FANG MU followed the beast’s trail until he finally saw where it had gone—straight into the village. Without hesitation, he made his way toward a secret entrance he had created to sneak in and out unnoticed. He reached the spot and quickly removed the vines covering the hole.
"Why...?"
He frowned. The hole seemed smaller than before. But no, it hadn’t shrunk—he had grown. He was no longer the same size as when he first made it. He couldn't fit through anymore.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, he decided to widen the hole. Without a second thought, he slammed his head against the edges, headbutting the surrounding dirt and rock repeatedly until the passage was large enough for him to squeeze through.
"Holy shit," Fang Mu muttered as he leaped into the village.
His eyes immediately locked onto the beast, now charging at a group of hunters. Watching closely, he quickly realized this was no ordinary creature. It could manipulate the earth around it, forming a hardened rock-like armor over its body. Fang Mu couldn’t help but be impressed.
"This is better than watching a movie," he said with a smirk. "All that's missing is the popcorn."
He settled in to enjoy the spectacle as the beast trampled over the hunters. The sight filled him with a mix of excitement and amusement.
Meanwhile…
Rony, Samuel, Ferdinand, and Mardoc, along with the other hunters, let out a battle cry as they dashed toward the beast, weapons in hand. They struck relentlessly, each swing of their blades making the creature growl in pain.
But the beast fought back. It swung its massive arm wildly, forcing the hunters to dodge with every attack.
"Be careful!" Elder Gido warned, his voice firm.
"Fuck! Our weapons have no effect!" Rony cursed, gritting his teeth as he struck the beast again.
The creature's thick earth armor deflected their attacks with ease. Then, with a deafening roar, it slammed its massive arm into the ground.
A shockwave erupted, sending the hunters flying through the air. They crashed down hard, grunting in pain as they struggled to get back up.
"If its skin can’t be penetrated, then the eyes must be the target," Mardoc thought.
Gritting his teeth, he stood up and dashed forward, weaving past the beast’s strikes. Using its massive arm as a bridge, he sprinted toward its head with unwavering determination.
"Mardoc!" Rony, Ferdinand, and the other hunters sat up, their eyes widening as they watched his daring move.
"Mardoc, be careful!" one of the hunters shouted.
Even though Mardoc was an elite hunter and the strongest among them, he was still human. His body was fragile compared to the beast’s overwhelming power. If he took a direct hit, he could be killed instantly.
The beast roared in frustration, swiping at him, but Mardoc was too fast. With precise footwork, he evaded its attacks and leaped toward its eye.
Then, with a swift and powerful strike, Mardoc’s weapon pierced the creature’s eye.
The beast let out a deafening roar of agony.
"You did it!" someone shouted.
But their cheers didn’t last long.
The beast, enraged by the attack, struck Mardoc in midair with a powerful swipe. His body was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground. He tumbled across the dirt, his body covered in bruises.
"Mardoc!" some hunters shouted as they rushed toward him.
"Senior Brother Kai, what should we do?" Shelly asked anxiously. She knew Kai was the strongest caster among the three of them.
Kai remained silent, his mind racing for a solution. He knew their current power wasn't enough to defeat the beast. There were only two options—fight or flee. He was leaning toward the latter, but he also knew his junior brothers wouldn’t want to retreat. And as the eldest among them, he had a responsibility to lead.
"I can't just stand here and watch this anymore," Jerome suddenly declared, his voice filled with determination.
Before Kai or Shelly could stop him, Jerome dashed forward, chanting an incantation under his breath. A massive fireball formed in his palms before he hurled it straight at the beast.
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed the creature in flames, sending thick smoke billowing into the air.
The hunters' faces lit up with hope. Had they finally killed it?
But then—
ROARRRRTRRR!
A deafening roar tore through the air, sweeping away the smoke like a gust of wind.
"Shit!" one of the hunters cursed, his expression turning to horror.
The beast, unharmed and enraged, charged straight toward Jerome.
"Run, Jerome!" Kai shouted.
But Jerome was frozen in place. His mana was nearly depleted, and his body was still weak from a previous injury. He had put everything he had into that fireball. There was nothing left.
He watched in terror as the beast raised its massive, rock-covered arms.
This was it.
Jerome clenched his eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable.
But before the beast’s massive arm could crush him, a powerful force shoved him aside. He tumbled across the dirt, rolling to a stop just in time to see who had saved him—Kai.
His senior brother had thrown himself into danger to push him away.
"Are you a fool?" Kai scolded, his voice sharp with frustration. Both of them lay sprawled on the ground, catching their breath.
The beast let out an enraged roar, furious that its prey had escaped at the last second. Its massive, rock-armored body tensed, ready to strike again.
Kai quickly turned to Shelly. "Shelly! Get Jerome out of here, now!"
Without hesitation, Shelly sprinted toward Jerome, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the battlefield. Jerome gritted his teeth but didn’t resist—he knew staying would only make things worse.
Meanwhile, Kai pushed himself up, his fingers brushing against the ring on his hand. In an instant, a long staff materialized out of thin air, appearing in his grasp as if summoned by sheer will.
He tightened his grip around it and faced the beast head-on.
The creature’s glowing yellow eyes locked onto him, burning with rage. Then, with a ground-shaking snarl, it charged forward like a maddened bull, kicking up dirt and debris in its wake.
Here's the refined version without bold text:
Kai didn’t flinch.
Gripping his staff tightly, he pointed it toward the beast and muttered an incantation. The earth and dirt around him stirred as if coming to life, rising into the air and molding into sharp spikes. With a swift motion, he hurled them toward the beast.
But the creature ducked, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles.
Kai frowned. He hadn’t expected the beast to be this clever. He had underestimated it. That was a mistake he wouldn't make again.
The beast roared and swung its massive, rock-covered arm straight at him.
Reacting instantly, Kai waved his staff, and a barrier of earth erupted from the ground, shielding him from the attack. The beast slammed into it with full force, shaking the ground.
Kai took a few steps back, his breathing steady but cautious.
"This beast" This creature was stronger than he had anticipated.
Kai waved his staff, casting another spell. This time, a fireball erupted from its tip and shot toward the beast. The flaming sphere struck its target, causing the creature to flinch, but it didn’t stop. Snarling, it charged forward once more.
Kai moved swiftly, evading each of the beast’s powerful swings. To an onlooker, it almost looked like a deadly dance—flames exploding around them as spells clashed with brute force.
From a distance, Jerome and Shelly watched in awe.
"He's incredible..." Shelly murmured, gripping her hands together as she watched their senior brother fight against the monstrous creature.
Chief Elder Oxor, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes. "We can’t just stand here. Prepare the ballista!"
At his command, the hunters moved swiftly, loading the massive weapon. A moment later, the ballista fired, and a massive bolt hurtled toward the beast.
The projectile struck its target, piercing through the thick armor of rock covering the creature’s body. But it wasn’t enough. Though injured, the beast roared in fury and retaliated, manipulating the dirt and stone around it.
"Look out!" Chief Elder Oxor shouted.
With a deafening explosion, chunks of hardened earth shot toward the ballista, shattering it into pieces.
Kai’s eyes darkened as he seized the opportunity while the beast was distracted.
He knew that if the fight dragged on, his mana would eventually be depleted—and that would mean his end.
Gripping his staff tightly, he began chanting once more. This time, the incantation was longer, more powerful. The ground trembled as dirt and stone rose into the air, molding into a massive spike.
Jerome and Shelly watched in shock and amazement as the massive spike formed before their eyes. Only official casters were known to wield such powerful magic.
Yet Kai, still just an apprentice, had conjured it.
They exchanged glances, realization dawning on them—Kai’s strength and mana were nearly on par with an official caster. He was far stronger than they had ever imagined.
Kai’s expression turned pale—he knew his spell had surpassed the limits of an apprentice. His body trembled from exhaustion, but he refused to stop.
With his unsteady arm, he hurled the colossal spike toward the beast.
The massive spike struck the beast, and it roared in pain as the force sent it flying backward. It crashed into the wall, causing dust and thick smoke to engulfed the area.
Kai dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. Sweat dripped from his body, and exhaustion weighed heavily on him. His mana reserves were nearly depleted—he could barely move.
"Senior Brother, you did it!" Shelly exclaimed with joy. along with Jerome.
Kai managed a weak smile.
Seeing the beast fall, the hunters erupted into triumphant cheers.Chief Elder Oxor and Gido sighed in relief.