The Battle Rage

The battle raged fiercely. Many had fallen, but many continued to fight, fueled by the hope of emerging victorious.

Rakahn cleared a path through the swarm of monsters, allowing several groups of mages to position themselves. They began conjuring a massive wall of earth, encircling the entire clearing to prevent any of the creatures from escaping.

"Fire mages, prepare a high-tier spell!" Rakahn barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Aim for the most concentrated area!"

Within seconds, a glowing sphere of fire appeared above the battlefield, continuously fed by fire magic and occasionally reinforced with wind magic. The sphere grew larger and more intense, becoming almost too powerful for two groups of mages to maintain.

Rakahn raised his hand, signaling them to hold until the right moment. He scanned the battlefield.

His soldiers were locked in combat with the abominations, each sector engaged in intense fighting. Meanwhile, two other clan leaders—who weren't supposed to be inside the earthen wall—fought alongside the officers. Everything seemed to be under control. Even with a spell of this magnitude, the damage should be manageable. That was Rakahn's assessment.

And he was absolutely right.

Lowering his hand, Rakahn gave the signal to release the spell. The enormous six-meter-wide sphere of fire shot into the sky, arcing toward its intended target—the densest concentration of monsters.

When it struck, a deafening explosion echoed through the forest. A massive column of fire erupted from the ground, towering into the sky. The blast left a deep crater where the monsters once stood.

"By the gods... Dahlia was right. The elven clan really is terrifying," Rakahn thought, still stunned by the sheer power of the combined magic.

"And they haven't even summoned their spirits yet. What other surprises are you hiding, my long-eared friends?" He mused.

As the one leading the operation, Rakahn had expected much from the mages, but even he was taken aback by their overwhelming strength.

"Who would've thought?"

Despite how hard it was to believe, Rakahn knew it was all real—or at least, it was his reality now.

Hundreds of monsters were annihilated in the explosion, leaving only a few stragglers. What had once been a near-insurmountable threat was now reduced to a few scattered creatures. The three clans had sacrificed much to hold the line until now, but with the arrival of the legion, the battle had shifted entirely in their favor—no, the scales had been shattered.

Goblins, lizardmen, kobolds, and other beasts—known as the gluttons of the forest—had been slaughtered without mercy. Taken by surprise, they had no chance to retaliate.

But flee? Where could they go? The earthen wall surrounding them stood several meters high, and the archers positioned atop it prevented any escape.

It was clear that this was no battle—it was an extermination.

Despite the victory, Rakahn couldn't shake a sense of unease. As he surveyed the battlefield, something felt... off.

"It's too quiet," he muttered, his brow furrowed.

The eerie calm bothered him. Over five thousand creatures classified as "constant monsters" had been present—or at least, had been—on the battlefield. Yet, not a single variant had appeared. That was impossible.

Rakahn's gaze swept across the carnage, his mind racing. These creatures didn't usually cooperate well with one another. For such a large, mixed force of monsters to band together, there had to be a powerful leader behind them—one they couldn't resist.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, deafening crash.

The northern section of the earthen wall had been breached.

The ground shook violently, and several archers stationed atop the wall lost their footing, tumbling to the earth below. Though their fall wasn't fatal, many sustained serious injuries.

Rakahn leaped onto a monster as he fell, driving his sword into the creature with all his strength.

[You have slain a constant monster: Azure Goblin.]

[You have received a Stone of Constant Essence.]

Ignoring the system's announcement, Rakahn drew both his swords and let out a battle cry.

Moments later, Dahlia, Renald, and Yadha echoed his call, abandoning their sectors to join him at the breach.

"There are over fifty variant monsters. Can we really take them all on?" Renald asked, his eyes fixed on the hulking creatures smashing the wall with their clubs and maces.

"They're not invincible. If we can't handle these, how are we supposed to face the demons later?" Dahlia said, her voice steady, though her fear was evident.

"You're right, Officer Dahlia. Let's consider these variants our warm-up," Yadha added, taking his position.

Rakahn listened to his comrades' exchange, feeling a surge of strength in their presence. These warriors were among the finest.

"So, let's warm up," he shouted, charging into battle with his comrades at his side.