The night was unusually quiet around Wolf Fortress.
Destiny sat inside the command center, studying a map of the surrounding region. Several red markers had appeared near the eastern industrial district, but none of them had moved for hours.
Naomi stood beside the table.
"Our scouts have been monitoring the area. The smaller monsters have gathered around an abandoned military checkpoint."
"How many?"
"At least sixty. We also detected three E-rank monsters and one D-rank creature."
Destiny studied the map.
"Why are they gathering there?"
"We don't know. But the creatures appear to be guarding something."
Destiny leaned forward.
"Could it be a monster nest?"
"Possibly."
Before he could respond, Isaac entered the command center.
"Commander, we've detected a strange energy signal coming from the same location. It's much stronger than the signals produced by ordinary monster cores."
Destiny looked at him.
"Can you identify it?"
"Not yet. But the signal is increasing."
The Military System suddenly appeared.
[WARNING: HIGH-LEVEL MONSTER DETECTED]
[UNKNOWN ENTITY]
[RANK: C]
[LEVEL: 28]
[THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]
Destiny stood up.
"Prepare the company. We're going to investigate."
***
Thirty-five soldiers assembled outside Wolf Fortress.
Destiny had selected the strongest members of the Assault Squad, several defensive specialists, and Naomi's reconnaissance team.
Daniel stood at the front.
"All units are ready, sir."
Destiny nodded.
"Our objective is to investigate the eastern checkpoint, identify the source of the energy signal, and eliminate any threat that could endanger Wolf Fortress."
He looked across the formation.
"Stay together. Do not pursue an enemy without authorization. We don't know what we're walking into."
"YES, SIR!"
The convoy departed.
***
The eastern checkpoint was surrounded by abandoned military vehicles.
Broken barricades covered the road, and several destroyed watchtowers leaned dangerously over the highway.
Naomi raised her binoculars.
"Commander, I can see the monsters."
Destiny looked through his own binoculars.
Dozens of creatures were gathered around the checkpoint.
At the center stood a huge monster with a humanoid body, thick black armor, and a massive weapon made from twisted metal.
Its eyes glowed red.
[MONSTER DETECTED]
[NAME: ABYSSAL WARLORD]
[RANK: C]
[LEVEL: 28]
[ABILITIES:
- DARK ENERGY BLAST
- MONSTER COMMAND
- ARMOR REINFORCEMENT]
[THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]
Destiny's expression changed.
"Monster Command?"
The system displayed additional information.
[ABILITY ANALYSIS]
[TARGET CAN ISSUE COMMANDS TO LOWER-RANKED MONSTERS]
[WARNING: ENEMY MAY COORDINATE ATTACKS]
Destiny understood why the monsters had gathered.
The Abyssal Warlord was commanding them.
"Naomi, observe its movements. Daniel, prepare the Assault Squad. Joseph, keep the defensive team near the vehicles."
Kane stepped forward.
"Let me handle the smaller monsters. I can restrain several at once."
Destiny nodded.
"Only if you have a clear opening. Don't exhaust yourself too early."
The operation began.
Daniel's squad opened fire from behind the abandoned vehicles.
The monsters immediately reacted.
F-rank creatures rushed toward the soldiers, while the E-rank monsters moved around the sides, attempting to surround them.
"Hold your positions!" Daniel shouted.
Brian and Ethan attacked from the rear.
Ethan released a wave of electricity that struck several monsters at once.
Kane raised his hands.
Blood chains spread across the battlefield, wrapping around the legs of several approaching creatures.
The Assault Squad eliminated them before they could break through the formation.
But the Abyssal Warlord remained still.
It watched the battle.
Then it raised its weapon.
A dark sphere formed above its palm.
"Commander!" Naomi shouted.
Destiny activated Combat Prediction.
[WARNING: LARGE-SCALE ENERGY ATTACK]
"EVERYONE, TAKE COVER!"
The Abyssal Warlord released the sphere.
A powerful blast struck the ground.
The explosion destroyed several abandoned vehicles and sent debris flying across the checkpoint.
Destiny was thrown backward.
[WARNING: DAMAGE DETECTED]
He struggled to stand.
The Abyssal Warlord began walking toward the soldiers.
Each step shook the road.
"All units, fall back to the second position!" Destiny ordered.
Joseph's squad established a defensive line behind a concrete barrier.
The Warlord raised its weapon again.
Destiny activated Tactical Analysis.
[TARGET ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[WEAKNESS:
- ENERGY CORE LOCATED INSIDE THE LOWER CHEST
- DARK ENERGY BLAST REQUIRES A SHORT CHARGING PERIOD]
[TACTICAL SUGGESTION:
INTERRUPT THE TARGET'S ENERGY CHARGING AND ATTACK ITS CORE]
Destiny looked at Daniel.
"We need to stop its attacks before they reach full power."
Daniel nodded.
"I'll lead the assault."
"No. We move together."
Destiny activated Commander's Aura.
[COMMANDER'S AURA ACTIVATED]
[ALL ALLIED SOLDIERS:
COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS INCREASED]
[MORALE ENHANCED]
"Assault Squad, target the weapon arm! Ethan, strike the creature when it begins charging. Kane, restrain its legs when I give the signal!"
The soldiers moved.
Daniel led the assault team toward the Warlord's right side.
Brian and the other marksmen fired at its weapon arm.
The monster roared and turned toward them.
It raised its weapon.
A dark sphere began forming.
"Ethan, NOW!"
Ethan released a concentrated electric strike.
The attack hit the Warlord's arm.
The energy sphere flickered.
Kane seized the opportunity.
Blood chains shot forward and wrapped around the creature's legs.
"Commander!"
Destiny activated Soldier's Will.
He sprinted across the battlefield.
The Warlord struggled against the restraints and swung its weapon toward him.
Destiny ducked beneath the attack.
He leaped onto a broken vehicle, then launched himself toward the monster's chest.
His combat knife struck the reinforced armor.
It barely penetrated.
The Warlord grabbed him with its free hand.
Destiny's eyes widened.
The monster tightened its grip.
[WARNING: CRITICAL DANGER]
Daniel fired at the creature's wrist.
The Warlord's grip loosened.
Destiny dropped to the ground and rolled away.
He looked at the monster's chest.
The armor was too strong for his knife.
Then he noticed the damaged weapon arm.
The Warlord's armor had weakened around the shoulder.
"Daniel! Keep it distracted!"
Destiny rushed toward the damaged side.
Kane tightened his restraints again.
Ethan gathered electricity for another strike.
The combined attacks forced the Warlord to lower its guard.
Destiny climbed onto its arm and moved toward the chest.
He drove his knife into the weakened armor.
The blade penetrated.
A bright glow appeared beneath the surface.
[ENERGY CORE EXPOSED]
The Warlord roared and attempted to throw him away.
Destiny held on.
He gripped his knife with both hands and drove it deeper.
The core cracked.
A wave of dark energy erupted from the creature's chest.
The Abyssal Warlord staggered backward.
Destiny jumped clear as the monster collapsed.
[ C-RANK ABYSSAL WARLORD ELIMINATED ]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 6,000]
[MILITARY POINTS RECEIVED: 5,000]
[MONSTER CORE ACQUIRED]
The remaining monsters lost their coordination.
Without the Warlord's commands, they began retreating in different directions.
The soldiers quickly secured the checkpoint.
***
Destiny stood beside the defeated monster.
The system displayed another notification.
[MISSION COMPLETED]
[HOSTILE MONSTER COMMANDER ELIMINATED]
[REWARD: 3,000 MILITARY POINTS]
[LEVEL UP!]
[CURRENT LEVEL: 10]
[FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 5]
Destiny distributed the points between Strength, Agility, and Vitality.
He looked toward the checkpoint.
Inside a damaged military storage building, the soldiers had discovered several crates of ammunition, protective equipment, and construction materials.
Naomi approached him.
"Commander, there's something else."
She showed him a small black device recovered from the Warlord's body.
The device was marked with the same crown symbol they had found in the underground tunnels.
Destiny stared at it.
"Another mark from the Monster King."
The system flashed.
[UNKNOWN TECHNOLOGY DETECTED]
[WARNING: DEVICE IS TRANSMITTING A SIGNAL]
Destiny's expression hardened.
"Destroy it."
Naomi immediately handed the device to Isaac's field technician, who disabled it.
But Destiny knew the signal might already have reached its destination.
The Monster King was watching.
And now Destiny had defeated one of his commanders.