The battlefield roared with fire and fury.
Karl stood grinning, his arms wreathed in red flame, claws glowing bright against the heat. Lucy steadied her stance a few paces away, Infernal Eclipse raised, its black edge burning brighter with every heartbeat. Before them, the two Gamma-ranked guardians—tigers the size of siege beasts—circled with bared fangs. Their striped hides shimmered with aura, claws carving trenches into the ground with every step.
The air shook as the first tiger lunged, a blur of black and silver cutting straight for Karl. He caught the strike with his forearm, fire bursting in a violent shockwave. The impact rattled his bones, but his grin only widened. He pushed back, claws sparking against claws, flames snapping across their locked arms.
