The battlefield trembled.
The Emerald Guardian staggered backward.
Deep cracks spread across the glowing mana core hidden within its chest.
For the first time...
The monster hesitated.
Then...
It roared.
RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!
Every remaining monster answered.
Crystal Wolves.
Stone Apes.
Mana Serpents.
Crystal Boars.
New monsters poured from the northern forest.
The second wave had arrived.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Enemy reinforcements detected.
Estimated strength...
Fifteen thousand.
Sam's eyes narrowed.
"They're trying to overwhelm us."
---
The northern wall shook violently.
BOOOOOOM!!
Three enormous Stone Apes slammed their fists into the gate.
Cracks spread through the reinforced wood.
Ben pointed his sword.
"Hold the line!"
The Vanguard pushed forward.
Shield Wall!
Iron Formation!
Every soldier locked shields.
The Goblin Warlord King roared beside them.
Its massive axe swept through the front ranks of Crystal Wolves.
Goblin Warriors surged after their commander.
Steel and crystal collided.
The battlefield became chaos.
---
Another impact struck the gate.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The hinges groaned.
George looked up from the Alliance Hall construction site.
"...That's not good."
Master Doran gripped his hammer.
"If that gate falls..."
George smiled.
"It won't."
Doran looked at him.
"...Why are you smiling?"
George simply pointed upward.
---
Standing atop the western wall...
The Crystal Giant slowly opened its glowing blue eyes.
Its crystal core pulsed brilliantly.
For days...
It had stood motionless.
Watching.
Guarding.
Waiting.
Now...
Its Commander was fighting.
Its Kingdom was under attack.
Its purpose had arrived.
The Crystal Giant stepped forward.
The wall trembled beneath its colossal weight.
Every citizen looked up.
"Our Guardian..."
"It moved!"
The Crystal Giant looked toward Sam.
Sam met its gaze.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Protect our home."
The Crystal Giant bowed its head.
Then...
It jumped.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The colossal guardian crashed into the battlefield outside the walls.
The impact flattened dozens of Crystal Wolves.
Stone Apes lost their footing.
Even the Emerald Guardian turned toward the newcomer.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Crystal Giant.
Guardian Protocol Activated.
Primary Objective:
Defend Base 101.
---
The Crystal Giant spread both arms.
Its core blazed.
"CRYSTAL FORTRESS!"
Thousands of crystal pillars erupted from the earth.
A massive defensive wall formed in front of the Vanguard.
The charging Crystal Boars slammed into it.
CRAAAAASH!
The barrier held.
Not one boar broke through.
Ben laughed.
"I'll take all the help I can get!"
---
The Giant didn't stop.
It drove one enormous fist into the ground.
"CRYSTAL SHOCKWAVE!"
BOOOOOOOOM!!
A ring of crystal energy exploded outward.
Stone Apes were thrown through the air.
Mana Serpents burst from beneath the earth.
Crystal Wolves shattered on impact.
The entire front line of monsters collapsed.
Cheers erupted from the walls.
"The Guardian!"
"Our Guardian is fighting!"
---
Seeing an opening...
Kael pointed his Frost King's Spear.
"Spear Corps!"
"Forward!"
"Frozen Dominion!"
Ice spread across the shattered battlefield.
The slowed monsters couldn't recover.
The Spear Corps pierced them one after another.
---
Runa raised the Windpiercer Bow.
"Archers!"
"The Giant is clearing our line!"
"Storm Volley!"
Thousands of arrows rained over the Crystal Giant's shoulders.
Not a single arrow struck the Guardian.
Every shot found a monster.
---
Behind them...
Zora and the Goblin Mage worked in perfect harmony.
"Mana Convergence!"
Their spells merged into one enormous magic circle.
"Fire Missiles!"
Hundreds of flaming projectiles descended.
The Goblin Mage immediately followed.
"Mana Lance!"
Crystal spears pierced the survivors.
The battlefield lit up with explosions.
---
Mira stood at the center of the Medical Corps.
"Healing Formation!"
Golden circles spread beneath exhausted soldiers.
The wounded returned to the battle.
No defender was abandoned.
---
Hidden among the monsters...
Leon finally found what he had been searching for.
Three cloaked figures.
Watching.
The same mysterious observers from the meeting between Sam, Elena, and Bjorn.
One lowered another strange crystal.
"...The Guardian has awakened."
Another nodded.
"As expected."
The third looked toward Sam.
"The Necromancer continues to exceed predictions."
Leon narrowed his eyes.
"Found you."
He disappeared.
"Shadow Step."
The three figures reacted instantly.
Their bodies dissolved into emerald light.
Gone.
Leon stopped where they had been standing.
Only fragments of a shattered crystal remained.
He picked one up.
Inside his mind...
His System remained silent.
But Leon knew one thing.
They weren't monsters.
And they weren't human soldiers.
Someone else...
Was playing this game.
---
Above the battlefield...
Sam raised Soul Reaver once more.
The Emerald Guardian charged.
Behind him...
The Crystal Giant roared as it met the monster horde head-on.
The defenders of Base 101 roared with renewed determination.
For the first time...
The monsters were being pushed back.
But deep within the Emerald Wildlands...
The true Regional Lord smiled.
Its Guardian...
Had finally found a worthy battle.