Episode 10 — War Drums
Cold Open — War Drums
The storm had not stopped for three days.
Lightning rippled endlessly through black clouds, illuminating the jagged slopes of the Mountain of Beasts. On its peak, the Sky Tyrant Dragon waited—wings spread like a living stormfront, fire curling from its fanged maw, arcs of electricity dancing between its scales.
Below, the Hunter Army assembled. Hundreds of armored warriors stood shoulder to shoulder, weapons drawn, their faces lit by the glow of the storm. The mountain shook with the sound of war drums—deep, thunderous, and relentless.
[Recap Montage — in Xavier's mind]
Flashes of memory: the first hunt at Level 1… the death of each lieutenant… the awakening of Apex Hunter Mode against the Titanfang Serpent. And now, only one target remained.
The voice of the Guild Master crackled over comms, low and steady:
"All units… this is our last chance. Hunters… today, we kill a god."
Kai stepped beside Xavier, grinning despite the storm.
"Let's make history, rookie."
The drums stopped. The air went still.
The mountain was about to erupt.
Act 1 — The Battle Begins
The command came like a gunshot.
"FORWARD!"
The Hunter Army surged uphill in a wave of steel and magic. Xavier ran at the front, boots pounding against slick stone, Beast Sense pulsing with the overwhelming presence of the dragon above.
The Sky Tyrant roared. The sound was physical—it struck like a wall, hurling the front ranks backwards. Rock shattered, and dozens of hunters were flung from the path entirely.
Then, in a blur of black, he appeared.
The Cloaked Hunter materialized beside the dragon, twin scythes spinning in a deadly arc. Each swing carved through ranks like grass before a scythe. Sparks, blood, and rain fell together.
Kai didn't hesitate. He and his elite squad leapt forward, intercepting the cloaked figure. Steel rang against steel, magic flared, and the mountain's peak became a second battlefield.
Xavier didn't slow. He couldn't. The dragon's mana core burned in his senses—a beacon calling him upward.
Act 2 — Phase One: Army vs. Dragon
The first volleys roared past him.
Magic cannons thundered from the rear lines, sending rippling explosions across the dragon's scales. Explosive arrows streaked upward, bursting like fireworks against its wings. Spears crackled with lightning as they arced through the storm.
The dragon's answer was apocalyptic. It inhaled, molten light gathering in its throat, then exhaled a torrent of fire so intense that steel armor melted before the hunters could scream. Stone became glass in the wake of the blast.
Xavier hit the wing before the fire reached him. Volt Breaker Overdrive activated—the world narrowed to speed and arcs of light. His blade carved glowing gashes into the dragon's scale plates, prying open weak points.
"TARGET THE WOUNDS!" he shouted over comms, voice hoarse.
The army responded instantly. Arrows, spears, and spells slammed into the gashes, forcing the dragon's head to whip in pain.
From above, the Cloaked Hunter's voice cut through the chaos like a knife:
"You can't kill it without killing me!"
Act 3 — Phase Two: Duel in the Sky
The dragon's wings snapped downward, launching its titanic body into the clouds. Fire and lightning spilled from it in great sweeps, raining death on the army below.
Xavier's blood surged.
"Apex Hunter Mode—ENGAGE!"
His aura ignited gold-white, lightning crackling across his limbs. He leapt—once, twice—bouncing between airborne hunter airships until he was high enough to strike the dragon mid-flight.
The Cloaked Hunter intercepted, twin scythes crossing in a flash of red light. Their clash lit the clouds, each blow exploding in bursts of gold and crimson energy. The shockwaves alone shredded the rain into mist.
Kai dove in, locking weapons with the cloaked figure.
"GO!" he barked at Xavier.
Xavier didn't hesitate—he broke past them, racing along the dragon's neck toward its head.
Act 4 — The Breakthrough
Up close, the beast's wounds glowed with raw magic. Cracks in its chest plates revealed the pulsing mana core—like a molten heart, blinding in its intensity.
Xavier opened comms:
"AIM FOR THE CORE—NOW!"
Every Hunter capable of attacking did so. Bolts of lightning, arcs of fire, jagged spears of ice—all slammed into the exposed plates. The cracks deepened, golden light spilling outward in jagged beams.
The Sky Tyrant screamed, swatting dozens of airborne Hunters from the sky with a single wingbeat.
The world tilted as Xavier drew in every ounce of Apex Hunter Mode, channeling it into his blade. Sparks and golden arcs coiled tighter and tighter until the weapon hummed with lethal energy.
Act 5 — The Final Blow
Hunter Technique: Apex Fang Sever — LIMIT BREAK!
The vortex around his blade roared like a storm. Time slowed.
In that heartbeat, flashes of every fight, every comrade, every narrow escape crossed his vision. The Serpent's death. The first lieutenant's fall. Kai's smirk when he called him "rookie."
Xavier dove—straight toward the pulsing mana core.
SLASH!
The blade pierced it clean through.
The dragon's roar split the heavens. Fire and light erupted from every wound, ripping across the sky in blinding arcs. Its massive form convulsed once, then exploded into a storm of golden mana.
The shockwave blew apart the clouds, revealing the first fragile rays of dawn.
Act 6 — Victory & Rank Up
The HUD flared in Xavier's vision:
LEVEL UP! 20 → 25
LIMIT BREAK UNLOCKED — Temporarily surpasses level cap for extreme power.
Kai landed beside him, breathing hard, blood on his armor.
"Rookie… you just beat a god."
Xavier sheathed his blade, steam rising from its edge.
"Then I guess I'll need a bigger hunt next time."
Ending Scene — Season 1 Tease
Far across the battlefield, on a distant cliff, the Cloaked Hunter stood. His cloak snapped in the wind, face still hidden.
"You've won this season… but the real hunt is just beginning."
He turned toward an ancient stone altar where a massive map lay unfurled—its surface covered in glowing beast sigils spread across entire continents.
On the mountain below, Xavier began walking toward the sunrise. His eyes glowed pure white under the breaking dawn, determination burning brighter than the light behind him.