Reincarnated With The Degenerate System

I slipped into Shadow Veil, letting the darkness swallow me whole before the ape's rage could snap toward the one responsible for punching two massive holes through its body.

The wounds should have had it bleeding out on the floor like overripe fruit, but the damn thing was practically cauterizing itself just by existing, flames licking along its hide, sealing flesh that should've been pouring out its life.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

From my hidden position, I watched the ape struggle with every step, its damaged shoulder throwing off its balance.

The others noticed it too, and it boosted their confidence even more. The first step to winning this raid was for them to believe they could win—and my first flashy, explosive attack had done exactly that.

"RAWWR!"

The giant ape rocked back, its massive fists smashing into the stone floor. The impact sent jagged spikes of molten rock flying through the air, each one trailing ribbons of lava that sizzled against the stone.

"DEFENSE FORMATION!" Adam shouted.

Five A-rank Seekers immediately unleashed their abilities, trying to minimize the damage. Shields flared, barriers shimmered, and wind currents diverted some of the smaller fragments—but the most crucial help came from the Earth user.

With a chant, he slammed his hands into the ground, sending a wall of packed earth shooting up between them and the flying projectiles.

The massive barrier slowed the deadly rocks, giving the rest just enough time to dive left and right as they thundered past. Sparks and molten droplets scattered across the floor like fireworks, and the scent of burning stone and metal filled the chamber.

"Now!" Adam shouted. Explosives flew, landing at the ape's feet.

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

Small detonations rocked the ground, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"Come at me!" He raised his shield and bellowed, a roar that echoed across the cavern.

The beast's burning eyes snapped to him, fixating on the challenge. It pivoted to the left, following his provocation. The other tanks veered in to support, corralling the ape away from the more vulnerable members of the team.

From a safe distance, the long-range fighters unleashed a relentless barrage, targeting the joints of the ape's knees—fur, muscle, and tendon illuminated with each strike.

However, it was obvious to everyone that their attacks barely scratched the ape's hide. Its skin was ridiculously tough—each strike bounced, sparks flying, leaving almost no mark unless they hammered the same spot relentlessly.

That's when it hit them: the holes I'd punched into its body weren't just impressive—they were near impossible.

My feat wasn't just flashy; it was staggering, and the team couldn't help but realize just how much we were relying on me to win this fight.

I was also glad that the skill General Sun Wang imparted me relied on penetration—it was perfect for this fight. The reason I could inflict that kind of damage on the ape was because every one of my attacks operates on the principle of hyper-speed rotation.

By spinning the spear at insane velocities, the tip concentrated kinetic energy into a single, piercing point. Think of it like a drill, but magnified by Qi and shadow energy: the faster it spins, the more force is focused at the very tip, allowing it to punch through almost anything.

"Keep it busy!" Adam barked "Don't give it an opening!"

His words had an effect—whether it was real or just a placebo, I couldn't say—but everyone's attacks seemed sharper, faster, more focused. Blows landed harder, spells struck with more precision.

For a moment, it seemed like the fight was tipping in our favor.

But then—I noticed it.

The jagged stones along its back began to glow red, molten veins pulsing like warning lights. My stomach sank. Whatever was coming next, I didn't like it one bit.

"Everyone Dodge it!" I screamed, just as the ape opened its gaping maw.

Adam didn't hesitate. Planting his shield firmly, he slammed it into the ground and activated his technique.

"Shield Dash!" he roared.

In an instant, a shockwave of kinetic energy burst outward, propelling him forward in a blur.

A split second later, a concentrated jet of molten lava erupted, scorching the floor and incinerating anything in its path. Rocks vaporized. Barriers disintegrated. Anyone caught even a heartbeat too late was reduced to nothing.

If there was a silver lining, it was that their deaths were instant. I doubted they even realized what had hit them before they were gone.

"Attack it! It should be in cooldown!" Adan roared, and the remaining Seekers sprang into action.

Explosions rocked its feet, ranged attacks pounded its joints, and walls of earth slowed the flying molten debris, giving everyone a narrow window to strike.

I had to admit it—Adam was practically holding the raid team together with his timely orders. He wasn't just lucky; he was skilled, disciplined, and had an uncanny ability to read the battlefield.

Adam continued to barked orders like he owned the place. If he lived through this, I would recruit him—guild, contract, soul included.

Not just him. I took note of specific individuals who had a solid grasp of their abilities—those who stayed calm, composed, and displayed a battle IQ that amplified their combat potential far beyond their current rank.

One of them was the Earth user, whose walls had saved countless lives by shielding the team from molten debris and falling rock.

As for me, I focused on recovering Qi, using one of the massive pillars as cover while merging with my shadow. The air in the chamber was thick with fire related energy—oppressive, searing, almost suffocating.

The air tasted like someone lit a furnace inside my lungs. I had to filter every breath or my meridians would shrivel like overcooked noodles.

It didn't help that all the Seekers around me were also making the air more chaotic.

Sweat streamed down my face, and even with my heightened senses, each second felt like a battle against the environment itself.

The ape swatted and slammed, each movement rattling the ground beneath us, but their coordinated attacks kept it on the defensive, unable to fully unleash its fury.

Sensing that my reserves had finally reached a certain level, I pushed to my feet and planted them wide on the cracked stone.

Soon, the jagged stones on its back began glowing red again, and my chest tightened. Another jet of molten lava was forming in its mouth. Not on my watch.

"Moon Cycle Extended Strike—Shadow Overload!"

I hurled my spear straight into its jaw without hesitation.

BOOOOM!

The tip sank deep, ripping through flesh and bone, forcing its massive mouth to hang at an unnatural angle—crooked, trembling, half-open like a hinge on the verge of snapping.

Molten liquid threatened to spill, but the pressure had nowhere to go; the energy built up inside, sizzling, trapped, and almost pulsing with the monster's rage.

However, it was not enough to kill the beast. The ape's jaw, crooked and smoking, snapped shut with a force that rattled the chamber.

"Be careful—it's not over yet. Scatter!" I roared, my voice cracking through the chamber.

The ape hunched forward, molten veins pulsing, then—

Crk… crk…

The jagged stones along its back shifted, rotating like they were part of some hellish mechanism.

"MOVE!" I snapped again.