Countless ultra-colossal monsters filled the sky and ground, advancing endlessly.
After silently observing this, Lucas took a deep breath and said in a firm voice:
"Do not be afraid."
"…!"
At this, the soldiers on the bridge straightened their backs in unison. Lucas continued calmly:
"These are all enemies that have been defeated by us humans once before."
The fact that they crawled out of the Lake Kingdom's nightmares was proof that they had already been subjugated by humans before.
Then there's no reason we can't defeat them a second time.
"And above all, His Highness the Crown Prince has already given us the means to defeat them."
No, it's the opposite.
We must use these ultra-colossal monsters to effectively stop this infinite horde of monsters.
"Operation Titan Fall."
Lucas explained, using the operation name Ash had personally given.
"It's an operation to bring out all the ultra-colossal monsters we can use on our side."
Lucas looked around at the heroes waiting on the bridge who could control ultra-colossal monsters.
"First, Jörmungandr."
The serpent-form Jörmungandr coiled tightly around Violet's neck made a hissing sound. Violet laughed hollowly, as if she had reached enlightenment.
"It's me again…"
"And, the Kraken."
King Poseidon nodded, stroking the [Ring of the Kraken] on his hand. It was the ring he had received directly from Ash not long ago.
"Lastly, those who can seize control of ultra-colossal monsters on the spot…"
Lucas looked at the two captured monsters standing side by side.
"The two Legion Commanders who have joined our side."
There stood the Dullahan Legion Commander and the Banshee Legion Commander, also with expressions of transcendence.
"Another head-hunting operation, huh… Hehe. Alright. I've never seized control of such a large body before. This should be fun."
The Dullahan Legion Commander spoke first, followed by the Banshee Legion Commander.
Everyone expected her to cry as usual, or sing with her [Heavenly Voice] equipment, or pretend to cry while making jokes with her grotesque sense of humor, but…
"May I say one thing before we go?"
Suddenly, a normal voice came out.
Violet, taken aback, looked at Banshee with cold sweat.
"What's this, why are you suddenly talking normally…?"
Regardless, the Banshee Legion Commander spoke nonchalantly.
"Thank you… for treating me like a real comrade while I've been on this front line."
"…"
"It wasn't a long time… but it felt like I returned to the time before I became a monster. It was enjoyable."
Violet, who had been watching this scene in shock, shrieked.
"Why are you being so ominous?! Don't leave strange last words, you have to come back safely! Got it?"
"Hehe…"
The Banshee Legion Commander smiled, then lowered her veil deeper to cover her mouth completely.
"Huuuuung."
With that murmur, which could have been either laughter or sobbing, all the operation participants were decided.
Lucas began explaining the operation.
"The overview is simple. Jörmungandr will take down that elephant-like monster, 'Behemoth'. The Kraken will take down that crocodile-like monster, 'Leviathan'. And the two Legion Commanders will approach that eagle-like monster, 'Ziz', aboard the Blue Pearl."
Lucas glanced at the ultra-colossal monster approaching in the sky.
"Cut off its head, and seize control of that massive body."
The head held in the Dullahan Legion Commander's arms tilted sideways.
"I can seize control, but… how are we going to cut the head off before that?"
"I'll cut it."
Lucas said simply, but everyone understood.
He was not only the acting commander now, but also the strongest knight of the World Guardian Front.
If it's Lucas, it would be possible. No, it has to be Lucas.VịSit no(v)3lb/!n(.)c𝒐m for new 𝒏ov𝒆l𝒔
King Poseidon, who had been listening to the simple plan, asked:
"What exactly does 'take down' mean?"
"They are ultra-colossal monsters. They're so huge that they destroy all terrain and structures just by advancing."
Lucas relayed the operation as he had heard from Ash.
"In other words, if we can take one down, we can sweep away not only other giant monsters around it, but even small monsters."
"…!"
"We don't necessarily need to kill them. Rather, it's better to repeatedly knock them down, and in the process, sweep away other monsters to increase the damage."
In this final defense battle, we cannot annihilate all the monsters.
The enemy is infinite. It's impossible to fight and defeat them all.
That's why all operations were based on the principle of delay tactics.
This time was no different. The goal was to slow the enemy's advance using ultra-colossal monsters as much as possible.
"King Poseidon, Violet, and the two Legion Commanders. You all have means to control ultra-colossal monsters. Please rampage as much as possible, accumulate damage to the enemy, and buy us time for as long as you can."
"Um, but…"
Violet raised her hand and rolled her eyes.
"Buying time is fine, but… can we come back?"
"Of course."
Mikhail, the Sky Knights Commander who had been listening, stepped forward and proudly puffed out his chest.
"Our Sky Knights will be responsible for retrieving you. Trust in my knights."
"Hehe, alright."
Violet laughed briefly and tapped her temple with her fingertip.
"I must really be broken somewhere. I don't even feel like this is a crisis anymore."
"Consider it a crisis, Violet."
Lucas added coldly.
"You should know well what kind of end awaits a gambler who can't sense a crisis."
"Ugh, the acting commander is so cold…"
Violet whined with a tearful expression.
Lucas knew well. That he could not become a warm leader like his lord.
What suited him was the role of a cold and stern field commander, honed like a blade.
And that sometimes, the battlefield needed someone like him.
"Now, we don't have much time!"
Instead of comforting everyone, after quickly familiarizing them with the points to be cautious of in this operation.
Lucas commanded:
"From now on, we go to… take down the ultra-colossal monsters!"
Flap-!
The large sails on the masts of the Blue Pearl, an airship in the form of a pirate ship, were fully unfurled.
"Alright, let's go!"
The two captains — the Rompeller siblings — who had drawn their weapons at the bow, commanded.
"Full speed ahead!"
"It's whale hunting time-!"
Whoosh-!
Blue wind generated from the magical anchor shot out from behind.
The airship, launched like a rocket, instantly increased its speed.
Instead of the Jolly Roger with a skull, it flew the black flag without insignia, the symbol of the World Guardian Front, as the airship rapidly advanced southward.
In an instant, they approached the vanguard of the monster horde.
The scouts observing the ground through telescopes shouted one after another:
"We've reached the drop point!"
"Now-!"
Lucas ordered.
"Violet, King Poseidon! Deploy!"
Violet and King Poseidon were already seated in the saddles behind the griffins.
Two elite Sky Knights — Mikhail's two wives — were ready to sortie with them.
Lucas nodded briefly.
"Good luck."
Those departing nodded back simultaneously.
"Good luck!"
Thwack!
Two griffins carrying two knights and two monster tamers kicked off from the deck and soared into the sky,
Swooooosh-!
The next moment, they began a rapid descent towards the ground.
As the two griffin riders approached the ground, the monsters on the ground quickly noticed their presence and attempted to intercept.
Bang! Bang! Boom…!
Flames, poison, magical projectiles, and beams of light poured out chaotically.
But the two griffin riders were the most skilled among the Sky Knights, and the griffins were also the strongest and most agile individuals.
The two griffins spread out and performed all sorts of aerial acrobatics, avoiding all interception attempts as they continued their rapid descent.
Among them, the griffin carrying Violet approached the elephant-like monster — Behemoth. Its body was so huge that it was like a moving mountain range, and thus very tall.
The Sky Knight looked back, and Violet nodded.
"I'll definitely come to pick you up."
"I'll trust you, sis-!"
Violet, after gulping hard once, closed her eyes tightly and threw herself out of the saddle.
"Waaaaaaah!"
The wind brushing past her ears made a sharp metallic sound. The intense wind pressure was so strong that it was difficult to even open her eyes properly without using magic.
"Sorry to say this to the acting commander, but it's still hard to feel like a crisis…"
As she free-fell towards Behemoth's head, Violet honestly blurted out.
"It just doesn't feel real at all!"
Buoooooo-!
Sensing something falling towards its head, Behemoth raised its enormous head. The monster's long trunk swung slowly but with tremendous force.
Violet grabbed Jörmungandr, which was coiled around her neck, with both hands. The snake, as if understanding her intention, smoothly unwound and settled in her hands.
"Jörmungandr!"
Violet shouted powerfully as she threw Jörmungandr downwards.
"Manifest-!"
Then the thrown serpent's entire body glowed with an ashen light-
Flash!
In an instant, it transformed into a gigantic world serpent.
The enormous snake that appeared in the sky gently extended its tail to catch Violet,
Then opened its huge mouth wide and firmly caught Behemoth's swinging long trunk.
And with that, it fell onto the elephant's body.
Boom…!
As the two ultra-colossal monsters collided, an explosion sounded and dust billowed up in the area.
Shockwaves spread in all directions, and the small monsters marching forward all lost their balance and tumbled down.
The second griffin rider, flying past the scene of this collision, flew even lower.
Part of the dry winter land had turned into a swamp due to heavy rain and flooding.
And at the forefront of this swamp, a huge crocodile-like monster — Leviathan — was slowly swimming forward.
Continuously spewing rain from its body…
"I don't think there was such a scene even in the mythical age."
King Poseidon mused as he kicked off the griffin's saddle and fell.
"No… Today is a new chapter in mythology."
Delighted at the fact that his name would be etched into a line of history, King Poseidon focused his power on the ring.
"Kraken!"
He felt the writhing malice dwelling in the ring.
But King Poseidon skillfully controlled that malice.
He had already faced even greater malice, and moreover…
"We are children of the same sea!"
This monster, too, was from the same world.
An ally who wants to prevent this world from being destroyed!
"Summon-!"
Flash!
Countless magic circles overlapped behind King Poseidon, and a giant cephalopod creature passed through those magic circles like a door.
Guoooooo-!
The Kraken, the strongest sea monster to reveal itself to the world, carried King Poseidon on its body and fell straight towards Leviathan.
Large, thick tentacles poured down like heavy rain onto the crocodile-shaped ultra-colossal monster.
Leviathan couldn't avoid it.
Boom…!
The entire swamp exploded, spewing black and enormous water spray in all directions.
While four ultra-colossal monsters began clashing on the ground.
The Blue Pearl, continuing its flight, now reached right in front of the eagle monster, Ziz.
And to take down the flying eagle-type ultra-colossal monster, Ziz…
It was time for Lucas and Mikhail to sortie.
"Are you ready, Acting Commander?"
Mikhail, who had already mounted his griffin, smiled brightly.
"Ready to cut the sky."
"I've already cut the darkest night."
Lucas, who had lightly mounted the back seat behind Mikhail, answered dryly.
"Cutting the sky should be nothing."
"Haha…!"
Mikhail, letting out a light laugh, glared at the approaching ultra-colossal monster with his crimson eyes.
"Still, to make it a bit easier to cut, I'll give it a scratch or two."
"It's an honor to fight alongside Vermillion's finest Sky Knight."
"That's my line. Empire's Finest Sword."
Mikhail said jokingly, but at that title, Lucas suddenly caught his breath.
Empire's Finest Sword.
Once, to reclaim that title, his family had been so obsessed and tried so hard…
In the end, he reclaimed that title now, when he had been living completely forgetting that such a title even existed.
"…"
A faint smile appeared on Lucas's lips.
Mikhail, gripping his twin spears firmly, started the griffin.
"Well then, shall we go! Let's show a collaboration that will be recorded in history — Everblack's finest sword and Vermillion's finest wings!"
Thwack-!
The king's griffin kicked off from the deck, spread its two wings wide, and leapt at a dazzling speed.
Towards the overwhelmingly huge eagle pouring into view right before them…
Without retreating, they charged straight ahead to meet it.
–TL Notes–