The Astral Dogma

The mutant towered over Belial, its monstrous form sending a chill down his spine. With bulging muscles, four eyes, and a mouth that looked like it had been sewn shut, it bore a striking resemblance to the creature Cole had destroyed back in the forest.

"It's like the thing Cole destroyed back in the forest. It looks extremely dangerous," Belial thought, his mind racing as he assessed the situation.

"Is it possible for me to beat it?" he wondered aloud, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

[Calculating…]

[Chances of defeating the creature are less than 5%.]

Belial sighed, his heart sinking at the grim assessment. "Figured," he muttered under his breath, his gaze lingering on the formidable creature before him.

But just as despair threatened to take hold, a familiar voice broke through the silence. Belial turned to see Gael leaning against a nearby tree, his expression indifferent as he observed the unfolding scene.

"Are you going to fight this thing or what?" Belial asked, a note of frustration creeping into his voice.

"No. I don't think I will," Gael responded coolly, his tone casual despite the gravity of the situation. "The way you use ether is frustratingly annoying and too careless. You're just wasting it. You must've had a horrible teacher. Until you can do it right, I'm not helping you here."

Belial clenched his fists in frustration, his anger simmering beneath the surface as he struggled to contain his emotions

'That f-'

"Jin, get a hold of your student," Cole demanded, his frustration evident in the tight clench of his fist.

"You taught that kid?" Micah chimed in, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.

A deafening crash reverberated through the forest as the monstrous creature continued its relentless assault, each impact increasing the size of the crater it left behind.

Suddenly, the creature's eyes locked onto Belial, and in that instant, Belial knew he had to get out of there. Without hesitation, he bolted from the area, his heart pounding with fear as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Like hell I'm going to fight that thing! It'll kill me!" Belial ran, his mind racing with panic.

[PLEASE SAFELY VACATE THE PREMISES]

The warning blared in his mind, urging him to escape to safety.

Meanwhile, Cole, resolved to take matters into his own hands, rose from his seat and flew out of the window. But his escape was thwarted by an electric barrier that crackled with energy, blocking his path.

"What's with this?" Cole muttered, frustration etched into his features as he attempted to break through the barrier with a powerful punch. But to his dismay, not even a scratch was left on its surface.

"Hmm... A Divine rank seal," Jin remarked, his expression thoughtful as he surveyed the barrier. "I wonder who was able to find it and skilled enough to use it."

Divine seals, revered as legendary artifacts, were meticulously crafted for the sole purpose of containing calamity rank monsters, creatures whose power surpassed human comprehension. These seals were exceptionally scarce, their existence shrouded in mystique and whispered tales. Crafted by the divine beings themselves, these artifacts stood as a last line of defense against entities deemed too formidable for mere mortals to combat. The presence of such a seal in this location hinted at the profound gravity of the impending threat, signaling a dire confrontation with forces beyond human reckoning.

[Incoming call from Cole Blackburn]

"Are you kidding me?!" Belial exclaimed as he answered the call.

"About that... someone set up a seal especially made for us calamities," Cole explained urgently. "Its constitution isn't that refined—an S-rank probably conjured it up. Therefore, it shouldn't be long until it breaks from holding so many calamities in one place."

Belial's mind raced with fear and uncertainty. The thought of being chased with such a powerful monster, waiting for the seal to inevitably fail, filled him with stress.

"Until then, good luck surviving!" Cole added before ending the call.

Cole pondered the implications of the divine seal's presence, his mind swirling with questions about how Lex had managed to obtain such a powerful artifact.

"Since it was created for calamities, I'm guessing S-ranks can go through. I should be able to help the candidates," Adrien interjected, his voice calm and steady despite the chaos unfolding around them.

Cole nodded in acknowledgment, his respect for Adrien evident in the solemn expression on his face. With a decisive nod, Adrien leaped off the black box and headed towards the forest, his purpose clear as he prepared to assist those in need.

"I guess I should help too," Cassidy spoke up, his voice firm as he rose from his seat, ready to lend his aid in whatever way he could.

"Ms. Serah, would you mind taking Jia to safety? I promise you a drink later," Cassidy added, a playful glint in his eye as he addressed Serah.

"I won't take up that offer, but I will take her to safety," Serah replied, her tone firm and resolute as she accepted the responsibility entrusted to her.

"It was worth a shot," Cassidy mumbled to himself, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips as he watched Serah lead Jin away to safely 

Cassidy adjusted his mask as he caught up with Adrien, the weight of his duty settling upon him like a heavy cloak.

"You're a hunter, I take it. A strong one at that," Adrien remarked, his tone respectful as he sized up Cassidy.

Cassidy simply nodded in response, his expression hidden behind his mask.

"You take care of the northeast. I'll handle the northwest," Adrien instructed, his voice firm with authority.

Cassidy inwardly sighed with relief at the prospect of not having to work too closely with Adrien. Despite the urgency of the situation, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the distance between them.

As they arrived at the gate, Cassidy's eyes widened at the sight of hundreds of mutant massed outside.

With a swift motion, Cassidy summoned his hax, conjuring a wall of water to prevent the mutant from entering. The water surged forth, forming a barrier that shimmered and danced in the air, effectively halting the advance of the encroaching horde.

He continued to fend off the relentless horde of mutant, he utilized his water abilities with precision, unleashing a series of devastating attacks that cut through the enemy ranks like a hot knife through butter.

With a flick of his wrist, Cassidy conjured towering water spouts that lifted several mutant into the air before crashing them back down with bone-shattering force. As the creatures struggled to regain their footing, Cassidy sent forth torrents of water that swept them off their feet, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks.

In a display of finesse, Cassidy manipulated the water around him into razor-sharp blades, slicing through the mutant with surgical precision. He followed up with a barrage of high-pressure water jets, blasting through their defenses and leaving them drenched and disoriented.

He to utilize his water abilities with precision and finesse, unleashing a barrage of creative attacks to keep the encroaching mutant at bay. With each fluid movement, he conjured torrents of water to sweep away the mutant, his mastery over the element evident in the graceful arcs and powerful surges of his attacks.

Yet, amidst the heat of battle, a sudden and unexpected attack caught Cassidy off guard. A swift and agile mutant lunged forward with lightning speed, its claws slicing through the air and severing Cassidy's mask with a single, precise strike.

"Tch," Cassidy clicked his tongue in frustration as the remnants of his mask fluttered to the ground, leaving his identity exposed to the world. Without the protection of his mask, he knew that he would be vulnerable to the scrutiny of the knight, Adrien, whose watchful eyes scanned the battlefield for any sign of weakness.

"Now I have to avoid that damn knight," Cassidy muttered under his breath, his thoughts racing as he assessed the situation. With his identity at risk of being revealed, he knew that he would need to stay one step ahead of Adrien's keen observation, lest he become a target for the knight's scrutiny.

Despite his valiant efforts, Cassidy knew that it would take too long to finish off the mutant before he could lend aid to Belial.

"Hang in there, kid. I'll be there soon!"

*

"Hmm..." Lex pondered, adjusting his makeshift goggles with one eye focused intently on the battlefield, observing the uproar unfolding through the mutant' eyes.

"This is getting really boring. How long do we have to wait?" Luna impatiently inquired, her frustration evident in her voice.

"Just be patient, Luna. Just a little more," Lex reassured her, his attention still fixated on the scene before him. "I'm intrigued by that boy..."

Cole settled back into his seat within the confines of the black box, his gaze fixed upon the myriad of screens displaying the battles in the battlefield in real time.

Xin and Pacey's valiant struggle against the towering mutant with spiked appendages caught Cole's attention, their tenacity evident as they faced down the monstrous creature with unwavering resolve.

Marielle and the three Trailblazers remained unconscious, their forms still and silent amidst the battle that raged around them. Cole's heart clenched with worry for their safety, knowing that their fate hung in the balance as the battle raged on.

In the western gate, Craver and Troxil fought fiercely against the onslaught of mutants, their skills honed through years of battle allowing them to hold their own against the relentless horde. Despite the odds stacked against them, they remained steadfast in their perseverance to protect the gate from falling into enemy hands.

Raven stood firm in the south, his presence a beacon of strength amidst the dead bodies of the mutants. With his formidable skills and unwavering resolve, he faced down the mutant horde with a calm confidence, his calm demeanor or even in the heat of battle.

And in the east, Belial raced through the forest, his heart pounding with fear as he sought to evade the pursuing mutant. With every step, he felt the weight of the mutants presence bearing down upon him, driving him forward with a sense of urgency as he fought to stay one step ahead of the relentless pursuit.

Cole watched Belial's sudden halt at the edge of the barrier, a sense of unease gnawed at him. Drawing his sword, its azure gleam prominent against the chaos of battle, Belial seemed to be enveloped in a dark purple aura, an ominous sign of impending danger.

'What is he doing? He should run!' Cole's voice echoed with frustration, his hand instinctively reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 'Is he so stupid to think he can handle that mutant?'

'This is bad..'Cole bit his lip nervously,

Belial attacked the mutant, he swung his sword but it left no damage, the monster grabbed the arm that has the sword Belial desperately kicked the monsters as his swords just bounced off its skin and faded to particles as more kept materializing and attacking but to no use,

The mutant's gaping maw opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth as hot breath wafted out of its mouth, dripping with saliva.

Chomp.

With a sickening crunch, the creature's large teeth sank into Belial's shoulder, eliciting a pained gasp from the young hunter.

With a surge of persistence, Belial materialized a small, sharp knife in his hand, intent on retaliating against the monstrous assailant. However, before he could strike, the mutant threw him against the barrier with a powerful force, sending him crashing to the ground.

Belial's eyes widened in shock as pain seared through his internal body, but he gritted his teeth and fought to suppress the rising tide of agony. Black blood welled up in his throat once again, threatening to overwhelm him.

Meanwhile, far away from the battlefield, Lex observed the unfolding events with a predatory grin, his keen eyes gleaming with interest.

"Seems my hunch was right. That boy is one," Lex remarked, his voice laced with satisfaction.

"Luna, use your charm on the boy. I'm curious to see if he's the same as the witch," he instructed, his tone filled with anticipation.

Luna nodded in acquiescence, her expression betraying a hint of reluctance. "You're paying extra for this," she muttered under her breath, her gaze flickering towards Belial with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

In the midst of his struggle, a voice echoed in Belial's mind, a whisper of encouragement urging him to rise once more.

[Weak! Too weak! You couldn't even do the one job you were supposed to do. You call yourself my son? Pathetic.]

The voice echoed in Belial's mind, sharp and cutting, each word dripping with disdain.

He saw her again—the vision he could never escape. A woman with long, curly flowing violet hair stood with her back to him, her presence as cold and unyielding as steel.

"No… Mother…" Belial's voice was barely a whisper, trembling with both shame and defiance. "I can still… do something. I'm not what you think I am. I'm—"

His eyes showing a hint of a spark, resolve burning in his chest. "I'm a hunter now."

The vision stirred, her tone venomous as she responded, [A hunter, you say? Then prove it.]

Her words were a challenge, a command, and a curse all at once.