People stopped in their tracks, looking toward the forest in the distance, several kilometers away.
Through the dust and fog, something enormous appeared — a gigantic humanoid figure, towering over the treetops.
As the dust cleared, the true horror became visible: it was a monstrous beast.
A walking nightmare.
"Good heavens..." the old man whispered, his face pale as realization hit him.
"Why... why is a disaster-level monster here?"
Soon after, another creature appeared near the town's half-open gate — a six-foot-tall, human-shaped pile of rocks.
It smashed through the thick wooden gate, sending broken pieces flying.
"Watch out!" shouted a townsman near the entrance.
Without warning, the creature stomped into town, smashing anything within reach.
More of the same rock-like monsters forced their way through the walls and into the streets.
"Run for your lives!"
"Help! Help!"
Screams of terror echoed throughout the town.
"Somebody, please save my child!" cried a desperate mother.
The young lad looked toward the voice, spotting the child.
He wanted to run and help, but his legs refused to move.
Just as the rock creature was about to reach the child, half its body exploded into tiny pebbles.
A muscled man stood nearby, holding a massive sledgehammer in a sturdy battle stance.
"Woman, come quickly!" the man called out.
"Take your child and get out of here!"
Across town, two more unknown individuals appeared, fighting off the other rock monsters from opposite directions.
"Ben!" the old man shouted with joy.
"Huh? Ben?" the young lad muttered in his thoughts.
"Daaaad! Huhuhu..." Melkai cried out.
The child dashed toward the man with the sledgehammer, jumping up and hugging his leg like a koala.
"Who's that Ben guy? And why did he call him Dad?" the young lad asked.
"Because he is his dad, you knuckle-headed brat!" the old man snapped.
"Ben is my daughter's husband!"
Ben patted his child's head and carried him back to the old man.
"Is that gigantic thing out there a Bouggart Lord?" the old man asked, voice low.
Ben paused, glancing at his child.
"...Please tell me I'm wrong," the old man said, trembling.
"I really wish you were wrong," Ben replied grimly.
"But yes, it's a Bouggart Lord."
"And these rough-skinned creatures are stone golems," he added.
Ben knelt and whispered to his child,
"Stay with Grandpa and do exactly what he tells you, okay?"
Turning to the old man:
"Please take the kids and find somewhere safe to hide. I'm going to be busy here."
"You sure you'll be alright? What about that Bouggart?"
"I don't have the slightest chance of beating that disaster-level monster," Ben admitted,
"But I can at least handle these brutes inside the town. I just hope help arrives soon."
Ben turned to the young lad.
"You there, what's your name?"
"I'm Yuno," the young lad replied.
"Good. I'm Ben. Now follow the old man and run to safety."
Suddenly, a large round table came crashing down from above.
Ben quickly parried it aside with his hammer.
"Go!" Ben shouted.
The old man carried the small child, grabbed Yuno's hand, and they began to run.
Behind them, Ben ferociously pummeled every stone golem that crossed his path.
As they ran, Yuno asked,
"Hey, Grandpa, didn't you say your daughter's husband was just a carpenter?"
The old man chuckled between breaths.
"So now you're calling me Grandpa, huh?" he said with a smile.
"Yes, Ben is a carpenter... and he still is a carpenter."
"But... he doesn't look like a carpenter at all!" Yuno said, amazed.
The old man suddenly stopped, pulling Yuno behind a broken wall for cover.
Catching his breath, he looked Yuno in the eye.
"Ben is a Delta-Rank Crest Wielder.