“We’re almost finished,” City Lord Longus murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow as he surveyed the battlefield with relief. The once-formidable Obsidian Terrors, towering beasts of shadow and steel, were now reduced to a scattered, disoriented few. The relentless onslaught led by his forces, coupled with the loss of their keens had broken their ranks, leaving them vulnerable and aimless.
“Congratulations, Lord Longus!” Mirrel Nortel’s voice cut through the atmosphere of the battlefield, his tone a blend of sincere admiration and calculated flattery. He stepped forward from the sidelines, his regal armor gleaming despite the grime of battle. “It’s thanks to your leadership and unmatched strength that we were able to bring down these nightmare creatures so swiftly. Your power knows no bounds.”
“Over-flattery…” City Lord Longus chuckled, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded Mirrel. The corner of his lips curled into an amused smile, yet there was a hint of wariness in his expression. He knew the leader of the Winged Tiger Clan well—an upright and righteous man, not prone to such overt praise without reason. “That’s rare coming from you, Mirrel. Tell me, what do you need?”
“Haha…” Mirrel Nortel chuckled awkwardly, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “Well, it seems I can never hide anything from you, can I?” He took a deep breath, clearly weighing his words carefully.
“You see, my Lord, it’s about my son…” he began, pausing to let the weight of the words settle in the air between them.
“Continue,” City Lord Longus urged, his interest piqued. With the battle nearly won, there was time to engage in this unexpected conversation while keeping a watchful eye on the remnants of the battlefield. He had heard rumors about Mirrel’s son—a young man notorious for his arrogance and conceit, who seemed to revel in bullying the weak and tormenting commoners. The complaints had reached Longus’s ears more than once, each more troubling than the last.
Longus often wondered how such a person could be Mirrel’s son. The difference between father and son was like heaven and earth. Mirrel was known for his integrity, his sense of justice, and his unwavering dedication to the greater good. It baffled Longus how the offspring of such a righteous man could stray so far from the path of virtue.
Seeing that the City Lord wasn’t annoyed, Mirrel continued, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and reluctance. “Actually, my Lord, my son is a bit upset about not receiving a recommendation for the ancient land.
I fully understand that he’s not as talented as those who were chosen, but I can assure you he’s incredibly hardworking. That’s why I wanted to request, if possible, that you consider giving him one of your personal recommendations. I promise you, he won’t let you down.”
Mirrel paused briefly, his eyes flickering with concern before he continued. “Our clan, as you may know, wasn’t fortunate enough to receive a single recommendation this time, while others have secured at least one. This puts our clan’s future in jeopardy, weakening our position in the coming years. A personal recommendation from you would be an invaluable boost to our standing.”
He hesitated, then added in a quieter tone, “Moreover, my son heard about a commoner boy receiving a recommendation from the city. That news has made him even more upset. It’s difficult for me to see him like this, feeling overshadowed and overlooked.”
As he spoke, the fatherly concern in Mirrel’s voice was unmistakable. For the sake of his son, he was willing to break his own moral code, even if it meant snatching away an opportunity meant for someone else. The weight of guilt hung heavily on him, but he was prepared to bear it alone if it meant securing a better future for his son and the Winged Tiger Clan.
“Ohh…” City Lord Longus nodded in understanding. He had indeed heard about a commoner boy receiving a recommendation for exceptional talent, though he had yet to meet the young man himself.
“Alright, Mirrel. No need to say more. I understand.”
“You just need a recommendation, right? Don’t worry about it,” City Lord Longus said with a reassuring smile. “Considering all the contributions you’ve made to this city over the years, it’s a small favor. Besides, maintaining the power balance in Arcadia is crucial, and granting you one of those recommendation spots will help in that regard.”
He could see the lengths to which Mirrel had gone for his son, and while the boy might be less capable, the gesture of fatherly love was something Longus couldn’t ignore. It impressed him, seeing Mirrel lower his pride for the sake of his family.
City Lord Longus had been entrusted with three recommendations: one for his own clan, and two for the most talented individuals in Arcadia City. Though this information was supposed to be kept top secret, he suspected the noble clans had already caught wind of it.
“Thank you, my Lord. Thank you,” Mirrel Nortel said, tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes.
“No need to thank me,” City Lord Longus replied with a sigh, waving off the gratitude. “Those spots were going to be given out eventually.”
With that, he turned his attention back to the battlefield, his mind already shifting back to the final stages of the battle.
He nodded to his men, signaling them to prepare for the final push. Victory was within their grasp, the prospect of returning home—albeit with new scars—tantalizingly close.
Rumble…
But just as those thoughts began to solidify, a deep rumble echoed across the battlefield, causing the ground beneath them to tremble ominously. The smiles that had begun to form on the hunters’ faces faltered, their eyes darting anxiously across the horizon in search of the disturbance.
“What’s that?” one of the A-Rank hunters whispered, his voice barely concealing the unease that rippled through the ranks.
“Boom!”
Before anyone could respond, the earth erupted near the center of the battlefield. From the gaping chasm that formed, a massive, hulking figure of darkness began to emerge.
It was another demonic creature known as Dreadnought Colossus in demon land. It was even more terrifying than the Obsidian Terrors.
The Dreadnaught Colossus is a towering 250-meter embodiment of pure darkness, a demon forged from shadow and void. Its skull-like head, crowned with jagged obsidian horns, bears hollow eye sockets filled with swirling voids that devour light.
The Colossus’s chest houses an abyssal core of darkness, surrounded by veins of pure shadow that pulse with malevolent energy, drawing in and consuming all life. Its colossal arms end in claws of blackened obsidian, capable of tearing through the fabrics of space itself. Its back was lined with jagged, shadowy spines flickering with dark energy.
As the demonic creature’s ominous aura spread far and wide, it drew every beast and bird from the nearby wilderness, as if summoning them to its call. The remaining beasts on the battlefield turned their eyes a deep crimson, their bodies thrumming with a newfound, berserk energy.
Their strength increased exponentially, and they attacked the hunters with an unprecedented ferocity, cutting down hunters and knights alike with terrifying ease.
City Lord Longus’s heart sank as he realized he didn’t recognize the newly arrived demonic creature at all. There was only one explanation—it must be from the deepest part of the Demon Land, the Abyss. Despite his extensive knowledge of demonic species, this creature was entirely unfamiliar to him, with abilities yet to be discovered.
“Fall back!” Longus bellowed, his voice slicing through the shock that had gripped his men. “Regroup and prepare for the final battle, everyone!”
The experienced hunters and leaders obeyed without hesitation, their earlier confidence now replaced with grim determination. They knew all too well that the odds had just shifted drastically, and this battle was far from over.
“My lord, it looks like they’re playing their final card,” Zephyr Stormclaw, the leader of Tunder Leopard clan, approached Longus with a grim expression, his voice laced with concern. Other clan leaders quickly gathered around, their faces etched with worry.
“I know..” City Lord Longus remained resolute, his gaze fixed on the colossal beast. He tightened his grip on his weapon, readying himself to face it head-on.
“Brother, will the City Lord be able to handle this one alone? That demonic creature is so massive and powerful,” Aria’s uncle asked, his voice trembling with fear.
Aria’s father stood beside him, his expression solemn as he watched the monstrous abomination before them. The air was charcoaled with tension, the stakes became higher than ever.
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