The sound came like a whisper at first. Then a thunder.
A rumble echoed through the temple's mossy stone floor as the first wave appeared—hundreds of D-Rank monsters, snarling creatures shaped from bone, fog, and shadow, poured from the cracked walls and shattered doorways. Behind them loomed a few hulking C-Rank beasts, their eyes glowing with murderous hunger.
Selene was the first to act.
"Volley Rain."
Arrows blazed with spiritual energy as they soared, each one striking with pinpoint precision. Dozens of monsters fell before they even reached the group.
Kaelra danced like a shadow, blinking from one monster's neck to another, silent and deadly. She left behind only blood and empty corpses.
Airi stood behind them, eyes glowing with soft silver light. Her hands moved in flowing motions, casting barrier wards and regeneration pulses, keeping the frontline stable.
Zairon stayed back, arms crossed, grinning wildly as the wave was torn apart.
"Not bad. Not bad at all."
Just as the last of the first wave fell, the ground trembled again. The walls cracked open and a flood of monsters spilled out—
Thousands of D-Ranks, screeching and stampeding like a tide of death.
But behind them… hundreds of C-Ranks, towering and armored, roared with primal fury.
Selene's expression tightened. "Formation Breaker!"
Kaelra nodded. "Time to let loose."
The battlefield became chaos.
Selene activated a multi-arrow barrage, her shots now charged with spirit-splitting force. Whole lines of D-Rank monsters exploded into ash.
Kaelra disappeared into the fray, becoming a blur of silver and black, striking vital points with impossible speed.
Airi's voice rang out—"Sanctified Vow: Endurance!"—as she pushed her power to the limit, keeping up against the overwhelming assault.
Zairon watched, the madness in his eyes slowly turning to curiosity.
"They're actually pushing through. Still… they're only scratching the surface of power."
Then came the final wave.
The temple itself seemed to groan.
A massive stone gate shattered, revealing a legion of a thousand C-Rank monsters, marching like a coordinated army. Their armor glinted. Their movements were tight.
And in the middle stood a towering B-Rank monster—a centaur-like beast with obsidian skin, golden horns, and a massive war axe that crackled with black lightning.
It stepped forward, eyes locking onto the trio.
"You have trespassed. You will be consumed."
Zairon's smile widened to a grin. His fingers twitched.
"I guess playtime's over."
Should Zairon finally step in and unleash hell? Or hold back one more time and see how far the trio can go?