BAM!
Without a single microsecond of delay, James Maddox's right leg slammed down from the shadows like a falling anvil.
The precise force of the heel strike connected squarely with the creature's skull, instantly and completely turning the entire upper head of the lesser Calamity Lord into a flat, unmitigated paste of grey matter and dark blood across the black sand.
The core shattered into glittering dust before a single syllable could leave its throat.
Maddox slowly pulled his boot back, the bright, playful smile returning to his youthful face as he looked down at Hide.
"You shouldn't go too close to such beasts," Maddox chuckled seamlessly, his brown eyes flashing with a cold, absolute warning that made the air in the camp turn ice-cold. "It was about to attack you, Hide. Even if you are strong and have handled these before you can never be sure."
At that exact moment, the world dropped.
