The group's laughter echoed as they pushed further into the wild. Rael cracked his knuckles, sparks running down his gauntlets.
"Feels like today's the day, doesn't it?" he said, grinning wide.
"Feels like you'll still keep being slow," Nyra teased as she tapped her staff against the ground, frost trailing from its tip.
Zephyra's growl rolled out, a low rumble like distant thunder. "Loud. Both of you. Prepare for the Hunt, not make noise."
Arden didn't join in. His stride was steady, his focus buried in the system screen hovering before his eyes. Four new life signatures pulsed in his vision, each waiting for his judgment.
[Life Signature Gained: Infernal Pulse Core]
Source: Ashfang Hellmaw (A-Rank, Fire Affinity)
Effect: Project fiery "burn zones" into the terrain, forcing enemies to stumble into traps.]
Arden nodded slightly. "Useful, but messy. Situational at best."
[Life Signature Gained: Stonefang Thrum]
Source: Tusked Maulers (B+ Rank, Earth Affinity)
Effect: Reinforce body or weapon with earthen density for brutal impacts.]
"Solid defense, nothing flashy," he thought. "Good for holding lines… or smashing skulls." saying the last part with a smirk.
[Life Signature Gained: Spined Current]
Source: Iron-Spined Beasts (B Rank, Lightning Affinity)
Effect: Release arcs of fragmented lightning like shrapnel, scattering groups.]
His lips curved faintly. "Crowd control. Annoying to deal with if turned against us. I'll enjoy using this skill."
[Life Signature Gained: Skycoil Resonance]
Source: Winged Serpents (B+ Rank, Wind Affinity)
Effect: Boosts agility and perception, unleashes shockwave screeches to disrupt formations.
Arden tilted his head. "Fast, sharp, unpredictable. Has its charm."
He dismissed the screen, sliding the knowledge to the back of his mind. Ahead, his life sense pulsed again, catching faint signatures circling in the distance. Their tails had finally stopped pretending.
Behind the banter of his team, behind their laughter and reckless chatter, the Crimson Fang crept into place.
Kaelen crouched low, his sword glowing faintly with steel essence. "They've dropped their guard. This is it."
Selira smirked, sparks flickering along her arms. "Let's see how smug they look when the first strike lands."
Doran's voice was calm, steady as ever. "No wasted movement. We strike together."
Lysandra pulled her bow, the air whistling as a wind arrow shimmered to life. "One clean volley, then we crush them."
Their plan was sharp. Kaelen would storm the front, Selira and Lysandra's combined strike would rain chaos, and Doran's shadow arts would pin their escape. A tight web, brilliant on paper.
They watched Arden's party laugh, walk, careless.
"Too easy," Kaelen muttered.
Arden blinked once, life sense confirming their positions. He slid his hands behind his back and spoke without turning.
"They've taken the bait."
Rael frowned. "What bait?"
Arden glanced at him with that same calm expression. "Us."
Nyra tilted her head. "Are you saying—"
"Yes." His tone cut her off. "They're moving now. Just follow my lead."
Rael smirked. "Finally."
They didn't tense, didn't break character. Arden's group kept talking, joking lightly, almost as though unaware. The Crimson Fang, convinced, launched their attack.
The first arrow screamed through the air, splitting into three with a sharp crack. At the same time, Selira's lightning stormed forward, a dazzling net meant to cage them. Kaelen burst out with a roar, sword aimed to split Arden's skull, while Doran's shadows surged from the ground, reaching for ankles.
It was flawless.
Until Arden stepped in.
The world flared. His body thrummed with raw resonance as he pulled on the storm's static left behind from yesterday's fight. Pulse Discharge crackled around him, arcs of lightning snapping outward in a brilliant dome. BOOM! Lysandra's arrows shattered mid-flight, Selira's storm dispersed into harmless sparks, and Kaelen's blade froze mid-swing, the steel vibrating against a force he couldn't see. Doran's shadows fizzled, eaten alive by the burst of life energy coursing through the ground.
Arden stood at the center, eyes calm, his smirk sharper than any blade.
"That's it?" His voice was low, but it carried. "I thought flies like you would keep buzzing around, but you finally found the courage to bite."
The Crimson Fang froze, their plan ruined in a heartbeat.
"You've been following us since," Arden continued, brushing dirt from his sleeve as if their attack was nothing. "Trailing like pests, hoping we wouldn't notice. And after all that waiting… this is what you came up with?"
Selira's eyes burned. "You— you knew?"
"Of course," Arden said. "Your anger stinks. Hard to miss."
Rael barked out a laugh, clapping his gauntlets together. "He called you flies. I like that."
Nyra smiled faintly, leaning on her staff. "He's being generous."
Zephyra's growl rumbled deeper, her wings flaring. "Not flies. Worms."
Arden chuckled, ignoring their outrage. "This level of attack wouldn't hurt a stray wolf pup, let alone us. Did you expect me to fall over and clap for you?"
Kaelen's jaw tightened, the vein in his temple throbbing.
"You bastard," Selira spat, lightning flaring again. "Mock us again, I dare you!"
Arden tilted his head, his smirk never fading. "You don't need a dare. You just need thicker skin. Or sharper brains."
Lysandra's arrow trembled on her string, her eyes blazing with fury.
Their pride cracked, their plan shattered. The sting of being toyed with settled like salt in open wounds. But Kaelen didn't flinch this time. Slowly, his lips curled into a grin.
"You think you've won already?" His voice dripped with malice. "You haven't even seen what's next."
He raised his blade high, steel essence pouring out in waves. The ground vibrated as Selira's lightning surged to meet it, Lysandra's arrowhead glowing bright as the wind screamed around it, and Doran vanished into the shadows, his presence erased.
Four affinities, woven into one. A killing strike.
Arden's party felt the shift instantly. Even Rael's grin faltered.
"They're serious," Nyra murmured, eyes narrowing.
The storm of essence gathered, heat, wind, lightning, and steel combining into a deadly wave.
The Crimson Fang stood united, their pride coiled tight, and their killing intent locked onto Arden's group.
Kaelen's voice cut the air. "Let's see you smirk after this."
The attack descended—
And the world shook.
A/N:
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