Borne felt himself surrounded by darkness, as if he had plunged into an endless void.
He had no idea where he was, his consciousness seemed weighed down by the oppressive blackness, and the silence around him was suffocating.
Just as confusion and unease began to rise within him, a sudden blue arc of lightning appeared in the darkness.
The arc crackled softly, glowing faintly with a pale blue light, like a spark tearing through the darkness, carrying a mysterious power.
Curiosity surged in Borne's heart. His instincts told him that this lightning arc was important, as if it held some connection to him.
Unable to resist the pull, he slowly reached out his hand, moving closer to the arc.
The moment his fingertips touched the lightning, the entire world seemed to light up in an instant.
The blue light coursed through his body from his fingertips, like lightning surging through his veins, filling him with immense power and energy.
He snapped his eyes open, returning to reality, his mind immediately clear.
This awakening felt different from before.
Suddenly, he could sense an energy in the air that he had never perceived before—lightning elements.
They flowed invisibly through the air.
The sensation was extraordinary, as though the very lightning elements of the world were resonating with him.
Although Borne could sense the presence of these elements, he quickly realized they were incredibly weak, like fine threads scattered through the air.
He tried to focus, attempting to gather the lightning elements together.
To control their power. However, each time he tried to concentrate, the elements slipped through his fingers like grains of sand, unable to form any substantial force.
His brow furrowed, frustration and confusion filling him.
Though he could feel the lightning elements, they were elusive—sometimes close, sometimes distant—refusing to gather into any tangible form as he willed.
"Still too weak?"
Borne muttered to himself, a trace of helplessness in his voice as his clenched fists remained empty.
He tried once more, concentrating all his energy on capturing and gathering the lightning elements in the air.
Despite his full effort, the elements continued to scatter like faint lights, slipping away just as he reached for them.
After several fruitless attempts, Borne let out a long sigh, the frustration growing more evident in his heart.
Slowly, he stood up, stretching his body in an attempt to relieve his tension.
Suddenly, the sharp sound of a gong rang out in the distance—its urgent, piercing tone shattering the stillness of the camp.
Borne's heart instantly tightened, his body instinctively tensing.
That sound was unmistakable.
It was the alarm that only rang when an enemy attack had been spotted by the watchtower.
The next moment, he heard the officers of each camp shouting.
"Enemy attack!"
Borne felt a chill run through him, tension flashing across his eyes.
His comrades around him were also abruptly jolted from their sleep, scrambling to grab the nearby shovels and weapons, swiftly rising to their feet.
Every face was filled with alertness and anxiety—they knew that this surprise attack was serious and dangerous.
Captain Khazik came rushing over, standing on the edge of the trench and looking down at his soldiers, his expression grim.
His breathing was slightly labored, a sign that he had just been running, and his eyes were filled with urgency.
"Stay in the trench!" Khazik shouted orders.
"The swift magic beasts have already broken through our first line of defense and are closing in fast!
They'll be at the trench any minute. You must prepare to fight!"
Borne and the other soldiers felt their hearts sink, immediately realizing that the situation was far worse than expected.
Borne gripped his shovel tightly, his heart racing, forcing himself to remain calm.
He glanced at his comrades around him, their faces all showing signs of panic.
The trench was narrow and cramped, leaving them with little room to maneuver.
Before Khazik's words had fully settled, he quickly turned and ran back to report the situation to the officers, leaving Borne and his fellow soldiers standing in the trench, exchanging nervous glances.
Soon, the sounds of intense battle reached their ears—the clash of blades and the impact of weapons rang out like thunder, mingled with the screams of men and the howls of magic beasts, creating a terrifying cacophony.
The stench of blood began to waft into the trench, pungent and sickening.
Borne tightened his grip on the shovel, his heart pounding.
Despite having fought in many battles before, the proximity of this brutal fight made his pulse race.
His comrades were just as tense, their fingers trembling slightly as they gripped their weapons.
"What do we do?" Harley asked in a low voice, his tone laced with unease, his eyes betraying a hint of panic.
Lucius took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
"Hold the trench. We can't let them break through the line."
The howls of the magic beasts grew louder and louder, deafening.
Borne could feel them closing in fast, ready to break into their defenses at any moment.
Sure enough, the next second, seven white-furred, long-tailed magic monkeys leaped down into the trench from above, moving with lightning speed.
They let out sharp, ear-piercing screeches, their claws gleaming menacingly