Chapter 56: Summoners against Abyssal Beast 1

Chapter 56: Summoners against Abyssal Beast 1 As the notification Ding echoed from the phone, it was already too late for any of them to react. From the shadowed side of the cave, what looked like a humanoid beast emerged—its massive frame eerily silent as it stepped into their midst. The oppressive aura it carried with it made the surrounding air feel heavy, almost suffocating. It was baffling—how had they not sensed its presence earlier? Lina instinctively gripped her blades tighter, her gaze fixed on the approaching monster. ’This doesn’t feel like a beast that just became Abyssal Ranked...’ she thought, feeling her chest tighten with unease. The aura emanating from the beast wasn’t just powerful—it was ancient. The creature’s body was dense and metallic, muscles rippling beneath a hardened shell that looked impenetrable. Two massive horns curled from the sides of its head, twitching like they were attuned to the smallest sounds. Its blood-red eyes scanned each of them—side to side, studying, calculating... And then—it vanished. It moved too fast. Faster than their eyes could track. Before anyone could even gasp, it reappeared in front of Kairos, throwing a punch aimed straight for his face. Kairos instinctively activated his Integration, his body flickering with power, but it wasn’t fast enough. He raised both arms in a desperate attempt to block. The blow landed. A sickening crack echoed through the cave as Kairos was hurled into the wall. The impact sent tremors through the stone, and for a moment, he felt like his soul had been knocked out of his body. His vision flickered. Was that death? "Kairos!" Darnell shouted, activating his own Integration without hesitation. He charged forward, rage and fear coiling in his chest, and launched a powerful slash at the Abyssal beast. But it wasn’t enough. The beast simply jerked its head back to dodge, then countered with terrifying speed, its massive fist rocketing forward. The blow crashed into Darnell’s gut. He didn’t even move. A visible gust of air exploded from his mouth and he dropped to the side, gasping, eyes wide with pain and disbelief. "Fuck, it’s fast!" Carlos muttered under his breath, eyes wide as he gripped the hilt of his daggers, sparking with electricity. He stepped forward, lightning crackling around his limbs. "Support me, Lina..." he said firmly, his voice low but sharp. Lina gave a curt nod and positioned herself nearby, ready to strike. Ny’kara—the name the beast was known by—turned its attention to them, letting out a low growl. Its voice vibrated in their chests like a suppressed quake. It charged forward like a bullet. Carlos didn’t flinch. Built for speed, he was one of the few who could keep up with its movements. His eyes tracked every twitch. As Ny’kara’s fist arced down toward him, Carlos reacted—leaping to the side in a fluid motion. His twin daggers slashed at the beast’s neck in a precise, synchronized strike. He expected resistance. What he didn’t expect was for both daggers to shatter like glass against Ny’kara’s hide, leaving behind nothing but a faint dent. "What—?" Carlos gasped, heart sinking. Before he could retreat, the Abyssal beast grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground with ease. Its grip was ironclad. "Blood..." it muttered, maw widening with predatory hunger, ready to sink its fangs into Carlos’s skull. But Lina was already moving. She didn’t strike with her blades—she knew they would be useless. Instead, she turned her body, twisting into a full-powered kick that slammed directly into Ny’kara’s gut. The beast was thrown off balance, crashing several feet away. Carlos dropped to the ground, coughing and clutching his throat, eyes wide with disbelief. ’Damn that thing... Is it even really at Abyssal rank?’ Lina reached out, offering him her hand. "Your family’s known for speed and tactics," she said, helping him up. "Mine’s built for strength. You distract it—I’ll hit it hard." Carlos nodded, no complaints. He couldn’t pierce that armor, but maybe she could. Kaela, who had been standing quietly at the back, finally stepped forward. "Please keep it busy while I charge up..." she said softly. They exchanged a glance, then nodded. No time to argue. The beast was already getting to its feet. It looked... furious. Energy crackled around its body—red, sizzling, unstable. One of the defining traits of Abyssal Ranked beasts was their access to abilities. Dangerous ones. They couldn’t afford to get hit by whatever that was. Carlos surged forward, lightning enveloping his body. He reached the beast first and spun, launching a kick aimed at its face. But Ny’kara was quicker. It swung its fist, aiming at Carlos’s leg. But Carlos pulled back just in time and ducked. The feint worked. Lina was already in motion. She leapt above Carlos and smashed her fist directly into the creature’s face. The hit connected hard, sending the beast crashing into the cave wall, dust and grit exploding from the impact. "Nice one," Carlos muttered, panting. Lina glanced down at her fist. Cracks were forming across the knuckles—tiny fractures along what looked like an outer layer. "It’s strong, I give it that. But if we keep using this tactic, we might actually kill it." Carlos nodded, body sparking with renewed energy. Lightning danced around his torso, crackling with intensity. His eyes focused on the slowly clearing smoke. Then— Ny’kara appeared between them. Just like that. None of them saw it coming. Carlos froze. He was the fastest here, even using lightning to boost his speed—yet he hadn’t seen a damn thing. Wait—this wasn’t just speed. He remembered training with Kairos. The way he used his shadow skill to vanish and reappear. "Teleportation..." Lina shouted, realizing it just as the beast struck. Its fist landed in her gut before she could react, sending her flying into a wall with a concussive blast. Carlos tried to counter, lightning imbued in his strike as he swung for its neck—but again, the beast vanished. It appeared behind him this time. And when Carlos turned—he saw death. Ny’kara’s fist was already in motion, aimed straight for his skull. And then— BOOM! A pulse of dark energy crashed into the beast, sending it hurtling across the cave floor, tumbling until it managed to regain balance. Carlos blinked, stunned. He turned, heart racing. Kaela. She stood alone, cloaked in darkness—but it wasn’t just shadow. It moved like a living entity, swirling around her like smoke. Her hair floated, weightless, carried by the power she now wielded. And for the first time, Carlos saw her full face. She was breathtaking. Her eyes glowed like crystals in the dark—otherworldly and ancient. "You can rest and regain yourself," Kaela said softly, her voice steady but firm. "I’m gonna handle the rest until you recover." Carlos stared at her in disbelief. She didn’t just look stronger. She felt like someone else entirely. Someone powerful.