The battlefield disappeared into silence.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Then—
BOOM!
Sam and the Emerald Guardian collided.
A wave of black and emerald mana erupted across the northern plains.
The force of the impact flattened trees.
Crystal shattered in every direction.
Even the monster horde paused.
Their eyes turned toward the battle between their commander...
And the Commander of Base 101.
---
The Emerald Guardian roared.
Its cracked mana core blazed like a miniature sun.
Ancient vines burst from the earth.
Hundreds of crystal spears formed in the sky.
Every attack targeted Sam.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
The Guardian has entered its final phase.
Remaining mana output: One hundred thirty-eight percent.
Sam smiled.
"So it's burning its own life."
---
The vines lunged.
"Fire Missiles!"
Dozens of blazing projectiles erupted around Sam.
The vines exploded into ash.
The crystal spears descended.
"Shadow Step!"
Sam vanished.
The emerald barrage shattered the battlefield below.
BOOOOOOOM!
He reappeared above the Guardian.
"Soul Slash!"
A massive arc of black mana crashed into its shoulder.
CRAAAAACK!
More emerald crystal broke away.
The glowing core became even more exposed.
---
The Guardian refused to retreat.
It swung its enormous antlers.
Emerald mana exploded outward.
The blast caught Sam in midair.
BOOM!
He was thrown backward.
His boots carved deep trenches across the ground before he stopped himself.
Ben's eyes widened.
"Commander!"
Mira took a step forward.
Sam slowly stood.
A thin line of blood ran down the side of his face.
He wiped it away.
Then smiled.
"Now that's more like it."
The defenders of Base 101 laughed.
Their Commander was still smiling.
---
The Emerald Guardian charged again.
This time...
The Crystal Giant intercepted it.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The two colossal beings slammed into one another.
Crystal fists met crystal antlers.
The shockwave echoed across the battlefield.
The Giant dug its feet into the earth.
It pushed.
The Guardian pushed back.
Neither gave an inch.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Guardian Protocol.
Crystal Giant has restrained the target.
Opening created.
---
Sam's eyes flashed.
"Perfect."
He vanished.
"Shadow Step."
He appeared above the Guardian's head.
Soul Reaver trembled with dark mana.
Its skeletal guard unfolded like black wings.
The runes along its blade blazed.
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice rang clearly.
Soul Harvest synchronized.
Death mana output maximized.
All conditions fulfilled.
Sam raised the sword high.
"This..."
"...is for Base 101."
The Emerald Guardian looked up.
For the first time...
Fear filled its ancient eyes.
"Soul Reaver..."
Black mana spiraled around the blade.
"...Death Wave."
He swung.
A tidal wave of darkness erupted from the sword.
The Crystal Giant released the Guardian at the exact moment.
The wave struck the exposed mana core.
CRAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!
Time seemed to stop.
A single fracture spread across the glowing crystal.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
The Guardian let out one final roar.
RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!
Its mana core exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
An emerald pillar of light pierced the heavens.
The shockwave swept across the battlefield.
Every remaining monster froze.
The emerald glow in their eyes disappeared.
One by one...
Crystal Wolves collapsed.
Stone Apes crumbled into rubble.
Mana Serpents dissolved into motes of light.
Crystal Boars shattered into glittering fragments.
Within seconds...
The battlefield was still.
Only the wind remained.
---
Silence.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Then...
Rex broke the silence.
Commander...
Elite Regional Monster defeated.
At that exact moment—
DING!
Golden light filled the battlefield.
A massive screen spread across the sky.
Visible across all of Eastern Aetherra.
---
WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT
Elite Regional Monster Defeated
The Emerald Guardian has fallen.
Commander Sam of Base 101 has led humanity to its first victory against an Elite Regional Monster born from the Emerald Wildlands.
Kingdom Defense Evaluation in progress...
Calculating rewards...
---
Across Base 202...
Dennis looked up and smiled.
"I knew he'd do it."
---
At Base 305...
Elena watched the golden screen.
Her lips curved into a proud smile.
"Well done..."
"Commander."
---
Inside Base 187...
Atlas lowered his wrench.
"So..."
"The Wildlands have started testing us."
---
On the walls of Base 001...
Bjorn laughed.
A deep, thunderous laugh.
"Hahaha!"
"He broke it."
Prince Ragnar looked toward the eastern horizon.
"The Necromancer..."
Bjorn nodded.
"He just proved he belongs among kings."
---
Back at Base 101...
The defenders erupted.
"WE WON!"
"THE COMMANDER WON!"
"BASE 101!"
Ben raised his newly evolved sword.
The Vanguard answered with a deafening roar.
Runa lifted her bow.
Kael raised the Frost King's Spear.
Zora and the Goblin Archmage smiled at one another.
Mira closed her eyes in relief.
The Crystal Giant slowly returned to one knee before the walls.
Its duty...
Fulfilled.
---
Deep within the Emerald Wildlands...
The ancient emerald eyes opened once more.
This time...
There was no amusement.
Only interest.
"So..."
"The first Guardian has fallen."
The ancient voice echoed through forgotten halls.
"Excellent."
"Then let the next trial begin."
Far beneath the ancient ruins...
Something even older...
Began to awaken.