SKREEEEEEEEEE!!
The three elite Crystal Sky Hunters descended like emerald comets.
The wind from their wings tore across the battlements.
Stone cracked.
Banners ripped apart.
Several archers were nearly thrown from the tower.
"Hold your positions!"
Runa's voice cut through the chaos.
"Nobody moves!"
Her calm steadied the Archer Corps.
The panic vanished.
Only discipline remained.
---
Inside her mind...
Her System spoke.
Commander...
Calculating trajectories...
Target speed exceeds previous records.
Estimated impact...
Eight seconds.
Runa slowly exhaled.
"That's enough."
She drew her bow.
Mana gathered around a single arrow.
The world seemed to slow.
The first Sky Hunter banked left.
The second remained in the center.
The third climbed higher, disappearing behind the sun.
A coordinated attack.
"They're hunting..."
"...like Leon."
---
Far below...
The Emerald Behemoth watched.
It wasn't trying to overwhelm the Archer Corps.
It was testing its commander.
---
"First Company!"
Runa shouted.
"Suppress the left!"
"Second Company!"
"Protect the walls!"
"Third Company!"
"With me!"
The Archer Corps moved instantly.
Hundreds of arrows filled the sky.
THOOOOOOOM!!
The first Sky Hunter rolled through the volley.
Most of the arrows shattered against its crystal feathers.
Only three struck home.
It barely slowed.
---
"Again!"
THOOOOOOM!!
Another volley.
This time the second Sky Hunter folded its wings.
The arrows passed harmlessly overhead.
The third monster dove through the opening.
CRAAAAASH!!
Its talons slammed into the edge of the watchtower.
Stone exploded.
Several archers were thrown backward.
One nearly fell.
A hand caught him.
Runa.
She pulled the young archer back onto the platform.
"Stay with us."
The soldier nodded, his face pale.
"Y-Yes, Commander."
---
On the battlefield below...
Leon saw the tower shake.
His heart skipped.
He instinctively took a step toward the walls.
Then stopped.
His mission.
If he abandoned it now...
The monster officers would survive.
Thousands more soldiers would die.
He closed his eyes.
"...She'll hold."
Inside his mind...
His System answered.
Probability...
Commander Runa will continue fighting.
Leon smiled faintly.
"I know."
He vanished into the shadows once again.
---
Near the gate...
Kael's Frost Spear tore through another Mana Serpent.
SHRAAAAK!!
He looked toward the tower.
"Hold on..."
"...Runa."
Then he turned back to his soldiers.
"Spear Corps!"
"Forward!"
"YES, GENERAL!"
---
Beside the walls...
Ben slammed his shield into a charging Crystal Boar.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The monster collapsed.
He glanced upward.
"She's buying us time."
Sam nodded.
"And we're going to make sure she isn't buying it alone."
---
Along the eastern wall...
The Goblin Archmage lifted its staff.
Ancient runes spread across the sky.
"Mana Lance."
WHOOM!!
Dozens of blue spears streaked upward.
One elite Sky Hunter twisted aside.
Another blocked the attack with its crystal wings.
The third...
Was struck through the shoulder.
It screeched in pain.
SKREEEEEEEE!!
Zora's eyes widened.
"It predicted their movement..."
The Goblin Archmage wasn't aiming where they were.
It was aiming where they would be.
She watched every movement with complete concentration.
"...Amazing."
---
Back atop the watchtower...
The three elite monsters regrouped.
Instead of attacking separately...
They formed a triangle around the tower.
Runa immediately understood.
"They're surrounding us."
An officer swallowed nervously.
"Commander..."
"What do we do?"
Runa looked at every archer behind her.
Some were wounded.
Some were exhausted.
Not one stepped back.
A smile crossed her face.
"I'm proud of all of you."
The officers blinked.
Then she raised her bow once more.
"Remember your training."
"We don't fire because we're afraid."
"We fire because the people behind us are counting on us."
Every archer straightened.
Their fear disappeared.
"Commander..."
"We're with you!"
Runa nodded.
"I know."
---
High above...
The three elite Sky Hunters shrieked together.
Their crystal wings began absorbing mana from the clouds.
The emerald sky darkened.
A massive sphere of crystal energy formed between them.
Inside his mind...
Rex's voice became urgent.
Commander...
Extreme mana concentration detected.
The enemy is preparing a large-scale aerial attack.
Sam's crimson eyes narrowed.
"They're going all in."
The Emerald Behemoth slowly lowered its massive arm.
A deep smile spread across its face.
This...
Was the attack it had been waiting to unleash.
Above Base 101...
The emerald sphere grew larger.
Larger.
Until its shadow covered the entire northern wall.
Runa looked up.
For the first time...
Even she realized...
One volley...
Would not be enough.