The good news was that while it would be risky as hell, Edge had come up with a plan to kill the gorilla general.

  The reason why he thought he had a chance was due to the monster’s intensive specialization. Based on what he had seen so far, its entire skillset revolved around its army of aura-buffed thralls. If they were removed from the equation, he only had to worry about the elite’s natural weapons and superior attributes. It would still be a dangerous fight, but one that he thought he could handle.

  It all came down to whether Intimidating Roar was up to the task. After experiencing its effects firsthand, he had a hunch that his Epic skill could incapacitate the grunts long enough to take a crack at their commander. If it didn’t work, he would be forced to flee deeper into the dungeon and let the chips fall where they may.

  Even if Roar could paralyze the lesser monsters, Edge had no chance of coming out on top without using some of his limited resources and abilities. He was hoping to save Warren’s final spellshot for later, or taking out the dungeon’s boss would be more or less impossible. But the potions, weapon oil, and other consumables in his kit would be invaluable assets during the fight.

  Overdrive had a one-week cooldown, but could be reused unlimited times, so it was first on the list. That being said, he needed to be careful. As strong as it was, the ultimate ability had one hell of a downside—30 seconds of severe exhaustion that followed the 30 seconds of infinite mana and boosted Amplification.

  If Edge used Overdrive too early and couldn’t finish the fight before time ran out, he would wind up killing himself instead of the elite. Of course, if he misjudged the situation and waited too long, he would die all the same.

  While this would be the biggest gamble he’d ever willingly taken, the rewards were just as great. If he stole three of the elite’s skills and secured the prize for completing the bonus quest, it would help tip the scales in his favor—impede the convicts’ conquest of the dungeon and bolster his odds of defeating the boss.

  On top of everything else, if Edge could acquire the skill that let the monkeys navigate the fog, he could hunt and train while the convicts were forced to shelter until the environmental hazard receded. It would let him grow stronger at a rapid rate and keep the jailbirds off his back at least part of the time.

  By now, he had internalized that he was really going to do this. He needed to begin the battle before the sun went down, since he couldn’t see in the dark. If he waited until tomorrow morning, the prisoners might show up while he was battling the ape, which was a recipe for catastrophe.

  He couldn’t afford to burn through his energetic reserves getting into another fight and needed to save all three charges of Extraction regardless. Instead, he spent the rest of the afternoon refining his plan to kill the monstrous monkey while seeking out a shelter that was deep within the swamp. With any luck, One-Eye wouldn’t venture that far for a little while longer.

  The only potential problem was finding the monster, but at least he had a lead. He was hoping that the mist would roll in a few hours before sunset, creating the same conditions as when his crew had run into the gorilla before. If Edge returned to the place where Team Arrow had encountered the elite and issued a challenge, he suspected that the creature would come to him instead. It was pretty pissed off the last time it saw me. With any luck, it’s smart enough to hold a grudge.

  While he fine-tuned his tactics and devised counters for various contingencies, he crept through the swamp while searching for a defensible spot to use as his base of operations. He saw the bone slime from a distance on two separate occasions. Fortunately, the monster wasn’t particularly perceptive and didn’t catch wind of his presence.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Edge eventually found an island featuring a small cave. The crevice was formed from a cluster of boulders and was hard to spot unless you walked between the rocks. This will do. He made his way back to the border of the jungle, then activated Conceal.

  All that was left was to wait for the mist to appear and hope that everything worked out the way he’d planned. The sky was clear, and the moon was full, which meant that the visibility would be good if he stayed out of the mist.

  He let out a soft sigh of relief when the fog began rolling in a few hours before sunset—even thicker than the day before. The elite’s army of apes should be out in full force, and even if One-Eye was hunting in the jungle, he would be forced to seek shelter until it lifted.

  The conditions were ideal, and the board was green. Edge’s showdown with the gorilla general was cleared for launch, and no one would interrupt their battle. Now it was time to find out if he had what it took to eliminate the elite monster, with the future of Puppet Town hanging in the balance.

  Before the fog grew too thick to navigate, he moved to the spot where he’d fought the six-limbed monkey. Just like before, the mist couldn’t enter the broad circle of soil—like it was held back by an invisible forcefield. He scanned his surroundings, but didn’t see any apes in the nearby trees… yet.

  He was certain that he wouldn’t be alone for long. After reflecting on recent events, Edge was confident that the monkeys used spots like this as hunting grounds, as the terrain naturally attracted creatures that couldn’t see in the fog.

  Since he’d been granted an opportunity to prepare the battlefield, he began placing a few choice surprises, taking Trapper’s lessons to heart. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the skills or supplies to prepare anything lethal, but he did the best he could under the circumstances.

  When he was done, he came to a stop in the middle of the clear space, stretching out his body, double checking his gear, and reviewing his plans one final time. If this didn’t work, he was probably going to die. But then again, if Edge couldn’t take out the elite—turbocharging his growth while stymying the jailbirds’ conquest of the Savage Garden—he wasn’t likely to survive anyway.

  Even still, it took all his courage to hold his ground and wait for his enemy to appear, knowing that at any moment, monsters could swarm him from all sides. He realized that his hands were shaking. Not only in fear, although he couldn’t deny that he was terrified. Excitement and hunger were flowing through the mix. If he managed to pull this off, he would accomplish a feat that few hunters had matched and acquire resources that would give him a chance of living long enough to reach the dungeon’s boss.

  Around this time, Edge heard howling in the distance. A sound that he’d become intimately familiar with while being chased by the primate horde. They have begun their hunt. He was sure that one of the monkey’s minions was headed his way. He just needed to find it, issue his challenge, and wait for the general to arrive.

  Ten minutes later, he finally saw it. A stage-one ape was hiding in the branches, obscured by the thick fog roiling beyond the bubble of open air. The monster had already noticed him, but he needed to make sure that he had the elite’s attention.

  Since it had worked well before, he Shadow Stepped behind a tree to obscure his movements, then tossed a chirper below the rust-red ape. When the device activated a few heartbeats later, the sound of a man coughing rang out, accompanied by a faint pulse of heat.

  The instant that the monster looked down to see what was happening below its feet, Edge infused his chakram with Elemental Blade and flung it as hard as he could. His throw was wide, but after taking a quick step to one side and using his glove, he was able to correct the weapon’s course. The frost-rimed ring struck the monkey in the chest, biting deep before freezing the tissue around the wound.

  The monster wasn’t dead, but the surprise attack made it topple from the tree. The moment that it hit the dirt, Edge skewered its shoulder with his naginata and pinned it to the ground. He had pondered how to issue his challenge throughout the day, and thought that this would work.

  Before the life faded from the monkey’s eyes, he stuck out his tongue and turned around. Then he grabbed his ass and gave it a shake, in what he hoped was a taunt that would cross the species barrier.

  Sure enough, an enraged cry rang out in the distance as the elite monster vented its fury to the evening sky. Never had its prey had the audacity to challenge its sovereignty, let alone make a mockery of its minions. That part worked. It’s pissed and it knows where to find you.

  Edge gripped his polearm and prepared himself for the fight of his life. You’re only going to get one shot at this, so try not to fuck it up.