The valley stretched wide and deep before the Iron Grotto, a natural choke point surrounded by jagged cliffs and steep ridges. The wind carried the scent of damp stone and churned earth, mingling with the electric tension that gripped every soldier stationed along the defensive lines.
Arlan Reeve stood at the heart of his Banner of the Claw’s formation, far from the northern flank where Katalina Galdo’s forces were stationed. The banners of his command snapped sharply in the wind, their black and gold sigils marking the lion’s claw as the vanguard of this critical battle.
The soldiers surrounding him were resolute, their faces a mixture of steeled determination and simmering anxiety. Veterans and fresh recruits alike tightened their grips on shields and weapons, waiting for the enemy that would soon pour from the dungeon's shattered barrier. Most of whom were at least third-tier red-cores or second-tier white-cores.
“Maintain your focus forward,” Arlan commanded, his tone calm but edged with authority. His voice carried down the ranks, his presence like a beacon among them. "Remember your training. We are the tip of the spear. Nothing breaks us.”
At the base of the hill where Arlan stood, Erin paced alongside Dimitri. The two officers coordinated the vanguard with precise efficiency. Erin, clad in polished steel plate armor adorned with silver accents, exuded calm command. His formation extended from the Claw’s position, creating overlapping kill zones.
“I want wedge formations,” Erin told Dimitri, his voice sharp. “The Grand Marshal wants us to drill through, so we’ll do just that.”
Dimitri, imposing in his steel armor, nodded curtly. His shock troopers stood behind the main lines, their massive weapons at the ready. “All of you heard that! Captain Erin wants tight wedge formations, shift now!”
To the south, Duke Frank Lansley’s banners unfurled, their crimson and gold a stark contrast to the dark terrain. His forces were disciplined, a mix of experienced pikemen, mounted knights, and veteran adventurer parties. Frank himself sat astride a towering destrier, his ornate armor gleaming. His sharp gaze swept across his troops, silently assessing their readiness.
A shout broke the silence as one of Frank’s captains approached him. “Your Grace, the adventurer companies have fortified their positions. The S-Rank party, Green Raiders, is securing our right flank.”
“Good,” Frank replied curtly. “Tell them to watch for aerial threats. The gargoyles will come eventually.”
Back north, Katalina’s Galdo Banner occupied the high ground, just next to the Banner of the claw. Their formation was designed to rain destruction from above while her heavy infantry maintained their defensive lines.
Her mages were scattered along the ridges, their staffs and wands glowing faintly with prepared spells. Katalina herself stood atop a rocky outcropping, her emerald cloak whipping in the wind.
“We’ll bombard them as they advance,” she told her adjutant, her voice clipped but steady. “When I give the signal, the rangers will fire the first of three volleys. The continuous barrage should help thin out the numbers.”
“By your command,” the adjutant replied, saluting smartly before hurrying to relay her orders.
Meanwhile, back at the Banner of the Claw, Edgar and his Storm Riders prepared for their role in the battle. Mounted on warhorses, they represented the Banner of the Claw’s cavalry. Edgar checked the straps of his saddle as his second-in-command approached.
“Storm Riders are ready, sir,” the officer reported.
“Good, once the vanguard moves, we follow,” Edgar said, his tone calm but firm.
The valley fell quiet again, save for the rustle of wind and the faint murmur of troops preparing themselves for the chaos to come. From his vantage point, Arlan activated [Heraldic Vision], his eyes scanning the battlefield. Glowing arcs of mana outlined every position, giving him an omniscient view of the deployment.
“My liege,” Sophia’s voice chimed in, “Everyone is in position. The rift will collapse soon.”
“So it begins,” he muttered, nodding to himself.
Arlan was the spearpoint for the Banner of the Claw, right at the middle of the forward wedge with his strike team. He turned to his Banner, his voice cutting through the silence. “Prepare yourselves,” he said. “We fight to protect everyone behind us—our homes, our families. Fight with all of your might, my soldiers, and you will live forever.”
A ripple of affirmation ran through the ranks. The Banner of the Claw stood taller, weapons at the ready. In the distance, the Iron Grotto loomed, silent and foreboding.
And then, the first rumble came, shaking the earth beneath their feet. The air grew heavy, thick with the taint of dark mana. A black glow began to radiate from the mouth of the Iron Grotto, and the world seemed to hold its breath. Arlan tightened his grip on Starshadow, the mithril greatsword humming faintly in his hand.
The first tremors rolled through the valley like distant thunder, faint at first but growing steadily stronger. Soldiers shifted uneasily, their weapons clinking against armor as the earth beneath them seemed to groan. A low, guttural hum reverberated in the air, and the atmosphere thickened with a choking miasma. All eyes turned to the Iron Grotto, now glowing faintly with an unnatural light.
Arlan’s [Heraldic Vision] revealed a sharpening perspective of every detail of the battlefield. The dungeon's rift barrier of mana, a translucent shield of shifting colors, flickered erratically as its once-constant hum transformed into a sharp, dissonant whine. The projection of mana threads gave Arlan insight into the best deployment zones for his forces and a clear view of the horde’s advancing trajectory.
“They’re moving as predicted,” Arlan muttered, his voice carrying just enough for Erin to hear. “The mines will do their job.”
Erin nodded, “I’m curious how they will work.”
Behind them, the Vanguard from the Banner of the Claw stood at attention, their shields locked in tight formation. The tension in the air was palpable, but none showed fear. Arlan’s reputation and their meticulous training carried them through the growing unease.
“Steady!” Erin called out, his voice calm but commanding. “You’ve trained for this. They die as easily as anything else. Don’t lose focus.”
Suddenly, the barrier shattered. A deafening crack split the air, the sound akin to glass breaking on an immense scale. Shards of mana exploded outward, dissipating into faint embers before reaching the valley floor.
The ground convulsed violently, sending soldiers stumbling as the Iron Grotto erupted in a plume of black smoke. From within the darkness came a horrific, guttural roar that echoed across the valley.
The first dark fiends emerged moments later. They spilled from the gaping maw of the dungeon in a torrent, their grotesque forms twisting and writhing as they charged forward. Misshapen limbs, serrated claws, and malevolent red eyes gave them an otherworldly, terrifying appearance. Black miasma clung to their bodies, seeping into the earth with each step and leaving trails of corruption in their wake.
Hundreds became thousands within moments, and the tide of fiends surged toward the Royal Army’s lines like a living flood.
“By the gods…” one of Frank Lansley’s pikemen muttered, his voice trembling. “There’s no end to them.”
“There's an end to them…! And you're it!” Duke Frank barked, riding his destrier along the rear ranks of his formation. “Eyes on your pike and maintain your formations! Let them come—every single one will die before this line bends!” His tone softened slightly as he glanced at a young soldier struggling to steady his weapon. “And remember, you don’t stand alone. Trust your comrades.”
On the northern ridge, Katalina’s emerald eyes narrowed as she took in the horde. “Prepare the bombardment spells,” she ordered her mages, her voice as cold and clear as winter air. “Focus on density over range.”
“By your command,” one of her adjutants replied, already motioning to the mages to begin their chants.
Back in the central formation of the Royal Army, Dink Rorschach adjusted his gauntlets as the first mines detonated. Explosions erupted across the valley, obliterating the front ranks of the advancing horde.
The concussive force sent fiends hurtling into the air, their grotesque forms reduced to ash and ichor before they even hit the ground. Smoking craters carved through the horde, slowing their momentum.
“By Numens, what a sight to behold… Those ‘mines’ the Grand Marshal came up with are indeed effective,” Dink muttered to himself before turning to a nearby officer. “Get the battlemages ready for sustained fire. If they falter, we’ll plug the gaps. No hesitation.”
“Yes, Prime Minister!”
The soldiers cheered as the minefield wrought havoc, but the sound quickly died as another wave surged forward, their numbers undiminished.
“Ten thousand dead in moments,” Savage observed, his tone calm but laced with a predatory edge. He adjusted the heavy axe on his shoulder. “Shame there’s another ninety thousand left.”
“We’ll get through them,” Niren replied evenly, standing nearby. His silver armor gleamed faintly with holy light. “One fiend, one swing. Keep your focus.”
“Funny,” Savage replied, his lips curling into a grin. “I didn’t think Paladins believed in efficiency.”
“Keep it up,” JD interjected with a grin. “Maybe you two can make a competition out of it. First one to twenty Baphomet kills?”
“Easily,” Arlan said sharply, adding himself.
As the fiends closed in, the first bombardment spells rained down from Katalina’s position. Columns of flame erupted among the horde, consuming dozens of fiends at a time. Lightning arced through the masses, chaining between bodies with crackling efficiency, while jagged spikes of ice impaled entire clusters.
“More spells to the center!” Katalina shouted, directing her mages. “I want overlapping strikes—don’t waste your mana on the edges!”
The coordination thinned the advancing horde significantly by an additional 2,000 in front of the Galdo Banners, and the lesser Naraka Lords roared to rally their remaining forces.
Chrysta, standing beside Marie, smirked faintly as she surveyed the carnage. “Looks like Katalina is handling it well.”
Marie chuckled, a small fireball forming in her hand. “She’s just preparing them for us. We’re the main act.”
“And the glory of being the main act will be ours,” Frej said, her deep voice carrying a quiet confidence.
“And then,” Marie said with a grin, the fireball flaring brighter, “I’ll burn those bastards to ashes.”
Arlan’s voice cut through the rising tension. “Hold the line! Let them come to us. You’ve trained for this moment, and today, we fight as one! After the initial wave, we’ll charge on the signal!”
The fiends slammed into the first lines with deafening force, their claws scraping against shields and fangs gnashing at spears. The Banner of the Claw met the charge with unyielding discipline, their formation holding strong.
“Hold them where you stand, Vanguard!” Erin shouted as he swung into the initial reapers.
“We weathered that better than I thought,” Arlan yelled to Erin while he swung Starshadow with deafening force, cleaving through several fiends. “Marie! Now!”
“My pleasure,” Marie said with a sinister grin as her Lucifer’s Regalia flared to life. The demonic mana surged through her lanes, and she activated her [Hellborn] form. The fire around her intensified as she summoned [Wrath of Ignis], obliterating a formation of a hundred dark fiends in a single blast of searing flame.
With her demonic wings unfurled, Marie ascended into the air like a predator on the hunt. Each beat of her wings sent shockwaves of heat rippling through the battlefield. Strafing the flanks of the advancing horde, she rained down streams of fire, her attacks calculated to protect the Banner of the Claw’s inevitable advance. As she dove low, her flames igniting clusters of fiends with terrifying precision, a wicked laugh escaped her lips, echoing across the battlefield.
"Hey, Chrysta," Frej called out, her voice carrying over the clash of steel and the roars of dark fiends. With a quick motion, she unleashed [Thousand Needles], sending a storm of spear strikes tearing into a group of frozen enemies.
“Yeah?” Chrysta replied, her hands glowing with frost as she wove another ice spell to immobilize the oncoming wave.
Frej hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Marie is, uh… I’m glad she’s on our side.”
Chrysta smirked, the faintest hint of amusement breaking her focused demeanor. “You’ll get used to it,” she replied as if Marie’s fiery wrath and unhinged laugh were as routine to her as breakfast.
The clash between the Banner of the Claw and the advancing dark fiends grew fiercer with every passing second. Arlan’s vanguard, honed by all their rigorous training and tempered by the fire of prior battles, moved like a living blade. Shields locked together as spears thrust forward, cutting through the grotesque tide with unwavering precision.
"Vanguard, maintain the wedge formation!" Erin’s command rang out, his polished armor already smeared with the ichor of fallen fiends. He brought his sword down in a brutal arc, cleaving through a leaping fiend and kicking its remains back into the horde. “Keep pushing forward! Let’s clear this wave!”
Dimitri’s shock troopers split in two and formed on the vanguard’s flank, their massive greataxes poised. “You heard the captain!” he roared, his voice like thunder over the din. “It’s our turn! For Roderic and the Hatchets!”
The Banner of the Claw continued to grind forward, their movements calculated and relentless. Above the battlefield, Marie hovered on her demonic wings, her [Hellborn] form casting an ominous red glow across the valley. Streams of fire erupted from her hands as she strafed the edges of the fiendish horde, keeping the flanks from folding inward on the vanguard.
From her elevated position, Katalina observed the Banner’s advance with a calculating gaze. Her mages had shifted to secondary bombardment spells, targeting reinforcements emerging toward her heavy infantry. “Adjust the spell timing,” she ordered coolly. “There’s a two-second lag between volleys. Fill it with a [Chain Lightning]—don’t give them room to regroup.”
“Aye, milady!” her adjutant replied, rushing to relay the command.
“Excellent,” Katalina muttered under her breath as the mages’ spells tightened into a seamless barrage. The ground below the Galdo Banner’s lines glowed with the aftermath of relentless bombardment, blackened and scorched from the concentrated mana attacks. Katalina’s lines were holding well.
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Back in the thick of the battle, Frej broke through a cluster of fiends. “This is almost too easy,” she quipped, twirling her spear to deflect a claw strike before retaliating with a quick thrust.
“Don’t jinx us,” Yuna replied, shocking multiple dark fiends with her staff.
“Agreed,” Chrysta chimed in, her voice calm as she froze a new wave of enemies in place with a sweeping [Frost Surge]. “Save the chatter. They’re regrouping.”
On the left of the wedge’s point, Niren and Savage worked in tandem, their contrasting styles complementing each other. Niren’s precise defensive shield manuevers covered for Savage as he aggressively cleaved through anything in their path.
“I could get used to this,” Savage growled, slaughtering a baphomet with ease.
Niren blocked an incoming baphomet’s bone scythe as he replied, “Good cause we’re keeping up with Arlan like this.”
“This… THIS IS WHAT I FUCKING LIVE FOR!” Savage shot back, grinning as he split another fiend in half.
A guttural roar from the dark fiends before the Banner of the Claw cut through their banter. Three Lesser Naraka Lords appeared, their towering, twisted forms radiating dark mana. Their presence rallied the disorganized fiends, pulling the horde into a more cohesive assault.
“Sophia,” Arlan thought in his mind, “confirm new targets.”
“They’re Naraka Lords,” Sophia’s voice chimed through his Heraldic Vision. “Three of them. Fifty meters ahead of your position. Be cautious—they’re each at least a sixth-tier red-core.”
Arlan raised Starshadow high, the blade gleaming with an ethereal glow. “Strike team, on me! We’re taking on the three lesser Naraka Lords!”
Marie descended, landing with a flourish of flame beside Arlan. “Finally,” she said, grinning. “We can take them down easily this time.”
“Don’t go overboard with your mana,” Yanie warned, firing her bow at a few reapers. “We still have the entire Iron Grotto to fight through.”
“She’ll be fine,” Lucius replied, as he fired [Arcane Tribunal] from his artifact wand and his artifact goggles activated, “I sense that Marie still has ninety percent of her mana.”
Erin shouted to the vanguard, “Hold position! Keep the wedge intact until the strike team clears those Lords!”
Dimitri grinned, hefting his halberd. “They’ll deal with them for us; we’ll clean up the rest.”
The Banner of the Claw’s soldiers tightened their formation, spears and shields raised as the fiends surged forward again. Meanwhile, Arlan’s strike team pushed through the chaos, cutting a direct path toward the three lesser Naraka Lords.
On the far southern flank, Duke Frank Lansley’s forces continued to hold their position, too far to intervene but locked in their own fierce battle. His pikemen braced against an unrelenting wave of fiends, their precision and discipline keeping the line from breaking.
“Keep your formations tight!” Frank bellowed from horseback. “Adventurers, focus on those Naraka Lords that the Grand Marshal mentioned! I don’t want a single one breaching this line!”
Back at the Banner of the Claw, Arlan’s orders echoed within the Banner of the Claw’s forces. “No one breaks formation!” his voice rang out. “This is where we stand! This is where they fall!”
As the Banner of the Claw advanced further into the fray, the stage was set for the confrontation with the trio of lesser Naraka Lords. The line held strong, but the battle had only just begun.
The battlefield echoed with the clash of steel, crackling magic, and guttural roars as the strike team divided into two groups to engage the cleaver-wielding and glaive-wielding Lesser Naraka Lords. At the center of the chaos, Arlan stood alone, his imposing figure facing the greatsword-wielding Naraka Lord by himself.
The fiend’s weapon, a massive, rune-inscribed blade dripping with dark ichor, loomed like a monolith of destruction. Its evil eyes burned with primal malice as it stomped forward, dragging its blade through the ground and leaving a trail of scorched earth.
Arlan exhaled steadily, his aura flaring golden as his Monarch’s Regalia activated, sending waves of empowering energy across the battlefield. His strike team felt the surge, their core’s elevating a whole tier while his soldiers felt the renewal of [Crown’s Reprisal].
First on the left, Marie’s voice rang out over the din of battle, steady and commanding as flames crackled in her hands. “Savage, draw its attention! Keep it focused on you!”
“You got it!” Savage bellowed, his deep voice carrying a feral intensity as he activated [Bloodfury]. His muscles bulged, his Hek-Jefah physique glowing faintly with his enhanced aura. “Let’s dance, bitch!”
The cleaver-wielding Naraka Lord roared in response, raising its massive weapon and swinging in a wide, deadly arc. Savage ducked under the blow with surprising agility for his size, his greataxe arcing upward to bite deep into the fiend’s side. Black ichor sprayed across the ground, but the fiend barely flinched, turning to deliver a retaliatory blow.
“Niren, cover him!” Marie barked, her [Infernohand] flaring as she launched a burst of flame that licked around the fiend’s legs, causing it to stumble slightly.
Niren surged forward, his Archangel Regalia activating in a radiant burst of holy light. “[Blessing of Radiance]!” he called, slamming his shield into the ground. A wave of golden energy rippled outward, bolstering Savage’s strength and generating a mana barrier.
“Man-oh-man do I love this shit,” Savage growled, pulling his axe free from the fiend’s side. “I’m gonna beat this fucker’s ass!”
“I got you Savage! Overextend all you want!” Niren countered, raising his shield to intercept the fiend’s next attack. The cleaver smashed into his shield with a resounding clang, forcing him back a few steps. “By the light of Numen this thing hits hard!”
“Yes Paladin, yes it does!” Savage roared, swinging his greataxe again in a furious arc.
The Naraka Lord snarled, its movements speeding up as dark mana surged around it. It twisted suddenly, bringing the flat of its cleaver around in a sweeping strike aimed at Savage and Niren.
Yuna darted forward, her staff crackling with lightning as she activated [Thunder Shock]. The spell struck the cleaver-wielder in the chest, stunning it briefly and leaving its movements jerky and disjointed. “Now’s your chance, Akasha!”
Akasha materialized behind the fiend in a swirl of shadow, her vampiric aura radiating menace. “Gladly,” she said coolly, her voice tinged with dark amusement. Her claws extended as she cast [Impale], a jagged spike of bone erupting from the ground and piercing the fiend’s leg.
The cleaver-wielder bellowed in pain, thrashing against its immobilization.
Marie raised a hand, flames coiling in her palm as she prepared another spell. “Let’s keep the pressure on!”
“On it!” Yuna replied, leaping forward with her staff glowing. She struck the fiend directly, her enchanted weapon releasing bursts of kinetic force with each hit.
The Naraka Lord snarled, swinging its cleaver wildly in an attempt to shake them off. Its weapon smashed into the ground near Savage, who rolled aside with a grunt.
“You call that an attack?” Savage taunted, hefting his axe. “Let me show you how it’s done!” He charged again, landing a crushing blow against the fiend’s exposed side.
“Keep at it Savage!” Niren called, circling to the fiend’s other flank. His shield glowed with holy energy as he slammed into the fiend’s leg, further destabilizing it. “Akasha, can you hold it longer?”
Akasha smirked, her voice dripping with confidence. “It’s not going anywhere,” she said, extending her claws further and slashing at the fiend’s exposed back.
The cleaver-wielder roared, its dark mana surging again as it pulled free from Akasha’s impalement. It lashed out, slamming its cleaver down toward Yuna.
“I got it!” Niren shouted, rushing forward to block. He raised his shield just in time, the cleaver striking it with a deafening clang and sending sparks flying.
“I’m fine!” Yuna snapped, flipping back and firing another burst of [Thunderbolts] at the fiend’s face.
“Everyone, regroup!” Marie commanded, stepping forward and summoning a massive ball of flame above her head. “Here it goes!” she shouted, hurling an [Inferno Hand] at the fiend. The flames exploded on impact, engulfing the cleaver-wielder in an inferno.
As the smoke cleared, the Naraka Lord stumbled forward, its movements sluggish but still dangerous. Black ichor poured from its wounds, its dark aura flickering.
“Finish it now!” Marie shouted.
Savage roared, his greataxe glowing faintly as he channeled his fury into a final, devastating strike. The blade cleaved through the fiend’s torso, splitting it in half. The Naraka Lord let out a guttural cry before disintegrating into ash.
“Pathetic,” commented Savage as he spit on the body and raised his axe on his shoulder.
“You fight with ferocity like Arlan, Savage,” Niren stated, lowering his shield and catching his breath.
“Whatever you say, Paladin,” Savage replied with a grin.
Akasha stepped forward, her crimson eyes glinting. “I’ve never worked with such efficiency in a party.”
“This is normal,” Marie said, her voice calm but firm. She turned toward the others. “Regroup with the General.”
Before the Naraka Lord on the left was slain, Chrysta, Fiala, Lucius, JD, and Yanie faced a glaive-wielder Naraka Lord. Iits serrated weapon gleaming with dark energy as it spun in slow, menacing arcs. Black ichor dripped from its jagged blade, sizzling against the scorched earth.
“Standard Formation!” JD shouted, stepping forward with his mithril longswords drawn, their polished edges reflecting the ominous glow of the battlefield. His Hurricane Regalia activated, a faint wind swirling around him, making his strikes faster and sharper. “Chrysta, keep its movements locked down! Fiala, maintain the barrier!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Chrysta snapped, frost magic swirling around her. She raised her hands, summoning [Glacial Barrage]. A flurry of razor-sharp ice shards pelted the fiend, slowing its movements as frost crept up its legs. “It’s slowed, but not for long!”
“Then let’s not waste the opportunity,” JD said, charging forward. His dual mithril swords flashed as he closed the distance, each strike targeting the gaps in the fiend’s armor. He landed a hit on the Naraka Lord’s thigh, black ichor spraying from the wound.
The fiend roared, spinning its glaive in a wide arc aimed to cleave JD in two.
“JD, I got you!” Fiala called, her [Sanctified Barrier] flaring as the glaive struck it, the impact reverberating like a bell. The shield held firm, but the energy backlash forced JD to retreat a step.
“Thanks, Fiala,” JD muttered, resetting his stance. “Lucius, flank it! Yanie, hit the joints again!”
“Understood,” Lucius replied, his artifact goggles glowing as they scanned the fiend’s weak points. “Deploying Ancient Armor!” His wand shifted, encasing him in a sleek, glowing suit of ancient metal. “Yanie, aim for the left shoulder joint—movement there is unstable.”
“Heard!” Yanie replied, drawing a rune-tipped arrow and letting it fly. The projectile streaked through the air and struck the Naraka Lord’s shoulder, forcing its glaive to falter mid-swing.
The fiend roared again, dark mana swirling around it as it lashed out with renewed fury. It swept its glaive in a downward strike aimed at Chrysta, who barely managed to sidestep the blow.
“This thing hits as hard as the Demons from the Malum Incarnate!” Chrysta hissed, her frost aura intensifying as she cast [Frozen Grasp]. Icy tendrils erupted from the ground, coiling around the fiend’s legs and rooting it in place.
“That’s good enough!” JD shouted, leaping forward. He crossed his mithril swords, slashing at the fiend’s exposed arm. “Lucius, now!”
Lucius surged forward, the thrusters on his arcane suit propelling him like a battering ram. His enhanced fists struck the Naraka Lord’s chest, sending it stumbling backward with a booming impact.
“Nice hit!” Yanie shouted, firing another arrow at the fiend’s glaive hand, forcing it to drop the weapon temporarily.
“It’s open!” JD called. “Chrysta, finish the legs!”
“Of course, love!” Chrysta said, frost forming along her arms as she cast [Ice Nova]. A wave of freezing energy spread from her position, encasing the fiend’s lower body in solid ice.
The Naraka Lord bellowed in frustration, unable to free its legs as its dark mana flickered.
“Fiala, now’s your chance!” JD said, motioning for the cleric.
Fiala stepped forward, her staff glowing with divine light. “[Smite of Purity]!” she intoned, a radiant beam of energy striking the fiend square in the chest. The holy magic burned through its armor, revealing a glowing core beneath.
“It’s weakening!” Lucius shouted, analyzing the fiend’s movements. “Target its core—destroy it, and this thing’s done!”
JD nodded, twirling his mithril swords in a blur of motion. “Let’s finish this!” He darted forward, his strikes landing with precision on the fiend’s exposed core.
The Naraka Lord let out a final, guttural roar, its body shuddering as cracks of light spread across its form. With a deafening explosion, it disintegrated into ash, leaving the group standing amidst the smoldering remains.
“They’re not so bad when we handle them like this,” JD said, breathing heavily but with a triumphant grin.
Chrysta crossed her arms, her frost aura dissipating. “All that practice against Arlan really paid off.”
Lucius deactivated his armor, his artifact returning to wand form. “It was methodical. Exactly how it should be,” he replied, adjusting his goggles.
“You were pretty amazing with that artifact wand as well,” Chrysta shot back.
Fiala sighed, lowering her staff. “We’re not done here yet.”
JD sheathed one of his swords, gesturing toward the center of the battlefield. “Let’s regroup with Arlan and the others. Let’s move!”
Back at the center, before either side could slay their target, the greatsword-wielding Naraka Lord lunged, its blade carving through the air with deafening force. Arlan sidestepped the strike, Starshadow’s mithril edge gleaming as he retaliated with a precise upward slash that gouged the fiend’s arm.
“Sophia, analyze,” Arlan muttered, stepping back to avoid another swing.
The cool, composed voice of the Monarch’s Regalia resonated in his mind. “Analyzing target... complete. This Lesser Naraka Lord prioritizes brute strength over speed. Its wide swings leave its torso exposed during recovery frames. Watch for over-extensions on lateral strikes.”
The fiend growled, dragging its greatsword along the ground as it prepared another assault. Sophia’s voice continued, calm and precise. “Core analysis: elevated mana concentration in its upper chest. Possible reinforcement of vital zones. Its left knee joint shows minor instability—exploit to destabilize its stance. Estimated core breach achievable within two successive strikes.”
Arlan smirked faintly, gripping Starshadow with renewed focus. “Got it.”
The Naraka Lord swung its massive blade horizontally, aiming to cleave him in two. Arlan blocked and riposte into swinging Starshadow into the fiend’s knee with a powerful thrust.
The creature roared, stumbling slightly as black ichor spurted from the joint. Sophia chimed in again. “Destabilization achieved. Target’s balance impaired. Suggest focusing on downward strikes to pressure the injured limb.”
Arlan capitalized immediately, stepping forward and bringing Starshadow down in a crushing vertical slash aimed at the Lord’s wounded leg. The fiend faltered, its movements growing erratic as it swung wildly in retaliation.
“Observe pattern shift,” Sophia noted. “Erratic swings indicate reduced precision. Stay within close range to minimize the threat of its reach.”
Arlan weaved through the chaotic strikes with precision, Sophia’s analysis guiding his every move. Starshadow arced upward again, carving into the fiend’s torso and eliciting another guttural roar.
“Target weakened,” Sophia concluded. “Core integrity at sixty percent. Continue high-pressure engagement to force exposure.”
“Understood,” Arlan replied, his gaze locked on the fiend’s glowing chest as he prepared his next move.
Arlan crouched low, watching the Naraka Lord's desperate movements as its body faltered. The massive greatsword wavered in the fiend's grip, dragged more by its sheer weight than any remaining strength.
“Is it close?” Arlan muttered, gripping Starshadow tightly.
“Recommendation: [Titanstrike],” Sophia’s calm voice resonated in his mind. “Channel your five percent essence into a single decisive strike. This will breach the core and eliminate the target instantly. Estimated success: 97%.”
Arlan smirked faintly. “Good odds. Let’s end this.”
He planted his feet firmly, drawing upon his core’s reserves and channeling essence into his blade. Starshadow began to hum with raw energy, the mithril weapon pulsating as streaks of golden light danced along its edge. Around him, the ground cracked and trembled under the force of his gathering power.
The Naraka Lord roared, sensing its imminent demise. With a guttural snarl, it raised its massive greatsword for one final, desperate swing. Dark mana surged around the fiend, twisting and writhing like smoke as it poured its remaining energy into the attack.
Arlan lunged forward, activating [Titanstrike]. The infused Starshadow radiated blinding light as he brought it down in a colossal vertical slash. The force of the blow split the air with a deafening crack, the blade carving through the fiend’s chest and into its glowing core.
The Naraka Lord froze, its greatsword falling harmlessly from its grasp. A brilliant explosion of light and dark energy erupted from the shattered core, engulfing the fiend in a cascade of golden flames. The shockwave from the strike rippled outward, scattering ash and debris across the battlefield.
When the debris faded, Arlan stood amidst the swirling remnants, Starshadow gleaming in his hand. He exhaled slowly, the weight of the battle momentarily lifting as the towering Naraka Lord collapsed into dust.
“Nothing detected, the target has been eliminated,” Sophia confirmed, her voice serene.
In the distance, the strike team, now regrouped, approached through the haze of the battlefield. Savage, his axe resting on his shoulder, grinned wildly. “That was one hell of a move, Grand Marshal. You sure know how to put on a show.”
Marie landed beside Arlan, her fiery wings folding neatly as she surveyed the destruction. “Impressive as always, Arlan.”
JD approached with both his mithril swords and nodded. “I’ll admit, seeing that made me remember how strong you really are.”
Chrysta crossed her arms, her frost aura dissipating. “You’ve set the bar high, Arlan.”
Arlan’s gaze swept over the assembled team, his expression calm but resolute. “Good work, all of you. Now we move forward.”
As the strike team gathered around him, the battlefield around them continued to rage, the soldiers of the Banner of the Claw holding their positions with unwavering resolve. Ahead, the collapsed Rift loomed, its darkness seeping into the valley like a malevolent tide.
Arlan raised Starshadow, its glow casting a faint light over the strike team. “Into the abyss… Soketh’s waiting for us.”
The team nodded as one, their resolve steeling as they prepared to descend into the unknown.