"Ahhh~ the night air feels so fresh," Luxe muttered, stretching his arms as if he'd forgotten that five beasts were already glaring at him with murderous intent. A thin smile tugged at his lips.
"Perfect timing… to test Prism Ward's strength!"
He straightened his posture. The five beasts didn't wait. They circled him, low growls rumbling, hungry eyes fixed on their prey.
A Gnaw Rat, a Feral Beast, screeched sharply before its bulky frame lunged forward. Its long teeth glistened under the moonlight, aiming straight for Luxe's leg.
"Prism Ward—Summon!" Luxe shouted.
The shadow beneath him shuddered violently, cracking like shattered glass. From within, a knight clad in black-and-white armor emerged, twin prism blades gleaming. Phantom-like wings spread wide, slicing through the air as it cleaved the Gnaw Rat mid-leap. The rat's body split in two, crashing lifelessly to the ground.
Luxe chuckled, his eyes shining.
"Awesome… even though I summoned him yesterday, I still can't stop being amazed. He's just too cool every single time."
Above, a Rubble Crow, another Feral Beast, beat its ragged wings, scattering shards of hardened feathers like broken stones.
From the right, a Maul Hound and a Clawback Ape—both Savage Beasts—closed in, their roars splitting the night.
But the most intimidating was the Stoneback Lizard, an Elite. Each step from its massive, rock-armored body sent tremors through the ground, loose stones tumbling from its back.
Luxe tightened his grip on his scythe.
"All right, Prism Ward… show me your strength."
Prism Ward shot forward, blades flashing. The Rubble Crow dived down, but it was too late—one slash split its body, feathers scattering like shards of stone as it fell with a heavy thud.
Luxe raised an eyebrow, impressed.
"He's fast… like it was just a warm-up."
But a low growl snapped his focus. The Maul Hound lunged with brutal speed, drool flying from its layered fangs. From the other side, the Clawback Ape soared high, claws gleaming as it came down for Prism Ward's chest.
CRASH!
A deafening impact rang out. Prism Ward raised one hand—a black-and-white prism shield flared to life, Ward Guard, just in time to block the ape's strike. Yet the combined force of the two Savage Beasts shoved him back, cracks spiderwebbing beneath his feet.
Luxe's eyes widened, his chest tightening.
"What?! He's getting pushed back? But he's supposed to be a Duke-class Beast! Why does he feel so weak?"
Prism Ward swung his blades in a wide cross-slash, forcing both beasts back. Blood dripped from their wounds—deep enough to make them falter. With muffled snarls, the two retreated into the shadows, abandoning the fight.
Luxe wiped sweat from his brow, jaw clenched.
"He almost got overwhelmed… but he's a Duke. Ah! The forums did say it—freshly tamed beasts start out weak. They need to keep fighting and hunting to grow. So that's it…"
The ground suddenly quaked. Luxe turned, his eyes going wide.
The Stoneback Lizard advanced, massive as a bull, its back bristling with jagged stone. Its long tail swung sideways, cutting the air with a thunderous roar.
WHAM!
The stone tail crashed forward. This time Prism Ward couldn't dodge far—an arched prism shield formed just in front of him, absorbing the strike before shattering into fragments. It bought just enough time for Prism Ward to dash aside, blades flashing as they bit into the lizard's armored back.
Cracks spread, shards flying. The beast roared, spinning with surprising speed. Its tail whipped around again—Prism Ward crossed his blades to block, but the impact hurled him into the dirt, phantom wings flickering as his armor scraped.
Luxe nearly bolted forward, hands trembling. But he held back, shouting,
"Come on, Prism Ward! Get up and show me your power!"
The knight rose, blades gleaming once more. With steady strides, he surged ahead, unleashing a storm of cross-slashes. The lizard's stone armor cracked apart, chunks breaking loose. The final strike pierced its neck—the Stoneback Lizard roared one last time before collapsing, dust erupting around its fallen body.
Luxe gasped, chest heaving.
"Finally…"
But before relief could settle, a greenish-gray glow seeped from the beast's corpse. The energy spiraled, sinking into Prism Ward—yet Luxe felt it too. Power surged through his veins, burning hot.
He stared at his trembling hands, eyes wide.
"Why… do I feel it too? If a beast kills, the power should go to the beast. If a tamer kills, it should go to the tamer. But me? Prism Ward killed it… and I still felt it! Is the power split? No… it's too much. It feels like I'm absorbing it all, without losing a drop!"
His heart pounded—not from fear, but awe.
Before he could steady himself, a heavy growl echoed through the ruins. Cracked asphalt quivered, dust spilling from broken walls.
From the darkness, three pairs of crimson eyes lit up.
A Spike Hog, a Feral Beast the size of a goat, crawled out with spines bristling along its back.
Above, on the shattered balcony, a Grime Jackal, a Savage Beast with a long snout and mangy black fur, drooled before leaping down.
And blocking the alleyway stood the Ironclaw Boar, another Savage, muscles bulging, its four metallic claws scraping sparks as it stomped.
Luxe smirked.
"Perfect. Prism Ward—let's keep going."
The knight dashed ahead, blades flashing. The Spike Hog's charge was cut short, its spines scattering as blood sprayed. Luxe spun, his scythe clashing against the Jackal's claws—sparks burst, but with one brutal swing, his blade slashed through its thin neck.
The Ironclaw Boar bellowed, charging full-force. Prism Ward crossed his blades, the ground cracking beneath his feet as he held back the beast's weight. Luxe swept in from the side, his scythe biting deep. A twin strike severed one of its legs—the boar toppled with a final roar.
Silence fell. Only Luxe's ragged breathing and the night wind remained.
Then, three different lights emerged—dull red from the Spike Hog, smoky black from the Jackal, and orange from the Boar. All three streams flowed into Prism Ward… and into Luxe. His body trembled, muscles buzzing with fresh strength.
He staggered, staring at his hands.
"Just like before… I'm absorbing it too. Not just Prism Ward."
As the beasts crumbled to ash, glimmers were left behind. Luxe's eyes lit up.
"Yes… drops!"
Three Savage Beast Cores lay on the ground, each the size of a fist, glowing faintly warm, pulsing as though holding lingering rage.
Beside them, an Ironclaw fragment jutted from the asphalt, hard and sharp, cold like natural steel. Luxe picked it up carefully, feeling it vibrate in his grip.
And finally, a Spike Hog's hide, coarse with dull spines still attached.
He froze, remembering the shopkeeper's words that morning.
"Origin Equipment is crafted by human hands—but always from Beast drops."
Luxe clenched his fist.
"That means… I'm not just hunting Beasts. I can start forging my own equipment."
He stood tall, eyes burning as he watched Prism Ward's figure—now sharper, movements smoother than before.
"It's true… we've both gotten stronger."
His lips curled into a determined grin.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll return to that shop. With these materials… I'll craft my very first equipment."