Late afternoon. As the sun dipped low on the horizon, Kael Phong, Draven Longfang, and Lania Snowveil were just leaving the forest after completing their mission when a mocking voice called out behind them.
"Well, well. Look who it is. A pathetic Rank D loser strutting around like he's some kind of hero."
Kael stopped. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. Tyn, a spoiled noble brat who used his family's power to bully others. And just like before, he wasn't alone. Four familiar lackeys trailed behind him, including the scrawny one with glasses who had used a magic suppression barrier on Kael the other day.
Kael said nothing, nor did he intend to engage. But Tyn smirked and waved his hand. The bespectacled lackey cast a spell. In a flash, a magic-sealing barrier snapped into place around the trio, suppressing all magic and locking down space.
Lania stepped back, wary. Draven gripped the hilt of his blade. Kael, however, just sighed quietly and muttered,
"Last time caught me off guard. This time... I'm ready."
A breeze whispered through the trees. The air turned heavy. A soft thrum, faint as a heartbeat, pulsed in the silence. Longlong appeared, eyes faintly glowing. Its heartbeat echoed three times, each pulse sending shockwaves of mana that shattered the barrier's structure. Cracks spiderwebbed in the air and then, like glass smashed underfoot, the magic collapsed in an instant.
The boy with glasses screamed in horror, but it was too late. Kael summoned the Canon Turtle. A circle of light exploded outward as the beast emerged, eyes glowing red, cannon spinning with a high-pitched whir.
Tyn snarled and gave the command. Three contract scrolls burst beneath his feet, launching beams of light into the sky. The pressure in the forest spiked. As the dust settled, three Rare-ranked beasts loomed before Kael and his allies, each radiating a unique oppressive aura that made the earth tremble beneath them.
The first was the Blazing Horn Dragon, its body shaped like a massive armored rhino wreathed in flame. Its eyes burned molten red, and a line of smoldering spikes ran down its back. Each roar sent jets of flame spewing from its nostrils like volcanic eruptions.
The second, Bloodshadow Howl Wolf, was a twin-headed beast cloaked in shadow. Every step it took left behind a shimmering afterimage. Its blood-moon eyes gleamed with malevolence, and the air around it distorted, making movement feel erratic and directionless.
The last was the Stoneclad Colossus, a five-meter-tall giant seemingly made of hundreds of boulders. In its hand was a massive stone axe that could cleave entire trees in one swing.
But Kael didn't flinch. He raised his hand and pointed directly at the Blazing Horn Dragon.
"Canon Turtle – Multi-Charge Cannon!"
The sound of reloading thundered across the forest like a war drum. A spiraling magic shell, compressed to its limit, blasted forth like a lightning bolt. It tore through the air, leaving a blazing trail as it slammed directly into the beast.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion roared like a volcanic eruption. The earth quaked. Plates of molten armor were torn apart and flung into the sky. The beast let out a single furious cry before it was engulfed in fire, its body vaporizing into ash before it even hit the ground.
At the same time, Draven charged forward like a storm. Behind him descended the Ancient Martial Titan, falling from the sky like a wrathful angel. The towering giant in bone armor roared and slammed its fists into the ground.
"Ancient Martial Titan – Earthcleave Prison!"
The earth split wide, and dozens of jagged stone-and-bone spikes erupted from below. One spike pierced the Colossus through the side, making it bellow in agony and collapse. Another shot up beneath its chin, bursting through its head in a blinding flash of light.
Bloodshadow Howl Wolf was the last. It split into three afterimages and lunged at Lania from all sides.
But she was ready.
"Fire Orb!"
A vortex of flame spun around her body. The Fire Orb Formation erupted, incinerating two illusions the moment they touched it. The real one was just a step away when—
A silver flash streaked by.
Draven appeared like a blur. With a spin, his Soul-Sever Blade howled through the air and sliced across the wolf's throat. Its charge halted. The beast staggered, then collapsed, its shadowy form breaking apart in the twilight.
Three Rare-ranked beasts. Not a single one landed a blow.
In under a minute, all were wiped out.
As the dust settled, the battlefield lay quiet. The defeated beasts vanished. Cracks still ran through the earth, and smoke drifted upward like ghosts from a finished war.
Tyn stood frozen. His legs trembled. His arrogant facade had crumbled into pale terror.
"N-no… This can't be… They were just low-ranks… How are they this strong…"
His eyes darted wildly, searching for a way to escape. Then, like a rat, he turned and bolted. No words. No dignity. Not even checking on his subordinates. He tripped and scrambled, stammering nonsense.
"P-please… spare me…"
Kael raised an eyebrow, his voice turning cold. He lifted a hand.
"Canon Turtle, warning shot."
A metallic clink rang out. The cannon locked onto its target. A compressed magic shell shot into the dirt behind Tyn, erupting in a blast that hurled earth and stone into the air.
BOOM!!!
The explosion left a deep crater just behind him. Tyn shrieked and collapsed, rolling in the dirt. His entire body shook. His pants... might've turned darker than normal.
Tyn lay trembling in the dirt, face filthy, eyes brimming with tears.
Kael stepped forward, hand still clenched in a fist, when a voice called out from the trees.
"Wait… please, don't do anything more…"
All three turned. It was the boy with glasses the same one who'd used the suppression barrier before. His face was pale and nervous, but not hostile. He stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"My name is Eiden… Please, spare Tyn. He's gone too far… but he's already paid enough."
Tyn still lay sprawled on the ground, unable to meet anyone's eyes. Kael stared at Eiden, then glanced at Draven and Lania. Both nodded slightly, clearly uninterested in dragging this out.
Kael inhaled deeply and replied, his voice calm but firm.
"We're not sparing him. You asked, and I'm giving you that much."
He stepped up to Eiden, eyes sharp as a blade.
"But if you ever trap someone in a suppression barrier again… I won't be this polite."
Draven swung his blade onto his shoulder, voice flat and cold.
"Tell Tyn this. If he comes near us again, he won't be lucky enough to walk away with just a hole in the ground."
Lania stepped up beside Eiden, her tone cool but heavy with pressure.
"Opportunities don't come twice, Eiden."
The boy bowed again, then turned to help the shaking Tyn to his feet. The disgraced noble didn't dare meet anyone's gaze, merely staggering away like a defeated ghost.
As their figures vanished into the trees, Kael slowly turned away and exhaled. Longlong hopped onto his shoulder and muttered,
"That was a warning. Next time, we skip the talking."
The trio walked out of the forest together, their summoned beasts disappearing in columns of light. The fading sunlight spilled across the path, softening the sharpness of the moment just passed.
On the way back, Draven chuckled.
"When the Canon Turtle fired, that guy nearly wet himself."
Lania smirked slightly.
"Another blast and he would've gone home without any pants."
Kael smiled faintly, eyes turned toward the distant sky.
He knew well… there would be more trouble like this. But at least this time, he hadn't been powerless.
[End of Chapter 12]
Next Chapter 13: S-Rank Mission