"A DIRECT HIT!"
The piercing sound of alarms reverberated throughout the aircraft, drowning out all other noise. Red lights flashed, casting an eerie glow over the entire vessel, while the incessant blaring of sirens added to the chaos.
BOOM!
Another explosive boom rocked the aircraft, causing it to lurch dangerously to the side, as if defying gravity, threatening to overturn in mid-air.
Lieutenant Hendrixson, displaying remarkable agility, sprang to his feet and crouched low, gripping the handle of his fixed chair to maintain balance. Despite his outward appearance, he moved swiftly, a testament to his training.
"What in the name of Cosmos is going on, pilots?!" Hendrixson demanded, his voice cutting through the tumult.
"Lieutenant sir! We're being targeted and hit by something!" one of the pilots responded urgently.
"Lieutenant, sir!"
Just then, a female officer burst into the cockpit, her voice tinged with panic.
"Lieutenant, sir!! We're under attack! Our systems have been breached!"
Hendrixson's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! How could someone breach our systems so quickly?"
"We have managed to regain control of our systems though our location is now fully exposed and our shields are heavily damaged" the female officer explained.
"What or who is attacking us?!"
"That's the problem sir; we aren't able to locate who or what exactly is attacking!"
"Lieutenant sir!"
Another anxious looking officer ran into the cockpit, this time a male. He opened his mouth to relay his message but before any further information could be shared, another deafening explosion shook the aircraft, causing it to roll like a daredevil stunt plane. Hendrixson felt his feet lose contact with the ground as he rapidly approached the walls of the cockpit
Hendrixson felt his feet lose contact with the ground. His face was quickly approaching the walls of the aircraft. Reacting instinctively, Hendrixson lowered his head and drew his arms close, curling his body into a protective ball. His legs made contact with the walls first, absorbing the impact and preventing him from being thrown around the cockpit.
"Hold on you two." Hendrixson called out.
He inhaled sharply and glanced around the cockpit; his senses heightened as time seemed to slow down. The pilots were strapped tightly into their seats, desperately trying to regain control of the aircraft. The two young officers, however, hovered aimlessly mid-air, their faces a mix of surprise and confusion, clearly unprepared for the sudden tilt of the aircraft.
Without hesitation, Hendrixson adjusted his footing and propelled himself towards the two officers, grabbing hold of their collars as he executed a swift 90-degree turn. In a seamless motion, he flipped himself and the officers, positioning his feet perpendicular to the slanted floor. Releasing his grip on their collars, he exhaled deeply as they landed on the floor with a dull thud, time reverting back to its original pace.
The aircraft gradually levelled out, returning to its normal position. Hendrixson, standing on his feet, dusted off his uniform while the two bewildered officers looked around, completely astonished by what had just transpired. To Hendrixson, the events had seemed like minutes, but to the officers, it felt like mere seconds.
"Now, speak up and tell me what you were about to say," Hendrixson instructed, his tone firm.
The officer, quickly recovering from the shock, stood up and swiped his finger upwards, summoning translucent screens that displayed vital information about the aircraft and its surroundings. He pointed to the damaged areas indicated on the screens.
"Lieutenant, sir! We need to make an emergency landing to address the extensive damage. The tail and propeller blades have been taken out, and our energy tanks have been hit," the officer explained, his voice urgent.
"We must also confront the attackers and repair the ship. The pilots won't be able to maintain control for much longer," he continued.
Hendrixson absorbed the information, his mind racing to formulate a plan. Before he could respond, a familiar chime rang out, preceding a blue light screen that displayed the faces of Ichinose and Dwayne.
"Hendrixson! Status report! What's happening on your side?!" Ichinose's voice carried a sense of urgency.
Hendrixson relayed the situation quickly and concisely, detailing the system breach, the exposed location, and the relentless attacks they were facing. He informed them of the need for an emergency landing to address the damage and deal with the attackers.
As he spoke, two final explosive sounds echoed through the aircraft, followed by the creaking and clashing of metal from above. The back hatch of the aircraft burst open, and a yellow light indicating an open hatch glowed brightly, while a red light in the cockpit flashed the word "Stalling."
The occupants of the cockpit were violently thrown upwards as the aircraft nosedived towards the ground.
"BRACE YOURSELVES! WE'RE GOING DOWN!" shouted one of the pilots.
Panic spread throughout the room as the aircraft hurtled through the air, descending rapidly towards the ground. It seemed as though gravity itself had conspired against them, refusing to release its grip. The massive vehicle struggled to maintain control, its engines roaring in a desperate attempt to slow the descent.
With a bone-rattling crash, the aircraft crashed into the earth, shaking the entire structure to its core. The impact was brutal, causing the very foundations of nearby buildings to tremble. The force of the collision sent debris flying in all directions, turning the once serene surroundings into a chaotic battlefield.
Buildings crumbled under the sheer force of the impact, their walls collapsing like a house of cards. Chunks of wood, broken slabs of concrete blocks, and shards of glass were flung into the air, becoming deadly projectiles. The path of destruction carved by the aircraft spared nothing in its wake, demolishing everything that dared stand in its way.
Silence descended upon the cockpit. The groans of those who had been thrown from the ceiling and now lay on the floor filled the air. Darkness engulfed the cockpit, broken only by the flickering lights of damaged control panels, casting eerie shadows on the battered interior.
"Lieutenant, do you copy?! Lieutenant?!"
"Cough. I—am alright."
Lieutenant Hendrixson, his body aching from the impact, fought to steady himself. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and assess the situation.
"It appears the emergency landing won't be needed anymore"
Amidst the chaos, a single blue light screen flickered to life.
It displayed a graphical representation of the aircraft's surroundings, with a blue dot blinking slowly in the centre, surrounded by scattered shapes and the enclosing outline of a village.
"Lieutenant, someone's coming" one of the officers exclaimed, getting up from the floor, drawing Hendrixson's attention. The officer pointed to a small gap in the tightly shut metal doors, through which a light blue glow leaked out.
With a slow, wailing creak, the gap widened as a silver blade with glowing blue edges emerged, cutting through the metal doors. The blade was wielded by a third officer who had forced his way into the cockpit.
"Sir, I have come with word from the scavenger unit onboard," the officer said, his voice filled with urgency. "They picked up an AI empire signal in this area, but the last hit interrupted the servers before they could pinpoint its exact source. Also, two men securing the cargo were hit and taken out upon impact."
"We were trying to, but once the attack started, we had to secure certain parts of the aircraft," the officer explained. "The system breach shut down all the doors leading to the cockpit."
Hendrixson nodded, understanding the challenges they faced. It seemed they had underestimated the village and the people hiding within. The stolen intel, the system breach, and the subsequent attacks all pointed to a well-organized resistance.
As the remaining officers regained consciousness, the single blue light screen displaying a map of the surrounding area started flashing. The blinking blue dot remained in the centre still surrounded by the scattered shapes but this time green dots started appearing, representing approaching energy signatures.
Hendrixson's eyes glowed bright red, his aura changing. He could sense the danger approaching rapidly. The situation had escalated, and they needed to act swiftly.
"Commander General," Hendrixson addressed his superior, "with your permission, I suggest we launch a pre-emptive strike before they reach us. We cannot afford to wait and risk further damage."
Commander Ichinose considered his words for a moment before sighing. "You are right, Lieutenant. We have underestimated them, and it has cost us. Do what is necessary to protect our men and retrieve the stolen intel. We will deal with the consequences later."
Hendrixson nodded, accepting the commander's orders.
"Hold on, Lieutenant," called out Major General Dwayne.
Hendrixson turned to face Dwayne, his expression questioning. "What is it, Dwayne? We can't afford to waste time."
Dwayne stepped forward, his voice steady and composed. "I understand the urgency, Lieutenant, but I believe there's a better way to handle this situation. Instead of indiscriminate harm, we should consider capturing these people alive and bringing them back to the Empire."
"Explain your reasoning, Major General. Why capture them instead of neutralizing the threat?"
"These people, whoever they are, possess skills and knowledge that enabled them to breach our systems, steal valuable intel, and disrupt our operation. If we can bring them back alive, we could interrogate them, gather crucial information, and potentially uncover any vulnerabilities in our security."
Hendrixson's considered Dwayne's words. It made sense. Rather than simply eliminating the threat, capturing these individuals could provide invaluable insights into their enemy's capabilities and help prevent future attacks.
"Dwayne, you may be onto something," Ichinose admitted. "You have both provided great insight but as Hendrixson has stated, we have underestimated them and it has cost us."
"Lieutenant General Hendrixson, do what is necessary to protect our men and retrieve the stolen intel but no life should be taken. Their skills might be quite useful to the empire"
Hendrixson's expression stiffened but he quickly dispelled it. He turned to the officer who had brought the report and said, "Gather the troops and prepare them for deployment. I want the close combatants and the ranged fighters ready at the bay. We will launch an attack to neutralize the threat and take them hostage."
"Yes, sir!" the officer who had broken through the sliding doors responded promptly, leaving the cockpit to relay the orders.
Hendrixson then turned his attention to the remaining officers and assigned them tasks. One would join the repair team to retrieve the missing parts and repair the aircraft, while the others would coordinate the troops and monitor the approaching energy signatures, keeping a vigilant eye on the encroaching threat.
Surveying the chaos around him, Hendrixson's sharp eyes fell upon the motionless pilots, their bodies suspended in their seats. The impact of the crash had taken a toll on them,.
(The crash must've hit them harder than I thought)
Turning away from the injured pilots, Hendrixson's gaze locked onto the twisted metal doors ahead. Lowering his head slightly, a never-before-seen malicious smirk played on his lips, accentuated by the return of the crimson glow in his eye.
"Haha, that fool," he chuckled softly to himself.
(I explicitly instructed him to preserve the aircraft, but I suppose his recklessness inadvertently made our mission more manageable. Let's see if he can carry the final orders better)
With a calculated stride, Hendrixson stepped forward, his figure disappearing into the darkness beyond the bent and twisted metal doors.
---------------------------------------------------------
The large endless sky, slowly turning orange, covered the buildings of Akimota. As the sun began its descent, some shops were preparing to close up, while others were just starting their day. Farmers, craftsmen, and hunters alike, both those who roamed the wilderness and those who called the village their home, emerged from a long day of hard work. Dusk was approaching, painting the world in hues of deepening shadows and gentle warmth.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Amidst the structures, a relatively larger smoothly polished stone and concrete building stood out, its exterior exuding an air of authority and purpose. It was the guild branch office for the village, a hub of activity and interaction for hunters seeking their next quests or sharing tales of their exploits.
Inside the guild, a bustling atmosphere filled the air. Neatly dressed guild staff, clad in black waistcoats, attended to the needs of the patrons, their interactions conducted with professionalism and efficiency
However, amidst this backdrop of organized chaos, a slightly rowdy group had formed, drawing the attention of onlookers. The group comprised a motley crew of rough-looking men, their attire revealing a combination of wear and tear. Their voices carried an air of dissatisfaction as they surrounded a lone guild staff member with neatly combed back hair and an androgynous face, who found himself at the centre of their ire.
"Ye sure tis all we can get from those shards ?!"
The muscular man, with bulging muscles and a ghastly scar marring his left shoulder, loomed over the staff member. Clutching a small, neatly tied pouch in his rough hands, he flexed his muscles with an air of intimidation, clearly attempting to assert his dominance over the situation. The other men in the group, though less physically imposing, provided vocal support to their comrade, echoing his sentiment and demanding better compensation.
"I assure you sir, I, Rio, do not cheat and I especially did not cheat you. This is the fair exchange rate for the shards you provided"
The man grumbled to himself, his towering frame casting a shadow over Rio. He was stubborn and greedy, driven by a desire to gain more veris than he deserved. The presence of his fellow companions, their unwavering support fuelling his conviction, further emboldened his stance.
"Look here, man! My guys back there have been through a heck of a lot of trouble getting these shards, and this amount ain't enough to compensate them for their work," the gruff man retorted, pointing towards two individuals in the group. Both men bore the signs of a recent encounter with danger, their tattered clothes and weary expressions testifying to the risks they had faced.
They were the two hunters that Edowado had encountered and tried to warn at the safe zone near the forest entryway.
"You tell 'em, Dexter! We were chased by that blasted chicken monster! Poor Dirks almost got gobbled up too!" one of the men chimed in, his voice tinged with a mix of fear and resentment.
"Yeah! It tore my favourite hat off and almost took me head with it! What you gonna do about that, huh?!" added the other, his frustration evident in his tone.
The two men complained and pointed at their tattered forms overemphasizing their harrowing tale in the forest to back up their Dexter's complaint.
Rio, maintaining his composure, responded firmly, "Though I do sympathize with you, as a hunter, you already know that I cannot provide any form of compensation based on what occurs in the forest since guild policy dictates we take no responsibility for whatever occurs within the forest. It's a standardized system, and I have no authority to alter it."
The tension in the room grew palpable as the standoff continued. The other guild staff members watched intently, ready to step in if the situation escalated further. The fate of the transaction hung in the balance, with neither party willing to concede.
Amidst the bickering, a mysterious presence made its entrance into the guild Office. Each step reverberated with a deep, resonating thud, capturing the attention of everyone in the vicinity.
Clad in an imposing jet black polyfibre armour that enveloped his torso, arms, and legs, the stranger exuded an aura of both power and enigma. Faint red cyber lines ran like veins across the pentagonal patterns etched into the armour, giving it a sleek and otherworldly appearance.
Strapped to his back were two gleaming shortswords, their edges so sharp they seemed capable of slicing through solid steel. It was clear that this was no ordinary hunter; there was an air of danger and exceptionalism that surrounded him.
Fair-skinned with a stern countenance, the stranger's face bore the mark of a hardened warrior. A weathered eye patch concealed a brutal scar that cut across his left eye. As he made his way through the guild, people turned their heads, captivated not only by his striking armour and battle-hardened features, but also by his fiery red hair, a rarity in these parts.
The stranger strode deeper into the office, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and purpose. Eventually, his gaze settled on a particular male employee with slicked-back hair and an androgynous face, surrounded by a group of men.
Approaching the counter with an air of nonchalance, the stranger brushed past the rowdy group of men, paying them no heed. Finally, he stood face to face with Rio, who couldn't help but tremble slightly under the stranger's intense presence. Adjusting his glasses, Rio mustered the courage to speak, though his voice betrayed a hint of unease.
"G-good day to you, sir. I'm not sure I've seen you around these parts before. I'm Rio"
The stranger met Rio's gaze directly, his height almost equal to Rio's, if not slightly taller by a few centimetres. He glanced down at the device in his hand, a peculiar device that held some significance to him, before emitting a low chuckle, as if amused by his own thoughts.
"Hehe, this will make a good place to set the stage for fun. The thing Hendrixson wants is also nearby"
The stranger's voice carried a rugged and husky quality, as if every word was scraped out with sandpaper, yet it flowed with fluency and eloquence, a stark contrast to the rough characters that frequented the office.
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you kindly repeat what you said?" Rio requested, his voice trembling slightly.
"Hehe sure thing. I want to go in there" the stranger replied, lifting a lean finger and pointing towards the door behind the employee desks, the very door that led to the forbidden upper floor—the guild 's server room, where he had ventured to retrieve Edowado's status report.
"I-I'm sorry, sir, but it's strictly out of bounds for non- guild staff," Rio stammered, refusing the stranger's request, or rather, command. He braced himself for a potential backlash or even an assault, but to his surprise, the stranger merely stood there, chortling as if dismissing Rio's seriousness and treating it as a joke.
"So, it's out of bounds, you say? Even for someone like me—"
"Hey Buddy!"
Just as the stranger began speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by a half-irate, burly man who had been engaged in conversation with Rio earlier, Dexter. His face had turned a shade of crimson, his scowl deepening, as he felt indignant about being cut in line and completely disregarded. Disrespect of such magnitude demanded retribution, especially now that he had just ranked up, fuelling his anger further.
Finally acknowledging the presence of the men who he had crossed, the stranger turned to face them, his expression one of indifference, as if their existence held no significance to him.
"Is there a problem?" he inquired, his tone cold and nonchalant.
"Is there a problem?!! You bet your ass there's a problem!" Dexter retorted angrily, stepping closer to the stranger, with his comrades forming a menacing presence behind him.
"We were here first, you see, and you can't just waltz in, crossing our path, without begging for mercy at the very least."
"Begging looks too easy. Maybe we can squeeze some veris out of him. Look at the fancy shmancy armour and equipment he's got on, Dexter," one of Dexter's companions chimed in, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"Hehe, I think you might be right, you greedy bastards. Listen here, punk. Me and my boys don't want to hurt you, since you're new here. So, all you gotta do is get down on your knees, apologize, and hand over those swords of yours. Then, we'll call it even and leave you be," the buff man declared, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
Standing before the stranger, his towering frame casting a shadow over the smaller, less muscular figure, Dexter seemed confident that the stranger would comply, given the stark contrast in their physicality. But instead of fear or submission, the stranger met his gaze with a smug smirk, seemingly unperturbed.
"You idiots aren't very amusing, and I don't have time to waste on banal fighters like yourselves. I'll let your impudent behaviour slide this time," the stranger replied, turning away from the group of men, dismissing them once more.
The situation grew dire as the flames of annoyance and anger danced on the faces of the men, threatening to engulf the entire space. Some people in the room chose to walk out or turn their heads, not wanting to be involved in the imminent brawl. Others, however, watched with curiosity, eager to see what would unfold.
"'Baral'? 'Impluren'? The hell does that mean? Is he mocking us?!"
"I think he's callin' us stupid Dexter!"
"Why, I oughta! All you had to do was beg, but you chose to suffer," a third man seethed.
"Uhm, gentlemen, may I remind you that fighting is strictly prohibited within the guild office—" a voice attempted to interject, but was quickly silenced.
"Shut it! You runt, this is between me and fire head over here" Dexter bellowed, his rage reaching its peak.
Without warning, the buff man forcefully clamped his heavy, large arm onto the stranger's shoulder, exerting tremendous pressure. To an ordinary person, such a grip would have caused immense pain, but the stranger didn't even flinch. Instead, he glanced at the arm gripping his shoulder and sighed, appearing annoyed or perhaps bored.
"I didn't want to kill anyone again just yet to avoid that old man's nagging, but oh well, don't die too quickly," the stranger said with a sadistic grin.
Confusion and panic filled the room as the stranger's face contorted, growing darker and more malicious. In one swift motion, he jabbed his right elbow deep into the abdomen of Dexter, catching him off guard.
Dexter bent over in agony, and the stranger swiftly spun around, grabbing onto the hand still gripping his shoulder and the back of Dexter's body.
With incredible strength, he heaved him over his head, smashing him through the glass screen and obliterating the sturdy desk where Rio sat.
"ACK!"
"Dex!"
Dexter lay on the scattered fragments of wood and shards of glass, howling in pain. The stranger walked slowly towards him and delivered a quick blow to his already aching gut, causing a crystalline red liquid to flow from his mouth and the cuts on his body.
"Dex!"
"ACK!!—"
"Dexter!"
"Shit! He took out Dexter!"
"You're gonna fucking pay with everything you've got on you for hurting Dexter!"
As the violence escalated, some of the other guild employees hurried over in an attempt to bring the situation under control. They pleaded with the enraged fighters to calm down and reminded them of the guild 's strict prohibition on violence. But their efforts were in vain, drowned out by the seething anger and desire for revenge.
"You're gonna regret stepping foot here, asshole!"
"Please, you guys have to calm down! guild policy—"
"Shut up, you pompous shits! Go shove your policies up your ass!"
"Haha, I take it back. Maybe killing you all will be amusing."
"That's it! Weapons out, boys!"
The group of hunters, now consumed by rage, brandished an assortment of different weapons—longswords, knives, a cyber bow, and a pistol. The stranger, still seemingly unfazed, goaded them further.
"Oho, so now we're using weapons? Alright, but I, Drex, will allow you to take a head start to make it easier for yourselves." Drex taunted, his voice dripping with sinister amusement.
"Shut up and hold still so we can kill you, fucker!"
"Are sure we can take him on man? Look at what he did to Dexter."
"Don't get cold feet now you idiot!"
The hunters, their minds clouded by vengeance, unleashed their fury upon Drex without holding back. The two men with longswords and the one with knives lunged at him simultaneously, their blades slashing through the air with deadly intent. They swung their weapons wildly, aiming to overwhelm their opponent with sheer force.
Drex's eyes narrowed as he assessed the incoming onslaught. With lightning-fast reflexes, he anticipated their attacks and moved with incredible agility. As the first hunter swung his longsword upwards, aiming for Drex's neck, he quickly bent backward, supporting himself with his hands on the ground. The attacker, unable to react in time, looked puzzled as his sword missed its mark.
Seizing the opportunity, Drex launched a powerful force with his legs, propelling himself upward with astonishing speed.
"AA—!!!"
His legs connected with the hunter's head, sending him tumbling backward, his grip on the sword lost. A pinkish object fell from the attacker's mouth, along with red droplets of blood, as he crashed to the ground, incapacitated.
With astonishing agility and precision, he evaded the attacks of the other swordsman and dagger wielder effortlessly, his movements a blur of calculated finesse. He sidestepped, ducked, and weaved through their strikes, his black armour seemingly an extension of his body, providing both protection and freedom of movement.
"No way! He keeps dodging everything!"
"Shit! This guy's bad news."
"Let's attack him all at once. There's no way he can deal with us all at once"
"Yeah!"
The two hunters lunged forward as one, their weapons poised to strike. The swordsman and the dual knife wielder attacked with reckless abandon, swinging their weapons wildly and frantically, determined to hit Drex.
Drex deftly sidestepped the swordsman's downward strike, the blade whistling through the air just inches from his body. Simultaneously, he seamlessly dodged the dual knife wielder's rapid thrusts, their blades narrowly missing their intended target.
The hunters' frustration grew as their relentless assault failed to overcome Drex's skill and agility. Sweat trickled down their foreheads, their breaths growing ragged with exertion. The weight of their weapons seemed to increase with each swing, while Drex remained nimble and composed, his eyes gleaming with a predator's focus.
The dagger wielder turned to the two remaining men carrying ranged weaponry and shouted, "Are you guys gonna help or just stand there? Shoot him down!"
The gunner and archer, shaken by the intensity of the fight and the mounting casualties, hesitated for a moment. But the urgency in the knife wielder's voice spurred them into action. The gunner raised his pistol, and the archer nocked an arrow on his cyber bow, readying themselves to unleash a barrage upon Drex.
"Hey now, it wouldn't be fair dealing with you four and still be weaponless too, now would it?"
"Shut the hell up and stay still so we can kill ya! Shoot him down already!"
"Hehe, we can't have that, can we? So, I'll have to even the playing field a bit"
Both sword and knife wielders raised their weapons high and slashed downwards with as much force as they could. With lightning-fast reflexes, Drex raised one of his swords and positioned it between himself and the oncoming blades of the sword and knife wielders. The impact sent only the tiniest of vibrations through his arm, but he held his ground, stopping their weapons mid-slash.
Confusion and disbelief flashed across their faces as they struggled to comprehend Drex's unexpected manoeuvre. The longsword wielder exclaimed, "Huh?!" while the knife wielder stammered, "Wha—?! How'd you...?!"
Drex had used his sword to block only the daggers from reaching him. He had used nothing but his free other hand to catch the blade of the longsword between his fingers.
Drex's free hand, now gripping the longsword's blade, twisted it sharply, disarming its wielder, and flung it aside with casual disregard. He used his once again freed hand to deliver a solid blow to the head of the dagger wielder sending him hurtling across the floor.
"Shit!"
"Ok, now it's fair. I'm sure you're aware of cyber weapons like the guy's bow over there so mine here shouldn't be anything surprising to you. Besides, I've been going way too easy on you. Time for some real fun. Quench your thirst!"
With a swift motion, Drex sliced his own finger, opening a fresh cut. He pressed the bleeding digit onto the blade, and the sword absorbed the crimson fluid. A surge of power coursed through Drex as the cyber weapon activated, its edges being consumed by a pulsing red glow, in a peculiar yet captivating display.
The room filled with an ominous aura as Drex's cyber sword pulsed with energy, the red glow intensifying. He had unleashed its true potential, and the hunters couldn't help but feel a chilling sense of dread.
The sword-wielder, now weaponless and panicking, leaped aside in a desperate attempt to avoid Drex's focused assault. He desperately reached for his discarded weapon, but his movements were sluggish, hampered by fear. Drex was faster.
With a final warning, Drex whispered, "You should've run away before I started having fun."
"AAAACK!!"
Before the sword-wielder could regain his footing, a brilliant arc of red light sliced through the air with blinding speed. The man could feel his clothes dampening, his belly feeling incredibly light, as something that tasted similar to blood flowed out of his mouth.
The room was filled with a sickening thud as the hunter's body crumpled to the ground in a pool of his own blood, his life extinguished in a single, swift strike.
"Y-you killed him?!"
Drex chuckled darkly; his eyes gleaming with a sadistic amusement. "Hehe, just one strike? Guess you're weaker than I thought."
"You murderer!! Die!!"
The knife wielder's anger flared even brighter at the sight of his fallen comrade. In a blind rage, he lunged at Drex, thrusting his knives one after the other, fuelled by a mix of fury and desperation. Copper bullets and glowing yellow arrows were also unleashed in a barrage of ranged attacks.
Drex effortlessly parried the thrusts of the dagger with his sword, his movements a dance of deadly precision. With uncanny agility, he evaded the rushing bullets and deflected the incoming arrows, ensuring they missed their mark.
"Murderer? You're calling me the murderer?" Drex taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "I thought you guys were the ones that said you'd kill me? Or to be more precise, you'd make me pay for hurting your weak Dexter."
"Huh?! Where the fuck did you—Ark!!"
Confusion briefly flickered across the knife wielder's face, but before he could react, another swift strike of red light cut through the air. This time, instead of gushing blood, there was only a resounding thud. The knife wielder dropped to his knees and fell, his head separated from his body, lifeless.
The gunner and archer, frozen in terror, stared at the gruesome scene before them. The reality of their predicament sank in, and fear gripped their hearts as they stared at the beheaded body of their fallen comrades and the stained, bloodied and bruised bodies of their other friends. They hastily lifted their weapons again, but their hands trembled uncontrollably, and their grip on the weapons was loose and unsteady.
Drex slowly advanced toward the ranged fighters, his dark presence casting a shadow over the room. Their pleas and cries fell on deaf ears as he closed the gap, relishing in their fear and helplessness.
"S-s-shit man! S-stay away from us!" the gunner stammered, his voice quivering as he unleashed a multitude of copper bullets.
Drex's sadistic grin widened as he casually deflected each and every single bullet with a swing from his sword. "Are you already scared? Hehe."
As Drex continued to approach, ignoring the chaos unfolding around him, a sudden explosion shook the building, resonating with a deafening boom.
The ground trembled, throwing everyone except Drex to the floor. The archer, startled by the blast, accidentally dropped his bow. The screams of panic and the sounds of destruction echoed from outside, overpowering the already tense atmosphere.
Drex, seemingly unfazed by the blast, stood tall amidst the wreckage, his sadistic grin morphing into a sly smirk. He knew his time in this place was up, but his work was far from over. The destruction outside was a harbinger of what awaited, a mere taste of the real chaos to come.
"Looks like my time is up," Drex muttered. "I've got other tasks to perform, so consider yourself lucky to not have been killed... yet."
With a swift motion, Drex retrieved a small black cube from his pocket. Pressing a button on its surface, a low red light began to blink. He approached the mangled body of Dexter, dropping the cube next to it, his gaze filled with twisted satisfaction.
"If I were you, I'd get out of here before the real fun starts," Drex warned the sole male, an androgynous faced guild employee who had come close to offer first aid.
Rio's voice trembled as he asked, "W-what do you mean?"
Drex's sly smirk grew wider as he turned to face the terrified crowd. "Hehe, wait and see," he taunted before striding toward the doorway, his dark armour stained with the blood of his fallen foes.
The bystanders and guild employees scrambled to give him a wide berth, their fear compelling them to part like the sea before him.
As Drex walked out, leaving behind a scene of devastation and horror, the remaining hunters who'd, frozen with fear, quietly observed the chaos scrambled to tend to the wounded men and process the magnitude of what had unfolded. Little did they know that Drex's departure marked only the beginning of a far greater storm, one that would forever haunt their memories.