— That... that’s... a Dreadnought. What the hell is that armor?
Tyrin’s eyes widened.
Gertrudes grinned.
— Hah... now this is a challenge.
She raised her fist, her massive glove glowing with pure energy.
— CaoCao! Keep an eye on the turrets. Wait for me.
The monster charged forward, and the real battle began.
Gertrudes rushed in without hesitation, her clenched fist slamming into the creature’s carapace. The impact echoed across the battlefield, but to her surprise, the shell held firm against the initial blow.
For a brief moment, a glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes.
— Oh? Interesting...
A fierce smile spread across her lips.
She struck again.
And again.
And again.
Each blow was stronger than the last, until finally, the creature toppled onto its side. Its outer shell remained intact, but inside, it was completely destroyed.
An absolute victory.
Yet, instead of the satisfaction she had expected, a hollow frustration filled her chest.
"Tsk... and here I thought I had finally found a worthy opponent."
With a sigh, she dusted off her hands and, now with time to spare, turned her attention to her students.
— Let’s see how you two are holding up.
Gertrudes couldn’t help but laugh as she watched Tyrin, covered in insect blood, his eyes still gleaming with adrenaline. Luci, on the other hand, stared at him with a cold expression, showing no emotion beyond a slight hint of disdain.
— You’re enjoying this a little too much, kid — Gertrudes commented, crossing her arms with a smirk.
Tyrin was panting, his body still buzzing from the thrill of battle. He felt different. The rush of power coursed through his veins. But when he turned his head to the right, he saw Luci—untouched, spotless, as if the battle had never even happened.
Around her lay only corpses, each one sliced apart with surgical precision.
She didn’t fight like him. There was no mess, no carnage scattered at random. Every one of her strikes was efficient, calculated, and fatal.
Even Gertrudes was watching him with a questioning look.
— So much wasted movement… You have potential, but you’re inexperienced. Professor, I hope you know what you’re doing with him.
Luci’s tone was cold and analytical, as if Tyrin were nothing more than a poorly trained soldier rather than a teammate.
Tyrin felt shame seep through his skin, mixing with the sweat and dried blood. He had thought he was doing well. That he could stand on equal footing with a noble—someone who had trained her entire life, who had access to resources, mentors, and superior equipment.
But standing in front of her now, his brutality felt childish.
— Okay, guys. Let’s eat and get some rest. — Gertrudes broke the tension. — The next wave will probably be stronger, and they’ll have a better understanding of us. Tyrin, go take a quick shower.
He just nodded.
As he made his way toward the washrooms, Tyrin took the chance to glance at the other sides of the wall. They were still holding, but it was clear that the battle had taken its toll. Soldiers worked tirelessly to reinforce the barriers with metal plates and welding torches—a crude but necessary method to patch the defenses.
Tyrin frowned.
"I don’t know if they can withstand another wave..."
If the next wave was even stronger, the walls would fall.
And if the walls fell... everyone would die.
After his shower, he headed to the mess hall, where the atmosphere was a strange mix of euphoria and dread. Some soldiers laughed and drank, celebrating the victory, while others ate in silence, their eyes lost in the floor.
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The weight of war still hung over them all.
On the far side of the mess hall, Gertrudes and Luci were already seated, eating calmly.
— I’m here, guys.
Gertrudes lifted her eyes to him and gestured for him to come closer.
— Tyrin, sit down. We need to talk.
There was a weight in her voice that made him obey without question, not even bothering to grab his plate.
— This... this isn’t working. — Gertrudes was blunt. — You saw the other sides of the wall. They’re not going to hold.
Tyrin swallowed hard but nodded.
— I have an idea to buy us some time. — She continued. — The enemy’s main force will probably be concentrated on my side. If that’s the case, this is the perfect time for us to split up.
— What do you mean? — Tyrin frowned.
— Exactly what I said. — Gertrudes replied, taking a bite of her food and chewing before continuing. — You two will be separated. Tyrin, you’ll defend the north gate. Luci, the south. I’ll stay in the east, and CaoCao will cover the west.
The plan made immediate sense in Tyrin’s mind.
"If one side falls, they all fall."
It wasn’t enough to protect just one section of the wall. Every side needed to hold.
— Don’t worry. — Gertrudes continued, noticing the tension in his expression. — I plan to finish my fight quickly and come help you if necessary. But you need to hold out. And besides, this plan will probably only work once.
Tyrin took a deep breath.
"She knows I’m the weakest one here."
He knew Gertrudes was worried about him. That he was the weakest link in the team. But that didn’t matter. He had to prove he could fight.
— Don’t worry. — He said with determination. — I promise I’ll hold the north gate and do my best to protect the wall.
Luci smirked—just a small smile, but one filled with expectation and curiosity. Gertrudes, on the other hand, laughed with satisfaction, like she had just seen a puppy learn to bark for the first time.
The plan was set.
The food tasted like cardboard, but it filled their stomachs.
When he arrived at the north gate, Tyrin immediately felt the skeptical gazes of the soldiers stationed there.
— Is this a joke? — One of the men, a veteran, looked him up and down. — How exactly do you plan on helping us?
Tyrin took a deep breath.
— I need you to open the gate and let me out.
The soldiers exchanged incredulous looks.
— You’re going to fight alone?
— Yes.
The air was thick with doubt. They didn’t trust him, and Tyrin couldn’t blame them.
But he wouldn’t let it shake his focus.
He closed his eyes, took a slow breath, and murmured to himself:
— I just need to survive.
And then, he whispered the word that would bring clarity to his determination:
— Status.
🌀 STATUS 🌀
Level: 10
Classification: SSS / 00
Strength: 19
Endurance: 22
Speed: 19
Skill: 32
Psyche: 0
Available Points: 21
🌀 STATUS 🌀
Level: 10
Classification: SSS / 00
Strength: 19 → 22
Endurance: 22 → 37
Speed: 19 → 22
Skill: 32
Psyche: 0
— There. That should cover some gaps in my endurance. Now, let’s fight.
Tyrin planted his feet firmly on the ground, feeling the energy surge through his body.
He didn’t have to wait long.
Soon, the sound of heavy, relentless footsteps echoed on the horizon—the same ominous sound that had signaled the first attack.
This time, it was just him against the horde.
Looking at the enemy line, he realized that this group wasn’t as powerful as the one that had attacked the east side. But that didn’t mean the fight would be easy. There were too many.
— I need to take out those Dreadnoughts first. — He muttered to himself.
Three heavily armored insects advanced at the front, shielding the rear forces. Tyrin knew that if he didn’t eliminate them quickly, the turrets wouldn’t be enough to hold back the wave.
Gripping his spear tightly, he charged toward the monsters, shield raised, ready for battle.
He couldn’t just attack randomly. He had to aim for their weak points.
The eyes. The mouth.
That’s where Gertrudes struck. That’s where he would strike.
With a precise lunge, Tyrin thrust his spear straight into the first enemy’s eye. The monster screeched in agony, stumbling backward blindly, trampling the smaller insects behind it. It staggered a few more steps before collapsing, dead.
The soldiers held their breath, stunned by the successful attack.
But Tyrin didn’t stop.
He was already sprinting toward the next one. This time, he aimed for the creature’s open mouth, driving his spear in with all his strength.
The monster roared, halting its advance and thrashing violently. But it didn’t fall.
— Come at me, you son of a bitch! — Tyrin shouted, gripping his weapon tightly.
The giant insect, now enraged, bellowed like a maddened bull and charged straight at him, ignoring everything else.
That was exactly what Tyrin wanted.
He turned and ran toward the enemy army, using the very monster as a living battering ram. The smaller insects panicked, scrambling to get out of the way, but many were mercilessly crushed beneath the rampaging beast.
"This is working..."
Tyrin was preparing to finish the fight when a sudden chill ran down his spine.
An instinct—an immediate sense of danger—made him react at the last second, leaping to the side.
— What the hell was that?!
Before he could even process what had happened, the massive tank-like creature that had been chasing him was sliced in half.
The monster was slain in a single strike.
Tyrin’s eyes widened.
Standing before him was a new enemy.
The being was bipedal but had two razor-sharp blades instead of arms, resembling a mantis—but grotesquely more lethal. Its form was alien, incomprehensible, as if it had been sculpted for a single purpose: to kill.
Its arrival sent an immediate shockwave through the battlefield.
All the other insects backed away, leaving a wide space around the creature.
They feared it.
Tyrin swallowed hard.
— So, it’s just me and you?
The creature let out a metallic, distorted screech—a sound Tyrin couldn’t decipher as agreement or sheer fury.
And then, the Reaper lunged at him with blinding speed.
Tyrin instinctively raised his shield.
But it was useless.
The monster’s scythe pierced through the shield like paper, slicing clean through and nearly reaching his arm. The force of the impact sent him flying backward, forcing him to drop the ruined shield.
Now, he was defenseless.
— Shit. I need to find a way to avoid those blades!
The Reaper twirled its scythes, shifting into an attack stance.
Tyrin felt it in his bones.
This enemy was different.
It wasn’t just fast.
It was stronger than him.
And if he wanted to survive, he would have to fight with everything he had.
— If my endurance is higher than his, I can take him down. But if it’s not... at the very least, I can buy time until reinforcements arrive.