Within a vast cavern which showed glittering walls with veins of enchanted ore that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat, the elves of Lord Kean’s unit worked quickly.

In the center of the cavern, a large magic circle had been drawn on the ground with glowing lines etched with ancient runes that hummed with latent power.

At its heart, a strange artifact stood, which appeared to be a crystalline orb mounted on a pedestal of intricate carvings with its core swirling with a malevolent red light. The circle began to emit a faint ticking sound like a clock counting down to an inevitable catastrophe.

One elf knelt by the circle’s edge while delicately adjusting the alignment of the runes. "The humans are stronger than we ever anticipated," he said grimly. "They've breached all our defenses with ease, killing Lord Caelith and the other Transcendents in under a minute, and their war machines will soon reach the main base. We can't hold them off much longer."

Another elf nervously glanced at the ticking circle. "Do we truly understand what we’re doing here? The Mountain Beast… It was sealed for a reason. They say releasing this beast would result in the destruction of nearly the entire Third Civilization Zone!"

“And now it will serve a purpose,” the first elf replied coldly. “Better it annihilates these invaders than allows them to defile our lands."

Near the artifact, a third elf worked silently with a calm expression. "We are out of time. Lord Kean’s orders are clear and the humans have forced our hand.”

The ticking grew louder, reverberating like the steady drum of an ancient war song. A faint rumble echoed from deep within the mountain, as though the earth itself was beginning to stir from a deep slumber.

"But what if we can't control it?” the second elf said as he raised his voice, “If the beast turns on us—"

"Enough, Altherin!" the first elf snapped. "Doubt is a luxury we cannot afford. Finish your preparations and fall back."

The elves stepped back as the magic circle flared to life with its runes blazing with fiery brilliance. The cavern shook violently with dust and small stones raining down from above. The ticking had grown deafening now, each pulse a hammer blow against the air like the final seconds of a countdown.

The third Elf stood and let out a grim smile to the others. "These inferiors wanted war,” he said softly. “Let them meet an enemy older than whatever petty kingdoms they come from."

As the magic reached its zenith, the elves retreated into the shadows quickly. Behind them, the rumbling grew into a thunderous roar, a primal sound that shook the mountain to its core. An oppressive sense filled the air, a harbinger of something ancient and terrible awakening from its slumber.

"May the Elven Goddess forgive us for what we've about to unleash," the first elf murmured as they disappeared into the darkness.

The last echo of their footsteps faded, leaving only the cavern’s trembling walls and the beast’s guttural roar as it would soon break free from its slumber and herald its return to the world.

————————————————————————

Kingdom Of High Tarxa, In An Ocean, High Tarxan Sea, Island of Arlithrien, Tarxan Island Outpost, Deep Inside The Forest.

1st Year of God, Monday, 1st Week. Month Of David.

Dust and dirt were splashing all around the amphibious vehicles as the thunderous roars of their engines were being pushed to their absolute limits. The sound reverberated across the battlefield, trembling through the air and into the very ground beneath them.

The earth shook beneath the rhythmic pounding of boots as dozens of Austronesian Liberation Marines moved forward at a lightning pace toward the enemy’s last stronghold once again.

Sharp flashes of light, accompanied by the piercing whine of projectiles, struck fear into the hearts of the defenders as they were now being routed and overwhelmed by the invaders, causing the enemy to crumble under the pressure and superior tactics of the advancing marines.

What had once seemed destined to be an Austronesian defeat had been transformed into a hard-fought victory. Though their forces had suffered a large amount of casualties, they have gained something much more valuable in the long run, and that is experience on the battlefield.

Each soldier’s hard-earned lessons would ripple upward through the chain of command, refining strategies and reshaping tactics at every level.

Despite originating from a war-torn world, the Austronesian military acknowledged their inexperience in large-scale engagements. They understood the necessity of adaptability. Each skirmish, whether a triumph or a setback, served as a critical learning opportunity and shaped the military’s approach for future conflicts.

The Austronesians relied on their doctrine of superior firepower, but they also recognized that warfare is fluid, constantly evolving. Innovation was not just encouraged, it was essential. This ethos permeated the entire Austronesian force to make sure that every soldier and officer contributed to their collective growth.

As the battle raged on, projectiles of all kinds crisscrossed the battlefield as the defenders, now bitterly retreating, organized a retreat deeper into the outpost albeit with bitterness. The marines are now advancing steadily toward the heart of the enemy position.

The first phase of the assault saw the marines encircle the outpost as seen from the satellite high above the heavens. Noticing the defenders' organized retreat, the officers ordered a temporary halt to reassess their next steps. An orderly retreat suggested that the defenders retained some degree of fighting spirit and had a plan for counteraction.

To gauge the enemy’s strength, the officers jointly agreed to initiate a probing attack. If the defenders showed signs of collapse, the marines would push forward decisively. If resistance proved stronger than expected, artillery batteries newly deployed from the shorelines would rain destruction upon what was left of the outpost, softening their defenses before the next advance.

The naval bombardment had ceased to avoid the risk of misfires or friendly fire. The artillery batteries, with their immense destructive power, were a more calculated option, but even they would be restrained as they proved to be too powerful for the Marines, so they would be deemed mortars sufficient for close-range fire support.

On the far edge of the battlefield, infantry units were now moving in as part of the enforcement to enforce the probing attack. But their movements, though disciplined and able to silently move in towards the designated locations with ease, were no match for the defenders’ magically enhanced senses and amplified weaponry.

With their advance temporarily stalled, the defenders capitalized on the pause, reorganizing and fortifying their position within the outpost.

Within a single flick of a finger, an arrow was released from the hands of the defenders and came flying through the dense forest at lightning speed, finding its park and piercing a marine's chest, dropping him to the ground and dying.

The marines were shocked by the sheer range and accuracy of the defenders' weapons but they didn't let it bother them too much as they quickly overcame their surprise. Without hesitation, they dove for cover and scanned the dense foliage for the enemy. As soon as they located the source of the attack, their fingers tightened on their triggers and unleashed a volley of firepower.

Countless dust flew all over the surroundings as the sound and sheer force of the firearms proved to be too strong for those insignificant things. As soon as the defender heard of the shot, he panicked and broke cover. It was a fatal mistake as in an instant, a barrage of bullets tore through him, leaving his lifeless body sprawled on the ground, forming a river of blood beneath him.

Upon pummelling the defender with lethal shots, the group of marines remained alert, ready for retaliation, but none came. Minutes passed by in eerie silence, and not a single counterattack. The absence of resistance extremely baffled the marines

"Could this be all there is?" one soldier muttered. The idea seemed improbable, but they knew the defenders were capable of more.

Feeling uneasy, they radioed their officers and awaited further orders.

Back at the frontline command, the officers shared their confusion. The defenders’ silence suggested desperation. Perhaps they were running low on manpower and resorting to decoys to buy time.

This was an opportunity that could not be wasted. The officers ordered the entire division to advance, knowing they needed to secure the island quickly and establish relay points for the larger invasion of the Kingdom of High Tarxa.

The probing units were also ordered forward, though this time, they moved with greater caution. The last ambush had taught them a valuable lesson. Their movements became more vigilance than the last and their formation became tighter and tactically as they advanced toward what appeared to be a small village.

The marines approached the village cautiously but, due to their inexperience, failed to properly check for defenders hidden within. Therefore, when the time came, numerous defenders poured out from houses, tents, and windows, before immediately unleashed their magic as they overwhelmed the marines.

Gunfire erupted in every direction, and bodies began to fall like flies. The ground became slick with blood and chunks of flesh scattered across the battlefield. Despite their superior firepower, the marines were beginning to rapidly lose ground. Overwhelmed, they called for reinforcements, but the minutes dragged on with no sign of help.

Just when all seemed lost, a thunderous shot rang out from the forest, followed by a rapid series of clapping gunfire. Recognizing the reinforcements’ arrival, the marines were taught one thing in the military academy, which is to take cover.

Immediately, they hit the ground and pressed themselves flat as a hailstorm of bullets ripped through the defenders. Within moments, the enemy was decimated and their ranks lay dead among the ruins of the village.

The survivors were ordered to withdraw to the backlines to recover as they had taken a serious amount of casualties. Their company officer, however, directed the rest of the company to press deeper into the outpost. With the defenders disoriented and communication lines in chaos, the marines saw an opportunity to strike.

Across the battlefield, the entire division coordinated their attacks and launched assaults from multiple directions.

The defenders were overwhelmed and scattered, which could be the perfect opportunity for the company of marines to capitalize on the confusion.

This was their chance to gain a decisive foothold, and they seized it, pushing ever closer to their ultimate objective. The fight was far from over, but the marines knew that victory lay within their grasp if they maintained their momentum.

————————————————————————

Whistles blew hard down the line as the land before Lieutenant Caloy was smothered in a dense cover of smoke from the volley of smoke rounds. Beyond the obscured horizon, the thunder of 155 mm artillery shells echoed and their explosions lit up the shrouded land like fleeting infernos. Through the haze, the second wave of the Liberation Marines charged forward headlong toward the enemy's final defensive line.

It had been an hour since the Transcendents, those beings of overwhelming power, had decimated the first wave, leaving over 300 marines dead and nearly all amphibious vehicles destroyed in mere minutes. Now, reinforcements had arrived in force, bringing with them more armored vehicles, more artillery, and weaponry so brutal it flirted dangerously with the boundaries of Human Rights.

But they weren't fighting humans to begin with.

From the safety of earthen fortifications farther back, mortars and artillery guns roared in synchronized support of the attack. A mixture of white phosphorus and high-explosive shells rained down on the remaining defenders' defensive works, transforming their last line of resistance into a smoldering hellscape. The defenders were pinned and their defensive works were pulverized in what seemed a superfluous display of force, as the lines had already been battered by artillery for hours.

The heavy bombardment ceased just as the marines plunged into the smoke screen. Caloy emerged into a scene of utter devastation that brought back memories of his earlier battles as a normal trooper against demons, but this one doesn't compare to his time. That time was worse. A hundred times worse.

The once pristine green fields that under the defenders’ hands had transformed into ugly trenches of churned earth and mud with metal reinforced defenses shattered and scattered like broken toys.

The overturned brown grey ground was now a swamp of morning dew and blood of the dead, pockmarking with hundreds of craters amidst charred debris and fragments of defensive works jutted from the earth like twisted monuments to destruction.

Caloy ran forward with his boots skinking into the mire, keeping his body low as his squad of marines advanced alongside him. They reached the edge of a trench, and with a quick hand signal, Caloy motioned for his men to take positions. At his silent countdown, they popped up with their weapons trained on the trench, ready to shoot any defenders, only to find it filled with the dead.

The stench hit them like a physical blow as one private staggered to the side, coughing and puking uncontrollably as he could not handle the gory scene.

Bodies lay twisted and burned with their flesh melted away to expose charred bone as the enemy had died from the deadly effects of white phosphorus. The white deadly chemical had done its gruesome work, eating through any exposed and unprotected flesh until the bone and through the screaming mouths, noses, throats, and lungs of any unlucky souls to be caught in the barrage, leaving their victims frozen in screams of agony.

"Move! Move!" Caloy shoved the retching marine forward toward the enemy’s final stronghold. "Keep moving! We still have an entire island to take!"

The marines steeled themselves as they advanced rapidly forward, stopping now intermittently to clear and secure any remaining trenches or bunkers. Sporadic gunfire could be heard along the attack line, signaling skirmishes as the remaining defenders fought desperately.

Caloy hopped down into a half buried trench as his gaze landed on a suspiciously raised mound of earth that clearly was a hidden bunker. His squad gathered silently around him with their weapons at the ready. Without a word, Caloy signaled to one of his men, who immediately pulled a grenade from his pouch.

The marine yanked the pin and let the spoon spring free. He counted under his breath, cooking the grenade for a beat before tossing it into the dark opening.

A heavy chest pounding *thump* reverberated through the ground, shaking the air.

Without hesitation, the squad breached the bunker with their mounted lights on their harness lit the way for them through the lingering smoke and dust as they swept the area of enemies.

The space was surprisingly larger than expected, especially its passages sloping deeper into the earth. Caloy took point with his light sweeping left and right as he led the team forward with the air becoming thick with the acrid tang of burnt metal and charred earth from the grenade making it visibly low.

As the smoke slowly cleared, Caloy's flashlight beam illuminated a dark red surface that seemed dominating the space ahead. He froze, and his breath caught as he traced the surface, which stretched upward to the bunker’s ceiling and extended into the shadows beyond his light’s reach.

He walked closer to investigate and as it became clearer, he realized that the surface appeared to be the rusted metal side of something immense, with streaks of chipped paint and corrosion marking its age. It wasn’t just a wall, it was part of something much larger.

“Sarge,” one of his men called out, breaking the spell. “There’s a way down here!”

Caloy frowned and turned to join his squad, crunching the debris with his boots as he approached the team and their discovery. They had found another slope descending further into darkness, and Caylo was very certain they had already gone down at least two stories.

“What in God’s name is this thing?” one of the marines muttered, voicing the question on everyone’s minds.

“I don’t know…” Caloy admitted in a low voice as he waved his light down the incline. “But we’re about to find out.”

Before he could take a step, his mana-monitoring device emitted a sharp beep. Its screen flickered, displaying rapidly rising mana levels.

“What the—”

Before Caloy could register this, a sudden violent magical shockwave burst from the depths and nearly threw the squad off their feet.

“What just happened?” Caloy muttered, catching himself on the trench wall as a low rumble echoed through the chamber.

A moment later, the ground beneath them trembled, and then came the sound of rocks crumbling. The packed dirt floor began to shift ominously. Above them, the bunker’s roof groaned before giving way entirely and collapsed in a cascade of debris. Sunlight poured through the newly exposed gap and created shafts of light piercing down the swirling dust.

"EARTHQUAKE! MOVE OUT!" Caloy yelled over the dim of noises. "GET OUT NOW!"

The marines ran back with their boots pounding against the unstable ground as they retraced their steps as quickly as they could. Just as they exited the entryway and back to the trench line, the bunker behind them gave a final shuddering groan before collapsing into a massive sinkhole.

Screams of panic echoed out amidst the sound of earth crumbling violently, and the nearby mountain not far from them seemed to tremble more violently before its rocky surface fracturing as though splitting itself apart.

Caloy barely had time to process the disaster before the ground shook violently again. He stared in stunned fascination as something massive rose from the depths of the sinkhole with its sheer size casting a shadow that swallowed the marines. With an earth-shaking thud, a massive limb slammed down behind him, sending a shockwave rippling through the ground.

Caloy turned and his eyes widened as a pair of glowing red orbs pierced the haze. The creature’s chest emitted a fiery crimson glow, and two more massive limbs emerged, pulling the rest of its body out from its hiding space and into the light.

“What in the holy heavens is that?” a marine whispered with a widened mouth and eyes as he craned his head up high.

[Magicule Levels: 300,000]

“It’s… It’s a… a fucking giant golem!”

Standing thirty meters tall, the gigantic creature's body resembles a jagged colossus forged from stone and earth as its surface coursed with glowing veins of molten energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.



The Liberation Army, stationed in the valley below, froze in terror as the beast roared, a deep guttural sound that reverberated through the earth like a thunderclap and rattled the very bones of those who heard it.

As it turned out, the island of Arlithrien, which was once thought to be merely a military stronghold, revealed its darker purpose which is a containment and research facility designed to house and study an ancient beast of unimaginable power.

Known as the Mountain Beast, it was a Transcendent Tier 2 Magic Beast originating from the First Civilization Zone. With over 300,000 magicules, it is a creature so strong that even the Elf Queen couldn't defeat it without the divine blessing of the Elven Goddess. Yet, it was said to be the smallest and weakest of its kind, a remnant of a species hunted to near extinction by the dragons of the First Civilization Zone. The survivors had fled, hiding in remote corners of the world, only to face extermination when discovered by their predators.

This last survivor had escaped to a secluded island in the Third Civilization Zone and slumbered in dormancy for thousands of years, until now when Lord Kean’s men seeked to harness its dormant power, had awakened the beast using a timing magic spell and a Sealing Crystal brimming with stored mana. The method was once employed for the assassination of the Elf Queen, and was now intended to detonate harmlessly but instead unleashed a surge of energy powerful enough to stir the Mountain Beast from its ancient sleep.

The massive stone behemoth stood silently at first, which made it seem innocuous that made the soldiers into believing it was harmless. This false sense of security had kept the Austronesian mission planners from designating it as a priority target for artillery or airstrikes. It seemed to be ignoring any stray or random artillery shell hitting against its rocky form and seemed to have no effect as it bounced off harmlessly. But as it remained motionless yet alive, it radiated a menacing patience, as though savoring the moment before unleashing its wrath upon the tiny creatures that had disturbed it.

“What in the gods’ name is that?!” a lieutenant from another platoon yelled in panic.

A private held his rifle with trembling hands and whispered in wide-eyed disbelief, “That’s no siege weapon! That's… it’s alive.”

The Mountain Beast took a step forward with its colossal limbs crushing the earth beneath it. The ground rippled and buckled under its weight, sending trees tumbling like matchsticks and dislodging massive boulders that rolled violently into the valley below. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the view as its glowing cavernous eyes locked onto the army below with an almost sentient fury.

A sergeant gritted his teeth and shouted, “Hold your positions! Fire everything we’ve got!"

With fear in their faces, the soldiers obeyed and opened fire, but their bullets and artillery rounds ricocheted harmlessly off the beast's rocky hide. Armored vehicles unleashed their cannons, but the explosions barely left scorch marks against its surface.

The Mountain Beast continued its slow march, unbothered by the storm of firepower. Each slow step shook the battlefield, its towering form a living nightmare. Oblivious to the human resistance, it advanced inexorably as a force of nature that would not be denied.

————————————————————————

On the bridge of the Sovereign-class Battleship, the Captain General watched the chaos unfold through the ship’s advanced targeting systems. His usually stoic face was pale as his fingers gripped the edge of the command console tightly.

"Sir, we need to authorize a nuclear strike!" one of his officers shouted with urgency and desperation bleeding into his tone. "That thing is annihilating everything in its path!"

The Captain General shook his head. "Negative. We still have our men on the ground. I’m not sacrificing them."

The officer was insistent. “Then what do we do, sir? Conventional weapons are doing nothing!"

A tense silence fell over the bridge as the Captain General’s eyes remained fixed on the displays. Then, with calm resolve, he issued his order. "Initiate a full naval bombardment. Get the Air Force in the air and have them deploy all of our new mana-enhanced armaments in our arsenal. Bring the full might of our fleet and air command to bear, everything short of nukes."

The Communications Officer, standing at the ready, gave a curt nod. "Understood, sir. Relaying orders to the fleet and air command now."

As the orders went out, the bridge moved with activity with the crew despite the weight of the situation. The Captain General kept his gaze on the screens with his fingers still gripping the console as if he could steady the chaos below through sheer willpower alone.

————————————————————————

The navy fleet surrounding the island opened fire with their cannons roaring in synchronized volleys. Shells rained down on the Mountain Beast and exploded with mana-enhanced payloads that lit up the sky with brilliant flashes. Simultaneously, a squadron of F-12 Phoenix fighter jets and AH-12 Thunderhawk attack helicopters descended from above, unleashing barrages of mana-infused missiles and gunfire.

Despite the heavy assault, the Mountain Beast remained untouched. The explosions illuminated its rocky form, but when the smoke cleared, it was as if the attacks had only made it angrier. The beast crouched slowly with its massive hands pressing deep into the earth, causing the ground to tremble violently and rippled outward like an earthquake.

"Our weapons aren’t even scratching it! This is insane!" a panicked pilot shouted over the comms in disbelief.

[Watch it! It’s moving—]

Before anyone could respond, the Mountain Beast scooped up a massive chunk of earth, jagged rock and soil cascading from its massive hand like a landslide. With a sudden whip-like motion, it threw the debris into the sky with unimaginable force. The force of the throw broke the sound barrier, releasing a sonic boom that sent shockwaves tearing through the air.

[Incoming! Evasive maneuvers!]

The comms filled with frantic voices as jets and helicopters dodged frantically to evade the incoming devastation. Despite their efforts, the debris traveled too fast and massive shards of rock and soil collided with aircraft, shattering them in explosions of flame and shrapnel. Some were obliterated midair, while others spiraled out of control and crashed into the battlefield below.

The deadly payload didn’t stop there. The debris slammed into the ground with catastrophic force, creating shockwaves that decimated the ranks of ground troops. Soldiers were thrown like ragdolls as the earth buckled beneath them, leaving craters and chaos in its wake.

————————————————————————

On the ground, the destruction was immediate and merciless. The impact of the debris shattered entire platoons, obliterating soldiers and vehicles in an instant. Men were thrown like ragdolls, while armored transports crumpled like tin under the immense force. The once-cohesive battlefield was reduced to craters filled with rubble and blood, as over a hundred lives were snuffed out in mere moments.

"Fall back! Everyone, fall back!" a lieutenant shouted in a hoarse voice as he dragged a wounded soldier over his shoulder to safety, while ignoring his boots being sunk into the churned mud that was stained red with the carnage.

The destruction extended and reached even the naval fleet, where massive chunks of debris crashed into the sea, raising colossal waves rolling across the water and battering the ships, causing them to rock violently and their crews scrambling to maintain control. Two destroyers bore the brunt of the impact, one was split in hand and sank almost immediately into the churning waters, while the other listed heavily to its side with its deck consumed by raging flames.

In the command center of the Sovereign-class Battleship, the Captain General stared at the screens in stunned silence as his face was drained of color.

"Dear God... how do we even fight this thing?" he whispered as his voice trembled under the weight of despair.

The Mountain Beast rose again with its massive form illuminated by the ominous glow of its molten veins, which pulsed brighter with each passing second. It was as if the creature drew strength from the carnage and destruction it had unleashed. The air grew oppressive, thick with hopelessness and despair, as soldiers on the ground began to comprehend the futility of their efforts. Their most advanced weapons had proven utterly useless against this ancient force.

The Mountain Beast let out another thunderous roar, louder and more terrifying than before, the sound reverberating through the battlefield like an unholy declaration of absolute supremacy. It was not just a creature but a force of nature, asserting its dominance over the fragile humans who dared to stand against it.

[Captain! I got something to say that we might win this,] a voice crackled over the comms.

“Who is this?”

[I am Specialist Sergeant Vincel, leader of the assault squad in the enemy’s flagship, and I think I had one solution to deal with that beast.]

“...I'm listening.”

————————————————————————

Private Gouda was living his dream. He always had a fascination when he first saw the sheer destructive power of artillery. When word came of the forming and recruitment of the Liberation Army, he wasted no time enlisting. At the recruitment office, when asked which service branch he preferred to role, his answer was immediate, which is that he wanted to be on an artillery crew.

The recruiter had smiled, amused by Gouda’s enthusiasm. After hearing him rattle off facts about calibers, trajectories, and weapon systems, the recruiter gave a knowing nod and guided him straight to the artillery unit. From that moment, the decision had changed Gouda's life as he was introduced to the awe-inspiring world of "big guns and big booms”, and he loved every second of it.

Eventually, Gouda found himself in the Liberation Army’s elite artillery company. His pride knew no bounds when he was assigned to the crew of the “Mitsubishi XLM-1 Megawatt Point Defense Turret”. He still remembered how his trainers described it as the true king of the battlefield.

Gouda couldn't have agreed more. Unlike standard artillery, which Gouda now dismissed with scorn, this Anti-Transcendent weapon was in a class of its own. The railgun was no ordinary piece of artillery as it had dwarfed conventional weapons he now dismissed as toys.

It could launch shells at ranges no ordinary cannon could dream of, and its devastating power was unmatched. He had seen it in action firsthand. One well-placed shot from the Mitsubishi had annihilated an entire group of "Transcendents", godlike beings so powerful they had brought hundreds of marines to their knees.

Gouda still marveled at the railgun's power. Watching the glowing red-hot trail of the shell flying through the sky and spiraled towards its target before detonating in a burst of flames and sparks that lit up the horizon, was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

When it detonated kilometers away in a fiery explosion, it obliterated everything in its path. He vividly remembered the time that the shot had taken down their leader and more of their ranks in seconds. It had been glorious and pure beauty, like watching fireworks crafted for war.

But war was not without its chaos.

"INCOMING!"

The shout snapped Gouda out of his thoughts. He had been crouching over a crate of standard 155mm shells when the warning came. For a moment, he froze as he squinted his eyes up at the sky in confusion and tried to spot the danger. Before he could react, his sergeant grabbed him by the collar and tackled him into a dugout.

"GET DOWN!" the sergeant shouted as he dragged Gouda out of harm's way.

A moment later, the ground erupted in violent tremors as a series of dirt and rock rained down around them and hammered the field with explosive force. Smoke choked the air, and Gouda's ears rang so loudly it drowned out all other sound. He could barely make out the sergeant's voice shouting commands over the chaos.

"Out! Out! Man your guns!"

As his hearing returned, Gouda crawled out of the dugout. Coughing as he took in the scene, his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight in the distance where a colossal humanoid figure, a walking mountain of destruction, advancing through the smoke and devastation and lumbered toward their position.

"Oh, you son of a bitch," Gouda muttered, glaring at the colossal beast and his lips curled into a determined grin as he climbed onto the railgun.

"You wanna play with cannons? I'll show you who’s got the bigger cannon!”

Boom—! Rumble—!

The ground trembled violently once again as the colossal Mountain Beast inched its way closer toward the Liberation Army's forward bases. Rows of A-50 Paragon Self-Propelled artillery cannons and dozens of mechanized units aimed upwards and fired their munitions that created balls of explosions against the creature's massive frame.

"Switch to direct fire!" The artillery commander ordered his men, and the standard 155mm A-50 Paragon, sheltered behind berms of earth, were hastily adjusted to target the towering monstrosity several kilometers away.

Now the frantic artillerymen rushed out of cover and spun the traversing wheels. The A-50 Paragons groaned as they rotated and aimed at the lumbering earth giant that moved with unnatural speed for its size.

The Mountain Beast’s sudden appearance had caught the army unprepared. Each of its enormous strides covered dozens of meters across the devastated landscape with its weight carving deep craters into the ground.

Lines of tracers from LAVs or FV-15 “Monarch, JLTVs or FV-16 “Wolfhound”, and IFVs or the FV-2 “Striker”, streaked through the air with their gun turrets tracking the beast as spent 20mm shell casings clattered down into collection bins. Smoke and explosions enveloped the creature, but it pressed forward and uprooted trees as though they were blades of grass.

“Switch to 155mm adamantite-tipped APFSDS! Fire the railguns!”

Private Gouda of the 1st Artillery Battery grunted as he rolled over the 40-kilogram adamantite-tipped shell into the loading cradle, where another crew member shoved it into the breach alongside a thick cake of propellant. The breach slammed shut with a metallic clang as the gunnery sergeant made final adjustments through the open sights and locked onto the Mountain Beast’s colossal chest.

"Gun One ready!" the gunnery sergeant yelled out as he raised a red flag to signal the battery commander in the spotting tower.

The soldier in the tower waved his flag before snapping it down sharply.

"Gun One... FIRE!"

The gunner yanked the firing cord, and the 155mm Mitsubishi XLM-1 Megawatt Point Defense Turret roared like a raging monster. The shockwave rippled through the artillery crew, who instinctively turned away with mouths open and ears covered as the railgun’s long barrel recoiled with a sharp hiss.

The adamantite-tipped shell shot forth, and its speed blurred it into an almost invisible streak as it struck the Mountain Beast’s center of mass. The impact crumpled the shell’s nose and erupted into a blinding explosion of smoke, fire, and violent magical energy. For a brief moment, a small crater could be seen in the creature’s rocky exterior.

Each artillery battery held four A-50 Paragons, but the Mountain Beast’s initial assault had devastated a third of the guns and their crews. Of the twelve Paragons and two Mitsubishis stationed at the base, only seven A-50 Paragons and a single railgun remained operational.

The surviving artillery pieces roared back in defiance with their shells exploding against the beast’s flanks in bursts of magical energy and smoke. But the Paragons’ firepower was insufficient with their strikes leaving no more than superficial marks.

The Mitsubishi, however, was a different story. Each shot forced the Mountain Beast to stop with its massive foot digging deep into the soil as it recoiled from the sheer impact.

Private Gouda cheered along with his comrades as they worked feverishly to reload the railgun. Their hands moved with practiced precision and prepared the next shell. In a matter of seconds, the red flags rose again, ready to deliver another punishing blow.

————————————————————————

Caloy and his men could only stare silly in stunned silence as the colossal mountain-like beast lumbered past them with its titanic form shaking the ground with every step.

"So, what now, Sarge?" one of the marines finally asked, breaking the uneasy quiet.

Caloy shrugged with a grim expression as he turned to his radioman. "Any word from Command?"

"Command says to continue the attack," the radioman replied tersely. "The rear will deal with that thing!"

"Incoming contacts!" another marine shouted as he pointed towards dozens of fast-moving figures swarming out from the ground and cracks in the walls. "We poked the wasp's nest, and now they're pissed!"

"Make ready!" Caloy ordered and gripped his rifle as he moved to the front of the trenches. His men took up defensive positions and readying their weapons.

From the ruins of the elven defensive works, a mass of elven soldiers poured out and charged headlong at the entrenched Liberation Army troops. The air filled with the thunderous crack of gunfire as the soldiers opened fire, cutting down wave after wave of attackers as they came into range and bodies fell.

"FIRE!" Caloy roared.

One marine fired at a charging elf and blinked in surprise as the enemy soldier crumpled to the ground without the usual glow of a magical shield.

"Have they run out of mana?" the marine muttered in disbelief.

"Keep up the fire!" Caloy ordered, narrowing his eyes as more bodies poured out of the cracks in the walls. But then he froze as his sights settled on a group of shabby looking people who scrambled desperately towards their lines.

And what he found horrified him.

This group was different. They weren’t soldiers, they were malnourished, disheveled, and terrified. Men, women, and children of all ages stumbled forward in a chaotic mass with their rounded ears and glowing metal collars marking them as human.

"Those… those are human slaves?" Caloy whispered as his stomach churned at the sight.

"Sarge!" one of his men shouted. "Do we engage the civilians?"

Caloy’s jaw tightened and hardened his voice as steel when he replied. "Keep firing! Those slave collars are controlling them, they’re hostile whether they want to be or not!"

The men hesitated and could only hold back their unhappiness as they obeyed and fired their weapons that gunned down the advancing human slaves alongside the elven soldiers.

The gunfire continued, but the air grew heavier with every pull of the trigger as the weight of what they were doing settled over them like a suffocating shroud.

————————————————————————

The sky above the battlefield was darkened with smoke and dust as the Liberation Army desperately unleashed wave after wave of artillery fire upon the advancing Mountain Beast. Explosions peppered its massive body, but the creature continued its march with its molten veins glowing brighter with every impact, as if feeding on the destruction surrounding it.

"Keep firing! Don’t let up! We have to slow it down!" An artillery commander of one of the howitzers shouted over the noise.

"We’ve thrown everything at this thing, sir! It’s not even flinching!" a gunner shouted back as he hurriedly loaded another shell into the breach.

Another barrage of shells erupted and detonated against the beast's rocky hide, causing smoke and debris to fill the air.

For a fleeting moment, a sense of hope can be felt among the soldiers, but as the dust cleared, the Mountain Beast remained unscathed staring at the Liberation Army's lines with its crimson eyes that burned with an eerie intensity.

At the forefront, Private Gouda and his team continued to work quickly, loading an adamantite-tipped APFSDS round into the chamber of the Mitsubishi Railgun. With a deafening crack, the weapon fired and propelled the round at Mach 14.

The projectile slammed into the beast’s chest, sending a shower of molten rock and sparks cascading into the air. When the haze dissipated, a network of fine cracks spread from the impact point.

"Direct hit!" one of the crew reported as he stared through binoculars. "It’s slowing down… slightly."

The commander slammed his fist on the console in frustration. "Slightly isn’t good enough! We need more firepower!"

Before anyone could respond, the screech of tires drew their attention and were met by an armored vehicle that sped toward their position before skidding to a halt beside the Railgun, and a soldier leaped out while carrying a glowing red crystalline artifact in his hands.

"Commander Briggs!" the soldier panted while holding up the crystal. "I have something for you from High Command!"

The commander’s eyes narrowed as he studied the artifact. "What the hell is that?"

"Dragonite Crystal," the soldier replied. "It powered the enemy flagship’s magic shields. We captured it during the last assault, and High Command ordered us to get it to you."

Private Gouda’s eyes widened. "You’re saying this thing can help us?"

The soldier nodded. "It’s packed with enough mana to level a mountain. If you hook it up to the Mitsubishi, it might be enough to stop that thing."

Briggs grabbed the crystal without hesitation. "We don’t have time for debate. Gouda, can you integrate this with the Railgun?"

"I’ll make it work, sir. Give me two minutes!"

Gouda and his crew moved into action and feverishly connected the Dragonite Crystal to the Railgun’s power core. The massive weapon began to vibrate and its hum grew into a deep resonant roar as the crystal’s immense energy surged through it. The air around the gun shimmered with heat and raw mana, distorting the space like a mirage.

One of the crew cast a nervous glance at the Mountain Beast, who was now almost upon them. "It’s closing in! We need to fire now!"

The commander stepped back. "Gouda, is it ready?"

Gouda grinned despite the pressure. "Locked and loaded, sir. This one’s gonna hit like a goddamn meteor."

The crew loaded another adamantite-tipped APFSDS round into the Railgun. As it settled into the chamber, the shell absorbed the Dragonite Crystal’s energy and glowed with an intense otherworldly light.

“FIRE!!”

BOOOOM!!

The “Mitsubishi” fired, unleashing a thunderous blast that shook the entire battlefield to its core as the shell tore through the air at an unprecedented Mach 42, leaving a brilliant streak of incandescent light in its wake.

In the blink of an eye, the projectile struck the Mountain Beast square in the chest. For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then, the world erupted as a massive explosion ripped through the creature, spewing molten rock and debris in all directions. When the smoke began to clear, a massive gaping hole was revealed in its chest, exposing fractured glowing veins pulsing like dying embers.

Private Gouda stared at the devastation in awe, barely able to speak. "Holy hell... we did it."

The artillery commander allowed himself a grim smile. "Not just yet. Keep that thing powered. If it gets back up, we’re hitting it again."

The Mountain Beast let out a guttural bone-rattling roar, staggering backward as its colossal frame struggled to stay upright from the weight of its injury. Its glowing eyes dimmed momentarily, and for the first time, the soldiers of the Liberation Army, which they felt despair moments ago, felt hope and erupted into cheers from the lines as they witnessed the tide of battle had finally turned.

“All units, focus fire on the weakened area! We’ve got it on the ropes!” the artillery commander yelled into the comms.

The crew of the “Mitsubishi” began reloading for another shot with newfound determination on their faces. The Mountain Beast’s advance had finally been halted, but they knew the battle wasn't over just yet.

With a mighty groan and rocks tearing that sounded like mountains grinding together, the Mountain Beast stood tottering like on the brink of destruction before the base. Smoke and flames continued to spew out from its damaged chest as it clawed at the earth, yet it refused to collapse and continued to fight on.

The Mountain Beast raised its colossal arm, preparing a final desperate strike just as the artillerymen of the Liberation Army 1st Artillery Battery worked furiously with the last few 155 mm shells being slammed into their Paragons and railgun.

"FIRE!"

The attack of both sides erupted simultaneously together with the Liberation Army’s artillery unleashed its barrage at point-blank range and the shells detonated across the Mountain Beast’s vulnerable chest. At the same moment, the creature’s massive rocky fist came crashing down and obliterated what remained of the forward base.

The Mountain Beast shuddered violently as the Railgun’s final adamantite-tipped round impacted and detonated deep within its core. The explosion tore through its body, sending molten veins and chunks of earth flying into the air.

With a rumbling groan that echoed for miles, the creature snapped in half and it's massive frame collapsed under its own weight. Smoke and flames burst out from within as the Mountain Beast crumbled into lifeless rubble, shaking the ground one last time.

On the Liberation Army’s side, the devastation was immense. The base lay in ruins, the A-50 Paragons were shattered, and debris littered the battlefield. Slowly, the surviving artillerymen who were covered in dust and dirt, crawled out of their dugouts and stared at the dead beast just beyond the base's walls with a mixture of exhaustion and triumph in their faces.

The men, after firing their Paragons and railgun, had quickly rolled into the dugouts just as the beast retaliated.

Private Gouda pulled himself to his feet from his shelter and brushed off the dirt from his uniform. He approached the “Mitsubishi” and patted its battered frame with affection as his gaze turned to the mountain of rubble that had once been the Mountain Beast, feeling a great sense of pride filling his chest.

"Now this…" he said with a smirk, "This a true cannon."

————————————————————————

The narrow corridors of the enemy's final stronghold echoed with the staccato rhythm of gunfire and shouted commands. The platoon of marines advanced methodically with their boots crunching over shattered debris and broken glass. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke, blood, and scorched magic residue.

The remaining defenders fought with the ferocity of cornered beasts to defend their base with their supernatural agility and devastating magic clashing against the marines’ advanced weaponry. Fireballs erupted against walls, and blades of conjured magic light met the deafening roar of firearms.

“Keep moving! We’re almost to the enemy’s command room! Rios, on point!” Lieutenant Caloy shouted over the battle.

“Copy that, sir!” a marine named Rios shouted back while nodding grimly as he took the lead.

As the squad rounded a corner, they walked straight into an ambush by a group of elves that leapt from the shadows with determination in their eyes.

At their center stood a warrior clad in ornate armor with his hands weaving a glowing incantation, and a spear of light materialized in his grasp. He threw it with inhuman precision and impaled one marine, pinning him to the wall as his lifeless body hung suspended.

“Man down! Dammit, they’re everywhere!” a private screamed in panic.

“Suppressive fire! Take them down!” Caloy growled.

The marines responded instantly by opening up with their rifles unleashing a hail of bullets. The elves, though faster and stronger, moved between the lines of fire, but even their agility couldn’t protect them fully and even struggled to close the distance against the hail of projectiles.

One elf leapt high into the air and aimed to land in the middle of the squad to slashed them all at once, but an explosive round struck him mid-air and slammed him against the wall in a fiery burst. A follow-up shot from Caloy’s AF-2 “Magespitter” ended him instantly.

“These bastards don’t quit. Keep pushing!” Rios snarled as he slammed a fresh magazine into his rifle.

“Don’t let up!” Caloy added. “We lose momentum, we’re done!”

The battle raged through the stronghold’s labyrinthine halls. Though they suffered injuries and lost two more soldiers, the marines managed to fight their way through the defenses.

Finally, they breached the last door and stepped into the enemy’s command room. The chaos of the battle outside seemed to halt at the threshold. Inside, the air was eerily still, almost peaceful. Through the massive window, the shattered remains of the dead Mountain Beast were visible with its colossal body laying across the devastated landscape like a fallen titan.

At the center of the room, silhouetted against the fiery backdrop, stood Lord Kean. He wore no armor, carried no visible weapons, and had not activated his magical barriers. With his back to the marines, he seemed calm, almost detached, as though the war’s outcome had already been decided.

But Caloy wasn't convinced and aimed his AF-2 Magic rifle squarely on the elf. "Hands where I can see them! Don’t move!"

Lord Kean didn’t respond immediately. His silver hair catches the light from the firelight outside as he stares out the window. His voice, when it came, was soft and almost disbelieving as he began to speak.

"How is this… possible?"

He slowly turned to face them as his piercing violet eyes, filled with a mix of curiosity and disdain, scanned over the marines. He seemed less angry and more curious, as if trying to solve an impossible puzzle.

"How have mere inferiors... managed to slay a 2nd Tier Transcendent?" He wondered quietly.

The marines exchanged tense glances with their fingers tightening on their triggers. Kean took a step closer with an unreadable expression as he studied them until his gaze finally settled on Sergeant Caylo.

“Who… are you really?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

Caloy hesitated for a moment before answering with quiet resolve.

“...I’m only human.”

Without another word, Caloy fired. The single shot echoed loudly like a thunderclap in the enclosed roomz and the bullet tore through Kean’s chest. The elf staggered backward with blood staining his once-pristine robes. He collapsed to the ground as his breathing slowly became shallow and labored.

The elf coughed, his breathing shallow yet his voice remained steady, almost wistful. “Humans… such fragile creatures… and yet… so relentless.”

His violet eyes flickered with a mix of regret and admiration as they drifted to the window one last time, where the corpse of the Mountain Beast laid in his fading vision.

Caylo lowered his rifle and spoke coldly. "Fragile, maybe. But we don’t stop liberating our fellow kind, you knife-eared dickhead.”

Silence fell over the room, save for the distant sounds of battle outside and the labored breathing of the squad. Lord Kean’s body stilled, and the marines stood motionless over the fallen elf, with their mission finally complete.

That is until one of the marines finally broke the silence. “It’s over… we got the last enemy leader of this island.”

“Yeah,” Caloy muttered quietly, almost to himself. “But at what cost?”

The squad lingered only a moment before regrouping with exhaustion and loss in their faces as they prepared to extract from the ruined stronghold, leaving behind the smoldering remnants of the dead elven defenders.

With the final resistance crushed, the Austronesian forces claimed total victory over the island, marking the end of the first battle against the Kingdom of High Tarxa.