At dawn, the village lay in deep slumber, exhausted from the previous night’s hunt. Only the hunters on patrol remained awake, loitering around the village, keeping watch over the sleeping villagers.
Atop the gate tower, some hunters dozed off, their exhaustion getting the better of them, while others sat in silence, their eyes scanning the forest.
"You think the beasts will try to take revenge on us?" one hunter asked, his voice hushed.
"Beasts?" Another scoffed. "If they wanted revenge, they would’ve done it a long time ago."
"They’re just animals," another added, leaning lazily against the wooden railing. "They are our prey—and they will remain prey."
The conversation drifted into silence.
Then, a low rumble shook the ground.
One of the patrols squinted at the trees beyond the gate. They were swaying—no, quivering—as if something enormous was moving through them. The distant sound of birds shrieking filled the air, a frantic, urgent noise as they took flight, fleeing from something unseen.
"What the hell is that...?" the hunter muttered, gripping his bow.
Then he saw it.
A massive tree—floating in midair.
His eyes widened in horror.
Before he could react, the tree hurtled toward the tower with terrifying force.
Boom!
The impact sent a shockwave through the village.
The enormous tree crashed into the gate, shattering its upper section. Wood and metal exploded into splinters, debris flying in all directions. Two hunters stationed at the tower were thrown from their posts, plummeting thirty feet to the ground. Their bodies landed with a sickening crunch, their limbs twisting unnaturally.
The village awoke in chaos.
Screams rang through the streets.
Panic spread like wildfire as villagers rushed out of their homes, eyes wide with terror. Mothers clutched their crying children, dragging them away from the destruction. Hunters scrambled to equip their weapons and armor, their hands shaking as they fastened their gear.
The warning horn blared, sharp and urgent.
Beyond the wreckage, in the darkness of the forest, something massive loomed.
Chief Elder Oxor and Elder Gido rushed out of their office the moment the horn blared, their expressions grim. Elite Mardoc flanked them, weapons drawn, their movements sharp and disciplined.
Jerome and Shelly jolted awake at the piercing sound of the horn. Without hesitation, they threw on their gear and sprinted outside. The night air was thick with tension, the lingering scent of burning wood and dust filling their lungs.
Hundreds of hunters had already taken their positions, forming tight defensive lines in front of the shattered gate. Their hands gripped weapons with white-knuckled determination, their eyes locked onto the swirling smoke and debris.
A deep, guttural roar rumbled through the air, sending shivers down their spines.
From within the thick haze, two glowing yellow eyes glistened like molten gold, unblinking, filled with primal rage.
A colossal shadow loomed behind them.
"Fire!"
The command rang out, sharp and immediate.
Dozens of arrows tore through the air, vanishing into the smoke.
Whatever lurked beyond the veil of destruction, they would kill it before it could take another step...
Jerome and Shelly stood at the frontlines, tense as the hunters—Rony, Samuel, and the others—held their positions.
"Miss Shelly, hide quickly!" Samuel urged. "Let us handle this!"
"No! I need to see what’s happening!" Shelly insisted, her eyes burning with determination.
Meanwhile, inside a dimly lit tent, Lok lay on a cot, his entire body wrapped in bandages. The muffled sounds of shouting and clashing weapons filtered in from outside.
"What’s happening?" he asked, trying to push himself up.
"Don't move! Your wounds are still fresh," a nurse scolded, gently pressing him back down.
"I don’t care! I need to see!" Lok gritted his teeth, frustration mounting.
"The nurse is right," a deep voice interrupted. "You’ll only be a burden if you go out there now."
Lok turned to see Rommel, a middle-aged veteran hunter, standing at the entrance. His expression was grim.
Sir Rommel… what’s really happening?" Lok asked, his voice filled with urgency.
"I don't know. Stay here—I want to see for myself," Rommel replied, his expression tense.
Meanwhile, at the village gates, Kai—the senior brother of Jerome—was already on high alert. The blaring horn sent a shiver down his spine as he strode toward the gathered hunters. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd before locking onto Jerome.
"Jerome, what’s going on?" he called out.
"Invasion," Jerome answered grimly.
"Invasion? From whom?" Kai demanded.
"There." Jerome pointed toward the thick wall of smoke billowing beyond the village gates. The swirling darkness obscured whatever lay within, but something massive lurked inside.
A few seconds later, glowing yellow eyes pierced through the haze. Each moment, they seemed to grow larger, and then—the ground trembled.
Hunters tightened their grip on their weapons as a massive chunk of debris suddenly hurtled toward them.
"Look out!" Elite Mardoc shouted.
The hunters immediately scrambled to evade, but some weren’t fast enough. The enormous rock crashed down, crushing several beneath its weight. Agonized groans filled the air, mixing with the terrified screams of villagers.
"Shit!" Antony cursed, eyes wide.
"Help the wounded, now!" Chief Elder Oxor commanded, his voice carrying through the chaos.
"Evacuate those who need to evacuate!" Elder Gido commanded the villagers.
"Leave if you're not a hunter!" he added firmly. The crowd immediately followed the instructions, moving in an orderly but urgent manner.
"Don't panic!" some hunters shouted as they assisted in guiding the people to safety.
As the haze finally cleared, the monstrous figure standing before them was revealed. A towering beast, at least twenty feet tall, loomed over the village. Its massive head resembled that of a moose, but its long, powerful arms were like those of an ape. Thick fur covered its muscular body, and it stood hunched, exuding raw strength—like a monstrous gorilla.
"That’s an Antilla," Elite Mardoc muttered, his voice tense.
"No…" Kai's breath turned cold as he stared at the creature, fear creeping into his voice. "That’s not just an Antilla. That’s the Queen Antilla—a Magical Beast."
The oppressive aura of the beast weighed down on them like an invisible force. Its presence alone was suffocating.
Then, the Queen Antilla raised its massive right arm. The earth trembled beneath it, and within seconds, a massive sphere of dirt and debris hovered into the air. With a deafening roar, the beast hurled the sphere toward the crowd.
"Watch out!" Jerome shouted, his voice trembling.
His worst fear had come true. The beast had come for revenge.
"Why is that beast antilla us?" one of the hunters asked, gripping his weapon tightly.
"You don’t know? Jerome and the others killed an Antilla… maybe that one was her kin," another hunter speculated grimly." He taking revenge"
As they spoke, the Queen Antilla raised its massive arms once more. The ground trembled, and dirt and debris began to rise, swirling around the beast. Slowly, the gathered debris formed a thick, hardened layer over its body—like armor.
"That beast… it's an earth-type Magical Beast," Kai said, his voice heavy with realization.
The hunters exchanged tense glances. The Queen Antilla was not only massive but also had the ability to fortify itself. This battle would not be easy.
"Listen up!" Kai commanded, his voice firm. "We need to work together if we want to take this beast down!"
"We already know that! Live or die, we fight!" Rony shouted from the crowd, his voice filled with resolve.
"What are you waiting for?! Attack! Bring out the ballista!" Chief Elder Oxor commanded.
The beast roared, charging forward with enough force to shake the ground beneath them.
"Arrows, now!" a hunter shouted.
Dozens of arrows streaked through the air, aimed directly at the monstrous Queen Antilla. But as they struck, they simply bounced off its thick, rock-like armor, failing to penetrate.
With unstoppable momentum, the beast bulldozed through the hunters, sending bodies flying. Agonized screams filled the air, and the stench of blood spread through the battlefield.
"Get its attention! Buy time for the ballista!" another hunter yelled.
Jerome, Kai, and Shelly unleashed a barrage of spells, fire and lightning crackling through the air. But no matter how much they attacked, the Queen Antilla's armor remained unscathed.
Meanwhile, the hunters worked frantically, wheeling the massive ballistae into position.
"Ready… Fire!"
With a deafening twang, three ballista bolts tore through the air, aimed straight at the monstrous beast.
Some hunters cheered with glee, confident in the power of the ballista. Each bolt was designed to pierce through the toughest of hides.
But their joy turned to horror.
The bolts struck true, yet they failed to penetrate—the Queen Antilla's hardened rock armor absorbed most of the impact, leaving nothing but bruises on the beast's massive body.
The monster roared in fury.
With terrifying speed, it dashed toward the hunters. Every swing of its massive arms sent men flying like ragdolls, their bodies crashing against the ground and nearby structures. Agonized groans and pained screams echoed in the chaos.
Some hunters were unfortunate enough to be caught beneath its colossal feet—crushed instantly under its weight.
"No!" Elder Gido and Chief Elder Oxor gasped in horror, watching helplessly as their warriors fell.