"Who are you?" Pellio hissed at the intruder.
The figure sunk into the ground before reappearing on a tree a couple of meters away. "I'm just a lowly hunter."
Clenching her fist, Lluvia stepped on the ground and commanded, "Target!"
What was supposed to happen was the nature around her attacking the intruder. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time.
The figure raised his hand and exhaled, "That won't work on me."
"Why not?" Lluvia demanded.
"Why would I tell you that? I'm not stupid." He snorted back.
Stretching his arms, he spoke in an annoyed tone, "Anyways, I gotta kill all of you quickly and head back. Mandate's been on my case lately. Damn rats won't leave me alone."
He landed on the ground with a thud before continuing his rant.
"You have to stay true to your contract, Joel! Blah blah blah. Who said I have to? Is the Beast himself gonna come down and beat it into me? I don't think so." Joel began mocking his superiors at the Mandate.
What is this guy talking about? Lluvia's lips twitched, "Pellio, Philto."
The twins nodded in unison, "Right."
Joel held an axe in his hand. "You guys are at a serious disadvantage right now. I'd surrender if I were you."
Paying no regard to the unserious visitor, Lluvia launched herself into the air once more. Raising her delicate hands, she ordered in a graceful yet commanding tone, "Grave!"
Nothing happened.
Joel was about to scoff at her attempt but was interrupted by the Pansa twins, who attacked him from either side.
Duplicating the axe in his hand, Joel effortlessly blocked both their attacks and exerted minimal strength when pushing them off.
"Guys! I said I do not want to try today. Let's all just be friends, and you can just submit to my power." Joel mockingly pleaded with the trio.
Not listening to his plea, Philto shifted his body weight down and charged at Joel's legs. Joel noticed this and was about to dodge it, but he saw from the corner of his eye an axe directed at his neck.
With a flick of his finger, the ground beneath the axe extended and engulfed the it. "Like I said... I govern the domain of the ground. You can not beat me on this island."
His tone had a hint of annoyance; it seemed as though he had finally gotten serious.
Extending his light-skinned hand outwards, claws began unfurling from his knuckles. He aimed his hand downwards and struck in a split second.
Philto, who was charging, immediately dodged and regrouped beside his brother.
"Pellio, what shall we do—" Before he could finish, a shadow loomed over him.
"Surrender,"
With a split second swipe, Joel attacked the chest of Philto.
Philto plummeted to the ground, clutching at his chest. A four-claw mark was imprinted on his chest, and he was leaking heavy blood. Philto couldn't help but breathe and sweat profusely. The skin around his chest was turning a light shade of purple.
Philto looked towards his brother, who began exchanging blows with Joel.
Joel, who wasn't in serious combat with Pellio, spotted Lluvia, who tried to hide her presence in the forest.
"You make this so easy, haha." Shifting his body back, he bent his knee and waited for Pellio to charge, which he did.
Joel's frame vanished before reappearing behind Pellio, who was kicked on his back and launched far away.
Looking towards his fingers, he chuckled, "Two down."
Lluvia emerged from the trees and began circling Joel. After each revolution, her speed increased exponentially.
Joel rubbed his eyes. "What the hell?"
Just as he did, Lluvia launched at him and drove a kick into his left leg. Joel, who was surprised by this, was forced to one knee.
Smirking, he remarked, "Strong and beautiful. Marry me, my queen." He blew a kiss to the woman standing in front of him.
Despite Joel being attractive, Lluvia instantly rejected the idea in her head.
"Sorry, I only have eyes for one man." She cocked back her hand and punched him in the face.
Joel was knocked back a couple of feet before the ground liquidized and absorbed him.
This time, he didn't return right away. Lluvia, having realized this, frantically ran towards Philto.
Dropping down to his level, she analyzed his throbbing wound. "Philto. Can you walk?"
Struggling to reply, Philto nodded his head.
Footsteps were heard behind them.
"This one's still alive? I thought poison would kill instantly."
Lluvia's pupils constricted, and a coat of cold sweat covered her back. Standing up, she went into a fighting stance.
Joel sighed and massaged his chin.
"I'm not afraid to kill women, honey."
The ground beneath Lluvia liquefied and sucked her in; she was then brought back up right in front of Joel.
Reaching his large hands towards her head, he grabbed the back of her neck and kneed her stomach. Blood spewed out of her mouth.
Joel unfurled her hair that was in a bun and held her by it. Her feet were submerged in the dirt, rendering her immobile.
For the next five minutes, Joel launched Lluvia into the ground countless times. She tried to fight back at first, but it was to no avail.
Just as he was about to throw her against the ground once more, a force of pressure was exerted on his back.
He was propelled outward and hit a tree. A loud crunch was heard at impact. Pellio, whose abdomen was leaking blood, stared daggers at Joel.
"We are generals of the Theales military. We will not lose this battle." Pausing to breathe every few words, he caught Lluvia in his arms.
As he laid her gently on the ground, a crushing blow was delivered to Pellio's head. Joel had teleported instantly and reciprocated Pellio's previous attack.
"I shouldn't be trying this hard for a bunch of weaklings..." Joel exhaled and stomped on the back of Lluvia's head, driving her deeper into the ground.
He glanced towards Philto, who was clutching the wound on his chest. "He should be dead soon."
Then, he looked at the ground, at the head his foot was leisurely resting on. "I can't put this on in a grave, so I'll just crush her head."
Finally, his gaze shifted to Pellio, who was lying unconscious beside a tree. "That one's already dead."
"Hey, how much have I earned?"
After waiting in silence for a couple of minutes, Joel's jaw clenched tight as his eyes darkened. "What the hell!?"
"You're telling me I spent all that time hunting people who aren't even useful?!"
A deafening roar erupted from his vocal cords.
"Why the hell am I even here?! To hell with this damn mandate!"
Without a second's wait, he sunk into the ground, never to be seen again.
Just as Joel left, another figure arrived. It was Alanus.
"Lluvia!!" His heart dropped as he ran towards the general.
He held the damaged soldier, whose head was tainted with dark red. He came! And I wasn't even here! Fortunately, Lluvia wasn't dead. She did, however, have severe injuries.
The twins! His head pricked up as he scoured the area for Pellio and Philto. Out of the corner of his eye, he was able to spot Philto, who was lifeless and had shades of purple coating his upper chest. "Philto!"
Teleporting instantly to the older twin, he instantly knew that Philto was dead. Where is Pellio?! Maybe he's alive! Hopefully he's alive... Please be alive!
Alanus struggled to keep his cool; already one of his teammates was dead, and the other suffered heavy blunt-force trauma.
Despite searching everywhere, he couldn't find Pellio. Seizing his blond hair follicles that rested atop his head, Alanus pulled it in an act of desperation. "Pellio!!"
However, his searches were to no avail; Pellio was nowhere in sight. The corners of Alanus' eyes were beginning to hue red, and with a thunderous roar, he commanded, "Obey me, Aglana!"
The island shook as if submitting to Alanus.
"Locate Pellio Pansa's body! Bring it to me!"
Like clockwork, the nature around him began violently shaking. It wasn't until five minutes later that a lifeless body tumbled in his direction.
"Noo!"
He staggered and then fell on his rear. "Pellio!"
Tears fell from his eyes and began gliding on his cheeks. "I hate this. I hate me. Why am I always so late?"
He couldn't help but recall the monster sighting in East Trila, where the rabid beast tormented and slaughtered three children before Alanus arrived.
With a final mutter, he promised, "I swear, I swear, I will find you. Whoever did this, I will find you. I won't stop at anything to kill you. To torture you. Just wait."
He slowly got up like a drunkard, cursing under his breath.
For the remainder of the expedition,
General Alanus Abiah singlehandedly scoured the mysterious island of Preole Grye.
After he left,
Not a single monster remained.
. . .
In a building located on an unknown land,
The large wooden twin doors were kicked with enormous force.
Joel, whose face was writhing in anger, walked through the doors and entered the dimly lit building.
On both his sides, large and jagged walls encapsulated the deteriorating building.
Joel, who finally spotted another person, grabbed them angrily by the collar and roared, "Why the hell is this voice lying to me!"
The frightened individual, a 17-year-old boy with short black hair and brown eyes, stuttered, "M-Mr. Joel, w-what's wrong?"
Joel didn't bother paying attention to the petrified individual. "The Hilt! It said one of them was The Hilt! But after I spent all that time fighting, it turns out none of the ones I met were The Hilt"!
The spit spewing from his mouth landed on the boy's face. "I don't need the damn Edge! I need The Hilt!"
He twisted his body and launched the boy into the wall.
"Dammit!"