Chapter 74 – Extinction, The Coming (4)

Even before the signs of battle became apparent, some had already foreseen it.

The first to sense the demons’ karma were the half-human, half-demon Skirmishers of the reconnaissance battalion.

Though much of the forest in the Lavierre Mountain Range had been consumed by fire, the mountains remained vast. With their superhuman senses, the Skirmishers excelled at ambushing and annihilating enemies within this enormous terrain.

As they moved soundlessly between the trees, not even the rustling of undergrowth could be heard. Leading the charge, Kundra signaled to the main force with hand gestures.

[Fifty intermediate-level monsters, numerous low-level monsters, 1,000 regular Demon King Army troops.]

[Deathworms underground, witches in the sky, but no undead detected.]

Upon receiving the Skirmishers’ report, the 108th Alliance headquarters swiftly issued a state of alert across the entire mountain range using magical communication devices and carrier familiars.

Shortly after, Adalbert Aubes, the commander of Hookslaw, arrived at the command center, where a middle-aged man waiting inside frowned deeply.

“You’re impossibly late, Adal. Don’t tell me you were out fooling around in a village?”

“Better than being cooped up indoors scribbling away at magic tomes like you. Hmph… is this all the report says?”

Valery Petersen, the commander of the Blue Moon battle mage division, dropped the tome he was holding onto the desk while Adalbert reviewed the enemy invasion report.

“Where’s Matheus?”

“Goliath? He’s already deployed. Will you send out Hookslaw too?”

While most groups in the Alliance had centralized command, the twelve divisions had the autonomy to decide when and how to join battles.

After considering the enemy’s size, the knights’ current availability, and the possibility of feints, Adalbert announced that ten Hookslaw knights would be dispatched to the battlefield.

“Just ten? There are dozens of witches in the skies.”

“It’s enough. They won’t keep fighting once daylight comes.”

“Hmph… Hey! Someone out there!”

“Yes, sir! Apprentice Gallahad from the Alkaid Tower here, sir! The messengers are all out, so—”

“Never mind that! Can you operate a communication crystal? Send this immediately!”

“Yes, sir! Right away, sir!”

The operation orders, bearing the signatures of both commanders, were delivered across the mountain range by the flustered young apprentice.

Soon, beacon fires ignited, and flares illuminated the skies. Beneath the dark blue canopy, the demon army came into view.

Leading the charge were witches riding enchanted staves, scattering cursed projectiles.

— Hahaha!

— Kekeke!

Powders inducing hallucinations and paranoia spread across the battlefield. Following that, a Deathworm—a powerful intermediate-level monster—bored through the ground beneath the fortress walls, causing the earth to collapse with a thunderous roar. Mages responded quickly, erecting earthen barricades to hold the line.

“Aaaaagh!”

“Hold your positions! Do not retreat!”

“Jaxen Knights! Evacuate the wounded!”

“We need magical support! Hurry!”

“Keep the fires lit! Deploy all familiars!”

The demons’ nocturnal assault was devastating. They needed neither sunlight nor fire to fight. Each strike from the colossal monsters that battered the walls, each wave of unseen curses and toxins, spread terror through the battlefield.

The only thing capable of turning the tide was magic.

“Hookslaw!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Fly high!”

The Hookslaw knights launched their <Squadron Flight>, scattering the witches in the skies. Many were struck down mid-flight, their bodies pierced by swords before crumbling into ash.

Following that, Blue Moon unleashed its large-scale spell, <Lunar Cannon>, which swept through the battlefield. Its blazing light turned the night into day and melted entire groups of intermediate monsters in an instant.

Whoosh, crackle!

Adalbert, having incinerated a witch of the Black Night with a fiery attack, surveyed the battlefield under the vast expanse of the illuminated sky. While the fortress had sustained relatively little damage, his concern shifted to the Greenwood Forest at the tail end of the mountain range—a vulnerable area with little defense.

The forest was primarily defended by common soldiers and civilians wielding swords instead of scythes, rather than knights or mages. An attack by a high-ranking dark mage or large-scale monster would cause catastrophic losses.

Let’s see… hmm?

As he scrutinized the forest, his eyes caught an anomaly. Among the vigilantes moving under Paris’s command, he spotted traces of magic being cast. Though tense and slightly off-target, the elemental magic showed solid fundamentals.

It seemed one of the recent arrivals was proving to be a useful addition.

Just as he was about to dismiss the concern, something enormous came barreling toward the caster.

A Flash Rhino—a hulking intermediate monster covered in thick hide with a sharp horn protruding from its forehead—charged through the forest, flattening trees as if they were reeds. The vibrations from its steps traveled through the ground, reaching Adalbert’s perch.

Thud! Thud!

Clicking his tongue, Adalbert readied his blade to intercept the beast. But before his spell could reach it, something stopped the creature mid-charge.

BOOM!

A deafening crash drew everyone’s attention. Dust and debris filled the air as the rhino’s thick horn was caught in someone’s grasp and grotesquely twisted, breaking its neck.

Descending rapidly, Adalbert squinted through the haze and was stunned by what he saw—a man spitting into the dirt.

Barehanded…?

The man had stopped the beast’s rampage without armor or magic.

***

Liv’s body burned. Her throat was dry. Her mind raced as she balanced the remaining mana within her, scanning the chaotic battlefield.

From her left came a dying scream; from her right, the sound of earth shattering. Her senses sharpened to their limits, and she unleashed <Thunderstrike> on the demon in front of her.

Crack!

The demon’s black skin and long tail couldn’t hide the red blood that spilled. A pang of guilt for taking a life seized her briefly, but a nearby explosion sent her flying through the air.

BOOM!

Her ears rang painfully. Her legs refused to move. Every fiber of her being screamed that her life was in danger.

Before she even checked her injuries, she looked up to see the source of the blast. Far away, a witch hovered, seemingly confirming her kill.

<White Magic: Gravity Reversal ⌜Reverse Gravity⌟>

She raised her staff, aiming her magic. The witch wobbled in midair before being struck down by a Hookslaw knight, reduced to ashes by their blade.

Breathing heavily, Liv examined her legs. Though reddened from burns, she hadn’t broken anything and had narrowly avoided being impaled on nearby branches.

“Hah… hah…”

Relief mingled with fear, exhaustion, and unease.

As she struggled to prepare her next spell, a familiar silhouette appeared in her blurry vision.

Backing against a tree, she instinctively launched <Wind Cutter> at the figure.

Swoosh!

A torn, bleeding hand caught the spell. That hand gently enveloped hers, and Liv broke down into sobs, recognizing who it was.

“Ah, ah… ugh… sniff.”

“It’s okay. Everyone goes through this the first time.”

“B-but, sir… I’m so sorry…! Sniff!”

“It’s all over now. Take a deep breath. If you’re a mage, you can overcome shell shock by maintaining mental stability.”

“Haa… haa…”

“You’ve injured your leg. Should I call a cleric?”

Liv shook her head vehemently. She didn’t want to be away from Louis—not even for a moment. If she left his side, she felt as though the chaos of the battlefield would engulf her again.

“Alright. We’ll stay like this.”

Fortunately, Louis seemed accustomed to situations like this. He gently embraced her, holding her trembling shoulders tightly.

When the shaking didn’t subside, he hesitated briefly before placing his injured palm on her stomach, perhaps to reassure her.

“Sniff… sniff…”

“You’ll get used to this soon. Don’t worry.”

She didn’t want to get used to it.

“We need to make it back alive. Right?”

Swallowing her sobs, Liv nodded.

***

Dawn after a battle was always marked by an eerie silence. Priests conducting purification rituals, the groans of the wounded, and exhausted rookies collapsing from fatigue created a desolate scene.

The defensive line where the Demon King’s forces had retreated was a picture of devastation. Some hardened mercenaries, wiping blood off their blades, wandered off in search of alcohol. Watching this, I headed toward Liv’s tent.

The barracks for the injured were already full. Since Liv’s burns were relatively minor, she had been treated by a priest and had fallen fast asleep in her tent.

Her blanket rose and fell slightly with her breaths. As I adjusted her disheveled hair while she slept, I found myself wondering if she could truly endure this battlefield.

This was her choice. She had to persevere through sheer grit—yet the thought of her staying in such a dangerous place made me uneasy. Maybe I should convince her to leave the mountains entirely.

But knowing her, she wouldn’t abandon her father to flee. It left me with a lot to think about.

“Mm…”

As she stirred lightly, I pulled her blanket back up. Just then, I sensed movement outside—or rather, I heard others outside reacting with surprise and greeting someone.

Thinking it might be Paris, I opened the tent flap, only to be addressed by an unexpected visitor.

“Are you the one who took down the Flash Rhino yesterday?”

It was Adalbert Aubes, commander of Hookslaw. A master swordsman and seasoned veteran who had spent decades on the battlefield, he was someone Wiblet spoke of endlessly.

“Yes, that was me.”

When I nodded, he glanced briefly at Liv, still asleep inside, and got straight to the point.

“I’ll be blunt. Have you considered joining the Alliance?”

From afar, I could hear others gasp at the proposition. While he had said “Alliance,” it was clear he was referring to an invitation to join Hookslaw.

Without hesitation, I shook my head, still holding Liv’s hand.

“No.”

“Why not?”

I had my reasons, though they were hard to explain without sounding like feeble excuses.

For one, I couldn’t use the Hookslaw prerequisites like <Silent Manifestation>, <Squadron Flight>, or <Tactical Protocol> even if my life depended on it. My magic repertoire was limited to what Terra had taught me.

Second, I had no interest in joining a future version of Hookslaw where someone like Wiblet would lead. It felt ridiculous to be playing knights with them, and their combat style didn’t align with mine. If anything, I was closer to the Skirmishers.

“I won’t answer that.”

It was a response that might have come across as rude, yet Adalbert nodded in understanding. He kept his gaze fixed on Liv as he spoke again.

“Is she family?”

“No.”

“Then a friend?”

“She isn’t that either.”

“…I see. Protecting someone important on the battlefield is always meaningful.”

What nonsense.

“If you change your mind, come to the command center. Take this—use it for your wife’s treatment.”

He placed a vial of healing potion down and left. Perhaps he’d made some assumptions, considering that commoners often married young in the past.

Still, he’s not completely unreasonable.

Picking up the potion, I turned back to Liv, noticing something odd.

Was she always hiding under the blanket like that?