THE GROUND SHOOK AS THE FIRST WAVE OF CREATURES BURST FROM THE ABYSSAL PORTALS.
THEY WERE TWISTED MONSTROSITIES—
BONE-PLATED BEASTS WITH MULTIPLE LIMBS, MOUTHS WHERE EYES SHOULD BE, AND A ROTTEN STENCH THAT CHOKED THE AIR.
TEAM SEVEN MOVES
"FORM A PERIMETER! DON'T LET THEM SURROUND US!" ARIANA SHOUTED.
HUNTERS SPREAD OUT IN PERFECT FORMATION.
KAI JUMPED AHEAD, HIS MASSIVE GREATSWORD CRASHING INTO THE FIRST CREATURE, SPLITTING IT IN HALF.
"COME ON, THEN!" KAI ROARED.
ARIANA'S HANDS GLOWED WITH HOLY ENERGY AS SHE SUMMONED LIGHT SPEARS, IMPALING THREE CREATURES AT ONCE.
HER PRESENCE ANCHORED THE TEAM, EVERY MOVE PRECISE AND COMMANDING.
RYUJIN UNLEASHED
RYUJIN DIDN'T WAIT FOR ORDERS.
HE VANISHED IN A BLUR—
"VOID STEP."
WHOOSH!
HE APPEARED BEHIND A BEAST THE SIZE OF A TANK AND SLASHED HIS KATANA IN A SINGLE, PERFECT ARC.
ABYSSAL EDGE!
THE CREATURE'S ARMOR WAS USELESS—
THE VOID-ENHANCED BLADE CUT CLEAN THROUGH ITS NECK.
"ONE…" RYUJIN MURMURED AS THE BODY HIT THE GROUND.
HE VOID-STEPPED AGAIN, CHAINING TELEPORTS, EACH STRIKE DEADLIER THAN THE LAST.
TO HIS TEAM, HE WAS A SHADOW—SILENT, UNTOUCHABLE, DEATH ITSELF.
TEAMWORK
KAI BLOCKED A BEAST'S CHARGE, HIS GREATSWORD LOCKED AGAINST ITS CLAWS.
"A LITTLE HELP, RYU—"
RYUJIN APPEARED ABOVE THE CREATURE AND DROVE HIS KATANA DOWN, SPLITTING IT IN TWO.
"THANKS," KAI GRUNTED, GRINNING.
"YOU'RE FINALLY GETTING THE HANG OF WORKING WITH ME."
"I WORK BETTER ALONE," RYUJIN REPLIED, BUT THERE WAS A HINT OF A SMILE.
THE FIRST WAVE FALLS
AFTER TEN MINUTES OF RELENTLESS COMBAT, THE GROUND WAS LITTERED WITH CORPSES.
ARIANA WIPED SWEAT FROM HER FOREHEAD, HER LIGHT MAGIC FADING.
"THAT'S THE LAST OF THEM…" SHE BREATHED.
KAI LOOKED AROUND AT THE SLAUGHTER.
"IF THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST WAVE… WHAT THE HELL'S COMING NEXT?"
RYUJIN STOOD SILENTLY, HIS KATANA DRIPPING WITH BLACK BLOOD.
HIS INSTINCTS WERE SCREAMING—
THIS WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING.