The team raced behind Rudeus, their movements swift and focused. Urgency pressed down on them like a weight. The faster they reported the approaching beast horde, the sooner the City-State could send reinforcements. And those reinforcements were desperately needed. The sight of so many creatures, moving as one, left little doubt in their minds—this was no ordinary migration.

The small outpost where they kept their supplies was just ahead, barely visible through the trees. But in an instant, everything changed.

A shadow blurred through the trees, and the next moment, Rudeus was on the ground, a powerful creature pinning him beneath its weight. The sound of flesh and bone colliding echoed through the clearing as the creature gnawed at his arm.

Albus dropped to the earth, his hand hovering just above the ground as he channeled earth mana into his body. His upper torso became encased in thick rock, transforming him into a living fortress. With a mighty roar, he slammed into the beast—a massive black panther—knocking it off Rudeus and sending it tumbling a few meters away.

Rifi and Luciana followed immediately. Lightning crackled along the edge of Rifi's sword as he slashed toward the panther's flank. But the creature was too fast. It dodged with feline grace, its tail whipping out and striking Rifi with such force that it sent him crashing into a nearby tree. Pain exploded in his side as he gasped for breath.

Luciana, agile and determined, lunged at the panther with her twin daggers, aiming for its head. But the beast twisted, its movements too fluid to be caught so easily. One swipe of its claws left a deep gash across Luciana's chest, and she crumpled to the ground, blood pouring from the wound.

Julius rushed to Rudeus, hands glowing with water mana as he worked feverishly to heal the commander's injuries. Rudeus' natural mana had already begun to close the worst of the wounds, but it wasn't enough. His right arm was gone—completely severed at the shoulder—and four jagged claw marks marred his chest. Julius' hands trembled as he stemmed the flow of blood, reconnecting veins and tissue with precise, practiced movements.

The chaos around them swirled as Albus charged the panther again, his voice hoarse with fury. "You filthy beast! I'm your opponent! Don't you dare touch her again!"

At the same time, Julius saw Liciliana fall two meters right of him, blood gushing everywhere. He started running to her, panicking as he saw the amount of blood she was losing. She was falling out of consciousness right there in front of him. He infused both of his hands with his water mana.

The panther's eyes gleamed with malevolent intelligence. It dodged Albus' attack, sinking its fangs into his side with a sickening crunch. Albus' ribs cracked beneath the pressure, but his earth shield held, preventing the creature from tearing into him. The panther then swiped its paw, hurling Albus back toward Rudeus.

Rifi staggered to his feet, chest heaving as he sprinted toward the panther. But the beast had already sensed the healer's importance. Ignoring Rifi, it pounced toward Julius, intent on ending the healing that was keeping its prey alive.

"Jul—!" Rifi tried to shout, but his voice caught in his throat, helplessness taking hold as the panther's jaws closed around Julius' head.

For a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze. Rifi saw the tear in Julius' eye, a single tear of fear and regret, before the panther swallowed his head whole.

"NO!" Rifi's scream tore from his chest as Albus lunged in one final act of desperation. His sword plunged deep beneath the panther's front leg, the blade missing the heart by mere inches. The panther screeched in pain but retaliated swiftly, sinking its teeth into Albus' throat. Rifi's blood ran cold as he watched the light fade from Albus' eyes.

They were all dead or heavily injured. Only he remained.

Rifi's mind raced, panic flooding every corner of his being. He was no match for this beast. Run. The thought whispered in his mind, tempting him. Survive.

But another voice, stronger and steadier, cut through the fear. STOP. Think... think...

He forced himself to breathe. His hands trembled as he drew his two daggers, infusing them with his lightning mana. Already more than half of his reserves were gone. He had one chance—one moment to turn the tide.

Summoning every ounce of strength left in his battered body, Rifi charged. His muscles screamed in protest, lightning coursing through them until they threatened to tear apart. When he was close enough, he threw both daggers with blistering speed and precision.

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The panther dodged the first blade, but the second struck its paw. Lightning exploded upon impact, stunning the creature just long enough to leave its defenses open. Rifi seized the moment, closing the distance and slashing at the panther's side. But his triumph was short-lived. The blade barely penetrated the thick hide, cutting only a few centimeters deep.

With a powerful swipe, the panther sent Rifi flying across the clearing, his ribs cracking under the impact. Pain coursed through him as he lay on the ground, struggling to breathe. The beast loomed over him, its eyes gleaming with predatory intent. It pounced, mouth open, aiming to crush his skull in one final blow.

But Rifi had been waiting for this.

At the last second, a bolt of lightning shot from his outstretched hand, striking the panther's head. The creature froze, stunned for just mere moments. But that small moment was all Rifi needed.

With the last of his mana, he thrust his sword upward. The panther's momentum carried it straight into the blade. The sword pierced through its mouth and into its brain. The beast let out a final, pitiful whine before collapsing on top of him, its massive body crushing Rifi beneath its weight.

Darkness crept at the edges of his vision. His core was empty, his body shattered. This is it, he thought. I'm going to die. The familiar whisper echoed faintly in his ears—"Please, live."

And then, nothing.

Rifi awoke to silence, the weight of the panther's corpse still pressing down on him. His body was broken, but he was alive. Barely.

Mana was flowing into him. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, but it was enough to keep him from slipping into the void. The words escaped his lips in a soft whisper, "Please, live."

Painstakingly, he crawled out from under the panther and made his way toward Rudeus and Luciana. Rudeus' eyes widened in disbelief as Rifi approached, dragging his battered body across the ground.

"How... how are you still alive?" Rudeus rasped, barely able to stand himself.

Rifi gave a weak, bitter smile. "I was lucky. It got careless in the end." He lowered his gaze, shame flooding him as tears began to fall. "I'm sorry."

Rudeus frowned. "Sorry for what? Stop crying, we'll need all the water we can get if we're going to make it back to camp alive." His voice softened, though it still carried its usual roughness. "Neither of us could save them. We were too weak. But we're still breathing, and that means there's hope. Now come on, help me with Luciana. She's lost a lot of blood, but we can save her."

Rifi nodded, steeling himself. "You're right, Captain. I won't let you down again." His left hand was numb from the lightning overcharge, but he forced himself to keep moving. With broken ribs and searing pain in every step, he lifted Luciana onto his back, while Rudeus helped as much as he could.

They staggered through the forest, moving slowly but steadily until they were met by another scout team. The scouts had been dispatched after spotting the horde and were relieved to find survivors. Two of them helped Rifi and Rudeus back to camp, while the others were sent to retrieve the panther's body—a tier-four beast was valuable, even in death.

At the camp, Rifi and Luciana were rushed to the infirmary. Rudeus' arm was lost for good, but Luciana and Rifi were expected to recover fully, though if they had been a few minutes later, Luciana would have surely died from blood loss.

Luciliana woke not long after, her eyes bleary as she took in the room. She smiled weakly at Rudeus. "I'm so happy you're alive, Captain. I thought... I thought we were all done for. Where are the others?" Her eyes searched the room.

Rudeus glanced at Rifi before turning back to Luciana. "I'm glad you're alive too. But... Albus and Julius... they didn't make it."

Luciana's face twisted in confusion, her voice breaking. "I... what? How?"

Rifi, unable to meet her gaze, spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Lucie. I couldn't save them. The panther... it was too strong. Julius saved you, and Albus managed to injure the beast, giving us a chance. But I wasn't fast enough. They fought bravely, like heroes."

Luciana buried her face in her pillow, soft sobs escaping between gasps of breath. "I know you did your best," she whispered through her tears. "

Rifi and Rudeus exchanged a glance, both struggling to hold back theirs.

At that moment, the flap of the infirmary tent rustled, and the Commander of the encampment strode in, his presence commanding immediate attention. His sharp gaze swept over the room, settling on Rudeus. "So, you're the mages responsible for taking down a tier-four beast?" His voice was stern, laced with incredulity. "A peak Purple core Fire mage, I see. It's impressive, though not entirely unheard of for someone of your rank. And with your entire team, no less."

His eyes lingered on Rudeus, as if weighing the unspoken details.

Rudeus, despite his injuries, stood up and bowed. Rifi quickly followed suit, his movements slow and pained. Luciana, unable to rise, gave a faint nod from her cot. Rudeus scratched the back of his head awkwardly with his remaining hand, offering a rueful smile. "I'm afraid it wasn't quite that heroic, Commander. It was Rifi who secured the kill. I... was barely useful in the end."

The Commander's brow furrowed, his thoughts apparent in the brief silence that followed. Taking down a beast two whole ranks above him... not an easy feat, especially for a lightning mage. But what a waste. The lightning element is too volatile, too limited. I thought there might be potential here, perhaps even a future Battlemage or Spellbound... He clicked his tongue silently in disappointment before addressing the group again.

"Well, regardless of the details, your team has earned its reward. And I hope this is only the beginning of what you'll accomplish for Hepestus. We're always in need of mages who show both power and ambition." His voice softened, but still held authority. "Rest up. I'll expect a full report later today, and then you'll receive your next assignment. I came here personally to commend you on your achievement. Well done."

Rudeus managed a polite smile, inclining his head. "Thank you, Commander. I'll deliver the report myself as soon as it's ready."