Narisa's legs trembled as she stood her ground, her battered body on the verge of collapse. Her sword hung limply in her hand, and her mind was torn. Should she stand and wait for the inevitable or attack with everything she had, taking as many firehounds as possible with her into the afterlife?
Her gaze darted across the pack encircling her, their fiery forms glowing menacingly against the darkened landscape. But then, something caught her eye—a faint shimmer on the edge of the pack. One of the fire hounds staggered, its throat silently slit, collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Narisa blinked, unsure if her weary mind was playing tricks on her. Before the pack noticed their fallen comrade, three more hounds near the first crumpled in the same way, their throats cleanly cut. This time, she was certain—it wasn't her imagination. Someone was here.
The firehounds finally caught on, their snarls turning into growls of confusion as they saw their fallen packmates. Their fiery bodies flickered, and they began to search for the unseen enemy.
But before they could locate the source of the attack, a C-rank firehound—the second strongest among them—suddenly convulsed. Flames erupted violently from its body as if it had been ignited from within.
Amid the blast, a figure emerged, stepping calmly from the fiery remains of the hound. A man wielding a sword stood there, his presence radiating an aura of calm lethality. The pack froze for a brief moment, unsure how to react.
Narisa's breath hitched as she recognized him. Glenn.
The hound reacted instantly to the incoming sword, raising its paw to block the strike. But the blade passed through the paw as though it were an illusion.
Before the hound could comprehend what had happened, its right side was slashed open, blood spraying as the man's sword shifted positions seamlessly, moving from targeting its head to cutting through its flank with deadly precision.
The rest of the pack had already noticed Glenn, alerted by the fiery explosion that had engulfed their C-rank member. But before they could act, the injured C-rank hound let out a piercing cry of pain, blood dripping from its deep wound.
Narisa exhaled a shaky sigh of relief as she took in Glenn's appearance. Despite her exhaustion, she caught sight of him tossing something in her direction. Her hand instinctively shot out, catching the small bundle—a set of pills for healing and energy recovery.
Narisa leaned back against the tree, her body too weak to do anything but watch. She swallowed the pills Glenn had thrown her, feeling the faint stir of recovery as her wounds began to close and her magic energy slowly returned. But her gaze remained fixed on the battle unfolding before her—Glenn was fighting alone against the pack.
Glenn moved like a shadow, his figure flickering and shifting in the dim light of the volcanic region. The fire hounds snarled and lunged, their fiery claws raking through the air, but more often than not, they struck only space.
His illusions wove a chaotic dance around the hounds, drawing their attacks to phantom versions of himself that vanished just as quickly as they appeared.
One of the first-rank firehounds leaped at him, its claws blazing with flame. Glenn sidestepped with inhuman speed, his sword flashing in an upward arc. The hound let out a guttural cry as the blade cut through its chest, flames sputtering as its body collapsed to the ground.
The pack grew more frantic, their attacks coming in coordinated waves. Glenn responded with a calculated grace, weaving through the chaos. Another firehound lunged, aiming for his back.
A phantom of Glenn appeared behind him, distracting the beast long enough for him to twist and drive his sword through its side. The hound fell with a whimper, its fiery form flickering out.
But the two second-rank firehounds were not so easily deceived. One of them snarled, its entire body igniting in a fiery blaze as it charged. Glenn barely managed to evade the scorching leap, rolling to the side as the ground where he had stood was scorched black.
He turned to counterattack, his sword slashing toward the beast's flank, but the hound twisted with surprising speed, blocking the strike with its flaming claws. Sparks flew as Glenn was forced to retreat, a faint burn marking his shoulder from the proximity of the flames.
The second-rank fire hounds pressed him relentlessly, their claws and fiery bites forcing him into a defensive rhythm. Glenn's speed and illusions allowed him to avoid the worst of their attacks, but even his skill couldn't make him untouchable. A fiery claw grazed his side, leaving a smoldering wound, but he grits his teeth and pushes forward.
Glenn's strategy became clear—he wasn't aiming to win outright. Instead, he kept the pack's attention on himself, leading them in circles, creating just enough chaos to keep them from noticing Narisa. The first-rank firehounds fell one by one, his swift movements and precise strikes ensuring they couldn't regroup.
Still, the toll of the battle began to show. Glenn's breathing grew heavier, his movements slightly less sharp, and his body bore several minor injuries—most inflicted by the second-rank firehounds. They fought with a coordinated ferocity, their combined strength outmatching his, but Glenn held his ground, refusing to let them overwhelm him.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, and the battlefield became littered with the fallen forms of the first-rank firehounds. Glenn stood in the center of the carnage, his sword dripping with blood, his illusions still flickering around him like ghosts. The two second-rank hounds snarled in frustration, their fiery eyes locked on him as they prepared to attack once more.
Narisa watched from the sidelines, her magic energy and strength slowly returning. She knew Glenn couldn't hold out much longer, but he was buying her time—time to recover, time to join the fight, and time to tip the scales in their favor.
Narisa stood, her strength partially restored, her magic energy steadily flowing back into her body. Glenn's lone figure amid the battlefield, bloodied but unyielding spurred her forward. She couldn't let him fight alone any longer. With a deep breath, she summoned the phantoms of the Void Rat and the Nine-Colored Deer.
The air shimmered as the two phantoms appeared beside her, their presence radiating a sense of overwhelming power. The Void Rat's body flickered, shifting in and out of reality, while the Nine-Colored Deer's horn shimmered with vibrant hues. Together, they charged into the fray, wreaking havoc on the first-rank fire hounds.
Narisa leaped into the fight, her sword flashing with deadly precision. She joined Glenn in taking on the two second-rank firehounds, the heat from their flaming bodies pressing down like an oppressive wave.
One of the hounds lunged at her, its body fully engulfed in flames. Narisa dodged at the last second, her blade slashing across its shoulder, drawing a stream of fiery blood. The hound howled in rage, retaliating with a flaming claw that grazed her side, leaving a smoldering burn.
Meanwhile, Glenn faced the other second-rank firehound, his movements a blur as he danced between its relentless attacks. He used his illusions to confuse the beast, striking whenever an opening appeared.
Yet, even with his skill, the hound's power forced him into dangerous positions. A fiery bite nearly closed around his leg, and though he avoided it, the flames singed his calf, slowing him slightly.
The battlefield was chaos. The Void Rat moved like a ghost, phasing through the first-rank firehouse attacks before reappearing to tear into their bodies with deadly precision.
The Nine-Colored Deer's vibrant horn glowed as it unleashed bursts of energy, sending fire hounds flying while its innate resistance to fire allowed it to absorb most of the damage. The cries of the first-rank firehounds filled the air as their numbers dwindled rapidly under the assault.
Narisa and Glenn fought with everything they had, but the second-rank firehounds were relentless. Their fiery bodies burned brighter, their attacks growing fiercer as they sensed the tide turning.
Narisa narrowly avoided a fiery leap, her sword flashing as she countered, leaving a deep gash along the hound's side. Glenn bloodied and breathing heavily, managed to strike his opponent across the chest, but the hound's flames lashed out, scorching his arm in retaliation.
Finally, the first-rank firehounds, reduced to just ten, began to retreat, their resolve broken. The cries of their fallen comrades echoed through the air, and the second-rank hounds hesitated. They snarled at Narisa and Glenn but, sensing the battle was lost, turned to flee.
However, before they could escape far, the ground trembled beneath heavy footsteps. A deep, guttural roar filled the air, silencing all other sounds.
Narisa and Glenn turned toward the source of the noise, their eyes widening as a towering baby T-Rex, standing ten meters tall, appeared on the peak of a nearby mountain. Its scales glimmered in the dim light, and its small pack of dinosaurs trailed behind it, their eyes glowing with predatory intent.
The second-rank firehounds barely had time to react. The T-Rex leaped from the peak with surprising agility for its size, its massive jaws closing around one of the hounds.
The T-Rex's fiery eyes locked onto Narisa and Glenn, its massive form tensing as a deep growl rumbled from its throat. For a moment, it stood still, its gaze assessing them like a predator sizing up its prey. Then, with a deafening roar, it charged downhill toward them, the earth shaking beneath its tremendous weight.
Narisa's breath hitched. "Glenn…" she whispered, her voice trembling, but before she could say more, Glenn stepped forward.
"I'll handle it," he said, his tone resolute.
Without hesitation, Glenn charged uphill, his sword gripped tightly in his hand. The T-Rex, seeing his bold move, opened its massive jaws, and a fiery glow gathered at the back of its throat. A second later, a colossal fireball erupted, hurtling straight toward Glenn.
Narisa gasped, her heart racing as the fiery orb lit up the darkened landscape. But Glenn didn't falter. As he charged, his skin turned a deep crimson, steam rising from his body as if he were immersed in boiling water. Green electricity flickered and danced across his form, crackling with dangerous energy.
He skidded to a halt, planted his feet firmly, and aimed his sword. The green lightning coalesced into a concentrated beam of energy that erupted from his blade. The energy beam tore through the fireball, splitting it apart in a brilliant explosion of flames, and continued forward, shooting directly into the open mouth of the T-Rex.
The T-Rex staggered, letting out a roar of pain as smoke poured from its mouth. Its smaller dinosaur underlings scattered momentarily, their screeches mixing with the deafening roar of their leader. The cackling sound of the smaller dinosaurs echoed through the mountains, but the T-Rex, though wounded, was far from defeated.
Glenn didn't wait to see the aftermath. He turned, his expression grim. "This won't hold it for long," he muttered. In one swift motion, he hoisted Narisa over his shoulder, eliciting a surprised cry from her.
"Glenn, what are you—?!" Narisa's words were cut off as Glenn bolted.
He sprinted toward the southern edge of the mountain, his spiritual field guiding him toward a crevice on the other side. Behind them, the T-Rex's enraged roars shook the air, its massive form giving chase. Its smaller underlings joined in, their cries of anger and frustration piercing the night.
The ground trembled as the T-Rex closed the distance, its speed astonishing for its size. Glenn pushed himself harder, leaping across rocky terrain with Narisa held tightly. As they crossed into the next mountain range, Glenn reached the edge of the southern slope. Without hesitation, he jumped into the crevice he had sensed earlier.
The wind rushed past them as they plummeted into the narrow gorge. Narisa clung to Glenn, her heart pounding in her chest. They landed with a heavy thud, Glenn absorbing the impact with his legs before collapsing onto the ground. His crimson skin faded back to normal, and the green lightning dissipated, leaving his body steaming and drenched in sweat.
Narisa scrambled off his shoulder, kneeling beside him. "Glenn!" she called, her voice filled with worry. He didn't respond. His eyes fluttered shut, his breathing shallow.
Above them, the enraged cries of the T-Rex and its pack echoed through the mountains. Narisa glanced upward, her heart racing. Their pursuers roared in frustration, their prey having vanished into the hidden gorge.
For now, they were safe.