Joseph materialized in Planet Hyogo-Ken Prefecture as the swirling portal behind him closed with a faint hum. The moment his boots touched the ground, chaos erupted before his eyes. The battlefield stretched endlessly, filled with the deafening cacophony of war. Warriors clad in high-tech gear clashed desperately against grotesque monsters of varying shapes and sizes, which appeared to materialize through sudden teleportation portals. The monsters wasted no time in spreading chaos, their rampage leaving devastation in their wake.
Above him, choppers spiraled out of control, some sliced cleanly in half by the titanic tail of a monstrous beast, others hurled with brute force into buildings or other aircraft, resulting in massive fireballs. The sky was a grim theater of destruction, with plumes of smoke rising and debris raining down.
On the ground, the scene was no less horrific. Warriors, despite their advanced weaponry and armor, were falling brutally. Acid spewed from the mouths of some creatures, melting flesh in gruesome displays. Others were bitten in half by gaping jaws or cleanly severed by the swift, thick tails of the larger monsters. Blood pooled across the battlefield as bodies and machinery lay strewn in grotesque disarray.
The monsters, too, paid a heavy price. Nukes tore them apart in grotesque explosions, splattering their remains across the battlefield. Some were cleaved in two by concentrated laser blasts or obliterated by energy cannons. Warriors in massive armored suits engaged in fierce combat with the hulking beasts, with some emerging victorious, their monstrous foes’ heads and limbs torn apart. Tentacles, tails, and other grotesque appendages littered the ground, a grim testament to the ongoing carnage.
The destruction was indiscriminate. Buildings crumbled as stray bullets and explosions took their toll. Civilians caught in the chaos faced equally horrific fates—crushed beneath colossal monster feet, snatched and devoured mid-scream by flying creatures, or incinerated in vehicular collisions.
“What in the world is going on here?” Joseph muttered, his voice barely audible over the din. His hands clenched into fists as he surveyed the carnage, his heart pounding. With a deep breath, he activated his XPT, the alien technology merging seamlessly with his body to form a sleek, armored battle suit. It shimmered briefly as it entered battle mode, its systems humming to life.
"I guess this never gets old," he said with a grim smirk, steeling himself before leaping into the fray.
Joseph’s arrival was immediately felt. He darted through the battlefield with precision, his suit amplifying his speed and strength as he tore through the monstrous ranks. Mid-combat, he spotted a group of children huddled in fear, separated from their families amidst the chaos. He broke off from the main battle, his voice calm yet firm as he guided the terrified children to safety. Despite the pandemonium around him, he managed to reunite them with their parents unharmed.
“Stay safe,” he said, giving the family a reassuring nod before returning to the fight.
Engaging in midair combat, Joseph dodged the swipes of monstrous claws and tails, retaliating with devastating energy blasts and strikes. When the tide of battle pulled him to the ground, he found himself fighting shoulder to shoulder with a warrior whose skill and determination matched his own. Unbeknownst to Joseph, this was the Prefectural Mayor of Planet Hyogo-Ken, leading his people against the invasion. Together, they cut down the beasts surrounding them, their movements synchronized despite the chaos.
“Here!” the mayor shouted, thrusting an explosive device into Joseph’s hands during a brief lull in the combat. The mayor, mistaking Joseph for one of his warriors, issued a desperate order. “Take this! It’s our only chance to stop that thing before it fully emerges!”
Joseph followed the mayor’s gaze upward and froze for a split second. A massive portal had opened in the sky, its edges crackling with ominous energy. From within, the colossal head of a monstrous overlord began to emerge, its sheer size dwarfing anything Joseph had seen before.
Without hesitation, he gripped the device tightly. “Understood,” he said, determination flashing in his eyes.
The mayor nodded. “You’ve got one shot! Don’t miss!”
As the command echoed in his ears, Joseph took off, his suit’s thrusters propelling him into the air with blinding speed. The portal loomed closer, its monstrous occupant preparing to unleash its wrath.
Joseph soared through the chaotic skies, cutting through a relentless swarm of flying monsters intent on halting his advance. His focus remained locked on the towering monstrosity emerging from the portal—a grotesque creature of unimaginable scale whose body pulsed with a menacing, otherworldly aura. As Joseph approached, the monster roared, its cavernous mouth opening wide, an opportunity too perfect to ignore.
Without hesitation, Joseph hurled the explosive device directly into the beast's gaping maw. A deafening explosion followed, but as the smoke cleared, it became painfully evident that the attack had barely scratched the surface. The monstrous overlord continued its emergence, now halfway out of the portal, its grotesque form towering over the battlefield.
Gritting his teeth, Joseph tapped the arc reactor embedded in his suit, triggering an emergency transformation. His body expanded, his armored frame becoming gargantuan, rivaling the monster in size. Determined, he charged forward, grappling the monstrosity with every ounce of strength his enhanced form could muster.
A violent struggle ensued as Joseph pushed against the creature’s massive frame, attempting to force it back into the portal. Tentacles as thick as buildings lashed out, wrapping around his arms and legs in a desperate bid to resist. The portal began to flicker, its energy fluctuating as it struggled to contain the beast’s sheer magnitude.
Meanwhile, on the ground and in the air, warriors fought valiantly to protect Joseph’s mission. Air support rained missiles on the swarming monsters, while ground forces unleashed heavy firepower to fend off the relentless attackers. Their efforts gave Joseph the opening he needed, though the battle was far from won.
With a roar of effort, Joseph managed to push half the monster’s body back into the portal. The energy field began to contract, severing the creature cleanly in two. As the portal snapped shut, the lifeless upper half of the monster’s body tumbled to the ground, its massive tentacles still coiled around Joseph. Blood and viscera poured from the severed form, its grotesque intestines dangling like grotesque streamers.
Joseph heaved, freeing himself from the limp appendages before staggering backward. The monstrous corpse collapsed with an earth-shaking thud, its weight causing the ground to tremble. The warriors erupted in cheers, their victory seemingly assured as the remaining monsters were swiftly dispatched.
But their celebration was short-lived.
A low rumble reverberated through the air, followed by the sickening sound of flesh reconstituting. The monster boss, whom they believed defeated, began regenerating its missing parts with horrifying speed. Gasps of disbelief echoed across the battlefield as the creature’s severed torso grew anew, its form more menacing than before.
The monster attacked without warning, its first target Joseph, who was still in his giant form. It struck him with enough force to send him hurtling into a distant building, which crumbled under the impact, burying him beneath rubble.
The beast let out an ear-splitting roar, its fury shaking the entire prefecture. The warriors resumed their assault, but their weapons proved futile. Rockets, lasers, and even nukes barely scratched its thick, impenetrable hide. To their horror, the creature began switching its attacks—breathing fire, ice, and acid in rapid succession, laying waste to the surrounding land and leaving devastation in its wake.
Amidst the chaos, a lone warrior in a massive armored suit charged at the monster, managing to sever a few of its writhing tentacles with a well-placed energy blade. For a brief moment, hope flickered among the battered defenders. But their optimism quickly turned to dread as the monster regenerated its lost appendages almost instantly.
To make matters worse, the severed tentacles did not remain inert. Instead, they writhed and twisted, reshaping into smaller, fully-formed monsters that immediately joined the battle. The warriors, already battered and weary, found themselves outnumbered once more, their desperation mounting as the battle raged on.
The monster, realizing its ability to create minions from its own body, began pouring acidic saliva onto its tentacles, melting them deliberately. To the warriors’ horror, each severed piece regenerated into fully-formed monsters, while the creature’s limbs regenerated tenfold. This grotesque display left the defenders stunned, including the warrior piloting the massive armored suit who had been battling the beast.
Before the warrior could mount another attack, the monster boss struck with terrifying speed, wrapping its colossal tentacles around the armored suit. The suit groaned under the immense pressure, metal crumpling like paper, until the pilot inside was crushed. With a mighty heave, the monster ripped the suit apart and hurled the remains across the battlefield, where they exploded in a fiery blast upon impact.
Amid the chaos, the prefectural mayor, engaged in a fierce battle with the boss’s minions, paused momentarily to observe the towering creature. His sharp eyes caught a vulnerability—a faint opening beneath the beast’s thick hide, where a glowing crystal pulsed ominously. Testing his theory, he fired a concentrated blast at the crystal. The shot landed true, cracking the crystal and causing the monster to roar in agony, its blood pouring from the wound.
Furious and now aware of its exposed weakness, the monster let out an earth-shaking roar, summoning a fresh wave of minions to protect itself. The prefectural mayor, realizing the peril he faced, shouted his discovery to the remaining warriors, urging them to focus their attacks on the creature’s weak spot.
As the swarm of newly-created minions converged on him, the prefectural mayor fought valiantly, cutting down several of the beasts. But their numbers were overwhelming, and he soon found himself running for his life. A handful of warriors stepped in, attempting to shield their leader, but the relentless tide of monsters pushed them to their limits.
Meanwhile, Joseph regained his footing, rising from the rubble of the collapsed building where he had been thrown. Still in his massive armored form, he took in the battlefield at a glance and spotted the prefectural mayor desperately fending off the horde. Without hesitation, Joseph redirected his attention, charging toward the embattled leader.
As the minions closed in for the kill, Joseph’s massive armored hand slammed down with the force of an earthquake, crushing the creatures like insects beneath his palm. The ground trembled under the impact, and as the dust and smoke cleared, the prefectural mayor stood unharmed, gazing up at Joseph with a mixture of relief and awe.
More monsters approached, but before they could strike, the prefectural mayor relayed his discovery about the monster boss’s crystal vulnerability to Joseph. With the critical information shared, Joseph scooped up the mayor and placed him on his massive shoulder for protection.
As the monsters surged toward them, Joseph channeled his energy, unleashing a devastating nuke that obliterated most of the advancing horde. The few minions that survived pressed on, but Joseph swiftly dispatched them, firing holographic ammunition that pierced through their ranks with precision. The bullets, designed for efficiency, reloaded themselves after impact, ready to be fired again.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Finally, Joseph unleashed a concentrated laser blast from his armor, slicing through the remaining creatures and clearing the battlefield. The path to the monster boss was now open, and Joseph turned his gaze toward the towering foe, determined to end the chaos once and for all.
The prefectural mayor watched Joseph intently, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the man’s movements and the strange blend of technology he wielded. At first, he had assumed Joseph's gear was a marvel of advanced engineering, far beyond the capabilities of his own forces. However, as the combat unfolded, the mayor’s perception shifted. The tech Joseph used was still in prototype stages, rough around the edges, but impressively functional. While it wasn’t greater than the mayor’s own cutting-edge arsenal, it was almost on par—enough to be dangerous. Joseph’s unorthodox approach to battle, blending innovation with instinct, made it clear that he was not to be underestimated.
Once Joseph had dispatched the last of the minions with ruthless efficiency, the prefectural mayor turned to him, his voice urgent. "I need a boost," he said, eyeing the monstrous boss charging toward them. Without hesitation, Joseph complied. He launched the mayor high into the air, propelling him toward the oncoming threat with precision. At the same time, Joseph barreled forward, charging toward the monster with unyielding determination, the ground shaking beneath his feet.
But just as the mayor was about to engage the beast, a massive flying creature swooped down and snatched him from the air. The mayor struggled, his limbs thrashing against the creature's iron grip, but it was no use. He could feel the weight of his body being pulled away, the fight slipping from his grasp.
The prefectural mayor hung suspended in mid-air, desperately struggling against the grip of the monstrous creature. Joseph, witnessing the mayor's peril, instinctively moved to help. But before he could act, the mayor's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos, "Focus on the monster, boss! I'll handle this and join you!" Trusting in the mayor's resolve, Joseph steeled himself and redirected his full focus to the behemoth charging toward him, knowing the mayor had the situation under control.
The monster boss roared furiously, colliding with Joseph's massive armored form and sending him stumbling backward. Joseph dug his heels into the ground, pushing against the monster's relentless advance. Despite his efforts, the beast's sheer force overwhelmed him momentarily, slamming him to the ground with a thunderous impact that shook the battlefield.
The monster raised its massive foot, intending to crush Joseph's helmet and end the fight, but Joseph quickly retaliated. A powerful blast from his visor tore through the monster’s foot, forcing it to recoil in pain. It screamed as its wound began to regenerate almost immediately, its fury redoubling.
Taking advantage of the creature’s brief hesitation, Joseph pushed himself back up, only to be met with a torrent of fiery breath. Instinctively, he activated his holographic shield, which held firm at first but began to falter under the searing intensity of the flames. Just as the shield was on the verge of collapsing, Joseph morphed his right hand into a massive plasma hammer and swung with immense force, striking the monster in its chest. The impact sent the creature reeling back, but it quickly regained its footing, roaring in defiance.
Without hesitation, the monster retaliated by spewing a stream of acid directly at Joseph. The corrosive liquid splattered across his shield and armor, the heat so intense that parts of his suit began to smoke and sizzle. Blinded momentarily, Joseph switched tactics, summoning his massive energy sword and hurling it with precision. The blade pierced through the monster’s thick hide, embedding itself deep into its torso.
Breathing heavily, Joseph reverted to his normal size to conserve energy and assess his next move. The monster paused, seemingly confused, unable to locate its opponent. Joseph, however, was hanging on to the massive sword buried in the monster’s body, his grip firm despite the creature's writhing movements.
With a burst of strength amplified by his suit, Joseph began pulling the massive blade downward. The sword tore through the beast’s flesh, spilling its entrails and blood in a grotesque cascade. The monster roared in agony, its movements growing more frantic as the blade neared the glowing crystal embedded beneath its armor.
Realizing the danger, the monster lashed out with its tentacles, wrapping them tightly around the massive blade and halting its descent. The two locked in a deadly tug-of-war, the beast’s immense strength matching Joseph’s resolve. Blood poured from the creature's gaping wounds, staining the battlefield, but its regeneration was already beginning to counter the damage.
The prefectural mayor finally broke free from the clutches of the flying monster, unleashing a powerful energy blast that sent it crashing to the ground. He swiftly leaped from one flying creature to the next, dispatching them with brutal efficiency, until he saw the boss monster struggling with a massive blade embedded in its flesh, just inches from its vulnerable spot.
Using his magnifying mode, the mayor focused his enhanced vision and saw Joseph at work. The skilled fighter had shrunk the enormous blade down to a manageable size, causing the monster to lose its grip on the weapon. Seeing the opportunity, the mayor sprang into action, propelling himself off the corpse of the last flying monster he had felled. He crashed into the boss, forcing it onto all fours, like a wild beast on the verge of collapse.
The mayor's descent was controlled, using his jet boosters to stabilize his fall, and he landed next to Joseph, who was already bracing himself with the sword. Together, they grasped the weapon firmly, dragging it downward with all their might. As the blade pierced the monster’s body, it shattered the crystal embedded within, causing the creature to stagger.
In its dying moments, the boss monster summoned the last of its strength. With a violent swing of its tail, it pierced through the mayor's chest, dragging him away before Joseph could intervene. It tossed the mayor aside like a ragdoll, and the creature slumped into death.
As the monster crumpled, its minions, both airborne and ground-bound, were similarly affected, collapsing lifeless to the ground. The battle had ended, and the survivors, warriors and civilians alike, let out a cheer. But amidst the celebration, Joseph rushed to the fallen mayor's side, unmasking himself as he tried desperately to heal the leader with his XPT energy.
But it wasn’t enough. The mayor’s wounds were too severe. A few warriors gathered around, witnessing Joseph's futile attempt to save their fallen leader. The lieutenant, the second-in-command, approached, placing a gentle hand on Joseph's shoulder. Their eyes met, and in that silent exchange, unspoken words passed between them. Joseph was a good man, doing all he could to save someone who was already gone.
With solemn respect, the warriors carried their leader’s lifeless form to safety, where medics would tend to the wounded and recover the fallen. The war was over, but the scars it left were ever-present—destruction and death were not easily forgotten. Medics arrived, moving through the ruins, treating the injured and collecting the lifeless bodies.
Inside a chamber, Joseph stood alone with the deceased prefectural mayor. The body, now separated from the others, was laid out, a grim reminder of the life that had been lost. Joseph stood before it, guilt consuming him. He blamed himself for not being able to save the mayor, as he pulled back the sheet covering the body. With a deep breath, he spoke a name, summoning Death herself.
In an instant, she appeared, her presence a dark cloud that enveloped the entire Hyogo-Ken Prefecture. The air grew heavy, and the citizens outside sensed the unnatural atmosphere, though none dared enter. Inside, Joseph stood face to face with Lady Death.
"You've remembered me," she said with a hint of both melancholy and amusement. "It’s been three years since we last spoke, and in all that time, we've barely seen eye to eye. But still, I am grateful."
Joseph, his heart weighed down by loss, made his request. "I need you to bring him back. The mayor. All of them. Those who fell in battle."
Death considered his words, her expression unreadable. "It's a significant request. I could do it, yes, but some of those who fell… their time had already come. For example, the prefectural mayor was meant to die at first light tomorrow. His thread was already severed."
Joseph pleaded with Lady Death, his voice filled with urgency, asking her to spare the prefectural mayor and change his destined day of death. After a long, heavy silence, Lady Death finally spoke. She agreed to his request, telling him that the mayor’s time would be altered, and he would pass away at a more fitting moment. With a cold yet steady tone, she added that Joseph would be summoned whenever his presence was required.
He consented, and in that instant, Death, taking on her other form as Life, enveloped every deceased soul within her reach. Life restored vitality to all who had fallen, healing the wounded and undoing the devastation. Before vanishing, her voice echoed a reminder of their pact, her words lingering in Joseph's mind.
As Death disappeared, the atmosphere returned to normal. Outside, those who had died were revived, rising from the ashes of destruction. The prefectural mayor, gasping for air, opened his eyes and saw Joseph standing before him. As he regained his bearings, Lieutenant Rua rushed in, astonished to find the mayor alive. No one understood what had transpired or who had orchestrated such a miraculous event.
The planet of Hyogo-Ken Prefecture had suffered tremendous destruction, but fate smiled upon them as the fallen were all brought back to life. Joseph remained on the planet for some time, helping to rebuild and restore order. In the process, he became familiar with the people and their way of life. Eventually, he was summoned to the council hall, where the prefectural mayor expressed his gratitude and offered formal thanks. It was there that Joseph’s role in the restoration became clear, and the mayor, now recovered, spoke with him on matters of leadership.
Takeru Kojiro, at the age of 25, was a newly inducted Armiger—a knight-in-training tasked with protecting the more remote and rugged areas of the planet. As a novice, he was still mastering the basic combat and leadership skills that would prepare him for higher ranks. His demon heritage gave him enhanced strength and resilience, essential traits for a knight in training. Takeru’s responsibilities were many, and as he learned and grew, his commitment to defending his land remained steadfast.
Takeru had ascended to the position of prefectural mayor after the tragic death of the former mayor during a monster crisis. The people of Hyogo-Ken, along with the council, had chosen him to lead and guide their planet through difficult times. Under his leadership, Hyogo-Ken had continued to thrive, known for its balance of technological advancement and traditional culture.
The mayor, now seated in the council hall, confessed to Joseph that he had initially believed him to be one of their own. He had no idea that Joseph was an outsider who had risked his life to help them defeat the monster that had threatened their planet. He shared with Joseph the ongoing issue of frequent monster attacks, the cause of which remained unknown, before once again thanking him and wishing him success in his travels.
As Joseph stepped outside, Lieutenant Rua approached him, offering her thanks as well. Her handshake was firm, a sign of respect between warriors. She signaled the gatekeeper, who activated the portal that would transport Joseph to the next regional planet. With a final nod, Joseph stepped forward, ready for the next chapter of his journey.