Tusk

The Naraka Zamrud is a hunting ground.

But no one can confirm who is the hunter and prey among them.

Were the ghuasts the hunters and the visiting warriors the prey? Or is it that the warriors are the hunters and the nesting ghuasts are the real prey?

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The moon shone brightly in the clear sky, but its light ca'nt touch this land because it was blocked by the dense leaves of the  Naraka Zamrud. Along with the sound of rustling leaves, Tusk the leader of the group led the way through the most cursed wilderness in the land of Udjnia.

His footsteps were stable even though he was carrying a heavy weight of armor on several parts of his body, as well as the moral burden of 'carrying' his subordinates to this place. They have been trained under the emperor's banner and even given equipment in the form of scale armor, helmets and weapons made of the best quality bronze.

"But this spear was made to deal with humans and not monsters," Tusk complained. He cursed the higher-ups who sent them here. As well as cursing the 'warriors' who were too weak and make soldiers like them to be sent to fight Ghuast.

"So how much longer are we going to walk chief?" one of his subordinates said in a firm tone, but there was a hint of tiredness in it … as well as doubt and fear.

"This armor also makes our journey even more difficult, especially since this greave makes our legs heavy!" complained his friend beside him who carried several javelins on his back.

"Don't complain! I know we usually walk fully armored on our journeys but these aren't normal enemies, they could ambush and bite your head off if you forget to wear your helmet," Tusk said though himself unsure if the armor he was wearing was enough. to hold back the claws of the waiting creatures here.

"If armor is important, why are we carrying a smaller shield instead?" asked Tusk's subordinate, pointing at the shield with his spear, a bronze-coated wooden shield shaped like a figure eight.

"Because... the warrior said that the aspis type shield wasn't suitable for use in the wilderness, and did you guys complaining that the shield was too heavy!" Tusk started to get angry, "Hey! How long before we reach our destination?" he asked the warrior who become their guide.

The warrior only armed with a modest spear and shabby-looking leather armor, even though he was the most experienced among them when it came to exploring this region.

"Calm down sir! We're on the right track," he said, "I'm even sure the creature is now aware of us." Hearing the warrior words made the soldiers tense up and gripped their weapons tighter.

"Why do you guys look tensed?" Tusk's subordinate said firmly. "Whether the enemy is just a beast or a ghuast monster, we also have our own monster," he said as he looked at the leader, "Isn't that right...? Tusk the black knight." Then after the word was spoken, the soldiers immediately straightened up with confidence.

"And without our leader, we are a hoplite army, no matter what enemy we fought we must stand up  and block them with our shields."

"What are you guys talking about..." Tusk said, slightly annoyed with his subordinates words, but a smile appeared on his face seeing their enthusiasm.

"We have arrived" the warrior stopped, with his spear he pointed towards the meadow surrounded by thick forest. Without a canopy the place is bright enough because of the moonlight and right in the middle is a strange creature that is their prey.

A strange creature that was even bigger than a buffalo, its body covered with thick reddish fur. There was a circular horn that with abnormal size crowning its head. "Grrrr..." noticing their presence the ghuast growled. Then got up ... continued to rise supported by the hoofed hind legs and stood like a bear.

Tusk has fought bears before and he knows that bears don't have horns nor have a bloodthirsty expression like the creature in front of him.

"GRO...AHH!!!" Ghuast's feet immediately hit the ground and lunged rapidly, while trying to direct his horns to rip apart the soldiers who were stuck in front of him.

"Shield units! Defensive stance!," Immediately with Tusk's command, the six soldiers took up shields on their backs and formed a defensive wall even though the rather small shield only protected their upper body.

"Pull out the spear!" Then, between the gaps of the overlapping shields, a spear blade flashed in the moonlight. "Prepare the artillery," Tusk, who was breaking out in cold sweat at the sound of approaching ghuasts, ordered the two soldiers taking cover in the rear row, "Aim! Throw!" The two soldiers began to launch the javelin with the help of the atlatl.

But the javelin fell to the ground as it was deflected by the ghuast's huge horn as if it were just a pebble, now Tusk realized why warriors preferred artillery in the form of javelins over arrows.

Even so, the ghuast lost momentum from parrying the attack and now stopped right in front of their line of shields, and without a word the hoplits immediately stabbed the monster in the head.

"Attack! This is our chance." Tusk managed to stab the creature's left eye and continued to make the monster struggle to attack back. The monster roared wildly, now he tried to claw at the bottom of shield wall which was not protected by the, but his claws were blocked by the greave that protected the soldiers' legs.

Once again the ghuast stood up and clawed from above with his front paws but was stopped with a barrage of thrusts, even their guide helped slash the ghuast's hand with a spear with a leaf-shaped blade, more suitable for slashing than stabbing.

"Groahh ..." now he backed away with a grimace and returned to a crawling position while now his coiled horns began to extend against the bottom of the hoplite shield, suddenly he stood up! Lifts the shield and causes it to be flung upward along with the user.

"Akkhhhh...!!" the poor shield wielder could only scream as his body began to fall and now hit a large tree branch, then slumped down and hit the ground. Tusk and the others just stared in horror at the sound of their partner's neck snapping as he fell.

"Everyone, close the exposed part!" Now that their line of phalanxes was pierced, the ghuast stood right in front of him grinning at Tusk who blinded his left eye. Now he swiftly slashed his horn from above towards Tusk, but the man have good reflex and thus blocked the attack with his shield.

"This creature! Very strong...!" The monster's horn and the soldier's shield clashed, the echo that Tusk heard made him realize that the monster's horn had penetrated the bronze layer and now its horn was stuck in the wood layer, even the horn had pierced his left arm which was tied to the shield. He feel pain as the blood flowing through the hole the horn had made.

"Ah… dammit, my shield got stuck." Tusk was now lifted by the ghuast in the air, and he was trying to remove the shield from his left hand, his leg still hurting from holding the ghuast's header and now swinging trying to stomp on that cruel face.

"Chief!" Tusk, who was half conscious due to exhaustion, now heard the worried screams of his subordinates who tried to stab the monster but their efforts made the ghuast even more furious and threw the human who dare to stepped on his face into the trees.

A loud bang filled the silence of the night as Tusk rolled on the ground and his back hit the tree trunk from the force of the blow. The armor he wore only served to withstand sharp object attacks, but did not protect him from the monster's blows which now bruised his body.

"Ugh..., grakhh..." From his current position he looked furiously at the ghuast who was now mercilessly killing his subordinates, they were now scattered, their morale crumbling to see the leader they relied on had been knocked down so easily to the ground.

"Aaaahh…" The brave soldier still struggling tried to thrust his spear at the ghuast, but the creature's claws warded off the spear and attacked the soldier with its horns. Now the monster did the same to the other soldiers, it would stand on its hoofed hind legs, use its front arms to ward off spears and butt soldiers' heads from above.

Tusk could only stare at his subordinates being killed, his breath panting, his hands tingling from holding back a header with a shield. He had a hard time standing up but his legs hurt after being crushed by the monsters. And he was sure that the strange sound when he tried to kneel was the sound of his bones breaking from being slapped here and there.

"Chief please!" shouted a soldier who was running towards him before a second later the ghuast butted the soldier straight at Tusk on his knees. Seeing the corpse beside him, Tusk's heart filled with anger and he stood up with revenge as his goal.

"Grrrr..." After slaughtering the other soldiers now ghuast looked at Tusk with his right eye and then smirked. The monster walked slowly with creeping pain in its back, after they were less than a meter apart the creature stopped and stood on its two legs, from above it looked down on Tusk who was now arming himself by looting the corpse beside him.

"Damn creature!" Tusk looked back with his sword drawn. "You're mad that we took your eyes, eh...?"

He also began to make fight stance with shields and swords in his hands, not forgetting to mentally pray to the gods, all for the sake of chopping off the heads of creatures in front of his eyes.

"AAAAAAAAA!!!" The soldier's shout to represent a burning grudge in his heart.

"GROAAAAAAH" Together with mutual shouts, the warrior and ghuast dashed towards their respective prey, with swords and claws now ready to clash.

Tomorrow the land of Naraka Zamrud will be muddy because of the blood of a pair of hunters whose heads are ruled by bloodlust.

The Naraka Zamrud is a hunting ground those who enter must become hunters, because the prey will not return alive from this cursed forest.