"Prove my worth?" Melissa stared at Augustus as he turned around to face the gates, "Where were you when our chief died, and I had to protect this village for a whole year? How dare you say that to my face?"
"Melissa, if you do not get the villagers away from the gates, this place with turn to a feeding ground in the next fifteen seconds." Augustus narrowed his eyes, watching as the gates trembled fiercely, "Fourteen. Thirteen."
"Everyone, follow me!" Melissa shouted at the top of her lungs, turning around then rushing into the crowd. The stunned crowd joined Melissa, rushing away from the gates and scrambling for cover further away.
'As for the raks…' Augustus narrowed his eyes, turning to Aaron then to Lily. He did not want to use his skill on anyone yet, but if the situation begs it then— Augustus felt a cold shiver run down his spine, "No, wait. Aaron and Lily, get back!"
Aaron dashed to the left, and Lily to the right. The gates exploded in that moment and a massive beast rushed in. It stood on its massive hind limbs, and its scythe-like forearms were raised into the air. It towered over three metres taaaall.
It had eyes all over the upper part of its head, and its mouth cracked open to reveal an uneven pair of huge metal fangs with rows of smaller jagged teeth. As the beast released a guttural roar, the ground beneath trembled, and dust rattled off the buildings.
"Is that how a rhino's supposed to look like?" Aaron asked, pointing at the creature as he tightened his grasp around his blade. Raks, armed with blades, emerged from the gates as Aaron leapt forward to meet them, holding Augustus's blade tight.
"Aaron, use your skill «Blade Euphony» then follow that up with «Light Symphony»!" Augustus shouted, dashing straight for the massive beast, 'The first skill «Blade Euphony» is single target burst and «Light Symphony» is an Area of Effect finisher!"
By using «Blade Euphony» first, then his finisher last, Aaron capitalises on his second hit critical to burst down an entire group of enemies. Augustus had seen it in action many times, enough for it to become muscle memory in a team fight.
Heeding to Augustus's advice, Aaron dashed forward as flashes of light went off in the area. He appeared deep in the raks' ranks, straightening his stance as an explosion of gore occurred behind him, "How are you going to deal with the beast?"
'The beast?' Augustus blinked, watching as the rhino charged in his face, raks dashing after it, and all targeting him. He scoffed, entering a fighting stance as he breathed in, "If I use my full power, then I'm sure that I could deal with the rhino."
"Why are you calling that thing a rhino?" Lily roared, her eyes wide and veins popped out of the sides of her head. She pointed to the approaching beast, "It looks nothing like a rhino! That's a big ass rak! Go get your eyes checked!"
"It's not called a rhino because it looks like one." Augustus drew in a deep breath, and closed his eyes, dust rising from the ground around him. When he opened his eyes again, a fierce light shone within them and he charged forward, "It's because it's a tank!"
He dashed forward, appearing right before the rhino and throwing his fist. The punch connected with the beast's abdomen, creating a shock wave that sent the other raks flying into the air. The rhino-rak's feet left the ground, its eyes widening from the shock.
"That's not how this works!" Lily shouted, her hands stretched forth. She watched as a stunned rhino-rak received seven more blows from Augustus while it remained floating in mid-air, each pulverising its body, "Fuck, you'll kill it at this rate!"
'This feeling, it's invigorating…' Augustus tightened his fists, staring at the monster in shock, then dashing away from it. The beast fell to the ground, and the other raks ran over its body to attack him, but Augustus reacted viciously, 'I can deal damage faster!'
Twenty-hit Combo! Under the speed-up effects from Lily's talent, each rak in sight had his arm stabbed through their chest. The bodies fell to the ground, building a pool of blood as Augustus straightened his spine, turning around to face Lily.
"What?" Lily, who'd ceased the boost, stared back with a brow raised. Augustus shook his head, turning to Aaron who battled the endless waves of raks. Lily frowned, "They are fast multipliers. We need to find a way to put out the silver flames."
[Quest Encountered!]
'That triggered an event?' Augustus frowned.
[C-Ranked Quest, "Hunt Enryon"]
[Reward — Skill, "Flame Punch"]
'Oh, this is just bad.' Augustus frowned, his gaze turning cold. Skills were very useful in this world, and the more you had the vaster your power, 'But, this quest is too vague. I don't know who the fuck is Enryon, why it's a frigging Rank-C or what's a Flame Punch.'
"Tra— Augustus, the swarm is growing!" Aaron shouted, swinging his sword fiercely and sending more heads flying into the air. His gaze darting across the area, ensuring he doesn't get flanked by the raks, "We have to pull out quickly!"
"Hold out a little longer." Augustus narrowed his eyes, glancing from side to side and narrowing his gaze. He turned to the fallen gates, then the weakened rhino, "This place's a bit spacious, but it should be enough. Aaron, hand me my blade and retreat!"
"Why—" Aaron dashed back as the raks chased, mouths wide and fangs bared. He held his breath and spun around, hurling the blade at Augustus. As soon as Augustus caught it, Aaron bolted for behind him, leading the raks towards Augustus.
'A hundred years…' Augustus took a deep breath as he held the hilt of his blade, then a strange light appeared in his eyes. He swung the blade in a rising arc, and flashy crescents flew into the crowd, crisscross slashing through the beasts, '…of slaughter!'
"Fuck…" Lily blurted, staring as numerous raks fell to the earth — diced into a million pieces. Even as more fell, twice more rushed into the gates and each and every one had its gaze fixated on Augustus, rushing him as he ran out the gates, leaving the duo behind.
'Now that I've done this, they would rush into the treasury for safety.' Augustus stared at the raks, like grains of sand on a seashore, slashing through their ranks, 'All I need now is to get these things from the town square… I can— No, I will deal with them.'