The massive sword of light slowly descended. The wolf cavalry beneath it turned pale, terrified at the sight.
They frantically tried to escape, but the crowded formation trapped them, making rapid movement impossible.
In an instant, the once-disciplined army descended into chaos.
"W-What is that?"
At the front, Nikki stared dumbfounded at the towering pillar of light. Fear deepened across her face, and she didn't even notice that her spear had slipped from her hands to the ground.
She simply watched, letting her mount run erratically.
She wanted to run, but her body felt numb, incapable of summoning even a hint of strength to resist.
"Am I… going to die here?"
"But I don't want to die."
"I still have dreams to fulfill, places to go. I still want to see with my own eyes if that irresponsible idiot really… is dead."
"How could I possibly die here?"
The last words nearly came out as a scream. It was at that moment that she finally snapped out of her paralyzing fear.
[Advanced War Magic: Abandon Chariots to Save the Commander]
As Nicky roared this command, the pure white slash finally descended.
Time seemed to freeze. The raging winds stirred by the elemental turbulence calmed, and even the clamorous voices of the battlefield vanished.
Then, a deafening roar erupted. The giant white sword slammed into the ground, carving a chasm hundreds of meters deep.
Unleashed elemental energy surged violently from the fissure, forming colossal waves that mercilessly swept across the surviving soldiers on either side.
The Beastmen in contact with the elemental force were instantly vaporized, disappearing completely from the world without a trace.
Yet the elemental energy didn't stop. As it hit the ground, it continued to scorch the plain. In mere moments, the once-vibrant Heim Plain was reduced to a wasteland.
The scorched earth, along with the deep chasm, stretched as far as Hel's eyes could see. The Mandrake River's waters were even flowing backward into the fissure.
At the Watchtower, the Saint-rank elites, tense and ready for battle, suddenly heard an ill-timed voice.
"Damn it! That attack is aimed at us!"
The speaker, a bearded eagle-Beastmen from the Aivret Kingdom's reinforcements, shouted.
In the next instant, the towering sword of light came crashing down toward them.
"Run!"
Someone yelled, and the Saint-rank forces scattered, but their speed couldn't match the sword.
They could only watch as it descended, brushing past them and smashing into the Watchtower nearby.
A deafening hum echoed as the indestructible Watchtower was split in two by the strike.
The backlash threw many Saint-rank warriors into disarray. When they regained composure, most bore some injuries. The eagle-Beastmen, for example, had one wing mangled by the elemental turbulence.
Yet he didn't have time to assess his wounds, his eyes fixed on the chasm the sword had cut through. Even with eagle vision, he couldn't see its end.
…
In the Ashton Duchy, the eight thousand troops under the Bug Mistress were tidying the battlefield.
Earlier, they had annihilated a five-thousand-strong army sent from the Watchtower to cut off Nikki's retreat. Using pre-set traps and magical scrolls left behind by Nikki, they had secured a victory, suffering only about a thousand casualties—a resounding success.
But as she oversaw the battlefield cleanup, a terrifying white pillar suddenly rose in the distance. It transformed into a sword of light, slashing in their direction.
Fortunately, the strike landed far from their position, and they felt no impact.
Still, the Bug Mistress worried for Nikki.
That place… it's exactly where Nikki is heading.
I must see for myself.
Before she could move, the carriage carrying Nikki's camp suddenly exploded. The high-grade beast-skin tent inside ignited with blood-red smoke, which quickly dissipated.
Nikki's utterly disheveled form appeared atop the carriage.
"Nikki-sama!"
The Bug Mistress shouted, running to her side to check her condition.
But no matter how she touched Nikki, there was no response. Nikki was hugging herself and swaying back and forth like a pitiful little girl just freed from a dungeon.
"Go…"
"What did you say, Nikki-sama?"
The Bug Mistress asked cautiously, afraid of further frightening her.
"Go. Take everyone and retreat. Leave here—we must return to the Aila Royal Court immediately."
"But Nikki-sama, we haven't found the angel or the Death Witch…"
"No need to look. With that monster's protection, only ghosts could retrieve the Death Witch from its hands."
"But…"
"Please, Bug Mistress, just take me away. If we delay any longer, it'll be too late."
Suddenly, Nikki's tone changed to one of pitiful pleading. She tugged at the Bug Mistress's sleeve, tears welling in her eyes.
Seeing Nikki so thoroughly terrified, the Bug Mistress sighed helplessly:
"Alright, Nikki-sama, let's return for now. I'll think of another way to locate the Death Witch."
Just as she spoke, an ill-timed voice rang out from behind them, breaking the tense moment:
"I hear you're looking for me?"