Bear snapped his head toward the oncoming horde. “GET INTO POSITION!” he bellowed. His elite Xargian guards moved like clockwork, slipping seamlessly into formation. Each knew their role.
Vulture was the first to strike. She nocked an arrow, loosed it in a blink, and watched it bury itself into Big Bonker’s abdomen—only for the Minotaur to barely flinch. Too much muscle. Too much hide.
The Xandrian soldiers outside the barrier were scattered, many unarmed, caught between terror and survival. Niles sprinted toward them, two swords in hand. “Quickly!” he shouted. A few turned, confused, desperate. He extended a sword. “Take it!”
One soldier reached for the blade. And in that split second—his fingers brushing the hilt—he failed to see Niles’ other hand rise. A sharp arc sliced through the barrier’s edge.
The soldier gasped, a crimson line blooming across his throat, but the cut wasn’t deep enough to kill him outright. That honor fell to Hyena, who lunged without hesitation, skewering her own ally without a shred of remorse. A window blinked to life beside her:
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 78 EXP.]
“You damn trickster!” she snarled. Her eyes burned with fury. “I’ll be watching you! I won’t let you get a single experience point!”
Niles exhaled through his nose, annoyed. “Why won’t anyone ever let me level up the easy way?” His gaze darkened as it settled on her. “Also, I’m the least of your worries.”
Hyena blinked. And then she realized.
The Minotaur’s enormous hammer was already raised.
The Xargian Guard rushed to intercept, with Elephant at the forefront. “IRON FORTRESS!” he roared, his body hardening into solid steel—a living wall of defense. Big Bonker brought the hammer down with earth-shattering force.
The impact sent Elephant hurtling like a cannonball, slamming into the barrier with a sickening crunch. He coughed blood, barely clinging to consciousness.
“ELEPHANT!” The cry of his comrades split the battlefield.
Wolf reacted on instinct. His fury ignited. “YOU BASTARD!” he howled, charging the Minotaur head-on. Big Bonker swung—not the hammer, but his fist, a massive wrecking ball of flesh and bone.
Wolf dodged by a hair’s breadth, his blade finding purchase along the beast’s arm, carving a deep gash.
But the Minotaur wasn’t alone. The goblins swarmed, shrieking in triumph, waiting for Wolf to land, waiting to drag him down.
Then Bear tore through them.
Transformed. A rampaging force of nature. His beastly form barreled through the horde, swiping, crushing, clearing the way. Wolf landed on his back, using him as a springboard to dive back into the chaos.
A scream cut through the battle.
“HELP!”
Niles turned just in time to see it—the monstrous serpent slithering along the battlefield’s edge, its massive jaws clamping down on an unfortunate soldier. The man thrashed, his arms flailing as the beast lifted him, his screams raw with terror.
“I DON’T WANNA DIE!”
The serpent’s jaws snapped shut.
It swallowed.
And then its hungry eyes begun to search for another target.
Elephant gritted his teeth, using the barrier as leverage to push himself upright. Pain rattled through his body, but he shoved it aside. Reaching into a pouch beneath his armor, he pulled out a crimson vial, uncorked it with his teeth, and downed the liquid in a single gulp. A potion. The taste was bitter, but the effects were immediate—his muscles tensed, his breathing steadied.
His eyes swept the battlefield.
The horde was relentless, a tide of monsters crashing against their ranks, clawing, gnashing, trying to shatter their formation. One flank was losing ground, driven backward toward the barrier. The cause? A hulking, four-legged abomination—a chimera, its twin heads snarling, one lion, one goat, while its serpent-tail lashed violently. The poorly equipped soldiers stood no chance, their backs pressing against the magical barrier, their terror mounting.
And rushing toward them from inside the barrier—Felix.
“GET AWAY FROM THE BARRIER!” Elephant roared, his voice a desperate plea. But it was swallowed by the chaos—by the howls of monsters, the clang of steel, the dying screams of men.
Yet one Xargian guard heard him. He turned, saw Felix cutting through the soldiers inside the barrier with ruthless efficiency.
The system window flickered, updating frantically:
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 78 EXP.]
Another.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 98 EXP.]
Another.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 68 EXP.]
Another.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 58 EXP.]
Then—
[Level increased: 9 -> 10. Please select which stats to increase.]
Felix didn’t hesitate. “Strength.”
[Strength increased by 1.]
Another window flashed.
[Spike: You’ve reached level 10. You’ll feel an additional surge in power.]
A pulse of energy erupted from Felix’s body, a shockwave of raw force.
Another notification.
[Spike Strength: Your strength has reached level 10. You’ll feel a boost.]
A faint red glow flared around him before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. When Niles glanced his way again, Felix looked… different. Stronger. His stance more assured, his body leaner yet brimming with power. The general of Niceland continued his merciless assault, carving through enemies beyond the barrier without a moment’s pause.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 88 EXP.]
“That man is dangerous!” Elephant bellowed, pointing directly at Felix. “STAY AWAY FROM THE BARRIER!”
One of the Xargian guards had reached him. A soldier clad in heavy armor, his helmet shaped like the head of a crocodile, intercepted Felix’s blade with his shield, the clang of metal ringing through the battlefield.
“YOU FACE ME NOW!” the soldier declared, voice like thunder.
Felix didn’t respond. Instead, his gaze flickered past Crocodile—to Niles.
“NOW!”
As if on cue, both Felix and Niles pivoted, sprinting toward each other. They moved in perfect synchronization, a blur of speed and precision, exchanging places in the blink of an eye.
Hyena and Crocodile marked them, but the battlefield was too chaotic—too many moving pieces, too much bloodshed. The Xargian guards couldn’t keep up.
Then—a spear lunged through the barrier.
The tip scraped against Crocodile’s armor, ringing out with a sharp clink.
“I’m sorry, Sir Crocodile,” Winston’s voice came from the other side. “But please, go easy on us.”
The thrust lacked conviction. A mere distraction. But it was enough.
Felix seized the opening.
His next target—a soldier raising a bow, his back exposed, oblivious to the shadow closing in.
“NO! DON’T—” Elephant’s plea died in his throat.
Felix struck, swift and merciless, cutting the man down like a predator culling the weak.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 108 EXP.]
Felix’s gaze snapped to Elephant, who was charging toward him from inside the barrier. Instinct kicked in—Elephant threw himself backward, creating distance.
Crocodile was there in an instant, raising his shield in front of him. “Brother Elephant! Can you fight?”
Elephant forced himself upright, limbs shaking but steady. “Yes.”
“We need you on the front!” Crocodile barked.
But then—the sky darkened.
A rain of arrows. Hundreds, loosed from goblin bows.
The Xargian Guard’s armor held firm against the onslaught, the shafts clinking harmlessly off their plated bodies. But not all. Some arrows slipped through the weak points—gaps in the joints, exposed flesh. And worse, many soldiers had no protection for their heads.
They fell. Not instantly—some staggered, clawing at the shafts lodged in their throats, their skulls. But the battlefield had no mercy.
The Xargian Guard cut them down without hesitation. Their own allies, the wounded and dying. No hesitation. No remorse. Like they were expendable. Like they were nothing. Collecting their experience points.
Niles snatched a bow from the ground, knocked an arrow, and fired.
Hyena smacked it away with her sword.
“YOU DUMB GIRL, I WASN’T AIMING AT YOU!” Niles shouted.
Hyena scoffed, assuming it was a joke.
Then—
“HYENA, WATCH OUT!”
Too late.
The serpent struck, its fangs sinking deep into her flesh. Agony, raw and immediate, ripped through her body. She screamed, the sound guttural, primal. Her sword lashed out, stabbing the writhing beast in desperation.
Vulture was already moving, a dagger flashing as she hurled it into the serpent’s eye. A heartbeat later, she loosed an arrow at point-blank range, driving it deeper.
The beast recoiled, screeching, and dropped Hyena from its jaws.
Hyena collapsed, sobbing, blood gushing from the gaping wound in her leg. Vulture was at her side in an instant, fumbling for a potion hidden in her clothes. She poured the liquid over Hyena’s wound, but—nothing. The injury was too severe.
“NILES!” Vulture screamed, her voice raw. “PLEASE, LET HYENA INSIDE THE BARRIER!”
Niles hesitated for only a second before dashing toward the barrier. “GET HER INSIDE!” He shouted.
"Please" Vulture pleaded one last time, her voice breaking. “Please… don’t kill her.”
“I won’t,” Niles said, nodding. “Quickly, now!”
He reached out, grasping Hyena’s trembling body. The barrier shimmered, awaiting his command. He accepted. The moment she crossed the threshold, healing magic wrapped around her wounds, faint green light sealing the worst of it.
Hyena gasped, catching her breath, her body still trembling.
She looked at Niles, tears streaking her dirtied face. “Thank you… Thank you so much, Sir Niles.”
But Niles’ expression darkened.
His hands moved with purpose, accessing the guest protocol. With a single command, he revoked Hyena’s access to the barrier.
The magic turned against her.
The wind roared, surging with brutal force.
Hyena’s body was wrenched from the ground like a ragdoll, flung helplessly through the air—out of Niceland. She screamed, but the sound was swallowed by the battlefield.
The minotaur was waiting.
Big Bonker, its massive frame covered in battle scars, had been forced back earlier. But now, as Hyena’s body soared toward him, he raised his stone hammer.
Like a baseball player, he swung.
The hammer connected.
Hyena’s body snapped like a twig.
The sound was sickening. A crunch that echoed over the battlefield. Instant death.
Winston’s voice rang out, almost casual. “Big Bonker leveled up again. Level 69.”
Niles nodded. “Nice.”
Vulture had seen everything.
Her trust—shattered in an instant.
“NILES! YOU BASTARD!”
Her scream was pure rage, raw betrayal. Tears streaked down her face as she pulled back her bowstring and fired. But the barrier held, as it always did.
“I TRUSTED YOU!”
Niles bent down, picking up a fallen spear. His eyes were colder now. Calculating.
“And I kept my promise,” he said, leveling the spear at her. “I told you I wouldn’t kill her.” He exhaled, tilting his head toward the minotaur. “Big Bonker did.”
Vulture’s breath hitched.
Niles’ grip on the spear tightened. His voice was sharp as a blade.
“Trust is a fragile thing. Takes years to build, but only seconds to break.”
His voice rose.
“I INVITED YOU TO MY TABLE—AND YOU TRIED TO KILL ME AND MY FRIENDS!”
The battlefield seemed to hold its breath.
“THAT TRUST IS BROKEN FOREVER!”
Vulture trembled, fists clenched. Her rage dimmed into something hollow.
“We only did what we were ordered to…” she murmured.
Niles’ fury softened just enough for clarity to slip in.
“Then why does Elephant do things differently?” His voice was quieter now, almost thoughtful.
“He should’ve been your leader.”
Several soldiers were pressed against the shimmering barrier, desperation in their eyes. Niles exhaled and allowed them inside.
"We're saved!" one of them gasped, bewildered.
Then, just as quickly, Niles removed their access.
The barrier roared to life, hurling them back into the chaos of battle. Their screams were swallowed by the clash of steel and the guttural shrieks of goblins. The creatures pounced, crude weapons hacking and tearing.
Felix’s voice rang out through the bloodied air: “Speed!” Another level-up.
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Niles barely reacted, turning his gaze to Vulture. "If I let you in, can you promise you won’t harm me or my friends?"
Vulture hesitated. Around her, soldiers were being cut down. Panic spread like wildfire.
"We can't hold them off much longer!" a soldier cried.
"Get to the ships!" someone else yelled.
But then came Bear’s thunderous roar: “STAND YOUR GROUND! KEEP FIGHTING!”
The men wavered, torn between orders and survival.
Niles sighed. "Vulture, your commander will have you fight to the last breath. But I need you. Please, join us."
Vulture shook her head. "We can still escape. The boats on the beach—"
Niles exhaled sharply. "Your ships are inside my barrier."
Her breath hitched. "...What?"
"Everything was planned," Niles admitted. "From the moment you set foot here, I knew the monsters would attack. I only needed to stall long enough to take control. That’s why I invited you to eat with us. That’s why I let this battle play out. Now, I hold all the cards." His voice softened. "But I don’t want to kill you. I want you to help save the people you care about."
Vulture hesitated, then nodded. "...Okay. I’ll trust you."
"Then drop your weapons. All of them."
She complied, unfastening her armor and letting it fall to the bloodstained ground.
"Now, walk backward to the barrier. Hands behind your head."
Doubt flickered in her eyes. "How do I know you won’t kill me?"
Niles sighed. "You don’t. Just like I trusted you."
After a pause, she obeyed, stepping slowly toward the barrier.
Then—
"NILES, STOP!" Elephant roared.
Vulture barely had time to process his words before the spear punched through her chest.
Her breath caught. Blood bubbled on her lips. Eyes wide, she turned—just in time to see Niles raising his sword.
"Why?" she whispered.
Niles’s expression was steady. Honest. "I told you. Trust, once broken, is gone forever."
With his other arm he raised a sword. A swift, clean arc.
Vulture crumpled. Lifeless.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 308 EXP.]
A second window flickered to life.
[Level increased: 5 -> 7. Please select which stats to increase.]
[Name: Niles]
[Skill: Barrier-ish]
[Level: 5 -> 6]
[Strength: 3 -> ?]
[Stamina: 2 -> ?]
[Speed: 2 -> ?]
[Magic: 1 -> ?]
[Spirit: 1 -> ?]
"Strength," Niles muttered.
[Strength increased by 1.]
Another window.
[Please select an upgrade for Barrier-ish.]
* [Farming: Receive a couple of corn seeds. They’re really fluffy when popped.]
* [Plantation: Receive a couple of banana tree seeds. The fruit is really sweet.]
* [Orchard: Receive a couple of apple tree seeds. The fruit is really tasty.]
Niles stared at the choices. The battlefield raged around him, but at this moment, all he could do was sigh.
In the midst of battle, Niles glanced at the upgrade options.
"Man, these choices are awful!"
He thought back to the previous upgrades—each one had been far more exciting. But with a battlefield raging outside his barrier, he couldn’t afford to dwell on it for long.
"Fine, apples it is. Lina will probably like them."
[Selection acknowledged. Orchard locked in.]
A small leather pouch materialized beside him. Niles grabbed it and tucked it into his clothes without a second thought. But since he had leveled up twice, another selection screen appeared.
"Strength," he muttered.
[Strength increased by 1.]
Then, once again, the window returned—offering more possibilities for Niceland’s development.
[Please select an upgrade for Barrier-ish.]
* [Code of Laws: Once a month, establish a new law that takes effect within the barrier.]
* [Song of the Morning: A heavenly choir sings over Niceland each morning.]
* [Outdoor Gym: A fully equipped outdoor gym to enhance physical training.]
Niles groaned. "Another bad draw?"
"Song of the Morning? No way—I need my sleep."
He eyed the gym option. "Could be useful… but we can train just fine with our own body weight."
That left only one reasonable choice. "Code of Laws."
[Selection acknowledged. Code of Laws locked in.]
Niles made a mental note to check out the new feature later.
Felix’s voice rang out again: “Speed!”
"That must be his third time… he's gotta be at least level twelve by now."
Niles sighed. "I can’t let him carry Niceland on his own."
Gripping his spear, he turned toward the barrier—ready to rejoin the fight.
Then something unexpected happened.
Aurelia.
She stood outside the barrier, golden hair shimmering, her pristine dress torn just enough to show she’d been struggling. Her blue eyes locked onto his.
"Sir Niles!" she screamed. "Please help me!"
Niles’s eyes widened. His heart pounded.
He rushed toward the barrier. “Aurelia?! What are you doing here?”
“The Xargian Guard kept me on the ship!” she cried. “They planned to use me as a hostage to force you out! But when they realized they couldn’t wait any longer to surrender, they brought me here!”
Niles opened the guest protocol. “I’LL LET YOU IN!”
His fingers flew over the interface, searching for her name.
“Hurry!” she pleaded.
Then he saw it.
[Chameleon.]
His hands froze.
His heart twisted in his chest as he looked up at her—her familiar, pleading expression.
"Please save me!" she begged.
Niles clenched his jaw. He grabbed his chest as if he could steady the ache in his gut.
"You look just like her," he whispered. "But you're not Aurelia."
The woman flinched. Then quickly shook her head. “Yes, I am!”
Niles exhaled. “Okay. What’s your father’s name?”
Without hesitation, she answered. “Aldric! Please, Niles, let me in now!”
Niles sighed. "Damn. That one was too easy… that's on me."
His gaze sharpened. “Chameleon.”
The woman’s lips twitched. Then curled into a slow, wide smile.
“Oh? How keen-sighted of you," she purred. "Was it my performance? Or was it your barrier that gave me away?"
Niles didn’t answer.
Instead, he thrust his spear through the barrier.
The imposter—Chameleon—darted back, effortlessly evading the strike.
In a fluid motion, his form shifted, his disguise unraveling. Green hair tumbled over his face as he smirked, brushing it aside.
"Well played," Chameleon mused. Then, without another word, he melted into the battlefield, disappearing into the chaos.
The battlefield was chaos.
Xandrian soldiers clashed with the monstrous horde, their shouts of leveling up drowned beneath the roars and screams of war. Yet, despite their efforts, they were being overwhelmed.
The massive reptilian beast found a new victim, swallowing a struggling soldier whole. Nearby, the chimera battled fiercely against a squad of Xargian guards, its many limbs and fangs striking with deadly precision. The rest of the elite Xargian warriors worked together, trying to keep the Big Bonker at bay.
Shark fought alongside Bear. With a commanding voice, he activated his skill.
“DEEP WATER!”
The ground beneath the minotaur turned to a pool of liquid, dragging the beast downward. The Xandrian soldiers seized the opportunity.
“WE GOT HIM NOW!” Bear roared, the might of the Xargian Guard on full display.
But the Big Bonker wasn’t done. With a monstrous swing, its enormous hammer crashed into a group of soldiers, sending bodies flying.
Then, the system announced the nightmare.
[LEVEL 70.]
Winston’s voice cracked as he screamed, “It leveled up!”
A powerful shockwave erupted from the minotaur’s body, rattling the ground. It was growing—larger, stronger.
Niles felt it. Everyone did.
"Do monsters spike in power when they level up too?"
The beast roared, the force of it tearing leaves from the trees, making branches lash like whips.
Elephant’s voice cut through the noise. “BEAR! WE HAVE TO RETREAT!”
Wolf staggered, exhausted. Many of the soldiers could barely stand.
“BEAR!” Elephant roared again, straining just to stay on his feet. “WE HAVE TO SURRENDER!”
Elephant’s gaze swept across the battlefield. Their flanks were collapsing. Less than half of their forces remained.
At the rear, Felix, Niles, and Winston cut down any soldier who strayed too close.
Crocodile turned, trying to assess the battle. “BEAR!” he shouted—
An arrow pierced through his helmet, striking his eye.
His scream was sharp, raw. He wasn’t dead, but the pain was unbearable.
“CROCODILE!” Elephant bellowed, watching his comrade writhe.
Still, Bear fought on as if blind to the reality closing in around them. “KEEP FIGHTING!” he roared.
Then, from the treeline, more enemies emerged.
Goblins, mounted on feline beasts, rushed into the fray—reinforcements for the monster horde.
Winston’s voice was hoarse as he screamed, “LEVEL 120 INCOMING!”
Elephant went pale.
If a level 70 minotaur had already pushed them to their limit, then a level 120 creature was an executioner’s blade descending on them all.
“BEAR, WE NEED TO SURRENDER!” Elephant repeated.
But Bear ignored him. Instead, he clenched his fists and roared, “STRENGTH!” leveling up in defiance.
“FIGHT FOR THE GLORY OF XANDRIA!”
"Watch out!"
Shark’s warning came too late.
The chimera had broken free.
It lunged at Bear, fangs bared.
Shark moved on instinct, throwing himself in front of the attack. His shield intercepted the beast—
But its tail, a venomous snake, lashed out.
The fangs sank into Shark’s neck.
His body froze.
His voice failed.
He could only watch, trapped in his own paralyzed body, as the Big Bonker raised its massive hammer.
And then it struck.
Another Xargian Guard had fallen.
For Xandria, it was more than a death—it was a disaster. The empire had poured wealth, time, and training into these elite warriors, their skills deemed irreplaceable in war.
The remaining Xandrian soldiers, now desperate, pounded against the barrier.
“LET US IN! PLEASE!”
Niles approached, watching them plead. There was no truce. No surrender.
Not from the commander who had waged war against him and his friends.
Niles exhaled.
“Wait, I’ll see what I can do.”
The soldiers, faces filled with hope, leaned forward.
Hope met cold steel.
Niles’s hidden blade cut clean through the first man.
The others scattered, screaming in terror.
[You’ve defeated a human – You’ve received 128 EXP.]
[Level increased: 7 → 8. Please select which stats to increase.]
[Name: Niles]
[Skill: Barrier-ish]
[Level: 8]
[Strength: 5 → ?]
[Stamina: 2 → ?]
[Speed: 2 → ?]
[Magic: 1 → ?]
[Spirit: 1 → ?]
Without hesitation, Niles selected Strength.
[Strength increased by 1.]
Then, his favorite screen appeared.
[Please select an upgrade for Barrier-ish.]
* [Clean Clothes: Clothes and garments in Niceland will be cleaned overnight.]
* [Clean Water: Water in Niceland will have no harmful pollutants]
* [Clean Air: Air in Niceland will have no harmful pollutants.]
Niles groaned, slapping his forehead. "ALL OF THESE ARE OVERPOWERED!"
He threw up his hands. "Why couldn’t I have gotten these separately earlier?! The world is so cruel!" He sighed dramatically, then muttered, "Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll get another chance next level up..."
As he weighed his options, Winston stepped forward. "Mind if I offer some advice?"
Niles nodded.
"If we’re thinking short-term, Clean Clothes is the best option," Winston said. Then he added, "But we’re not here for short-term gains, are we?"
A grin tugged at Niles’s lips. "That’s right."
Winston pressed on. "We can survive days without water, but only minutes without air."
Niles chuckled. "Good point." Then, turning back to the menu, he made his choice. "Clean Air."
[Selection acknowledged. Clean Air locked in.]
"Thanks, Winston," Niles said, smiling.
Winston gave a small nod. "Thank you for listening, Sir Niles."
Niles shifted topics, holding up eight fingers in front of Winston’s face. "By the way, I think I outlevel you now."
Winston smirked. "Guess I better catch up then."
Across the battlefield, Felix's voice rang out. "SPEED!"
Another level-up. Winston glanced at him. "Level 13."
Niles gripped his weapon. "All right, let’s see what other upgrades we can get for Niceland."
Winston nodded in agreement.
Then another wave by the monster horde.
The goblins, riding their feline mounts, swarmed the remaining Xandrian soldiers.
Bear saw it. His face twisted in frustration. Then, at last, the words they had all been waiting for:
"RETREAT!"
But it was too late.
One of the Xargian Guards was tackled off his feet by a goblin rider. "GET IT OFF ME!" the soldier screamed. "Bear, HELP!"
Bear didn’t turn back.
He ran.
The Xargian Guard’s scream was drowned out by the chaos.
Bear and what was left of his forces rushed toward the barrier. His voice was desperate. "SIR NILES, WE SURRENDER!"
Too late.
Only a third of their army remained. Of the elite Xargian Guards, barely half had survived.
Niles exhaled. "Finally, he’s thinking straight."
The Xandrian soldiers surged toward the barrier, desperation in their eyes. The remaining Xargian Guards followed, exhaustion weighing them down.
Niles steadied himself. "Winston, Felix, stand by me."
Together, they stepped back further inside the barrier.
Niles took a breath and began allowing them through.
First Elephant. Then Wolf. Then a nameless soldier, collapsing inside the barrier the moment she made it through.
Niles reached for the next one—
[ERROR: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED – 10/10]
Niles’s eyes widened. Then widened even more.
"WHAT?!?" he gasped. "THERE’S A LIMIT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE IN HERE?!"
Outside, Bear and the remaining soldiers pounded on the barrier with frenzied desperation. "PLEASE! LET US IN!" Their voices were raw with fear, each passing second costing another Xandrian life.
Niles gritted his teeth. "THE BARRIER CAN’T TAKE ANY MORE PEOPLE!" His mind raced. "GET TO THE SHIPS AT THE BEACH! WE’LL PULL THEM FREE FOR YOU!"
He spun toward Winston and Felix. "HURRY!"
Without hesitation, the two bolted toward the shore, sprinting to free the trapped ships inside the barrier’s reach.
Wolf groaned as he pushed himself to his feet. Without a word, he turned toward the barrier’s edge.
Niles’s head snapped toward him. "Where do you think you’re going?!"
Wolf barely spared him a glance. "To protect my family." His voice was firm, resolved. "Let one of them in instead."
Niles clenched his jaw. Then he flicked his fingers, opening the guest protocol. He modified Wolf’s restrictions—keeping him inside the barrier, but preventing him from leaving.
Wolf took another step. His body jerked to a stop. "What—?!"
Niles shouted, "Vulcan would never forgive me if you died!"
Wolf whirled around, fury burning in his eyes. "THAT OLD MAN?! HE’S NOT MY FATHER!"
Niles groaned, rubbing his temples. "JUST SHUT UP AND STAY PUT!" He locked eyes with Wolf, voice steel. "YOU’RE BEING RECRUITED—AS PART OF THE NEGOTIATION TERMS WITH BEAR."
Wolf stiffened. His fingers twitched toward his blade. "I’LL END YOU!"
Niles barely reacted. He whispered, "Code of Laws."
A glowing interface snapped into view.
“Add a new law. Wolf must obey all my commands” Niles said.
The system flared red.
[ERROR: Law cannot be implemented. Reason: Impossible.]
Niles scowled. "Fine." He tried again.
“Add law: no lethal violence between party members inside Niceland.”
The system pulsed green.
[Law 1: No Lethal Violence – Activated.]
Wolf tensed, his hands clenching and unclenching. Before he could test the law, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
"Wolf."
Wolf turned, eyes locking onto the familiar figure. "Brother Elephant."
Elephant didn’t hesitate. His fist slammed into Wolf’s jaw.
Wolf staggered, barely catching himself before hitting the ground.
Elephant’s voice was rough with disappointment. "How dare you disgrace the honor of the Xargian Guard?" His glare was sharper than any blade. "I taught you better than that."
Wolf’s expression twisted, not with physical pain, but something deeper. "But I only—"
Elephant knelt beside him, offering his hand. "You are not your helmet. You are not a beast. Inside, you are a man." His voice cracked. "And a man keeps his promises."
Slowly, Elephant removed his own helmet. Tears streaked his face. "Please... honor the agreement."
Wolf let out a slow, shaky breath. "Brother Elephant."
Then, he tore off his helmet and forced back his own tears. "Only because you ask." His voice wavered. "And only for now."
Elephant turned to Niles and bowed his head. "Thank you, Sir Niles. I swear on my honor—Wolf will not act recklessly again."
Niles didn't smile. His eyes lingered on Wolf. "I trust your word, Elephant... but not him." His tone hardened. "He’ll have to prove himself."
Elephant nodded solemnly. "Aye."
Niles exhaled sharply. "The battle’s not over yet!"
At the beach, Winston and Felix struggled to drag the captured ships back into the water, but they were running out of time. The small remaining force was barely holding on.
Niles stretched out his hand. "BARRIER!"
A shimmering window materialized beside him.
[Barrier-ish: 6087 m² of 11000 m² used.]
Without hesitation, he twisted his fingers through the air, expanding the barrier in sharp, jagged tendrils to cut off the incoming enemy charge.
It worked. Mostly.
The goblins and their beasts were split apart, confused by the shifting walls.
[Barrier-ish: 8227 m² of 11000 m² used.]
Niles wiped the sweat from his brow. "Just a little longer..."
But the enemy wasn’t deterred. They simply followed the edge of the barrier, searching for a way around.
Felix and Winston didn’t wait. Weapons drawn, they struck back at the charging monsters. Winston, surprisingly, found himself leveling up—his strikes sharper, his movements more determined. Fighting monsters, it turned out, came easier to him than fighting fellow humans.
A monstrous Chimera lunged at the barrier, its massive fangs and writhing snake-headed tail striking furiously. But the barrier held firm, impenetrable.
Beyond it, the surviving Xandrian soldiers and the remaining Xargian guards rowed toward the massive naval warship anchored offshore.
Then The Big Bonker—the towering brute of muscle and malice—charged after one of the retreating boats. With a deafening roar, it swung its hammer.
CRACK!
The impact crushed part of the hull, sending men plunging into the water. Some managed to swim toward the ship, but those still clad in armor sank before they could even scream. And from above—it rained arrows.
Crocodile, one of the Xargian guards, was barely holding on. An arrow was still embedded in his eye, blood clouding his vision. He staggered toward the water—only for a swarm of goblins to pounce on him. The last thing seen of him was a sea of green bodies, dragging him under.
Bear, in his massive beast form, swam with sluggish, desperate strokes. The weight of fatigue threatened to pull him under, but he pushed forward, his head barely above the waves. Finally, he reached the ship’s anchor and clawed onto it, gasping for breath. With a ragged growl, he let his body shift back to human form.
Armor was dead weight. Without hesitation, he tore it off, letting the metal sink into the abyss.
Above him, the remaining soldiers on the ship scrambled to help. "GRAB THE ROPE, BEAR!"
Bear’s fingers latched onto the rough fibers. As he was hoisted up, his gaze drifted back toward Niceland, to the chaos still unfolding.
His voice came in a breathless rasp. "Madness. This is madness." He clenched his fists, his body trembling. "Monster Island... it's not a battlefield, it’s a death trap. We’d need a whole army just to hold the damn place."
The moment his feet hit the deck, he collapsed onto his back, his chest heaving. Medics rushed over, pressing their hands to his wounds, assessing the damage.
Of the force sent to capture Niles and occupy Niceland, 50 soldiers and 12 Xargian guards had landed. Now, only 14 soldiers and 5 Xargian guards remained.
Among the elite, only Elephant and Wolf were still standing on Niceland. On the Xandrian warship, Bear, Chameleon, and Jackal had managed to escape.
They were alive—but barely.
Their bodies were torn and bloodied, exhaustion weighing on them like lead. Among the surviving regular soldiers, some were so gravely injured that they might not live to see the morning. But worse than the wounds—worse than the pain—was the silence.
The grief.
The betrayal.
A soldier, still soaked in seawater, turned his hollow gaze toward the Xargian guards. His voice was bitter, raw.
"You’re not human. You’re beasts."
His hands trembled.
"I saw you cut down our own allies. They might have survived... but you were too obsessed with claiming their experience."
The Xargian guards didn’t respond. Their faces remained cold, unreadable, offering no glimpse of remorse. But deep within, they felt it—perhaps more than they dared to show.
Every Xargian guard had been raised together, trained in isolation, shaped into elite warriors forged in the same fire. To lose a single member was to lose a piece of themselves.
At the beach, the monstrous horde launched a few more assaults against the barrier, testing its strength. But it held firm, unyielding.
Realizing their efforts were futile, The Big Bonker let out a guttural roar before stomping back toward the wilderness. One by one, the remaining monsters followed, vanishing into the dense jungle.
Bear and Elephant sat back, panting, their bodies still aching from the battle. But then—a soft, green light flickered over their wounds.
Elephant blinked. "What is this?"
Niles dropped beside him, exhaling. "Lesser healing. It restores one percent every day."
Elephant stared at his slowly closing wounds, the implications settling in. "That… that would be incredibly useful." A thought struck him. "What if Niceland became a vassal state of Xandria? Our king would gladly send injured troops here to recover. And perhaps, in return, we could guarantee your safety."
Niles let out a short laugh, waving the idea away. "I’ve seen your king’s 'kindness' firsthand. No thanks. We aim to be our own nation."
Elephant gave a slow nod, but after a moment, he pressed on. "Would you consider accepting payment to treat the injured?"
Niles tilted his head, considering. It was a sharp business proposal.
"Normally, yes. But there’s a currency your crown is short on."
Elephant frowned. "What currency exists beyond gold?"
Niles exhaled, his gaze drifting toward the sky. "Trust." He leaned back against the sand. "But then again, I’m open to ideas."
Nearby, Wolf lay flat on his back, staring up at the sky. "The air here is nice."
Elephant took a deep breath, the salt and freshness of Niceland filling his lungs. "Yeah," he admitted. "Compared to our capital, it really is."