On the edge of a towering skyscraper, a 19-year-old girl named Mia Galeblade stood, her emerald eyes filled with a mix of determination and hatred as she peered down below. There, she spotted a fearsome monster, a Class D phantom known as Behemoth. Its towering humanoid form, three times the size of multiple cars stacked together, exuded an intimidating aura with its muscular limbs and menacing, sharp teeth.
Mia was no ordinary girl; she hailed from a noble family and was training to become a skilled mage knight. Tonight, she had a crucial mission - her first solo field operation. All civilians in the area had been successfully evacuated, leaving Mia to face the Behemoth alone.
"Miss Mia, everything is in place for the extermination operation," a feminine voice echoed through the intercom, providing updates and support. Mia's heart raced, and she steadied her nerves.
"Prepare for execution!" Mia's voice was firm, and she could hear the same resolute response from her team through the intercom.
With a deep breath, Mia jumped off the edge of the skyscraper, gracefully diving towards the ground. As she neared the Behemoth's head, she shouted, "Engage!"
The activation keyword triggered her exoskeleton armor, enveloping her in its protective shell within seconds. Virtual screens displayed data from strategically placed drone cameras, allowing Mia to observe the Behemoth from different angles.
With a flick of her wrist, a cylindrical object appeared in her hand. Pressing a button, it transformed into a formidable photon sword, its green glow contrasting against the dark night. Mia lunged at the Behemoth, delivering swift and precise strikes with her blade, sending sharp wind waves towards her target.
Though Mia's attacks hit their mark, the Behemoth's rapid regenerative abilities swiftly nullified the damage. The creature growled in pain, its eyes locked onto Mia with a fierce hatred. In response, it lunged at her, attempting to capture her with its massive arms. However, Mia deftly maneuvered in the air, evading the Behemoth's grasp with agility.
Undeterred, Mia continued her assault, flying back into the sky, and then swooping down again for another series of attacks. However, the results remained frustratingly unchanged. The Behemoth seemed nearly impervious to her blows.
Calling on all her mana reserves, Mia initiated a powerful Level 5 magic spell, "Gale Strike!" The wind around her sword intensified, and the green magic circle under her feet pulsed with energy. The Behemoth watched her intently, sensing the impending danger.
With a mighty swing, Mia released the Gale Strike, unleashing a formidable wind-cutting attack towards the Behemoth. In response, the monster released a bone-chilling high-pressure sound wave, clashing with Mia's attack in an epic collision of forces.
Their powers clashed violently, sending shockwaves across the vicinity. Mia gritted her teeth, channeling her every ounce of strength into the attack, determined to come out victorious. In a surge of energy, she unleashed a final powerful gust, shattering the Behemoth into countless particles.
Exhausted but triumphant, Mia caught her breath, her exoskeleton armor still intact, shielding her from any harm. The victory was hers, but she was not left unscathed. The Behemoth's last attack had caused severe internal injuries, and Mia struggled to remain on her feet, holding back the pain that threatened to overcome her.
Unexpectedly, a strange voice rang out, interrupting the aftermath of the battle. A mysterious figure in a black robe stood behind Mia, donning a mask that bore a laughing expression. Mia's grip on her photon sword tightened, her suspicions aroused.
"I don't intend to harm you, Miss Knight," the figure spoke calmly, but their presence only heightened Mia's wariness. To her horror, the figure approached the fallen Behemoth, and in their hand, they held a foreboding black sphere, exuding an aura of darkness.
With a flourish, the figure released the black photons from the sphere into the Behemoth's remains, and to Mia's disbelief, a smaller, but more menacing version of the creature emerged from the black smoke.
The figure was intrigued, clapping in amusement at the newfound strength of the resurrected Behemoth. Mia's anger flared at the thought of her hard-won victory being manipulated before her very eyes.
"What have you done?" Mia demanded, her voice trembling with anger and frustration. She was certain that the figure before her was an enemy, and their intentions were anything but benign.
Ignoring Mia's outburst, the figure callously ordered the Behemoth to finish off the weakened mage. In a terrifying instant, the Behemoth vanished from sight, its monstrous grip wrapping around Mia's neck with crushing force, lifting her body. Mia struggled desperately, but her strength was no match for the behemoth's power. The exo-armor she relied on shattered under the behemoth's overwhelming strength, leaving her vulnerable and defenseless. Pain washed over her, and she could feel her consciousness slipping away.
With a brutal thrust, the behemoth plunged its hand into Mia's upper body, causing blood to spray in all directions. Mia's heart pounded weakly in the behemoth's grasp, and with a cruel twist, the monster crushed it, silencing the feeble beats.
Retracting its hand, the behemoth released its grip on Mia's lifeless form. Her body crumpled to the ground, motionless. The once vibrant glow of her exo-armor began to dim, revealing a large, gruesome wound from which blood flowed steadily, pooling beneath her.
In this harrowing moment, Mia's life hung by a thread, and the reality of her perilous situation was starkly evident. The raw brutality of the behemoth's attack left no room for hope, and the silentness of the city seemed to mirror the chilling despair that engulfed the scene.
Just as Mia's world seemed to fade away, an unexpected presence arrived on the scene. Bathed in a white glow, a figure appeared beside Mia, their countenance like that of an ethereal angel. Wearing a gown-like white armor, the figure exuded an otherworldly beauty.
"I see no harm in helping you," a voice with a flat tone flowed into Mia's ears.
With a calm and gentle touch, the figure enveloped Mia in a healing light. Mia's injuries miraculously began to mend, The holes in her body closed up, and her heart, which had been shattered, reappeared and started rhythmically once more. Her consciousness was gradually restored.
Before her eyes closed, Mia could only catch a glimpse of her savior, whose flowing white hair danced in the wind like a celestial being. With a sense of comfort and safety, Mia succumbed to unconsciousness, knowing she was in capable hands.
**********************************************
Eve took a few steps back, distancing herself from Mia's unconsciousness body. It was true; she had been the one who saved Mia. Eve's face had been altered using powerful magic, ensuring that even if someone recorded her, they wouldn't recognize her true identity.
The Behemoth fixed a menacing glare on Eve, but she showed no fear. Stepping closer, she kept a mere two-meter gap between herself and the creature.
"It seems we have an uninvited guest," the masked figure taunted Eve. "Have you had your fill of the spectacle?"
"So, you've noticed, huh?" Eve responded with a nonchalant tone, not betraying even a hint of surprise.
"Don't get too smug. It took you a hundred years to hide from me," the masked figure retorted with disdain. "What do you want?"
"Just a few questions about the Order of Mystica." As Eve finished her sentence, a strong urge to kill emanated from the masked figure, directed squarely at her. "Seems I was right on the mark."
"BEHEMOTH!!!" The masked figure roared in fury, and the Behemoth lunged at Eve, intending to obliterate her. However, before the creature could reach her, a potent magical barrier halted its attack. Before the Behemoth could react, chains of light materialized from thin air, wrapping tightly around its monstrous form.
"Pathetic," Eve sneered, her gaze coldly fixed on the Behemoth. To her, who could perceive mana's true form, the creature's aura was utterly repugnant, akin to foul and murky sludge.
Swiftly, swords of light emerged, piercing the Behemoth's body and transforming it into a spiky, hedgehog-like shape. Then, with a mere flick of her finger, the swords of light detonated in unison, reducing the Behemoth to black particles.
Eve extended her hand, and the black particles converged, forming an ominous black sphere. With a gentle touch, Eve purified the sphere, turning it into a radiant white light. She let the light disperse, revealing a beautiful array of colors.
The masked figure couldn't hide their astonishment at what they had just witnessed. Even the formidable Behemoth was effortlessly dispatched, and more remarkably, the Abyss pollution had been purified.
"How could you purify Abyss pollution?" the masked figure asked in awe. As far as they knew, purifying Abyss pollution was deemed impossible, except through one means... "Creation magic." The words slipped out, referring to a supremely potent magic capable of reshaping reality. However, according to their knowledge, there was only one user of Creation magic, and that person was held in the custody of the organization they served. The revelation bewildered them.
"W-who are you!?" The masked figure's voice betrayed their fear. They knew they had to escape immediately. The adversary before them was not someone they could confront without meticulous preparation.
"I am the harbinger of judgment." Behind Eve, ten swords seemed to form wings, giving her an ethereal appearance, akin to an avenging angel. Chains of light surged toward the masked figure, attempting to ensnare them.
Yet, the masked figure evaded the chains with nimble dexterity. "Damn it, I'm just a pawn. Let me complete my task undisturbed!" they protested, but Eve responded by sending a swift light sword hurtling toward them.
In a desperate attempt to avoid the sword's trajectory, the masked figure leaped, but before they could touch the ground, another light sword found its mark, impaling their left leg, then their right leg, and finally, their right arm. They were rendered immobilized, pinned to the ground.
One by one, light swords skewered their left arm, right arm, and right leg, rendering them unable to move. Eve approached with a composed air, gazing down upon the masked figure with an air of superiority.
"Now, will you answer my questions, Comedy?" Eve inquired, uttering the name of the person before her. Comedy was a notorious magus in the underworld, infamous for their willingness to perform any deed for a price.
"Sorry, but I have principles," Comedy's body began to liquefy, like melting wax. "Until we meet again, Miss Judgment." They spoke as their form dissolved completely.
Unperturbed, Eve stood her ground. She had known from the outset that the masked figure was nothing more than a decoy. Letting out a sigh, she now had a clearer picture of her true adversary.
Eve surveyed her surroundings, fully aware of the numerous drones that encircled and observed her. Ensuring she was thoroughly recorded, she then faded from view, leaving no trace behind.