The titans, in all their colossal glory, trembled with bestial rage, flooding the arena with an oppressive bloodlust. The champions who had been slain in the wake of the hulking giants were instantly revived, but many wished they hadn't been, their eyes wide with dread as they beheld the massive horde surging toward them. Though most of the abominations charged directly at the hound extermination crew, the other groups knew it was only a matter of time before they, too, would be crushed beneath the titans’ wrath.
Unmoved by the approaching horde, the members of the hound extermination crew silently summoned black, sphere-like items from their inventories. The spheres shimmered ominously under the sunlight, covered in shifting, arcane runes that glided across their surfaces in cryptic, ever-changing patterns.
Without a word, the crew hurled the spheres toward the oncoming titans. As they arced through the air, a strange buzzing noise began to drown out the war cries of the monstrous giants. The titans, both massive and small, abruptly halted, their eyes fixed on the spheres as if compelled by some unseen force.
The spheres landed with a soft thud, sending ripples through the blackened earth. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the runes on the spheres shifted into a single arcane character, and the vibrations ceased. An eerie silence fell over the arena, lasting for just a heartbeat.
Without warning, the spheres shot into the air, releasing a devastating pulse of energy. The blast instantly sealed the fracture from which the titan horde had emerged, and several of the massive creatures were knocked off their feet, crashing into the ground with thunderous force.
The other champions watched in stupefaction; their eyes wide with disbelief. They had no idea what these strange devices were—or what else they might do.
The spheres vibrated once more, and suddenly, hundreds of portals ripped open throughout the arena, some on the ground, others hovering ominously in midair. The earth trembled again, but this time, it wasn’t the titans that caused it.
A mechanical army unlike anything the champions had ever seen began to march from the portals in unison. Some of the towering machines hovered above the battlefield, bluish flames exhaling from powerful engines. The Wuta army had revealed itself, but these weren’t ordinary wutas—they were vastly different. Towering over seven feet tall with a deep obsidian sheen, some were armed with an array of Gatling guns, fusion-energy swords, and lasers. Others had enhanced spiked fists, some burning with flame, crackling with lightning, or buzzing with spinning blades.
The android army stood in perfect formation, their cold, metallic eyes focused solely on the titan horde.
An eerie silence once again gripped the arena as both armies sized each other up. The champions, too stunned to react, remained still. Some regretted the greed that had led them here, while others stared at the two armies with defiant determination, unwilling to back down.
Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar erupted from the titans, their voices rumbling in unison as their rage reached a fever pitch. The smaller titans trembled with raw fury, while the larger ones bristled with uncontainable wrath.
The wutas met the titans’ fury with cold, defiant silence. They raised their weapons in unison, preparing for the inevitable clash.
“You are not worthy to stand in the presence of the vessel of the Great One,” the wutas chanted, their voices a haunting, mechanical chorus.
A buzzing filled the air as the Gatling guns on the wutas began to spin, building momentum. Then, with a deafening bang, they unleashed their fiery contents, a hail of radiant bullets tearing through the air.
The titans roared once more, charging forward in a suicidal lunge, their massive forms trembling as they met the unrelenting barrage of gunfire. The ground quaked under their weight, but they did not falter, their bloodlust driving them onward.
The battlefield erupted into chaos, the clash between titans and wutas shaking the very foundation of the arena.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of miniature titans were instantly shredded as the bullets tore through their sturdy bodies. The smaller creatures fell in grotesque heaps, their forms violently perforated. Yet the towering giants remained undeterred. The shells, though they left scorching burn marks on their massive forms, merely glanced off their skin like gnats, failing to penetrate the thick skins of their immense frames.
Those miniature titans that hadn’t been turned into grotesque depictions of Swiss cheese scrambled over the corpses of their fallen comrades, baring claws and fangs at the wuta army. The wutas wielding melee and midrange weapons—fusion-energy swords, spiked fists, and crackling maces—stepped forward to greet their charge.
The ruthless androids moved with precision and ferocity. Fusion swords cleaved through the blackened forms of the titans closest to them, ripping their twisted bodies apart in a brutal display of power. Blood and gore splattered across the battlefield as the machines tore through their enemies. Yet even in their mechanical might, some wutas were overpowered by the titans’ sheer brutality. The resilient creatures ripped their metallic bodies apart, using the decapitated machines as bludgeons to pummel others to electrical death.
The giant titans unleashed even greater devastation. Their sonorous cries obliterated entire squads of wutas at once, reducing them to twisted heaps of smoking wreckage. Spikes erupted from their backs, and the titans tore these makeshift weapons free, swinging them in wide arcs that unleashed carnage across the battlefield. With each colossal swipe, legions of wutas—and even a few miniature titans caught in the fray—were reduced to fiery explosions. Worse still, under the command of three particularly massive titans, the mangled remains of the slain miniatures began to stir. Their broken bodies, bit by bit, started piecing themselves back together in a grotesque resurrection.
Despite this overwhelming might, the wuta army pressed their attack without fear. The artillery vanguard had been annihilated, and the melee forces struggled against the horde’s regenerative abilities. The battlefield was a scene of relentless carnage, yet the androids continued to fight with cold, mechanical precision.
“These guys are a lot better than I expected, buddy,” Slim commented casually over the party channel, his tone amused as he observed the chaotic battle. “I had low expectations, but I gotta say, they're resilient.”
Zara and Ember exchanged nods, their eyes fixed on the mechanical and monstrous clash unfolding before them.
“Should we really be this relaxed?” Plume asked, her gaze shifting warily to the champions behind them. “They could attack us at any moment—”
“They won’t,” Scott and Orion replied in unison.
The mage chuckled, glancing at Scott. “Do people still say jinx?” he mused, then turned toward the other groups. “Anyone who’s made it this far isn’t a fool. The goal of this trial is to eliminate the titans, not us. What good are those lavish rewards if they falter under the gaze of the Administrator?”
Understanding dawned on Plume, and she fell silent. Just then, a series of thunderous explosions erupted, shaking the arena as thousands of wutas went up in a fiery wave of destruction.
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“Should we be helping them?” Ember asked, uncertainty flickering across her face as she watched the slaughter.
Orion chuckled darkly and shook his head. “We haven’t even reached the fun part yet,” he replied cryptically, a grin tugging at his lips. “Keep watching. By the time this is over, you won’t believe your eyes.”
Ember frowned but remained focused on the battle, as did the rest of the crew. The titan horde, having utterly decimated the wutas, roared in triumph, their defiant cries echoing through the arena. Then, with bloodthirsty eyes, they turned their gaze toward their primary targets—the hound extermination crew.
Just as the titans prepared to charge, a pulsating echo filled the air. It was rhythmic and slow, but its sheer power was undeniable. The remnants of the fallen wutas trembled violently, their pieces rising into the air. The titans, the hound extermination crew, and even the distant champions watched in eerie silence, not sure of what was happening—or what to expect.
The massive titans roared once more, steeling themselves for another round of combat. But instead of the wutas reforming into new opponents, the levitating parts plummeted back to the ground with a dull thud. The pulsating echoes vanished, leaving behind a tense silence that gripped the entire arena.
"That’s it?" Slim muttered mentally; his thoughts laced with disappointment.
"The fun part’s just starting," Orion declared with a deranged grin.
Suddenly, tremors rocked the arena once more, drawing all eyes back to the portals summoned by the ominous blackened spheres.
“There’s more of those things?” one of the champions gasped, his mouth agape in disbelief.
It had been shocking enough that the hound extermination crew could summon an army of robots to fight on their behalf. Most had assumed such a powerful artifact would be a one-time use, yet the unsettling tremors beneath their feet and the vibrating sands said otherwise.
All eyes locked onto the portals, especially the wary gazes of the titans. As the ground quaked beneath them, a fresh wave of wutas emerged. But these were different—sleek, glistening, silver constructs. Though taller than their predecessors, they weren’t as bulky. Their artillery was familiar but more advanced, and their movements exuded a sense of lethal precision. The vanguard units brandished updated versions of the gatling guns, their single barrels aimed directly at the titans, whose confusion was palpable.
"Annihilate them," a wuta declared in a cold, robotic voice.
Understanding the intent, the titans roared once again, readying themselves to unleash another wave of devastation. But before they could act, a deep hum reverberated through the arena—the gatling guns emitted a crimson glow, and without warning, a burst of radiant energy shot toward the massive titans.
A thunderous explosion followed, accompanied by a mournful cry that shook the champions to their core. The seemingly indestructible giants now bore hundreds, if not thousands, of gaping wounds, their regenerating flesh struggling to keep pace with the destruction being wrought upon them.
While the artillery vanguard hammered the giant titans, the second wave of wutas charged at the miniature titans, their advanced weaponry cutting through the ranks with brutal efficiency. The rearguard stood still, their crimson eyes pulsing, impassively observing the devastation their comrades inflicted.
Another scene of carnage unfolded as the improved wuta army tore through the titan horde. Yet, despite being forced to their knees, the giant titans refused to fall. Unlike the miniature variants, they withstood the onslaught, though barely.
At that moment, Scott stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the battered, perforated forms of the titans. His companions glanced at him but said nothing, understanding that his actions carried weight.
“That’s enough,” Scott ordered, his voice calm yet authoritative.
Instantly, the rhythmic bursts of energy that had been bringing the giants to their knees ceased. The android army stood down in eerie unison, their obedience an unsettling display of servitude.
Scott’s gaze lingered on the kneeling monstrosities, their bodies profusely bleeding a sickly green fluid that starkly contrasted with their blackened forms. He observed the gaping wounds marring their flesh. Even with these injuries, they’re far from death, he thought. Given enough time, they’ll recover. And I have no doubt these creatures aren’t even close to the top of the Mad Titan’s order.
"I’ll handle the rest," Scott declared, stepping beyond the retreating wutas.
"As you command, Great One," they echoed in unison.
Before the gathered champions and wutas, Scott’s shadow darkened and expanded, engulfing the entire area where the titans knelt, and their miniature counterparts had fallen.
“Wait a moment,” Orion’s voice echoed in Scott’s mind. “Remember, this is about sending a message. It’ll be too bland if you don’t humiliate them now.” He chuckled softly.
A smile tugged at the corners of Scott’s mouth. He understood what the mage meant. Massive, nihilistic projections materialized from the ever-deepening void, dragging all but one of the titans’ battered forms into the darkness. Then, with a slight motion, Scott beckoned a wuta forward. The android hurried over, obedient as ever.
"Can future generations of wutas be made to self-heal?" Scott asked, his voice calm yet commanding.
"Great One, if that is your desire, it will be done," the wuta responded without hesitation.
Scott nodded. His eyes fell on the lone, spared titan. "Take that one with you. I want an army even more indestructible—an army that can regenerate. Dispose of it when you're done."
"It shall be done, Great One," the wuta declared solemnly.
A buzzing sound filled the air as one of the portals expanded massively. From it, gigantic chains shot out, binding the titan.
"That’s not enough," Scott muttered, his brows furrowing. "I want it dragged like livestock to be slaughtered."
As if on cue, the arena trembled once more. Three enormous wutas stepped out from the expanded portal, the chains wrapped tightly around their powerful arms. They advanced toward the kneeling titan. The centermost wuta delivered a devastating punch, shattering half the titan’s face, sending it crashing face-first into the ground. Without pause, they secured a fresh set of chains around its arms and feet, dragging it by its neck.
In that same instant, an oppressive pressure swept over the arena, forcing everyone but Scott to their knees.
The Grand General of the Mad Titan Horde requests permission to descend! The World Enders of the Mad Titan Horde request permission to descend! The Great Titans of the Mad Titan Horde request permission to descend! The War Beast of the Mad Titan Horde requests permission to descend! The Lesser God Candidate of the Mad Titan Horde requests permission to descend! The Sponsored Candidates of the Mad Titan Horde request permission to descend! The 1st, 2nd, 3rd… 999th Battalions of the Mad Titan Horde request permission to descend! The administrator rejects all requests to descend!
The unbearable pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but the impact left an indelible mark on the champions’ souls. Silence settled over them as their wide-eyed gazes shifted to Scott, realization dawning. From the start, they had been deluding themselves. Scott and his companions weren’t the sort of prey ordinary champions could hunt or eliminate. Anyone who pursued the bounty on their heads would need to be prepared to lose everything—or face them with overwhelming power.
The wutas, undeterred, resumed dragging the bound titan toward the portal. As the titan passed Scott, its eyes flickered briefly, and a voice—more vibration than sound—filled Scott’s ears. "Be prepared for what’s to come."
Scott merely smiled, unfazed. He didn’t know exactly who had spoken, though he could guess, and he didn’t care. The fact that the message was calmer than expected was mildly surprising, but it was clear they didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of their anger.
With that, the wutas dragged the titan into the portal, leaving the spectators stunned and speechless.
“You may return,” Scott commanded, his voice quiet but firm. His shadow returned to normal, and without a word, the mechanical armies retreated into the portals. One by one, the portals collapsed, leaving behind only charred fragments of metal in their wake.
“That was a lot more boring than I expected,” Orion remarked, his voice ringing out across the arena. All eyes turned to the mage, focusing on the clusters of spheres he casually held in both hands. Some looked on in stupefied awe, while others couldn’t hide their terror. If Orion held that many of the spheres, they could only imagine how many the other members of the hound extermination crew had in their possession.
Now, most of the champions understood why the bounty on the infamous group’s heads was so tempting—and so dangerous. It wasn’t just the six of them they’d have to contend with; there was also a formidable army lurking in the shadows, and ever ready to unleash destruction.