The Behemoth was an ancient and immensely powerful creature. Legend told that it was once a gentle beast, but something twisted it, turning it bloodthirsty and cruel, until it began to see humanity as little more than cattle.

  The rampaging Behemoth brought untold disaster to the world, a reign of terror that ended only when the hero Apollo finally managed to slay the beast.

  But from what they had pieced together in the Land of the Behemoth, the creature didn't just hunt humans—it farmed them.

  The Mawflowers they had fought were a living fence, planted specifically to prevent the captive humans from escaping. The skulls littering the landscape were the remains of those who had tried and failed.

  Who knows what it's like deeper inside, Kael mused. After so many years, the Mawflowers had likely infested the entire Hidden Realm.

  He sifted through his memories of the Land of the Behemoth from his past life. One specific coordinate stood out: 1685.2863. He couldn't recall the details of what was there, only its ultimate significance: it was the key to clearing the instance.

  Whatever it was, it was worth checking out.

  At the agreed-upon time, the party regrouped in front of the teleport nexus. A flash of light, and the five of them were back in the Land of the Behemoth. A quick scan of their surroundings revealed nothing had changed since they’d left, and they collectively relaxed.

  Just then, Orion approached Kael, holding out six masterfully crafted arrows—two shimmering blue, two burning red, and two stone-gray.

  "Here. Your arrows."

  Kael paused. He'd expected Lila to handle it. He took the arrows and inspected them, his eyes widening in surprise.

  [Primal Core Arrows (Ascendant)] - Level 30

  Physical Attack: 10,000

  Magical Attack: 10,000

  Uses: 3 (Repairable)

  [Frostbind]: Ice arrows freeze the target's feet on impact.

  [Meteor Strike]: Fire arrows call down a meteor on the target.

  [Concussive Shot]: Stone arrows knock the target back 20 yards.

  They were Level 30. The attack power had jumped from the 3,000 to a staggering 10,000. The only downside was the limited number of uses, making them too precious for everyday grinding.

  Kael slid the arrows into his quiver and shot a questioning look at Lila.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She smiled. "I asked around the guild, but the best schematic we have is for level 20 arrows. It felt like a waste of such good materials. So, I figured I'd ask Mr. Connections here if he knew any master blacksmiths. Turns out, he did."

  Rena looked at Orion, amazed. "Seriously, Orion, how do you know everyone?"

  Getting a chance to look good in front of Rena, Orion's ego swelled. He crossed his arms, puffing out his chest. "Naturally. You have to consider who you're talking to."

  A thought suddenly struck Kael. "Your guild… is it called The Assemblage?"

  Orion's smug expression vanished, replaced by shock. "How did you know that? We were just officially formed yesterday!"

  Kael nodded slowly. In his past life, The Assemblage had been one of the game's greatest mysteries. They were a small guild, supposedly only a few thousand members, but each one was a specialist in a unique field.

  They rarely displayed their guild tags or made public appearances, but they were regulars at the auction house, either buying up materials or selling bespoke, top-tier equipment. If The Assemblage had crafted these arrows, their quality made perfect sense.

  Before Kael could say more, a private message from Orion popped up.

  Orion: Hey man, I suggested you for an invite, but the Guild Master said he wants to evaluate you first.

  Kael had to stifle a laugh. Here he was, the number one player in the entire game, and he couldn't even get past a guild's screening process. If it were any other guild leader, Kael would have written it off as pure arrogance. But for the leader of The Assemblage, he had to respect it.

  He'd tried to join them in his past life, only to be rejected for "not meeting the qualifications." It was only much later that Kael learned that the legendary player "Bloodshadow" had been one of their core members. No wonder they hadn't been impressed by him back then. This time around, Kael didn't have the same desire to join.

  "So, where to next?" Lila asked, breaking his train of thought. "Farm more Elites?"

  Kael checked his coordinates. They still had a ways to go. He pointed southwest. "Let's head that way. We'll clear a path as we go."

  The team nodded. With their previous experience, their progress was much smoother. After clearing out the surrounding Mirage and Fruiting Mawflowers, they engaged another Elite.

  This time, with their improved strategy and gear, both Kael and Rena survived the encounter.

  The boss was generous, dropping another Ascendant item, three Legendaries, and an upgraded skill book for [Ice Block] that allowed the caster to freeze an ally, granting them three seconds of total immunity.

  The Ascendant item was a level 30 staff that reduced mana costs by 20%—a game-changer for Rena.

  They waited half an hour for Rena’s [Mass Resurrection] to come off cooldown, then challenged another Elite. Rena's performance was godlike. Empowered by the new staff, her mana efficiency was so high that she managed to keep Hazel alive for the entire fight. And if Hazel lived, the team lived.

  From there, they were an unstoppable force. After farming eight more Elite Mawflowers, they finally arrived at their destination: 1685.2863.

  They stopped dead, staring in stunned silence at the scene before them. It wasn't the location itself that was strange, but the fact that it had no right to exist here.

  Spread before them was not the cavernous lair of a Behemoth, but… a vegetable patch.

  A perfectly ordinary, well-tended vegetable patch.

  Orion rubbed his eyes. "Is that… an illusion? A Mirage Mawflower maybe?" he asked, pointing incredulously.

  Even Hazel was hesitant to charge forward this time. They all looked to Kael, who could only shake his head. He was just as clueless as they were.

  With no other choice, they advanced slowly and cautiously. After moving more than a hundred yards, they were deep within the rows of strange vegetables. Still no attack. A Mirage Mawflower would have engaged them long ago.

  A boss that uses illusions? The thought sent a chill through the party. If that was the case, they were in for a world of trouble.

  They crept forward another five hundred yards when a sudden scream pierced the silence. "Ahhh!"

  The team instantly braced for combat, spinning toward the sound of Hazel’s voice.

  But what they saw made them freeze once more.

  Walking toward them from between the rows of crops were several farmers.