"Alright, listen up," Garric's voice cut through the restless rustling of the tall grass, his authoritative tone grounding them. The squad turned to him, their expressions sharp with focus. The scent of blood still clung to the air, a reminder of the fallen disasters already eliminated.
Elara stepped forward, her deep violet robes billowing slightly in the evening breeze. The aura around her pulsed, a soft silver glow gathering at her fingertips.
"Elara," Garric motioned. "Buff us properly. No telling what surprises this place has."
She gave a slight nod and raised her staff, a sleek silver construct with crystalline inlays that pulsed as she channeled her mana.
"Lend thy strength, oh guiding stars, fortify these souls with the grace of endurance."
A soft chime echoed through the grasslands as waves of ethereal energy spread outward, sinking into each squad member. The air around them felt lighter, their muscles coiling with renewed vigor, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their limbs. Denwen closed his eyes as he felt himself become lighter; he clenched his fist knowing that his blows would be a lot more fatal to the disasters.
Garric clenched his fist, feeling the warmth of the essence reinforcement, before nodding.
"Alright, we know there's just one Rank 2 in here, but we take no risks. If anyone spots it, call for backup. No heroics. We move as a unit, we kill as a unit."
A series of affirmations followed. Then—
"Move out."
Like well-oiled gears in a war machine, the squad spread across the lush battlefield, the hunt beginning in full force.
---
Perched atop the crimson-leafed tree, Roran's green cloak fluttered as he nocked an arrow, his sharp eyes scanning the grass below. His breathing was slow, measured, a predator in his own right. He had a sight-based skill that helped him located even the minute of movements and changes all he had to do was channel his essence and activate it. He looked carefully, his eyes glowing blue carefully scanning below.
Then—movement.
A bladed tiger that was trying to lay an ambush, he released his arrow, the enchanted bow adding a bit of wind magic to boost the arrow making it reach terrifying speeds as it pierced through the shoulder blades of the disaster, but due to the defense of the blades it couldn't finish it off in one go.
Not perfect enough.
Roran exhaled—his bowstring tensed—and he released.
Fwhip!
The arrow sang through the air, piercing through the skull of the beast before it could even register its death.
A second one that had spotted the attacker tried to rush away—
Fwhip!
Another silent kill, another clean shot. The body collapsed, lifeless.
Roran smirked.
The hunt was too easy.
----
Down below, Renji moved like a whisper, his twin daggers gleaming with a deadly green sheen—a potent neurotoxin coating their edges.
A pair of bladed tigers lunged at him from opposite sides, their slavering jaws snapping hungrily.
Renji twisted—his body dipping low, one dagger flashing upward.
The first bladed tiger barely had time to react before its throat was slit, its forward momentum carrying its now-limp body into the dirt.
The second bladed tiger was already upon him.
Renji didn't stop moving. He sidestepped, his second dagger sinking into the beast's spinal column. A swift jerk, and the body crumpled.
"Too slow," he muttered, wiping the poisoned blood off his blades.
----
With thundering steps, Garric charged forward, his massive shield an unstoppable wall of force.
A Bladed tiger roared at him like a beast whose home had been invaded launching towards him with all its might
Garric grinned.
BOOM!
His shield swung up, the impact shattering bones as the bladed tiger was knocked backward, its body tumbling across the field.
Before it could recover, Garric stepped forward, his shield crashing down like a war hammer.
Crack!
The bladed tiger went still.
----
Kaelin barely moved.
While others swung and struck, he merely held his sheathed sword, eyes half-lidded as if disinterested.
Four bladed tigers circled around him watching him like predators watching their prey, but they couldn't tell the hidden strength behind the lazy posture.
They lunged—
Kaelin sighed.
A single movement.
His scabbard flicked outward, connecting with the first beast's skull in a brutal arc. A thud followed as the body collapsed.
Before the second beast could react, Kaelin rotated—one smooth step—and delivered a crushing blow to its ribcage, sending it skidding away, broken.
"Such a hassle," he murmured.
----
Korrin had decided to work with Ren in order to watch this Kid's brawler arts well to see if he was mistaken. The two brawlers fought side by side, their iron gauntlets smashing through disasters like a living hurricane.
A Bladed tiger leapt at Denwen—
He caught it by the throat midair grabbing its esophagus tightly causing the bladed tiger to wince in pain.
A twist of his hips—a brutal overhead slam—and the beast collided with the earth, spine shattering.
Beside him, Korrin was an avalanche of power, his heavy fists crushing bone with every strike. A Bladed Tiger reared up against him—
Korrin planted his feet—delivered an earth-shaking uppercut—and the beast's jaw snapped backward unnaturally before it crumpled.
The two locked eyes, Korrin more impressed by what he saw giving a brief smile to him, but Denwen didn't mind —
He nodded, moving to the next fight.
----
Everything was going smoothly.
Then—
ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!
The very air quaked as a thunderous roar resounded through the dungeon.
A massive shadow loomed over the grassland, its hulking form parting the sea of golden-green as it approached.
Garric tightened his grip.
"Looks like the big boss is here."
----
Elsewhere,
Beyond the dungeon, in a pristine facility lined with blinking monitors, a man walked with purpose, his boots clicking against the sterile floors.
Scientists and analysts bowed their heads in subtle acknowledgment as he passed. Some merely offered a glance, others a brief nod of respect.
Reaching his private office, he locked the door, moving toward a wall lined with ancient tomes.
With a deliberate motion, he pulled a thick book, revealing a hidden passageway.
A dimly lit inner chamber stood beyond, empty except for a single circular platform at its center.
He stepped onto it—
HUMMMMMMM.
A holographic veil enveloped him.
At that exact moment, in a distant, shadowed hall, a hooded figure materialized, standing among many others already gathered. The figure found its seat after and looked towards the large podium where there was a large table and Eight Pristine seats with a singular one more pristine in the middle.
Eight seats loomed before them, an Emblem of A blackened, skeletal hand clutching a dying ember, with cracks glowing like molten lava above them. An emblem that would strike fear into the heart of anyone who isn't a part of the organization.
It was the symbol of fear on Velos.
The symbol of Terror
The symbol of Emberfall.