The sky was starting to darken as six military vehicles rolled through roads filled with rubble. Their massive tires crushed debris, jostling the passengers inside. Engine roars echoed loudly, while everyone inside remained silent, focused on their mission: to bring down one of the most lethal Rank 3 Zombies—Tyrant.
Sofia sat cross-legged in the back of an open truck, her hands gripping her cross-spear tightly. In front of her, Viktor, Rina, Dito, Kamil, Yuna, and Vivi leaned against the vehicle’s wall. Their faces were tense, yet without doubt. In the other vehicles, members of Team Raijin and fully armed military soldiers also waited, ready for whatever would come.
But they didn’t know that the nightmare was about to arrive sooner than they expected.
A thunderous boom—like lightning erupting from deep underground—shook the air. Before anyone could react, one of the middle vehicles was hurled into the air and tossed like a toy—its metal crumpled, wheels torn off, and shards of steel flying in all directions.
"Stop! Stop the vehicle!"
Sofia’s truck screeched to a halt, throwing everyone forward. Screams and explosions followed. Plumes of dust and black smoke rose in the distance, accompanied by a roar—like a beast howling from the depths of hell.
Sofia quickly stood up, jumped down from the truck, and ran toward the destroyed vehicle. Altair was already there, eyes narrowed at the towering figure emerging from the smoke.
Over three meters tall, his body looked like layers of muscle without skin,. His massive hands were still drenched in blood. He didn’t move fast—but each step made the ground tremble.
"Dear God..." one soldier whispered.
Sofia quickly raised her hand. A white glow shone from her palm as she cast healing magic toward the survivors of the wrecked vehicle.
"Quick! Pull the survivors out!" she shouted.
Several military members and Viktor jumped in to help, pulling injured bodies from the wreckage. But hope crumbled as five of them were already dead—bones shattered, faces unrecognizable, and one of them was Captain Ivan.
Sofia stared at Captain Ivan’s body in shock and sorrow, but she quickly looked away and stood tall.
"Captain Ivan is down!" she called out to the remaining soldiers. "I’m taking command now. Follow orders! Don’t panic!"
Some of them hesitated, but with Tyrant’s deafening roar, there was no time to argue. They nodded.
Altair stepped closer, eyes never leaving Tyrant. "We have no choice but to attack now before he destroys another vehicle."
Sofia nodded. "Offensive formation! Team Raijin, apply long-range pressure! My team, flank from the left! Military squad, form a defense line behind us and protect the gunners!"
Orders spread quickly. The battlefield was soon filled with the sounds of gunfire, footsteps, and magic. Kamil positioned himself atop a vehicle, aiming his .50 caliber rifle at Tyrant. Yuna slipped through the debris, dagger in hand. Dito and Viktor faced forward, while Rina prepared support and healing spells.
At first... the fight seemed to be in their favor.
Tyrant, massive and powerful as he was, appeared overwhelmed by their coordination. Altair moved like a storm, channeling electricity into Tyrant’s body each time he got close, then retreating before being caught. Kamil landed shots to the creature’s head, black blood spraying. Sofia attacked from the opposite side, distracting with holy magic and thrusts of her glowing spear.
Every blow was returned, but their pressure forced Tyrant to retreat. The military squad began to gain confidence, shooting with rifles and grenades.
"We can win!" one soldier shouted.
But it was too soon to celebrate.
Tyrant suddenly stopped moving, as if collapsing to the ground. Some hesitated to approach. A fatal mistake.
In a flash, Tyrant surged up in a burst of motion, slamming the ground with his hand. The explosion of dirt and debris shattered their formation.
"Watch out!" Sofia yelled, but it was too late.
Tyrant ran—no, leapt—toward the rear military line. His head down, shoulders braced like a charging bull. He rammed through them like a cannonball.
Three soldiers died on the spot. Two more were flung into the air and didn’t move again. Then... five more were crushed by his relentless punches—their blood splattered across vehicles and abandoned weapons.
"Something’s wrong..." Altair muttered, eyes narrowing. "He pretended to be cornered."
Sofia gritted her teeth. "He’s not some wild beast... he tricked us with tactics."
"Casualties?" Viktor asked.
"Eight. No... thirteen," Rina answered, voice trembling. "All military. We’ve lost a lot of firepower."
Kamil paused his shooting. "If this continues, we’ll lose our momentum."
Sofia raised her spear. "No! We can’t falter! Focus on our strengths. Tyrant may be smart, but we have more than just muscle. We have teamwork."
Altair nodded. "Agreed. We need to sync our attacks and bait him properly this time. No more falling into his traps."
Blood still dripped from Tyrant’s hands as he stood tall. The creature looked at them one by one, then let out a long roar.