A crashing sound echoed, followed by the frantic shouts of people.
Trees toppled, and patches of ground exploded into the sky. Amid the chaos, a grotesque, robotic cry pierced the air. But as if vying for dominance, the roar of heavy machine guns matched its intensity.
Kael and Trey stood before the wall of hundreds of trees.
Hearing the tumult, Trey couldn't help but gulp.
"I don't think it's a normal Grade 2," Trey muttered, glancing hesitantly at his companion. He lifted his backpack, jiggling it. The metallic clinking was followed by a higher-pitched sound, distinct from metal colliding. "We've already got at least six Growth Orbs here. I think that's enough for you to level up. Why don't we just head to the Spire?"
Trey's nerves were on edge from the relentless gunfire in the distance.
"You can go back," Kael said for the fifth time since their journey began. Along the way, Kael had killed a few more Mechanibbits, raising the total number of Growth Orbs to six.
Trey had heard those words repeatedly, but backing down now wasn't an option. "Alright, fine. But don't tell me you're planning to join that fight. That's madness. Without a suit, even Grade 1 monsters can tear you apart like paper—let alone Grade 2!"
"Let them have their fun. I'll create mine," Kael said, a cold smirk playing on his face.
"Create your own? What do you mean?" Trey asked, confused.
Kael didn't answer. Instead, he stepped into the forest, the crunch of dried leaves underfoot breaking the tense silence. He scanned his surroundings, noting the dark trees towering dozens of meters high. Mechanical birds took flight from the branches, startled by the ongoing battle.
Kael's sharp eyes caught sight of other Behemechs fleeing the commotion, and one of them was heading in their direction.
Trey noticed it too and instinctively moved to stand behind Kael.
The incoming Behemech was a Grade 1 monstrosity—a half-robot, half-living rhino-like creature. Each of its thunderous steps shattered the ground, sending dirt flying. Its menacing red eyes locked onto them with predatory intent.
The creature seemed to be fleeing the chaos but, upon seeing humans in its path, its focus shifted.
Kael remained calm. He didn't reach for the white hilt at his side. Instead, just a few feet before the creature reached him, he suddenly dodged, leaving Trey frozen in terror.
"Dodge!" Kael shouted, snapping Trey out of his fear-induced stupor.
Gritting his teeth, tears welling in his eyes, Trey dove to the side, hitting the ground hard and rolling a few times. From the corner of his eye, he watched as the Behemech rhino barreled through the trees and disappeared into the distance.
"This should be a lesson for you," Kael said, looking down at Trey with a confident smile. "Never stand behind someone else. Always face things head-on." He crossed his arms. "You should be grateful that I, Kael Draven, am being so generous with you, kid. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so don't waste it."
"You're enjoying this…" Trey grumbled as he stood, dirt and leaves clinging to his clothes. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"
"Hey, relax. This is my way of repaying you for giving me your sword," Kael said, brushing the leaves off Trey's shoulders with a smirk.
"You are a delusional person, aren't you?" Trey said with a bitter sigh, pushing Kael's hands away and frowning. "You almost got me killed. I've lost count of how many times that's happened."
"Like I said, that's my way of repaying your kindness," Kael replied, his tone resolute. On their way to the forest, besides hunting Mechanibbits, he had forced Trey into fights, often instigating them himself.
It might seem cruel, but this was Kael's only way of returning the favor—by making the kid learn. After all, Kael had nothing else to offer but his experience.
"By almost getting me killed?" Trey sneered, clearly unconvinced. He had already decided that once they were out of this forest, he'd part ways with the crazy man. Though he begrudgingly admitted that Kael was highly skilled—possibly the first person he'd seen capable of killing a Grade 1 Behemech without a suit—he also knew that staying around him was a bad idea.
It was like walking on thin ice, where one wrong step could mean falling to his death.
Kael saw the doubt written all over Trey's face, though he didn't particularly care. Whether Trey took these lessons to heart or allowed cowardice and skepticism to consume him was entirely up to him.
Shaking his head, Kael ventured deeper into the forest. The sounds of battle grew louder with each step.
Kael treaded carefully, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Suddenly, his battle-hardened senses screamed of an incoming threat.
"Duck!" Kael shouted as he swiftly crouched behind a boulder.
Trey, trailing silently behind him, reacted immediately, throwing himself to the ground. Just as he did, a tree several meters away was cleaved in half by a massive force.
Kael narrowed his eyes as the top half of the tree crashed to the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Peeking from behind the boulder, he saw at least ten people engaged in battle with a ten-meter-tall Behemech. The ground was littered with shattered trees and churned earth.
On the far side of the battlefield, there were no standing trees left—obliterated by the endless hail of bullets the group was unleashing.
The force that had nearly struck them was just a bullet ricocheting off the Behemech's body.
Trey scrambled to his feet, his legs trembling as he took in the scene. Fear had long since overtaken him. Yet, when he saw Kael walking forward, unarmed and unsuited, he could only grit his teeth and follow.
"This is suicide… absolute suicide!" Trey muttered, his voice cracking under the pressure.
"If you want to stay alive, go hide over there," Kael said, pointing to a large rock that could serve as cover.
"Finally, you said something useful!" Trey exhaled in relief. "But what are you planning to do?"
Kael's eyes glinted as he focused on one of the groups fighting the massive Behemech. It was the same group that had bumped into him earlier and taunted them before they entered the Fissure.
Revenge? Perhaps Kael was being petty, but that didn't bother him in the slightest.
And besides…
His gaze shifted to the Behemech's chest, where light seemed to be shining through.