"Do you want us to take you to where we found you?" asked Kath, tearing into a piece of meat savagely with his sharp teeth. He devoured it with ferocity, as if trying to quench an insatiable hunger. The flickering firelight danced in his eyes, giving his fierce expression an even more primal edge.
The young man replied softly, "Yes, I think I might find some answers there."
"Unfortunately, that's not possible," Kath said, chewing the meat with a growl. "Royal-tier beasts claim areas as their territory, and then lower-tier creatures start moving in under their rule. There's a strong chance that the bear we encountered has made that place its domain, which makes going back there a highly dangerous endeavor." He paused for a moment, his tone cautious as he added, "Even if it's just a possibility, it's significant enough to make us reconsider."
"Fine," the young man countered, his eyes gleaming with resolve. "Let's go and observe from a distance. We won't enter the area; we'll just watch from afar. If the situation seems dangerous, we'll withdraw."
"Agreed!" exclaimed Beebo, his tone brimming with childlike enthusiasm as he gave a small leap.
Kath roared in frustration, his voice echoing through the cave. "Beebo! What are you agreeing to? You need to understand the scale of the danger!"
"Please, Kath," the young man insisted, clutching his hands together in a gesture of determination. "This is important to me."
Beebo chimed in, backing the young man, "Let's do as he suggested. We'll scout from a distance, and if there's even the slightest sign of danger, we'll pull back immediately."
Kath sighed heavily, slamming his fist against his thigh. "Ugh... Fine. Let's go then."
The sun begins its descent, casting a golden-orange glow across the sky and bathing the world in tranquil shades of fading light. Long shadows stretch across the land, whispering an ominous warning of the approaching night.
Kath and Beebo stand beside the human young man at the edge of the city. From their elevated vantage point, the city lies sprawling below them, exuding an eerie mixture of sorrow and dread.
The city appears to be in ruins, a desolate remnant of a forgotten era. Crumbling buildings lean under the weight of time—some tilting precariously, others reduced to rubble—while wild plants sprout from cracks, as if reclaiming the land for nature.
The young man remains silent, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes darting across the decaying scenery. Rusted car wrecks litter the streets, and frayed electrical wires dangle from poles, resembling abandoned cobwebs.
Kath pulls a pair of binoculars from his small pack, raising them swiftly to his eyes. "I'll circle the area and return," he says, folding the binoculars and tucking them back into his bag. Then, with incredible speed, he vanishes, leaving a gust of wind and a cloud of dust in his wake.
The young man stares in astonishment. "What?! Is that the power of a Shifter?"
Beebo responds confidently, extending one of his massive arms. "Yes, every individual has their own unique ability, and with training, they can develop it further."
Suddenly, red lines begin to pulse along Beebo's arm, glowing like veins of living energy. He abruptly turns his head, his senses snapping to high alert. His deep voice takes on a sharp edge. "There are monsters!"
"What?!" the young man exclaims in panic, spinning around as he searches for the unseen threat.
Three monsters emerge from the dense forest surrounding them, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath.
The first is a bear-like beast, resembling the ones Kath and Beebo had faced before, but with patches of rocky plates covering its body. Its glowing red eyes radiate pure rage.
The second is a small creature, akin to a monkey but with a slender, wiry frame covered in shiny black spiked fur. Its disproportionately long claws glint ominously, and its small, yellow eyes glimmer with a sinister intelligence.
The third is a wolf-like monstrosity, twice the size of an ordinary wolf. Its maw brims with long, razor-sharp teeth glowing faintly with green venom. Its dark gray fur is streaked with pulsating green lines that seem to flow like liquid poison beneath its skin.
Beebo steps forward, positioning himself between the young man and the advancing monsters. His sharp eyes remain locked on the threat as he thinks to himself, "It'll be tough to protect this human from all three alone. But I have to try."
The monsters advance cautiously, each movement calculated. The bear lets out a deafening roar that shakes the air. The monkey-like beast scrapes its elongated claws against a nearby rock, producing a hair-raising sound, while the massive wolf growls low and steady, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The red lines on Beebo's body intensify, glowing brighter and spreading across his massive frame like a living web of energy. He releases a thunderous roar of his own, powerful enough to make the trees tremble. Slamming his fist into the ground, he sends a minor shockwave rippling outward.
The bear makes the first move, charging forward with heavy, earth-shaking steps. Its roar pierces the air as it leaps toward Beebo, attempting to crush him with its immense strength.
But Beebo reacts with lightning speed, sidestepping the attack in a fluid motion. With his glowing red fist, he delivers a crushing blow to the bear's exposed side.
The impact reverberates like a muffled explosion, sending the bear staggering backward. Cracks spiderweb across its rocky armor, and shards of the plating crumble to the ground.
The monkey-like beast screeches sharply, leaping onto a nearby branch, preparing to join the fray, while the wolf begins circling, its venomous fangs bared in a menacing snarl. The battle has only begun.
The small creature didn't wait long to make its move. With lightning speed, it darted out from the dense trees, leaping toward the young man with its elongated claws aimed directly at him.
"Watch out!" Beebo yelled, rushing forward with incredible speed. He intercepted the creature mid-air just before it reached the young man, twisting his massive body to hurl it forcefully toward a nearby tree. The creature crashed into the trunk with a violent thud but wasn't defeated yet. Its sharp yellow eyes glinted as it scrambled back to its feet.
At that moment, the wolf-like beast seized its opportunity. It lunged from the side, jaws wide open, its venomous fangs aimed at Beebo's neck.
"I won't allow it!" roared Beebo, raising his muscular arms to shield himself. The beast's fangs sank into his forearm, but Beebo, gritting his teeth against the pain, used the moment to grab the wolf's tail. With a mighty swing, he slammed the beast into the ground, creating a small crater beneath its body.
Meanwhile, the bear regained its balance and charged once again. This time, it slammed its massive claws into the earth, sending tremors through the ground in an attempt to destabilize Beebo. The shockwave caught Beebo off-guard momentarily, causing him to stagger.
But Beebo's agility prevailed. With a quick recovery, he leapt high into the air, landing squarely on the bear's back. Using the full force of his fists, he unleashed a flurry of rapid, powerful strikes. The sound of shattering bones and cracking rock echoed through the forest. The bear let out one final, guttural roar before collapsing to the ground, unmoving.
The battlefield grew momentarily silent as Beebo caught his breath, his glowing red lines pulsating with fading energy.
The small creature, seemingly the most cunning of the group, changed its tactics. With remarkable speed, it scrambled up the trees, aiming to attack from above. Beebo, sharp and observant, noticed the shift immediately. He grabbed a massive rock from the ground, lifting it effortlessly, and hurled it with precision. The rock struck the creature mid-leap, sending it plummeting to the forest floor in a crumpled heap.
Now only the wolf remained. It rose to its feet once more, its glowing green eyes blazing with fury. Beebo stepped toward it slowly, his towering frame radiating confidence. He fixed his gaze on the beast and said firmly, "I won't let you near this human."
The wolf, undeterred, lunged forward, fangs bared. Beebo met the attack head-on, delivering a thunderous punch to the creature's chest. The force of the blow knocked the wolf to the ground. It writhed briefly, its glowing eyes dimming, before falling still.
Beebo stood there, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. The pulsating red lines coursing across his body gradually faded, signaling the end of his intense battle state. He turned toward the young man, who stood frozen, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock as they darted between the lifeless forms of the beasts scattered around them.
"Are you okay?" Beebo asked, his voice steady yet filled with concern.
The young man slowly nodded, his body trembling as he struggled to process what had just unfolded. Words failed him, leaving him speechless in the midst of the carnage.
The beasts began emerging from the shadows of the dense forest, their presence overwhelming the already tense atmosphere. Their roars pierced the surrounding silence, carrying a weight of menace and impending doom. Leading them was a massive creature, nearly the size of an elephant, its body covered in thick, rocky plating that extended up to its head like an impenetrable shield. Flanking it were two mutated wolves with razor-sharp metallic claws that gleamed ominously, their glowing red eyes locked onto their prey.
Beebo steadied himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground. The red energy coursing through his body intensified, the glowing lines etching his skin radiating with a fierce, otherworldly light. His imposing figure now seemed even more terrifying as he prepared for the fight of his life. "The situation keeps getting worse… This place must be under the rule of the King Bear. No matter what, I have to protect this human," he resolved, his mind racing to formulate a strategy.
Suddenly, a swift gust of wind signaled the arrival of Kath. Moving with incredible agility, he seemed to glide through the battlefield, his movements so seamless they almost defied the eye. "I've scouted the area," Kath announced sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "There are more beasts in the city. Just as I suspected... We need to get out of here. This place will soon be overrun!"
But the beasts offered no respite. One of the mutated wolves sprang into action, lunging toward Beebo with alarming speed, its metallic claws gleaming as it aimed for a lethal strike. Meanwhile, the enormous armored creature lumbered forward, its colossal size allowing it to crush anything in its path, its sheer presence exuding unstoppable power.
"Watch out!" Kath shouted as he darted toward the second wolf, his claws extending to meet the beast in midair. Beebo, on the other hand, braced himself as the first wolf's attack drew near, preparing for the inevitable clash. The ground trembled under the advance of the colossal beast, every step a reminder of the escalating danger.
The first wolf darted toward Beebo with blinding speed, its metallic claws glinting ominously under the fading light of the setting sun. Beebo barely managed to evade the strike, pivoting sharply to the side. As he did, he slammed his foot into the ground, unleashing a shockwave that radiated outward. The force of the impact staggered the beast momentarily, pushing it back just enough for Beebo to regain his footing. "Kath! Focus on the other one!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Kath, ever the agile fighter, moved with a blur of motion. His superhuman speed made him almost invisible, a mere shadow darting across the battlefield. He intercepted the second wolf before it could flank Beebo, striking with precision. His sharp claws tore through the beast's side, leaving a deep gash. Without missing a beat, Kath leaped away from the retaliatory swipe of the enraged wolf, his movements as fluid as a stream.
The second wolf snarled and lunged after him, but Kath stayed one step ahead, employing a hit-and-run strategy. Each strike was deliberate, each wound deep and decisive. The relentless attacks eventually brought the wolf to its knees. It collapsed in a heap, its snarls fading to silence as Kath landed softly nearby, ready to assist Beebo.
Meanwhile, the colossal beast loomed over Beebo. With a rumbling roar, it lifted its massive, rock-covered foot, aiming to crush him in a single devastating stomp. Beebo locked his gaze on the descending foot, his muscles tensing as he prepared to counter. "This creature is tougher than anything I've faced… I'll need every ounce of strength I have," he thought, the red lines on his body glowing brighter as he channeled his energy.
With a mighty leap, Beebo narrowly avoided the impact, landing on a nearby boulder as the beast's foot struck the ground with earth-shaking force. Dust and debris flew into the air, obscuring the battlefield momentarily. Seizing the moment, Beebo launched himself toward the beast's chest, his fists blazing with concentrated energy. He struck with all his might, aiming at a crack in the creature's rocky armor.
The sound of the impact reverberated like a thunderclap, and the beast staggered backward, its armor showing signs of fracture. But the fight was far from over. The massive creature roared in defiance, its glowing eyes locking onto Beebo as it prepared for another assault.
Beebo quickly dodged the incoming attack with a swift roll, then sprang towards the massive creature, delivering a powerful punch to its chest. The strike caused a crack in its thick rock-like armor, but the beast was far from defeated. It roared in fury and raised its heavy stone tail, slamming it toward Beebo with immense force. Beebo was sent soaring through the air, crashing into a tree with a deafening thud.
"Beebo!" Kath screamed, his voice filled with urgency.
Kath's eyes burned with determination as he rushed toward the massive creature. He ran on all fours, his powerful limbs propelling him forward at blinding speed. In an instant, he leaped high, his claws flashing in the dying light of the day. With deadly precision, he tore into the side of the beast's head, where the rock plating was thinner. The creature roared in anger, twisting to shake Kath off, but Kath was relentless. He continued to strike, slashing and tearing, his movements swift and brutal.
"Keep going, I'll help you!" Beebo called out, struggling to push himself up from where he had crashed into the tree. Despite the pain, he launched himself back toward the beast's head.
Using his charged fists, he struck the weak spot Kath had exposed. The ground shook with the impact, and the massive creature staggered, its glowing eyes flickering as it reeled from the force. It let out one final, guttural roar before its massive frame crashed to the earth with a deafening thud, the impact shaking the ground around them.
But before they could catch their breath, the sound of more approaching monsters reached their ears. From the shadows of the trees, more creatures began to emerge, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent, ready to continue the fight.