The morning air was crisp as Bolt, Aether, Akane, Kairos, and the rest of Celestial Tempest made their way out of the safe zone. They had just crossed the academy's invisible border, which separated them from the wild lands where the most dangerous monsters roamed.
The class assignment had seemed simple enough: hunt a Red-Horned Minotaur, a formidable B-rank beast, to advance in rank. Celestial Tempest, despite only having been formed weeks ago, was already at a respectable C-rank. That alone was a testament to their strength, but the academy's new rules stipulated that every faction must engage in monster hunts to prove their worth.
"We're here," Aether said, peering through the dense trees. "Remember, stick to the plan. We're looking for a Red-Horned Minotaur. It's tough, but nothing we can't handle."
Akane clenched her fists, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "I don't trust how quiet it is. There should be more signs of life around here."
Bolt nodded, his senses heightened. He wasn't as in-tune with his surroundings as Aether, but the air felt wrong. There was a lingering heaviness, a pulse in the atmosphere that made his skin crawl. It was subtle but enough to make him instinctively reach for the elemental power simmering within him. But the War God's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him that his control was still fragile. He couldn't let himself slip.
"Stay focused, Bolt," Akane whispered, noticing his tension. "We'll be fine."
Kairos, who had been eerily silent until now, glanced over at Bolt, his eyes darkened in thought. "Let's just find the damn Minotaur and get this over with."
As the group advanced deeper into the forest, the tension only grew. Birds that had been chirping only moments ago had gone completely silent, and even the rustle of the trees seemed muted. Bolt couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
"I don't like this," Bolt muttered under his breath.
Akane's sharp eyes caught the faintest movement in the shadows ahead. "I think we've found our quarry."
A massive, hulking figure stood between the trees, its red horns glinting ominously in the filtered sunlight. The Red-Horned Minotaur had an imposing physique, towering well over ten feet with bulging muscles and an aura of raw power that seemed to distort the air around it. Its eyes glowed a fiery orange, and its large hooves stamped against the forest floor, sending ripples through the earth.
"I'll handle the first strike," Bolt said, stepping forward, ready to unleash his powers. But just as he was about to tap into the elemental force that now thrummed through him, the creature made its move.
The Minotaur charged with terrifying speed, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Bolt barely had time to react, instinctively summoning his lightning element. A burst of energy shot from his hand, striking the Minotaur's chest.
But instead of staggering, the creature absorbed the blast, the charge rippling over its dark, armored hide without slowing it down.
"Damn it!" Bolt cursed, realizing his power wasn't as effective as he'd hoped.
Kairos, standing off to the side, smirked. "Looks like you're not the only one who can handle the elements."
With a flick of his wrist, Kairos summoned flames, twisting them into a spiraling vortex of fire that shot toward the Minotaur's back. It howled in pain as the flames scorched its thick hide, but once again, it didn't falter.
"Everyone, spread out! We need to keep it off balance!" Aether shouted.
As they engaged the Minotaur, Bolt felt the weight of the battle intensify. He had fought powerful beasts before, but this one seemed different. There was an unnatural energy surrounding it, something he couldn't place. He continued to attack with lightning and wind, but each time, the Minotaur shrugged off his blows, its rage growing with every passing second.
Akane's ice attacks slowed the creature's movements, creating slick patches of frozen ground. But even that didn't seem to fully contain the Minotaur. It was as if it were adapting to each of their attacks, learning from every move they made.
"Something's not right," Akane muttered, her breath heavy with exertion. "It should be slowing down. It's not a B-rank beast anymore."
"Keep pressing it!" Bolt shouted. "We can do this!"
But just as they thought they were gaining ground, the Minotaur let out a bone-chilling roar, sending shockwaves through the forest. Its body shimmered, and its muscles expanded, the air around it warping with an eerie energy.
"No way…" Aether gasped. "It's evolving."
The Red-Horned Minotaur wasn't just a B-rank anymore. It was transforming into something far worse, something far more dangerous.
The ground beneath their feet trembled violently as the beast's transformation reached its peak. The horns grew sharper, longer, and its fiery orange eyes turned a deep, glowing crimson. The air itself crackled with dark energy as the creature's body shifted, its form becoming more grotesque. The Minotaur now stood as a towering Demon Minotaur, a terror that reeked of malevolence and raw, unbridled power.
"That thing's an A+ rank now," Bolt murmured, his heart racing. "We're screwed."
The Demon Minotaur's roar was deafening as it swung its massive horns toward the group, knocking several trees out of its path with a single swipe. Kairos dodged just in time, his body moving with the fluidity of a shadow, but the force of the creature's strike sent a shockwave through the entire forest.
"Get back!" Aether shouted. "It's too strong! We have to retreat!"
But the Minotaur wasn't letting them go so easily. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Bolt, and with a speed far beyond its initial state, it charged straight at him.
"Bolt, move!" Akane screamed, but she was too far away to intervene.
In a split second, the ground underfoot cracked as the Minotaur lunged forward, its massive form sending dirt and debris flying.
Just as the Minotaur was about to land a fatal blow, Bolt's heart pounded in his chest. In that moment of sheer desperation, his power surged uncontrollably.
The War God's voice thundered in his mind, urging him forward.
"Show them what you're truly capable of, Warborn."
And then, as if on instinct, Bolt's body reacted. The raw power of the seven elements surged through him like a tidal wave, and his aura exploded into a violent storm of fire, water, lightning, ice, wind, earth, and shadow. For a brief moment, time seemed to slow.
His eyes glowed with a fierce intensity as every element swirled around him, and his body seemed to crackle with uncontained energy. He reached out, and the world bent to his will.
But before he could strike, the Demon Minotaur's roar broke through the storm of energy, snapping him back to reality.
And then, the shadow appeared.
A dark, ethereal figure, its silhouette bathed in shadow, rose from the depths of the ground. Its eyes glowed bright crimson, and as it took form, it moved toward the Demon Minotaur with unnatural speed.
The battlefield froze as Bolt stood there, unsure of what he was seeing. Was this the creature he had been warned about? Or was this something else entirely?
The shadow loomed, its power undeniable.
And just as the battle seemed ready to take another turn, the voice of the War God boomed in Bolt's mind again, as if urging him to act.
"It is not yet your time, Warborn… But the shadow is the key."
The words echoed in Bolt's mind as he looked toward the monstrous creature before him and the shadow that had appeared to stand beside it.