The world fell into a profound silence, as if the air itself had been sucked out of existence. Boyd stood frozen at the center of the bridge, his mind struggling to process the enormity of the creature that had just emerged before him. A looming, monstrous figure—a nightmare made flesh—towered over him. Its body was encased in thick, jagged stone, like a grotesque statue brought to life. The creature's red eyes glowed faintly in the fading light, its massive arms hung limp by its sides, and its long, clawed fingers scratched the earth as it took its first step forward, causing the ground to tremble beneath Boyd's feet.
"What is that thing?"
The creature's form seemed to shift with every motion, the stone-like skin shifting and groaning as if it were an ancient, cursed statue struggling to escape its bonds. Boyd could hardly comprehend its size, its true form seemingly too vast for his senses to grasp.
A thick chill crawled up his spine, his instincts screaming at him to run, to get as far away from this monstrosity as possible. But his legs felt like lead, as though they were frozen in place. Every part of his body was screaming in primal terror, and yet, in the silence of the world around him, Boyd could hear his own breath—ragged, shallow—as it echoed loudly in his ears.
Suddenly, the eerie silence was shattered by a loud, deafening crack. Boyd's head snapped up to see the bridge underfoot splintering as the nightmare devil lifted its enormous foot, testing the structure's strength. The air felt thick with impending doom, and Boyd's mind raced.
Right then, a new system notification popped up before his eyes:
Monster Identified:
Name: Gargoyle of the Nightmares
Rank: C
Rank C? Boyd's stomach dropped. He'd faced creatures before—had battled monsters in various forms—but nothing like this. This beast exuded an aura of ancient terror, its power almost suffocating in its presence.
Before Boyd could consider his options, another notification blared across his vision, sending a pulse of dread through his chest:
System Alert:
You have received your first quest!
Quest: Slay each and every one of the nightmare creatures.
Failure to do so will result in severe consequences.
Boyd's pulse spiked as he read the words.
'What the hell? What does "severe consequences" mean?'
The system didn't stop there, however. Another notification flashed at the corner of his eye, this time detailing something he couldn't ignore.
Monster Ranks:
Rank A: Difficult
Rank B: Hard
Rank C: Challenging
Rank D: Normal
Rank E: Easy
Boyd's hands clenched into fists, though his knuckles were white with fear. Challenging? Difficult? He didn't know the first thing about fighting a nightmare creature. What was he supposed to do against a thing that size? Against something so... unnatural?
His attention snapped back to the scene around him as something far more immediate demanded his focus.
Smaller, five-meter giants—stone beasts like the one towering before him—had broken free and were now charging at the servants, their brutish hands reaching out, crushing the unlucky ones in their grasp. Boyd could hear their screams now, as the giants tore into the flesh of the helpless servants. Some were lifting their victims high before squeezing, crushing the very life from them with a sickening squelch, while others tore into their bodies, drinking deeply of the bloody fluids that spilled from the crushed, gasping forms.
What the hell? Boyd thought, his heart racing even faster.
One of the smaller giants, its body a grotesque fusion of stone and darkened flesh, approached with unnerving purpose. The system flashed another notification.
[Lava]
Rank: D
Rank D? It's at a normal rank for a stone giant. Boyd's mind reeled. What was normal about this? These things were monsters—murderous and grotesque. But his moment of realization was broken, as a hand gripped his shoulder, yanking him back to reality.
His hands trembled as he thought to himself
" I can't fight this. I'm not ready. This isn't what I—"
Before Boyd could finish his thoughts, the ground beneath him trembled violently, followed by the shrill screams of the servants behind him. A wave of panic surged through him as his mind snapped back to the present. He turned in time to see the smaller giants—roughly five meters tall, their stone-clad bodies gleaming in the low light—attacking the panicked servants.
Boyd's eyes widened in horror. They were too quick, too brutal. The servants ran in every direction, but it was clear that many were already doomed, their fates sealed by the titanic beings wreaking havoc around them. The massive hands of the giants swiped through the air, their strength nearly unstoppable as they crushed anything in their path.
I can't just stand here, Boyd thought, his heart pounding as he tried to break free from the terror that rooted him to the spot. I can't let them die.
A strangled cry pierced through the air, and Boyd's eyes snapped back to the chaos unfolding. The giant creatures were ripping through the servants, tearing them apart with grotesque ease. His throat constricted, and his body was overcome by helplessness. He needed to do something. Anything.
But what could he do? He wasn't strong enough. Not yet. So all he could do was watch, and pray that they could somehow survive this.
In the chaos, a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder, yanking him back to the present. He was spun around to face Edward, one of his servants, whose face was white with terror.
"Young master, we have to move. Now!"
"No!" Boyd's voice came out strained and desperate. "I can't leave them, Edward. Not like this!"
"We don't have a choice!" Edward's voice was sharp with fear. His eyes flicked to the approaching monsters.
"Please! We need to go before—"
Unfortunately, before Edward could finish his plea, a massive hand swiped toward Boyd, and with a brutal swiftness, it grabbed him around the waist. The world tilted as Boyd was lifted from the ground, his body slammed into the air as though he weighed nothing.
Boyd's world spun, disoriented and terrified. His heart hammered in his chest, and he gasped for air. He struggled to break free, thrashing against the giant's stone-like fingers, but it was futile. The grip tightened, and Boyd was swung violently through the air. His limbs flailed, but he was utterly powerless against the strength of the giant.
"Let me go!" Boyd screamed, panic swelling in his chest, but his words were lost in the void of the creature's grasp.
Just as he thought he might lose consciousness, something incredible happened. A blur of motion cut through the chaos. The sound of metal singing through the air, the flash of light, and in a single moment, the giant's hand was severed at the wrist. Boyd fell with a sickening thud to the ground, his breath knocked out of him.
The pain hit him a second later, but before he could react, he saw the figure who had saved him—a man, tall and imposing, his movements sharp and controlled. He was dressed in dark clothing, practical yet refined, and carried three swords—two on his hips and one sheathed across his back. Each sword gleamed with an ominous edge, ready for battle.
Boyd struggled to catch his breath as the man approached, his icy gaze falling on him with an intensity that made Boyd's chest tighten. "Get up. We don't have time," the man said in a low, commanding voice.
Boyd's eyes narrowed, still fogged with fear and confusion.
"Who are you?" he managed to rasp.
The man's lips curled into a brief smirk, his tone dark but somehow reassuring.
"Well, you little tud, I'm the one your father hired to make sure you live through this. Now, move!"
Boyd's mind whirled with questions, but before he could speak, another scream echoed through the night. The chaos was growing worse by the second. Boyd's pulse spiked, but he didn't budge.
"I'm not leaving them behind." Boyd said, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at his insides.
The man's expression didn't change, but there was something dangerous in his eyes.
"You don't get it. We don't have a choice. If you don't leave now, you'll be dead with the rest of them."
Boyd's chest tightened with frustration.
"I won't leave. Not without them."
The man took a slow breath, his eyes locking onto Boyd's with cold resolve. "Then you die. Is that what you want?" he asked, voice softer, but still stern.
Boyd hesitated, his thoughts spinning as the urgency of the situation gripped him. He could hear the sounds of battle intensifying in the distance, the screams growing louder, more desperate. He clenched his fists, his entire body trembling from the overwhelming weight of the decision.
Finally, his gaze met the man's again, the determination in his eyes fighting against the terror.
"I'll fight. I'm not leaving anyone behind." Boyd said through gritted teeth.
The man didn't argue. Instead, he turned, his face hardening.
"Then follow me," he said quietly.
"You'll need to move faster than you've ever moved in your life if you want to survive."
Boyd took a deep breath, steeling himself for the battle ahead. As he followed the man, the weight of the nightmare ahead pressed down on him, but he wasn't running anymore.
The world around him was breaking apart, but he refused to be another victim.