The thunderous sound of countless pounding footsteps filled the air—was it hundreds, or maybe even thousands of monsters? They raced across the desert plains, kicking up clouds of sand that shrouded their figures, making it nearly impossible to see them clearly.
Their deafening roars mixed with the relentless sound of pounding feet, creating an overwhelming cacophony. Suddenly, the sharp cracks of gunfire erupted—tat-tat-tat-tat!—followed by earth-shaking explosions—BOOM! Sand and debris shot into the air as the monsters' howls grew even more ferocious.
A lizard-like creature sprinted forward, its body hammered by a volley of bullets. It screeched in pain but collapsed moments later, crushed beneath the stampede of monsters charging behind it.
The explosions continued—KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!—tearing through the monstrous horde as they pressed relentlessly toward the city walls, the mighty Dune Bastion, the pride of the Saharan Empire.
On top of the towering walls, automated turrets roared with wild—rat-tat-tat-tat!—spraying bullets into the horde with unrelenting force.
Meanwhile, massive cannons let loose with deafening blasts—THOOM!—launching explosive shells that detonated with devastating power among the advancing monsters.
Despite the relentless bombardment, the creatures shrieked louder, some of them reaching the base of the city wall. They slammed into it with tremendous force, clawing and climbing, determined to scale or destroy the imposing barrier.
This was a monster attack on an unprecedented scale!
Everyone watching—from their televisions or the streets of the city—was caught between awe, pride, and sheer terror.
Surely, they trusted in their city's technology, in the might of their empire. The Saharan Empire was renowned for having the most advanced technology on New Earth, wasn't it? Of course! Yes, of course!
But those monsters?! Could the fallen awakeners have truly ventured into a dungeon filled with creatures this numerous and this savage?
And all the awakeners who had been sent—had they really perished in the line of duty?
People should have been mourning their fallen defenders. Yet now, all they could do was hope—desperately—that this monster attack would be resolved quickly, so life could return to the peaceful routine they depended on. They needed to work, earn money, pay for housing, buy food, and send their children to school for a better future. Normal life had to go on.
On the screens, hundreds of Dune Phantoms—the Empire's sleek hover bikes—zipped across the battlefield. Saharan soldiers perched on them wielded massive hand cannons, firing BOOM! BOOM! with every shot. The recoil sent their bikes jolting backward slightly, but it wasn't enough.
It was clear: they needed more high-level awakeners to turn the tide. Without them, this wasn't going to be enough.
Edrik sighed as he watched the scene unfold.
"What do you think, Edrik?" Atlas muttered.
"Do they not have high-level awakeners to handle this?"
At that moment, the café owner, who was also serving as their waiter, approached and chimed in.
"The number of high-level awakeners isn't large, and they're spread thin across all the cities. On top of that, they're divided into different roles—some explore dungeons, others work as mercenaries for Lords. As for the team sent to handle this dungeon…"
"Abyss Dungeon," Edrik interjected.
"Oh, it's called an Abyss Dungeon? I thought Raid Dungeons were the highest tier?" The waiter asked.
"This kind of massive monster wave can only come from an Abyss Dungeon," Edrik replied with certainty.
The waiter nodded, then added, "But… it does seem like the number of monsters is starting to thin out…"
Edrik gave a bitter smile. "We haven't seen the dungeon boss yet."
"The dungeon boss?" the waiter said, his brows furrowing. "I hadn't thought about that."
"What kind of boss would come from a dungeon with monsters of this scale and type?" Atlas asked, joining the conversation.
But Edrik hesitated, reluctant to voice his answer.
The waiter turned to him, curious. "You seem to know a lot about this, sir," he said with a slight bow. "Perhaps you even have the strength to help? Surely, the Empire would offer a generous reward for your assistance."
Atlas offered a wry smile at the comment. He knew Edrik and the others had faced situations like this before, but none of them had regained their full strength yet.
His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed Morganna. She had quietly finished their entire order and was now watching the screen, her crimson eyes fixed on the battle.
Realizing this fight wasn't ending anytime soon, Atlas signaled for more food. They would be here for a while.
"Abyss dungeons usually have massive areas," Edrik began explaining. "That's why it takes so long to explore every corner of them."
Atlas and the waiter turned their attention to him, intrigued by his insight.
"The number of monsters is also enormous. However, since they're spread out, clearing them can be done gradually. That's very different from a Dungeon Break, where all the monsters emerge at once, like what's happening now."
Atlas nodded, then asked, "What about the dungeon boss? Do they only have one, or could there be more?"
"Mostly one," Edrik replied, "but it's not uncommon for there to be two, three, or even more."
Damn! A nightmare scenario. Could this city even hold out?
And yet, Atlas thought to himself, this still wasn't as brutal as the high-grade beasts Karian and Lyrassa had described from their past battles. The thought was both reassuring and unsettling.
"Beastkin shouldn't even be allowed in this café!"
The sudden outburst startled them as another customer slammed their hands on the table, then stormed out, shoving the door open with unnecessary force.
Once the disgruntled customer was gone, the waiter gave a bitter smile and bowed politely toward Atlas and especially Kurogasa, who sat quietly with the group.
"My deepest apologies for the unpleasant incident, my friends," the waiter said, his tone sincere.
"Nah, I can understand that," Atlas said with a nod.
Kurogasa then stood and bowed toward both the waiter and Atlas. "My—" he began, but Atlas cut him off, deliberately stopping him from addressing him as "Lord."
"Yes, you want to buy something outside?"
"Yes… I need to take care of something," Kurogasa replied, then quietly left the café.
Atlas sighed as he watched him go, reminded of the persistent discrimination against beastkin on New Earth.
Despite existing for over 1,500 years, beastkin were still regarded as a "strange species" by many.
Not all beastkin had appearances that people found acceptable or appealing.
Some of them had striking looks and enjoyed a good reputation. Take Mira, for example—a bunny girl whose charm and charisma could captivate anyone. Her presence alone made her easily likable.
Some beastkin even held high-ranking positions in the union, gaining respect through their skills and accomplishments.
However, those who couldn't keep up or were considered too "common" often faced harsh and degrading treatment.
To many, beastkin were still viewed as mere animals. Just like animals, some were considered repulsive, while others were seen as cute and fit to be "pets."
This was especially true for Kurogasa, a Rat Beastkin. Rats, no matter the circumstances, remained symbols of filth and unpleasantness in most people's minds.
But Kurogasa defied those stereotypes entirely. He was clean, calm, and perhaps the most composed of all Atlas's subordinates. Yet even with his dependable nature, escaping the deeply ingrained stigma was an uphill battle.
EARTHQUAKE! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
The TV screen shook violently, tables trembled, and glasses and plates toppled to the floor with a crash.
The sudden chaos snapped Atlas out of his thoughts, and he grabbed onto his chair for stability. His gaze darted back to the screen.
What… What is that?!
A massive what? Godzilla? No, it looked like a giant lizard—slamming into the Dune Bastion with earth-shaking force!
The dungeon boss?!
***
(Author's Note:)
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