Earlier That Day – While Planning
Aeron, Mihon, Lieutenant Zei, Emma, Keal, Miley stood in a circle discussing the upcoming battle. The weight of the upcoming battle pressed heavily on all of them.
"Before we get into the plan," Aeron began, his tone steady yet serious, "we need to address the biggest unknown—we have no idea how many monsters the cultist will summon, or what kinds they'll be."
Mihon leaned against a nearby crate, arms crossed. "If we assume he's weakened from being tied up for six months, he'll likely summon Shadowfangs and Stormclaws, as he already summoned them."
Aeron sighed. "Almost half our men are injured. The rest are still out on missions. We don't have the numbers for a prolonged fight."
"And on top of that," Zei added grimly, "Commander Ruth and Colonel Leona won't be able to fight. That puts us at an even bigger disadvantage."
"We do have some swordsmen and mages from this world who came to support us," Zei continued. "That's something."
Mihon nodded. "We can use them effectively if we strategize right."
Aeron took a deep breath, then started laying out the plan. "First, we'll use blood to lure the Shadowfangs out of the forest. Once they're out in the open, we'll use the smell of antibiotics to force them into a single spot. We'll have TNTs buried beneath the ground, and once they're gathered, we'll trigger the explosives with grenades to wipe them out in one go."
Zei frowned. "That takes care of the Shadowfangs, but what about the Stormclaws?"
"We'll rely on the mages for that," Aeron answered. "They'll use light magic to brighten the sky, blinding and disorienting the Stormclaws. In that brief window, we'll bring them down with gunfire."
Zei let out a deep breath. "That still leaves the biggest threats—the cultist and that boy."
"He won't come out to fight directly," Mihon said, shaking his head. "He'll stay near the forest, chanting his spells."
"That's where you come in," Aeron said, turning to Mihon. "Your enhanced hearing will help us locate him. Once we do, you, Miley, and I will take him down before he can summon more."
"And the boy?" Zei asked.
"We don't know his exact role in this," Aeron admitted. "But we have to assume he'll be near the cultist, acting as a bodyguard."
Mihon scoffed. "We'll send Kael and one of the swordsmen after him. If he tries anything, they'll handle it."
Zei crossed his arms, his sharp gaze studying Aeron. "You do realize that you're part of the second-youngest squad in the Aether Strike Corps? Do you really think the others will listen to your plan?"
Aeron smirked. "That's where you come in."
Zei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So now you're giving me all the credit?"
Aeron chuckled. "They'll trust you more than me. And right now, all that matters is that they follow the plan."
A tense silence settled over everyone. They all understood what was at stake.
"Let's just hope we make it through this without casualties," Aeron finally said.
As the discussion continued, Emma stood quietly at a distance, her eyes fixed on Aeron. There was something different about him now. The way he took control, the way he planned, the way he carried the weight of responsibility without hesitation—it was impressive.
A small smile formed on her lips. He's really grown.
Present Time…
Aeron sprinted through the dense forest, his breathing controlled but heavy. Shadows danced between the trees as the dim moonlight barely pierced through the thick canopy above. Beside him, Miley ran still trembling with fear. Kael kept pace effortlessly, his strong build cutting through the underbrush, while Julian, a swordsman from the Other World, moved with precise and fluid steps.
"Did you find him yet?" Aeron called out to Mihon, who was darting from one bush to another like a phantom, his heightened senses at work.
"Still working on it," Mihon replied, his voice sharp with focus. His ears twitched slightly as he listened for the faintest hint of movement.
Kael glanced at the newcomer running alongside him and asked, "What's your name?"
The young swordsman barely turned his head, his grip tightening around the hilt of his weapon. His expression was calm, but his sapphire eyes carried an air of confidence.
"I'm Julian," he replied smoothly. "From the Azure Tempest Sect."
Aeron took note of his composed demeanor. Even amidst the tension, Julian's presence felt unwavering—like a blade that had been sharpened through years of discipline.
Aeron said, giving a small smirk "We're counting on you"
Julian smirked back, his voice carrying an amused edge. "I'll do my best."
Julian is a striking young man with sharp, well-defined features, piercing sapphire eyes that gleam with confidence, and tousled silver hair that falls effortlessly around his face. His lean yet athletic build speaks of years of rigorous training, and his movements are fluid, almost graceful, exuding the aura of a seasoned warrior. Clad in a sleek, dark tunic lined with silver embroidery, he carries a finely crafted long sword with an intricate hilt, a testament to his mastery in swordsmanship. Julian is a prodigy of the Azure Tempest Sect, a revered swordsman sect known for its lightning-fast strikes and unparalleled agility in combat.
"Found him." Mihon declared.
Aeron, Kael, Miley, and Julian crouched low in the thick brush, hidden from view. Mihon perched high on a tree branch, his sharp senses locked onto their target—the cultist.
"Look at him, mumbling his cursed gibberish," Kael muttered, watching the cultist weave strange symbols in the air, his voice laced with contempt.
"We'll hit him while he's busy," Aeron suggested, eyes narrowing.
Suddenly, Mihon's voice rang out, sharp and urgent. "Behind you!"
In an instant, Julian spun around, his sword flashing under the moonlight as it met a brutal strike—an ambush. The boy had appeared from the shadows, swinging a thick, jagged staff with lethal force. Julian's blade cut through it, stopping the attack mere inches from Aeron's head.
The cultist snapped his gaze toward them, his lips curling into a sneer. "Who dares interrupt my ritual? Filthy worms, I'll have your guts strung like decorations!"
"Shit! We're caught," Aeron cursed under his breath.
"Aeron, it's time for the usual plan," Mihon called from above.
Without hesitation, the group split into two. Aeron charged at the cultist, Mihon remained high in the trees, his keen senses tracking every movement and shouting warnings, and Miley stood at a safe distance, preparing her magic. Meanwhile, Kael and Julian braced themselves for a fight with the strange boy, who grinned manically, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
The cultist's expression twisted into fury. "You again, you goddamn insects! You keep crawling back! I should've ripped your tongues out the first time!"
"Your days of spewing nonsense are over," Aeron shot back.
"You miserable bastards dare challenge me?" the cultist spat, his eyes burning with rage.
"Duck!" Mihon shouted.
Aeron instantly crouched, narrowly avoiding a brutal strike from the right.
"Behind you!"
Without thinking, Aeron rolled to the left, just dodging another deadly blow.
Ten shadowy figures emerged, surrounding him in eerie silence. Their presence sent a chill down his spine.
"Miley!" Aeron called.
"…Be purified by light!" Miley's voice rang out as she unleashed a radiant spell. A burst of golden energy illuminated the forest, shattering the shadows into nothingness.
Aeron smirked. "That the best you got?"
The cultist's lips twisted into a cruel grin. "Oh, you cocky little shit. You think this is over?" He raised his arms to the night sky. "Come forth, my children!"
A terrifying chorus of snarls and screeches erupted from the forest. The ground trembled as dozens of Shadowfangs burst from the darkness, their glowing eyes fixed on Aeron and his team. Above, the skies darkened as Stromclaws circled hungrily, their wings casting massive shadows over the battlefield.
Aeron's smirk disappeared.
"You just had to provoke him, huh?" Mihon groaned.
At the Other Side…
Kael narrowed his eyes. "He's got friends."
Julian, gripping his sword, assessed the situation with a calm but deadly gaze. "I'll deal with the Shadowfangs and Stromclaws. You keep the boy busy."
Without wasting a single second, Julian launched himself forward, his blade cutting through waves of Shadowfangs and Stromclaws like a whirlwind of steel. His insane speed and flawless technique left nothing but falling bodies in his wake.
Meanwhile, Kael locked blades with the strange boy, blocking every lethal strike with his knife. The boy moved like a frenzied beast, each attack becoming more vicious, his eyes burning with pure malice.
As Kael continued to fend off the boy's attacks, Julian finished his slaughter. With a single, fluid motion, he sliced through the boy's neck, cleanly separating it from his body. The head rolled to the ground as the body crumpled.
Kael stepped back, breathing heavily. "We weren't supposed to kill him…"
Julian exhaled, sliding his sword back into its scabbard. "At this stage, he was beyond saving."
But just as Julian's fingers brushed against the hilt of his sword, a strange feeling crept up his spine—a sense of unease.
"Keep your guard up," Julian warned, his voice firm.
Kael turned to where the body had fallen—but there was nothing there.
"Where's the body?" Kael muttered, his grip on the knife tightening.
A few feet away, the boy stood once again, his head perfectly intact as if nothing had happened.
Julian's eyes widened. "What the hell is he?"
At the Cultist's Side…
A Stromclaw dove toward Mihon, its talons gleaming in the moonlight. Mihon leapt to another branch, dodging just in time, but before he could catch his breath, another one came straight at him. With no choice, Mihon jumped back to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact.
"There's too many of them!" he cursed, his breathing ragged.
Miley stood her ground, shield magic surrounding her, as she unleashed a barrage of fireball projectiles that exploded against the swarming beasts. "Should we retreat?" she asked, her voice strained from exertion.
Aeron, dodging between Shadowfangs, fired his gun with deadly precision, his knife slicing through any that got too close. "Miley is right. This is too much for us to handle!"
"If we don't kill him now, he'll just keep coming back!" Mihon argued, slashing at a Shadowfang that lunged at him.
"Then do you have a plan?" Aeron asked, barely ducking under a Stromclaw's swooping attack.
"…Not really," Mihon admitted.
Aeron gritted his teeth. "We can't fight without a—"
A sudden snarl cut him off. A Shadowfang had found an opening in Miley's shield and sank its claws into her left arm, leaving a deep, bloody wound.
"Ahhh!" Miley screamed, stumbling back.
"Aeron, look out!" Mihon called, but it was too late.
Aeron turned, his instincts screaming at him to move—but he wasn't fast enough.
An invisible force slammed into Aeron's chest, sending him crashing to the ground, face-first. The impact knocked the wind out of him, his vision spinning.
Mihon clenched his fists, frustration evident in his face. "What the hell is coming next!?"
A Few Moments Ago…
Julian moved like lightning, cutting through the strange boy's neck again and again—yet the boy kept coming back, his wounds closing instantly like they had never existed.
"I think he's undead," Julian muttered, frustration creeping into his usually calm voice. "We need someone with purification magic."
But before Julian could strike again, the boy suddenly froze. His head tilted slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear.
Then—he bolted.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Why is he running toward the cultist?"
"Follow him!" Julian commanded.
Present Time…
The strange boy burst into the battlefield, his speed unnatural. Without stopping, he lunged for Miley, grabbing her with inhuman strength before vanishing into the shadows.
Julian and Kael skidded to a halt as they reached the scene.
"He took Miley and ran!" Mihon barked, his fists clenched in anger.
Aeron, despite the pain pulsing through his body, forced himself to stand up, his eyes sharp with determination. "Mihon, go after them! We'll handle things here."
Mihon hesitated for only a second before leaping into a tree, disappearing into the darkness in pursuit.
Aeron exhaled sharply, turning toward Julian. "Julian, can you handle the rest of these extras?" he asked, motioning to the remaining Shadowfangs and Stromclaws.
Julian nodded without hesitation, rolling his shoulders as he unsheathed his sword once more.
"Here's the plan," Aeron said quickly. "We'll keep him distracted. As soon as you're done clearing these monsters, we'll create an opening for you to strike."
"Sounds simple to me," Julian replied, his smirk unwavering as he readied himself.
"It's the best we can do right now," Aeron said, forcing a smile despite the chaos around him.
Then, without another word, they charged into battle once again.