Ch.330330. A Single Victory (5)

Not long after the signal was sent with the horn, the beast legion appeared.

As if fully prepared, creatures specialized in hand-to-hand and close combat rushed toward the front lines, followed by beasts with powers that could neutralize or counteract human magic, reinforcing their defenses.

The more agile beasts carried allies on their backs or shoulders, mimicking human cavalry, and those mounted on them were counterparts designed to combat human long-range magic.

Even with formations set up to face the beasts.

Even with attempts to minimize damage by utilizing terrain, cover, and various tools to create conventional battle patterns.

These were different from previous enemies who had simply rushed at humans, seeing them only as prey.

When humans tried to gain advantages through formations, the beasts mimicked them, employing tactics that rendered human damage-minimizing measures useless.

All because of a single being.

Because of Ashpern, who penetrated human tactics, learned through observation, and acted as a leader who devised strategies.

The already formidable beasts had become even more difficult opponents.

And now, they were swarming forward as if launching an all-out attack.

‘Gulp.’

The tension made me swallow involuntarily. In this moment, the human body was nothing more than a pathetically weak piece of meat that could be torn apart like paper in a gale.

Moreover, the Imperial Army had suffered defeat after defeat in recent battles. Their morale had plummeted to rock bottom after consecutive crushing losses.

To make matters worse, Ashpern’s beast legion appeared as robust as ever, heightening the already anxious atmosphere.

Then someone drew their sword and shouted.

“What incredible luck!”

Luck? For a moment, I had to question if I’d heard correctly.

Was this person insane? I turned my head immediately.

“I can see you wondering why I call this lucky! Well, isn’t it obvious? A legion this size coming at us all at once means this will be our final battle!”

But the one who uttered these words was none other than Dusen, the front commander of this army.

“Now, will you join me as companions on the journey to the underworld? Or will you retreat just to live a few minutes longer?”

It sounded crazy, but…

His choice wasn’t wrong.

If we could defeat this beast legion, everything would be over. We might die, but retreating would only mean dying while running away.

“That’s right. Everyone, take up your weapons! Spend your mana, pour out your magic! Until your dying breath!”

If death was inevitable either way, the only option was to grit our teeth and charge.

────!!

As if announcing the beginning of the final battle, a violent explosion erupted from beneath the ground under the first wave of charging beasts.

-Whoosh.

“Ah, Ashpern…!”

Black smoke obscured our vision, but the enemy commander of the beast army revealed himself.

Just as a hesitating soldier was about to be impaled by Ashpern’s spear—

Clang-!

The heavy metallic clash rang out as someone parried the spear aimed at the soldier’s neck.

“Hey. Aren’t commanders supposed to face each other? Surely you didn’t personally come just to kill a single soldier.”

“You or him. All of you are destined to perish.”

“Huh, that’s quite an insult to my pride. Well, I should give you a proper fight then?”

Clang! Clash!

After exchanging a few blows, Ashpern clicked his tongue and created distance between them.

Dusen adjusted his grip on his sword and taunted:

“Surely you’re not afraid and trying to run away?”

“Nonsense.”

Rumble-rumble-rumble!

“…Well now. Your words and actions don’t quite match.”

Ashpern hadn’t intended to engage in prolonged combat. The brief clash was merely a setup to more thoroughly annihilate the humans. Ashpern had summoned beasts that burst through the ground, just as humans had attacked from below before.

But Dusen wasn’t flustered.

‘It’s exactly as predicted. How did they analyze this so precisely?’

-Ashpern has likely learned to counter the Kenik 6 formation. Since it’s the human formation he’s seen most often, he’ll try to cut through the center first.

Once the center is broken, the formation cannot be restored.

Normally, one would pull back the vanguard to reinforce the center… but Junon had given no such order.

-Once the center is broken, you might feel endangered, but just meet them head-on right there. You can solve this by marking only the most important target—Ashpern himself.

The young commander had instead ordered them to stand their ground. Don’t worry about the center breaking; hold position right there.

Swish! Clang!

“!!!”

“Shouldn’t you be facing me?”

Ashpern’s teeth ground together audibly.

Beasts were bursting through the ground before his eyes. The human formation he’d expected to crumble was holding.

The enemy commander pushed forward without even looking back.

This was different from his previous behavior. It diverged from the tactics he’d shown before retreating each time.

Thanks to this, the humans weren’t getting drawn in and were effectively dealing with the beast legion. The key to this tactic was that it could only succeed if Ashpern’s own magic was poured massively onto his forces.

‘Is it that human again!’

He instinctively realized.

Only one human could cause such a change—the one who had led to the defeat at the Ripol River.

Where? Where could they be?

He tried to look around, but there was no time.

CRASH!!

“!!!”

Ashpern blocked the direct strike with his spear, but his fingertips tingled.

Behind Dusen’s sword strike, infused with concentrated mana throughout his body, the ground split from the shockwave alone.

“You’re underestimating me too much. I may be old, but I don’t deserve such disrespect. Or perhaps you’re struggling because I’m not an opponent who relies on magical attacks?”

Clang!

“Ridiculous. Do you think I would lose to mere humans like you?”

“Yes, that’s the spirit! Hup!”

Ashpern’s tactics had long since fallen apart. Just by responding to Dusen like this, he might already be at a disadvantage.

By all the knowledge he had gained—the judgments derived from learning and experience—this fight should have been avoided.

Yet, the beast lord did not avoid this battle.

No.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t avoid it.

Because of this, Ashpern missed one crucial fact.

***

─────!!

Black smoke began to rise.

The sign of battle commencing. The signal flare for the final confrontation.

Realizing the time had come, Renias and Junon began to move.

The Imperial Army was engaging Ashpern’s beast legion, which was throwing everything it had at them.

But where were these two heading?

One was called the Goddess of Victory for her vast battlefield experience and was the Imperial Army’s greatest asset. The other was the Imperial commander who had brought a miraculous victory to the previously defeated army.

If someone else had been nearby, they would surely have asked:

‘Why are you two moving separately?’

Humanity’s greatest strength lies in the meticulous strategies created by putting heads together, and in the unity that makes individuals stronger as a group despite individual weakness.

For this reason, the two of them leaving the battlefield like this could be seen as undermining both the morale and strength of the Imperial Army.

However.

This was precisely the right decision.

“Renias, what about the pursuit squad?”

“I eliminated them, so they won’t be coming.”

“Good. We’ll ride straight through on horseback, so hold on tight.”

“Okay!”

Whoosh-

“Ah, a signal!”

“Renias. Can you check it yourself?”

“Ah, yes. It’s… black? Again this time.”

“Black… confirmed. Hya!”

Hearing this, Junon increased the horse’s speed, and before long, they reached Levrant.

“My goodness, Levrant…!”

Levrant was devastatingly destroyed.

Renias could vaguely guess that if they had fought relying on defensive objects, they might have been completely annihilated.

But where was Junon trying to go?

That question still remained unanswered.

However, the further they went, the more it made sense.

After dealing with the remaining beast stragglers, they began to see humans scattered here and there.

Classmates. Peers from the same year. Seniors who had been a few years ahead and juniors who had asked for help. Civilians who couldn’t escape and academy staff.

And…

“Uncle Muniher… Uncle Jake…!”

There were two men whom she called uncle—her father’s friends whom she had followed and respected.

Junon placed a hand on Renias’s shoulder as she was about to rush forward.

“Renias. Calm down. They’re not dead. Remember what state Ronellion was in?”

“Ah…”

They weren’t dead.

Ashpern’s power of oblivion was a force that erased existence from this continent.

After being injected with the formula, the body ceased to show any life signs or metabolism—it was like a curse.

There was only one way to break that curse.

“Since it’s a curse cast by the beast Ashpern, nothing can be done until the caster is eliminated.”

It could only be lifted by defeating Ashpern.

With a heavy heart, Renias swallowed hard and turned away.

.

.

.

As they walked to the center of Levrant Academy, a massive figure finally appeared.

As expected, in this place away from the battles with numerous beasts, there was Peltibourgos, trying to break through the forced rest period imposed by the sealing formula.

“Huh…!”

Renias gasped and stepped back.

‘Did she notice right away?’

I hadn’t told anyone about Peltibourgos’s secret.

Just hearing it could be fatal, and if the news spread, everyone might despair and give up.

But Renias, being so sensitive to magical resonance, must have figured it out on her own.

That something—neither clearly alive nor dead—could burst out of that body at any moment.

Without being given any information, Renias slowly approached Peltibourgos and re-inscribed the sealing formula.

***

While the sealing formula was being reapplied, I turned my head and bowed to the two men.

‘Thank you, Professor Muniher. Professor Jake.’

When no one else believed me, both then and now, these two professors did.

It was precious time.

Without this time, I might have met the same fate again.

And.

“Brother.”

I might have lost the most precious person.

“Do you… really have to go alone?”

Renias’s heartbeat, felt through our embrace from behind. Somehow, her heart was racing.

Probably from anxiety.

“Yes. It’s the only way.”

“…”

With those words, Renias didn’t argue further.

Her arms fell away, and her heartbeat grew distant.

Then slowly, she moved in front of me.

Into my field of vision.

Her arms wrapped around my neck, and she rose slightly on her tiptoes.

As our faces drew close enough to feel each other’s breath, she closed her eyes.

I too carefully closed my eyes and wrapped one hand around her neck.

Moist, warm lips touched mine and then parted.

Despite the urgency of the situation, I paradoxically wished this sweet moment could last a little longer.

When our lips separated, I felt regret.

But fortunately, she steadied my wavering heart.

“You have to come back, okay? We promised.”

“Yes.”

That’s right. I had promised.

So that after everything was over, we could build more memories together there.

I promised I would definitely return alive.