For the briefest of moments, no one moved.
The enormous Marshhorn stood scarcely thirty yards away, its broad chest heaving with ragged breaths while steam escaped from flared nostrils despite the warmth of the afternoon. Thick muscles shifted beneath its emerald-scaled hide as it instinctively placed itself between the hunters and the three frightened juveniles huddled behind it. The two remaining adults mirrored the movement immediately, spreading outward until the young were completely surrounded by a living wall of crystal antlers and scarred bodies.
Their glowing amber eyes never left the forest behind them. Not once.
Adrian lowered his blade ever so slightly, his expression softening as he processed the scene. "They're terrified."
Theron had already reached the exact same conclusion, his posture shifting from aggressive to protective. "They're protecting the calves."
One of the Ashroot hunters quietly drew an arrow from his quiver, keeping his bow taut. "They're still dangerous, Mayor."
"They are," Adrian answered calmly, his voice steady. "But they're not our enemy right now."
The hunter hesitated, the tension obvious in his shoulders. "Then why exactly are they here?"
Before anyone could answer his question, the lead Marshhorn suddenly released a deafening, agonizing bellow that echoed violently throughout the dense forest. It wasn't a challenge issued to the hunters; it was a desperate warning. The juveniles immediately pressed themselves closer together beneath the massive, scaled bodies of the adults, their frightened cries far softer and more pathetic than the thunderous calls of their parents.
Then... the forest behind them exploded.
A towering pine crashed sideways with enough immense force to shake the ground beneath everyone's boots. Alarmed birds erupted into the sky by the hundreds, while smaller woodland creatures fled in every direction, disappearing into deep burrows and beneath tangled roots with frantic desperation. Another ancient tree fell, and then another. Something absolutely enormous was moving through the dense forest, and it was moving fast very fast.
Theron's hand tightened around the hilt of Frostrender, the runes along the blade flaring to life. "There."
Adrian followed his gaze through the dense foliage. Between the falling trees, he caught only fleeting, terrifying fragments of the beast. Black chitin. Long, hooked limbs that shredded wood effortlessly. Multiple glowing crimson eyes. Then, it vanished behind another line of ancient pines before appearing again, much closer than before.
The veteran Ashroot hunters exchanged uneasy, wide-eyed glances. One of them whispered only a single, heavy word: "Burrower..."
Guild Master Garrick hadn't exaggerated in the slightest. The Cycle Dungeon was already radically changing the surrounding wilderness before the break had even occurred.
Adrian took one decisive step forward, his leadership taking over. "Everyone." Every head turned toward him instantly [INDEX]. He didn't shout, and he didn't show a single ounce of panic [INDEX]. His voice remained perfectly calm. "The Marshhorns aren't attacking us. They're simply trying to escape."
One of the veteran Wardens nodded immediately, tracking the creatures' movements. "I agree, Mayor."
Adrian continued without a single heartbeat of hesitation. "We protect the calves."
Several of the Ashroot hunters blinked in sheer disbelief. "What?"
Theron looked toward Adrian with rapidly growing interest, a smirk tugging at his beard.
"If those adults think we're another threat closing in on them..." Adrian explained quickly, his tactical mind mapping the behavior. "...they'll turn and fight us to the death. If we protect the young... they'll keep running toward safety."
Understanding spread almost instantly across the veterans' faces. It was a simple, elegant, and practical solution exactly the kind of intuitive tactical choice that experienced leaders recognised immediately.
Theron's smile turned fierce. "Good thinking, Adrian."
Adrian pointed toward the Wardens, issuing rapid commands. "Move left." He turned toward the trackers. "Guide the calves toward the open clearing." Finally, he looked up at the giant elf beside him. "I'll stop whatever is chasing them."
The enormous elf grinned, a low rumble of excitement escaping him. "I was secretly hoping you'd volunteer for the heavy lifting."
Suddenly, the dark earth directly in front of the Marshhorns violently burst apart. It didn't merely explode; it opened up completely into a yawning chasm.
A gigantic claw erupted from beneath the forest floor only a dozen yards in front of the fleeing Marshhorns, showering dirt, shattered roots and broken stone into the air. The juveniles cried out in panic while one of the adults immediately lowered its crystal antlers, preparing to defend its family despite the obvious terror burning within its eyes.
The monster emerged slowly.
First one claw.
Then another.
Its body resembled an enormous centipede covered in thick black armour plated with jagged crimson crystals that pulsed faintly with unstable mana. Dozens of hooked legs dug effortlessly through the earth while two massive mandibles clicked together with a metallic screech that sent chills racing down Adrian's spine.
It was nearly forty feet long. Its crimson eyes fixed immediately upon the smallest Marshhorn. Prey nothing more.
Mira's voice came as little more than a whisper. "...It's huge."
Theron calmly lifted Frostrender from his shoulder. "It is."
The Burrower lunged, ignoring the adults and driving straight toward the frightened juvenile.
Adrian reacted instinctively. "Wind Step!"
Mana surged beneath his feet. A violent burst of compressed air launched him forward with explosive speed, the forest blurring around him as he crossed the distance in a heartbeat. His Energy Blade flashed into existence, its brilliant azure light cutting a sharp arc through the afternoon shadows.
Steel met crystal. The impact echoed like thunder.
The Burrower's massive mandible was knocked aside mere inches from the young Marshhorn's neck as sparks and fragments of crimson crystal scattered across the forest floor. The sheer force of the blow drove Adrian backwards several feet. His boots carved deep trenches through the earth before he regained his footing.
"...Strong," Adrian gripping his hilt tightly.
The monster turned, its multiple crimson eyes finally settling upon him. The heavy mandibles clicked together again. This time, the sound almost resembled mocking laughter.
Theron laughed instead a deep, booming sound that echoed through the trees. "There he is!" He planted Frostrender into the earth with enough force to crack the stone beneath his feet before pointing the enormous blade directly toward the Burrower. "I was wondering how long it'd take before you found the biggest thing in the forest."
Adrian couldn't help but smile through the adrenaline. "I think it found me."
"It usually works that way."
The Burrower shrieked, a high-pitched sound that grated on the ears. Mana erupted through the crimson crystals embedded along its armoured body, and the surrounding earth began trembling violently.
One of the Ashroot hunters shouted, "It's going underground!"
Adrian's mind raced. Underground... crystal armour... fast... He immediately looked toward the terrain surrounding them, cataloging the soft earth, dense roots, and the narrow approach. He already had an idea.
He glanced toward Theron. "I need ten seconds."
Theron didn't ask why or demand a plan. He simply offered a fierce smile. "You've got them."
With one powerful, sweeping swing, Frostrender crashed into the Burrower's armoured head. The heavy impact forced the gigantic creature backward as the surrounding forest shook. The beast hissed furiously, its attention shifting entirely toward the towering elf who had dared to strike it.
It was exactly what Adrian had hoped for. He lowered his stance, channeling blue mana as it gathered around both hands. It wasn't enough for an Inferno Sphere not yet, and certainly not here in the dense woods. He needed something else first.
Around him, the ground answered his call. Tiny stones, loose soil, and deep tree roots began to thrum. His earth magic spread silently beneath the forest floor. He wasn't using it to attack; he was using it to prepare.
The Burrower thought it had chosen its battlefield, but Adrian intended to prove otherwise. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Leaves trembled gently overhead as mana flowed silently through the ground beneath Adrian's boots. Unlike the explosive torrents of magic he had unleashed against Valdrik months before, this spell spread patiently, almost invisibly, weaving itself through loose soil and tangled roots hidden beneath the surface. Every vibration travelling through the earth returned to him like ripples across still water, allowing him to feel the Burrower's enormous weight shifting from one hooked leg to the next.
It was fast.
Far faster than something of its size had any right to be.
But speed meant very little if Adrian already knew where it intended to move.
The Burrower screeched again before throwing itself toward Theron, its enormous crystal-covered body surging across the forest floor with terrifying momentum. Dozens of hooked legs dug into the earth, sending dirt and shattered roots flying in every direction as the monster lunged with enough force to flatten a wagon.
Theron didn't retreat.
He stepped forward.
Frostrender met one of the creature's massive mandibles with a deafening crash that echoed through the forest like thunder striking stone. The impact alone sent a visible shockwave racing through nearby trees, leaves cascading from the branches overhead as the giant elf planted his feet and held his ground.
The Burrower was driven sideways only slightly, but it was enough.
Theron laughed, a thunderous sound that echoed through the valley. "You're heavier than you look!"
The monster answered with another furious, ear-splitting shriek.
"So am I!" Theron roared back.
Adrian smiled despite himself, adjusting his stance on the churning earth. Bear truly lived up to his nickname. There was no panic in the giant elf's movements, and no hesitation. Theron simply occupied the monster exactly as requested, trusting Adrian implicitly without ever asking what his plan actually was.
That trust meant everything on a frontier battlefield.
The Burrower suddenly twisted its massive body, abandoning its direct struggle with Theron as the crimson crystals along its armoured shell flared brilliantly. The earth beneath it exploded outward before the creature plunged headfirst into the ground, disappearing beneath the forest floor in a violent shower of broken roots and stone.
One of the Ashroot hunters cursed loudly. "It went under!"
The surrounding forest immediately fell deathly silent. There was no movement and no sound, only the faint, rhythmic vibration travelling beneath the soles of Adrian's boots.
He closed his eyes for less than a heartbeat, extending his senses into the ground. There. It was moving left, curving directly behind Theron's blind spot, trying to flank them.
Adrian smiled, his hands slamming flat against the earth. "Found you. Stone Grasp!"
Mana surged downward into the soil not as a blunt attack, but as an absolute command. The loose soil surrounding the Burrower's tunnel instantly hardened into solid rock, while thick, ancient roots hidden beneath the forest floor twisted together like living chains. Great slabs of stone rose from below, collapsing inward around the creature's path before it could escape the trap.
A muffled, agonizing screech echoed beneath the ground. The forest shook violently, and deep cracks spread rapidly across the earth. Then... the Burrower erupted back onto the surface far earlier than it had intended, bursting through the forest floor with chunks of shattered rock still clinging to its armoured shell.
It wasn't completely trapped, but it had entirely lost control of its momentum. It was exactly what Adrian had intended.
Theron's grin widened to a fierce, dangerous smile. "Oh... that was clever."
The gigantic elf didn't waste the golden opportunity. Frostrender swept through the air in one immense, horizontal arc, the heavy blade crashing into the creature's exposed side with enough force to lift the forty-foot monster completely off the ground. The creature's crystal armour splintered beneath the devastating impact, fragments scattering across the clearing like shattered emerald glass as the Burrower crashed through three enormous pine trees before finally coming to rest in a cloud of choking dust.
The veteran hunters simply stared, completely dumbfounded. One quietly muttered, "...I've never seen anyone force one back to the surface like that."
Another slowly lowered his bow, shaking his head. "He predicted exactly where it'd tunnel."
"No..." The older hunter beside him corrected, his voice full of awe. "He controlled where it'd tunnel."
The Burrower wasn't finished yet. With another furious, clicking screech, it surged forward once more, this time ignoring Theron entirely. Its multiple crimson eyes locked directly onto Adrian; it had successfully identified the greater threat.
Theron noticed the dangerous shift immediately. "It learns fast."
"So do I," Adrian answered, matching the beast's stare.
Blue mana gathered above his open palm. It wasn't much just enough. A small Inferno Sphere slowly formed, no larger than an apple, its swirling blue flames dancing quietly instead of roaring into a massive blaze.
Mira blinked, watching from the edge of the clearing. "That's... smaller."
Ruby wasn't present to explain the intricacies of spell manipulation, so Theron did it for her. "He's controlling it."
Adrian smiled faintly. "Less mana. More precision."
The Burrower lunged, its massive mandibles snapping. This time, Adrian moved first. "Wind Step!"
The sharp burst of compressed air launched him sideways as the monster's enormous jaws snapped shut on empty air where he'd been standing only an instant before. While still moving mid-air, Adrian flicked the miniature Inferno Sphere directly toward the creature's exposed face.
The tiny fireball struck one of the glowing crimson crystals embedded near its eyes. It didn't explode not immediately. Instead, the blue flames clung stubbornly to the crystal like burning molten tar.
The Burrower hesitated, visibly confused by the lack of impact.
Adrian smiled, his boots hitting the grass. "Now." His fingers snapped.
The Inferno Sphere detonated with a sharp crack. A highly concentrated explosion of blue fire burst directly across the creature's sensory organs, momentarily blinding it as shards of overheated crystal burst outward in every direction.
The Burrower screamed not in physical pain, but in complete, disorienting panic. It staggered wildly, smashing through another ancient tree before blindly thrashing its hooked limbs at empty air.
Theron didn't need another invitation. "Beautiful!"
Frostrender descended like a falling mountain, the massive blade humming with lethal intent.
The enormous blade struck squarely across the Burrower's neck with a crack that echoed throughout the valley. Already weakened crystal armour shattered completely beneath the impact, exposing the softer flesh hidden beneath.
Adrian was already moving, his instincts guiding his path.
Energy Blade in hand.
Wind gathering beneath his feet.
He crossed the remaining distance in a complete blur. One clean, decisive strike there was no unnecessary flourish, and no wasted movement. The glowing blue blade sliced cleanly through the exposed section beneath the monster's head before Adrian landed lightly behind the beast, dismissing the Energy Blade with a quiet flicker of fading mana.
Silence fell over the grove. The Burrower remained standing for one second, then two. Then... its massive body slowly collapsed against the forest floor with a thunderous crash that sent frightened birds screeching into the sky once more.
The clearing became perfectly still. No one spoke a word. Even the Marshhorn family remained exactly where they stood, watching the fallen predator from a cautious distance.
Finally, the lead adult stepped forward over the shattered wood. It looked first at Adrian, its amber eyes bright, then at the towering figure of Theron. Its enormous crystal antlers lowered smoothly toward the earth. It wasn't a challenge or an indicator of an attack; it was a bow. Just once.
Then it turned, gently nudging the frightened juveniles back toward the safety of the deeper forest. The remaining adults followed close behind until, within moments, the entire herd disappeared entirely among the ancient trees without making another sound.
Mira's mouth slowly fell open as she watched the treeline. "...Did..." She looked up toward her father. "...did it just actually thank us?"
Theron watched the dark path where the Marshhorns had vanished before smiling quietly into his beard. "I believe..." He hoisted Frostrender comfortably across one shoulder. "...it did."
Then he turned his head and looked directly toward Adrian. For several long seconds, he said absolutely nothing. Finally, a slow, deeply respectful smile spread beneath his thick beard. "You know..."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, sheathing his regular weapon. "What?"
"I was originally sent here to judge your physical strength."
Adrian blinked, caught off guard. Theron chuckled, a low rumble.
"I think..." He looked around at the stunned veteran hunters, the broken landscape, and the massive, defeated monster lying dead between them. "...I've been judging entirely the wrong thing from the start."
The veteran trackers exchanged silent, significant glances with one another. None of them had just witnessed the strongest raw mage, nor the swiftest swordsman in Eryndor. Instead, they had witnessed something far rarer: a leader who viewed the battlefield entirely differently. And that quality was infinitely more difficult to teach.