The morning after the Lunar Cry event, the world woke to an impossible, terrifying new reality. On Z-News, the anchors—a veteran journalist named Marcus Thorne and a visibly shaken meteorologist, Dr. Lena Hansen—sat stunned, their faces pale beneath the studio lights.
"We are now... seventeen hours into the Lunar Cry," Marcus began, his voice hoarse, "and against all scientific projections, against all predictions of total global annihilation... civilization, somehow, still exists."
"It's a miracle, Marcus," Lena whispered, her eyes wide, staring at a monitor off-camera. "A terrifying, crimson miracle. Our atmospheric models... they just don't account for this."
Suddenly, the screen behind them cut to a live feed from a Z-News helicopter. The camera panned across a desolate urban landscape—Phoenix, perhaps, or a similar major city. But it wasn't the devastation that was immediately striking. It was the sky.
The sun was rising, but its light was filtered through a perpetual, unearthly haze. The entire horizon, the very air itself, glowed a deep, unsettling blood-red. The crimson ice belt, caught in Earth's orbit, now acted as a colossal, reflective prism, bathing the entire planet in an apocalyptic, sanguine light. The world was now red.
"This is Z-News live above Phoenix," the chopper pilot's voice crackled. "As you can see, the sky is... unlike anything we've ever witnessed. The constant impact events from the free-floating lunar beasts are infrequent enough to prevent total collapse, but significant enough to keep humanity on edge."
The broadcast then rapidly cut through a montage of cities under siege:
Tokyo: Sleek Silver Centipedes scaled skyscrapers with chilling speed, their metallic bodies glittering against the crimson dawn as special forces units opened fire, only to watch the creatures vanish over the rooftops.
London: Bloated Tentacle lunar squids drifted silently through the fog-shrouded financial district, their whip-like appendages lashing out, pulling cars and people into the air as panicking citizens fled across Westminster Bridge.
New York: Multi-limbed, bipedal Crabs (Carcinians) smashed through Times Square, their rust red carapaces impervious to small arms fire, their many claws tearing into vehicles and scattering the few remaining populace.
In Cairo a massive, air-swimming Abyss Eel coiled around the great pyramid of Giza. Other eels and Carcinians struck ancient monuments, their needle-toothed jaws swallowing whole sections of buildings as military jets desperately tried to engage them in the blood-red air.
Back on the Camelback mountains I and my team watched the global broadcast on our Z-phones against the crimson dawn that bathed the Camelback Mountain peak. The wind, now carrying an unsettling metallic tang, whipped around us.
"So," Felicity stated, her voice tight, "the sky is blood, and the world is a buffet."
"Not for long," I growled, my gaze sweeping the jagged terrain below us. The Void Spread ability now thrummed in my tail, a constant, low readiness. I could already see them—a column of movement at the base of the mountain, illuminated by the red light.
Suddenly, a massive, four-armed Silver Ape burst from behind a large rock formation! its translucent fur shimmering, its red eyes locking onto our position. It let out a guttural roar, pounding its chest with two of its powerful fists, followed by a swarm of the smaller, scuttling silver fleas, each one as big as a war horse! their segmented bodies looked like glittering silver waves.
"Looks like we're on the menu, boys and girls!" I yelled, my grin returning, a feral slash across my face. "Felicity! Koba! Marla! Mothman! Get ready! This is our new normal!"
I charged forward, the dark crystal rod extended, my newly upgraded plasma tail arcing with indigo-purple energy. The lead Silver Ape roared, launching a jagged boulder.
The massive, jagged boulder launched by the lead Silver Ape screamed through the red-lit air straight toward the party.
"Evasive Maneuvers!" I roared.
Instantly, the team fractured into streaks of motion. Mothman somersaulted backwards screaming "Xun'dral Unit!" The Xun'dral armor manifested out of it's pocket dimension storage and wrapped itself around Mothman, in an instant he was a wheeled blur of motion, fiery blazing on his single large wheels, dodging the missile with a casual tilt of his body. Marla and Felicity used their wings and flight ability to easily evade, flipping backward in graceful, simultaneous arcs, the projectile passing harmlessly beneath them. I vaulted high, performing a sharp somersault, the boulder sailed harmlessly beneath me.
The impact was left entirely to the heavy hitters: Koba and the Hand.
The colossal, bio-steel Hand did not evade; it intercepted. The great, spurred umbilical whip attached to its wrist shot forward, cracking against the boulder with a sound like a thunderclap. The whip, tipped with an Ecdysis Spur, a weapon formed from the shed exoskeleton of a proto-vessel, sharp enough to slice through biomechanical barriers. Powered by tectonic force, the spur split the incoming boulder clean in half.
One half tumbled over the cliff edge and vanished into the canyon shadows. The other half smashed into the ground near Koba, kicking up a plume of red dust, and rolled toward the beast-man.
With a deep, defiant roar, Koba met the tumbling half-boulder head-on. He caught the immense chunk of rock in a crushing two-handed grip, the force barely making him stagger. With a grunt of effort, he heaved it back, launching the projectile straight at the surprised Silver Ape.
The rock connected with a wet, cracking thud against the Ape's chest, sending the beast skidding backward, a stun debuff icon popped into existence over it's head.
I had a momentary window before the official battle started. Realizing the gravity of the battle and the absolute importance of the high-ground position, I didn't rely on instinct alone. I had to secure my clans progress.
Mid-air I flicked a mental command to Herja. "Herja. Generate a Save Crystal. Designate location: Cavern Entrance."
"Save Crystal generated and activated," Herja confirmed with satisfying finality. "Progress secured." As I landed safely back on the ground. With our progress safely logged, my focus snapped back to the advancing lunar horde. As the engagement officially began, Herja confirmed the status in my mind with cold efficiency.
"Battle encounter! Lunar Silver Back Ape:"
Lunar Silver Back Ape Status
Type Alpha Brute / Melee
Level 35
HP 148,000 / 150,000 "Slight damage from Koba's counter" Herja quipped.
Defense High "Thick silver fur and muscle density."
Attack speed 178 "Exceptional strength and agility."
Vulnerability: "Debuffs, Turn Meter Control.
I saw my opening. The Ape was stunned, its defense momentarily lowered. It was time to test the new team synergy.
"Hand, Koba! Suppress the fleas! Felicity, Mothman, Marla with me!" I commanded, before pivoting my body into another twisting leap, meeting the advancing enemy party.
The "Battle Start!" confirmation flashed in my HUD, and the engagement officially began. Immediately my 'Regenerative Synergy' skill kicked in. I sent out waves of turquoise blue orgone energy and a fifteen percent HP-Regen buff icon flashed over my team mates heads. I watched the turn meter bars, noting the alarming pace at which the Alpha Brute Silver Back Ape's Turn Meter rushed forward. They were a fairly quick creature type! But still not faster than my speed affinity teammate, Mothman, in his wheeled Xun'dral unit armor!
Mothman's wheels whirred, and he launched into action. "Heavenly Cross-Over!" he yelled.
I felt the instant quickening effect of the speed boost: the +25% Turn Meter Boost totally filled my own action bar, and the +10% Speed Buff rippled across the party. Mothman's skill immediately granted his extra turn, and he didn't waste it.
He followed up instantly with his 'Tarnishing Aura' Skill. He slashed his sonic elbow blades forward, sending out a destructive, low-energy wave. The Alpha Brute couldn't evade the incoming attack and took the hit. The 15% Defense Down Debuff icon—a small, fractured shield—flashed into being over the great ape's head.
"Yes! It landed!" I thought, the success of the first two chain links electrifying my focus. Marla was up next, all twelve of her vipers hissed and she hovered on the battlefield, her wings sending out a pressure current that lifted her into the air, further enhancing her agility/evasion. "Hmm that must be a new core path ability she unlocked." I thought to myself. Suddenly Marla's vipers' eyes glowed green then with a flash they emitted jagged crackling arcs of destructive orgone force!
"Serpent Flash!" Marla cried! Her serpent flash illuminated the area and I saw yellow damage numbers appear! Marla had dealt 25,000 in damage. The Alpha Brute was now at 123,000 HP. This battle wasn't looking good already, my nuker could no longer deliver enough damage compared to the insane size of the lunar beasts HP.
Now, it was Felicity's turn, thanks to the massive Turn Meter boost. I sent her a crisp, decisive 'Beast Command.'
"Summon Sad Felicity for her 25% attack down debuff!"
Felicity's eyes, usually playful, narrowed with immediate focus. With a soundless pop, Sad Felicity materialized directly beside the main Ape. The Chibi was a tiny, ethereal figure, shrouded in a pulsing gray aura. It didn't look malicious—just overwhelmingly, cosmically sad. Felicity activated Sad Chibi Felicitys - Aura of Despair!
A wave of crushing, psychic gloom, invisible but palpable, washed out from the Chibi, instantly engulfing the entire advancing enemy party—the Alpha Ape and the swarm of Silver Fleas. The 25% attack down debuff icon—a weeping tear—flashed over the heads of every lunar beast on the slope. Sad Felicity's Aura of Despair Inflicted a 25% Attack Down Debuff on not just the Alpha Brute but to all enemies! Their damage output and initiative severely reduced!
The Ape's stunned posture deepened, and the Silver Fleas, halfway up the slope in a relentless scuttle, suddenly seemed to hesitate, their frantic speed subtly breaking under the psychic weight of pure melancholy.
Before my turn even began My ''Aura of Submission'' activated sending out an oppressive intimidating wave. The waved slammed into the Alpha Brute and with my accuracy rating of 250 the 'fear' debuff landed, the fear icon flashed into being over the Brutes head, a fearful looking face, there was now a 45% chance that the Alpha Brute would skip it's turn, its action being stifled by the fear debuff. Then my turn officially started! I quickly sent wisps of intent to my Brood mother palm summoning 1 Abismal Lurker and nine kinetic scuttle bugs! 15% attack increase buffs that lasted two turns flashed into existence over their heads, due to the 'Pheromonal Aggression.' Skill My turn was over, it was now the Alpha Brutes turn and I held my breath, hoping the fear debuff would cancel it's action.
I held my breath, watching the red icons float above the Alpha Brute Silver Back Ape. They flickered over its head, a cocktail of negative status effects swirling in its consciousness: Defense Down, Attack Down, and my all-important Fear debuff.
The Ape reared back, its massive four arms twitching, prepared to lash out—but the Fear held. The massive creature flinched, its movement stifled by a purely mental paralysis. The action bar for the Alpha Brute emptied as the creature effectively skipped its turn. The fear debuff icon cleared away, it's single use turn used up.
"It worked!" I roared, the relief immediately transforming into aggression. "Mothman, back on!"
Mothman's action bar instantly filled again. With the speed buff still active and the ape paralyzed, he didn't need to use a utility skill; he went straight for damage.
"Sonic Blade Storm!" Mothman shouted, his Xun'dral Unit accelerating from a standstill to a blazing, wheeled streak of silver and fire.
He darted around the stunned Brute, his ultrasonic elbow blades flickering faster than the eye could follow.
The attack hit three distinct times with rapid, brutal efficiency:
A searing slash across the Ape's left shoulder. I saw white damage number light up my HUD. 3200 damage
A quick, deep slice across the Ape's chest where the armor was thinnest. I saw yellow damage numbers light up my HUD. "Hmm 6,000 damage, he crited there.
A final, focused strike to the exposed back of its knee. Red damage worth 4,200.
The combined damage of 13,200 HP ripped through the Ape's health bar. Herja instantly updated the HUD:
Lunar Silver Back Ape Status:
HP 109,800 / 150,000
Defense Down 1 turn remaining, Attack Down 1 turn remaining.
The next action belonged to the party's HP Nuke. Marla wasted no time.
She dove toward the Ape, her dozen serpent vipers hissing as she closed the distance. Her attack was raw, focused kinetic energy, channeling her massive HP pool for HP-based enhanced striking attacks.
Marla activated her Melee Flurry!
Marla's strike was a blur of focused, emerald light and lethal precision. She used her taloned hands and the coiled, bio-mechanical vipers to deliver a devastating three-hit combo!
A wicked claw swipe across the Ape's face. Damage: 10,000!
A crushing, whip-like strike from a viper across its ribs. Damage: 10,000!
A final, double-handed slam to the Ape's sternum. Damage: 10,000!
The cumulative damage of 30,000 HP slammed into the already weakened creature. The Ape's translucent fur rippled with the impact, and the sheer force of Marla's attack caused it to skid another several meters backward, its heavy bulk carving a trench in the rocky summit.
Herja instantly updated the status:
Lunar Silver Back Ape Status
HP 79,800 / 150,000
Debuffs Fear (1 turn), Defense Down (1 turn), Attack Down (1 turn)
"Damnit!" I thought. "we're not doing enough damage, but if my plan works, we will level up massively from this risky battle!"
It was Felicitys turn next and I sent her another Beast Command: "Summon happy Felicity for an accuracy and attack boost!" Happy Felicity Aura of Fortitude; Grants a 25% increase accuracy buff and 15% attack boost to all allies within the zone.
It was Felicity's turn again, and I saw a final opportunity not just to finish the Brute, but to prepare the team for the massive swarm of Silver Fleas racing up the mountain behind it.
I sent her one last, urgent 'Beast Command.'
"Summon Happy Felicity for an accuracy and attack boost!"
Felicity smiled—the first genuine, non-combat smile I'd seen since the fight started. The sad, gray, weeping Chibi vanished with a soft pop, instantly replaced by Happy Felicity. This new Chibi was a radiant, golden-yellow projection, pulsing with infectious joy.
Felicity activated Happy Felicity - Aura of Fortitude!
The wave of positive emotion was instantaneous and invigorating. It was less a psychic assault and more a warm, crystalline zing of confidence that swept over the entire team.
Buff Effect
Accuracy Buff +25% increase to accuracy
Attack Boost +15% increase to attack
It was my turn, but again before I even started my 'Aura of Submission' triggered sending out another wave of intimadation! Another fear debuff materilized over the Brutes head! My summons now had a stacked 40% attack boost, if I wanted to activate the "Brood Synergy" skill and gain my summons another 25% attack increase buff I would need to afflict the Alpha Brute with my Abismal Lurkers stamina down debuff followed by the detonation wave of the scuttle bugs, whos damage was now upgraded by the 'Detonation Mastery' Skill to 1500.
It was just then that I noticed that the Beast Master class gave me the ability to execute two commands in a single turn! I commanded my Abismal lurker to cast his spore attack, I followed that with a detonation command that I sent to the nine scuttle bugs! The Abismal Lurker opened his gill slits and shot a cloud of spores into the great silver moon apes face! The fifteen percent stamina down debuff landed, activating the 'Brood Synergy' Buff! A 25% brood synergy attack buff token appeared over my nine scuttle bugs who already had a stacked 40% attack increase buff. But the two would be calculated separately as the Brood synergy buff did not stack. I waved my Rod forward as I sent my wave of scuttle bugs detonating into the Alpha Brute! And for the first time I saw yellow damage numbers light up my HUD!
"30,089!" The Alpha Brutes HP now rested at 49,711, and he carried a fear debuff.
The Alpha Brute Silver Back Ape was once again paralyzed, the Fear debuff canceling its action for a second time. However, the Alpha Brute was now clear of all three debuffs. It was dangerous again. And it roared as it came to its senses.
"Hit it again, Mothman! End this!" I yelled.
Mothman's action bar filled instantly. He knew the goal: burn the remaining HP. He launched into his signature move.
"Sonic Blade Storm!"
He darted around the Brute, his ultrasonic blades slashing through the air. The hits connected, but without the benefit of a critical strike, the damage was significantly reduced against the Brute's high base Defense. I saw only white damage numbers flash in my HUD:
Hit 1: 2,000 damage
Hit 2: 2,000 damage
Hit 3: 2,000 damage
Mothman dealt a total of 6,000 HP damage. Herja instantly updated the status:
Lunar Silver Back Ape Status
HP 43,711 / 150,000
The primary debuffs expired, but my 'Aura of Submission' passive skill would automatically trigger at the start of my turn, locking him down again.
Next up was Marla, my HP based nuke. She soared toward the Brute, Marla's strike was a ferocious, calculated three-hit combo. Her taloned hands raked the Ape, while her vipers struck with venomous speed.
Claw Rake: 10,000 damage
Viper Strike 1: 10,000 damage
Viper Strike 2: 10,000 damage
Marla dealt a total of 30,000 HP damage. More critically, the viper strikes landed a secondary effect: two, two turn Poison Debuff icons, a sickly green skull, flashed over the Ape's head.
Herja instantly updated the status:
Lunar Silver Back Ape Status
HP 13,711 / 150,000
Debuff Poison (New.)
The Alpha Brute was now at critical health.
Felicity was up next, and she swapped Chibi forms to maximize the coming damage on the swarm of fleas, who were now just yards away. The yellow Happy Felicity vanished, replaced by the deep red, aggressive figure of Fierce Felicity.
Felicity activated Fierce Felicity - Aura of Bloodlust!
A wave of palpable aggression and savage intent washed over the team.
Buff/Debuff Effect Target
Crit Damage Buff Grants a 15% Crit damage Buff to all allies.
Rage Debuff Enemies attack recklessly, lowering Defense and Accuracy.
The Ape's defense instantly dropped again due to the Rage debuff, leaving it exposed.
As Fierce Felicity's attack boost hit, my Aura of Submission triggered for the third time!
Another oppressive wave of intimidation slammed into the critically injured Alpha Brute, and a fresh Fear debuff materialized, saving the team from what would have been a guaranteed counterattack.
My turn officially started. The Ape was on its last breath, completely immobilized, and at that exact moment—with the enemy in critical health—a massive, glowing red option popped up in my HUD window:
[Siege Weapon Limit Break!]
I knew what had to be done. I sent a sharp wisp of psychic intent into the option. The Sex Pistol—my specialized Siege Cannon Terra-former Weapon—dematerialized from my satchel ring and instantly materialized, bulky and glowing, into my waiting hands.
It was time for overkill.