The monster horde surged from the northern forests.
The earth trembled beneath countless footsteps.
Crystal Wolves.
Stone Apes.
Mana Serpents.
Crystal Boars.
And towering above them all...
A creature no one had ever seen before.
Its body resembled a massive stag forged from emerald crystal.
Branches of glowing mana formed its antlers.
Every step caused flowers to bloom...
Only to wither into crystal moments later.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Unknown Monster Identified.
Temporary Designation:
Emerald Guardian
Classification:
Elite Regional Monster.
Threat Level...
SS.
Sam slowly raised Soul Reaver.
"So..."
"The Regional Lord sent a commander."
He turned toward his officers.
"Battle stations."
---
Ben stepped to the front of the walls.
"VANGUARD!"
One thousand soldiers answered as one.
"READY!"
Ben raised his Mana Steel sword.
"Iron Shields!"
CLANG!
A thousand shields locked together.
"Brace!"
The Goblin Warlord King roared.
The Goblin Warriors moved into formation beside the humans without hesitation.
A single unbreakable wall stood before Base 101.
---
Behind them...
Zora raised the Staff of Arcane Flow.
The Goblin Mage floated beside her.
"Mage Corps!"
Three hundred battle mages lifted their staffs.
"Mana Convergence!"
Blue mana circles expanded across the battlefield.
The Goblin Mage slammed its crystal staff into the wall.
Crystal Prison!
Hundreds of crystal pillars erupted from the earth.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The front ranks of Crystal Wolves were trapped instantly.
"Now!"
Zora thrust her staff forward.
"Fire Missiles!"
Hundreds of blazing projectiles streaked across the battlefield.
The Goblin Mage followed.
"Mana Lance!"
Dozens of crystal-blue spears pierced the trapped monsters.
Explosions echoed across the plains.
---
On the western wall...
Runa drew the Windpiercer Bow.
"Archers!"
Four hundred bows rose together.
"Storm Volley!"
WHOOSH!
Her arrow split into dozens of streaks of wind.
The Archer Corps copied the formation.
The sky darkened beneath thousands of arrows.
The Crystal Wolves never reached the walls.
---
The surviving Stone Apes roared.
They tore free of the crystal prison.
Each stood over four meters tall.
They charged.
Ben smiled.
"Perfect."
"Advance!"
The Vanguard surged forward.
Shield slammed into stone fists.
BOOM!
Ben activated his formation skill.
"Shield Wall!"
The soldiers moved as one.
Every attack was absorbed.
Every opening was covered.
The Stone Apes couldn't break the line.
---
Behind them...
Kael spun the Frost King's Spear.
Cold mana erupted around him.
"Spear Corps!"
"Frozen Dominion!"
Ice spread across the battlefield.
The ground froze solid.
Charging Crystal Boars lost their footing.
The Spear Corps struck together.
"THRUST!"
Hundreds of spears pierced the monsters simultaneously.
Kael leaped into the air.
His Frost King's Spear glowed brilliantly.
"Frost Breaker!"
The spear crashed into the ground.
BOOOOOM!
A wave of frozen mana erupted outward.
Dozens of monsters became crystal statues before shattering into fragments.
---
Near the rear...
Mira stood surrounded by the Medical Corps.
"Healers!"
"Royal Restoration Formation!"
Golden healing circles spread across the battlefield.
Wounded soldiers were immediately surrounded by healing light.
Broken bones mended.
Cuts closed.
Exhausted soldiers felt strength returning.
"No one dies today!"
The healers answered together.
"YES, COMMANDER!"
---
Hidden within the battlefield...
Leon had already disappeared.
The Shadow Scouts melted into the chaos.
One Crystal Serpent slithered toward the Mage Corps.
It never arrived.
A black dagger flashed.
Shadow Rend!
The serpent's head fell before it could attack.
Leon vanished again.
Another monster collapsed.
Then another.
Then another.
The Shadow Scouts hunted like ghosts.
No monster threatening the rear survived for long.
---
Sam watched everything.
Every Corps.
Every Captain.
Every formation.
His kingdom fought as one.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Frontline stable.
However...
Elite target advancing.
The Emerald Guardian.
Sam looked forward.
The colossal beast finally moved.
Its emerald antlers ignited.
A massive beam of green mana erupted toward the walls.
"Shadow Step!"
Sam disappeared.
The beam struck empty ground.
BOOOOOOM!
An entire section of earth exploded.
Sam reappeared above the monster.
"Soul Slash!"
Soul Reaver carved a crescent of black mana through the air.
The Emerald Guardian twisted.
The attack sliced across its shoulder.
Green crystal shattered.
The monster roared.
It swung one enormous antler.
Sam vanished again.
"Shadow Step!"
He appeared behind it.
"Vertical Instant Slash!"
Six consecutive sword strikes exploded across the Guardian's back.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Crystal fragments scattered everywhere.
The beast retaliated.
Emerald vines burst from the earth.
They wrapped toward Sam from every direction.
"Fire Missiles!"
Dozens of flaming projectiles blasted the vines apart.
The battlefield erupted in explosions.
The Emerald Guardian stumbled.
Sam smiled.
"You've got more."
"So do I."
Behind him...
The soldiers of Base 101 cheered.
Their Commander wasn't merely fighting.
He was overwhelming an Elite Regional Monster.
But deep within the Emerald Wildlands...
Far beyond the battlefield...
The true Regional Lord slowly opened its eyes.
It had finally found the human kingdom...
Worth watching.