Is this really a Game?!

The Tier V combatants absorbed the information, their eyes fixed on the map that held the secrets of the corrupted jungle. The challenges ahead were daunting, and the uncertainty of the unknown territories added an extra layer of tension to the gathering.

Reign, taking charge once again, continued, "Our goal is to push deeper into the jungle, hunt down the monsters to level up, and uncover what is causing the corruption, which will without a doubt be of immense danger."

He turned to Tord, the unexpected addition to their Tier V ranks. "Tord, you've grown stronger faster than anyone anticipated. We need your insights into the corrupted zones, given your unique experience with that faction, from what little I know, those guys have dealt with similar cases in the past. Your knowledge could prove invaluable in identifying potential threats."

Tord, still adjusting to his newfound status, nodded in agreement. "I'll do what I can. I've seen the corruption at work, and although it is different compared to the cases that existed on Earth before the game started, there might be some similarities that can help me understand it better."

Reign nodded his head to Tord. The factions that existed on Earth for a long time and utilized mana had a plethora of experiences about certain things. Even though Reign and the others were currently miles above the strength those factions that were called 'Orders' had, they had not spent as much time researching and had not come across as many different things on Earth as they had.

Even though the planet had changed, some things might be the same as before, only amplified by the increase in mana that arose after the game started.

Reign's gaze swept across the faces of the Tier V combatants gathered in the war room. The weight of responsibility hung heavy in the air as he continued, "We've marked the areas that we suspect to be the dwelling places of powerful monsters. Approach with extreme caution. The jungle has proven to be a realm of unpredictability, and the monsters within are unlike anything we've encountered before."

Wolf took over, his finger tracing the map. "The outskirts might seem safer, but don't let that fool you. The jungle is weird, and danger can strike from any direction. It's not just the creatures; the very environment itself is hostile at times."

He pointed to various symbols on the map, representing different hazards. "These here are traps, cunningly hidden. We don't know who placed them, but there is a chance they were not even placed, but are naturally occurring. Some trigger on sound, others on movement. We've suffered some injuries in the past from these. The jungle is relentless; it punishes mistakes swiftly."

Reign interjected, "Visibility is limited. The thick foliage can obscure threats until they're right on top of you. Be vigilant, stay together, and use your abilities wisely. The corrupted creatures have adapted, and some possess unique abilities that go beyond their rank."

Greenie, still wearing the rebellious gloves, added, "And remember, the corruption is not just a physical threat. It seeps into the very essence of the jungle. The areas there are very dangerous and we make sure to stay clear of them if possible, some areas are like mazes, shifting, and changing. It's easy to get lost."

The war room fell silent for a moment as the gravity of the situation sank in. Reign continued, "Our goal is to push deeper, unravel the mysteries, and confront whatever force is corrupting this place. But we won't do it blindly. We'll form teams, strategize, and rely on each other's strengths."

"After all, that is our main goal, and for that, we will probably need to be Tier VI, we believe that the depths of the jungle hold Tier VI monsters, the danger is obvious from that."

Elijah, one of the Tier V combatants, spoke up, "How do we deal with the corrupted creatures? Is there any weakness we can exploit, other than the concoctions that the alchemists have made for those underground?"

Reign nodded, acknowledging the question. "The corruption amplifies their abilities, making them formidable opponents. However, like any creature, they have weaknesses. Some are vulnerable to elemental attacks, while others may have specific resistances. Analyze your enemy, adapt your strategy, and communicate with your team. Information is our greatest asset."

The alliance of Tier V combatants, now briefed on the challenges ahead, began to organize. They formed a team, all 8 of them being members. Communication devices were distributed, allowing real-time updates and coordination.

As they prepared to venture into the corrupted jungle, the first team led by Reign himself took the forefront. The goal was to explore a section where the corruption was particularly dense, a place few of Ishmail's faction had dared to tread. The two groups moved cautiously, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

The jungle, even on the outskirts, proved to be a labyrinth of twisted trees and tangled vines. The air felt heavy, charged with an eerie energy. Greenie, with his rebellious gloves, took point, his senses attuned to the corruption's presence.

Their journey led them deeper into the unknown. The corrupted creatures, sensing the intruders, emerged from the shadows. The first encounter was with a massive insectoid creature, its exoskeleton pulsating with corruption. It unleashed a barrage of projectiles, forcing the team to scatter.

Reign, his sword crackling with lightning, engaged the creature. Greenie's gloves responded to the corrupted energy, enhancing his attacks. Laura, positioned at the rear, unleashed healing waves to counter the creature's venomous attacks. The coordination was seamless, a testament to their experience fighting together.

The monster was a normal Tier V monster, and thus, it died easily, not even being capable of defending itself from the powerful attacks of Reign and the others for longer than 5 seconds.

That was just the first monster they had come across, and even though the monster was a bit more powerful than the average low-grade Tier V monsters thanks to the corruption, it was still not at the point of being overwhelming to the Tier Vs that were together with Reign and the others today.

Still, this was just the beginning, they were going into a place that was corrupted after all, and even with over 20 of them present in the group, things could still change for the worse.

Today's exploration was mostly for the new Tier Vs to get to know the jungle, and to get a bit more comfortable with it. After all, one could speak of what the jungle is like, what dangers lie in it, how powerful the monsters were …

One could speak for hours, conveying all that information, and it wouldn't be nearly as effective as bringing them to the jungle and letting them experience it firsthand.

As soon as the first monster was killed, a second one appeared. This one was not an insectoid, but more like a beast, a monster whose body was covered in fur. The large monster appeared from the side, surprising Elijah and the others slightly as they weren't able to sense a thing from it. 

They had noticed the insectoid monster about a second or two before it attacked, which although it seemed to be a bit too late, was more than enough as the reaction speed, as well as the sheer speed of Tier V beings, allowed them to react in less than a tenth of a second most of the time.

The monster that appeared, however, didn't release any mana or aura, its presence was completely hidden, not allowing any of them to notice it before it showed itself.

It had lunged at Beast who seemed the easier prey thanks to his slightly shorter stature, as well as the fact he used a bow and arrow and was clearly a long-range combatant. The monster knew that such enemies were weak when being attacked from up close, and it was betting on that to quickly kill Beast.

It didn't plan on fighting them all, it had already seen just how powerful Reign and the others were, but it was too close to them, and it was certain that some of them had noticed it, thus forcing it to preemptively attack and attempt to get Beast before running away.

Even if it couldn't kill Beast, it wanted to injure him so that the others would slow down and not follow it as it escaped.

Unfortunately for the monster, the moment it lunged at Beast, it had already doomed itself.

A black blur passed by Beast and struck the monster as Beast quickly notched an arrow before firing it at the monster.

The monster roared before suddenly being slammed down by another of Beast's summoned monsters.

 Currently, Beast possessed three Tier V monsters.

Blackie was one, and he was the strongest.

Another was a monster he had managed to tame in the jungle after quite a while.

And the third was a real surprise as that monster had taken a long time before to evolve, but had suddenly managed to not only evolve past Tier III and reach Tier IV during Beast's evolution challenge, but it had managed to evolve to a higher species as well and quickly reached the peak of Tier IV before evolving once again, leaving the other monsters in the dust.

It was Fluffy.