Chapter 204:Attacks.
The convoy had long since lost any resemblance to the neat formation that had entered the ravine.
Dust hung thickly in the air, turning the sunlight filtering down from above into dull golden shafts. Gunfire echoed endlessly between the cliffs, every report amplified until it sounded as though dozens more weapons were firing.
The air smelt of burnt gunpowder mixed with fresh blood.
Silver sat back in the passenger seat, quickly replacing the empty magazine in his pistol before checking the ammunition strapped to his belt. Less than half remained.
"We’ve gone through more than I expected," he muttered.
Ravenna kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel.
"So has everyone else."
She pointed ahead.
Several contractors were already collecting magazines from storage boxes mounted to the backs of their vehicles whenever they found a brief moment of safety.
This wasn’t a short skirmish anymore; it had become a battle of endurance.
Silver slid another magazine into place with a sharp click.
"I’m ready."
Ravenna nodded.
"I’ll keep us moving."
The convoy rounded another bend. Almost immediately, Silver understood why the terrain had earned such a terrible reputation.
The ravine narrowed once again. Unlike before, enormous stone pillars rose from the valley floor, remnants of cliffs that had been eroded over countless years. They forced the road into a winding path that twisted constantly around natural obstacles.
Each blind corner hid another stretch of road, and each towering rock created countless places for beasts to hide.
The convoy leader’s voice suddenly crackled over the shared radio frequency.
"Maintain speed!"
"Do not stop under any circumstances!"
"Scouts report multiple heat signatures ahead!"
No sooner had the warning finished than a scream echoed from somewhere near the front.
Silver looked up.
A contractor had barely stepped out of his vehicle to clear debris when a long shadow shot downward from the cliffs. The man disappeared beneath a mass of claws as blood sprayed across the road.
The beast sprang away almost immediately, dragging the contractor upward before anyone could react.
"What was that?" Ravenna asked sharply.
Silver searched the cliffs.
"There!"
A massive feline raced effortlessly across the vertical rock face.
Its body resembled a leopard, but its limbs were unnaturally long, allowing it to leap impossible distances. Dark grey fur blended almost perfectly with the stone, while rows of crimson markings stretched across its shoulders. Its yellow eyes burned with frightening intelligence.
Another appeared, then another.
"Tier Four Cliff Stalkers."
Someone shouted through the radio.
"They hunt in packs!"
The creatures attacked almost immediately; instead of charging directly, they used the cliffs themselves.
One disappeared behind a rocky outcrop before suddenly reappearing above another vehicle.
Another sprinted upside down beneath an overhanging ledge before launching itself into the convoy.
"They’re using the terrain."
Silver narrowed his eyes.
"They know exactly where to attack."
A Cliff Stalker landed on the hood of a truck ahead, tts claws tearing through reinforced steel before it smashed its head through the windshield.
The driver screamed.
The truck veered sharply into the cliff wall,causing the entire vehicle rolled onto its side. Chaos erupted again, forcing the convoy split further apart.
"Go around!" Silver shouted.
Ravenna jerked the steering wheel.
Their vehicle squeezed between the overturned truck and the cliff face, barely avoiding another collision. The sound of tearing metal scraped against the side of their car. Fresh claw marks appeared along the doors, but neither had time to care.
Another Cliff Stalker landed directly beside them.
Silver drew instantly.
[Phantom Draw Lv3 Activated.]
Bang!
The first bullet struck its shoulder, but the beast twisted unnaturally before launching itself again.
Bang!
Its foreleg shattered, still... it continued forward.
"Tough bastard," Silver muttered.
The beast reached the passenger door, which Silver threw open violently. The heavy metal door slammed directly into the Cliff Stalker’s head, staggering it for just an instant.
That was more than enough.
[Short-Step Lv2 Activated. ]
The world blurred, and he appeared beside the beast. His sword flashed.
[Space Slash Lv2 Activated.]
The invisible blade carved cleanly through its neck, the body collapsing before it even understood what had happened.
Silver landed lightly before grabbing the door and pulling himself back inside.
Ravenna accelerated immediately.
"You really like jumping out of moving vehicles."
"It keeps working."
She sighed.
"I’m beginning to regret teaching you confidence."
Silver laughed despite the situation.
Before either could say more, the entire ravine shook, from something deeper and heavier. A low growl rolled through the valley like distant thunder.
Every contractor heard i,t and every beast suddenly froze, even the Cliff Stalkers paused.
Silver’s expression slowly became serious.
"...That’s not Tier Four."
Ravenna swallowed.
"No."
The growl came again.
Closer.
Loose stones tumbled from the cliffs. Several birds hiding among the rocks suddenly exploded into the sky, fleeing in every direction. Even the attacking beasts instinctively backed away.
Then, the stone wall ahead burst apart. An enormous creature stepped onto the road. It resembled a lion, at least, it had once.
Its body stood over four meters at the shoulder, covered in dark brown armor-like scales instead of fur. Massive stone-like plates protected its chest and neck while countless old scars covered the rest of its body. Its mane resembled jagged rock crystals streaked with red. Each paw was larger than a man’s torso.
Golden eyes slowly swept across the convoy, with calculation.
Silver immediately understood; this beast wasn’t merely hunting; it was commanding. Behind it, more Cliff Stalkers appeared, rock Climbers gathered across the clif,fs and boulder Lizards crawled from hidden caves.
Every beast that had attacked them until now seemed to be waiting for its orders.
The convoy came to a complete stop. Silence settled across the ravine.
One contractor whispered almost fearfully,
"...An Alpha."
The lion-like beast slowly opened its jaws; instead of charging, it roared, the sound shaking the entire valley. Every beast answered. Dozens of roars echoed from every direction.
Silver gripped his sword tighter, his instincts screaming. This... Was the true master of the ravine.
And it was at least... Tier Five.