Kenshin and Seme didn't waste a heartbeat once the mutated beast emerged from the tree line. Its demonic aura rolled across the battlefield like a living miasma, thick and oppressive, slithering through the void dome's edges and crawling against the skin of every warrior present. The roar it let out was a guttural, bone-rattling sound that vibrated in their chests like a war drum announcing slaughter.
Kenshin blurred into motion, the earth splitting beneath his first explosive step. Blue lightning arced around him like coiling serpents, their crackles cutting through the night air. Each zap left ozone hanging thick, the scent sharp and biting. In less than a second, he vanished from the dome's perimeter and reappeared behind a serpent that had broken from the horde, slicing cleanly through its midsection with a horizontal flash of lightning. Smoke curled from the two halves before they hit the ground.
"Yo ugly! I'm talkin' to you!" Kenshin shouted, voice carrying over the chaos with that familiar cocky lilt.
Seme followed closely behind, charging forward with powerful strides that shook the blood-soaked ground. Her boots splashed through puddles of mud and gore as her legs coiled like springs, then launched her forward. She pivoted low, her greatsword trailing sparks as it carved through the damp earth, then swung upward in a brutal cleave. The blade met a leaping wolf midair, cleaving it clean in two. The wet CRACK of bone echoed, followed by the dull thud of its carcass hitting the ground. "Tch, you better not hog all the fun, Kenshin!" she barked, resetting her stance, muscles in her shoulders tightening like drawn cords.
Inside the dome, Mira and Velra snapped into coordinated motion. Mira's hands moved with practiced urgency, pressing fresh bandages against a soldier's bleeding side while yelling for clean water. Her tail flicked sharply with each movement, betraying her inner tension despite her composed expression. Velra strode between squads like a commander on the front lines, her eyes sharp as blades. "Reinforce the left flank! Archers, don't waste arrows—pick your shots!" she commanded, voice cutting through the din like steel.
Up on the wall, Drathan leaned casually against the parapet, fingers twitching lazily to maintain the void dome. His eyes followed the fight below with predatory amusement. "Mmm… y'all got this. I'm supervising," he muttered with a grin.
Kenshin reached the mutated beast first. He planted his feet, crouched low, and thrust both palms forward. "Thunderstorm Blitz!"
Lightning exploded outward in a blinding lattice of crackling energy. The air became electric, hairs standing on end as the mutated beast lunged through the storm with claws coated in a thick layer of demonic energy. Their collision detonated into a shockwave that blasted nearby trees into splinters and sent monsters flying.
Seme arrived an instant later, swinging her greatsword in a devastating downward arc. The mutated beast twisted with unnatural speed, dodging at the last moment. Her sword slammed into the ground with a thunderous BOOM, fissures spiderwebbing out from the impact as dirt and energy erupted skyward. "Tch—slippery bastard!" she hissed, spinning her blade around in a fluid motion and resetting her stance, feet spread wide and low.
Mira dashed between wounded villagers and soldiers, kneeling to press cloth against a boy's mangled arm while murmuring encouragement. The scent of blood and bitter herbs mingled thickly in the air. Velra paused briefly beside her, scanning the battle. "This isn't some random beast," she said lowly. "It's a commander."
Mira's ears twitched toward the distant roars. "I know. You can feel it in the air—it's… heavier."
Outside, the mutated beast let loose another wave of demonic energy. The pulse expanded outward like a heartbeat, reinvigorating the remaining monsters. The ground quivered beneath the force. Kenshin's grin widened beneath the flickering arcs around him. "Oh, so you got tricks too, huh? Good. I was worried this would be a warm-up."
Seme barked a laugh, blood speckling her cheek as she spun through two wolves with a single arcing slash, sending a crescent wave of energy ripping through the pack. "Don't get cocky, lightning boy. If anyone's takin' that head, it's me."
Kenshin shot her a sideways smirk. "Bet. Don't start cryin' when I roast him first."
Their banter mixed with the ringing of steel, monstrous howls, and Velra's sharp commands. It was chaos—wild, violent, intoxicating.
Drathan's grin sharpened. Alright… let's see what this demon mutt's really got.