As they were near the main hall, a riot of sounds replaced the rumbling earth. The screech of metal, the roar of something monstrous, the frantic cries of other adventurers...
The air around them grew thick with the stench of burnt objects, fresh blood, and something acrid and organic. A smell Jack knew indicating a problematic incident.
Jack and his crew burst into the main hall. The massive star-iron gate was still standing open, although it was now shuddering violently. Its gears were grinding against each other with a painful shriek.
But it was not the gate the source of the problem was. It was the hall and the zone outside the hall. The scene before them was... a chaotic nightmare.
The hall and the exterior plain were now a battle zone. Bodies lay strewn across the floor and the ground. Some were ripped apart. Others were charred to ash.
But the most striking new feature was... the rift. A jagged, pulsing tear in reality. An angry scar in the air. Hung suspended inside the hall. Near the entrance. Near where the opened gate was.
The jagged spatial rift glowed with a terrible crimson light. And from its depths poured forth a tide of nasty creatures.
Cursed were-rats. Hundreds... probably thousands of them. Their bodies were lean and wiry. Covered in coarse, matted fur that glowed eerie green. Their eyes were glinting with malicious intelligence.
They wielded nasty, bone blades and claws tipped with black poison. They swarmed the hall. Indifferent to their own safety. Activating and exhausting the traps that had claimed so many of their lives. Actively battling the humans outside and... the ruin defender inside.
The gigantic, mechanical, lion-like golem guardian, the [Ancient Guardian Rockleo], was fully active at the moment. Its three eyes glowed with an intense red light. And it moved with the terrifying grace of a predator.
Its massive paws crushed the normal were-rats with casual ease. Its jaws, lined with star-iron teeth, snapped and tore them. Sending sprays of dark-green ichor across the hall. Lasers, hot as focused sun-fire, shot from its eyes. Incinerating scores of were-rats in bursts of white flame.
But even the Rockleo was struggling. Two truly monstrous were-rats, the gigantic versions of their smaller kin, battled fiercely against the ancient golem.
Each of these gigantic were-rats was easily six meters tall. Their muscles were bulging with unnatural power. Their fur were shining with metallic hue.
One of them wielded a massive, serrated bone cleaver. Its swings carved deep gouges into the Rockleo's metallic hide. The other was a hulking brute. Relying on its sheer mass and razor claws. Trying to tear apart the golem's sturdy limbs.
The air thrummed with raw, uncontrolled magic. The spatial distortions were so severe that bits of reality seemed to shimmer and crack. Distant echoes of other places flickered at the edges of the hall.
Jack's eyes immediately swept the panicked chaos. Searching for the source of the problem. And he found it.
Duke Starlight stood some distance away from the spatial crack. His eyes and grin showed a certain degree of insanity. A strange, pulsating artifact was clutched in his hands. It looked like a grotesque artwork made of twisted bones and crooked teeth. Radiating intense eerie power.
Jack activated his [Eyes of Judgement]. The runes flared in his vision. Dissecting the scene. Showing layers of information over the chaos.
[Name: Rat King Heart]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Status: Cursed]
[Durability: Indestructible]
[Special Ability: Gateway to the Damned Rodent Realm]
[Description: A necrotic artifact born of concentrated fear, despair, and insanity of the ancient rodent-worshipping cult. It feeds on chaos and unlocks dormant connections to the abyssal plane that gave birth to the infernal rat-kin. Prone to uncontrolled spatial rifts when activated without proper containment.]
The information confirmed Jack's suspicions. Duke Starlight had recklessly unleashed something far beyond his control again. The [Rat King Heart] was a legendary artifact. A weapon of mass destruction in the wrong hands. And Duke Starlight was definitely the one with those wrong hands...
"Duke Starlight had activated a cursed artifact." Jack announced to his crew. His voice was devoid of emotion, although his internal anger was building up rapidly. "The [Rat King Heart]. It's tearing this place apart and summoning those things from different plane."
Reina's eyes narrowed. "These creatures... They seem to be immune to my illusions, Dear."
"Indeed." Jack confirmed. His gaze was fixed on the endless stream of creatures pouring from the rift. "Illusions won't work on them. We fight!"
Rune glowed a fiery red. Her tiny form vibrated with alarm. The situation was clear. Their carefully planned treasure hunting expedition had devolved into a desperate fight for survival. Thrust upon them by a villain's reckless folly.
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"I will handle the big one. Leon! Bell! Don! Moby! Be the vanguards against engage the smaller were-rats. Keep them off the big fight." Jack commanded, his voice sharp and decisive. "Baroness! Ned! Argust! Be the damage dealers. Use ranged attacks if possible. Reina! Chloe! Aella! Use your movement abilities and judgement. Barnaby! Mirella! Serene! Autumn! Focus on supports."
Jack glanced at one direction. He could see Scorpion battled a group of encroaching were-rats with a pair of vicious, poisonous scimitar and a strange scorpion tail from his bottom. His movements were fluid and deadly.
He turned to Reina. "Love! Try not to let that Scorpion die. We don't need the complication caused by a demon right now."
"Got it. Be careful, Dear!" Reina said. "The big ones are not easy to handle."
Jack nodded. His human form could fight fine. But, if he wanted to finish the problem quickly, it wasn't enough.
This was not a situation for subtlety. But for brute force and tactical precision. The sheer number of were-rats was overwhelming. And the two gigantic brutes were a serious threat even to the Rockleo.
He had to transform. He had to use his rakshasa form.
Jack focused his mind. Activating his [Incarnation Shift]. Almost instantly, his frame bulked up. His muscles were coiling and expanding rapidly. His skin darkened. Thickening into a dense, reddish black color.
Simultaneously, his hair was thickened and lengthened. Turning into a dark and thick mane. And his teeth transformed into sharp dagger-like ones. In that instant, he was no longer a human. He was a Black Buto. Judge Jack. A fiery armored rakshasa of fiendish strength and resilience.
In his hand, materialized his huge weapon, the [Judgement Warhammer]. A dark metallic object covered with reddish primordial energy.
"I'll go and help the lion golem." Jack stated in his guttural voice. "It's our best chance against the sheer numbers. If it falls, we'll be overrun."
He took a deep breath. The foul stench of the humanoid rodents filled his lungs. His current essence, the great archfiend, surged. The primordial knowledge of countless battles and the instincts of a warrior, sharpened his focus.
With a powerful charge, he moved. A blur of violent motion towards the swirling chaotic battle. The ground beneath his feet vibrated ominously as he ran. The air crackled with heavy pressure.
He felt the fragility of the spatial instability. The ruin was groaning around them. Threatening to collapse at any moment. But now, there was no time for caution. Only... battle.
The smaller were-rats barely registered Jack's approach before they were annihilated. He cut through them like a bulldozer breaking through weak wooden barrier. His [Judgement Warhammer] moved in dark arcs of destruction.
Each swing was powerful and lethal. Breaking bones, crushing bodies, and sending sprays of dark-green blood onto the stone floor. The [Rockmen Authority Ring] kept him safe from the ruin's traps. And the were-rats' claws and blades couldn't break his defense.
As he charged, his crew members didn't stay still.
Bell roared. He activated his [Buckler of Retribution] and drew a steamrune handgun Jack had provided. Not bothering using his mystic grimoire.
Don was beside him. Already activating his [Bracelet of Protection] and summoning a ball of flame. His original fire manipulation primal sorcery had been enhanced massively after consuming a [Phoenix Feather].
Moby was another vanguard in the team. He stood in front of the team and opened his mystic grimoire without any fear. His big size with [Tough Bone] and [Great Regeneration] made him a great shield for the other team mates.
Completing the line of vanguards was Leon Drake. His body was already covered by his full plate draconic armor. He was holding a grimoire and casting lightning spells casually. Just like an... armored mage.
With the four of them holding the vanguards positions, Baroness Artheim, Ned, and Argust could attack freely from behind them. The baroness used her lightning bird summons, while Ned and Argust preferred to use Jack's prepared steamrune guns rather than their own grimoires.
Behind them, Barnaby played a rapid war-song to increase the focus and reflex of everyone in their team. Next to him, Mirella unrolled her scroll of painting. Turning the Archfiend Painting she had drawn into a boost of health and mana regeneration for her allies.
The healer sisters held steamrune rifles and shot the were-rats once in a while not far from them. They didn't focus much on the combat though. Instead, they were preparing themselves to heal their team mates when accidents happened.
Reina, Aella, and Chloe, meanwhile, had begun to move freely in the battlefield. Reina and Aella possessed short distance teleportation ability. Chloe could meld into shadows. The battle zone danger for them was very low.
The two gigantic were-rats continued their assault on the [Ancient Guardian Rockleo]. And they were gaining upper hands despite being smaller.
The cleaver-wielding were-rat landed a heavy blow. A ringing clang of metal against metal. Causing the Rockleo to stumble. Its glowing eyes were momentarily dimming.
The other hulking brute tore at its leg joints. Attempting to sever a limb.
Jack arrived at the edge of this titanic struggle. He saw the Rockleo was damaged. Bleeding, not blood, but sputtering mist and sparks from its wounds. Its internal mechanisms were in problem.
The golems had been designed to fight. But perhaps not against this many, or this kind of foe. And, it had been dormant for too long. Some of its parts weren't in perfect condition.
Jack channeled his primordial energy. Allowing the faint, reddish glow to emanate, not just from his hammer, but also from his rakshasa form.
His movements became a fraction faster. His strength was slightly augmented. His perception was sharpened further.
He lunged towards the cleaver-wielding brute. The creature, focused entirely on the Rockleo, didn't notice him. Until the [Judgement Warhammer] struck deep into its thick, demonic hide.
BOOM!
The brute shrieked as he was thrown sideway. It let out a high-pitched, guttural sound. After controlling its balance, the were-rat spun. Its massive cleaver swept horizontally. Aiming at Jack's neck.
Jack brought his [Judgement Warhammer] up. Meeting the blow with a violent impact. The hammer shivered. And he was forced backward several steps.
The were-rat was strong. Very strong. It snarled. Its red eyes, like burning coals, was fixed on him. It had found a new, more irritating target.
"Come on, Ugly Rat!" Jack mocked in cold voice. "Bite me!"
The brutal were-rat charged. Its cleaver was raised high. Jack didn't retreat. He met the charge head-on. Dodging the clumsy overhead swing with a drunken-like swaying. And then driving his [Judgement Warhammer] to its shinbone.
The creature roared in pain...
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