishment had turned to ash. He snatched the Ring of Moloch with one hand and instantly stowed it in his backpack.
"You thieving wretch — you've truly angered me!" A cold gleam flashed in Knatel's crimson eyes.
A blood-red war axe covered in vicious barbs materialized in his hand. His wings beat once, and he appeared before Shi Feng in an instant, bringing the axe down in a devastating cleave.
The sheer force of the swing alone created a sonic boom. The power was so immense it felt as though space itself was being torn apart — even Shi Feng couldn't dodge or block it.
BOOM!