The battlefield was a symphony of chaos and dread. From the crumbling ruins of the second tower, an abomination emerged—a monstrous entity, its very existence a violation of nature itself. Its grotesque form twisted and expanded, a writhing mass of corrupted mana, pulsating like a living nightmare. The air around it crackled and shimmered, distorting as the creature greedily devoured the ambient mana, growing larger, more terrifying with every breath.
King Varyndor stood atop the fortress wall, his usual calm etched with concern. His piercing gaze followed the creature as it moved through the ranks, a storm of destruction. Every attack against it dissipated before it could land, swallowed by the vortex of dark energy radiating from its core.
Captain Vain's hands clenched into fists as his eyes locked onto the scene before him. "That thing is... monstrous."
Across the table, Raindel's lips curled into a nervous grin, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Unreal... I-I can't believe it. That thing's power surpasses 150 high dragons. That's... actually amazing."
The room fell into a stunned silence.
Everyone turned to him with an expression that could only be described as: Are you serious?
Realizing his slip, Raindel coughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah—! I mean… horrifying, right? Truly terrible. Absolutely devastating."
Rylan sighed, shaking his head. "You're not wrong, though."
Vain shot him an unimpressed glance. "Not the point."
"Focus." The King's voice cut through their exchange, his expression tightening as he watched the beast rampage. His fingers tapped against the stone table, frustration evident in the sharp rhythm. "They're not even trying to hold back."
Sayori closed her fan with a sharp snap, her usual playful smile nowhere to be seen. "Your Majesty, your orders?"
The weight in the room shifted instantly. Everyone straightened, their expressions sharpening in anticipation. The time for idle words was over.
King Varyndor lifted his communication badge. "Lucian, do you hear me?"
A crackle, then a swift response. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Evacuation is our top priority. I need you to bring me the kingdom's second and third National Treasures. Prepare the Five Skull Barrier."
A pause. Then, a startled reply. "A...!! Right away, Your Majesty!"
The King turned to his commanders, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. "All forces, retreat to the second line of defense."
His gaze swept across the gathered captains, his voice unwavering. "Hold this abomination here. No matter what."
Vain grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Well, it's about time we had a proper fight."
Nyx adjusted his robe, exhaling. "Let's hope your definition of 'proper' doesn't get us all killed."
Sayori's eyes gleamed with excitement as she lifted her fan once more. "Oh, but what's life without a little thrill?"
Rylan merely smirked, drawing his blades. "Let's get to work."
Alina stretched her fingers and yawned. "Oh... I just wanted a good nap."
Anya, on her chair, sighed as she gracefully stepped down. "Honestly... I was hoping to finish my tea first."
Then,
She stood, she walked forward, her ethereal presence commanding attention. Her shimmering eyes, marked with celestial symbols, settled upon the soldiers, who stood rigid, their weapons trembling in their grasp. Fear gnawed at their resolve, their expressions etched with despair. The monstrous creature before them growled—a guttural, bone-chilling sound that sent shivers down their spines.
Anya sighed, her voice carrying no trace of sympathy."How cowardly."
Then, louder. "Hold your ground! Fear is a poison, and I refuse to let it seep into your souls. This abomination shall not take another step forward!"
The soldiers turned their wide eyes toward her. She was the Saint. Their murmurs spread like wildfire. "This is madness. How do we fight something like that? We're all going to die..."
Anya's gaze sharpened, and something unseen pressed against them. Their lungs locked. Their thoughts scattered. The celestial symbols in her eyes flared, turning molten gold. The abomination twitched as if sensing a predator greater than itself.
She clasped her hands together in prayer and lifted her face toward the heavens, her voice filled with unwavering devotion. "O Ancient One, hear me. I am your child, your own flesh and blood. Let your roots coil into my veins, let your will be mine. Let the earth tremble, and grant me the power to cleanse this land."
The captain's wary glances, sensing something beyond their understanding.
A suffocating silence fell over the battlefield. Thick, unnatural. It was the kind of silence that came before something truly terrifying.
Anya slowly opened her eyes. The celestial symbols had shifted, turning blood-red. Her halo reshaped itself into a jagged crown. And then, she rose—A shockwave of raw power exploded from her.
Her power surged through the soldiers, their weapons igniting with divine energy. Swords glowed with golden radiance, armor hummed with raw power, cannons gleamed as if refuged by celestial fire, and even the horses stood taller, no longer trembling in fear.
A flicker of something dark twisted within her glowing eyes, but her lips curled into a smile. "My soldiers, look at them. They think we will run. They think we fear them."
Her voice rang clear, cutting through the lingering uncertainty. "Do not fear!"
"Fear is weakness. Fear is a lie."
"You are no longer bound by it. "
"Pain is nothing."
"Flesh is nothing."
"We do not run; we devour them"
The soldiers' eyes shifted—symbols burned upon their foreheads. They inhaled sharply, their doubt evaporating into pure, frenzied determination.
"She's right! This is just one monster! We have the gods on our side!"
Anya's twisted smile widened. A tremor rippled through the ranks, and then something snapped. A battle cry erupted from their throats, a deafening roar that drowned out reason itself. Their bodies moved before thought—driven by an unshakable, maddening force.
They did not hesitate. They did not falter. They became something more than men. No longer mere mortals, they transformed into an unstoppable force, launching their assault with unrelenting, almost inhuman ferocity.
Anya laughed softly. "Yes... yes! Do you feel it? The rage. The hunger. The beautiful, endless... all-consuming WRATH."
King Varyndor's eyes widened as he watched his soldiers charge with reckless abandon. What the hell is happening? How did they forget they're facing an SSS-class monster?!
Raindel, frozen in place, whispered to himself, Anya Starling... I've heard the stories. Born in the presence of a deity, her body glowed at birth, a halo floating above her head. The star symbol in her eyes... that's how she was named Starling. They say she can share power, but this... this is far beyond that. There are over Fifty thousand soldiers on the front lines, and all of them... are glowing.
Sayori hid her amusement behind her folding fan, her smile barely concealed. I knew she could influence minds... but this? This is far more than I expected.
By the influence of Anya's power, the monstrous abomination could no longer absorb attacks. The soldiers attacked simultaneously, striking with maddened fury. Yet, despite their relentless assault, the creature continued its march, an unstoppable force of destruction.
Raindel's eyes widened as he watched the battlefield spiral into chaos. "What the hell is happening? Have they all lost their minds?"
Suddenly, a man in glasses, dressed in the formal attire of the Luminous Ray, pushed past the soldiers, his hurried steps carrying him toward Anya. Without hesitation, he grabbed her hand, his sharp gaze locking onto hers.
"Captain, you have to stop this!"
The battlefield seemed to pause for a fraction of a second. The other captains turned their eyes toward him but said nothing. They knew who he was—Shiro Takahashi, the vice-captain of Luminous Ray.
Anya's glowing eyes slowly dimmed, her halo returning to its normal form. And then, with a swift motion—
Slap!
A sharp crack echoed as Anya struck him across the face, her expression unreadable.
"How dare you interfere in my matters?" she hissed, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.
Ignoring the sting on his cheek, Shiro held his ground. Before he could argue further, Anya turned to face the king, offering a curt bow. "I apologize, Your Majesty, on behalf of my servant."
Then, a deafening roar shattered the brief silence.
The air itself trembled. The ground quaked, cracks spider-webbing across the battlefield as if the earth was recoiling in fear. The creature's presence grew more oppressive, more menacing than before.
The captains' gazes snapped toward the monster.
"What the hell is happening now?!" one of them muttered.
And then, a voice—deep, commanding, absolute—ripped through the chaos like a blade.
"Flames of Hell… Begin!"
For a moment, the battlefield froze, as if even reality itself obeyed the command.
A massive magic circle bloomed beneath the monstrous abomination, intricate symbols glowing a deep crimson, pulsing like a heartbeat. The soldiers who had been locked in battle found themselves mesmerized by the swirling patterns, shifting as though they were alive.
In an instant, the circle activated.
Hellish flames erupted, not wild and chaotic but precise—almost sentient. They coiled around the creature, consuming it in an all-encompassing inferno. The flames shimmered with an unnatural hue, twisting like serpents, their only purpose: annihilation.
The beast let out an agonized, ear-splitting roar, its grotesque body writhing as the fire seared through it, burning from the inside out. Its towering silhouette twisted and contorted against the walls of the second tower, swallowed by the merciless blaze.
The captains stood frozen, trying to grasp what was happening.
And then—the climax.
With one final, monstrous shriek that seemed to tear through the very sky, the abomination exploded.
A violent burst of fire and dark energy erupted outward, sending debris and soldiers flying. The shockwave rippled through the battlefield, knocking people off their feet, scorching the earth in wide, glowing rings before fading into eerie silence.
As the smoke and embers settled, the battlefield stood still. Soldiers who had prepared themselves for death now stood in stunned disbelief, their weapons slack in their hands.
What… just happened?
The heat still lingered in the air, the ground littered with smoldering remains. The entire battlefield seemed to hold its breath, uncertain whether to celebrate or recoil in terror at the display of power.
From the dissipating smoke, a lone figure stepped forward.
An elderly man, his long white beard swaying gently in the wind, surveyed the aftermath with an amused twinkle in his eyes. He let out a soft chuckle, the sound carrying through the dead silence like a ghostly whisper.
The king turned to his left, his initial shock fading into something more exasperated. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered before sighing heavily. "Ryan, You old geezer! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be napping somewhere?"
Anya flinched. "How… How did he get here? I didn't even sense his mana."
Shiro, still rubbing his stinging cheek, blinked. "This old man… Is he the one who unleashed that hellish blast?"
Raindel paled. "I… I don't know."
The old man—Ryan—scratched his chin, completely unfazed. "I was," he admitted lazily, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "But some pesky cockroach decided to ruin my nap."
The king let out a chuckle. "A cockroach, huh? That's one way to describe an SSS-class abomination."
Raindel's face twisted in horror as realization dawned on him. "No… No, no, no… Judging by the king's reaction… You're kidding, right?! "That's Ryan—the legendary sage! He's a walking myth! Some folks claim he's so powerful that he's surpassed even the gods themselves! And he's been around for over 300 years!"
Shiro snorted. "Three hundred years old? Pfft. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast today."
Raindel groaned. "Yeah, me neither."
!!
Anya's nearby lieutenant chuckled, shaking his head. "Forget breakfast—keep talking like that, and you won't live to see dinner."
Sorry!
Shiro scoffed but fell silent.
Ryan simply smirked, brushing off their shock with a nonchalant wave. "Well, now that that's taken care of, I think I'll get back to my nap. Unless, of course… you'd rather entertain me with another cockroach?"
Ryan turned, his sharp gaze locked onto the grotesque remains of the creature. A hush fell over the battlefield as the soldiers watched in horror—the bubbling, mutilated flesh twitched, pulsed, and then… began to move again, writhing as if trying to stitch itself back together.
Ryan sighed, rubbing his temples. "Tch. So cockroaches really do survive, even after losing their heads."
With an almost lazy flick of his wrist, energy crackled at his fingertips, forming intricate runes in the air. Above the monster's remains, a swirling vortex erupted into existence, a spiraling mass of power that churned with eerie brilliance. The battlefield trembled under its force, the pressure thick and suffocating.
The corrupted flesh shuddered violently as the vortex pulled at it, tendrils of dark energy tearing away and twisting toward the center of the anomaly. The fragments of the beast convulsed, resisting, but the pull was absolute. The corrupted mana spiraled into a single, pulsing sphere—an unstable mass of raw, ominous energy.
Ryan barely spared it a glance. With a snap of his fingers, the sphere compressed and vanished, flung into a rift beyond mortal reach. The distortion in space sealed shut with a quiet pop, as if it had never existed.
Satisfied, Ryan dusted his hands, his expression as nonchalant as if he had simply taken out the trash.
"That should take care of it. For good, I hope."
The silence stretched.
Raindel swallowed audibly, his voice barely above a whisper. "D-Did he just... erase that thing from existence?"
Shiro adjusted his glasses, still staring at the empty space where the abomination had been. "I thought he was just some old geezer..."
Ryan twitched. "How dare you call an old man an old geezer?"
Shiro blinked. "Wait… aren't those basically the same thing?"
Raindel nodded sagely. "Yeah, pretty much."
Ryan's eye twitched. His face twisted into something between deep frustration and a child denied his favorite snack. "I swear—kids these days have no respect for their elders!"
Nyx Hwake, Captain of the Azure Sentinels, crossed his arms and arched a brow. "Aren't we forgetting something?"
The air around them grew tense. Slowly, every captain turned their gaze back toward the battlefield.
Shiro's eyes widened in horror. "Wait… that thing—it's still standing?"
Raindel's throat went dry. "I knew it… Darkcalipers is still intact. It hasn't moved an inch. Even after the barrier is down."
Rylan exhaled sharply, his expression grim. "Which means…"
Vain cracked his knuckles, smirking. "The party ain't over yet."
Alina groaned dramatically. "Oh, come on!"
***