The shadow creature lunged forward with terrifying speed, its dark, shifting form like liquid smoke coiling around the battlefield.
Hikaru barely had time to react as its massive claws slashed through the air, leaving trails of distortion in its wake. The mages scrambled to form another protective barrier, but the creature's presence seemed to warp their magic, bending it into uselessness.
"Back! Fall back to the ruins!" Hikaru shouted, his voice breaking through the chaos.
The group of scouts and mages scattered, their faces pale with fear. Kora was the first to draw her sword, her stance firm as she prepared to intercept the creature's next attack. Hikaru gripped his own blade, preparing for the worst.
The shadow creature let out a guttural roar, sending a wave of force that knocked the entire group back. The ground trembled beneath them, and Hikaru felt his chest tighten as the air grew colder.
"Focus! We need to figure out its weakness!" Hikaru yelled, his mind racing for a solution.
Kora was already charging, her sword raised. She collided with the creature, but her strike passed right through its body as if it were nothing more than smoke. The creature hissed, its glowing eyes narrowing as it focused on her.
"Kora, get back!" Hikaru shouted, but Kora was already in the thick of it, her strikes becoming more desperate with every failed attempt to damage the creature.
Hikaru rushed to her side, swinging his sword with precision, but the blade simply phased through the creature's ethereal body. It was as if they were fighting a force of nature, something beyond physical weapons.
System Alert: Entity "Wraith of the Fog" Detected
➤ Type: Corrupted Entity
➤ Threat Level: Extreme
➤ Magic Immunity: Active
➤ Weakness: Light-based Magic or Energy
➤ Special Warning: Avoid Direct Contact – Energy Drain Effect Active
"Light-based magic!" Hikaru shouted, recalling the System's warning. He turned to the mages, his mind working quickly. "Can any of you cast light magic?"
One mage, a young woman with a glowing staff, stepped forward. Her face was pale, but there was determination in her eyes. "I can. But it might take a few moments to charge."
"Do it now!" Hikaru commanded.
The young mage closed her eyes, her staff beginning to glow brightly as she focused her energy. The fog around them seemed to pulse in response, dark tendrils reaching out to try and snuff out the light.
The creature recoiled, its form shifting wildly, as if the light was burning it. It howled in pain, a sound that made Hikaru's skin crawl.
The mage's staff grew brighter, casting a beam of intense light that shot directly at the creature. It screamed, its body distorting as the light seared through it. For a moment, it seemed as though the creature might dissipate entirely, but instead, it lashed out in fury, striking the mage with a wave of dark energy.
The mage fell to the ground, her staff flickering weakly before going out.
"No!" Kora shouted, rushing to her side.
Hikaru clenched his fist. They couldn't let up now. The creature's power was formidable, but it wasn't invincible. The mages had proven that. They just needed to keep the pressure on.
Without thinking, Hikaru dashed forward, using his own energy to power through the fog. He could feel the creature's gaze on him, its cold presence weighing down on him, but he pushed it aside. He needed to buy the mages more time.
He reached Kora and the fallen mage, and together, they hoisted the injured woman out of harm's way. "We'll protect her! Keep the creature distracted!" Hikaru barked.
Kora nodded, her eyes fierce. "I'll buy you time."
She charged at the creature once more, this time with a renewed sense of purpose. She dodged its claws, weaving in and out of the creature's grasp. Hikaru's heart raced as he watched her, but he knew she could handle herself.
Meanwhile, the mage with the glowing staff managed to stand, her hands trembling as she focused once more. Her energy was waning, but Hikaru could feel her determination. It wasn't just the System pushing them; it was the will to survive. The will to protect their home.
The mage's staff flickered back to life, though not as brightly as before. But it was enough. The light gathered once again, shining brightly despite the fog's efforts to smother it.
Hikaru's instincts told him this was their chance. He rallied the remaining mages, his voice sharp and commanding. "Form a circle! Focus all energy on the creature!"
The mages obeyed, casting spells and drawing their remaining energy into one central point. The creature's form began to writhe and twist, but the beam of light grew stronger. Hikaru could see the creature weakening, its form flickering like a flame on the verge of being extinguished.
"Now, Kora!" Hikaru shouted, his heart pounding in his chest.
With a roar, Kora leapt forward, her sword glowing with the faintest trace of magic. She plunged the blade into the creature's form just as the light intensified. The wraith let out an ear-piercing scream as it disintegrated into mist, the fog swirling violently around the group before slowly fading away.
The battlefield was still again. The fog, once thick and oppressive, began to dissipate, retreating as if it had never been there at all.
Hikaru stood still, breathing heavily, his body aching from the strain of the battle. Kora walked back toward him, her armor battered but her spirit unbroken.
"We did it," she said, a rare smile crossing her face.
"For now," Hikaru replied grimly, his mind already turning to the next challenge. "But the Shadowcaller is still out there."
System Notification: Entity Defeated
➤ Entity "Wraith of the Fog" Defeated
➤ Rewards:
– Shadow Essence x5
– Wraith Fragment x3
– Reputation +15 (Local Zone)
– New Map Coordinates Unlocked
As the fog cleared, Hikaru could see the full scope of the ruin they had discovered. It was much larger than it had first appeared—an ancient stronghold, long abandoned, but still holding secrets beneath its crumbled stones.
The mages began to examine the area, noting the strange runes and symbols etched into the walls. It was clear that this place held more than just the fog creature. There were traces of dark magic here, magic that seemed to have been siphoning energy from the land itself.
"Get the rest of the team here," Hikaru ordered. "We need to search the area.
There's more to this than just a monster."
As they moved further into the ruin, Hikaru's mind raced. The fog, the creature, the runes—it was all connected. But to what end? And what did the Shadowcaller truly seek?
The answers were hidden here, somewhere in this forsaken place. And Hikaru would find them.