Chapter 45: Never Underestimate These Humble Beings. Never Underestimate Humanity!!!

I grabbed a Silver Scale Guard by the arm. "Bro, got a walkie-talkie?"

"Yes! Here you go."

"Good. Quickly organize the townsfolk to evacuate toward the Blackrock Mountains!"

"Yes, sir! The boss of bosses!"

Suppressing the urge to punch him, I keyed the walkie-talkie to Kasa. "Hey! Sneaky Klath! How’s it going there? I handled those two, but something big’s happening!"

"Master Klath! Bad news—the manor’s under attack!"

"What? Are Monaluna and the others safe? Are there more enemies?"

"Yes, Princess and Miss Monaluna are fine, but the Old Mage is injured!"

"Who could hurt him?" Sweat beaded on my forehead. Our enemies weren’t just one group.

"I don’t know—ah! The master wants to speak."

*Cough cough!* A weak voice crackled through. "Mashang, I’m fine. Just drained." The Old Mage’s breath was shallow. "It was the Raven Sect. Two mid-tier Saint-level assassins and a low-tier Saint mage launched a suicide strike. I held them off, but it took a toll."

"The Raven Sect! So they were after you?"

"No. If it were just me, no one in the manor would’ve survived. They aimed to pin me down. Mashang! Ster might be in danger!"

"You mean their target is the Sacred Beast? Why?"

"Ster was the Moon Elves’ Sacred Beast. After their defeat by humans, they fled to unknown lands. Only the Lunar Essence Stone within Ster can locate them." His voice dropped lower. "The Raven Sect wants that stone."

"Ster’s in grave danger. A beast tide has erupted in the Blackrock Mountains—it’s likely his death throes!"

"Beast tide! Damn it, help me up!" The Old Mage’s frantic voice cut through.

"Don’t come. They might have traps. Get Monaluna and the others to the mountain hideout in the Blackrock range. I’ve ordered the Silver Scale Guard to evacuate Crescent Town that way."

"What about Crescent Town? What about you?"

"Me? I’ll hold back the beast tide. Trust me, I’ve got this."

"Idiot! Are you mad?! Get back here now!"

"Haha, Master, relax! I won’t die that easily." I forced a light tone. "Oh, have Cindira lead the evacuation. I don’t want to survive only to lose you all."

"You little brat—" I cut the connection.

Under the Silver Scale Guard’s direction, most townsfolk fled toward the Blackrock Mountains.

"President!"

"Huh? Why aren’t you evacuating?" I stared at the gathered members of the Gentleman’s Advance Association. "Do you want to die?"

"President, we’re not afraid! We’ll fight with you!"

"You kids..." Warmth and worry mixed in my chest. "Now, I issue the Gentleman’s Trial: Escort the town’s elderly and children to the mountain hideout!"

"But, President—"

"No arguments. You’d only get in the way here. True gentlemen never waste lives on pointless sacrifices. Devote your limited time to serving others. In the name of gentlemen—go!"

"Waaah, President..." They ran off sobbing. "We’ll wait for you! You must return!"

"I swear it! In the name of gentlemen—I will!"

I activated wind magic and soared toward the Blackrock Mountains. My spirit sense spread out, gauging the beast tide’s scale.

A chill shot down my spine. Pitch-black and endless! My 3,000-kelun spirit sense couldn’t even find its edge.

This wasn’t natural. Magical beasts only gather in winter to raid villages for food. But it was barely deep autumn—such a tide shouldn’t exist.

"Tch! Massive scale..." I muttered. No wonder the Terror Forest, the Blackrock Mountains’ frontier, teemed with every beast type. Worst of all were the dozens of Beast Kings herding them from behind. Those high-tier beasts radiated dark-element fluctuations, driven mad.

"That dwarf must’ve used some secret art to infect all the Beast Kings with dark energy. It boosted their power and turned them savage, triggering this tide." I pieced together the plot:

The Crown Prince colluded with the Raven Sect to eliminate Komor’s loyalists in Crescent Town. They provided Raven’s Lament—a mass-killing weapon—while the Crown Prince sent Scarface to pin down the Old Mage with the Sect. This let the Raven Sect openly hunt Ster.

Afterward, Cui would use Raven’s Lament to erase Crescent Town, leaving no evidence. The Empire, covered by the Crown Prince, wouldn’t pursue the Sect. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince would cripple Komor’s faction and claim the throne.

Crescent Town and its people? Just ashes on their path to power.

But fate intervened!

My arrival shattered their plan. I crippled Cui, the mage needed to activate Raven’s Lament, forcing the dwarf to trigger a beast tide as a cover-up.

Scarface, immune to magic, had to stay and assist the dwarf—but I killed him. Without that human weapon, the Raven Sect’s assault failed to restrain the Old Mage, pushing them into suicide attacks.

A stroke of luck saved key lives. But the beast tide?

It surged toward Crescent Town at terrifying speed. Most residents wouldn’t escape in time.

I glanced back at Crescent Town—such a beautiful place. Though I’d only been here a month, I loved this simple town and its people, who treated me as a friend.

Once, endless darkness stole everything from me. Now, I’d hold on tight.

"Dragon Princess! Are you there?"

"What do you want, kid?"

"Got any tricks to stop this beast tide?"

"Oh, plenty!"

"Really? Tell me!"

"Too bad. Either you can’t use them, or you lack the means."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that—I’m powerless here. I heard your chat with that legendary brat. Crescent Town never faced beast tides before because Ster’s presence suppressed them."

"You mean Elder Koss?"

"Tch~ He’s still my junior. That Sacred Beast’s aura kept beasts at bay. Now..."

Now Ster’s fate was unknown. His aura was gone. Worse, the dark-corrupted Beast Kings had lost all sanity.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

"Kid, flee while you can. You’re not even a low-tier mage. Your weird powers won’t save you against this tide—you’ll be erased in seconds."

"I won’t lose anything else. I won’t be left with nothing again. Behind me is my home. Those townsfolk are my family. If I run, what happens to them?" I stared at the oncoming tide, my resolve hardening.

"Tch! Why did Emilier pick a stubborn fool like you as savior? I’ll never understand!"

"Hehe! Guess I’m just dumb!"

"Listen, human! I’m warning you one last time. You can’t change a thing against this tide. Run. Hiding and enduring—that’s your species’ nature, isn’t it?"

"No sacrifice is pointless. Nothing is unchangeable! ‘Impossible’ is just an excuse for cowards. Everyone says the path is hard—I’ll walk it anyway!!!"

"I thought you were a scumbag, then a fool. Turns out you’re a madman!"

"Wise Dragon Princess!" I pulled out the Crystal Dragon Horn and gripped it. "Can a dragon god’s aura stop this tide?"

"You—what are you doing?!"

"Hehe, Dragon Princess... fancy merging with this madman?" I deactivated my Elemental Armor, grinning at the nearing tide.

"Madman! You’re truly mad!"

"I’ve seen the vilest humans cheat devils out of everything. I’ve seen the noblest humans shame angels." I whispered words from a past life’s book, reversing my grip on the horn and aiming it at my heart.

"So! Never underestimate these humble beings. Never... underestimate... humanity!!!"

I thrust the Crystal Dragon Horn into my heart with both hands.

A crushing aura exploded from me, rippling outward. Blazing fire and wild blood elements solidified, surging from my heart into every vein like molten lava.

"Grrraaahhhhh!!!" An inhuman dragon roar tore from my throat. The aura of a supreme ruler forced every beast to its knees. The tide dissolved.

My consciousness plunged into endless darkness.