Jin stopped the vehicle as the entire group started to survey the surrounding area. A rocky formation that looked like a giant cave with its top and one side missing was not far from them. Cain spoke calmly after analyzing the situation.
"It seems we have found our Rank 5; that Force pulse was greater than anything below can hope to produce. We need to be on guard; I have a bad feeling. Everyone, arm yourselves and prepare for combat."
The four warriors dismounted the jeep and started summoning their weapons.
Jin manifested a large simple double-edged great sword.
Abel summoned a one-handed gladius and a giant tower shield almost two meters tall.
El waited for the rest of the group to finish their preparations as she was a Force mage who used spells instead of weapons.
Lastly, Cain summoned a long double-edged sword with a crescent guard.
Noticing that they were ready, the blond swordsman instructed his team further.
"Alright, standard assault formation, Abel at the front, Jin and I will be the wings, and El will be at the back. But, everyone, remain vigilant; it is not normal for a Rank 5 to be in an abandoned area. Normally, it would have a kingdom of Rank 3s and below."
"Roger" Noticing the tension in the air, everyone answered and quickly moved as one towards the rock formation.
As they walked further in, they noticed a large number of human and beast skeletons around the area.
The ground was painted red as the smell of iron wafted through the air.
The entire group stopped when they saw several child-sized skulls piled up together beside a wall. The mound was over 4 meters high.
The air was suddenly electrified as each warrior emitted violent energies around them and got affected by what they saw.
As the rage and anger rushed to their heads, they remembered the reports they got from the massacred villages.
Children in large quantities were missing among the casualties. The authorities had assumed that the children had been able to escape when the adults were trying to stop the beast or at least slow it down.
However, even after five days, none returned, and no one could find any traces of them. Then, as Cain calculated the number of bodies the bones represented, he noticed that the amount was over ten times the number of children missing.
There were not enough villages around the area to supply the number of bones needed to make a pile 4 meters high. The blond swordsman immediately warned the team.
"This is not the work of just a solitary level 5; it seems we have been baited. Everyone, retreat. We need to get out of here."
Before Cain could even finish his statement, laughter echoed along the rocky area.
The sound was vile like nails on a chalkboard. However, the laughter increased in number as the sounds surrounded Cain and his team.
*HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHA*
Wasting no time, the four warriors slowly inched their way towards the missing side of the rocky cave, only for 16 figures to bar their way in a line that completely closed off the clearing.
Their large bodies were blood red, stood about 3 meters tall, and had large muscular builds.
Their arms towered over the rest of their bodies like pro-lifters who skipped leg day.
*HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHA*
The monsters had heads shaped like footballs with ears arched over each side of their heads like snakes.
Their mouths were like sharks with four layers of teeth; most of them still had blood dripping from their jaws as they continued laughing in a blood-curdling fashion.
"Anyone mind sharing what the hell those are?" Abel asked no one in particular.
The monsters were tiny for Rank 5's, who usually easily reached 18 meters.
However, the presence of the sixteen monsters was more than enough to overwhelm Cain's group.
Noticing the grim situation, El shared some information regarding the beasts.
"Rank 5 Gremlords, mutated from monkeys and baboons.
They have extremely resilient armored skin and arm strength greater than standard Rank 4's; use of force is limited to reinforcing teeth and claws.
Normally in command of 100 rank 3 Gremlins. They typically establish small tribes because of their individualistic nature. So two of them gathering shouldn't be possible, let alone 16."
Hearing the beautiful mage's words, the rest of the group could only try and think of a way to survive the assault of 16 Rank 5 beasts. But as if fate wanted today to be their last, their problems only seemed to increase.
*SHRIEK!!!!!!!*
As if by someone's command, all 16 of the blood-colored stopped laughing and shrieked like hollering baboons.
Cain and his group held their hands to their ears as they tried to withstand the auditory assault.
After a few moments, the sounds stopped; Cain noticed his right ear ruptured and checked only to find that the same was true for everyone on his team.
The blood trails dripping down from everyone's ears proved that the damage was significant.
Unfortunately, the screams were not an attack directed at the warriors, but were a call to arms for the monsters.
*rumble* *rumble* *rumble*
Cain felt the ground vibrate as thousands upon thousands of footsteps slammed into the ground, a chorus of death for him and his men.
The vibrations only stopped when several Gremlings littered the area surrounding the four of them from every direction.
They were everywhere, along the walls, half burrowed in the ground. They were protruding from the rocks like a disgusting ocean of green flesh. They looked like miniature green Gremlords whose limbs were as thin as sticks.
The Gremlings were usually not a problem as they were Rank 3's and were about the size of the average teen at one and a half meters. However, this was only valid if one was to face them in single combat.
They had 16 Rank 5's and 1600 Rank 3's surrounding them from every direction. Cain's mind was working overtime to figure out how to survive the ordeal. He was thankful that the Gremlords and the Gremlings had yet to attack.
Although their sudden silence after assembling was more alarming than the laughing without a care in the world a few minutes ago.
Cain already noticed his teammates were like springs bent to their limit; they were waiting for a plan from him as their leader.
They knew that to move without one against a monster army was suicide.
As if confirming his words, a 4-meter Gremlord slowly walked forward to face the four of them. The Gremling army parted, giving the overlord a wide berth as he moved among them.
It was carrying a giant bear's head on its shoulders which it proceeded to slam onto the ground.
*BOOM*
What happened next was something the four of them would never forget. As it spoke, the sizeable demonic beast cast its eyes on Cain, the blond swordsman.
"Arthur Fourreau, by order of the Lemegeton Clavicula, we have been assembled to ensure your death. Therefore, kindly offer no resistance so we can get our rewards from the masters."
________________________________________________________________________________________
Proofread By: Pearl_Wang, ThePotatoKing
Edited By: WorthyAdversary, Gautam_goyal,