Just as the Goblin leader's hand was poised to strike Alicia's head like a watermelon, he suddenly stopped.
It wasn't just him; the entire battlefield stopped.
All the Magicians, goblins, and Mana beasts residing near the Elshire, even normal humans within Gluanna city ceased their actions and could only look downward. Their eyes were fixed on the ground as their bodies trembled like never before.
The instinctual fear they felt at that moment was something even deeper than the supreme Dragons.
Despite inhabiting the extreme western region of the Estomano continent, the remaining Dragons have refrained from meddling in anything for over a thousand years.
For this, everyone experiencing the pressure at the moment couldn't help but think just who was behind it.
Because if the source of the pressure were from a Divine Entity, it would have only targeted the Goblins.
Yet, no one over the range of 10 kilometres was left out except two people.
Lina, still asleep in the library, didn't feel anything and continued to sleep like a child.
Cassandra, despite feeling battered from the exhaustion and depletion of her mana, gradually regained consciousness.
As she surveyed her surroundings, she was left utterly dumbfounded by what she saw.
Helena and the Goblin leader had stopped fighting but...
No!! Something's wrong... Why do they look so scared? Even that mighty Helena is showing such a terrified expression...
Standing up, she glanced at their frightened eyes from the distance and felt utter shock.
W- What's happening? Why are they looking downward...
...
Napoleon, being at the peak of the 4th Star, continued to feel goosebumps all over his body.
In the 256 years he had lived, never once had he felt something so ominous.
Shit... I can't move my body...
It's as if someone had put a curse on me...
He attempted to extend his 250-meter spiritual sense across the battlefield, but his efforts proved futile. The moment his spiritual sense materialized outside his body, it was overwhelmed by the sheer purity of the powerful force from earlier, rendering his attempt unsuccessful.
I know it's not any Divine entity so who the fuck is it...
However, the next instant something happened that almost scared the shit out of him.
*Pop* *Pop*
*Pop* *Pop*
As if on cue, the heads of all the Goblins started to burst in sync, emitting a grotesque cacophony. The massive amount of blood and brain matter that spewed forth continued to splatter the ground, painting it in shades of blue and white.
H-how?
Napoleon could only listen, his eyes cast downward as he witnessed the tragic demise of all the monsters before him.
Even though it was a relief and worked in his favour, he still found it hard to believe that a high-ranking Magician from the Royal city would come to save the day.
Despite being a formidable Magician, he harboured doubts about his ability to single-handedly defeat the horde of goblins. Only a Magician at the 6th Star realm possessed enough strength to dominate the entire battlefield.
I suppose it is a good end that matters...
...
Cassandra glanced at the motionless and terrified Goblin leader, feeling a surge of anger flood her mind in an instant.
However, she swallowed her anger for the moment and hurried to her Mistress's side. Checking her injuries, she couldn't help but sigh in relief.
Thanks to the Goddess there aren't any serious injuries on her body...
Solely to ensure Alicia's safety, Cassandra took her unconscious body to a safer distance. She refrained from waking her, not wanting to subject her to the gruesome scene unfolding. Cassandra hoped Alicia would awaken to the sight of her son, rather than the carnage strewn across the ground.
Done with that, she came back to the battlefield, took Helena's axe from her hand as she was still rooted in her position and arrived in front of that bastard.
Ignoring any notion of honour or glory, she confronted the Goblin leader with icy resolve. With a decisive slash aimed at his nether region, she severed his family jewels without hesitation, her expression unchanged as she turned and walked away.
The Goblin leader remained silent as she severed his thing, maintaining his head in its original position as if frozen in time. However, his expression twisted into one of disgust from the intense pain.
...
Next, Cassandra approached her unconscious teammates and conjured a few small balls of water out of thin air. With precise aim, she threw the water onto their faces, gradually rousing them from their slumber.
It took some time but all three of them gradually woke up and surprisingly weren't feeling any pressure on their mind.
Their gaze fell upon the motionless Goblin leader, and their surprise deepened at the sight of the blood and the gruesome sight lying on the ground.
Despite their age, they were sharp-witted enough to piece together what had transpired, easily deducing who was responsible for the Goblin leader's fate.
"Leader! Shouldn't we kill this bastard?" Randal seethed, his gaze filled with murderous intent as he glared at the Goblin leader.
Jordan and Judea echoed his sentiment, their own expressions twisted with a desire for revenge.
Cassandra, cradling Alicia in her arms, nodded in agreement. In her usual cold tone, she replied, "Do as you like... He's as good as frozen anyway."
Then, Cassandra departed. With her Mana reserves depleted, she opted to use <Acceleration> this time, as it required less Mana.
Meanwhile, Randal, Jordan, and Judea turned their attention back to the Goblin Leader, their eyes burning with vengeance. With smirks of satisfaction, they unleashed a barrage of spells upon him, treating him like nothing more than a disposable puppet.
...
On the other hand, with the demise of the Goblin leader and his subordinates, the powerful pressure from earlier vanished into nothingness.
The moment it vanished, Helena swiftly disappeared from her position and materialized in front of her father, who now led the assault team in collecting the fallen bodies for proper burial.
"Father, did you feel it too?" she asked urgently.
Napoleon met his eldest daughter's gaze and nodded. "Yes... Did the leader perish?" he inquired.
Helena nodded in acknowledgement and replied, "The moment he died, the pressure on me lifted... That means someone was observing the battlefield!"
Her gaze shifted to the repulsive brain matter scattered across the battlefield, and she asked her father, "Father, what's this?"
With a deep sigh, he answered calmly, "Their heads just started to explode under the pressure, and the worst part is... We don't know who did it."
"Someone must have revealed themselves by now..." she muttered in agreement.
The next moment, a stunning woman clad in a pristine white holy robe descended from the air and addressed them with a sorrowful tone. "Father, Eldest sister... Uncle has passed away."
Upon hearing his youngest daughter's words, Napoleon sighed once more, his expression heavy with resignation. "He knew his fate, yet... he still chose to join the fight for one last time. That's how he always was," he remarked with a bittersweet smile, shaking his head in admiration and sadness.
Helena's departure was as abrupt as her arrival, and she did not attempt to mask her intentions with a facade of emotion. With a mere whisper of her melodic voice reaching Stella and Napoleon's ears, she announced, "I'm leaving..."
Their lack of surprise was understandable; Helena was known for her enigmatic and unpredictable nature. A true battle enthusiast, she eschewed flashy spells and continued to hone her skills relentlessly, even after attaining the 4th Star realm years ago.
With the battle now concluded, it was only natural that she would waste no time in departing from the scene.
Napoleon paid little mind to Helena's departure, his attention shifting to his third child, Stella.
Despite Nicholas being the strongest among his children, Napoleon's affection for Stella was unrivalled. Her gentle and serene nature had earned her his utmost love and attention.
"Stella, your sister-in-law needs you... Help her," he spoke softly before turning to aid his subordinates.
Left alone, Stella smiled and gracefully soared towards the Mana signals approaching their location.
...
On the top of the city walls.
A man with long, loose silver hair sat gracefully on the walls, one leg crossed over the other, and gazed ahead with his golden eyes, each possessing a terrifying slit.
"Hmm, that went well."