The Thornfiend's Wrath

The battlefield trembled beneath their feet. Dust swirled around them as the colossal Abyssal Thornfiend loomed overhead, its vines lashing through the air like whips. The beast had adapted—its defenses hardened against their attacks.

Raj tightened his grip on his weapon, his voice steady despite the chaos. "It doesn't matter if it's evolving. We still have to fight!"

Without hesitation, they all lunged forward.

Aamir dashed ahead, his sword gleaming as he aimed for one of the thick vines. He swung hard, expecting to cut clean through—but the blade barely left a mark. The impact sent a dull shock up his arm.

"What the hell?!" he gritted his teeth.

The others attacked from all sides. Seenu's sword strikes were swift, Kunal weaved through the battlefield like a blur, and Raj's fists crackled with energy as he punched straight into the monster's vines.

But then—

The beast suddenly stopped.

Everyone froze.

The massive skeletal face of the Thornfiend slowly cracked open—splitting down the middle. A deep, guttural sound rumbled from within, an eerie frequency that sent a chill through their bones.

Then—

The ground shook violently.

Not like before.

This time, it was worse.

The tremors spread beneath them, the earth itself quivering like something massive lurked just below the surface.

Aamir's pulse quickened. "No way…"

And then—they emerged.

Thorned vines burst from the ground, but they weren't just vines. They were creatures.

Grotesque, flower-like monsters the size of grown men clawed their way out of the soil. Their petal-like heads peeled open, revealing rows of jagged teeth dripping with venom. Thick, root-like limbs pulsed with unnatural energy.

Kunal's eyes narrowed. "These… are its minions."

One of the beasts lunged at them.

Aamir didn't hesitate. He dashed forward, blade flashing, and cleaved the monster in half.

As the creature collapsed, his system screen popped up.

[You have killed a Specter-class beast: Thornwine Flower]

[Reward: Level Up!]

Aamir's breath caught in his throat.

These things were Specter-class?!

Another one attacked from his side. He ducked, narrowly dodging its claw-like vines before slashing upward, severing its body. The others jumped into the fray.

Seenu's blade danced through the air, slicing down enemies in rapid succession. Kunal moved like a shadow, his daggers striking with deadly precision. Raj's fists struck like sledgehammers, shattering monsters with sheer brute force.

But the creatures wouldn't stop coming.

For every one they killed, two more emerged.

Aamir cut down his twentieth beast. Then another. His system popped up again.

[You have leveled up!]

His body surged with new power. But before he could react—

A new notification appeared.

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 20.]

[You have acquired a new skill: Mark of the Hunter.]

A second message followed immediately after.

[Activate Skill? Yes / No]

Aamir hesitated. A skill that appeared at Level 20? Right in the middle of a fight?

"Activate it," a voice echoed in his mind. Luman.

Aamir clenched his fists. He trusted Luman. Without another thought—

He activated it.

The moment he did, the air around him changed. A strange, glowing mark appeared on the back of his hand—an intricate pattern of energy that pulsed with raw power.

Then, the ground exploded.

The Thornfiend let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing. The vines around it twisted violently as it began to change.

Its bones cracked, its form shifting. The golden light in its skull flared brighter. The thick vines that covered its body grew even stronger. Its entire form pulsed with an overwhelming energy.

Kunal's eyes widened. "No way… it's evolving again?!"

The Thornfiend roared once more—and suddenly, smaller Thornwine Flowers erupted from the ground.

Hundreds of them.

Aamir's stomach dropped. An army.

The battlefield was pure chaos. The Abyssal Thornfiend's massive form loomed over them, its evolving body pulsing with a terrifying energy.

Aamir gritted his teeth as he swung his sword at one of the beast's massive vines. The blade met resistance—too much resistance.

Before he could react—

Another vine struck from the side.

He barely had time to move. The impact sent him flying backward, his sword slipping from his grip and landing far out of reach.

Damn it!

Aamir hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop. His fingers clenched into fists. He could see his sword lying several meters away, but there was no way he could reach it before the Thornfiend attacked again.

Raj, still fighting nearby, shouted, "Aamir! Get your sword!"

Aamir wiped the blood from his lip and forced himself up.

No.

"I don't need it," he muttered under his breath.

He flexed his fingers, feeling the raw power surging through his body.

If I don't have my sword, I'll just use my hands.

The Thornfiend's minions swarmed, crawling out of the ground like a never-ending tide. The others were fighting with everything they had, cutting them down in waves—but there were too many.

Aamir's system flickered in front of his vision.

[Mark of the Hunter: Activated]

You can mark your subordinates. When they kill beasts, you will receive experience.

Aamir's eyes widened.

A skill like this…?

He suddenly had an idea.

"Guys! Get over here!" he shouted.

Seenu, Kunal, and Raj glanced at him mid-fight.

"What?! Now?! We're a little busy!" Kunal yelled, dodging a vine swipe.

"Just come here!" Aamir insisted.

The three hesitated for only a moment before jumping back toward him, forming a defensive stance as more Thornwine Flowers surged forward.

"What's the plan?" Raj asked, panting.

Aamir didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and touched Seenu's back.

A new system message appeared.

[Do you want to mark Seenu? Yes / No]

Aamir's heart pounded. He pressed [Yes].

A faint golden mark appeared on Seenu's back, pulsing with energy.

"What the hell—?" Seenu glanced back, startled.

But Aamir was already moving. He touched Kunal next—

[Do you want to mark Kunal? Yes / No]

He pressed [Yes], and the same mark appeared on Kunal's back.

Finally, he reached Raj.

[Do you want to mark Raj? Yes / No]

Yes.

The three of them stood in front of him now, marked with glowing hunter symbols.

The moment the last mark activated—Aamir felt something click.

His body thrummed with energy.

And then—his system flashed with a new message.

[Your marked subordinates have defeated enemies.]

[Gained EXP.]

Aamir's eyes widened.

Every time they killed—he grew stronger.

This wasn't just a fight anymore.

This was the hunt.

"Now," Aamir smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Let's kill them all."