Africa Leveling

The squad was tense as they ventured back through the forest, their latest hunt still fresh in their minds. The girl, the newest member of their group, was quiet, though her sharp eyes scanned the horizon. Their journey had been relentless, a game of survival—either they hunted, or they were hunted. But today, something strange caught their attention.

Ahead, they spotted a figure lying on the ground, sobbing quietly. The sound was eerie, as if the person had been screaming through the night but had long since lost his voice. Alarmed, the group rushed toward him. When they drew closer, they saw the man's legs were mutilated beyond recognition, torn as if something had feasted upon him, leaving him half of what he used to be.

"Help me..." the man whispered, his voice so weak it barely reached Kipkemboi's ears. Instinctively, Kipkemboi knelt down, his ear closer to the man's mouth to catch the faint words. The man's breath was ragged, his eyes glazed with desperation. "I'll do anything... anything. I just want vengeance."

Kit Mi Kai frowned, something familiar tugging at his senses as he listened to the man. There was a darkness in this soul that he recognized, a depth of hatred that reminded him of his own struggles. The man continued his story, describing in broken phrases how his village had been destroyed, his family, friends—everyone slaughtered.

"Walk ahead," the man rasped, his voice fading. "You'll see it... You'll see what's left."

Before anyone could respond, the man exhaled his final breath, his trembling hand pointing weakly in the direction of his village. His body fell still.

"Could be a trap," Jajwok said cautiously, eyeing the surrounding forest. His voice lacked its usual bravado, the scene too grim for his usual cockiness.

Kit Mi Kai groaned, his patience wearing thin. "You think this much blood is part of some elaborate trick? Look around, Jajwok."

Despite their doubts, the group pushed forward toward the village. The air grew heavy with the stench of death before they even arrived. Jajwok was the first to break, vomiting onto the forest floor.

"A trap, huh?" Kit Mi Kai sneered, watching Jajwok heave. "Does this look like a trap to you?"

As they entered the village, the sight that greeted them was gut-wrenching. Bodies, or what remained of them, were scattered everywhere. Limbs torn apart, organs spilled across the dirt. It was a massacre—one unlike anything they'd ever seen.

"This isn't the work of a normal beast," Kit Mi Kai said, his voice low and grim. "Even the monsters of the Evil Forest wouldn't leave a scene like this. This is... something far worse."

Kipkemboi nodded in agreement, summoning the two cavemen from their storage. "Can you track it?" he asked them, his tone serious.

The cavemen grunted in affirmation and immediately began sniffing the air, their primitive senses attuned to the residual aura left behind by the killer. They began following the trail, their instincts leading them deeper into the forest, toward a darkness even more ominous than the one they had just left.

As they trekked deeper, they passed through a field of scattered bones—remains of all kinds of creatures, both familiar and alien. The sight made Jajwok shudder.

"We should turn back," he muttered, unease creeping into his voice. "This place... it's worse than anything we've encountered."

Kit Mi Kai shot him a look. "I thought nothing scared you, Jajwok. You're acting like a child."

Before Jajwok could retort, Kipkemboi raised a hand to silence them both. "Shh... Something's moving in the trees."

The group froze, their eyes scanning the dense foliage. The forest seemed alive with movement—branches creaking, leaves rustling, shadows darting between the trees. It was as if the air itself was whispering of danger.

"Jajwok," Kit Mi Kai said quietly, "can you see it? That's your area of expertise."

Jajwok squinted, focusing his enhanced vision on the darkness. "Yeah, I see it... It's fast, way faster than me. Long ears, red eyes... it's holding a human arm." His voice dropped, filled with dread. "And it's eating it."

Before they could fully process his words, the creature emerged from the shadows—a hare, but unlike any they'd ever seen. It was grotesque, with sharp teeth and a sinister grin, blood dripping from its mouth as it chewed on the limb.

Kipkemboi drew his katana, his muscles tensing. "That's it. That's the killer."

The air around them grew colder, and a deep, resonant voice echoed from the shadows. "Who dares disturb my rest?"

The squad turned, their hearts pounding as the source of the voice made itself known. A massive figure stepped out from the trees, his towering form draped in ancient robes, his presence suffocating. He was like a living shadow, darker than the forest itself.

"I am the firstborn of Enkai, " the figure declared, his voice reverberating through the air. The weight of his power pressed down on them, forcing the squad to their knees.

"Enkai..." Kit Mi Kai whispered, recognizing the name. They had encountered this god before,a giant God towering above the clouds only his knees going down could be seen.

"Why are you here?" Kipkemboi asked, struggling to speak under the immense pressure.

The demigod's eyes glowed with amusement. "Why? For my own amusement, of course. The village you crossed on your way here was merely in my way. My hare prince needed to feed, and I let him. The weak perish, as they always have."

Jajwok, still reeling from the weight of the god's presence, glared at the hare prince perched on a nearby tree. "That thing... it's your pet?"

The girl, standing shakily, gripped her rungu tighter. "You slaughtered innocents for sport?"

"Innocents?" the demigod sneered. "There are no innocents. There is only power. And those without power are nothing more than fodder for the strong."

Kipkemboi's knuckles whitened around his katana. "Power is more than just destruction."

The demigod tilted his head, intrigued. "You dare speak to me of power, mortal? You, who are barely a speck in the grand design of the cosmos?"

Without warning, the hare prince lunged at Kipkemboi, its sharp teeth gleaming as it aimed for his throat. Kipkemboi parried with his katana, but the force of the blow sent him staggering back. Jajwok darted forward, his speed barely matching the hare's as he attempted to flank the creature.

"Focus on the hare!" Kit Mi Kai yelled, his aura flaring as he stood to face the demigod. "I'll handle this bastard."

"You?" The god laughed, his voice filled with scorn. "Mortal, you have no idea what you're up against."

Kit Mi Kai's eyes darkened as his energy swirled around him.

The god's laughter ceased, and for the first time, he looked at Kit Mi Kai with something other than amusement. "You are no ordinary mortal..."

The battle for survival had only just begun.