The beasts had already begun to infiltrate the city by the time the captain of the city guard and Emma arrived at the gate. Emma’s sharp eyes scanned the chaos, her heart pounding. She knew there was no time to lose. “Stay here and hold the remaining monsters off! I’m heading to the city center to protect the civilians!” she shouted before vanishing into the narrow streets, leaving the captain with the daunting task of defending the gates.

The captain clenched his jaw and gripped his swords tighter. It was a difficult decision, but he knew she was right. He turned his gaze back toward the gate, where a cluster of beasts was swarming over the last of the defenders. Without hesitation, he charged forward, his body surging with energy. His aura flared, and as his skin flushed red with power, he leapt into the fray.

With a whirlwind of motion, he spun through the beasts, slashing them down one by one. His swords sliced through fur and flesh as the monsters recoiled from his presence, overwhelmed by his strength. Blood sprayed into the air, and the ground beneath him became slick with the remains of the creatures he felled. The defenders around him took heart as they saw the tide of battle begin to turn. They fought with renewed vigor, the will to survive surging through them.

At last, the final monster near the gate fell to the ground with a thud, its body lifeless. The defenders gasped for breath, their bodies battered and bruised but alive. For a brief moment, it seemed the worst was over. But as the captain turned to check on the survivors, his eyes caught movement in the corner of his vision. A shadow loomed large.

Without warning, several massive chunks of rock came hurtling toward him.

The captain barely managed to dodge in time, rolling to the side just as the debris slammed into the ground where he had been standing. His heart raced as he looked up to see the basilisk—the same creature he thought had been killed—still very much alive. The stone spike that had impaled its head was still lodged in its skull, and the flesh around it had begun to heal. However, the weight of the pillar forced its head down, severely limiting its movement.

"Impossible," the captain muttered under his breath, realizing that this monster wasn't done yet. The basilisk, despite its injury, was still a formidable opponent. The captain knew he had to end this now.

Steeling himself, he lunged forward, dodging the rocks the basilisk flung in his direction. He closed the distance, his swords flashing as they struck the creature’s thick, stony hide. The blows barely left a scratch, but the captain persisted, determined to find a weak spot. Then, without warning, jagged stone spikes shot up from the ground beneath him, forcing him to leap backward to avoid being impaled.

The captain panted heavily, retreating behind a crumbling wall for cover. He needed a plan—and fast. As he tried to catch his breath, a figure stumbled toward him. At first, the captain thought it was another beast, but then he saw that it was the bomber from earlier. The man was in terrible shape—one arm was gone, and a gaping, burnt wound marred his chest. Blood still seeped from his injuries, though the flames had cauterized some of the damage.

“Take this…” the bomber gasped, pressing his last bomb into the captain’s hand. "It’ll destroy the basilisk from the inside... You just need to get close enough to plant it." The bomber slumped to the ground, too exhausted to continue. He took a swig from a healing potion, but it was clear he wouldn’t be returning to the fight.

The captain looked down at the bomb—a small, black sphere with a skull engraved on it. It was his last shot. “Pull the cord,” the bomber murmured weakly. “Three seconds... Then run.”

Nodding grimly, the captain clutched the bomb tightly and moved from his hiding spot. He sprinted toward the basilisk, weaving through the barrage of rocks and debris it continued to hurl at him. When he reached the beast’s flank, he summoned every ounce of mana he had left, channeling it into his swords. The blades glowed red-hot, like molten steel fresh from the forge.

With a powerful cry, he slashed at the basilisk’s back, carving a deep "X" into its stony hide. The creature roared in pain, thrashing as it tried to shake him off. But the captain was relentless—blow after blow, he widened the wound, his strikes fueled by sheer determination. The basilisk attempted to retaliate, but each of its attacks was met with a crushing blow from the captain’s fiery swords, reducing its defenses to rubble.

Finally, when the wound was deep enough, the captain yanked the cord on the bomb and jammed it into the gaping cut. Without wasting a second, he leaped away from the creature and sprinted back toward cover. The basilisk’s shield began to regenerate, sealing over the wound, but it was too late.

A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield as the bomb detonated from within the basilisk. The mighty creature’s body ballooned outward before bursting apart, its remains scattering across the battlefield like shrapnel. The captain was thrown backward by the force of the blast, tumbling through the air. He twisted mid-fall, managing to land on his feet in a graceful flip. He skidded to a halt, his body trembling with exhaustion but still standing.

For a moment, there was silence. The captain fell to one knee, gasping for air, his body battered and drained from the battle. He allowed himself a moment of respite, the adrenaline slowly fading from his veins. But his moment of relief was short-lived.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Monsters began trickling through the gate once more.

The captain gritted his teeth, rising to his feet with a groan. "Does this ever end?" he muttered, gripping his swords tightly. His body ached, and his mana reserves were nearly depleted, but there was no time for rest. More monsters were coming, and the fight was far from over.

…

Emma raced through the city streets, her heart pounding with urgency. Her destination: the dome at the city center, where the remaining civilians sought refuge from the beast onslaught. As she sprinted through the narrow alleyways, she caught sight of isolated skirmishes. In various corners, desperate people were battling savage beasts, their cries for help echoing through the air. Emma's instincts screamed at her to stop, to aid those who were struggling, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on. Her hands crackled with magic, and she sent a few blasts toward the creatures nearest to her path, but there was no time to save them all. Stopping now could mean the fall of everything.

She reached the dome just as a green wolf, massive and radiating dangerous energy, was clawing at its stone walls. The beast had already torn large chunks from the structure, and it was only a matter of time before the monsters breached it. The citizens inside, their last hope, were in mortal danger. Emma's eyes widened as she saw the situation unfold.

Suddenly, magic flared from a nearby alley. Someone was launching spells at the wolf and its pack, drawing their attention away from the dome. Emma squinted, trying to make out the figure. Her heart froze when she realized who it was.

Matilda.

Matilda, along with a small group of defenders, had taken up the last line of defense between the beasts and the civilians. Emma's chest tightened with fear. Matilda was brave, but there was no way she and the others could stand against the rank 6 wolf. Not for long. It would tear through them like paper.

"Matilda, no!" Emma whispered in horror, her voice trembling with dread. The wolf's eyes glowed with fury, and it unleashed a barrage of wind blades, slicing through the air with deadly precision. Emma's stomach dropped as she screamed, "NOOOO!" But her voice was lost in the chaos, and the wind blades hit their mark.

The ground erupted in a cloud of dust and debris, obscuring her view. Emma's heart pounded in her chest, her pulse loud in her ears. She couldn’t tell if anyone had survived the attack, but rage and desperation overtook her. Fueled by anger, she charged at the beasts without hesitation.

In her hand, a sword of pure ice materialized, glowing with magical energy—a secret technique passed down through her family. Though she had never faced an enemy of this magnitude, her father's training surged through her veins. Her movements were swift, precise, and filled with purpose. She slashed through the wind blades that flew toward her, cutting through them with ease, as she closed the distance between herself and the wolf.

The beast lunged at her, massive claws aiming to shred her apart. Emma dodged at the last second, but the danger was far from over. The wolf’s claws extended unnaturally, glowing with magic, and just as they were about to strike her face, Emma’s icy blade flashed. With one fluid motion, she severed the wolf's claws. Her eyes narrowed in determination, and before the wolf could react, she swung her sword again, severing the creature’s right paw clean off.

The wolf howled in agony, rage filling its glowing eyes. It gathered energy in its mouth, preparing to unleash a devastating attack at point-blank range. Emma's instincts screamed at her to move, but there was no time. The creature’s magic exploded toward her. In a split-second decision, she raised her hand and conjured a wall of ice between her and the attack. The barrier shattered almost instantly under the force of the wolf's blast.

The searing heat of the magic surged toward her, and Emma braced for the worst. But just as the blast was about to hit, a golden shield flickered to life around her. Emma blinked in surprise, looking up to see Matilda, still alive and standing alongside a priest dressed in golden robes. The priest, missing an arm, held a scepter glowing with divine power. His remaining hand was outstretched, maintaining the golden barrier that had saved Emma’s life.

"Attack, now!" the priest bellowed, his voice filled with urgency.

Emma didn’t need to be told twice. She gathered the last of her strength and charged at the weakened wolf. The beast, still reeling from its injuries and the exertion of its magic, turned to face her, its maw gaping wide, ready to devour her whole. But Emma was faster. Her ice sword glowed brilliantly as she lunged forward, thrusting the blade in a fencing strike. The short sword suddenly elongated, becoming a spear of frost that pierced straight through the wolf’s open mouth and out the back of its head.

The wolf let out a final, guttural snarl before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. The remaining beasts, demoralized and leaderless, fell one by one as Emma and the priest finished them off. The defenders gathered in front of the dome, breathing heavily but victorious for now.

"Matilda!" Emma gasped, running to her friend, tears of relief in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her, grateful beyond words that she had survived. Matilda, equally relieved, hugged her tightly.

"I thought we were finished…" Matilda whispered, her voice shaking.

Emma pulled back, wiping her eyes. She turned to the priest and bowed deeply. "Thank you," she said earnestly. "You saved her life—and the lives of everyone here."

The priest nodded solemnly. "It’s my duty. This city is under siege, and I will fight to protect it, just as you do."

"How does it look at the main gate?" he asked, his expression grim.

Emma's face darkened. "The gate is lost. The city is under attack from all sides. We need to establish a new defensive line here to protect the civilians."

The priest's jaw tightened, but he remained resolute. "I’ve received word that a detachment from the church is on its way. They’ll be arriving any moment now, and they’ve brought a cardinal—a rank 7 mage. Reinforcements are coming."

The news spread through the survivors like wildfire, filling them with hope. They had been holding on by a thread, but the knowledge that powerful allies were on their way lifted their spirits. The atmosphere shifted, and for the first time since the attack began, they allowed themselves to believe they might survive this.

"Hold on a little longer," Emma said, her voice strong despite the exhaustion weighing on her. "We can still win this."

And with that, they prepared for the next wave, their determination renewed, the city’s fate resting on their shoulders.