The burnt village lay in ominous silence as Kairo, Shiri, and the twenty ghouls lined up before the devastated ruins. The fire manager ghoul stood near Kairo, its eyes glowing faintly, poised like a captain ready to command. Across from them, Karhux—massive, black-scaled, and flame-spewing—towered over the remains of collapsed houses. His crimson eyes scanned the small army, a low growl vibrating through the scorched earth.
[System Message: Enemy Detected – Name: Karhux ]
[Tier: 4]
[Skills: Fire Breath, Tail Slam, Armored Charge, Flame Wave, Close-Quarters Devastation]
Kairo's chest tightened. This was a tier 4 monster. Not just dangerous—impossible for a tier 1 to tackle without extreme strategy. But retreat wasn't an option. He raised his hand.
"Iron Crescent formation! Start!" he commanded.
The ghouls sprang into action, moving with surprising synchronicity. Kairo's formation function illuminated in his mind: [Iron cresent formation Activated – Ghouls Adaptive Response: ON]. Shields in front, clubs ready, the group advanced steadily.
Karhux lunged immediately, his massive tail slamming into the ground, sending debris flying. The formation wavered as the earth shook, but the ghouls held, bracing against the impact. Kairo directed the fire manager to counter Karhux's swings, and the ghoul met the tail with his shield, sparks flying on contact.
The fight escalated in a whirlwind of movement. Karhux's claws tore through walls and debris, swinging at the ghouls. One by one, three ghouls fell under the raw force.
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #4 | Cause: Crushing Tail]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #9 | Cause: Armored Charge]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #15 | Cause: Fire Breath]
Kairo's stomach sank. "No…no, not yet! Hold!" he barked, but even as he gave orders, Karhux's speed and ferocity were overwhelming.
The remaining ghouls staggered, some stepping back to regroup. Kairo adjusted the formation in real time, [Iron cresent formation – Defensive Shift Activated], hoping to buy time. They managed to land minor hits—three ghouls struck Karhux simultaneously, a quick jab to his scaled leg. Sparks of pain flickered across the monster's eyes, but it was barely noticeable. Karhux roared, a deep sound that rattled the remains of the village, and retaliated with a spinning strike.
Another four ghouls were obliterated under the force of his blows.
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #2 | Cause: Armored Charge]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #5 | Cause: Tail Slam]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #12 | Cause: Fire Breath]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #17 | Cause: Crushing Claw]
Kairo's mind raced. Only six ghouls and the fire manager remained. He gritted his teeth, trying to recalibrate. "We need to retreat? No…we can't. Not yet. Focus, focus!"
Shiri's attention had shifted from the battlefield. His eyes locked onto the unconscious boy, still partially hidden in the burnt husk of a house. His heartbeat quickened. "That boy…he has to be saved!" Shiri muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He sprinted toward the house, snatching the boy into his arms, tucking him close.
Karhux's eyes snapped toward the movement, his roar doubling in intensity. The monster surged forward, tail whipping in a devastating arc that obliterated the ghouls standing near the boy's escape path. Two more units were smashed before Kairo could react.
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #1 | Cause: Tail Sweep]
[Unit Lost – Ghoul #6 | Cause: Crushing Strike]
"Shiri!" Kairo shouted. "Watch out!"
Shiri barely twisted to dodge Karhux's tail, a massive chunk of rubble smashing where his legs had been. He rolled, scraping scales against charred wood, and staggered to his feet. The boy whimpered, clutching Shiri's neck for balance.
The fire manager ghoul leaped in a desperate counter, striking Karhux's leg with his shield again. Sparks flew, and a faint shimmer of damage registered. [Enemy Damaged – Karhux | Minor Leg Injury]
Kairo's heart raced. The formation was broken, most of his ghouls lost, and the monster's speed exceeded every prediction. He tried to think, to plan—but the chaos swallowed him. "We can't…we're not ready for this! Shiri, get the boy out!"
Shiri nodded, gritting his teeth. His muscular serpentine body coiled as he pushed off the ground, moving with surprising speed. Karhux lunged, sensing his target. Shiri barely avoided a crushing stomp, sliding along the charred floor, sweat and scales glinting in the firelight.
Meanwhile, Kairo's panic surged. [System Message: Ghoul Count – 6 | Status: Critical] His chest tightened as he observed Karhux's relentless advance. Every second counted.
From a distance, Renn the bard and his group of bunnymen had arrived near the edge of the village. Peering over a ridge, Renn's eyes widened. "In the name of the abyss…another lord? And here, fighting that monster? Unbelievable." His fingers tapped nervously against his lute as he weighed the decision to intervene.
Back in the village, the fight reached a critical stage. Kairo's remaining ghouls formed a protective ring around him, the fire manager guiding them like a seasoned captain. Karhux slammed the ground repeatedly, sending shockwaves, but the ghouls adapted slightly, blocking with their shields and countering with clubs. One managed to strike Karhux's arm, producing a small flinch.
[Enemy Damaged – Karhux | Minor Arm Injury]
Kairo's focus sharpened. "Good! Hold! Attack individually! Use the openings!"
But Karhux's reactions were near perfect. Another ghoul fell, crushed under a tail sweep. The boy clutched Shiri, trembling. Shiri's eyes blazed as he ran, dodging and weaving. He had to keep the boy safe. A tail smashed through the remnants of a wall just inches from them.
Kairo gritted his teeth. "We can't keep losing like this. Think! Strategy!" He adjusted his mental map of Karhux's attack patterns, trying to predict the monster's next move. The ghouls followed instinctively, their adaptive training helping, but the disparity in tiers was painfully obvious.
From the ridge, Renn whispered to his bunnymen. "If we move now, we can assist…or we can watch. That lord's fighting alone against a tier 4." His fingers hovered over the reins of his mounts.
The battle continued relentlessly. Kairo barked orders, rerouting his remaining ghouls to strike weak points. The fire manager ghoul lunged again, smacking Karhux's leg with perfect timing. The monster hissed in pain, flames flickering from its mouth in irritation. The strike caused [Enemy Damaged – Karhux | Minor Leg Injury], but the feedback was minimal.
Shiri darted past rubble and ruins, weaving with the boy tucked in safely. Karhux's attention split, tail swinging unpredictably. One wrong move, and they'd be crushed. Shiri's muscles burned, but he pressed on, determined.
Kairo's voice carried across the battlefield. "Don't give up! We can still survive this!"
The ground shook as Karhux's roar rolled across the village, the sound shaking loose debris. Kairo could see the monster's fury, its gaze fixated on Shiri and the boy. He realized the creature's intelligence—an apex predator, aware of its target.
The chaos seemed endless. Kairo's ghouls had adapted somewhat to his formation, but the numbers were dwindling. Only six remained, their movements tense, precise, but strained. Kairo knew that each second counted, and that retreat was not an option.
Meanwhile, Renn watched silently, noting Kairo's tactical adjustments. He wasn't sure whether to intervene. This lord was handling himself impressively despite overwhelming odds. The presence of the bunnymen added silent weight to the decision. Could they risk interfering, or was it wiser to wait?
Kairo scanned the battlefield, calculating every strike. "Hold! Defend! Fire Manager, shield forward!" The ghoul lunged with his club and shield, blocking a crushing blow and striking back. Karhux flinched slightly. [Enemy Damaged – Karhux | Minor Damage]
Shiri sprinted toward cover with the boy, narrowly avoiding another devastating swing from Karhux. The boy whimpered, scales rippling from the mana forced into him during prior attacks. "Almost…there," Shiri muttered, sweat and blood dripping down his scaled face.
As Karhux roared again, the landscape shook violently, and Kairo's mind raced, planning for the next strike, the next maneuver, and how to protect Shiri and the boy while keeping the remaining ghouls alive.
The battle lines were drawn, chaos and precision intertwining. Karhux was fast, powerful, and relentless. Kairo's strategic mind clashed against the raw destructive force of a tier 4 monster. The ghouls adapted, fought bravely, but the numbers were against them.
From afar, Renn's eyes narrowed. The stakes were high, and a single misstep could destroy everyone on the ground. The decision to intervene weighed on him heavily as the roar of Karhux echoed across the charred village.
The first day of battle had begun—and neither side would yield easily.