Sixteen days remained.
Morning broke over Eastern Aetherra.
For a few precious hours...
Peace returned.
The streets of Base 101 were alive with purpose.
The marketplace welcomed travelers.
Children laughed outside the newly built homes.
The sound of steel echoed from the Advanced Forge.
Workers continued raising the massive stone pillars of the Alliance Hall.
Life had returned to normal.
Or as normal as it could be.
---
Inside the Commander's Manor...
Sam stood before the crystal map.
The emerald light marking the Wildlands pulsed steadily.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Morning analysis complete.
Regional mana levels continue to rise.
Monster activity remains unusually low.
Sam frowned.
"After yesterday?"
"That doesn't feel right."
Agreed.
---
The council assembled once more.
Ben.
Zora.
Leon.
Runa.
Kael.
Mira.
George.
Master Doran.
The Goblin Warlord King.
The Goblin Archmage.
Sam looked around the room.
"Status reports."
---
Ben stood first.
"The Vanguard is fully reorganized."
"The soldiers are asking for additional live combat drills."
Sam nodded.
"They'll get them."
---
Zora stepped forward.
"The Mage Corps has strengthened the city's barrier."
She pointed to several glowing runes on the map.
"If another horde attacks..."
"Our defenses will activate immediately."
The Goblin Archmage floated beside her, its staff glowing with quiet confidence.
---
George couldn't contain his excitement.
"The Alliance Hall reached thirty percent completion before sunrise!"
Master Doran folded his arms.
"Because none of the builders slept."
George smiled proudly.
"Exactly."
---
Mira smiled softly.
"The Medical Corps has finished preparing emergency stations throughout the kingdom."
"No matter where fighting begins..."
"We can respond within minutes."
---
Sam turned toward Leon.
"The forest?"
Leon calmly unfolded a map.
"The monsters are gone."
Ben blinked.
"Gone?"
Leon nodded.
"They've retreated."
Runa frowned.
"That's impossible."
"Not impossible."
Leon pointed toward the northern mountains.
"They're gathering."
The room fell silent.
---
Inside his mind...
Rex immediately confirmed the report.
Long-range scan complete.
Large-scale monster concentration detected.
Estimated population...
The number appeared across Sam's vision.
Thirty-two thousand.
Kael slowly smiled.
"So..."
"They learned."
---
Before anyone could answer—
BWOOOOOOOOOO!!
The warning horn echoed across Base 101.
Everyone stood.
A guard's voice rang from outside.
"COMMANDER!"
"NORTHERN WATCHTOWER REPORTING!"
Sam was already moving.
"To the walls."
---
Moments later...
The leadership of Base 101 stood atop the northern battlements.
Citizens hurried toward reinforced shelters.
Soldiers rushed into formation.
The Crystal Giant stood beside the gate, motionless but alert.
Leon accepted a spyglass from one of his scouts.
He looked north.
Then handed it to Sam.
"They're here."
Sam looked through the lens.
The northern forest...
Was moving.
Trees swayed violently.
Birds exploded into the sky.
Then...
The first monsters emerged.
Crystal Wolves.
Stone Apes.
Mana Serpents.
Crystal Boars.
Far more than before.
But something was different.
They weren't charging.
They marched.
In organized ranks.
Ben lowered his spyglass.
"...That's new."
---
Then the forest split apart.
BOOOOOOM!!
A creature nearly twice the size of the Emerald Guardian stepped into the clearing.
Its body resembled an ancient emerald bear.
Massive crystal plates covered its shoulders.
Its claws tore deep trenches through solid stone with every step.
It stood on two legs.
Its roar shook the walls of Base 101.
RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice became urgent.
Commander...
New Elite Regional Monster identified.
Temporary Designation: Emerald Behemoth.
Threat Level... SS+.
Silence spread across the battlements.
Then...
The Emerald Behemoth did something no monster had ever done before.
It slowly raised one massive arm.
Every monster behind it stopped instantly.
Perfect discipline.
Perfect obedience.
Ben's eyes narrowed.
"It's commanding them."
Leon spoke quietly.
"No..."
"It's leading them."
---
High above the battlefield...
A golden screen suddenly appeared.
Visible across all of Eastern Aetherra.
---
WORLD EVENT UPDATE
Kingdom Defense
Phase Two Initiated
Regional Monster Commanders have entered the battlefield.
Warning...
Enemy intelligence has increased.
Adapt...
Or fall.
---
The screen faded.
The wind swept across the northern plains.
Sam slowly drew Soul Reaver.
The black runes ignited along its blade.
Behind him...
Thousands of soldiers stood ready.
Beside him...
His captains took their positions.
The Crystal Giant stepped forward.
The Goblin Warlord King tightened its grip on its massive axe.
The Goblin Archmage's staff glowed with deep blue mana.
Sam smiled.
"So..."
"They've finally sent a general."
His eyes locked onto the Emerald Behemoth.
"Good."
"I've got one too."
Beside him...
Ben, the newly evolved Vanguard General, raised his sword toward the approaching horde.
"For Base 101!"
The defenders answered with a roar that shook the kingdom.
The second battle...
Had begun.