The sanctuary slept uneasily under a crescent moon. Kazuki sat sharpening Moon-Bone Edge, every motion precise, his muscles still humming from the last battle. Lyria sat nearby, reading from an ancient scroll, her green aura faintly pulsing as she practiced subtle spells to regain strength.
Eryndor approached, his expression grim. "Kazuki… reports from scouts. Moonfang has unleashed a dragon-class unit—a Fenrir-Scaled Behemoth. Level 35. It's heading straight for the sanctuary."
Kazuki's eyes narrowed. Level 35. One opponent could devastate the sanctuary alone. Yet fear no longer ruled him. He gripped his blade, feeling the surge of Moonlight Ascendant energy within.
"Then we make sure it doesn't reach the gates," he said firmly. "Lyria… we fight together. Maximum output."
Lyria nodded, standing. "I'll amplify your strikes. If we synchronize perfectly, we can even counter its scale armor."
COMBO TRAINING: MOONLIGHT OVERDRIVE
Kazuki reviewed the system notifications:
[Moonlight Overdrive Lv.2 READY][Celestial Strike Lv.2 READY][Lunar Veil Lv.2 READY][Celestial Moonfall (Team Ultimate) UNLOCKED]
"Celestial Moonfall…" Kazuki whispered, eyes shining. "A combo ultimate with Lyria. One strike, maximum power."
Lyria extended a hand, her emerald energy shimmering. "We'll test it once. Carefully."
They trained through the night:
Kazuki's Moonlight Overdrive amplified every swing and step
Lyria's mana pulses synced with his attacks, boosting speed and sharpness
They practiced the timing of Celestial Moonfall, where Kazuki's Moon-Bone Edge strikes while Lyria channels full mana into a descending crescent of energy
By dawn, they were ready. Their coordination was seamless, movements almost instinctive.
THE BEHEMOTH ARRIVES
By mid-morning, the scouts returned with news: a massive shadow moved through the forest. Trees shattered under its weight. The Fenrir-Scaled Behemoth emerged—a towering dragon-like creature with obsidian scales glinting with blue veins of energy, claws like rending iron, and glowing azure eyes.
[Enemy Detected: Fenrir-Scaled Behemoth — Level 35]
The sanctuary's alarms rang out. Kazuki raised Moon-Bone Edge, his aura flaring silver. Lyria's hands glowed with green light, mana pooling in streams around her.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Always," she replied.
They charged together.
THE BATTLE BEGINS
The Behemoth roared, striking with a swipe that shattered the stone platform beneath them. Kazuki activated Moonlight Overdrive, silver light rippling across his body. Every strike and dodge became faster, every step sharper.
Lyria amplified his aura while casting Lunar Pulse, small crescent strikes slicing into the creature's scaled hide. Kazuki leapt, slashing across a weak joint between its massive limbs. The Behemoth roared in pain but swung again.
"Predator's Intuition!" Kazuki shouted, narrowly avoiding a tail strike that could have severed him in half. He struck the exposed underbelly with Celestial Strike Lv.2, sending arcs of silver light scattering over the dragon's armor.
The Behemoth countered with a shockwave of mana, knocking Kazuki off his feet. Pain seared through him—but Lyria's Lunar Veil Lv.2 absorbed a portion of the attack, stabilizing him midair.
CELESTIAL MOONFALL
Kazuki rose, eyes locking with Lyria's. It was time.
"Now!"
Kazuki plunged Moon-Bone Edge downward as Lyria poured her mana into a massive crescent of green and silver light. The two forces collided in a spectacular fusion—Celestial Moonfall—a simultaneous strike and healing pulse that struck the Behemoth's chest.
The dragon screamed, scales cracking, mana surging violently from the impact. Trees around them splintered, rocks were hurled skyward, and a shockwave tore through the battlefield.
The Behemoth staggered, weakened beyond measure. Kazuki, still in Overdrive, dashed forward, striking repeatedly at broken armor joints. Lyria amplified every hit with her mana, each crescent slash driving deep into the creature's core.
Finally, with a synchronized downward strike, the Moon-Bone Edge pierced the Behemoth's heart. Its roar echoed through the forest before collapsing with a thunderous impact.
AFTERMATH AND LEVEL UP
Silence returned to the sanctuary. Smoke and dust hung in the air. Kazuki's chest heaved, Moon-Bone Edge glowing faintly from residual Moonlight energy. Lyria collapsed beside him, exhausted but smiling faintly.
[YOU HAVE KILLED FENRIR-SCALED BEHEMOTH][EXP GAINED: MASSIVE][LEVEL UP → Level 25][Moonlight Ascendant Lv.3 UNLOCKED][New Skill Unlocked: Celestial Moonfall Lv.1]
◈ STATUS (Level 25) ◈
HP: 600/600
Strength: 85
Agility: 90
Endurance: 65
Intelligence: 38
Skills: Lunar Step Lv.3, Moonlight Blade Lv.3, Moonlight Aura Lv.3, Predator's Intuition Lv.4, Adrenal Surge Lv.3, Silver Pulse Lv.2, Double EXP, Moonlight Fusion Lv.3, Mana Resonance Lv.2, Critical Instinct Lv.2, Moonlight Ascendant Lv.3, Moonlight Overdrive Lv.2, Celestial Strike Lv.3, Lunar Veil Lv.3, Celestial Moonfall Lv.1
Titles: The Undiscovered One / Moonblood Warrior
Equipment: Moon-Bone Edge (Upgraded, Mana-Conductive, Enhanced Critical, Moonlight Channeling)
Kazuki sheathed the blade, feeling the Moonlight Ascendant path fully awaken. Lyria rested, finally able to fully recover under the sanctuary's protection.
"We did it…" she whispered, voice faint but proud.
Kazuki's gaze shifted to the dark horizon, where shadows still loomed. "This is just the beginning. Moonfang will come again. And next time… we'll be stronger than ever."
The sanctuary glowed under the moonlight, silver and green light intertwining—a symbol of survival, partnership, and the unstoppable rise of the Moonblood Warrior.