The emerald sphere continued to grow.
Larger.
Larger.
Its enormous shadow swallowed the entire northern wall of Base 101.
The two remaining elite Crystal Sky Hunters circled above it, their emerald wings glowing as they poured every ounce of their mana into the devastating attack.
SKREEEEEEEEEE!!
The heavens shook.
The walls trembled.
Cracks spread through the stone battlements.
Even the veteran soldiers felt an overwhelming pressure bearing down upon them.
It was as if the sky itself intended to crush Base 101.
---
Atop the northern watchtower...
Runa stood alone at the front.
Her silver hair danced wildly in the violent winds.
Behind her...
Hundreds of archers gripped their bows.
Many were wounded.
Some had exhausted nearly all of their mana.
Not one of them stepped backward.
Inside her mind...
Her System spoke.
Commander...
Analyzing enemy spell...
...
Estimated probability of successfully intercepting the attack...
0.8%.
Silence followed.
Runa looked up at the falling sphere.
Then...
She smiled.
"So..."
"We still have a chance."
The nearby officers stared at her.
How could she still smile?
The sky itself was falling.
---
Runa slowly turned toward her soldiers.
She looked into every face.
She knew their names.
She had trained every one of them.
Watched them fail.
Watched them improve.
Watched them become the finest archers in Base 101.
Her voice remained calm.
"You've all fought well today."
A young archer lowered his head.
"...Commander..."
Runa shook her head.
"No."
"Look at me."
The young soldier raised his eyes.
She smiled warmly.
"No matter what happens..."
"I'm proud of every one of you."
Silence filled the wall.
Then...
One archer stepped forward.
"We're not afraid."
Another nodded.
"We'll fight beside you."
A third raised his bow.
"We trust you, Commander."
More voices joined.
"We trust you!"
"We'll follow you!"
"Until the very end!"
Soon...
The entire Archer Corps shouted as one.
"We believe in you!"
Their voices echoed across the battlefield.
---
Far below...
Ben looked toward the wall.
A smile appeared beneath his helmet.
"That's our Archer Corps."
Kael laughed while driving his Frost Spear through another Mana Serpent.
"They've got more guts than we do."
Even Mira paused her healing for a brief moment.
Her eyes softened.
"Runa..."
---
On the battlefield...
Sam looked toward the northern wall.
He lowered his sword.
"...You've earned this."
He made no move to interfere.
This battle belonged to her.
---
Deep within the Emerald Behemoth...
Its ancient eyes narrowed.
"...Interesting."
---
Inside Runa's mind...
Her System suddenly froze.
...
Then...
Countless golden windows exploded into existence.
Unique Evolution Conditions Fulfilled.
Leadership Evaluation... Complete.
Battlefield Achievements... Confirmed.
Archer Corps Loyalty... Absolute.
Command Potential... Exceptional.
Class Evolution Approved.
A brilliant pillar of golden light erupted around Runa.
The entire battlefield stopped.
Even the monsters looked toward the northern wall.
The sky itself seemed to brighten.
Above all of Eastern Aetherra...
A massive golden screen unfolded.
---
CLASS EVOLUTION
Runa
Archer Commander
⬇
Skybreaker General
---
A wave of golden mana swept across Base 101.
Every member of the Archer Corps felt it.
Their exhaustion faded.
Their wounds eased.
Their morale soared.
Runa herself felt something awaken deep within her soul.
Power unlike anything she had ever experienced surged through her body.
Her old bow slowly dissolved into countless particles of light.
In its place...
A magnificent greatbow materialized.
Its limbs were forged from shimmering silver crystal.
Azure runes glowed across its surface.
Golden wings of mana unfolded from either side of the weapon.
It radiated the dignity of a true General.
More System windows appeared.
---
New Skills Acquired
Legendary Skill — Skybreaker Arrow
Epic Skill — Hawk Eye Dominion
Epic Skill — General's Command
Legendary Skill — Rain of the Horizon
---
Runa slowly closed her eyes.
The battlefield changed.
She could hear every heartbeat.
Feel every current of wind.
See every fluctuation of mana.
Nothing escaped her senses.
The two Crystal Sky Hunters...
The Emerald Behemoth...
Even...
The tiny unstable core hidden within the enormous emerald sphere.
When she opened her eyes again...
They shone with golden light.
---
She raised her new bow toward the heavens.
Without a single order...
Every archer behind her mirrored the movement.
Thousands of bows pointed toward the sky.
Perfectly synchronized.
Runa smiled.
Her voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Archer Corps..."
A thousand soldiers answered without hesitation.
"YES, GENERAL!!"
She drew the bowstring.
A single arrow of pure mana slowly formed.
Blue.
Silver.
Gold.
The mana of every archer flowed into that one arrow.
The surrounding air trembled.
The clouds split apart.
Even the two elite Crystal Sky Hunters hesitated.
Far below...
Sam watched from the battlefield.
A proud smile crossed his face.
"Show them..."
"...why you're the General of Base 101."
The Emerald Behemoth's smile finally disappeared.
For the first time since the battle began...
It felt genuine danger.
Runa's golden eyes locked onto the unstable core hidden inside the emerald sphere.
She took one final breath.
Then...
She released the string.
"LEGENDARY SKILL... SKYBREAKER ARROW!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A pillar of golden light erupted from the northern wall.
The arrow pierced the heavens like a falling star.
Its brilliance illuminated the entire battlefield.
Friend and foe alike could only watch as the Skybreaker General's first arrow raced toward the massive emerald sphere.
To Be Continued...