Maddy was currently a world away from the misty, monster infested heights of Shellgrave. Under the warm afternoon sun of the city, she stood beneath a tall elm tree, carefully reaching up into the branches to retrieve a bright red balloon that had slipped from a toddler’s grasp.
With a gentle smile, she handed the string back to the sniffling child. The kid’s face instantly lit up with pure joy, letting out a happy cheer. But just as Maddy opened her mouth to tell the child to hold on tighter this time, a sudden flash of bright blue text materialized right in front of her face, completely blocking her view of the kid.
[New Map Acquired: Shellgrave Peak: Area 1 — Middle]
[New Monsterpedia Entry Added: Big Bat]
[Big Bat — Habitat: Caves / Ruins / Forests / Mountains]
[A giant species of bat that has grown far beyond the size of its common relatives. Big Bats possess powerful wings capable of carrying them swiftly through dark caverns and dense forests, while their enlarged fangs allow them to prey upon creatures much larger than themselves. Though primarily nocturnal, they are aggressive hunters that rely on echolocation to navigate and locate prey with remarkable accuracy. Big Bats often roost in colonies, clinging to cavern ceilings or ruined structures until nightfall. Their shrill screeches can disorient smaller creatures, making escape difficult once a hunt has begun.]
Maddy blinked, slightly startled by the sudden holographic intrusion, before a knowing, amused expression softened her features. She waved goodbye to the toddler, who ran back to their mother, and began walking down the cobblestone street.
"Ooh, my children found something new..." Maddy murmured to herself, a proud smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she swiped the interface away. "A big bat, huh? They must have pushed past the lower caverns. Keep farming, my little ones... Mother is waiting to see what you bring home next."
She continued walking down the sunny street, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. To her, getting these random system notifications was honestly adorable. It was like receiving a series of proud progress reports from her children, showing her that they were working hard, following her instincts, and doing exactly what she had ordered them to do. She felt like a deeply satisfied parent.
But behind that neat, orderly digital notification screen... the reality at the peaks was absolute, unmitigated chaos.
The scene cut violently back through the thick, white fog of Shellgrave Peak, where the air was filled with a deafening cacophony of screeching winds and leathery wings.
"Run! Vermi, just keep running!"
Sephiran screamed, his voice cracking as he lunged forward, narrowly dodging a massive, shadowy form that lunged out of the mist.
A literal flock of giant, terrifying Big Bats had descended upon them, their glowing eyes fixed on the intruders. They weren’t just common pests; these beasts were aggressive, snapping their oversized fangs and diving through the fog with terrifying precision.
Vermi let out a series of high-pitched, panicked squeaks, her four little limbs pumping furiously as she scrambled over the rocky ground. She jumped just in time, tumbling into a tight ball as a giant bat’s claws scraped across the stone where she had been standing a split second before.
"Get away from her!"
Sephiran yelled, swinging his weapon wildly to keep the flying predators at bay. He was panting, bruised, and pushed entirely to his limits as the bats circled back for another coordinated dive.
They were trapped, blind in the fog, and being hunted. But as the shadows loomed closer, a spark of stubborn defiance flared in Sephiran’s chest. He stopped running. He took a ragged breath, planting his feet firmly onto the crumbling ledge.
"No... I’m not running anymore," he murmured to himself, his jaw tightening as he gripped his massive war bat with white-knuckled intensity.
"I’ve reached puberty! I’m a grown soldier of the hive now! I’m not some helpless kid anymore!"
With a fierce cry of newfound courage, Sephiran raised his weapon high. The muscles in his arms tensed as he planted his feet, preparing to face the incoming flock head on.
"Vermi! Stop running and get behind me!" he commanded, his voice booming over the shrieks of the bats. "Get ready to support me!"
His mandibles clenched as he thought of the twins.
"We are not letting those bully twins tease us ever again!"
The swarm of bats drew closer, their shadows sweeping over the forest floor. Yet Sephiran stood his ground.
"We’re taking these things down for Mother!"
For a brief moment, he looked every bit the brave warrior he imagined himself to be. Then he pointed dramatically at the incoming monsters.
"And when Mother comes home, she’s going to hear how brave I was—and how those horrible twins dream of our demise!"
His voice cracked slightly at the end, but he quickly coughed and pretended it hadn’t happened.
"Just... focus on the bats first! The sibling complaints come after the battle!"
With a ferocious grin, he drew upon the deepest reserves of his power.
"DΣMӨПIᄃ BᄂӨӨD ΛЯƬ: HELL BODY!"
The change was instantaneous. Burning, glowing red lines fractured across Sephiran’s skin like cracking magma, pumping a surge of raw, demonic energy directly into his muscles. The skill tripled his combat prowess in an instant. His veins pulsed, his eyes flared a dangerous crimson, and the sheer kinetic force radiating from his body briefly blew back the encroaching fog.
With a deafening battle cry, Sephiran swung his war bat. The weapon cut through the air with terrifying speed, obliterating the first incoming Big Bat into a spray of dark mist and shattering the stone ledge beneath its impact.
He became a whirlwind of red lined destruction, leaping into the flock, smashing wings, breaking fangs, and dropping dozens of the giant pests with every single crushing blow.
Behind him, Vermi didn’t just sit idle. She unleashed the full, terrifying arsenal of the chaotic traits she had stolen from the lower caverns and forests, utilizing them with flawless synergy to cover her brother’s blind spots.