Uneasy.

The air surrounding her sizzled as different abilities were activated all at once.

The roar of the hunters that followed behind her was deafening as their hearts synced with the dragon above them.

Carolina's will was strong almost unbreakable. But it didn't mean her strength was too after all she was the weakest in her group. She was a B ranked hunter. So her essence was running down incredibly fast. She had a considerable large amount of essence that allowed her ability to work. But in face of the monster's weight, it was insignificant.

She closed her eyes. If she didn't hold up it would be over. The three hundred hunters present here would die. She had to keep holding it until the Duke killed it.

But what the hell was taking him too long?

She grimaced as the weight croaked sickly at the barrier she held. She couldn't see much because of the blood barrier just below hers.

Was the banshee still screaming?

Her blue eyes glowed. Her vision penetrated the barrier and then she could see everything.

A bit far away,

Allen held a red bow that seemed to be dripping with blood.

Carolina recognized it.

The Slaying Shrill.

A bow that imbued blood magic to any arrow and could cleanly cut a mountain in one strike. Legend had it that it was a well known weapon of the Harrowing Angels, who were hired by gods to assassinate their fellow gods. To kill the gods and escape without notice they used the bow to kill with one strike. They became the most feared clan amongst the gods before the gods well... Died.

But the Harrowing Angels were banished from the Gods realm and never were to be seen again.

Carolina never for once believed the myths. But seeing the dripping blood that was swirling around Allen, forming an imaginary blood wings at her back. Her blue hair levitating. Carolina almost believed the mystical Harrowing Angels were with them. Almost.

Except that the stupid grin plastered on Allen's face spoiled the whole picture.

Sparks emitted from Allen's chest forming a crystal red arrow.

She was using her essence?!

Carolina almost yelled at her. Using essence in one's ability was a norm. But using the very essence as a weapon was suicidal. One, it was always unstable and would end up exploding and killing the user. Two, the essence pool of the user would drastically cut into half which was deadly in the battlefield when you needed every essence you possessed especially when such tactic, reduces restoration power.

That was taught in every survival's class but as usual the suicidal maniac wouldn't listen!!!

If she wasn't holding this barrier she would've jumped towards her and smack her head off!!

The arrow already formed but showed signs of instability. Surges of red energy tried to escape. Allen held it against her bow string. Her face incredibly pale but the smile was brighter. The arrow burned her palms in painful degrees but she still held on. Drawing her bow with the arrow.

Carolina watched her, let go. The arrow swooshed it's path towards the harrowing deep depths of the Tyrant's eyes, whose head partly forced it's way out of the Gate. The arrow pierced into the empty eye sockets of the corpse and exploded.

Destroying half of its skull. The head slip out more easily than before from the Gate. The screaming stopped.

And the blood barrier collapsed. Blood showering the entire army.

Allen staggered holding her steps with a victorious smile as both her and Carolina watched the Devil finally make his move.

The Corpse tried to roar but only a funny squeak came out from it's depths. Which looked quite comical that Carolina almost bellowed a laugh admist the pain she felt from holding the barrier. Knowing how dangerous it was supposed to be.

The jaw of the corpse was falling out of place and the other eye socket was cracked open stale blood seeping out in a state of destruction.

But a skeleton army came out from it's mouth pouring like rain from the sky. Carolina gasped she had seen different monsters do different abilities but a Tyrant creating a swarm of monsters out of nothing was unheard of. Was the Tyrant using part of its corpse body that they weren't seeing in the Gate to create such? The hunters below, charged towards the landing skeletons.

Streams of arrows rained up into the sky.

Killing the weak skeletons that couldn't withstand the power of the arrows. The skeletons that were hit and died combusted into dark energy making its way back to the Tyrant. The skeletons that landed were massacred by the hunters below.

"Destroy them all!!!"

Carolina screamed as more hunters rushed ahead of her. The second Division Army joining.

Her essence was almost snuffed out. But finally the Duke made a move after years of waiting.

'Even though it was just five minutes?'

Her subconscious snickered as she sighed resignedly.

The fox masked man rose his hand slightly at the massive Tyrant that still tried to come out of the gate.

Carolina was surprised. Wasn't the gate meant for this Tyrant? How can the Gate link a Tyrant that can't even come out of it. There was something going on that was so strange she had never witnessed it before.

She pushed the thoughts aside, when the next thing she saw shocked her to her very marrows.

A clean cut was left on the massive Corpse's hand. The massive hand was then tossed miles away from the army.

The Devil didn't seem he was done yet but only getting started. His ungloved hand touched the Tyrant's amputated arm.

There was a strange reaction that occurred the arm decayed from the touch. Aging before it's cells were turned to dust particles in an insane speed.

The Tyrant squeaked while trying to roar. The army of skeletons pouring from his mouth in abominable swarms stopped abruptly.

Trying to run away back into the gate. But the Devil grabbed a hold of its arm. Yanking it forcibly. The force alone squashed the Corpse's decaying head on the Gate into an unnatural angle that looked sick and brutal.

The Devil then completely yanked out the Tyrant's torso from the part of the body they never got to see. Blood sprayed every where. The large swarm of skeletons fighting with the army all jerked at the same time before falling down like an empty sack on the river of blood pooling from the decaying corpse.

Carolina released the barrier and landed on her ass, tired. The stench of blood was so bad that she vomited some of the contents she ate. Her trousers increasingly soaked by the blood.

The army roared, everyone happy that they all got to see another day. The hunters hugged each other, elated. Some wimps were crying.

Carolina laid her head on the blood-soaked wet ground. Away from her puke. Though disgusted by the bad stench and bloody clothes.

She was satisfied. She achieved her goals.

She could see there were few casualties but none had died. Yet.

Her eyes strayed to the massive corpse of the Tyrant.

Something did not feel right.

How can it be so easy to win without casualties?

Does it mean that this wasn't the monster who was supposed to exit the gate?

Then what?

No she was just being pessimistic. It was only surprising that they won this easily.

Yes, logically the battle wasn't as easy but...

This was too underrated in comparison to all the battles she had fought in lesser Gates than the Level Nine Black Gate that supposedly wiped out an entire Kingdom. Wasn't it assumed to be almost suicidal to win?

The Dragon burned the Tyrant's corpse to avoid it from regenerating because it was an Undead creature. Creatures that never really died but respawned untill they were burnt to avoid them from spawning from their cells again.

That signified the end. In ten minutes the gate would close and disappear.

Carolina closed eyes, trying to convince herself that she was overthinking. But she still felt...

Uneasy.

She began shutting down the warning signals in her head.

"Need help, Milady?"

A smooth voice questioned beside her. Without looking at the person. Carolina whined.

" I told father not to send Croyso's spies on me, Griffen. So why are you here?"

The red haired smirked.

" Milady, your father did respect your wishes but I simply couldn't let you go unsupervised. It would only hurt my fragile heart."

She turned towards Griffen. His emerald green eyes bright in mischief. Soft freckles dusted almost too perfectly on his well defined face. The auburn hair fell down resting on his neck. He was one of the most eligible bachelor, the Assistant Head of the Magic Tower in the Northern Kingdom and her best friend.

Her smirk matched his filled with equal mischief.

"Okay then be my donkey. Give this lady a piggyback."

Confusion settled on his charming face.

"Huh?"