The wasteland trembled.
Dust swirled as dozens of black-scaled beasts circled Lucian and Karn.
Low growls filled the air.
Their red eyes glowed like embers in the dark.
Lucian cracked his neck.
A wide grin spread across his face.
"Finally…"
He lifted his sword.
"Something worth swinging at."
---
The beasts moved first.
Fast.
Low to the ground.
Claws tearing through the dirt as they lunged.
Lucian didn't step back.
He charged forward.
"COME ON!"
His sword swung in a wide arc.
SLASH!
Two beasts were cut in half instantly.
Blood sprayed across the sand.
Lucian laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Too slow!"
---
Behind him—
Karn moved differently.
Calm.
Precise.
Efficient.
A beast lunged at his blind spot.
Karn stepped aside slightly—
Then drove his blade straight through its skull.
CRUNCH.
Dead.
Another came from the left.
He twisted.
Cut.
Clean.
No wasted movement.
---
Lucian glanced back.
"Hey! You're stealing my kills!"
Karn replied without emotion.
"Focus."
---
More beasts poured out from behind the rocks.
From beneath the sand.
From everywhere.
Their numbers kept growing.
Rushing endlessly.
Lucian's grin widened even more.
"Oh, I like this."
---
He jumped forward into the middle of the swarm.
Swinging wildly.
Each strike crushing, slicing, tearing through multiple enemies.
But—
One slipped through.
A claw raked across his side.
SHHK!
Blood splattered.
Lucian staggered slightly.
Then looked down.
"…That hurt."
He looked up again.
His grin turned sharper.
"Good."
---
Karn's eyes narrowed.
"…You're reckless."
Lucian laughed.
"Yeah."
"That's the point."
---
The ground suddenly shifted.
Both of them froze for a split second.
Karn's instincts screamed.
"…Move."
Lucian didn't question it.
They both jumped back.
BOOOOOOM
The ground exploded where they had stood.
Sand and rock shot into the air.
A massive shape began to rise.
The smaller beasts immediately scattered.
Retreating.
Fearfully.
---
From beneath the earth—
Something enormous emerged.
A massive creature with a body covered in thick black armor-like scales.
Multiple glowing red eyes.
A mouth filled with jagged teeth.
And claws the size of blades.
Lucian stared.
"…Now THAT'S big."
Karn's voice was low.
"…Nest Guardian."
The creature let out a deafening roar.
The sound shook the entire area.
---
Back at the settlement—
Rai's eyes sharpened.
"…There it is."
Ruun crossed his arms.
"…They triggered it."
Grik looked nervous.
"Should we help them?!"
Rai remained still.
"…Not yet."
---
Back at the battlefield—
The Nest Guardian moved.
Faster than something that size should.
It slammed one massive claw down.
BOOM!
Lucian barely rolled out of the way.
"HEY!"
"That's cheating!"
---
Karn dashed forward.
His blade struck the creature's leg.
CLANG!
Sparks flew.
The armor didn't break.
"…Too hard," Karn muttered.
---
The creature swung again.
Lucian jumped and ran up its arm.
"Then we hit harder!"
He raised his sword high—
And brought it down with full force.
CRASH!
The impact shook the creature.
But still—
No serious damage.
Lucian landed back on the ground.
"…Okay."
"That's annoying."
---
The creature roared again.
Its body began to glow faintly.
Energy gathered in its chest.
Karn's eyes widened.
"…Get back!"
Lucian blinked.
"Huh—?"
BOOOOOOM
A massive blast of dark energy erupted from the creature.
The explosion swallowed the battlefield.
---
Back at the settlement—
The shockwave reached the walls.
Grik grabbed onto the barrier.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Ruun's expression darkened.
"…That's not a normal monster."
---
Rai's eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
The energy…
It was stronger than expected.
Stronger than both Lucian and Karn combined.
---
Back in the dust and smoke—
Silence.
Then—
A figure stood up.
Lucian.
Burned.
Bleeding.
But smiling.
"…That was awesome."
Karn stood nearby.
His armor damaged.
But intact.
"…We need a strategy."
Lucian lifted his sword again.
"Yeah."
His grin widened.
"Hit it harder."
Karn sighed.
"…This is going to be difficult."
---
The Nest Guardian roared again.
Unharmed.
Watching them.
Like prey.
---
And deep beneath it…
Something else stirred.
Something even bigger.