Chapter 72

"…Should we maintain the front line like this?"

It was the second day, and Behemoth had not yet joined the battle. The sun, still hidden behind thick clouds, only sent occasional rays through the cracks in the sky.

The battlefront had reached a stalemate. A few hours earlier, blood from both monsters and humans had splattered across the battlefield, but now, the area was divided by a massive chasm, separating the forces of man and monster. This boundary had been created by the powerful magic cast by the mages, collapsing the ground itself. Knights, taking advantage of this brief lull, could finally catch their breath. Count Agon leaned on his sword, resting from the night’s endless battle.

Last night had been unbearably long. Teodora approached and sat beside the count. Paola, however, remained at the forefront, her sharp gaze fixed on the monsters with an air of deadly focus.

“No, I think it's best to hold this position, even if it seems difficult.”

Paola stated confidently.

“…Is that so?”

“Behemoth hasn’t joined the front line yet.”

Paola pointed toward the vast sea of monsters.

“As you know, when we eventually face Behemoth, we’ll have no choice but to let it advance. There’s no way to stop that monster’s march with our current forces unless the reinforcements arrive. We have no method to bind its feet.”

Count Agon nodded in understanding.

“So, we must hold the line as long as possible.”

“We cannot allow it to breach the city. If Behemoth sets foot inside, the monsters accompanying it will spread across the kingdom like a plague.”

The count’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.

“It seems we’ll need to endure a bit longer. Teodora, are you still holding up?”

“I’m fine. I can still fight.”

Teodora’s armor, worn from countless clashes through the night, was tattered. Her visor, raised just enough to show her face, revealed pale eyes that gleamed faintly. Her breathing was steady. Her expression showed neither confidence in victory nor the despair of inevitable defeat.@@novelbin@@

“When can we use large-scale magic again?”

“At least another hour,” Paola answered, glancing at the collapsed terrain ahead.

“I hope they don’t launch another attack before then…”

Just as Paola spoke, the clouds parted, and sunlight pierced through the tops of the trees. The familiar, terrifying tremor followed immediately after.

“They’re coming again.”

Paola gripped her sword tightly, making sure it wouldn’t slip from her hand.

It was close. Closer than ever before. The battlefield stirred with anticipation. Though the alarm hadn’t been sounded, soldiers were already arming themselves and forming ranks. Some had just woken from brief moments of rest, while others had fought through the night, just like Teodora and Paola.

“Damn it, it’s close.”

“It’s coming! That thing is coming!”

Boom.

This time, there was no monstrous roar. Instead, Behemoth appeared, silently looming, filling the knights’ field of vision.

Their breath caught in their throats.

Aura surged from Teodora’s sword. It didn’t merely envelop the blade—it extended beyond it, like mist, surrounding her armor.

Crack.

It was the sound of something breaking, like hundreds of bones shattering at once. It could’ve been the sound of stone splitting apart. Behemoth’s massive jaw began to split open slowly. Teodora realized that the creature was opening its “mouth.”

“…Aura…”

The voice was deep, eerie, and commanding. The shoulders of the soldiers shuddered. Faces turned pale, and some soldiers dropped their weapons or collapsed to the ground. All around the front line, there was the sound of metal clattering as morale crumbled.

The voice itself was a form of magic, a manifestation of its overwhelming power. The air grew thick and oppressive.

As if delivering a divine message from the heavens, Behemoth spoke down to the humans.

“Knights… such vile beings…”

There was no commotion. Every knight and soldier was utterly overwhelmed by Behemoth’s presence.

“Do you continue to struggle, knowing you cannot stop me?”

With each word, the knights’ armor vibrated. Teodora strengthened her aura, causing a storm of energy to swirl around her. Her platinum aura expanded outward, filled with lethal intent. Aura flared to life around Count Agon’s sword as well, followed by Paola’s, and then the blades of the many knights standing in formation.

Dozens of streams of aura sharpened into deadly blades. Yet, the scene didn’t feel like a force prepared to stand against an equal foe, but rather the desperate resistance of prey facing a predator.

“What about the mages?”

Count Agon asked a nearby knight, who shook his head.

“They’re not ready yet.”

It had been waiting for this moment. Count Agon clenched his lips. Behemoth had chosen the time when the humans were most exhausted, their defenses weakest, to appear. Count Agon raised his voice.

“Hold the line! There is no ground beyond this point!”

His shout, infused with mana, snapped the soldiers out of their daze. They raised their shields and spears as one. Despite facing a colossal monster and its thousands-strong army, the gorge was eerily silent. Just as the tension reached its breaking point, Count Agon shouted again.

“All units! Form your ranks—”

Boom.

What… just happened?

Oh.

Teodora realized that her feet were no longer on the ground. Time seemed to slow down. She could see soldiers and knights floating beside her, suspended in the air.

Chunks of rock rose alongside them, interspersed with fragments of arms and legs. Teodora, detached, noted this as if it were someone else’s thoughts.

Then, time sped up again, and Teodora’s consciousness returned to the present.

We didn’t block it. What kind of attack was that? It was probably just a simple stomp. And with that one attack, the ground had twisted, and the soldiers were sent flying. The descent began. Teodora intensified the storm of her aura.

With a single blow, the front line had collapsed. The only ones still standing were Paola, Count Agon, and Teodora herself.

Teodora staggered as she tried to plant her feet firmly.

“...Ha.”

The scene was a disaster. Soldiers lay on the ground, barely clinging to life. Many had died instantly in the first attack. Through the thick clouds of dust that filled the air, the sound of monsters approaching could be heard.

We have to hold the line.

Teodora gritted her teeth.

The sense of duty to protect this place burned within her heart, and her platinum aura surged even brighter and fiercer.

The monsters were charging. Teodora focused her mind, placing her sword in front of her. She needed to accelerate. She had to stop them with a single strike.

Her aura spiraled, reaching its peak, as the monsters drew closer. Behemoth was moving as well. Teodora gathered all the mana in her body and brought her sword down.

Open.

High in the sky, a platinum meteor fell toward the oncoming horde of monsters.

The explosion was immense, obliterating the werewolf at the forefront, reducing it to nothing. The light didn’t stop there—it consumed the following monsters, one by one, growing more intense as it did. Each monster that was swallowed by the light fueled the aura, making it burn even brighter.

The light raced forward, cutting down everything in its path, until it collided with Behemoth.

Clang!

Behemoth’s massive form wavered for a moment, its body shaking. But despite the explosive force of the aura, it didn’t cause any significant damage to the monster.

“How… dare you…”

Teodora gripped her sword tighter. Knights began to gather around her.

Monsters, momentarily stunned by her attack, resumed their charge. The knights raised their swords high.

“For the kingdom!” “For His Majesty!” “For revenge, for the wasteland!”

The knights shouted their battle cries as the monsters closed in. Behemoth raised its massive foot once again.

“No…”

“We must stop it…”

The knights’ fear was soon replaced by astonishment.

“Teodora—!”

Count Agon’s scream echoed across the battlefield. A streak of light raced up toward Behemoth’s raised foot. A long, glittering tail of light trailed behind it. The light cut through the swarm of monsters, slicing them apart as it passed, until it reached Behemoth.

The monster’s raised foot halted. Behemoth, towering above, lowered its gaze.

“Arrogant…”

Teodora twisted her wrist, gathering mana for another strike, determined to land a decisive blow. If she failed to block this attack, there would be no way to stop the advancing horde.

The target was Behemoth.

She needed to buy time until the mages were ready to unleash their next large-scale spell.

It was insolent.

Behemoth found the sight of the tiny beings wielding their glowing swords offensive. Especially the platinum aura that dared to approach. Behemoth didn’t like that light.

Monsters swarmed toward Teodora, like moths to a flame, but each one was sliced to pieces as they approached her aura.

Teodora closed her eyes. She recalled a conversation she had once shared with Maxime. Most of her memories of the sword were intertwined with her memories of him.

“Do you think it’s possible to win against an opponent you feel is unbeatable?”

One evening, after dusk had settled, Teodora had asked Maxime this question while they were in the training grounds. It was a perfect evening for practice, with little wind. Maxime had looked at her with wide eyes, surprised by her question. Teodora had gazed at his golden eyes, lost in thought.

“Do you have someone like that?” Maxime had asked.

Teodora had narrowed her eyes, half-closing them as if she were embarrassed by her own question. The sight of Maxime, flustered, had been rather cute. He had tried to change the subject.

“I mean, we don’t always fight with the certainty of victory, do we? Even when you’re up against someone picking up a sword for the first time, you shouldn’t be too sure.”

Teodora had frowned at Maxime’s logical answer.

“Of course, but you know what I mean.”

When Teodora had expressed her frustration, Maxime had laughed softly.

“Yes. I have someone like that.”

Teodora’s curiosity had piqued.

“Who?”

“My master.”

Maxime had answered casually. But despite his nonchalant tone, his expression had twisted, as if recalling something unpleasant.

“…But if you think your master is unbeatable, how strong must they be?”

Teodora had asked, intrigued. Maxime had chuckled and shaken his head.

“When you actually fight them, they might not seem that strong. But I can never win. No matter how much I improve, my master always defeats me by a narrow margin.”

Maxime’s voice had sounded like that of a storyteller recounting an old tale.

“After sparring with my master so many times, I got better, but the results were always the same. Over time, the frustration turned into fear and awe. That’s when I realized—no matter what I do, I will never be able to defeat this person.”

“Even now, when you can use aura?”

Maxime had nodded.

“I’m sure my master can use aura, too. Definitely.”

Maxime had replaced his grimace with a smile, continuing his story.

“One day, I asked my master how I could defeat him. I was dead serious when I asked. And this was what he told me.”

Maxime had raised a finger.

“You have to drag him down to your level. Fight under equal conditions. Don’t care about your own life—just aim for his neck. Then, it becomes a fifty-fifty chance.”

Maxime had shaken his head as he recalled those words.

“That was when I realized my master wasn’t exactly sane.”

But Teodora had taken in his words with a thoughtful hum.

“So, no matter how unfavorable the battle is, if it’s a fight to the death, there’s always a chance.”

Maxime had nodded in agreement.

“Well, it’s easier said than done.”

Maxime had looked at Teodora and smiled wryly.

“But honestly, I doubt you’ll ever have to use that method.”

Maxime had told Teodora. She had simply stared at him, silently.

“…Yeah. I probably won’t.”

Teodora had smiled softly at Maxime. After all, the person she felt she could never defeat with a sword was the very man smiling at her right now.

Maxime.

Could I… think of you just a little more?

Teodora silently asked for forgiveness.

Drag him down.

Teodora repeated to herself. Behemoth locked eyes with her and let out a roar of rage. Her gaze was devoid of fear.

Boom.

The sound of her sword cutting through Behemoth’s chest was like a deafening explosion. Fragments of its skin flew into the air.

Behemoth was taken aback. Teodora’s relentless sword strikes chipped away at the monster’s enormous form, little by little.

She was fast. Fast, elegant, and overwhelmingly strong.

“That’s…”

“The continent’s greatest prodigy…”

The knights, momentarily forgetting their fear of Behemoth, were mesmerized by Teodora’s overwhelming display of martial prowess.

With every twist of Behemoth’s body, she danced on the edge of death. One wrong move and it would all be over, but Teodora walked that fine line effortlessly. It was as if a platinum river of stars was swirling around the enormous beast.

Teodora raced alongside Behemoth’s forelimbs, her aura leaving shimmering trails in its wake. She swung her sword.

She chipped away at Behemoth, forcing the monster to stake its life just as she had.

“Paola.”

“Yes.”

“Help Teodora. We need to hold out until the mages are ready. Thirty minutes should be enough.”

Count Agon ordered Paola, who readied her sword and spear. Sharp aura radiated from both weapons. Wrapped in determination, Paola leaped into the fray without hesitation.

Teodora continued her assault, unaware of Paola’s approach. Paola expertly slipped her spear and sword into the gaps of Teodora’s strikes, ensuring that her attacks didn’t interfere with Teodora’s deadly dance.

The combined might of the two knights halted Behemoth’s advance.

“Commander.”

Teodora didn’t turn her head.

“Thirty minutes.”

She gave a faint nod. Her aura flared even brighter. Paola, watching Teodora’s radiant platinum aura, couldn’t help but feel admiration.

Time seemed to blur.

Teodora swung her sword without thinking, relying solely on the muscle memory ingrained in her body. All that filled her mind was the thought of dragging Behemoth down to her level.

The gap between their existences didn’t narrow. So, she fought even harder.

Teodora shattered her limits, drawing out more mana.

Her sword cut through the monster’s flesh. She could feel that she was slowly wearing down its life force. With each swing, her platinum aura grew more brilliant. When her sword finally traced a deep, glowing line across Behemoth’s massive shoulder, the beast roared in fury. Teodora and Paola were sent flying by the sudden burst of energy.

The monsters, as if waiting for this moment, swarmed in.

A knight stepped in front of the falling Teodora, shielding her. The knight’s arm was severed by a Fenrir’s claws. Teodora regained her balance and swung her sword, but the onslaught of frenzied monsters didn’t relent.

By dawn, reinforcements would arrive.

That thought seemed distant, almost unreachable.

Without any certainty or hope, Teodora continued to swing her sword. Bodies piled upon bodies, covering the narrow path between the mountains and the sea of trees.

Slash.

Teodora mechanically swung her blade, adding another corpse to the mound. Her sword was no longer enveloped in aura. She was saving her strength for the next clash with Behemoth. It had been over two days since she last slept. For two days, Teodora had done nothing but wield her sword.

Each time she felt her body reaching its limit, she pushed herself even harder. Soldiers fell around her, dragged away by the monsters’ claws and fangs, but Teodora remained, holding the line.

“I think we’ve cleared this group.”

Paola, wiping blood from her sword, spoke as she shook off the excess. Teodora, conserving her energy, simply nodded in agreement. There was no relief, however. The main horde was still far too close.

Behemoth had paused after inflicting devastating damage, its progress halted. The front line had been pushed back to the original trenches, thanks largely to Teodora’s efforts.

“…Are you alright?”

Teodora was visibly exhausted. She had single-handedly held back Behemoth’s advance for over thirty minutes. In the process, her swordsmanship had evolved to another level. After the large-scale magic finally landed, Behemoth’s advance had been stopped.

“I can hold on.”

Teodora forced herself to respond, her teeth clenched tightly.

While Teodora continued to confront Behemoth, many soldiers had sacrificed themselves to the monsters. The forces of Myura had retreated to their original defensive position, leaving behind a chaotic battlefield.

“…It’s almost over.”

It was clear they had reached their limit. The remaining soldiers barely numbered more than half, and over half the knights had perished.

They were closing in.

The monsters, after their relentless assault, didn’t seem significantly reduced in number. Now, as if they sensed the end was near, their advance slowed. They moved in sync with Behemoth, keeping pace with the colossal beast.

“Damn bastards…”

Their king was coming first.

It seemed as if this was a rule agreed upon by the monsters. The blackened swarm filled the gorge, flooding through.

“We killed so many of them, and yet there are still this many left.”

Paola leaned on her spear. Her aura, faint but still present, flickered at the tip. Her one-handed sword had been broken in the earlier battle with Behemoth.

Behemoth let out a low growl, as if celebrating its entrance. The monsters responded with elated howls, filling the mountains and forest with an eerie cacophony. The monsters stared hungrily at the front line, knowing their prey was already beaten.

The deafening cries of the monsters reached a fever pitch, assaulting their ears.

Teodora unleashed her aura once more. Her sword glowed with fierce intensity, lighting up the darkness. The soldiers braced themselves for death, while the knights gripped their weapons, determined to squeeze out every last drop of mana.

Wooooooong.

Then, another sound reached them.

The soldiers turned their heads in unison. A low rumble came from behind them. Suddenly, the sky brightened, turning from a deep blue to a brilliant light.

Wooooooong.

Dawn was breaking.

Through the mist came the sound of a horn.

Thud, thud.

The tremor of footsteps—different from the monsters’—traveled up through their feet. Teodora turned around. The soldiers parted, clearing a path. Teodora’s eyes fell upon a familiar banner.

“Lady Teodora.”

The knight at the front spoke. He was the commander of her family’s knight order.

“You’ve held out well.”

Teodora, without realizing it, gripped her sword tightly.

“Leave the rest to us.”

With those words, the banners of noble families from all across the kingdom began to rise into the air. The sound of horns calling for continued battle echoed across the field, and the soldiers raised their weapons high once more.

“All forces, prepare for battle!”

Magic circles appeared in the sky. Crossbows were loaded, and aura flared from the knights’ swords. The monsters, sensing resistance, let out their howls. Behemoth roared with fury.

“Don’t let a single one escape!”

The heavens opened, and fire rained down. And with the flames at their backs, the knights charged forward for their final assault.