BOOM!
A massive ray of pure energy erupted from the medallion, tearing through the air with a deafening roar. The blast streaked toward the Queen Antilla, illuminating the battlefield in a blinding golden light.
The beast barely had time to react before the ray slammed into its chest. It was sent flying, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact.The beast let out an earth-shaking screech, its massive form stumbling backward. Its once-impenetrable carapace splintered, deep fractures spreading across its armored body as raw magical energy burned into its flesh.
"Fuck," Fang Mu muttered from the shadows, his eyes wide in shock. Even he hadn't expected that much firepower.
CRACK! BOOM
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. Kai and Shelly were hurled through the air, their bodies twisting before crashing hard against the dirt. Nearby, hunters were thrown off their feet, their eyes wide with shock as they struggled to process what had just happened.
Dust and debris swept across the battlefield, shrouding everything in a choking haze. The force of the explosion left the earth scarred, deep cracks running through the ground where the blast had struck.
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
The only sound was the crackling of embers of torch and flame, eating a wooden house and the ragged breathing of those still alive hunter.
"Did he…?" Elder Gido muttered, unable to finish his sentence. He didn’t want to speak the words aloud—didn’t want to hope, only to be crushed if the beast still alive.
The air was heavy with the scent of burning wood and scorched earth. Shadows flickered within the haze, and the distant crackling of embers was the only sound that dared to break the silence.
His heart pounded as he strained his vision, searching for any sign of the beast—or alive hunter. And the situation Kai.
"Are you okay, Shelly?" Kai coughed, squinting through the thick dirt and smoke. His lungs burned, his body aching from the force of the blast.
He turned back and saw Shelly slowly sitting up, her movements unsteady. She wobbled, coughing as she tried to catch her breath.
"I'm okay, Senior Brother Kai," she managed to say, though her voice was weak her skin full of bruise.
"Kai! Shelly! Kai! Shelly!"
Jerome's voice rang out from within the thick dust, his frantic calls cutting through the silence.
"We're here!" Kai yelled.
Moments later, a shadow emerged from the thick dust—it was Jerome, his breath ragged. "Are you all alright?" he asked, his eyes scanning them for injuries.
He hurried toward Shelly, kneeling beside her to tend to her wounds.
"Are you alright"
"I'm alright," Shelly reassured him, though her voice was still weak.
"And you, Senior Brother? Are you okay?"
Kai exhaled, steadying himself. "I'm still okay," he said, though exhaustion weighed heavily on him.
"Senior Brother… is that—?" Jerome began, his eyes widening looking down in the medallion.
"Right," Kai snapped, his grip tightening around the artifact. "That was the artifact given to me by Master. It's a pity… I never wanted to use this life-saving artifact."
"But you have no choice"
"Yeah I have no choice" The runes on the medallion had faded, its once-brilliant glow now reduced to a faint shimmer. It had unleashed its power—but at what cost?
Then—
The trio looked toward where the beast had fallen, their breaths held in suspense. Anxiety crept over them, but none felt it more than Kai.
He had used his last resort, pouring everything into that final attack. If the beast was still alive… then there was nothing more he could do.
Kai clenched his fists. If it came to it, he would have no choice but to flee. At the very least, he had given it his all—there would be no regrets.
The dust settled. Through the swirling debris, they saw the beast lying motionless. Its massive body was charred and wounded, one of its legs and an arm completely gone. It shuddered in pain, letting out a weak, guttural growl—then fell still.
Kai let out a long sigh of relief, his body sagging from exhaustion. Jerome and Shelly did the same, their tense shoulders finally easing.
"You did it, Senior Brother!" Shelly said, her voice filled with admiration.
"Senior Brother Kai, you really did it!" Jerome chimed in, grinning despite his fatigue.
Kai shook his head weakly. "No… we did it."
One by one, the hunters who had survived began to rise, their expressions shifting from shock to realization. Their eyes turned toward the fallen beast, its unmoving form lying amidst the debris.
Cautiously, one of the hunters picked up a rock and hurled it at the beast’s corpse. It struck the creature’s hide with a dull thud, but there was no reaction.
"The beast is… dead," one of them muttered.
"Yeah… the beast is really dead," another echoed, disbelief still lingering in their tone.
Then, a voice rang out.
"The beast is dead!"
Cheers erupted, growing louder and louder as relief swept through the village. Cries of joy and triumph filled the air, but amidst the celebration, there was also sorrow—many had died, and many more were injured. Yet, at last, the nightmare had ended.
Elder Gido and Chief Elder Oxor sighed, sharing a weary smile. Finally, it was over.
Kai dropped to his knees, exhaustion washing over him like a tidal wave. Moments later, he collapsed onto the ground, lying motionless, his body too drained to move.
"Senior Brother Kai! Are you alright?" Shelly asked anxiously, rushing to his side.
Kai forced a small smile. "I'm alright… just tired."
Jerome stepped forward, his voice filled with gratitude. "Senior Brother, thank you. On behalf of my village, I sincerely thank you."
Kai let out a weak chuckle. "Nah, I'm your senior brother. How could I just stand by and not help you?"
Moments later, Elder Gido and Chief Elder Oxor approached. Their faces were lined with exhaustion but also deep appreciation.
"Kai, thank you," Elder Gido said sincerely. "On behalf of the entire village, we owe you our deepest gratitude. I know we can never truly repay the bravery you've shown in saving us."
Chief Elder Oxor nodded. "Your courage will never be forgotten."
Kai exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a moment. "It's alright, Elder. I just did what had to be done."
Hunters moved quickly, tending to the wounded among their own and the villagers. Some wrapped bandages around injuries, while others carefully lifted those too weak to move. For the severely injured, stretchers were brought in, their carriers moving with urgency. Amidst the relief, sorrow lingered—many had lost loved ones, and quiet sobs filled the air as villagers consoled one another.
Ferdinand walked among the fallen, his heart heavy as he knelt beside the lifeless bodies of Samuel and Anthony. They had fought bravely, but in the end, they hadn’t made it. Clenching his fists, he swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing himself to move. He spotted Henry, unconscious but still breathing. Without hesitation, he lifted him onto his back and carried him toward the medicine hall. The battlefield was littered with destruction—fallen hunters, ruined homes, and the scars of a nightmarish battle.
"What a mess," Fang Mu muttered from a distance, watching as the villagers and hunters struggled to pick up the pieces. The battle was over, but the aftermath was just as brutal—bodies being carried away, the wounded groaning in pain, and the air thick with the scent of blood and smoke.
Without another word, he turned and slipped away, vanishing into the shadows as chaos continued behind him.
"Quick! Carry him and bring him to the medicine hall!" Shelly called out, waving to a group of hunters.
They rushed forward, carefully placing Kai onto a stretcher. Though exhausted, he didn’t resist as they lifted him and began carrying him away.
"You too, Brother Jerome," Shelly said, turning to him. "You need to go to the medicine hall as well."
"I'm fine," Jerome insisted, shaking his head. "Take Kai first."
"You go first and take care of Kai," Jerome said to Shelly.
Shelly nodded and accompanied Kai to the medicine hall, making sure he was safely carried inside.
Jerome watched them for a moment, then turned and made his way toward the beast's corpse.
"Jerome, don’t go near the beast!" one of the hunters called out.
"It’s fine. The beast is already dead," Jerome replied without hesitation.
As he reached the fallen creature, he took in its massive form. The once-imposing monster was now nothing more than a charred husk, its blackened body still smoking. A pungent, roasted smell filled the air, making him grimace.
Without wasting time, he pulled out his knife and lunged at the beast’s chest, aiming to carve into it. However, even in death, its thick hide resisted the blade. He gritted his teeth, putting all his strength into it, but the knife barely managed to pierce through. He groaned, forcing the blade deeper.
Fortunately, thanks to the ray attack, the beast’s hide had softened enough for him to work with. Bit by bit, he scraped away at the flesh, his hands growing slick with sweat and grime.
After several minutes of effort, he finally reached what he was searching for—a beast core.
With a final push, he pried it loose, holding the precious gem-like core in his trembling hands.
"""""BOOK ONE END"""""
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