"Understood," I said to the hologram of Master Jet.
I climbed out of the Rhino and turned to my cohort.
"Prepare for departure. We have new orders."
"Yes, Sir," came the response in unison.
"Finally, I was getting tired of just escorting convoys around," said Raha.
"Be careful what you ask for," Garrik growled at him.
"Yes, how good it would be if all we had to do was escort those convoys," Saria said while starting the Rhino.
I passed the communicator to Veylen and said, "This is where the outbreak is. Plan a route there."
"Understood," he replied, taking the communicator and studying the map.
After a few minutes, we departed. Around two hours passed during the journey.
"Stop here," Veylen said, and Saria immediately halted the Rhino.
"We have high ground here; we can scout what kind of Nightmare creatures are there," he continued.
"Good job. Follow me," I said and climbed out.
"Hmm, a little less than two hundred Awakened, around seventy Fallen, and two Corrupted. Not too bad—there's no Tyrant or anything stronger," I assessed.
"What do you mean, Sir? We can't possibly defeat this many Nightmare creatures; there are two Corrupted ranks as well," Orin said in disbelief.
"Have faith. There probably won't be a weaker Gate than this. Anyway, Kowalsky, analysis!" I said.
"What?" My cohort looked dumbfounded.
"Don't worry about it. It's just something I wanted to try. Doesn't matter. Veylen, describe these creatures and if we know anything about them."
"There are wolf-like creatures with elongated limbs and mouths splitting open to reveal too many teeth. Also, hulking quadrupedal beasts with plated black armor covering their bodies—slow but powerful. The two Corrupted are towering, lion-like Nightmare creatures with six blood-red eyes and bodies wreathed in black flames," he described.
"Good enough. Just like we practiced—provide support, cover each other, and kill as many of them as possible," I said and dashed toward the Nightmare creatures, summoning [Death Trap], [Almighty Spaulders], and [Fissure Fang].
"The Captain isn't really crazy, right?" Garrik asked uncertainly.
"We can worry about that later. Now start killing," Lirian said sternly.
When my Memories manifested, in that instant, the abominations surged toward me without a care for anything else. They trampled each other, colliding just to reach me faster than the rest.
"This Memory is really great against Fallen and below creatures," I mused as I started cleaving through them with my sword, activating my Aspect to slow them down.
If there was one thing I had discovered, it was that fighting a horde was much easier with a weapon than with bare hands.
"No wonder—the Chi-You was created to fight humans, not monsters. Although, against a few, it's still really useful."
I killed the first few, and I could already sense arrows striking the surging Nightmare creatures and waves of energy pulsing. It didn't take long for the two Corrupted creatures to realize something was wrong and decide to eliminate me as fast as possible.
A golden hue flared around me like a barely contained inferno, rippling with controlled fury. My grip tightened around my weapon as I launched myself toward them.
The first Dreadfang Alpha saw my approach and roared, the sound crashing like a wave. In an instant, it leaped from its perch, its massive body moving with unnatural speed. It crashed down with the force of a meteor, its claws tearing into the ground where I had been an instant before. The impact sent debris flying. I evaded and drove my blade downward, slashing its neck where its burning mane was. It snarled in pain, throwing me back a few steps, and its claws lashed out like whips, flames trailing in their wake, barely missing my torso.
The second Dreadfang Alpha wasted no time, bounding forward to flank me. Its powerful limbs propelled it like a blur of fire and shadow—they were trying to surround me.
"Not happening. How could you leave out your friends from the fun?" I said and dashed toward the remaining Awakened and Fallen creatures still trying to reach me.
The two abominations' eyes flashed, and I felt the air around me grow heavy with heat. A surge of black flames erupted from their bodies, trying to consume me.
"Yes, that's good—kill these pests for me. Then I can focus on you entirely."
I dodged the black flames, letting them incinerate dozens of other Nightmare creatures around me.
One of them lunged at me, swiping with its claws. I used Heavenly Hand of Defense to block the strike and redirect it toward the other abomination. Caught by surprise, the second one's side was pierced by burning claws, and it cried out in agony.
Not wasting such an opportunity, I shot forward and, with Mount Tai Dragon Claw, my hand pierced through its head.
[You have slain Corrupted Devil, Dreadfang Alpha.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
One down.