Lightning split the sky. The last energy wall began to crack.
Then—
PYARRR!!
Blue light exploded in a burst of shattered energy. The roars of thousands of monsters shook the earth. The black wave came like a storm of flesh and fangs—devouring everything alive in its path.
"ATTACK!!" Ken roared, his voice booming through the thunder of war.
Thousands of soldiers charged forward at once. The rumble of footsteps trembled across the ground. Steel clashed against fangs, blood sprayed into the air. The power of humans and monsters finally collided.
"AHHHHH!!"
CLANG! Swords struck against each other, magical flames bursting in the sky.
In the distance—
PRANG! A large pot outside the old castle suddenly shattered.
Jake quickly turned from the window, holding his breath. From atop the castle, he saw that the Monster Hunter troops had merely broken the pot by accident while cleaning. Yet for some reason, his chest suddenly felt heavy.
"Why… do I have such a bad feeling about this?" he muttered softly, staring at the sky that was beginning to turn red.
---
Meanwhile, at the gates of Sena City, the entire Indosvara army withstood the onslaught of monsters crashing down like a tsunami of darkness.
"Release the arrows! Now!!" Isabela shouted.
Dozens of bows bent at once.
SHUUT—SHUUT—SHUUT! A rain of flaming and poisoned arrows shot forward, pouring down upon the thousands of monsters ahead.
Screams echoed as arrows pierced their hides. Some struck vital points, causing bodies to explode into black ash.
"Show them the results of our training!" Ken shouted while riding his horse, two shining swords in his hands. "Show them that humanity will not surrender! That we will protect this land until our last breath!"
Ken's horse charged into the monstrous tide. His twin blades danced swiftly, cutting down every creature that dared approach. Blood splattered everywhere, streaking red across ash and dust.
Battle cries thundered. Though many fell, though some were torn apart and devoured, their spirit did not waver.
They fought not for victory—but for family, for their names, for the future of the children waiting at home.
Isabela leapt from her horse, landing lightly between two monsters. Her blade spun in a swift arc, carving through them in an elegant dance of death. Every step she took was like a hymn of execution—cold, beautiful, lethal.
Yet on another side of the battlefield, panic began to spread. Screams of fear rang out. Blood soaked the ground. The scent of death filled the air.
Then—
BRAKK! A massive monster slammed into Ken's horse. The animal was thrown aside, and Ken rolled across the ground, surrounded by monsters.
"Damn it!" Ken shouted, raising his two swords in all directions. His eyes burned with fierce determination. "If I must die—then I'll drag you all down with me!"
---
At the same time, at the old castle—the former headquarters of Indosvara…
Ryu, who had been sweeping and wiping the windows, suddenly stopped. His gaze fixed on the forest beyond the tall trees.
"Huh… who's that?" he thought.
He narrowed his eyes. Among the shadows of the trees stood a woman—her figure graceful, her face beautiful, as if surrounded by a soft yet dangerous aura.
The woman gave Ryu a faint smile, then slowly turned and walked deeper into the forest.
Without thinking, Ryu dropped his broom and ran. "Hey—wait! Who are you?! Why are you here?!"
His footsteps crashed through bushes and roots as he chased the woman's fading silhouette.
From behind him, Evelyn's voice rang out, "Oi, Ryu! Where are you going?!"
She threw down her cloth and broom and ran after him.
Ryu glanced back quickly. "Evelyn? Why are you following me?"
"How could I not?! I'm worried! You're running into the forest without permission—do you know how dangerous it is?!" Evelyn replied anxiously.
"I saw someone! A woman!" Ryu said while continuing to run. "She's beautiful… and I thought she might be lost!"
At that, Evelyn's breath hitched. Her face stiffened—and slightly reddened.
"A woman? Beautiful?" she muttered irritably.
Then quickly she asked, "Is… is she prettier than me?"
"Huh? Evelyn, why are you suddenly asking that?" Ryu looked confused, gently pushing her forehead when she suddenly leaned closer.
"I-I'm not jeal—" Evelyn didn't finish her sentence.
"Oii, you two!" Zen shouted from afar.
The voice startled Evelyn, cutting her words short.
"Damn, we've been caught!" Ryu hissed, grabbing Evelyn's hand as they ran back toward the castle.
Evelyn fell silent, her cheeks burning red. Does Ryu not like me…? she thought, her eyes glinting with a faint yandere aura. If he dares to like that girl… I'll slice her to pieces.
When they arrived, Zen immediately blocked their path. "Hey! Do you know the consequences of leaving your post without permission?" he said with a sly smile.
All eyes turned toward them.
"Well, this is the result," Zen continued, satisfaction written on his face.
In the end, Ryu and Evelyn stood on one leg while their ears were twisted in front of everyone—causing the entire troop to burst into laughter.
Jake suddenly appeared from inside the castle. "What's going on here? Finished cleaning?"
"Yes, Commander!" Sora answered quickly.
"Then why are they being punished?" Jake asked flatly.
Zen immediately reported, "They went into the forest without permission, Commander. So I disciplined them according to what Sora taught."
Sora patted Zen's shoulder while laughing. "Haha, that's the way! I'm proud of you!"
Zen only grinned shyly.
"Don't imitate him," Sora muttered while glancing at Akira standing in the corner, causing Akira to snort softly. Sheesh… not again… he thought irritably.
Jake let out a sigh. "I always say—ask for someone's reason before punishing them. So?" His gaze shifted to Ryu and Evelyn. "Why did you suddenly go into the forest?"
Ryu stared at the floor. "I… saw a woman. I was worried she was lost. But when I chased her, she disappeared."
Evelyn glared at him, her chest burning. He said he was worried about another woman… she thought, clenching her teeth.
Jake turned to Evelyn. "And you?"
"I only followed Ryu because I was worried. A weak man like him needs to be accompanied by me," Evelyn answered quickly, pride lacing her tone.
The atmosphere instantly exploded.
"Hahaha! This couple is hilarious!" one soldier shouted.
Elias and Kael laughed so hard they slapped Leon's shoulder. "Look at your friend, Leon! They're like a stand-up comedy duo!"
Leon snorted. "That's not even funny."
Ryu blushed deeply, his face burning. He leaned closer to Evelyn and whispered, "Hey… Evelyn, why did you say that? I can be independent too, you know."
Evelyn only turned her face away with an annoyed expression. "Hmmph."
"Geez… you're impossible," Ryu muttered, his face even redder.
"That's enough," Jake cut in at last, and everyone fell silent.
"It's not funny. It'll be funnier if we're all chased by monsters later, screaming like cats," Akira muttered coldly with a blank face, making the silence even more awkward.
Jake let out a long breath. "I believe your reason, Ryu. Evelyn."
The elite troops stared in surprise. "Huh?" Zen blinked.
Meanwhile, Sora looked ahead with widened pupils. She also sensed something strange about Ryu's story—just like her own uneasy premonition.
Jake gave them a subtle signal to stay quiet. Only Mira remained calm; her face serious, as if she already understood Jake's thoughts.
"Return to formation," Jake finally ordered.
Once everything settled, his voice grew deep and firm again. "Listen carefully. I will divide the teams now. Our first mission begins: find that mysterious woman. She is no ordinary person—and I am certain she is connected to all this chaos."
The troops exchanged glances. A tense aura filled the room.
"Search the entire area. She can't have gone far."
---
Meanwhile, not far from the castle, behind the trees…
The mysterious woman stood within the dark shadows. A small smile curved her lips, her beautiful eyes gleaming dangerously.
"The game of hide-and-seek is about to begin…" she whispered softly. "I like this."
To be continued…