In a distant street of Aquarius, far from the Austronesian invasion force and Scyllary's opulent palace, it was burned with chaos that had reigned unchecked. Smoke rose from the sky in thick suffocating black plumes as three of the notorious Heads of Destruction led their 1000-strong mercenary gang marching through the Magic Artifact Market District.

Just as you would expect. It was a slaughter.

Men. Women. Children. Even infants.

It didn't matter who they were and what they looked like, they were all mercilessly killed by the bloodthirsty mobs that scoured the section of Aquarius and slaughtered everything indiscriminately.

Shops were looted and crumbled under assaults of enchanted weapons and devastating spells. Warehouses stocked with ExRump goods were also plundered before erupting into fiery explosions, and the remaining last contents were fed into the unchecked flames that consumed the streets.

Of the Eight Heads of Destruction, only six were left, and of those six, three were in the Dark Gathering as the surviving members of the Deadly Three.

That meant only three Heads were involved in the current mission.

Fernand, the Flash Reaper, walked at the head of the army alongside Phobio, the Crimson Angel, a vampire whose blood-red eyes gleamed with an unsettling mix of mischief and malice, and their last member, a blonde elf of striking handsomeness who carried himself with a noble yet cruel air.

His name is Claudius Fern Frierant, known far and wide as the "One-Man Army."

"Stick to the plan," Claudius commanded calmly. "With the current war, security is very loose in Aquarius, and we can go wild without anyone stopping us. Let's not squander the opportunity."

Personally though, Claudius would have preferred a more elaborate plan and strategic operations, but he knew the mercenaries under his command were a rough and simple bunch.

For them, this kind of unrestrained destruction was ideal.

Their primary target was the Rump Mansion. As they advanced, Claudius ensured that in their acts of violence, they will remain on the path to get to the Mansion.

It was possible to get lost in the thrill of slaughter, not that Claudius could relate, but they couldn't forget their primary assignment.

Even the mob's bloodlust had to be tempered as certain viable individuals were marked as valuable "merchandise" for Lady Scyllary. The leaders had emphasized restraint where needed, an order easier said than enforced.

While thinking all of that, Claudius couldn't ignore what he and everyone else had witnessed not long ago.

"Did you see that massive fireball earlier?" he asked as he glanced toward the city center with his sharp eyes narrowed. "It came from Scyllary's palace. That kind of magic... it's no ordinary explosion."

Fernand, leaning heavily on the hilt of his sheathed sword as he walked, exhaled a weary sigh. "I've lived long enough to recognize trouble when I see it. Whatever caused that, it's not something we should ignore."

Phobio smirked, tossing a blood-red orb from hand to hand as if it were a toy. "Trouble, huh? Isn't that what we thrive on? Still, sending a hundred men to investigate seems like a waste. I'd rather handle it myself."

"Your impulsiveness will get us all killed," Fernand snapped sharply. "We have a mission. Focus on destroying the ExRump Corporation."

Claudius interjected smoothly, "Both of you, calm yourselves. The palace can wait. If Fenrir's involved, it won't be long before we hear more soon enough. For now, let's ensure that the ExRump Corporation's grasp on this city is severed... entirely."

As the group rounded a corner, they heard distant echoes of battle reached their ears, explosions, the clash of steel, and the primal roar of unleashed magic reverberating through the streets like an ominous symphony.

"What's that?" Phobio asked as his pointed ears twitched at the sound. "Sounds like a war's breaking out."

Fernand frowned as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Probably some of our own running wild again... or something else entirely. Either way, it's none of our concern. Keep moving."

Behind them, the mercenaries continued their rampage as their enchanted weapons and destructive spells tore through the district with reckless abandon. But as the group neared the gates of the Rump House estate, their destruction slowed.

And from the looks on the faces of the men who began to gather with their bloodlust showing, one after another, they were yet to have their fill.

They desired more death.

However, for the moment, their violent cravings would have to wait and focus on the primary assignment that concerned them.

The complete annihilation of the Rump House's legacy.

Their task was to raze the mansion before them and erase every trace of the corporation's power.

'So this is it,' Claudius thought as his sharp gaze fixed on the massive structure.

The estate was far larger than he'd expected. But something about it felt... off.

The high walls that surrounded the property was fortified with strange metal devices that bristled with an unnatural energy. Above the compound, two strange flying vehicles hovered with their rotors slicing through the air with a deafening hum. On the walls and ground, soldiers in unfamiliar uniforms patrolled the perimeter with weapons unlike anything the Heads of Destruction had encountered before.

Phobio's crimson eyes narrowed as a sneer curled his lips. "Humans?" he hissed in disdain. "What are these manaless monkeighs doing here? Their slaves? I thought the ExRump Corporation doesn't use inferior slaves as they are just cheap 'inefficient' merchandise as they called."

At the mansion gates, a human officer in a sharp uniform with polished medals stepped forward. Beside him stood Barron, the heir of the ExRump Corporation, and Yuri, a demihuman bunny girl with a katana resting lightly at her side.

Yuri's appearance was disarmingly cute with soft face and playful behavior, but the three leaders knew very well that beneath that innocent appearance lurked a dangerous sociopath, one whose playful smile masked a capacity for violence that rivaled their own.

The human officer raised a hand, commanding silence with a calm unyielding authority. "I am Lieutenant Dallas. You've caused enough destruction for one day. Leave now, or you'll finally understand what it's like to feel pain after years of playing superior."

Claudius stepped forward with a cold and mocking expression. "Lieutenant Dallas, is it? Tell me, do you truly believe a handful of toys and humans like you playing soldiers can stand against us? We're here for blood. Yours, the ExRump Corporation, and anyone else foolish enough to stand in our way."

Yuri let out a sharp sneer as her ocean blue eyes gleamed with disdain. "You think you can destroy everything my family holds so easily? You're more delusional than I thought. My allies alone could crush your pathetic mercenaries."

Barron remained silent beside her, though his sharp gaze flicked to Yuri's hand as it rested near the hilt of her katana. Her grip was light, but her posture betrayed readiness as her eyes scanned the enemy ranks with a predator's focus.

Phobio chuckled darkly in a low growl of amusement. "Oh, is that so? Then by all means, show us what your allies can do."

With a sinister grin, he raised his hand, and the small sphere of blood in his palm expanded into a swirling orb of raw menacing energy.

Fernand followed suit by unsheathing his ancient blade with its ethereal glow illuminated the tension in the air.

Claudius smirked and clapped his hands together as a series of magical circles flared to life around him. From these, monstrous beasts emerged, roaring and snarling as they formed a deadly vanguard around the mercenary army.

'A Beast Tamer, huh. I've heard these types of magic users before, and it seemed the words from our elven allies were correct. They are quite dangerous.' Dallas thought as he counted the magic beast that were summoned.

'Only 10. Yet, I felt that there is more of that elven fellow has stored in his sleeves.'

Behind the summoned Magic Beasts, the mercenaries prepared their enchanted weapons that gleamed under the flickering light of the burning district, and the hum of gathered magic filled the air like an electric storm.

The Rump House forces responded with equal ferocity. The Auto Defense Turrets angled toward the mercenaries and magic beasts, the two UH-28 Golden Eagle helicopters adjusted their positions while door gunners prepped their AFMG-1 "Magebreakers" machine guns. Soldiers on the fortified walls took aim with AF-1 "Magelocks", AF-2 "Magespitters", AF-3 "Magekillers", AFMG-1 "Magebreakers", and Arcane Shotguns, with hundreds upon hundreds of red lasers from LAM (Laser Aiming Module) devices in their guns pointing at the enemy side.



At the center of it all, Barron stepped forward and raised his arms with an air of command. Four towering Elemental Guardians materialized around him, colossal beings of fire, water, earth, and wind with their forms radiating primordial power.

Yuri unsheathed her katana in a smooth motion as its blade gleamed ominously. Her aura shifted and the air around her grew heavy with an oppressive lethal intent that sent a ripple of unease through even the most hardened mercenaries.

Lieutenant Dallas remained composed and barked orders as his soldiers formed disciplined ranks with their weapons primed and ready. Yet his lips curved into a sharp grin, betraying the confidence of a man holding a hidden ace.

For a moment, the battlefield descended into an eerie silence as both sides faced off, and soon slowly on the edge of pulling the trigger.

Claudius raised his hand, ready to give the signal to attack, but before he could utter a word, Dallas brought his radio to his mouth.

"Operation Gothic Dove is a go."

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Frrrrr-BOOM!

The battle had barely begun when a shrill piercing shriek suddenly ripped over everyone's head and drew every gaze upward. For a brief moment, they caught sight of a dark oblong object flying toward them before it struck the ground in front of the mercenaries.

The resulting explosion tore through the air and unleashed a thick cushion of air that slammed into everyone like a tidal wave of force. Even the Heads of Destruction staggered and struggled to keep their footing.

Claudius steadied himself as his ears rang and vision blurred. As the dust settled, he looked out over what had been the mercenary ranks, and froze. Dozens of his men had been erased from existence, replaced by a sickening sea of red mist and scattered unidentified bits and pieces.

"What just happened?" he demanded.

"Some kind of deadly spell!" Fernand quickly explained as his eyes moved frantically, trying to find who cast the spell.

"Where is that spell caster?" Phobio spun in place as his crimson gaze scanned the battlefield with mounting fury.

"We don't know!" Fernand admitted through gritted teeth. "But we need to find them now before they wipe us all out!"

Just as he finished those words, another shrill shriek screamed over, and this time, the impact hit the rear of the mercenary formation and detonated in a violent airburst. Claudius turned just in time to witness another wave of his forces and those unfortunate enough in the airburst were reduced to shredded meat and blood.

"What in the-"

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

The shout echoed over the battlefield, cutting through the cacophony like a blade. Claudius barely had time to react before the world around him erupted into a blinding storm of fire and smoke. Heat scorched his skin, and the deafening roar swallowed every sound as the ground beneath him seemed to shatter.

------------------------

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Dallas yelled as he slammed his thumb down hard on the detonator.

Before anyone could react, the ground beneath the Mercenary Gang erupted in a thunderous symphony of explosions. Hidden C4 charges and claymores that were meticulously planted around their formation detonated.

And not before long, it ignited in a devastating chain reaction and consumed the street in an inferno of fire, shrapnel, and smoke as over a hundred mercenaries were instantly torn apart, and their screams of agony cut through the chaos like a chilling symphony. Flames licked at the shattered cobblestones as panic and confusion rippled through the remaining ranks.

"ENGAGE!" Dallas ordered as he braced his AF-2 "Magespitter" against a low wall. With a precise squeeze of the trigger, he fired a barrage of mana-infused bullets at those still standing. Around him, the rest of the soldiers followed his command and fired at the disoriented mercenaries.

The preemptive mortar strike had already mauled the enemy's numbers down, and the hidden explosives had further thinned their numbers even more. But enough mercenaries and summoned beasts remained to pose a deadly threat. Dallas directed his men to maintain suppressing fire and forced the enemy to divert their attention on the walls while a flanking squad prepared an ambush.

Following the explosions, dozens of soldiers concealed on the rooftops and buildings surrounding the battlefield revealed themselves.

Armed with rifles, machine guns, and rocket launchers, they unleashed a withering hail of gunfire and explosives.

Bullets ripped through magic shields and flesh, cutting down another hundred mercenaries and shattering the magic beasts summoned by Claudius. Rockets screamed down from above, leaving fiery craters in their wake and further shattering the morale of the mercenaries.

Fernand, Phobio, and Claudius, however, stood their ground in the middle of the carnage. As Transcendents, their magic shields absorbed most of the damage from the bullets and shrapnel, though the sheer force of the explosions left even them momentarily staggered.

Phobio snarled as his crimson eyes glowed with bloodlust. He stretched out his arms and commanded the blood pooling from the bodies of their fallen allies. The crimson liquid rose into the air, swirling and condensed into a massive pulsating platform above their heads. With a final gesture, the blood platform solidified and formed an impenetrable barrier that blocked the incoming bullets and rockets raining down on them.

"You humans fight dirty," Phobio growled as a cruel grin spread across his face. "I like it."

Fernand straightened as his weathered face set in a grim expression. "These human soldiers are more cunning than I expected. Claudius, we need a counterattack."

Claudius remained calm as his sharp eyes scanned the battlefield. "Let them waste their muskets or whatever they are. Their resources are finite, we'll strike when the time is right."

As the gunfire continued to hammer against the blood barrier, the gates of the Rump House estate swung open with a resounding clang, and Yuri stepped forward as she led a charge of mansion guards with her katana gleaming in the firelight.

Her playful behavior was gone, replaced by a lethal focus.

Beside her stood Barron, his imposing presence amplified by the four Elemental Guardians he commanded.

The Guardians were colossal beings of fire, water, earth, and wind, each radiating raw elemental energy so potent that it warped the air around them.

The ground trembled as the Earth Tank stomped forward and raised its rocky fists that smashed through rubble. The Fire Knight ignited the air around it, creating waves of intense heat, while the Water Mage unleashed torrents of liquid to extinguish nearby flames. The Wind Archer swept forward with hurricane-force winds that scattered debris and magic alike.

The humans on the estate walls joined the fray, firing from fortified positions along with dozens of Auto Defense Turrets unleashing a storm of heavy-caliber rounds that rained down and strafed the battlefield. On the sky, the two UH-28 Golden Eagle helicopters hovered around the area with their door gunners tracking any remaining magic beasts or mercenaries still standing.

Claudius smirked as the enemy advanced with a mixture of amusement and contempt in his expression.

"They've brought everything they have. Good."

Raising his hand, he summoned a fresh wave of Magic beasts. This time, serpentine creatures with glowing iridescent scales slithered into existence and their hisses reverberated across the battlefield. Winged wolves with piercing crimson eyes howled as they took to the skies with their shadows streaking over the chaos below.

Fernand, standing beside him, unsheathed his ancient blade. The sword hummed faintly with its glow pulsating in rhythm with his mana.

"We need to cut through to Ronald's son. He is our most biggest target after all."

Across the battlefield, Yuri met his gaze, and her katana was already drawn. Though she said nothing, her stance shifted and her grip tightened on the hilt. She was ready to meet him head-on as her calm demeanor masked the storm of lethal intent beneath.

Phobio, meanwhile, manipulated the pulsating blood platform hovering above. With a flick of his wrist, it splintered into a barrage of crimson spears that rained down on the rooftop soldiers.

"Let's see how many of you I can bleed dry," he snarled with a sadistic laugh escaping his lips as the spears found their marks.

The two forces collided in a maelstrom of steel, magic, and blood, transforming the once-thriving streets of Aquarius into a hellscape. Before long, smoke choked the air, mingling with the acrid stench of gunpowder and the metallic tang of spilled blood. Flames devoured the shattered remnants of the city, and their flickering light casting grotesque shadows over the battlefield.

In the middle of the chaos, the 300 Austronesian soldiers held their ground, firing round after round into the horde of magical beasts and mercenaries swarming toward them.

"Hold the line!" Lieutenant Dallas barked. "Focus fire on the beasts! Take them down one by one!"

The soldiers stood firm in staggered formations. They wielded rifles contained with mana-infused mithril-tipped rounds that left a trail of red energy like lasers as they tore through the summoned creatures. On the rooftops and balconies surrounding the street, snipers and rocketeers unleashed precise attacks, picking off key targets and sowing havoc among the enemy ranks.

From his position at the rear of the mercenary forces, Claudius watched the battle unfold with a sardonic smirk.

"This is growing tiresome," he muttered with disdain.

With a sweeping motion of his hand, he summoned an even deadlier wave of creatures. Hulking reptilian beasts with armored hides thundered onto the battlefield, joined by swarms of venomous shadow-wasps and massive dire wolves with glowing red eyes.

"Let's see how long your muskets last," he sneered.

Fernand stood beside him with his glowing blade in hand and his weathered face set in a grim mask. His experienced eyes swept over the battlefield and calculated every movement.

"They're better trained than I expected," he admitted with reluctant respect. "But discipline means little in the face of overwhelming power."

Phobio, his grin wicked and eyes gleaming with bloodlust, raised his arms again. The blood of fallen soldiers and beasts rose at his command, swirling into jagged crimson spikes. With a flick of his fingers, they rained down mercilessly on the Austronesian forces.

"Let's paint the streets red, shall we?" he chuckled darkly with cruel delight before launching his attacks with glee.

Under the cover of their leaders' abilities, the mercenaries charged forward at a speed that could race a car. Fireballs, lightning bolts, and shards of ice lit up the battlefield as they clashed with the disciplined volleys of the human soldiers and mansion guards as the air rang with the cacophony of spells and gunfire.

Barron stood near the mansion gates with his Elemental Guardians towering around him. "It's time to even the odds," he declared as he raised his hands high. "Go, my champions! Show these fools the power of the Rumpan family!"

The Fire Knight charged into battle with its molten armor that shimmered with liquid heat. With a blazing sword in hand, it carved through mercenaries and beasts alike, leaving a trail of scorched earth in its wake, and the oppressive heat radiating from its body forced even the Liberation soldiers to shield their faces.

Behind the frontline, the Water Mage, draped in flowing liquid robes, conjured massive waves that crashed into the enemy ranks, sweeping dozens of mercenaries off their feet and scattering their formations. With precise gestures, it created spears of ice that shot through the air, piercing charging beasts and freezing the ground beneath their feet to slow their advance to a crawl.

Above the chaos, the Wind Archer flew on translucent wings as an ethereal figure raining down arrows of compressed air that burst on impact with thunderous force from the skies. Summoned creatures were thrown aside like leaves in a gale as their formations were torn apart by the Archer's wind attacks.

Standing as an immovable wall at the mansion gates, the Earth Tank, a massive golem of stone and metal, began to move with every step shaking the ground. It absorbed incoming attacks without flinching and retaliated with devastating punches. Each blow sent shockwaves rippling through the earth and toppled mercenaries and beasts alike.

Somewhere in the battlefield, Yuri moved like a shadow. Her katana flashed as she dashed and hopped with unmatched agility. With inhuman speed, she cut down mercenaries and beasts alike with strikes so fast they left faint afterimages in the air. Spells and arrows seemed to veer away as she twisted and leapt as her every movement was precise and untouchable.

One of Claudius' serpentine beasts lunged at her with its venomous fangs aimed at her, but Yuri sidestepped the attack effortlessly and pivoted in one fluid motion to sever its neck with a single stroke. The beast crumpled and its lifeless body crashed to the ground as she turned her sharp gaze toward the One Man Army himself, who had been watching her from across the battlefield.

"So, you're the Yuri I've heard about," Claudius called out as he stepped forward with an air of amusement. From his belt, he drew his distinctive weapons, a hammer in one hand and a sickle in the other. "I've heard tales about you, especially the one where Polymorphous wiped the floor with you. I have to admit, I found it hilarious."

Yuri said nothing as her only response was a subtle shift in her stance. She raised her katana, and the blade caught the flickering firelight, glinting ominously.

With a sudden burst of movement, the two warriors clashed and their blades met with a resounding *clang* that echoed above the battlefield's chaos. Claudius' strikes were heavy and precise with his hammer and sickle swinging with the weight of decades of battle-hardened experience. But Yuri was faster, and her movements were a blur, almost impossible to follow as she reflected his attacks with ease and counters that forced the handsome elf to retreat step by step.

That moment, Claudius found himself forced back, and his smirk faded as he realized he was up against an opponent who wasn't just fast, she was deadly even if their level gaps are vast in comparison.

Well, he is a Beast Tamer, and his Class had a very low combat level compared to other individuals in his level.

The main reason why he is a member of the Heads of Destruction is because of his specialization in summoning an army of dangerous Magic Beast that could overwhelm a stronger opponent.

Even if his Magicule Level is somewhere between 30,000 to 35,000, his Combat Level is equivalent to a Level 10.

Meanwhile, the Austronesian Liberation soldiers on the ground pushed forward with their combined firepower thinning the enemy ranks. Positioned behind the line, Lieutenant Dallas issued rapid orders into his comms with a sharp and focused tone.

"Sniper teams, focus on the summoner! Take down the Mercenary Executive before he calls in more beasts!"

High on a nearby rooftop, a sniper adjusted his aim and lined up Claudius in the crosshairs of an AF-3 "Magekiller". The weapon hissed as the trigger was pulled and sent an adamantite round streaking toward the blonde elf at hypersonic speed.

At the last moment, Claudius raised a hand and summoned a magical barrier. The bullet struck with a deafening crack and sent ripples through the shield. A jagged fracture spread across its surface, nearly shattering the defense.

"How rude," Claudius muttered as he glanced toward the sniper with a faint frown of annoyance. "Interrupting a gentleman while he's enjoying himself? Unacceptable."

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a winged beast from thin air. The creature screeched as it launched itself toward the rooftop and its talons tore through the sniper team with terrifying speed, leaving nothing but chaos in its wake.

Nearby, Phobio scowled as he grew impatient and unleashed a volley of blood spikes at the Earth Tank that blocked the mercenaries' advance, but the crimson projectiles struck the golem's rocky hide and shattered harmlessly on impact. The Earth Tank retaliated by throwing a massive boulder toward Phobio with crushing force.

Phobio twisted his body, narrowly dodging the projectile with a wild grin. "You're a tough one, aren't you?" he growled with a manic glint in his crimson eyes. "Let's see how you handle this!"

The blood surrounding him condensed into a massive crimson scythe, and with a roar, Phobio charged at the golem and swung the weapon in a powerful arc. Follow8ng that, the scythe cleaved through its stone armor with a resounding crack and sent shards of rock scattering across the battlefield.

Elsewhere, the clash between Claudius and Yuri continued to echo through the area. The handsome elf's smirk widened as he unleashed a sudden surge of power, causing his hammer and sickle to glow with raw magic. A wave of energy erupted from his weapons, forcing Yuri to leap back, and her katana flashed as she deflected the brunt of the blast.

"You're skilled," Claudius said mockingly. "But skill alone won't save your precious little human pets."

Yuri's breathing remained steady while her eyes never left her opponent. Her grip on her katana tightened as she lowered her stance into a defensive posture.

"You talk too much," she said coldly as her body coiled like a spring.

Claudius laughed, the sound ringing out like a cruel melody over the chaos of battle. "Perhaps. But this battlefield isn't yours to win."

As his smirk deepened, he raised his hands, and a pulse of magic surged outward, causing the air around him crackled with energy.

"Let me show you my true power!"

The ground trembled as a massive summoning circle materialized behind him. The intricate runes on its surface glowed with an eerie green light and crackled with raw energy.



From the portal, hundreds of monstrous creatures began to emerge, beasts unlike anything the Austronesian soldiers had ever encountered.







Massive six-legged panthers with shadowy semi-ethereal forms prowled forth and glowing red eyes that radiated with malice.

Winged reptilian monstrosities with scales that glowed with a prismatic rainbow-like sheen that flew into the skies and released ear-piercing screeches that sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest soldiers.

Towering ogre-like giants stomped into the fray with their jagged stone-plated bodies crackling with magical energy, each wielding massive rune-covered clubs that radiated destructive force.

It truly portrays why he is named as the "One-Man Army".

Claudius' cruel smile widened as he surveyed his summoned army with cold satisfaction.

"Tear! Crush! Destroy! It doesn't matter how and which! Rip and tear them all... UNTIL IT IS DONE!!"

The beasts roared as they charged into the battle with their ferocity and power threatening to tip the scales of the already chaotic fight.

------------------------

On the frontlines, Lieutenant Dallas shouted into his comms. "Form ranks! Focus fire on the new threats! Take them down before they close in!"

The soldiers obeyed with their disciplined volleys of mithril-infused bullets tearing into the advancing beasts.



"Are you kidding me!? How many Magic Beasts are in that man's pocket?!? This is such bullshit!!"

Like what that one random soldier said, Claudius' summoned creatures' numbers were overwhelming as Shadow Panthers moved through the hail of gunfire with blinding speed with their ethereal bodies flickering in and out of visibility.

One panther pounce into a squad and its razor-sharp claws sliced through mithril armor as though it were paper. Screams filled the air as the creature disappeared into the shadows, only to reappear moments later behind another group and slaughter them all within seconds.

"Captain, all of the Magic Beasts' Magicule Levels are somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000! We are all literally fighting an army of 1st Tier Transcendents!" a panicked soldier shouted as he emptied his AF-2 "Magespitter" magic rifle into a winged beast that shrugged off the mithril bullets.

Fortunately, many were able to tear into its scales but barely slowed it down.

With a deafening screech, the creature dived into his squad with its claws and fangs ripping through flesh in a frenzy of blood and gore.

Above, the winged reptiles rained destruction from the skies, unleashing streams of corrosive acid pouring from their maws and melted through armor and flesh in horrifying seconds.

Rockets fired by the humans streaked toward them, leaving trails of smoke in the air, but they barely clipped their agile forms as these beasts dodged most of them with ease.

When one finally fell with its body crashing to the ground in a smoking heap, two more appeared from Claudius' glowing summoning circle to replace it, filling the battle with even greater ferocity.

On the ground, the ogres waded into the battle like unstoppable juggernauts. Though slow, their immense power more than compensated for their lack of speed.

With a single swing of their rune-covered clubs, they sent bodies flying like ragdolls and shattered armor and bone like glass on impact.

A single blow crushed multiple soldiers at once and left a trail of devastation in their wake.

In the center of the chaos, Claudius watched with satisfaction as entire squads of human soldiers were slaughtered and fell like leaves in a storm. He extended his hand again and summoned a massive serpentine beast that roared ferociously before charging forward and unleashed devastating elemental attacks wreaking havoc on the human formations.

Still keeping her distance, Yuri glared at Claudius with cold fury.

"You arrogant bastard!" she spat and dashed forward with blinding speed. Her katana glinted like a shard of lightning as she cleaved through a shadow panther mid-pounce, and the creature evaporated into a swirl of dark mist.

"Oh?" Claudius was amused with a smirk playing at the corners of his lips as he sidestepped her initial attack. "Still standing, are you? Admirable. But I wonder, how long can you hope to protect them?"

He gestured toward the battlefield, where the human lines were crumbling under the assault of his beasts. Soldiers screamed as they were torn apart with their guns proved useless against the beast army as they were doing little to stem the tide.

Yuri didn't respond. Instead, she pressed forward and her blade became a blur as she unleashed a flurry of strikes at Claudius. Each swing was precise and aimed for vital points, but Claudia danced around her attacks with graceful ease as he deflected her blade with his summoned barriers and a sickle that he brought out.

"You've got talent, girl," Claudius admitted mockingly. "But talent alone won't be enough to save your little human pets."

He thrust his hand forward and released a blast of raw energy that slammed into Yuri, forcing her back and she skidded back across the ground, but with a defiant grunt, she planted her boots firmly, halting her momentum and steadying herself with her katana still readied for the next attack.

------------------------

Lieutenant Dallas smeared his face with blood and grime and barked at another set of orders. "Fall back! Regroup at the second defensive line! Get me mortar and artillery support, now!"

A nearby officer yelled back in desperation, "Lieutenant, our forces are suffering heavy casualties! We can't hold-"

"Hold as long as you can!" Dallas cut him off. "We need to buy time for the reinforcements to arrive!"

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Claudius lifted his arms once more, and a fresh wave of creatures clawed their way into existence, replacing the ones that had fallen. The sheer number of beasts overwhelmed the battlefield with their roars and screeches drowning out the sound of gunfire and the desperate shouts of soldiers.

"Do you see now?" Claudius called out as he addressed both Yuri and the remaining human forces on the estate wall. "Your resistance is meaningless. Your weapons, your strategies, they're nothing unless you give us Ronald's son, then you all will live!"

Yuri wiped a streak of blood from her cheek with the back of her hand and glared at him with eyes that burned with defiance.

"No."

Claudius's lips curled into a cold mocking smile and chuckled. "Then let's see how long you can endure when there's nothing left to fight for."

With a sweeping gesture, he unleashed yet another wave of destruction, sending his beasts charging forward, and their howls reverberated through the smoldering ruins, bearing down on the remaining defenders like an unstoppable force of nature.

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While Claudius waged his own battle, Phobio, the vampire lord known as the Crimson Angel, stood in the middle the shattered remains of the Earth Tank with a pulsating crimson sphere of blood hovered beside him, throbbing like a living heart and growing larger with every life that was snuffed out on the battlefield.

Phobio licked his lips as his crimson eyes glowed brighter. "Ah, the symphony of death," he murmured, carrying a sinister undertone. "Such exquisite music."

With a casual flick of his wrist, the blood sphere morphed into a shield just as a hail of bullets rained down from a squad of human soldiers on the building rooftops. The blood hardened into a dense impenetrable barrier and swallowed the bullets before dissolving them into nothingness.

"Is this the best you can muster?" Phobio sneered mockingly. "Let me show you how a true artist paints the canvas of war."

He raised his hand, and the sphere of blood split into serpentine tendrils and coiled around his fingers before solidifying into a wickedly razor-sharp crimson blade. With inhuman speed, Phobio vanished from his position and reappeared in the middle of the soldier squad.

With shock and horror in their eyes, the soldiers barely had time to register his presence before Phobio swung his blood blade that sliced through armor and flesh with terrifying ease. One soldier managed to lift his rifle, but Phobio swiped his claws across the man's chest and sent him crumpling to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"More," Phobio growled in a low and feral voice. "I need more."

As the blood of his victims seeped into the ground, it flowed unnaturally toward the hovering sphere beside him, which grew larger and brighter with every drop.

The vampire's grin stretched unnaturally wider as he felt the surge of power from the absorbed life essence, and his aura radiated more malevolence.

The remaining soldiers backed away with desperation on their faces.

"Flash and focus fire!" one of them shouted. "Don't let him get any closer!"

They all threw their stun or flash grenades before opening fire, and both grenades and mithril rounds lit up the battlefield with flashes and impacts that rang through the air.

Phobio, however, raised his hand and muttered, "[Great Protection Cloak]."

A blood-red aura enveloped him and effortlessly deflected the incoming bullets and nullified the effects of the grenades. The sphere beside him shifted and morphed into a set of rotating crimson shields that orbited him like a deadly halo.

"Pathetic! Do you honestly think that will work?" Phobio taunted as he tilted his head. With a flick of his hand, one of the shields elongated into a spear and shot forward, impaling one of the soldiers through the chest.

The soldier let out a choked cry before collapsing and his blood streamed into the air to feed the ever-expanding sphere.

"Your efforts are meaningless," Phobio said boredly.

Muttering another spell, "[Superior Self]," his body glowed as his muscles grew more defined and his reflexes heightened to supernatural levels. He crouched low, then dashed forward with impossible speed and closed the distance between him and the other soldiers in the blink of an eye.

With a roar, Phobio extended his razor-sharp claws and mercilessly tore through the squad. Blood sprayed in every direction and stained the ground red as the soldiers fell one by one.

Hidden in a nearby building, a lone trembling soldier attempted to snipe the vampire with an AF-3 "Magekiller" rifle. But before he could fire, Phobio's eyes glowed with a sinister light as he activated "[True Detection]."

Pinpointing the soldier's location, the vampire lord lunged and crossed the distance in a blink.

The soldier's hands barely steadied the weapon before Phobio slashed through them and severed his grip with a single swipe. A heartbeat later, his claws plunged into the man's chest.

The man gasped, and his life slipped away as Phobio leaned in close to his ear.

"Thank you for your contribution," he whispered coldly. The soldier's blood streamed upward and joined the now-monstrous sphere, which pulsed with a sinister, almost sentient energy.

Another wave of soldiers burst into the large room he was in, this time armed with rocket launchers and grenade launchers with their faces set with grim determination.

Phobio's lips curled into a feral grin. "Ah, more toys for me to break."

The soldiers fired in unison, and their explosives streaked toward him with fiery trails. Phobio extended his hand, and the pulsing sphere of blood beside him formed into a massive spiraling barrier. The liquid wall twisted and churned, absorbing the explosions in a cacophony of destruction. Shrapnel melted into nothingness upon contact, leaving only ripples in the blood.

With a gesture, Phobio retaliated. The sphere morphed and shot a storm of razor-sharp projectiles, blades and arrows of crimson that flew toward the advancing troops. The air was filled with their deadly whistling as they mercilessly tore through the soldiers like a storm of crimson death. Armor was shredded, limbs were severed, and agonized screams filled the air as the soldiers fell like wheat before the scythe.

"Foolish Monkeigns! You're only fueling my power," Phobio said with a maniacal laugh. "Every drop of blood spilled makes me stronger. Keep fighting, humans. Entertain me!"

An officer's face blanched with terror as he shouted, "Fall back! Regroup and-"

The words were cut short as Phobio appeared before him in an instant and his claws slashed through the man's throat before he could finish his order. The officer crumpled, and his blood siphoned upward to join the ever-growing sphere as Phobio stood over the corpse with his glowing crimson eyes gleamed with malevolent delight.

By now, the rooftop of the building around him was littered with corpses, and the blood-soaked ground seemed to respond to Phobio's presence, shifting and swirling unnaturally. The vampire raised his arms, and the sphere of blood expanded, hovering ominously above the remaining soldiers.

"[Bloodlust]," Phobio intoned. The sphere fragmented into dozens of tendrils that lashed out in every direction, seeking out living targets. The soldiers' screams echoed as the tendrils pierced their bodies, draining them of life and feeding their essence back into Phobio.

He stood in the middle of the carnage, his pale skin now glowing faintly with the power he had absorbed. and the malevolence in his crimson eyes deepened.as he scanned the chamber with a predatory gaze in search for any signs of resistance.

"Is this all you have?" he called out mockingly. "Surely your so-called strong allies can offer more than this pathetic display!"

As more soldiers appeared in his sight, Phobio's grin widened. The blood sphere reformed beside him, now impossibly larger and more menacing than before with violent energy. He raised his hand and summoned a swarm of blood blades that hovered around him like a nest of venomous wasps.

"Come!" he said with a deadly whisper. "I'll show you all the true meaning of despair!"

And with that, the vampire lord charged forward like a crimson whirlwind of death and destruction, leaving nothing but ruin in his wake.

------------------------

While Phobio had his fun, Fernand, the Flash Reaper, stood apart with his weathered face calm yet fierce as his ancient blade shimmered faintly, wrapped in a faint aura of magical energy, a silent promise of devastation.

For long minutes, Fernand silently watched the battle around him, unmoving with his sharp elven eyes tracking every detail of the battle. Finally, he stepped forward with deliberate precision as dozens of human soldiers, emboldened by his apparent stillness, opened fire. Bullets zipped through the air, but Fernand raised his hand and invoked [Impenetrable Fortress].

A second layer translucent barrier erupted around him and deflected the hailstorm of bullets with effortless ease.

"Pitiful," Fernand muttered under his breath in a low and grizzled voice that carried no more than faint disdain. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, and with a quiet hum, the weapon came alive, glowing faintly as [Sword Aura] enveloped it. A thin shimmering layer of energy coated the weapon, extending its reach and amplifying its lethality.

From the ranks of soldiers, a commander shouted, "Concentrate fire on the elf! Don't let him close the distance!"

Fernand smirked as his sharp elven ears caught every word.

"Fools," he said softly, almost amused. Drawing a deep breath, he activated [Greater Ability Boost], a surge of mana flooding his body and sharpening his senses. His muscles, though aged, moved with newfound vigor, and his reflexes became almost preternatural.

"Allow me to demonstrate what centuries of refinement can achieve."

With a flicker of movement too fast for mortal eyes to track, Fernand vanished and reappeared a heartbeat later in the middle of the soldiers.

[Gale Acceleration] had enhanced his speed to a blur, and before the soldiers could react, his sword was already in motion.

The first swing cleaved through three soldiers in a single fluid arc. Blood sprayed through the air as their bodies collapsed in unison.

"Shit! He's on us, flash him!" one soldier shouted in panic.

The surrounding soldiers pulled out the perfect weapons they worshipped that are very effective against superhuman enemies and attempted to stun him.

BANG!!!

Blinding light and deafening noise exploded around Fernand and momentarily disrupted his senses. But even as his vision blurred, the elf's movements remained graceful, almost serene, as he activated [Flow Acceleration]. Guided by an almost liquid intuition, Fernand moved like a river flowing around rock obstacles.

One soldier lunged at him with a bayonet, but Fernand, even with his eyes closed, sidestepped the attack effortlessly. His blade flicked upward and parried the attack before driving forward in a precise thrust that pierced the soldier's heart.

"Too pathetically slow," he said coldly and pulled his blade free as the man crumpled to the ground.

Desperation in their faces, the remaining soldiers fell back and scrambled to regroup.

"Bring out the heavy weapons! We need to stop him now!" one soldier shouted.

Several soldiers with rocket launchers stepped forward and aimed their weapons at the elf. As Fernand's senses returned from the flash grenade's effects, he raised an eyebrow upon seeing this and his smirk faded slightly.

"Hmph. Persistent, aren't you?"

He planted his feet firmly on the ground and called upon [Pace of the Wind]. The air around him shifted and swirled with an invisible force that accelerated his reactions and movements. As the rockets fired, Fernand's body became a blur and dodged each projectile with impossibly precise steps as his footwork was like a dance of lethal elegance.

One rocket came dangerously close, but with a single swing, Fernand slashed it in mid-flight. The explosion dispersed harmlessly behind him, and the force propelled him forward, using the momentum to close the gap between him and the heavy gunners.

Calling upon [Full Throttle], he pushed his body to its absolute limit, each step propelling him forward with blinding speed. The distance between him and the heavy gunners vanished in an instant, and the soldiers didn't even have time to scream before his blade cut through them in a whirlwind of death.

More soldiers charged at Fernand with more gunfire that roared as they unleashed everything they had, hoping to overwhelm him through sheer numbers and firepower.

But Fernand is unshaken as he activates [Limit Breaker], pushing his physical limits beyond what even his enhanced body could normally handle. His movements became a blur, faster, stronger, and more precise. Each swing of his blade carved glowing arcs of energy through the air and left devastation in its wake.

From the shadowed upper floor of a building, a sniper lined up a shot with an AF-3 "Magekiller," and the bullet tore through the battlefield toward Fernand's back, but Fernand barely flinched as he activated [Dull Pain] to nullify the stinging sensation when the bullet impacted against his back but failed to deter him.

"[Wind Scar]!"

He retaliated with a single upward slash, releasing a crescent of razor-sharp wind that erupted from his blade and sliced through the sniper and two soldiers behind him in one merciless stroke.

"You fight like children," Fernand muttered calmly despite the carnage. Blood pooled around him, yet his breathing remained steady and his movements unhurried like a storm given form.

The remaining soldiers hesitated with fear creeping into their eyes. They were no match for this old warrior, whose power and skill seemed beyond mortal comprehension.

One particularly brave officer stepped forward, wearing some sort of mithril armor and gripping a glowing knife of his own with determination.

"We won't let you pass, elf!" the officer shouted firmly despite the fear in his eyes.

Fernand regarded him with a faint smirk. "You have courage. I'll grant you that. But that alone won't save you enough."

The officer charged with incredible speed and fired his AF-1 "Magelock" while reading his knife for a lethal strike. Fernand, meanwhile, stood motionless and narrowed his eyes as he gouged his opponent.

At the last possible moment, he activated [Flow Acceleration], and sidestepped the attack with inhuman grace. His counter strike was fast and deadly as a single horizontal slash severed the officer's weapons and armor as if they were paper.

The officer staggered, as his glowing knife and pistol clattered to the ground in pieces. Blood seeped from the gash across his chest as he fell to his knees and collapsed with a strangled gasp.

"A valiant effort," Fernand said coldly as he watched the man's life slip away, "but useless, nonetheless."

The area around him quieted for a moment as the surviving soldiers stared at the old elf in horror. He stood in the middle of the bodies of their comrades with his blade dripping with blood while his posture was calm and composed as if this were a mere exercise.

"Who's next?" Fernand asked. His question hung in the air like a challenge, daring anyone to step forward.

The soldiers faltered with their courage evaporating. Weapons slipped from trembling hands as some turned and fled in fear with their boots pounded against the ground that was soaked with the blood of their friends.

"Hmph," Fernand sneered, "As expected from these cowardice inferiors."

He sheathed his sword with a slow deliberate motion as his barrier still shimmered faintly around him.

"You should all beware an old fellow like me in a land where men died young."

He turned his attention to the distant barricades where the other human soldiers were gathering in a desperate attempt to regroup. Among them, he spotted Ronald's son.

His expression hardened with a glint of steel in his eyes. "Let's see if they can offer me a proper challenge."

With an aura of lethal intent radiating from him, Fernand moved forward and cut a path toward the heart of the resistance. The air seemed to grow heavier with each step, as if even the battlefield itself feared the storm that was about to descend.

------------------------

RATATATATATA!!

RATATATATATATATA!!

RATATATATATATA!!

The deafening roar of the UH-28 Golden Eagle's twin miniguns echoed across the sky as its three door gunners unleashed relentless firepower upon the army of mercenaries and horde of magic beast below. Bullets rained down in a storm of death and tore through the streets.

"Damn!" Carmel cried out as something bounced off against the chopper's fuselage. "They are shooting at us with bows and arrows!"

The gunners immediately swiveled their AFMG-1 "Magebreakers" and engaged at a small group of mercenaries armed with enchanted bows and crossbows. The area they occupied turned into a crimson blur as the barrage painted the streets red.

"SPELL! ON THE LEFT ROOFTOP!" the left gunner yelled urgently as he spotted the telltale signs of a magic spell charged up.

"FUCK!" Carmel jerked the controls hard and tilted the sluggish helicopter away just in time when a crackling bolt of lightning energy shot past the Golden Eagle, barely missing by mere centimeters. "Light up that rooftop!"

Gadiel, manning the left door gun, compensated for the sudden movement and fired, using the tracer to guide and adjust his aim. The tracers glowed brightly under the gloomy skies and Gadiel ensured the rooftop where the mage was had a good dose of lead.

Soon enough, a concentrated burst of fire tore into the rooftop and sent debris and blood flying in equal measure.

"Damn elves!" Carmel spat, gritting his teeth as another barrage of arrows whizzed past, some embedding harmlessly into the helicopter's reinforced plating. "6-2, this is 6-4. Taking a mix of ground fire. Watch your tail!" He said to the people in the other chopper through the comms.

[Roger, 6-4.]

Carmel glanced at his co-pilot, who was scanning the chaos below. "I don't know if it's just me," the co-pilot muttered, "but I've got a bad feeling about this."

"In a world filled with monsters, magical dangers, and retards with bullshit cheat powers, bad feelings are standard," Carmel remarked as he kept his eyes alert for any movement on the streets or nearby rooftops. He stiffened. "There! Two o'clock! Movement on the roof!"

The door gunners reacted instantly and set off another heavy burst of fire. Tracers streaked through the air, and the rooftop disintegrated into pieces in a hail of gunfire and rubble.

"Yeah," Carmel muttered as he sighed sharply. "That'll do it."

Unbeknownst to the crew of the UH-28 Golden Eagle, the deaths of the mercenaries on the rooftop had not gone unnoticed. Somewhere in the main battlefield, one of the Heads of Destruction observed the carnage with cold amusement.

"That flying metal bird is becoming quite the nuisance," Phobio, the Crimson Angel, murmured with a sinister edge as a wicked grin spread across his face. As he raised his hand, the massive crimson sphere of blood hovering beside him began to churn violently.

The blood flowed outward and morphed into a swarm of razor-sharp blades that glinted with murderous intent. With a single sweeping motion, Phobio launched the projectiles and sent them flying toward the helicopter like guided missiles.

"SPELL! SPELL! SPELL! Five o'clock, low!"

Carmel's instincts kicked in, and he wrenched the controls to the side, causing the Golden Eagle to tilt sharply, but he was a bit too low as the blood blades struck before it could fully evade. The deadly projectiles hammered into the rear rotor housing, and their impact reverberated through the chopper. Though the orichalcum plating absorbed much of the damage, the cabin was filled with the blaring of alarms and flashing red lights.

Carmel skillfully brought the helo as his knuckles went white on the controls.

His co-pilot scanned their systems and breathed out a relieved sigh. "Phew. Looks like the orichalcum armor held. No major damage. We're still good!"

The comms crackled. [6-4, this is 6-2. Are you alright?]

"6-4, we've got red lights on the panel, but the controls are responsive. We're holding together," Carmel replied with sweat beading on his forehead.

[6-2, I see smoke trailing from your tail. Are you sure everything's fine?]

Carmel grimaced. "6-4, roger. Think I'll better return us back to base immediately and have it checked out. We're heading out now."

As he adjusted the helicopter's heading, Gadiel suddenly panicked and shouted through the commotion.

"CARMEL! ANOTHER RED PROJECTILE INCOMING AT OUR SIX!"

Streaks of blood red arrows and razor-sharp blades blazed past the Golden Eagle as Carmel tried to weave the fat and ungainly helo to dodge the blood arrows. But the helicopter was a massive low-flying target and evading completely was impossible.

The deadly projectiles hammered into the aircraft, each impact shaking the hull like a hammer on steel. Carmel clenched his teeth and jammed the throttle to the max as his only goal was to escape the hostile area.

"Hold on!" he shouted as the alarms wailed around them while the helicopter groaned under the strain.

Earlier, the Blood Arrow strike on the rear rotor housing had inflicted critical damage to the swash plate assembly. A couple of ball bearings were broken up by the arcane assault, which was easily grounded into fine metal dust by the still-functioning components. While the rotor shafts were engineered to withstand extreme stress, the situation quickly deteriorated as successive magical attacks bombarded the Golden Eagle. The blood projectiles chipped away at the orichalcum armor, causing cracks to spider web across its surface and sections to splinter off entirely.

Had it been the pre-transfer UH-28, with its standard armor, the helicopter would have been obliterated long ago. The orichalcum plating, though resilient, was reaching its breaking point.

The inevitable happened when a chunk of debris from the compromised hull plating collided with the already weakened rotor assembly. The overstressed rotor shaft, overheated and destabilized, finally shook loose. The spinning rotor folded inward and tore free from its housing, ripping apart the rear section of the Golden Eagle.

Gadiel, seated at the rear hatch, yelped in fear as the structure above him disappeared in a screech of metal.

Instantly, the helicopter spiraled out of control as the loss of its rear rotors left it unable to counteract the torque from the forward blades. Carmel's hands flew across the controls as alarms blared.

"Shit shit shit shit shit..." Carmel panicked. "HANG ON TIGHT! WE ARE GOING DOWN!"

"May day, may day!" His co-pilot spoke in a surprisingly calm voice into the comms. "Shepherd 6-4 going down. Repeat, we are going down!"

Carmel powered down the forward rotors and tried to feathered them to slow the descent and reduce the deadly spin. He pulled the nose up, trying to use what little thrust remained to control their fall. Luckily, the helicopter wasn't far from the ground, but even at a lower altitude, the descent was harrowing.

The Golden Eagle slammed into the side of a building at an angle, its impact toppling the weakened structure. Dust, debris, and twisted metal filled the air as the helicopter came to a violent stop in the middle of the rubble.

[Command, this is 6-2! We have a Golden Eagle down. Repeat, Shepherd 6-4 is down.]