The monster sprinted through the forest without looking back.
Blood dripped from its wounds as it ran.
It didn't stop until it reached a clearing.
Waiting there was a much larger monster.
One that towered over the others.
The larger monster stared down at it.
Then it made a series of gestures with its claws.
Sign language.
The wounded monster quickly responded.
It described the fight.
The hunters.
And most importantly—
me.
As the story continued, the larger monster's expression darkened.
Its claws dug into the ground.
Its muscles tensed.
It was furious.
Meanwhile, back at the drainage pipe, we were still dealing with the tied-up monsters.
The hunters argued over what to do with them.
Some wanted to kill them immediately.
Others weren't sure.
I ignored the argument.
Something felt wrong.
Then I felt it.
I dropped into a crouch.
The hunters immediately turned toward me.
"Oh, come on," one of them groaned. "Now what?"
I closed my eyes.
Listening.
Feeling.
"There are..."
I paused.
"One."
The hunters prepared their techniques.
"Two attackers."
A moment later, a monster burst out of the bushes.
"THERE!"
Several hunters attacked at once.
Techniques flew through the air.
The monster was overwhelmed instantly.
It crashed into the ground and stopped moving.
"Kyoren," one hunter said, "why aren't you helping?"
I kept staring into the forest.
"Because that's not what I'm worried about."
"What?"
"There's something bigger."
The air suddenly became heavy.
Then—
the trees exploded.
Ten monsters charged out at once.
The hunters' faces paled.
I grinned.
Finally.
I launched myself forward.
The monsters roared as they surrounded us.
"Destructive Energy!" the hunters shouted together.
Their hands formed a synchronized gesture.
"Flame Formation!"
Fire erupted from every direction.
Streams of flame connected with one another, forming a massive dome around the monsters.
The temperature skyrocketed.
Then the flames collapsed inward.
BOOM.
The monsters were engulfed instantly.
Their screams echoed through the area before fading away.
When the fire vanished.
I rushed through the smoke and finished them off.
Silence.
The hunters sighed in relief.
Then the ground shook.
Everyone froze.
A second tremor followed.
Stronger this time.
CRACK.
The earth split apart beneath us.
Something enormous began to rise from below.
A massive claw emerged from the ground.
Then another.
Then a monstrous body covered in black scales.
The creature towered over every monster we had fought so far.
One of the hunters stumbled backward.
"Oh no..."
I looked up at the giant monster.
A grin slowly spread across my face.
Finally.
A challenge.
"This..."
I cracked my knuckles.
"...is going to be fun."