Stars were twinkling above. The trees in the surroundings were lush and green. Ray stood tense, cold sweat trickling down his face.
"My bad decision has come back to bite me in the ass," he muttered in a low, bitter voice. The weight of his tone carried the sharp bite of frustration and the heavy undertone of looming danger, making the night air feel even colder.
Killing the Elite of the Ash Legion had been easy, but it had cost him valuable time. Now, he was surrounded.
Dozens of Fiends of the Ash Legion encircled him. Most were no stronger than the iron-rank tamers he had killed, but six among them stood at the bronze rank, each one strong enough to end his life if he slipped even once. Worse still, he had no knowledge of their individual abilities. What if one of them possessed a cheat-like skill capable of immobilizing him, or something just as insidious? In that case, once his Turtle Shell Armor exhausted its defenses, his death would be inevitable.
