The thralls they released were merely categorized as lower and normal-tier entities anything beyond that, such as elite or peak-tier thralls, remained entirely out of the question. The very notion of unleashing such abominations within the confines of the training grounds was tantamount to orchestrating a massacre. If pushed to such extremes, those creatures would not discriminate, they would annihilate every candidate without hesitation.
It was far more prudent to exterminate these beings than to attempt the perilous endeavor of capturing and controlling them. Even the weakest among the Fallen possessed an unpredictable ferocity that could spiral beyond containment in an instant.
Thus, only ten thralls were deployed into the designated training zone.
A seemingly insignificant number.
Yet, in truth, it was the absolute limit.
Releasing more would not yield greater results,it would only invite chaos. The balance they so carefully maintained would collapse, and the purpose of the training camp would be rendered meaningless. Their goal was not blind destruction, but the cultivation and identification of promising seeds individuals worthy of investment, worthy of power.
Greed, if left unchecked, could easily sabotage the main purpose and objective and so, restraint was exercised.
However, unbeknownst to them…an anomaly had already emerged.
An Elite Thrall had manifested uninvited, uncontrolled, and utterly catastrophic.
*****
Thousands of kilometers away from Zephyr's current location, devastation unfolded in silence.
A solitary figure moved amidst the carnage.
It was clad in black armor, though "armor" was perhaps an inadequate description. The surface was riddled with countless holes, gaping holes that should have rendered it useless. Yet, from within those voids, black vines writhed and slithered, weaving through the openings like living threads, binding the structure together in a grotesque imitation of flesh and metal.
The entity itself was an abomination, a real calamity.
Its tail is long, sinuous, and disturbingly animate moved with a will of its own. It did not merely follow commands; it acted, reacted, hunted.
The creature slaughtered beasts without any restraints with it's mechanical precision.
Unstoppable as inevitable.
Each movement was devoid of hesitation, devoid of mercy. It carved through its surroundings like a force of nature, leaving behind nothing but ruin.
A beast lunged toward it...desperate and primal though it never stood a chance.
The thrall's tail snapped open, splitting apart into a grotesque maw lined with jagged, writhing tendrils. In a single motion, it engulfed the creature whole.
Silence followed.
Then...it turned its head.
There was no visible reason. No immediate threat. No discernible stimulus.
And yet… it turned.
Its hollow gaze aligned with a distant point far beyond the horizon a direction.
Zephyr's direction.
For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to hold its breath then it vanished.
"BOOM!!"
The ground shattered beneath where it once stood.
In the next instant, the thrall reappeared far ahead, its massive frame moving with impossible velocity. It tore through the landscape like a living projectile, its speed rivaling that of a bullet train. Trees splintered upon impact, reduced to shards as its body surged forward without slowing.
Nothing could impede it and nothing could survive its path.
*****
Unaware of the encroaching carnage, Zephyr continued onward.
He had no knowledge of the horror that now advanced toward him with relentless intent.
Meanwhile, within the depths of his consciousness, Maw's expression darkened.
"...Interesting...Now everything is going according to the inevitable, hehehe...." A slow, manic smile curled along its unseen visage,one that spoke not of concern, but of anticipation.
Back in reality, Zephyr exhaled sharply as he stretched his battered body. The motion sent a jolt of pain through his limbs, forcing him to grit his teeth.
"I need to move now," he muttered.
Every fiber of his being protested, but he understood the stakes. Remaining stagnant would yield nothing. Points, growth, survival everything demanded movement.
"Hey, Maw," Zephyr called out, his voice low but steady. "Can you give me some direction?"
There was a brief pause.
"Hmm… I can sense someone in that direction," Maw replied, its tone deceptively casual as it indicated a path one that diverged from the approaching thrall.
A lie and a calculated one.
Maw had already perceived far more than it revealed. Even at such a distance, it could faintly sense the presence of the dragon boy the same prodigy who stood at the pinnacle among the candidates.
And beyond that…it sensed the approaching calamity but Maw said nothing.
It had no intention of interfering prematurely.
Plans required patience. Precision and absolute timing.
"You cannot craft a masterpiece," Maw mused inwardly, "without the proper ingredients and procedure...the right moment to combine them."
The dragon boy would serve as one piece, the thrall will serve it's purpose,another disposable thing...
Conflict was inevitable.
And from that chaos… something greater would emerge.For now, however, the stage was not yet set.
"Got it."Zephyr, oblivious to these machinations, nodded in acknowledgment.
Without further question, he began moving in the direction Maw had indicated.
Though he remained silent, his mind was far from at ease.
He could not ignore what had transpired earlier. Maw's actions and decisions,carried an undercurrent of intent that Zephyr could neither fully grasp nor entirely trust.
Suspicion lingered, yet lacking any concrete answers, he could only proceed.
Only god knows what schemes lurked within Maw's mind.
Step by step, Zephyr advanced.
Unlike before, his pace had stabilized. Walking was manageable now, though running remained beyond his current capability. The fatigue from his previous battles clung to him like a shadow, draining his strength with every passing moment.
Conserving energy was no longer a choice it was a necessity.
*****
Hours passed the world around him remained eerily uneventful.No major threats.No significant encounters.
Only minor beasts crossed his path creatures that posed little challenge in his current state. He hunted them methodically, securing what few points he could while preserving as much strength as possible.
It was a slow, grinding progression but progress nonetheless.
Elsewhere, however…he situation was far less forgiving, not all candidates shared Zephyr's relative fortune.
Some had already encountered the thralls... for them survival was no longer guaranteed.
*****
A girl stood amidst the chaos.
Her raven hair cascaded down her back, swaying wildly as she moved. In her hands was a bow sleek, elegant, yet deadly.
She ran and dodged.
Weaved through the battlefield with desperate precision.
Each movement was calculated, yet strained. The thrall pursuing her was relentless, its attacks carrying enough force to obliterate her if even one strike landed cleanly.
Arrows flew from her bow in rapid succession, sharp and recise.
Yet insufficient the creature barely faltered.
She gritted her teeth, her breath uneven as she narrowly evaded another devastating blow.
One mistake that was all it would take and it would be over...