It seemed there was indeed some trouble.
John thought briefly and then rapidly retreated to the edge of the stone slope.
He glanced at the ground and confirmed it was indeed the black iron ore he needed, interspersed with small amounts of borax, but still a considerable quantity overall.
"Squeak!"
The monkeys seemed even angrier as he approached this area, hurling their rocks more fiercely.
John swiftly dodged the rocks that smashed into the ground, creating deep pits, while also scattering the borax and black iron ore.
He didn't pause, avoiding the projectiles while quickly gathering what he could.
[You have obtained 30 black iron ore.]
[You have obtained 60 black iron ore.]
[You have obtained 11 borax.]
[You have obtained 10 borax.]
Compared to black iron ore, the amount of borax was indeed much less, but it was better than nothing! These were just a few small pits; if he could secure this entire area, it would definitely meet the fortress's needs.
Seeing their attempts repeatedly fail to hit this cunning bipedal human, the monkeys grew even more infuriated.
One of the monkeys squealed sharply, and the rest quickly charged towards John.
This time they had learned.
Instead of targeting John's feet with rocks, they aimed for his head! If John tried to move backwards, he would likely get hit.
Well, well, they're getting smarter.
Seeing that the same trick wouldn't work twice on these monkeys.
Originally, John had hoped that the monkeys might help blast the materials loose, and he could simply collect them.
Now, it seemed that wouldn't be possible.
Since that was the case, there was no need to hold back anymore.
"Fire Meteor!"
Almost instantly, countless fireballs formed in the sky and plummeted toward the monkeys.
13798! 23679! 45217!
A myriad of damage numbers appeared immediately.
The area, already a forest, and the monkeys being quite furry, meant that even a slight touch from the Fire Meteor turned it into a wildfire!
Even the incidental burning damage was terrifying.
For a moment, John heard countless notifications.
[You have killed a Treemonkey, gained 23334 experience!]
[You have killed a Treemonkey, gained 23334 experience!]
...
The sounds of the notifications were continuous, and John found it particularly satisfying.
At least now, these creatures didn't seem so hard to handle.
After John had killed about a hundred monkeys, the slightly larger one leading them stopped its assault and instead started shouting angrily at the sky.
The remaining monkeys also began to howl intensely in the same tone.
Trouble!
John suddenly remembered one of the Treemonkey's skills was Summon! What could this summon be?
Then, a deep roar echoed from the depths of the forest.
This roar made John's heart skip a beat! Although he had not yet seen the source of the sound, he felt a certain menace.
This kind of pressure he had only felt from the Shadow Crocodile! Could it be a platinum-tier Boss?
If it had been a platinum-tier Boss John had encountered before, he would have felt thrilled, even excited, but at this moment, his mind was filled with caution!
If it were just a platinum-tier Boss, he could think of a strategy or use the surrounding environment to engage in a solo battle.
But now, there were still so many lesser creatures around.
These minor creatures weren't much to worry about; it was the exploding rocks they threw that were truly bothersome.
The rocks would explode upon contact, dealing substantial damage.
If he got hit by a few of these during a one-on-one fight with the Boss, no amount of health recovery potions would help!
The monkey cries were getting closer, and the monkeys around him were raising their heads in a display that seemed almost human-like, an arrogant demeanor on their faces.
The noises from the forest were drawing nearer.
John tightened his grip on his staff.
He knew well that the materials he had gathered were enough to set the Dragonblood Stone.
But he wasn't willing to leave such a vast deposit of minerals behind.
Moreover, with the Boss now revealing itself, he needed to see exactly what he was dealing with.
Later, he could have other squads come over to clear the area, allowing them to prepare mentally in advance.
Maintaining and utilizing the fortress would require large amounts of wood and black iron ore.
He could not retreat!
The sounds grew closer.
The number of surrounding monkeys increased, almost encircling John in a siege.
Even beneath the stone slope, traces of monkeys were beginning to show.
John clenched his teeth internally.
Where did all these monkeys come from?! Is this their summoning skill?
Soon, the deep roar in the forest ahead grew closer, accompanied by the sound of branches being violently shaken.
The next second, the monkeys encircling John parted to the sides, clearing a path, and then a monkey nearly as tall as John stepped forward.
This monkey wasn't as massive as the previous Shadow Crocodile, but the pressure it exerted was even more intense!
[Name: Treemonkey King (Boss)]
[Level: lv45]
[HP: 15000000]
[Strength: 177741]
[Stamina: 131695]
[Defense: 10757]
[Speed: 24595]
[Skills: Bite, Toss, Forest Refuge, Trample, Wisdom, Cunning.]
As John read the Treemonkey King's stats, his hand involuntarily tightened around his staff.
This was the first time he had seen a Boss with the skill labeled "Wisdom."
While it's common for platinum-tier Bosses to possess some level of intelligence, it had never been explicitly listed like this before!
The only explanation was that their intelligence could rival that of humans, especially with another skill listed as "Cunning."
Such traits typically described characteristics, yet here they were listed under skills.
Could it be that this Treemonkey King had some qualities John was unaware of?
As the Treemonkey King's sharp claws were raised high, and the surrounding monkeys became more agitated, John took the initiative to speak.
"I know you can understand me. I came here today to propose a collaboration."
In the spectator stands, the audience was visibly perplexed.
They had felt tense when the Boss appeared, convinced John was doomed today.
After all, this was a platinum-tier Boss, surrounded by numerous lesser monsters!
The most daunting aspect was that this Boss was an intelligent humanoid creature.
Even well-trained hunting squads would feel intense pressure facing such a Boss.
And here was John, all alone.
His previous victory over the Shadow Crocodile was largely due to exploiting a bug.
Now, there were no glitches to exploit, and with so many minor creatures around, any direct confrontation would not bode well for John.
Some spectators reveled in schadenfreude, others were filled with worry.
But nobody expected John to actually start negotiating terms with the Boss.
Had he lost his mind?
Was he seriously trying to negotiate with a Boss-level monster? Had he not woken up yet?
The Treemonkey King's icy gaze fixed on John, seemingly unwilling to waste time.
The surrounding monkeys drew closer, as if waiting for their king's command to tear this human to shreds and avenge their fallen brethren.
"In three days, a monster tide will come! I am from the fortress ahead, and you've been here long enough to know what that fortress entails.
Also, if I can't hold out, do you think the monsters will spare you?"
John gripped his staff tightly, staring intently at the Treemonkey King across from him.
He was gambling—gambling that the Treemonkey King would want to cooperate, that he deeply cared for his subjects, and that he wouldn't want to leave this place.
The Treemonkey King looked straight back at John, yet his claws remained raised, unswung.
The surrounding monkeys grew restless, seemingly unsure why their king had suddenly stopped.
John seized the moment to continue speaking.
"We are not from this world, as you can see. This world has its own rules already in place."
"But the monster tide is inevitable! You can't escape it!"