Chapter 189 - Behind The Waterfalls

Liam frowned looked at the dozens of apes still crowding around, watching the massacre from the height. 

They relentlessly continued to throw themselves at him and tried to drown him in the currents. No matter how many apes fell, they kept coming at him again and again.

In this manner, the fight lasted for quite a while. 

After almost an hour, the last ape was cut in half by Liam and their numbers finally died down. 

Both Liam and the demons had killed so many apes that their hand was numb from fighting, banging their weapons against the apes' sturdy bodies.

Even with the waterfalls continuously roaring behind them, the entire stream was blood red, with several corpses piled up like mountains.

These corpses formed a sort of rock themselves and water sloshed around these piles, winding and weaving down sluggish.

Nauseated by the carnage around him, Liam tiredly collapsed on the rock he was standing on. He took out a whole bunch of recovery berries and popped in several.

Thankfully, this game did not have cooldowns on these extra items like the other normal games. Else there was no way he would have been able to fight for so long.

Though the apes were weaker, they would have surely killed him with just their numbers.

Liam also gave some berries to the demons who looked at them curiously. They nevertheless ate the berries as Liam was also eating the same thing.

"When you have rested for a couple of minutes, start collecting the loot."

The demons nodded obediently. Whatever doubts they had before were now completely gone, only reverence and respect left behind.

After eating the berries, they already started feeling energetic so they quickly got down to business and started collecting all the loot in sight.

Liam meanwhile began to look for the other member of the party whom he hadn't seen in a while.

"Where are you? Did you get scared?" Liam tried to mentally probe the little fox.

However, there was no immediate response to his question. Only radio silence.

Liam tossed a few more berries into his mouth and stood up. He wasn't too worried because he knew that the fox was definitely alive.

He was able to see her health bar in the party chat.

She seemed to be whole and healthy, but she still did not reply to him?

"This is unlike that dufus. Where is she?" Liam muttered and looked around here and there, lifting up some of the dead apes to see if she was squished down somewhere.

But even if she was, she should have still been able to answer his mental call. Something felt weird…

After a couple of seconds, when Liam had lifted a dozen corpses and tossed around, searching for the fox, a small voice sounded in his mind.

"Master. Sorry, I am in here."

"Here means?" Liam dropped the purple ape's body that he was holding, the beast's corpse making a plopping sound as it fell into the water.

"Kyuuuu... Inside the waterfalls, Master." 

The reply came out immediately and from her tone, Liam even sensed a little distress. 

So he quickly rushed in, bearing the tremendous crushing pressure from the water falling down on his body, and entered what looked like a small hidden cave behind the falls.

Standing there near the edge, almost plastered on the wall was the small red fox, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Liam followed its crystal eyes to look inside the cave but it was too dark and he couldn't see anything clearly.

However, despite the darkness, there was something shining brightly in the depth of the cave.

This also seemed to be the object that the small fox had her big eyes glued onto. 

Liam could even see the little thing drooling and gulping down at the sight of this shiny thing.

"You want that?" He asked mentally.

"Yes, master." The fox hurriedly bobbed her head up and down.

Liam knitted his brows wondering what this was about. Were the apes guarding this item? Perhaps this was why they were also fighting him to death? 

He materialized a ball of flames in his hand to look more closely.

And the moment the small cave lit up from the flames, something came bounding towards Liam, knocking him back out with rabid ferocity.

Liam was completely caught off guard and his body was flung away like a piece of rock, tossed into the stream, amidst the piles of purple corpses.

He landed face down on an ape's ass and his face twisted because of the pungent smell.

"Fuck." He quickly sprang up and moved a few feet away, first stabilizing himself. He then looked up to see an enormous figure coming out of the gushing waterfalls.

It was a giant purple ape!

RUMBLE RUMBLE

Its huge feet and arms splashed in the water as the beast threateningly walked over to Liam, the deep river nothing but a shallow pool for its size.

[Level 30, Golden Purple Ape] (Super Elite)

"Level 30?" Liam couldn't believe his eyes. "A super Elite here? Out in the open? How is that possible?"

Moreover, its speed and strength were enough to fling him away like dirt even though his level was ten times higher.

Liam felt that something was off. The elite might just be Level 30 but he had a feeling that this fight was not going to be so simple.

It was much much stronger than its level.

He did not want to take any chances and quickly commanded the group of demons standing on the side. They were gawking at the giant ape with their jaws dropped on the floor.

"WAIT for my command and attack the ape only when I tell you to."

"Luna, same for you also."

The small fox skipped out of the cave, constantly trying to not stand out. Its actions were very comical, Liam did not have the time right now to admire its antics.

Before the ape could make a move, he instantly activated [Mana Net]. 

He used the system's help in doing so but he also simultaneously churned the mana in his body, trying to make this net as strong and sturdy as possible.

Immediately, thick strands of mana materialized out of thin air, weaving together in a zig-zag fashion. 

Everything happened lightning-fast and the ape's giant body was entirely ensnared in a thick net made of mana like a fisherman's net.

ROARRRR!

The ape was enraged!

How could this puny demon cage a king like this?

It thrashed around, waving its huge limbs, trying to tear apart the net.

However, Liam did not intend to let it get away this easily. He also activated the other entrapping skill he had.

[Swamp Vines]

Instantly, another set of restrictions fell upon the ape completely immobilizing it.

"ATTACK! NOW!"

Liam shouted and he started sending out huge balls of fire one after the other. He then rushed forward, slashing at the ape, repeatedly taking out big chunks of its health.

Luna and the other demons as well attacked from the side.

But the ape's health was like a mountain. It did not drop easily and it seemed that the best also had high regenerative abilities.

Whatever damage Liam managed to do, it was being immediately nullified.

Moreover, the mana net and swamp vines were also tearing apart. It was clear that they wouldn't be able to hold the rampaging beast much longer.

"MOVE AWAY. NOW!" Liam shouted and he himself as well went back several steps. 

He then activated his backup skill [Venom Burst], a cloud of purple gas that matched the beast's fur forming around it.

A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead as Liam watched the beast, while simultaneously gathering a huge ball of fire in his hands.

Did it work?

And bingo!

Cough. Cough. Cough.

Just like he hoped, the ape coughed violently affected by the poison. Its health was also dropping now without anyone attacking it.

"This tick damage should be enough." Liam smiled.

Just as the ape was about to tear open the different strings keeping it down, and burst out to pummel him, he sent the huge fireball to the ape. "Eat this monkey."

The ape was struck by the immense force of the attack and its skin sizzled from the intensity of the fire. It was pushed back onto the waterfall, its body crashing on the rock behind.

Though the water calmed and cooled down its burnt skin, it had already lost a significant chunk of its health. Not to mention that it was currently under the poisoned status.

"This fight is over." Liam unsheathed his sword and dashed towards the beast, using the little mana he had left to enhance his physical abilities.

The ape bellowed in anger and came at him with its bright red maddened eyes. It wanted to grab Liam and tear him apart limb to limb.

But he was like a fly, evading all of its punches. The beast was not able to lay its giant paws on his body even once.

His feet constantly moved, his sword chopping down on the vital points of the ape, every chance he got. 

Liam was in complete control of the battle. Every single one of his moves was bold, confident, and powerful. He went all out, tackling the giant beast, fighting with it using all his strength.

He did not know why this ape was unusually powerful but it was still lacking when compared to him. Luckily, it was a few levels lower than him.

Otherwise, even without magic, its sheer strength would have been sufficient to flatten him.

Liam did not want to prolong the fight as he was unsure about the beast's special frenzy skill that most elites had when their health dropped low.

So while simultaneously slashing it down from various angles, he also started gathering his mana again, to finish off the battle with one final powerful skill.

And just as the ape lost its vigor, and its health neared the bottom, Liam materialized a huge ball of compressed fire.

However, when he was about to ram the attack onto the ape, suddenly something clicked in his leg and he stumbled forward unexpectedly.

Dark shackles? A sneak attack?