Author : Vasudeva_AY
As the moon bid its nightly farewell, the darkness gradually relinquished its hold, yielding to the gentle emergence of dawn from the east. The seven-colored rays, akin to nature's celestial canvas, painted the sky with hues that danced like a silent melody, casting their ethereal glow upon the youths and elders emerging from the Crystal Cave, guided by the venerable clan leader.
Exiting the cave, two distinct groups formed: the low lives congregated separately from the Yodhas, serving as a stark reminder of the divergent paths awaiting them in the future.
"Every young mortal, stay close to one of the elders surrounding you. Some beasts stir for their hunt, while others slumber," the clan leader announced in hushed tones, emphasizing the inherent dangers lurking in the wilderness beyond.
*ROOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR*
But Before they could proceed, a colossal figure, adorned with scars, emerged from the forest and loomed before them, sending shockwaves through the group. The figure stood like a mountain, draped in black and grey fur that seemed more like stone, with massive scars oozing blood scattered across its form. Stripes resembling grey stones crisscrossed its body, adding to its imposing presence. With a mouth bristling with sharp canines resembling silver daggers, it let out a deafening roar that shook the ground, uprooting bamboo trees in its wake.
"Shield the children, It's a stone tiger." proclaimed the clan leader, his hair swirling like wisps of storm-born spirits, crackling with sparks of lightning. In his hand, a weapon resembling the vajra of Indra took shape, its ethereal lightning grounding itself with a resolute touch upon the earth.
The elders sprang into action, swiftly creating a protective barrier around the youths and themselves before advancing to confront the looming beast.
"Stay vigilant, elders. Its aura suggests a rank four beast" Elder Bi cautioned.
Wild beasts were classified akin to Yodhas, divided into ranks from one to seven, each rank accompanied by distinctive titles akin to military generals ascending to imperial rulership. From the esteemed title of General at rank three to the revered status of Monarch at rank seven, these beasts commanded legions of minions beneath them. As their titles ascended, so too did the number of subordinating wild beasts beneath their command, known as minions. An average Yodha typically engaged in combat with wild beasts of a rank lower than their own, although the challenge they posed could still be formidable.
As creatures inherently attuned to the power of nature, wild beasts possess innate abilities that stem from the natural world itself. Unlike humans who must awaken to harness the power of nature, these beasts are born with an instinctive connection to their surroundings. In addition to their innate connection, wild beasts wield formidable weapons in the form of claws, fangs, and an untamed fury that makes them fearsome adversaries in battle.
What rendered the higher-ranked beasts truly perilous was not solely their elevated ranks, but rather the presence of their minions. While these minions might occupy lower ranks individually, their collective strength lay in overwhelming adversaries through sheer numbers. This strategy leveraged quantity to compensate for individual quality, posing a formidable challenge to those who dared to confront them.
"Elders look at those scars. It appears aged and solitary, suggesting it's broken away from its pack," Elder Chi observed.
Zhen silently pondered over the elders' discussion, absorbing the gravity of the situation. In the untamed wilderness, aging beasts whose hunting prowess wanes are often deemed expendable and become sustenance for the younger generation of predators. This stone tiger, weathered and worn, may have narrowly evaded such a fate. Such beasts, although ranked high, do not possess any minions to command.
Without hesitation, the Clan Leader lunged towards the beast, recognizing that in the wild, overthinking often leads to demise. His body crackled with lightning as he directed his assault towards the beast's forehead, aiming for a decisive strike that would neutralize the threat.
In response to his directive, the elders prepared themselves. As if conjured from the depths of their collective resolve, strands of verdant green spirit energy enveloped them, shaping into formidable weapons in their grasp. Elder Bi brandished a flaming sword, its hues of white and blue casting an ethereal glow. Elder Zhong manifested a Vajra akin to the Clan Leader's, its twin lightning-forged swords extending from a central blade. Meanwhile, Elder Chi underwent a dramatic transformation, a golden horn emerging prominently from his forehead, exuding an aura of power. Elder Mei sprouted four butterfly-like wings, a testament to his agility and grace.
"Now," the Clan Leader's voice boomed with authority, signaling the commencement of the attack. In response, the three elders surged forward with coordinated precision, encircling the beast while Elder Mei launched aerial assaults from above.
The clash of beasts, Elders, and the Clan Leader reverberated through the forest, mingling with the metallic tang of blood and the primal howls of the creatures.
Elder Mei moved gracefully around the colossal beast, resembling a butterfly in flight. From his wings, a shimmering golden powder cascaded over the beast, inducing drowsiness and slowing its attacks.
Despite the beast's seemingly impenetrable skin, Elder Bi's sword didn't slice through; instead, it caused the beast's flesh to melt, driving it into a frenzy of madness. Meanwhile, Elder Zhong and Elder Chi combined their attacks, with Elder Chi's horn piercing the beast's flesh while Elder Zhong's twin blades crackled with lightning, coursing through the creature's body and causing further havoc.
Hovering above the ground, Clan Leader focused his energy, sparks of electricity emanating from his body as he directed his Vajra towards the beast's forehead. The creature howled in agony as blood and white, slimy brain matter erupted like a geyser, before collapsing to the ground with a thunderous thud, shrouding the forest floor in a veil of red hues.
As the dust settled, the colossal beast lay defeated amidst the crimson-stained foliage, a testament to the valor and unity of the Xiao Clan.
The youths gathered around, their eyes wide with awe and admiration, humbled by the sight of their leaders' prowess in overcoming such a colossal foe.
Approaching the fallen creature, the Clan Leader's presence commanded respect as he used his Vajra to pry open its head, revealing a green-colored spherical object pulsating with ethereal light—an unmistakable sign of a rank four primal Orbis.
Zhen's excitement was palpable as he beheld the Orbis, his gaze fixated on its radiant glow, recognizing its profound significance.
Breathing heavily from the exertion of battle, Elder Bi urged swift action, mindful of the dangers that lurked in the wake of their victory. With a sense of urgency, the group prepared to depart, knowing that the scent of blood could attract even more formidable adversaries in the untamed wilderness.
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The moon hung in the sky, casting its gentle glow upon a humanoid figure sprinting through the thick forest, its features obscured in the darkness. It moved as though fleeing from a specter, a silent urgency driving its pace.
Soon, the distant echoes of wild beast howls pierced the air behind the figure.
"Come on, catch me if you can," the figure taunted, his voice barely a whisper against the haunting howls.
As if responding to his challenge, hordes of wild beasts with black and white fur surged forward, their eyes glinting in the moonlight. They resembled remnants of wolves, their fur shimmering with the lunar glow.
They closed in on the figure with relentless speed. Then, another thunderous roar reverberated through the forest—a wild beast the size of a mountain, its fur a blend of black and silver, adorned with long, golden moustaches that shimmered in the moonlight. As it roared, trees trembled and lightning crackled around it, illuminating its diamond-like teeth.
"COME ON!" the figure shouted toward the colossal beast as he raced away from it, a wide grin spreading across his face, relishing the exhilarating pursuit.
The giant beast seethed with rage, its massive form crackling with electric energy as it conjured a sphere of lightning.
In the same instant, one of the pursuing beasts leaped at the figure.
The figure met the attack with a confident smile, then vanished from its original position, leaving the charging beast to collide with nothing but empty air. Simultaneously, the giant beast unleashed the energy ball it had been gathering, obliterating the smaller beasts in its path.
Unsatisfied with the outcome, the giant beast scanned its surroundings, baffled by the sudden disappearance of its prey.
A voice echoed from above the towering creature, "Looking for someone?"
The beast's gaze shot upward, where it beheld a figure suspended in the air, clutching a Lance emitting a radiant golden glow. A wide grin adorned the figure's face as it regarded the bewildered beast.
"Goodbye," the figure declared.
With a force that created shockwaves in the sky, the lance hurtled towards the beast. The Lance moved at the speed of light, its unstoppable momentum tearing through trees and beasts alike as it pierced the giant beast's skull into pieces with a resounding thump.
The once mighty creature, brimming with vitality, crumpled to the ground like an ant. The force of the attack uprooted trees in a radius of 100 meters, sending the minion beasts fleeing for their lives.
Descending upon the fallen beast, the figure sliced open its head and retrieved a luminous object emitting a golden-yellow glow. Thick in the middle and tapering towards the end, it radiated an ethereal light, as the smell of the metallic tang of the blood filled the air.
"A rank five primal Orbis," declared the figure, standing tall atop the lifeless body of the giant beast.
Turning towards the moon, the figure made a gesture as if to grasp it, and spoke with unwavering resolve, "I am coming back, father," a smile forming on its features, which remained shrouded in mystery.
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