Beasts and monsters are not the same.
If monsters are the indigenous species that have lived on this continent since the beginning of time, then beasts are the minions brought here by demons.
Their very nature is different, and the clearest difference on the surface is the blatant presence of demonic energy.
Or so they taught at the academy.
And it was the correct answer.
"Those are Sades."
Beasts in the form of shadows, their entire bodies cloaked in black. They have no clear shape and imitate the appearance of nearby living creatures.
"I never thought I'd see beasts here… but it's just like we learned at the academy."
At a glance, it looked like a gathering of various monsters. Except for the fact that all their eyes were red, and their bodies black.
"Professor Balmon really was an exceptional teacher."
"Now's not the time to be reminiscing."
The situation was fairly serious. While Fernan's magic had safely caught all the falling people, catching the huge cargo-laden wagons without damage was another matter entirely.
Some of the wagons were falling into the depths below—into the underground filled with Sades.
And among them…
"Arya! Use the spirits to stop the wagons from falling!"
One of the wagons contained the World Tree.
Damn it. Fernan jumped down.
"Which wagon!?"
"All of them!"
Arya stuck close to him. Five elemental spirits spread out in different directions.
"All of them is impossible!"
There were only five spirits, and seven wagons were falling.
"Then do the impossible!"
Ignoring Arya's protest, Fernan manipulated his mana. His enhanced sight pierced the darkness just enough.
He said that, but he knew exactly which wagon had to be protected at all costs.
He had marked it beforehand.
There—at the very bottom—just moments away from hitting the ground.
"That one, Arya! The wagon falling at the very bottom!"
"Got it!"
The wind brushed past Fernan. Arya dashed forward, accompanied by three wind spirits.
Just before the wagon fell into the maw of the beasts, it halted in midair.
About 50 centimeters above the ground—barely suspended. Arya landed lightly atop the wagon.
"Got it!"
A relief, but the crisis wasn't over yet.
Sades in the forms of monsters like hounds, orcs, and goblins—and animals like bears and bats—bared their teeth at the prey that had fallen from the sky.
But Fernan wasn't about to let that happen.
Clink—
Flasks filled with reagents shattered around the wagon. Whoosh, flames erupted high, causing the shadow beasts to instinctively recoil.
And then, slightly behind them, Fernan landed.
He struck the ground with his staff, unleashing a spell he had prepared in advance. A massive barrier split the Sades from the wagon.
—!
——!
The peace lasted only a moment. Roars and impacts shook the barrier.
"What do we do now?"
Arya asked, landing softly next to the hovering wagon.
"What else?"
Kill everything and get out of here. He looked up—it was quite far. They must have fallen at least 40 meters.
'There was a space like this down here?'
Rather than a simple underground chamber, it resembled a massive cave or dungeon. On one side, a vast underground stream flowed.
And within it—an uncountable number of beasts, along with broken wagons and scattered supplies.
"Do you know how much all that's worth…?"
"Right? Such a waste."
"...?"
"What's wrong?"
"…Nothing."
Maybe he was getting too used to Ruina. Normally, she'd snap back with something like, Is that what matters right now?
"Listen carefully, Arya."
"I'm listening."
"Take the wagon and go back up. You can do it, right?"
"I can. For now."
"For now?"
The wording was odd.
"I don't think I'll be able to for much longer."
That's when he noticed something strange.
Her pointed ears were twitching nonstop—meaning she was hearing something he couldn't.
"What is it?"
"You'll hear it soon."
—!
That sound.
—!
A rhythmic thudding that echoed through the underground chamber.
If Fernan was right, it was the footsteps of something massive.
As the sound drew closer, the demonic energy thickened.
"…Varka."
A bipedal beast, 10 meters tall, with armor tougher than steel, jaws that devoured everything, and claws sharper than any famed sword.
A Rank 4 beast listed in the textbook Monsters and Beasts: A Comprehensive Study.
It could chew through dozens of trolls—even ogres, known as mountain kings, would be child's play.
A totally different class from the Rank 8 Sades, which were dangerous but still manageable in numbers.
"…Goddamn it."
The monster's four glaring crimson pupils were unmistakably aimed in their direction.
A chill ran down Fernan's spine.
He realized it in that instant—there was no way he could defeat that thing at his current level. Not even if he died and came back to life.
Die here?
In a place like this?
He hadn't gone through all the trouble of deciphering the prophecy and struggling to survive just to end up like this.
"Hyde!"
The Sades that had rushed at Fernan before Varka could reach him were suddenly sliced apart.
─!
No sound. Not even the monsters realized their bodies had been cleaved in two—a silence so sharp it was terrifying.
Before Fernan even knew it, a sword-wielding bodyguard was standing in front of him.
"…Huh? Aren't you one of the senior's aides? I didn't know you were hiding this level of skill!"
Fernan ignored Arya's oddly cheerful comment, which didn't fit the situation at all.
"Hyde. You're going to cut that thing's throat."
"That thing might be a bit too much for me."
"I'll draw its attention. You find your opening and finish it…"
KROOAAAHH—!
A deafening roar shook the underground chamber.
Thud—
Thud thud—
The creature began charging straight at Fernan.
"…No time to catch our breath, huh."
Whirrrrr—
Space split apart. A 5-meter-tall golem burst forth, intercepting Varka's charge.
──!
Exactly 30 seconds.
2 seconds for the greatsword to strike down at Varka.
4 seconds for Varka's claws to intercept it and rip open the golem's chest armor.
10 seconds for its thick tail to coil around the golem's entire body.
25 seconds for that tail to tear apart every layer of armor.
And 30 seconds total to hurl the broken golem aside like trash.
Fernan, Arya, and Hyde all stared with their mouths agape.
"…You've got to be kidding."
"What is that thing…?"
"That's only Rank 4…?"
Even if it was just hastily linked and thrown out, this was far beyond expectations.
But they didn't have the luxury of just staring at the devastation.
Ka-ka-ka-ka-kak—
A chilling, grotesque laughter. Varka was clearly mocking them.
Like a predator toying with its already-caught prey, Varka kicked off the ground with terrifying grace.
Right then—
───!
Another golem dropped from above.
BOOOM!
Varka was flattened under the massive weight of the falling golem.
"Hyde! Do as I said! Now! I won't hold it off for long!"
"…Yes, I trust you!"
Hyde vanished.
"You think I'll quietly become your prey?"
Demon or beast, it didn't matter. In the end, the one who would survive and win was him.
Fernan glared at the struggling Varka, pinned under the golem.
"I've still got four more."
He hadn't brought just one golem.
─!
──!
The monster and the golems clashed.
The earth trembled, and part of the cavern ceiling collapsed from the shockwaves.
The devastation swept through the area, and the Sades caught in the blast screamed as they were flung aside.
But the ones that survived instinctively charged toward their engraved target. Even as their legs were torn and their bodies crushed, they never bared anything but their teeth.
Their target: Fernan Fallenberg, who had linked with a golem and cut off all external senses.
Just before they reached their goal, blades of wind shredded their flesh.
"This is way too reckless!"
Arya summoned her spirits. The most she could call at once was five.
The five spirits formed a defensive formation around the completely exposed Fernan.
It was the only barrier holding off the wave of Sades surging in like a tide.
"Huff… huff… I can do this. I can do this…"
Compared to Varka, they were weaker, yes. But the Sades were still undeniably beasts.
Arya, by contrast, had to stand her ground. She had to give up her elven agility and overextend herself beyond usual limits.
"No. I can't. I'm going to die at this rate."
Her mana was draining fast. Her stamina too.
Arya thrust her staff forward and chanted a spell. A small tornado swallowed over a dozen Sades in an instant.
"My mana…!"
But with her dwindling reserves, the spell weakened. One of the beasts broke through the feeble wind with its jaws wide open.
Instinctively, Arya swung her staff.
Thwack! A bat-shaped Sade was knocked away—but right behind it, an orc-type Sade raised its club.
Arya's eyes widened.
She tried to lift her staff, but her arms had no strength left.
In that moment—
BOOM!
Something crashed down and crushed the Sade on the spot.
Through the haze of rising dust, what could be seen was a golem. Or more accurately, a hunk of scrap metal that used to be a golem—one that had been discarded by Varka.
As the golem ceased functioning, Varka stomped on it and let out a victorious roar.
But—
──!
The battle was still not over.
The subspace opened once again, and the fourth round began.
"Haah…"
Arya, who had barely survived, glanced sideways at Fernan, who was seated cross-legged with his eyes closed.
Fernan, now summoning his fourth golem, was drenched—entirely in sweat, not water.
"…I've saved your life several times now, senior. You owe me for that, and not just with words—proper compensation, okay?"
Like… maybe an invitation to the yacht club.
Or perhaps a stronger alliance between Freedian and Fallenberg.
Naturally, no reply came.
"Throwing away my life is not my style!"
Arya forced down a potion.
There were still plenty of Sades remaining.
'....'
When controlling a golem, a mage becomes completely defenseless.
They close their eyes and cut off all external senses—but that doesn't mean they're truly disconnected.
Because they experience everything through the golem instead of their own body.
The sensory shutdown is to enhance control, to feel the golem as if it were their own body—through its eyes, as if through their own.
'Damn it…'
Which made it even clearer.
How overwhelmingly outmatched they were. How clumsy and sluggish this massive body was. How fragile.
And how utterly talentless he was at swordsmanship.
─!
The massive sword—sized for the golem—cleaved through the air. Varka dodged it without the slightest sign of strain and let out a twisted laugh.
'You son of a—!'
Fernan threw a punch, but it was caught. Varka's tail smashed into the golem's chest.
─!
The thick chest plate crumpled. The golem staggered back, and Varka seized the opportunity and lunged.
CRASH!
The head, unable to withstand the jaw strength, was shattered. The golem's body collapsed.
The shock of the forced disconnection made Fernan choke down a mouthful of rising blood.
He wanted to give up. His mana was nearly depleted, and his mana heart and mana circuits were damaged from the strain.
Even so.
Even so, he couldn't give up.
Whirrrrr—
A new golem burst through subspace. It tackled Varka from behind, grabbing its neck and slamming it down—interrupting the monster's roar of triumph over the fallen golem.
'That's number three.'
This was the fourth golem.
He had only one left—and no energy to use it. This had to end now.
BOOM!
He took the upper position over the fallen Varka and drove a punch downward.
BOOM! BOOM!
'Die…!'
He struck again and again.
'Just DIE already!'
Varka's head was half-crushed. But still, the monster pushed back the golem and spewed demonic energy.
The golem's armor melted and sagged under the acidic magic. Fernan shuddered at the creature's terrifying tenacity.
'Hurry…!'
CRACK! One of the golem's legs snapped.
Its torso tilted, toppling backward.
'Hurry up—!'
Varka stomped on the golem and sneered at him. Crackle! Sparks flew as the golem's core—its heart—shattered.
Through the dimming golem's vision, Fernan saw a black figure leap atop Varka's head.
A crimson light blazed.
A nearly 3-meter-long aura sword drove into the half-shattered monster's wound and twisted deep.
Varka coughed blood.
It thrashed about, trying to shake off the pest clinging to its head.
But Fernan did not miss that final opportunity.
Forcing his overheated mana heart to move—
He hurled his final golem.
There was no control, no finesse—just a raw, desperate throw. But for a moment, Varka's movement was frozen.
And Hyde drove his blade into the wound he had created once more.
CRACK—!
Varka's skull split.
With a heavy thud, the beast fell.
At the same time, Fernan opened his eyes—and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"You're late! Way too late!"
"She's right! You're late!"
"I did my best too, you know!"
"Four golems got smashed to pieces! Do you know how much those cost?!"
"I almost died, you know! And instead of talking like it's all over, how about helping me here?!"
Arya, still battling Sades, yelled in exasperation.
And then—
"Milord! Get down!"
"What is that?!"
"Is it… self-destruction?!"
Varka's half-decapitated corpse was rapidly swelling.
Fernan frantically raised a barrier while Arya summoned a gust of wind. Hyde stood in front of Fernan, shielding him.
────!
An explosion erupted.
The intense demonic energy swept away everything in its radius—
Stone, Sades, underground water, and wagons alike.
Only the three of them—protected by multiple layers of shields and artifacts—survived.
"…Ha."
Fernan let out a dry laugh. Most of the wagons had melted under the corrosive magic.
The devastation was so complete it made him forget about his physical state.
"Arya."
"Yes?"
"I have two good news and one bad. Which do you want first?"
"Umm… the good news."
"First, the Sades have been completely wiped out by that bastard's self-destruction. Second, I placed an artifact inside the box containing the World Tree's branch. Thanks to that, the branch is intact."
"And the bad?"
"It's not completely intact."
"I figured."
Poking out of the shattered box, the World Tree's branch was partially stained black—as if declaring it had been corrupted.