That night, panic still cloaked the city of Tirta Negara.
The one-horned buffalo — a savage spiritual beast at the fourth stage — continued its rampage, destroying buildings, cracking the roads, and knocking out streetlights one by one.
The city's security forces, though equipped with advanced gear and spirit-based weaponry, were powerless against the beast's brutal strength.
This was no ordinary beast. Every breath it exhaled carried scorching heat, and every stomp shook the ground like a minor earthquake.
Amid the chaos, an old man descended from the night sky.
He wore a long white robe that fluttered in the wind, and in his hand was a simple-looking wooden staff — yet it radiated an ancient and heavy aura.
"What are you waiting for?! Fall back now!!"
The old man's voice boomed, heavy, pressing down on the chest of anyone who heard it.
"To all city guards — form a holographic barrier around the creature! Don't let it roam freely!" he commanded with firm authority.
The guards moved swiftly, projecting layered holographic domes to limit the buffalo's movement.
The old man raised his staff.
Wuuum— in an instant, the staff grew several times in size, large enough to strike the buffalo with a force that shook the earth.
BOOOMMM!!!
The loud crash echoed, shattering rows of windows in nearby buildings.
The one-horned buffalo was knocked back several meters, yet still stood, breathing heavily.
Thick black blood poured from its mouth and nostrils.
"Hmm…" the old man grunted. "So, you're tougher than you look, beast…"
His voice dripped with scorn, calm — the calm of a seasoned warrior.
Without hesitation, the old man began chanting in an ancient tongue.
His voice reverberated, as though calling upon the power of the earth itself.
From the tip of his staff, black, shimmering chains slithered out like living serpents.
In a blink, the chains coiled around the buffalo's entire body, binding its legs, horn, and even its tail with crushing force.
GROOAAARRRR!!!
The buffalo roared, thrashing left and right, splitting the ground with violent tremors.
But the more it struggled, the tighter the chains gripped.
Seeing the moment, the old man clapped his hands together — CLAP!!
At once, giant stone pillars surged up from beneath the beast, forming a prison-like enclosure around it.
These were not just physical barriers — they formed an energy-sealing formation, suppressing the buffalo's power further.
Amid the swirling dust and chaotic energy, the old man lifted his staff once more.
This time, the tip morphed into a massive spear — sharp, gleaming, and charged with a murderous aura.
With one decisive motion, the old man hurled the spear-staff toward the buffalo, still bound and trapped within the stone formation!
The air trembled. The ground quaked. All of Tirta Negara held its breath…
Wuuunggg...
The tip of the giant spear vibrated intensely, drawing energy from both earth and sky.
Glowing patterns formed along its shaft, and bluish-silver light flashed, turning night into day for a heartbeat.
The old man raised the weapon high and shouted,
"Heavenly Chains! Spear of Judgment!"
In a flash, the massive spear shot down like a meteor, hurtling toward the one-horned buffalo trapped within the stone formation.
BRAAKKK!!!
The buffalo's body convulsed violently as the spear struck it with a deafening explosion.
A shockwave shattered the stone pillars, flinging dust and debris in every direction.
But…
Instead of turning to stone or being obliterated, the buffalo let out a wild roar.
GROOOOOAAARRRR!!!
From its chest — the right side — a gaping, smoking hole appeared.
Its flesh was charred, black blood gushed out — yet it still stood.
Its eyes now glowed bright red, rage multiplying manyfold.
The old man narrowed his eyes and muttered,
"Hmph… even a full-force strike imbued with my soul… could only pierce your flesh…"
The one-horned buffalo slammed its hooves into the ground in fury, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Despite its bleeding and burned body, its fighting spirit blazed stronger — wilder, more savage than ever.
Every member of the city's security force watching the scene felt chills crawl up their spines.
They realized… this creature was no ordinary beast.
It was a catastrophe-level threat — one that even a single Grandmaster might struggle to subdue alone.
After stomping the ground,
the buffalo took a stance.
The night air trembled.
A wild aura enveloped its massive form.
SWUUUU!!
With earth-shaking speed,
the beast lunged skyward toward the old man,
its massive horn gleaming beneath the city's scattered lights.
Seeing the assault,
the old man in white did not flinch.
With his last ounce of strength, he swung his staff once more.
In an instant, the staff grew — larger than ever —
as if to block and strike down the beast's brutal charge.
BAMMMMM!!
The buffalo's horn clashed with the massive staff midair.
An explosion of energy sent shockwaves in all directions.
Nearby buildings shuddered, walls crumbled, windows burst,
and even the clouds above were blown aside, forming a hollow circle in the sky.
In that titanic clash,
the one-horned buffalo finally couldn't hold on.
With a sharp cracking sound,
its horn shattered — splintering into pieces.
Its massive body lost balance,
then plummeted to the ground.
DUAARRRR!!
The beast's body crashed into the city with colossal force.
Dust and soil shot sky-high, creating a miniature explosion on impact.
Meanwhile,
the old man in white also fell.
His body staggered downward more gently,
but his condition was dire — his energy nearly drained.
The battle ended in a draw.
The difference was:
the one-horned buffalo was truly dead — its body still, unmoving.
Whereas the old man still clung to life, hanging by a thread.
That night,
Tirta Negara was left partially in ruins.
But at the very least,
greater destruction had been prevented.