C10 Snatch!

Upon reaching the second layer's stone gate, Zhang Ze was met with a throng of people. The air was filled with their noisy chatter, a clear sign of their collective outrage.

"To take on the BOSS, I'm supposed to join their team and cough up ten Devil Soul Spheres. Have they lost their minds?" someone grumbled.

"When did the BOSS become their private loot?"

"We've been busting our humps to protect our homeland and fend off the Devil Cave Monsters, all to bolster our strength! And these jerks pull something like this. It's outrageous!"

"Isn't there anyone who gives a damn? What about the power players? The folks from the Devil Domain Administration?"

"Word has it these guys are cozy with the Administration's bigwigs, so of course, they turn a blind eye to this nonsense!"

"The real experts are off tackling the upper echelons of the Devil Domain. They don't have the time to bother with us newbies."

Zhang Ze's brow furrowed as he peered through the crowd. Sure enough, he spotted a group of men barring the path, denying anyone the chance to challenge the boss.

Those who tried to bulldoze their way through were swiftly met with hostility.

"The Heaven Swallowing Frog is ours! If you want a piece of it, pay up with a Devil Soul Sphere!" a lanky man with a long blade declared, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Don't paint us as the villains! We've paid our dues too! We need to recoup our losses!"

"Exactly! So don't even think about getting any department involved. This is a no-go zone for them!" chuckled a portly fellow, confirming the crowd's suspicions. Faces all around twisted in anger and resignation.

Reluctantly, some people didn't want to part with their hard-earned Devil Soul Spheres. Each one was a trophy of survival against the odds.

But without payment, their journey would end here, their strength stagnant, their chance to rise as a Devil Domain Expert slipping away.

After weighing their options, a few begrudgingly submitted. They stepped up and handed over their Devil Soul Spheres.

"Anybody else? Just one slot left! Miss it, and you're waiting another 24 hours!" the tall man bellowed.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Zhang Ze called out with a grin, "Big brother! Sign me up!"

"Ten Devil Soul Spheres!" The tall, lanky man held out his hands to Zhang Ze.

"I've only been in the Devil Domain since yesterday, so I don't have that many Devil Soul Spheres on me. But my family's loaded! Can I use a gold bar instead?" Zhang Ze asked with feigned caution.

"A gold bar? That works!"

Since a gold bar transaction wouldn't reveal his identity, the tall and lanky man agreed without hesitation.

"Once we've taken down the boss and I've secured the third-level key, I'll have my family send over the gold bars!" Zhang Ze promised, grinning.

"Don't try to pull a fast one on us! If we don't get our hands on that gold bar, you can forget about ever leaving the Devil Domain!" the tall and lanky man warned icily.

Zhang Ze was added to the team. He glanced at the roster and noted the captain's name: Money-making Superman, whose title was "Experienced Grandmaster of Combat."

"This guy must have some serious talent..."

Zhang Ze remembered Lau Yueying was rated as a "Proficient Swordsman." It stood to reason that anyone with a "proficient" prefix in their title was not to be underestimated.

The tall and lanky man turned to the chubby member of the group and said, "Third Bro, now that we're all here, let's get ready to take on the boss!"

"Stick close, everyone. Once our captain engages the monsters, you all better stay put and watch," Third Bro instructed as they moved along.

The group followed Third Bro to the stone gateway leading to the third level, where they spotted an enormous red toad perched by the entrance. It had bulging eyes and a distended belly. Despite its comical appearance, the toad posed a serious threat.

A muscular man was sitting on the ground, facing away from the group, seemingly meditating.

Zhang Ze saw that this was none other than Money-making Superman.

Third Bro approached the man with respect and announced, "Captain, the team's assembled. We're ready to go into battle."

Money-making Superman nodded, rose to his feet, and strode purposefully toward the Heaven Swallowing Frog without so much as a backward glance at his team.

Money-making Superman wielded a Level A Innate Skill: Flame Punch.

Flame Punch

Level: 1

Experience: 612/1000

Energy Cost: 10 vitality points

Cooldown: 60 seconds

Effect: Delivers multiple attacks on the target in rapid succession!

Note:

At Level 1, Flame Punch strikes the target 10 times quickly.

At Level 2, Flame Punch can hit the target 30 times in quick succession.

At Level 3, Flame Punch is capable of 50 swift attacks on the target.

At Level 4, Flame Punch unleashes 100 rapid attacks.

At Level 5, Flame Punch barrages the target with 300 attacks in a short span.

Leveraging his Level A innate skill, Money-making Superman steadily enhanced his prowess, eventually earning the title "Proficient Combat Master."

He had aspired to earn the Devil Domain Expert certification, but his criminal record thwarted his success.

Consequently, he started to lose hope in himself.

"This makes the 39th Heaven Swallowing Frog I've slain!"

Money-making Superman took a deep breath and charged at the Heaven Swallowing Frog. He sidestepped a fireball and, reaching the frog's side, unleashed his Flame Punch Skill!

As he executed Flame Punch, his fist multiplied into ten.

Following a flurry of strikes, the Heaven Swallowing Frog's health dropped to roughly one-third.

"Much as I dislike the guy, I've got to admit he's formidable!"

"Lucky for us we didn't just barge in, or we might've ended up dead."

Witnessing Money-making Superman's formidable power, everyone was relieved they hadn't crossed him initially.

Zhang Ze kept a close watch on the Heaven Swallowing Frog's Blood Volume, a detailed plan forming in his mind. Seeing the Blood Volume dip to about 10%, Zhang Ze sprang into action.

He loosed an arrow that struck the Heaven Swallowing Frog right in the eye!

The creature's Blood Volume fell by 52.

Zhang Ze's strike wasn't massively damaging, but by targeting a weak spot, he instantly infuriated the Heaven Swallowing Frog. The beast then redirected its wrath towards Zhang Ze, leaping at him with vengeance!

"Didn't I warn you against doing that?" Third Bro erupted in fury.

His anger stemmed not just from Zhang Ze's disregard for the rules, but also from the fact that whoever killed the Heaven Swallowing Frog would earn a hefty reward.

They certainly didn't want the prize falling into Zhang Ze's hands.

Money-making Superman was displeased with Zhang Ze's actions, yet he refrained from pursuing the Heaven Swallowing Frog.

"He's a mere novice, yet he has the audacity to attack the Heaven Swallowing Frog? He must have a death wish! Let's not intervene. I'm curious to see how the frog finishes him off."

The crowd quickly put distance between themselves and Zhang Ze. Third Bro and Money-making Superman's cohorts watched with glee, eager for his downfall, while the rest looked on with detached amusement.

"He's biting off more than he can chew! Just an Archer, and he thinks he can take on the boss by himself? He's asking for trouble!"

"He's bound to be killed, driven by his own greed. Is vying for a boss worth risking his life?"

"And even if he somehow manages to slay the boss, does he think he can just walk away unscathed? Money-making Superman and his gang won't let him off that easy!"

The onlookers buzzed with anticipation, waiting to witness Zhang Ze's impending doom.

Yet Zhang Ze remained unfazed. He quickly employed the Summon Technique, calling forth every monster but the Iron Tooth Wolf.

In an instant, a horde of monsters materialized behind him, charging at the Heaven Swallowing Frog.

"How has it come to this? How can he use the Summon Technique?" Third Bro exclaimed, taken aback.

Money-making Superman's face registered shock as well. He had never before seen an Innate Skill capable of summoning such an array of monsters.

The others, watching the scene unfold, were rendered speechless by the turn of events.

Zhang Ze's summoned creatures clashed with the Heaven Swallowing Frog. The Poisonous Spider ensnared it in a web, the Hard Armor Turtle pummeled it with punches, and the Giant Mosquito buzzed behind, voraciously draining its blood. In no time, the Heaven Swallowing Frog was left with barely a sliver of its Blood Volume.

Zhang Ze loosed an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, the Heaven Swallowing Frog's health bar was completely drained.

Zhang Ze had triumphed over the boss, the Heaven Swallowing Frog!

Suddenly, a heap of Devil Soul Sphere items and gear tumbled down. Zhang Ze quickly scooped up the loot and stashed it in his backpack.

But as he turned, he found himself encircled by Money-making Superman, Third Bro, and their crew.