Chapter 6

As Ray slashed through these monsters during the twilight stages of the outbreak, ten of the abominable creatures emerged from the shadows, their skeletal frames, and icy eyes gleaming with insatiable hunger. With unearthly screeches, they closed in on Ray, encircling him with malevolence. Wendigos. They circled and screeched like a bunch of hyenas.

The wendigos lunged at Ray with savage ferocity, their razor-sharp claws slashing through the air.

Ray felt his adrenaline rush through his system as the world began to slow down. Ray dodged the wendigos with extreme focus slashing his sword carefully.

Ray ducked beneath a hook from a wendigo as he spun his sword deep into its chest, pulled it out by kicking the beast away before thrusting his sword into the neck of a wendigo charging towards him with no guard. As he was pulling out his sword, a wendigo kicked his back.

Ray charged deeper into the wendigo pushing his whole sword and arm through its neck as he screamed in pain.

As he landed, Ray quickly addressed his body understanding his back was probably partially broken.

Running off fumes and adrenaline, Ray separated himself from the wendigo and resumed combat with the other wendigos.

Ray fought valiantly killing a few more of the beasts, but the overwhelming onslaught left him battered and bloodied, his strength waning with each passing moment. More and more of their attacks landed on him, slowing him down and further weakening him until all his limbs were shattered.

Ray collapsed onto his knees before landing face first on the floor.

The wendigos revelled in his despair, taunting him with their haunting wails as they maniacally circled him.

Just as hope seemed lost, a group of well-equipped hunters, known as the Silver Fangs, arrived on the scene.

"It's the Silver Fangs!" someone nearby dealing with a few monsters himself said causing more and more people to look over.

"Run to the C rank hunters and start a last stand!" someone screamed as they threw off who they were fighting and dashed in the direction of Ray and the Silver Fangs.

Amelia, the leader of the Silver Fangs plunged thick pillars of fire into the wendigos one by one whilst Felix fired magically powered wind bullets out of a semi-automatic rifle into the field off monsters charging behind the other hunters gathering around his group.

Meanwhile, Lucia, a gifted sorceress, cast heals upon Ray and as many approaching hunters as she could before she chanted incantations. Her arcane powers surged through the air, striking the monsters in a tidal wave of wind and lightning, leaving them momentarily disoriented and vulnerable. Once the hunters had gathered, Lucia utilized her mastery over the elements to create barriers of swirling fire and icy spikes, impaling and incinerating the relentless foes.

With the combined might of the Silver Fangs, the tides of battle began to quickly shift.

Ray groaned as he felt his body rapidly heal back into health.

He smiled in success, he had lasted long enough for not just hunters to help, but for the powerful ones to arrive.

Their coordinated efforts and unwavering teamwork overwhelmed the remaining monsters. One by one, the abominations fell, their twisted forms writhing in agony until they were finally vanquished.

Ray bloodied and exhausted, breathed heavily on the floor. Ray managed to catch his breath and gaze at the triumphant Silver Fangs. They looked at him, concern etched on their faces, and asked what had transpired. Ray's voice trembled as he relayed the horrors he had witnessed, detailing the rampage of the wendigos and their relentless assault on the city.

Ray's eyes were filled with a mix of fear and desperation as he asked the crucial question that weighed heavily on his mind. "Is the rest of the city facing the same nightmare?" he inquired, hoping against hope that the answer would bring a glimmer of relief.

Amelia shared a solemn nod with her comrades. "Yes," she replied gravely, her voice firm but laced with empathy. "The city is besieged by these wretched creatures. We arrived here in response to distress calls, but the situation appears far worse than anticipated."

A heavy silence fell upon the group. Ray sat stunned unable to contribute how many monsters poured out of that one dungeon or…

"Do you know if it was one dungeon outbreak?" he asked.

"We're unsure but we did hear reports from other groups of sudden distress calls across the city, all the reports were far from each other."

Ray instantly began to worry for the safety of his mother and little sister, they had no abilities!

The Silver Fangs understood the direness of the situation preparing for more fighting, and their resolve only strengthened. With steely determination, Amelia looked to the hunters before her.

"Everyone," she began "This area has mostly been saved, but across the city, there are reports of instantaneous dungeon outbreaks of similar and even more drastic degree of severity,

"We must relish in our victory here but remember as hunters, our job is not done, we must continue to push forwards and free this city from these evil beasts, who amongst you will stand beside me to protect their family and friends?"

"I am" one hunter declared.

"Me too"

I as well"

"Don't forget me!"

Hunters one by one began to declare their willingness to participate against the monsters.

"What about you, uh…" Amelia began.

"Ray, I will follow you through this city until the end" Ray declared.

"Good" Amelia smiled "Everyone prepare to move out!"

"Ohhh!" everyone screamed.