Chapter 221 - 223: The First Stage

Words : 1705 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

When the light fades, the world slams back into focus. The Ashedge Clan materializes in the middle of a dense, sprawling forest—tall trees rising high overhead, their canopies blocking much of the midday sun. Mist coils low along the ground. The air is damp and heavy, filled with the hum of unseen insects and the distant calls of beasts. For a heartbeat, no one moves. Then Velira's voice cuts through the silence, sharp and immediate. "Solven. Scout." Solven doesn't hesitate. He nods once, adjusting the fastenings on his wrist-blade as he steps lightly forward. "On it. I'll circle wide—stay within range," he says, already melting into the trees. Velira turns to the others. "Form up. Defensive triangle. Karnessa, back left. Gresren, cover the right. Alix, with me up front." They move without question, settling into formation as the sounds of the forest begin to filter in—rustling branches, the distant thud of something heavy moving through brush, and the occasional blood-chilling shriek of a hunting call. Alix takes his place beside Velira, eyes scanning the undergrowth. "Judging by the air, we're near water," he mutters. "Beasts might gather there." Velira nods. "We won't move until Solven returns with a read. We engage only after he returns." Gresren shifts his grip on his weapon. "I don't like sitting still. We should hit early and hit hard." "We hit blind and we'll bleed for it," Velira replies curtly. "We play it smart." Alix stands quietly at the front beside Velira, his gaze drifting through the trees, but his expression remains unreadable. In truth, he already senses them—at least six beasts, moving in a loose pattern northeast of their position. They're not small either. Judging by the weight of their presence, mid to high Tier 3 at least. One of them... stronger. But he says nothing. Velira glances his way. "You catch anything?" she asks, voice low. Alix meets her eyes and shrugs slightly. "Just echoes. Could be wind. Could be something watching." Velira nods. She accepts the answer. "Stay sharp. Solven should be back soon." Footsteps. Quiet, fast, and deliberate—only someone used to the forest could hear them. Alix already knows it's Solven, returning through the trees like a shadow slipping between light. Moments later, Solven emerges from the mist, crouching low as he steps past a fallen trunk and into view. There's no sign of injury, but a thin layer of sweat beads along his brow. "Found something," he says, voice low but steady. "Southwest ridge. Not too far. A lone beast—Tier 5, I'm sure of it. Big, armored, slow mover. Might be nesting near a stream." Velira straightens slightly. "Any signs of other groups nearby?" "None that I saw," Solven says. "But it was loud enough that others might've heard it too. We'll have a short window." Gresren's face lights up. "Finally. Let's go bag it before some other jackass does." Velira nods once. "Good work. We move now." She turns to the others. "Same formation, but tighter. Solven, eyes up. If anyone else is moving on it, I want to know before they're in range." Solven gives a quick nod. "Got it." Gresren's already rolling his shoulders. "Tier 5's a good start. Enough points to put us ahead early, and a solid warm-up." Alix says nothing, but his gaze shifts subtly toward the southwest. He can still sense the beast—massive, breathing slow, but aware. Definitely not sleeping. And definitely not alone anymore. The trees thin as they approach the ridge. Mist clings low to the ground, curling around roots and broken stones like living fingers. Then they hear it—a heavy exhale, followed by the scrape of armored scales against rock. The Tier 5 beast stands near the stream just as Solven described. It's huge—easily twelve feet tall at the shoulder, its body covered in jagged, dark-green plating. Four legs, low and wide like a predatory turtle, but with a snout more like a drake. Its glowing eyes scan the treeline. It hasn't seen them yet. Velira raises her hand—halt. The group crouches low behind a moss-covered ridge. The beast looms ahead, half-submerged in the stream, its jaws snapping lazily at the water. Every movement of its limbs sends tremors through the muddy ground. Even from here, its power is obvious. "A Shellback Lurker," Velira whispers, eyes narrowing. "Armored hide, thick scales, slow but dangerous. Weak point's underneath—throat and underbelly." Solven adjusts the twin blades strapped to his hips. "We've got wind and earth. We can pin it and break its balance." Velira nods once. "Gresren, draw its attention from the front. Solven, strike when I signal. Alix, just cover me." Alix nods quietly. "Understood." Then he turns to Karnessa, speaking low. "Stay back. And don't use your ability—not unless I tell you." Karnessa blinks, caught off guard, but nods. "Alright." "On my mark," Velira says, already moving. She slips around to the right, quietly climbing a low outcrop of stone for a better angle. She draws her bow—a sleek, black-lacquered weapon strung with silver thread—and nocks an arrow. Alix watches, surprised. A bow user? In a world dominated by spellblades and casters, that alone is rare. Gresren slams his shield once, then roars. "COME ON, YOU BIG LIZARD!" The Shellback Lurker rears up with a guttural bellow, water spraying off its armored shell as it turns toward the noise. Gresren charges in, shield raised, and slams it into the beast's leg with a resounding clang. "Tier 4: Stoneguard Drive!" he bellows. The earth beneath his boots hardens into stone, rippling out in jagged waves that lock the Shellback's front limbs in place. The creature thrashes and roars, trying to lift its legs. "Now!" Velira commands from above. She looses her arrow. "Tier 4: Windpierce." The arrow vanishes into a blur of wind and sound, slamming beneath the creature's jaw—right where the plating thins. A spark of blood bursts from the impact. The Shellback shrieks and tries to withdraw—but Solven is already there. "Tier 4: Twinswirl Fang!" he shouts. He dances in from the flank like a gust, blades flashing. One cut scrapes under the exposed ribs, the other slashes the back knee. He flows past before the beast can react, his footwork light, his form honed. The Shellback tries to turn—but Gresren's already braced, gritting his teeth. "Tier 4: Ironroot Wall!" A wall of stone erupts around his shield, absorbing the creature's counterstrike as it slams into him. He holds the line with a grunt, boots grinding into the earth. "Pressure's on!" he yells. "Take it down!" Alix watches a second longer, then raises his hand. Flames gather at his palm—controlled, precise. Not too much. Just enough to keep up appearances. "Flame Lash." A coil of fire snaps forward, curling around the creature's neck and tightening. The heat makes the Shellback thrash, exposing more of its soft underside. Velira fires again. "Tier 5: Windpierce—second volley!" Two arrows fly this time, spinning through the air like twin silver streaks. Both sink into the wound Alix just opened. The beast lets out a strangled roar. Solven rushes in again, blades coated in cutting wind. "Tier 4: Razor Draw." One slash severs a tendon in the hind leg. The Shellback buckles, collapsing to one side. "Gresren!" Velira calls. "Tier 4: Earthsplitter Bash!" Gresren slams his shield down, the ground exploding upward. A sharp spike of stone erupts beneath the Shellback's throat. The monster convulses. Then falls still. Steam rises off its corpse, and blood seeps into the stream. Velira lowers her bow, breathing evenly. "Clean. No injuries. Good job." Solven grins, wiping his blades clean. "Haven't fought together in months, but we still move like one." Gresren chuckles. "I felt that bastard's jaw in my arm. Solid warm-up." Karnessa stares from behind a tree, wide-eyed. "You guys are amazing." Velira nods once. "We trained together since we were kids." Alix remains silent, watching them with narrowed eyes. Alix watches the group settle, his expression unreadable as the Shellback Lurker's massive corpse steams behind them. The air still hums faintly with residual magic—burnt ozone, stirred dust, wind-blown leaves. 'They're good,' Alix thinks, his eyes narrowing. 'Killing a Tier 5 beast cleanly with only one Tier 5 and two Tier 4s...' That kind of coordination is rare. Especially with no shouting, no wasted movement. They didn't just win—they hunted. Alix folds his arms. He'd barely used a fraction of his power—more flame than fire, just enough to contribute without standing out. The others had carried the weight of the fight, and they'd done it well. They basically fought a Tier 5 without me. Velira steps back from the body and glances at the flat crystal panel embedded on her wrist—like a thin disc of polished glass, softly glowing with runes. She taps the side, and a number flickers across the surface. "Twenty points," she announces. Gresren grins wide. "Damn right it was. That thing was worth every drop of sweat." Solven sheathes his blades with a twirl and tilts his head toward Alix. "You held back." Velira glances at Alix briefly but says nothing. She's clearly already noticed it too. Alix meets Solven's gaze calmly. "Didn't want to get in the way. You had it handled." Gresren snorts, the grin on his face fading into something more pointed. "Tssk. That's ridiculous" he says, voice tight. He jabs a thumb toward Karnessa, who's standing quietly just a few paces behind. "And your monster slave didn't even move. Just stood there like luggage." Karnessa flinches slightly but doesn't speak. Her red eyes flick between the others, uncertain. Gresren narrows his eyes at Alix. "Next hunt, you fight alone. Let's see what you're really carrying." Velira exhales, long and slow. "Gresren," she says, tone edged with warning, "I understand how you feel, but we're a team. Don't start a fight we don't need." Gresren grumbles but doesn't back down completely. "I'm just saying. He's not here to watch."

Chapter 221 - 223: The First Stage

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