Gate Hunters

(Krist Page point of view)

So, this is the white Gate.

It doesn't seem impressive; it merely resembles an ordinary wind gate. "Oracle, what's the story? Should I be expecting anything?" Molly was likely monitoring the situation inside, so she should be informed of any potential dangers I might face.

...

She didn't respond, "Oracle! Is everything alright?" I called out to her again.

...no response.

She must be busy then. And at the worst possible-

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" Just now I heard a faint scream coming from inside.

It was a man.

So, somebody was still alive... Damnit, I guess I'm going in blind.

Once I step through, I witness something straight out of a horror film. The once green environment changed into a red wasteland with bone remains of humans.

I notice a lot of noticeable things: a pit with boiling red liquid, above the pit was skinless people who were being cooked by the steam, on the other side was a collection of giant cooking knives the size of an average doorframe, and next to it was a table with human body parts that were perfectly cooked with seasoning on the side.

"Are you not going to introduce yourself?" I sensed something drooling on my shoulder accompanied by a faint growl.

Before I could look it in the eye, I was punched across the area and landed against a bone pillar. Seconds later, I was blasted by a ball of fire. Fortunately, fire-based abilities don't hurt me much.

Once the smoke cleared, the beast was revealed in all its magnificence. It was a colossal humanoid hippopotamus with three pig heads, each appearing grotesque. Draped over it was a bloodied apron, which scarcely concealed the vast expanse of its belly.

I soared into the sky, wings unfurled, as I declared, "So, you prefer to get down to business," unleashing a barrage of needle-like arrows upon the beast.

After it started to roar, I perform the Tori hand sign to explode the area around it.

Effectively it jumped towards me with a blinding speed and spike me to the ground.

Before hitting the ground, I regained control in mid-air and swiftly pointed my right index finger at it, uttering, "Malice." I launched a compressed nuke at it, taking advantage of its mid-air position.

The attack successfully made contact with the creature. "Too easy," I boasted as I landed on the ground, not realizing those would be my famous last words.

It reappeared before me, its fist coated in fire, and delivered a punch so powerful that it sent me soaring into the air.

Immediately afterward, it seizes my leg, slams me rapidly against the ground, then hurls me into the air before launching a fireball directly at me.

Following the explosion, I found myself in a free fall towards the earth, and just before I hit the ground, the creature delivered a fiery, devastating punch to my spine.

I definitely felt a few bones breaking.

The pain inflicted by that wretched hog would have killed me, "Salvation." Yet, I recovered from the pain and injuries instantaneously.

The beast began to circle me, its three mouths dripping saliva, "I must admit, you are the first in ten years to inflict so much pain that I had to heal myself before I died. Your strength exceeds my expectations from our brief encounter. Congratulations, you've earned yourself a biscuit." Rising to my feet, I removed my mask.

With a masochistic grin of sheer delight, I declared, "Be aware, I shall emerge victorious for I am the best healing hunter and one of the strongest in the world. Should you doubt my claim, then challenge me and prove me otherwise." In that instant, I was prepared to unleash all my abilities against my adversary.

My positive gift was Wind. With this I used it to increase my speed and making my body feel lighter.

I burst forward, closing the distance in an instant. Returning the favour, I unleashed a punch enveloped in white flames directly into its stomach, channelling years of pent-up rage into that blow. I dubbed this move the White Canvas.

The beast felt that and wanted to strike back but my reaction time was faster than it.

Countering all their attacks and follow up with White Canvas specifically to where the beast heart is located.

We engaged in this exchange for some time until I was satisfied with the extent of damage I had caused. I then took a few steps back, still in mid-air, following a backflip. I performed the Mi hand sign which caused a snake to burst out of its chest carrying its heart along with it.

"My artwork remains incomplete without the final flourish: Heavenly Fire." Above the beast's head, a vast circle loomed, within which a column of fire reduced the beast to ashes.

Knowing that I was about to win. I couldn't help but laughed at this pitiful creature.

But for some reason, it walked out of the pillar. My attacked left its body in a completely burnt state.

The beast sat down on the ground with its leg folded. Speaking in a bizarre language.

Perform different continuous hand sign. Each time the symbols were form... its skin started to shed.

To the point it was nothing but bones with three rotating skulls.

... should I attack? Or wait...what's that in its chest?

It resembled a card of some sort, yet it was pitch black with cracks throughout. After the beast perished, the card ejected from its body and soared towards the pit of boiling red liquid.

Just then something emerged from the pit made entirely out of flesh.

An abomination of creation itself.

Revealing its muscular flesh appearance the cries of many people who were tormented by this creature.

The card soared into the abomination's body, and suddenly, two bone daggers and a black mask adorned with a sinister smile materialized, marked with the words "The Star" inscribed in blood.

So, this was its true form.

The creature donned the mask and brandished its daggers, unleashing an eerie laugh. The numerous mouths scattered across its body wept profusely, yet this only heightened its excitement.

Soon later a pitch-black unsettling aura was forming around it.

Sensing the real battle was imminent, I shed my robes and performed a few stretches.

After a brief stretching session, I enveloped my arms in white flames and positioned my fingers to assume my fighting stance: the White Dragon Claw. The second round was imminent.