"I have those GIRLS with me."
The sound of the head bursting echoed through the air.
The monster's lifeless body dropped to the ground.
With a grin, my eyes turned toward the building where Odium was.
If I were to mention being alone, I'm pretty sure Eveline would be skeptical, which only increases the chance of her staying behind.
Mentioning that I have someone backing me up is the only logical solution.
But...
"...."
Why does it feel like the whole atmosphere became colder?
As I pondered this, I let go of Eveline's shoulders and grabbed my bleeding arm. This will surely hurt... Thinking so, I channeled some of my mana and used "Ignite."
Although using a potion now would be a great option, for some reason, my gut is telling me to save it for later.
...It's just a faint feeling, but I decided to trust it.
"Hey, Eve—"
My sentence was cut short upon noticing her looking at the ground emotionlessly... Seriously, what the hell is happening to her?
...You know what?
"...I have no time for this."
"Wah—??"
Picking her up from behind, I shook her back to reality as she turned to look at me. The shine in her eyes returned, showing me a confused expression.
"Like I said, you and the other heroes should handle the boss. I'll deal with the monsters from here."
"...!!? Wait, what are you—!!?"
Strengthening my whole right arm with mana, I threw Eveline into the air.
"Whyyyyyyyy!!?"
Her loud scream echoed, likely reaching the other heroes.
...I'm sorry.
Turning my attention to the monster, I raised my sword again and pointed it forward... About fifty left, huh? That should be enough.
"I'm ending this."
Saying this, I sheathed my sword back into its scabbard and leaned forward.
"Lightning..."
The surroundings began to spark blue, my eyes turning blue.
The monsters sensed something was wrong, causing some to try to run away while others moved forward to attack.
"...Flash."
In an instant, a streak of radiant blue light surged forward, a shockwave of energy following in its wake. The monsters, caught off guard, were sliced through like paper. The glow from my eyes left a trail of ethereal light, creating a vivid, otherworldly carpet of azure brilliance.
The battlefield was transformed into a chaotic dance of illuminated destruction, as I moved with unparalleled speed and precision. Each swing of my sword brought forth a dazzling display of power, leaving no chance for the monsters to retaliate.
As the last of the monsters fell, the glow faded, and the once-menacing creatures lay defeated on the ground. I turned back to Eveline, who was now descending from the sky, a mix of awe and shock evident on her face.
"...Wh-what was that?"
"Just a glimpse of what I can do."
My glowing eyes returned to their normal state as I gazed at the aftermath of the swift and decisive strike, leaving behind an eerie silence on the now-quiet battlefield.
"...Well, then."
I turned my attention towards the broken barrier, where Eveline originally came from.
"...Let's—"
'I'm going to adopt you both your sister if you guys survive.'
...I did say something like that.
"Let's find Noah first."
***
Amidst the chaotic battle, Julius and Seraphina found a moment to discuss their grim situation.
"How's he...?" Julius took a few steps back, creating some distance from the monsters as he approached Seraphina. Her gloomy expression conveyed the unfortunate news before she lightly shook her head.
Their faces mirrored the bitterness of the situation, a shared sorrow etched upon them. A companion had fallen, succumbing to the battle's relentless toll, leaving a void in their midst.
"...Sigh."
Despite the weight of loss lingering in the air, mourning had to be postponed for the urgency of the situation.
"Let's not waste his sacrifice," Julius declared, his determination piercing through the somber atmosphere.
Preparing to raise his sword once more, he addressed Seraphina, "Miss Sera, please gather the others, including my sister. I'll call the nearby heroes, so that we can finish off the boss quickly."
Determined not to let their fallen comrade's sacrifice be in vain, Julius stepped forward, slashing through the encroaching monsters.
"...What in the?"
As he fought through the hordes, a sudden presence caught his attention. A figure, with snow-white hair cascading, descended gracefully from the sky. In a striking display, she pointed her metal arm toward the monsters, conjuring ice magic.
"Shard Needle!"
The small ice shards shot out like bullets, piercing through the approaching horde of monsters.
Upon landing on the ground, a massive crater was created and a dust formed in the air.
"...Lady."
Julius never got to finish his sentence upon feeling a cold chill from his spine.
Inside the dusty area, Eveline stood straight and patted the dust off her shoulder. Her eyes soon wandered the surrounding before locking onto Julius.
With a firm expression, she raised her sword to her shoulder and declared, "We need to finish this quickly."
"...."
A heavy silence lingered in the aftermath of the battle. Julius's gaze traversed the battlefield, fixating on the corpses of the monsters, each impaled by ice shards.
After a thoughtful pause, he finally spoke, "We should rally the other heroes and execute an all-out assault on the boss. It will significantly improve our chances of—"
"Gaaaaa!!??"
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a distant scream. Turning their attention toward the source, they witnessed a horrifying scene: one of their fellow heroes being devoured by a wolf beast, accompanied by a dark, shadowy figure resembling it.
"That's the Boss, right?" Eveline inquired, her eyes narrowing in determination. She held her sword with both hands and prepared a fighting stance.
Observing the 7-meter-tall grey wolf with a star symbol on its forehead, Julius affirmed with a nod.
His focus then shifted to the shadow creature, contemplating, "That 'thing' is probably just one of its abilities... A clone?"
His gaze slowly descended to the ground beneath the boss, realization dawning.
"No... It was its shadow?"