RRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!
The Emerald Behemoth's roar echoed across the battlefield.
The sky answered.
CRAAAAACK!!
The emerald clouds split apart.
Dark shapes poured from above.
Hundreds...
Then thousands...
Crystal-winged monsters descended like a living storm.
Their wings shimmered like emerald glass.
Their talons glowed with razor-sharp mana.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
New enemy identified.
Crystal Sky Hunters.
Objective...
Eliminate long-range threats.
Sam's eyes narrowed.
"It adapted again."
---
The creatures folded their wings.
They dived.
Straight toward the northern wall.
Straight toward...
Runa.
---
"Commander!"
One of the Archer officers pointed upward.
"They're ignoring everyone else!"
Runa never looked away.
"I know."
She calmly raised her bow.
"Archers!"
Every member of the Archer Corps answered.
"YES, COMMANDER!"
"Split into firing formations!"
"Do not panic!"
"Target by altitude!"
The officers immediately relayed the commands.
Within seconds...
The Archer Corps reorganized.
---
THOOOOOOM!!
The first volley filled the sky.
Hundreds of arrows streaked upward.
Crystal Sky Hunters exploded into fragments.
Yet...
More kept coming.
Far more.
---
On the battlefield below...
Leon looked up.
His expression changed.
"They're after Runa."
Inside his mind...
His System answered.
Correct.
Probability...
Ninety-eight percent.
Leon immediately turned toward the remaining monster officers.
He could go back.
Or finish the mission.
His jaw tightened.
"...Trust her."
He vanished once more.
---
At the northern gate...
Ben saw the attack unfold.
"Vanguard!"
"Protect the walls!"
Several companies immediately broke away from the main formation.
Shields rose around the stairways leading to the battlements.
"No flying monster reaches the civilians!"
---
Kael drove his Frost Spear through another Mana Serpent.
SHRAAAAK!!
The monster dissolved into emerald light.
A soldier pointed toward the sky.
"General!"
Kael looked up.
His eyes widened.
"...They're attacking the Archer Corps."
He took a step forward.
Then stopped.
If he abandoned the Spear Corps now...
The Mana Serpents would overrun the gate.
He gritted his teeth.
"Hold the line!"
"We trust Commander Runa!"
The Spear Corps answered with a roar.
"YES, GENERAL!"
---
Along the eastern wall...
The Goblin Archmage watched the skies.
Its ancient eyes glowed.
Without speaking...
It raised its staff.
Blue runic circles spread across the kingdom.
"Mana Lance."
WHOOM!!
Dozens of brilliant blue spears shot into the heavens.
Crystal Sky Hunters burst apart one after another.
Zora watched in amazement.
"So much precision..."
The Goblin Archmage wasn't wasting a single drop of mana.
Every spell struck exactly where it needed to.
Zora absorbed every movement.
Every gesture.
Every flow of mana.
---
The Crystal Giant raised one enormous arm.
A Crystal Sky Hunter crashed against its forearm.
CRAAAAASH!!
The giant caught another in midair.
It crushed the creature like glass.
The Goblin Warlord King pointed its axe skyward.
"GRAAAAAAH!"
Goblin warriors hurled enchanted spears.
Several flying monsters fell from the sky.
The entire kingdom fought as one.
---
High above...
Runa remained perfectly still.
Arrow after arrow left her bow.
Each one found its mark.
No wasted movement.
No wasted breath.
Her officers stared in admiration.
"Commander..."
"How is she tracking all of them?"
---
Inside her mind...
Her System spoke.
Commander...
Target saturation approaching critical levels.
Current accuracy...
Ninety-nine percent.
Remaining arrows...
Rapidly decreasing.
Runa frowned.
"George warned me..."
"We're finally running low."
---
Far across the battlefield...
The Emerald Behemoth watched quietly.
Then...
It raised one claw.
Three enormous Crystal Sky Hunters emerged from the clouds.
Each one was larger than a house.
Their wings generated violent gusts that scattered arrows before they could reach them.
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice became urgent.
Commander...
Elite aerial units detected.
Threat assessment... S-Class.
Sam's gaze hardened.
"So..."
"That's your real attack."
The three massive Crystal Sky Hunters screeched together.
SKREEEEEEEEE!!
They folded their wings.
Then plunged toward the highest watchtower.
Toward Runa.
At impossible speed.
The archers looked up in horror.
One whispered,
"...They're going to break through."
Runa slowly drew a single arrow.
Her eyes never wavered.
"If they want this tower..."
She pulled the bowstring to its limit.
"...they'll have to take it from me."
The three elite monsters closed the distance.
The entire Archer Corps held its breath.
The battle for the skies...
Had begun.