HPDBC Chapter 521 trial by fire
Chapter 521 trial by fire
The clash of metal and shouts of battle were growing louder by the second, drawing Ty and his squad toward the heart of the clearing. The tension in the air was thick, the anticipation palpable. As they approached, Ty's muscles tensed, his senses sharp and alert. The grass beneath his feet felt like a battlefield waiting to be stained red.
The wind rustled through the field, carrying with it the acrid scent of burning ozone and something darker—blood. Ty could feel the creature inside him stirring, feeding off the rising chaos. His fingers itched, fire flickering faintly from his palms. He stole a glance at Kern, whose hands hovered over his twin scimitars, eager for the kill.
"Stay low, move quietly," Ty whispered, signaling his squad to fan out and approach the two fighting groups from different angles. They had no time to waste—their mission was clear: kill three enemies before the first 24 hours passed.
Rosana's eyes gleamed, her heightened senses locking in on the targets ahead. "Six of them, two squads. Looks like one's pushing toward the king, the other's trying to secure supplies."
Kern chuckled under his breath. "Looks like we get to have some fun, huh, demon? Let's spill some blood."
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Ty's gaze hardened. He wasn't here for fun. Every kill, every moment of brutality was a step closer to getting out of this hell and finding the answers he needed. But the cameras—he could feel their cold lenses tracking their every move. The audience was hungry for violence, and Ty had no choice but to give them a show.
"Gisorn, find a position and cover us. Pick off anyone who tries to run. John, you're with me," Ty ordered, his voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with command. They had to move fast—precise, efficient. The clock was ticking, and they couldn't afford any mistakes.
The tall grass provided perfect cover as they approached the two squads locked in a heated argument. Ty could see them now—one group, dressed in orange with armor bristling with spikes, was gesturing furiously, while the other group, in mismatched gear, appeared more organized, trying to make their way toward the supply drone flying above.
"They don't see us," whispered John, his eyes narrowing. "We take the loudmouths first. They'll fall apart without leadership."
Ty nodded, signaling Rosana. Her muscles tensed, her clawed gloves glinting in the sunlight. Fire flickered from her fingertips as she prepared to strike.
"They're distracted," Kern added, a grin spreading across his face as he gripped the hilt of his scimitars. "Perfect."
Suddenly, one of the men in the orange squad turned his head, his eyes widening in alarm as he spotted a flicker of movement—Rosana's fiery hands lighting up the grass around her.
Before the hammer could fall, a gunshot rang out, echoing through the clearing. The brute's head snapped back as a bullet tore through his skull, splattering blood and brain matter across the grass. His massive body toppled forward, the hammer slipping from his grasp as he hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Ty looked up, breathing heavily, to see Gisorn standing on a nearby hill, his rifle smoking from the shot. "You're welcome," Gisorn called down, his voice cool and composed.
"Three down," Ty muttered, forcing himself to his feet. The pain in his shoulder was intense, but he pushed it aside. There was no time for weakness.
The cameras zoomed in on Ty's face as he straightened, the blood from his shoulder wound mixing with the dirt on his skin. The fans were going wild, the brutality of the fight igniting a frenzy in the stands. Bets were flying in faster now, the odds shifting as Ty's team proved their strength.
Back in the viewing boxes, one of the sponsors leaned back in his seat, a satisfied smile on his lips. "This is exactly what we paid for," he murmured, watching as Ty wiped blood from his face. "He's a fighter, no doubt about it."
Ty turned to his squad, his mind already calculating their next move. "That's three. We've done our job."
Kern, still grinning, sheathed his scimitars. "That was too easy. Let's find another squad and do it again."
But Ty wasn't smiling. The creature inside him stirred, feeding off the violence, but Ty felt hollow. He had completed the task, but the darkness within him was growing. The revelation about his skeleton, the forces watching him—it all weighed heavy on his mind. And this was just the beginning.
Kern wiped the blood off his scimitars, still grinning with that twisted satisfaction. "What's next, Demon? We find another squad or head for higher ground?"
Ty's eyes flickered with the black flames still lingering from the fight, but he extinguished them quickly. The fight was over, but the cost of every kill was sinking in deeper than it should have. He shook his head. "We're not pushing yet. We need a place to regroup, somewhere to plan our next moves. We hit them fast, but this isn't sustainable."
Rosana wiped her claws clean, the fire dissipating from her hands as she caught her breath. Her fur was slightly singed from the heat of battle, but her eyes still glowed with a burning intensity. "He's right. We can't keep running into squads like this. We got lucky, but it won't always be this easy."
Kern frowned. "Easy? That brute almost took your head off, Ty. Doesn't feel like luck to me."
Before anyone could reply, the buzzing sound of drones filled the air. Several hovered overhead, focusing their lenses on the blood-soaked battlefield. The bodies of the fallen contestants lay scattered in the grass, their lifeless forms now just props for the entertainment of the crowd. One of the drones zoomed down close, almost brushing past Kern's shoulder as it beeped twice, signaling a message.