The Red Planet was unlike anything they had ever seen before. As they emerged from the giant gates of the human settlement, all clad in a body suit. Their senses were immediately overwhelmed by the alien nature of the world before them.
The ground beneath their feet was a deep, crimson hue, vast stretches of red sand and rock stretching as far as the eye could see. Massive jagged mountains rose in the distance, their dark silhouettes outlined against an eerie sky that was not the familiar blue of Earth, but a deep, swirling red tinged with violet streaks.
The atmosphere was strange and oppressive, a blend of gases that were thicker and more difficult to breathe, though the suit they wore filtered the air just enough to keep them alive.
The air itself had a metallic tang to it, almost as if iron dust filled the skies. A faint red haze floated just above the surface, shifting and swirling with every gust of wind, which blew with a force that sent the red sands skittering in chaotic patterns across the landscape. The temperature was extreme, scorching during the daylight hours when the twin suns blazed overhead, and freezing at night when their light dipped below the horizon.
Despite this harshness, there was a sense of vibrancy to the planet, a strange kind of life that thrived in its desolation.
The atmosphere was a curious mix. While mostly inhospitable for humans, it seemed perfectly suited for the creatures that roamed the planet's surface. This thick layer of gases, primarily composed of elements unfamiliar to Earth science, gave the sky its strange hue and contributed to the almost dream-like quality of the environment.
Gravity was slightly weaker here, making each step feel lighter and more buoyant, as though the ground itself were resisting the idea of being touched. Storms raged often, violent and fierce, whipping up crimson dust into massive swirling clouds that could be seen from miles away, but between these storms, the silence of the planet was deafening.
As they ventured farther from the human settlement, the peripheral landscape revealed its true nature. The red sands were dotted with patches of strange crystalline formations, spiking up from the ground like frozen bursts of lightning.
These crystals shimmered faintly, giving off a soft glow as though they contained some hidden energy. Some stood several meters tall, while others lay broken and scattered across the terrain, their fractured edges sharp enough to slice through metal. Around them, the ground sometimes cracked open to reveal deep, black chasms that seemed to descend endlessly into the planet's core.
From these fissures came a faint heat, along with an eerie, echoing sound that suggested something stirring deep below the surface.
Despite the harsh conditions, the Red Planet was far from lifeless. In fact, it was teeming with magical beasts, creatures whose existence seemed to defy the very laws of nature. They were as varied and strange as the landscape itself, each species uniquely adapted to survive in the unforgiving environment.
Remembering the vivid description of the various species of magical beasts inhabiting the Red planet.
One of the first creatures that was described was a **Crimson Wyrm**, a massive, serpentine beast that slithered across the sands with unnerving speed. Its scales shimmering with the same red hue as the planet's surface, allowing it to blend almost perfectly with its surroundings.
The wyrm had no eyes, relying instead on the vibrations in the ground to sense movement. Its body was covered in thick, armor-like plates, and along its back, jagged spines crackled with a strange, fiery energy. The Crimson Wyrm was a fearsome predator, capable of burrowing deep beneath the surface to ambush its prey with a sudden eruption from the sand.
Further out in the plains, they spotted on the descriptive map, a herd of **Pyros Steeds**, horse-like creatures with glowing manes that seemed to flicker and dance like flames. These majestic beasts moved with a grace that seemed at odds with their size, galloping across the red sands in perfect unison.
Their hooves left burning imprints on the ground as they ran, and their breath came out in visible wisps of heat. Despite their intimidating appearance, the Pyros Steeds were herbivores, grazing on the planet's strange, crystalline flora. However, they were fiercely territorial and would charge with terrifying speed if they felt threatened or once any human gets too close.
In the skies above, enormous winged creatures known as **Fire Drakes** soared, their wingspans stretching dozens of feet wide. These drakes were covered in iridescent scales that shimmered with every flap of their wings, reflecting the crimson hues of the planet below.
Fire Drakes were feared and respected, their fiery breath capable of reducing their prey to ash in seconds. However, they were also revered by the planet's ancient inhabitants, who viewed the Fire Drakes as symbols of strength and power.
Near the base of the mountains, they saw a **Lava Golem**, a towering, humanoid creature made entirely of molten rock. The Golem's body glowed with an intense heat, and it moved with slow, deliberate steps, each one leaving scorched earth in its wake.
Despite its seemingly sluggish nature, the Lava Golem was an unstoppable force of destruction, capable of hurling massive boulders or unleashing streams of molten lava from its hands. These creatures were ancient, said to have been born from the planet itself, guardians of the deep chasms that led to the planet's core.
There were smaller, more elusive creatures as well. The **Ash Raptors** were swift, predatory beasts that roamed the plains in packs. They had sleek, aerodynamic bodies covered in ash-grey scales that made them nearly invisible against the red sand during dust storms.
These raptors were incredibly intelligent, using complex hunting tactics to corner their prey before moving in for the kill. Their speed and agility were unmatched, and they could leap great distances to close in on their targets in the blink of an eye.
Stranger still were the **Spectral Stalkers**, semi-transparent creatures that only appeared at night, when the temperature plummeted. These ghostly beings floated just above the ground, their bodies wreathed in a faint, cold mist.
Their touch was said to drain the life force from their victims, leaving nothing but empty shells behind. Despite their terrifying abilities, Spectral Stalkers were rarely seen and seemed to be more curious than hostile, observing intruders from the shadows.
The magical flora of the Red Planet was equally bizarre. Strange, bioluminescent plants dotted the landscape, their tendrils glowing faintly in the twilight hours. Some of these plants had adapted to the harsh conditions by absorbing the energy from the planet's strange atmosphere, while others fed on the abundant crystals, growing directly from them in a symbiotic relationship. It was clear that everything on this planet was connected in some way, the creatures and the environment locked in a delicate, magical balance.
As they ventured deeper into this alien world, it became increasingly clear that the Red Planet was more than just a barren wasteland. It was a place of raw, untamed power, filled with creatures mentioned and not mentioned and forces that defied logic and reason.
The mentioned creatures were the real menace of the planet.
The air crackled with energy, and there was a constant sense of something ancient and powerful watching from the shadows, as if the planet itself was alive, waiting to see how the newcomers would survive its many challenges.
Everyone began to move toward separate directions so they could find preys to hunt their crystals.
"Does this place not have an end?" Sam complained as they walked for long with anything happening.
"Must you complain about everything?" Timmy questioned
"As if you aren't tired of walking and not finding anything " Sam said before increasing his pace.
"Watch out!!!" Vondrel shouted, but it was too late.
A large worm came out of the ground where Sam was standing, raising him up with its head and trying to swallow him whole.
"Ahhhhhhh...."Sam screamed out of shock
Rina decided to move but a milky slash came out and slammed on the worm, piercing into it an inch, before she could make a move. Almost immediately a fire ball was hurled at the worm, pushing it away from underneath sam, who was mid air.
'Boom'
A loud explosion rang out and Sam jumped down from mid air while landing safely due to his control of wind.
Rina then choose not to interfere so as to gauge the strength of her followers. A fiery spear was created and it was thrown straight at the worm, but before it could meet it's target.
Its traget has been splitted into two making the spear pass through the two halves of the worm. Everyone eyes turned to Vondrel who had killed the worm.
He shrug
"That's it? That's all you have to do after stealing my kill seriously ?" James questioned with a wtf look.
"We can't actually mess around with a low rank beast" Vondrel stated
'They are quiet good and precise, but why didn't i see when he slashed, he has improved ' Rina thought
They continued to move on untill Vondrel suddenly stopped walking. Making the other turn to stare at him oddly.
'Are you sure, because i can't sense anything from here ' he said to the voice in his head
"When did you start doubting me, i said i can sense beast presence from your right hand side but the level increases the more you move, I'm not in my full power else I would have sensed the details." the kyokai replied
"Let's head this way, i have a feeling that we will encounter more preys from here" Vondrel said
"Are you sure about what you're saying, because i can't sense anything from this way at all" Rina inquired.
"Trust me" was his reply
They all moved to the said direction, they haven't gone far when suddenly the ground quaked and multiple worms came out from the ground and surrounded them.
"I can't believe we were led into a trap" Sam said
They were surrounded by 5 ranker level all in the middle tier all led by a middle tier mediate level beast.
A battle unfolded immediately, Rina decided to fight the leader which is the mediate level specimen.
Sam moves from side to side, avoiding the poisonous saliva from the worm, he sent a barrage of wind blades at the worm, the blades weren't piercing deep into the the worm's body but it was drawing blood from it.
He charged in and shouted
"Wind spinning strike". Wind converge on his hand and began spinning, he swung his hand in a piercing motion after dodging the wild crash of the worm. His hand pierced through the worm and a spinning hole was created in the worm making it fall limply on the ground.
Blood was dripping from Sam's hand, black blood oozed out of the hole he drilled in the worm's bofy. As the worm lay limply on the floor without any movement,He began to carve and enlarge the hole searching for the crystal, not to long he found it and took it. He held a shining orb like object which is the crystal, he looked back to see how his colleagues were faring, but alas they were all done with their battles too and have also withdraw the crystals.
"How do you guys feel with killing beast for the first time?" Rina asked fearing for their mental health.
"As for me it's just like killing a wild chicken Vondrel said
The others limited themselves to shrug.....
"Really you have killed a wild chicken?" Sam asked with a wide eye
"Yeah of course, my dad do bring life one's from his hunt...i thought it's a normal thing " Vondrel answered not knowing what the big deal is about killing a wild chicken.
"Emm...a wild chicken isn't something a normal person who isn't brave and familiar with killing domestic animals could kill and moreover as the name implies it isn't like the domestic chicken or the forest chicken. It's a very dangerous species, yeah a mutated one, i'm also surprised you said you have killed one. " Rina said and cleared the misunderstanding between them.
"Let's get going, we need more crystals " she urged
..... .. ...
They continued their journey and came across several packs of beast roaming about in that area. They formed a barricade and built a tent so as to pass the night.
Rina decided to take charge in being the watch guard for the night, but Vondrel refused and choose to be the watch guard. They all agreed to switch positions in three hours till dawn and the rest will take turns the next night.
Vondrel sat outside the tent and was lost in thought, thinking about his life, how he grew up, the tough experience in school and he was thinking about his parents and siblings missing them.
"Be patient, you will be with them soon. You know you have to grow stronger so as to take them away from the slum" the blade spoke in his mind
"You know i can't just be thinking of training all the days of my life, i need times like this to think about stuffs concerning my life. " Vondrel replied
"I understand lad, but you are still too weak to change anything right now, so i'll advice you to start training.....wait i sense something. " the blade said before exclaiming
A low growl was heard and immediately something came into the Vondrel's perception range, then it appeared in his sight like a shadow with yellow eyes and large.
What Vondrel was seeing right now is a black panther, it is larger and more robust than the old normal panthers, it's eyes were glowing a yellow shade. It bared its fangs at him. Vondrel could see its cannines begging to crush the sweet savored meal in their presence.
"Kid you need to wake the others, you can't defeat it while protecting them." the blade spoke with alarm
"I can defeat it alone right? " he asked
"What the hell are thinking, it will be a tough fight and i'm not even sure you can defeat a peak mediate upper tier level beast, a black panther known for its deadly predatory abilities in the dark, a beast known for its ability of shadow." the blade said hurriedly.
Though the panthers shadows powers isn't as strong as the shadow wolf, it is by no means a child's play.
"I have an idea" Vondrel said ignoring the blade.
"What do you plan on doing, what idea... Lad" the blade was dumbstruck after seeing what Vondrel was doing.
Vondrel turned tail to the opposite direction leading the panther away from the tent. Immediately the shadow panther ran after him chasing him into the forest nearby.
"Lad, are you sure about what you're doing?" the blade questioned.
Vondrel continued running into the forest leaving a safe distance from the tent, suddenly the panther leapt up and closed the distance between them landing in his front.
It turned at him and pounced at him, Vondrel slide down in time and avoided a claw to his face, he drew out his blades and did a sharp turn, blocking another claw, but suddenly the panther vanished into thin air .
He turned 360, searching for the panther to no avail.
"To your side lad!!!" the blade sreamed in his head, but it was to late he was only able to save his head while the panther clawed at his chest. A claw mark appeared on his chest, ripping his suit and the cloth underneath.
Vondrel staggered and ducked while gritting his teeth avoiding another swing to his head, blood dripped from his chest.
"Lad you need to get yourself together and focus, else you won't survive this, remember you are living for a reason, there are people awaiting your return. How will your family feel if they heard you couldn't survive an attack against a mediate tier beast. " the blade said in a very low voice.
"I'm doomed, I am not even an awakened "
Vondrel groaned and avoided another swing before another claw mark appeared on his chest making it an X shape. More bloods dripped out of the wound.
"Fuck!" he cursed.
The energy in him rose, the panther swung it's claw aiming for its prey's head but it's claw met a with Vondrel's blade, swinging his legs immediately, his legs connected to the panthers side sending it backward .
"Growl" it growled and bared its fangs angrily.
He took a fighting stance but felt dizzy and staggered, ruining his stance. The panther glared at him while he did same, then the panther charge forward and leapt in the air with speed straight at him, he answered by also running forward.
Vondrel raised his weapon and slide down perfectly timing his attack, his blades hands emitted a sharp aura that rushed to the tips of the blades, the moment it connected to its target it went cleanly.
The panther fell down and didn't stand up, Vondrel staggered and fell down also while breathing heavily.
"Hey Lad... hurry and use the healing pill giving to you now" the blade reminded. They were all giving three healing pills to heal minor wounds.
Vondrel gulped two of the pills remaining one left, his wounds began to heal and his breathing calm down.
"Did you remember that you were actually given three pills ?" the blade asked
"Yeah what's up" Vondrel replied
"Really.....you just used two" the blade whispered
Vondrel..."_"
"Well it did it's work, there's no cause for alarm" he said
They talked about the battle, the blade gave him pointers on where to improve.
"Damn...it's almost time for me to hand over my watch guard duty" Vondrel exclaimed before jumping on his feet.
He has regained a potion of his energy, albeit his body was aching, he went straight to the carcass of the panther and carve the crystal.
"Will this go to waste? I have an hour more, that should be enough to dress the meat, we can have a smoked meat instead of the dried reserved food " Vondrel said to himself.
He stored the crystal in his pocket and dragged the panther all the way to the tent, it was too heavy for him to lift.
........
"Where did this boy go to? I hope he's okay out there " Rina said to herself
She stood up to check on Vondrel, so as to check if he is actually watching or he has slept off and left them in the mercy of the beast.
On getting outside she couldn't find him, she waited for a while before going back inside to sleep.
Vondrel came back and checked if everything were still in their right other, he then went back to dressing the precious meat he killed. He is actually a very good cook in his previous world and in this present one.