The dark red distortion in the sky kept expanding. Then, the heavens tore open like ripped fabric, revealing a massive rift. Through it, a sky choked with fiery crimson clouds came into view.

ROAR!!!!!!!!

A roar not of this world thundered from the rift.

Human-sized, small wyvern Monsters poured out endlessly. Featherless and pitch-black, only their narrow pupils glowed with an ominous crimson light. Baring razor-sharp fangs, they roared and dove straight at the Soul Force Wielders below.

"Counterattack!!!!"

At Kuang Tian'ao’s shout, the black swarm and deep blue defenders collided violently midair.

Among the thousand Soul Force Wielders, only Kuang Tian'ao stood resolutely above the rift, single-handedly facing the endless wyverns. He wielded his Greatsword-shaped Soul Weapon, "Flowing Light," slashing with all his might. Its blade traced cold, silvery arcs under the moonlight—each arc meant a wyvern shattered. Every strike used iaijutsu: one cut, one kill. Infused with his immense Soul Power, "Flowing Light" shattered monster claws on impact without a scratch. Wyverns touching him splattered blood and plummeted.

Kuang Tian'ao fought desperately to scatter the concentrated wyverns, easing pressure on the formation below.

The defensive "Ebb Tide" formation was a retreat-while-fighting tactic to buy time. Split into three waves, the first engaged briefly before falling back. The second wave surged forward as the first retreated to rest. Then the third replaced the second. Each rotation pulled the line back slightly, but it drastically reduced strain and conserved stamina.

"Huff... Meijia, holding up?"

Zhicheng and Meijia had just retreated with the first wave, both unharmed. Meijia panted, gripping her Soul Weapon with a defiant smile.

"Don’t worry. I’m fine."

Rest periods were short on this battlefield. With Monsters attacking from above in overwhelming numbers, they barely got ten minutes before the first wave was called up again.

"Meijia! Time to move!"

"Got it!"

While slashing fiercely, Kuang Tian'ao scanned the battlefield below. Monster numbers far exceeded expectations, but no higher-tier threats had appeared yet. This tactic could delay heavy casualties for forty minutes—long enough for the Order of the Holy Temple’s arrival. Once Lady Shirley and Claire reached them, their strength would crush even these countless lower-tier Monsters.

After fifteen minutes, Kuang Tian'ao strained the most. Charging alone at the front, his Soul Power held strong, but his stamina wavered.

"Captain! Reinforcements here!"

Seeing his three battle-hardened subordinates arrive, Kuang Tian'ao’s spirit lifted. Their strength could anchor the front line.

"Good! I leave my back to you!"

"""Yes!"""

Roar...... roar......

A deeper, guttural roar echoed from above. Kuang Tian'ao’s eyes snapped wide. He stared at the rift, hands trembling with buried terror. That roar belonged to Osgar—an upper-tier Monster as massive as a cargo plane. Its voice could knock out ordinary people. Its maw spewed Netherworld flames that burned everything. Armored in unbreakable scales, it shrugged off normal attacks. Kuang Tian'ao had seen a city it reduced to ruins. Back then, five A-rank Soul Force Wielders barely felled it. Now, only three A-ranks stood here—including him.

Roar......

Osgar’s roar was lethargically deep, yet radiated an oppressive aura. The small wyverns scattered like obedient puppets.

Kuang Tian'ao realized their intent and screamed: "Everyone! Evade!"

Soul Force Wielders heard him through comms earpieces. But it was too late.

Flames erupted from Osgar’s mouth, slamming into the formation’s center. Nearly a hundred Soul Force Wielders died instantly.

Morale shattered. The formation collapsed. Wyverns swarmed the chaos, and the line broke completely.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Zhicheng cursed while hacking at wyverns. Their first mission together as lovers—ending like this. He knew no one was to blame. His rage focused solely on the monsters.

With the formation gone, Zhicheng and Meijia were surrounded. All they could do was fight desperately.

"Ah!"

Meijia cried out—a vicious gash tore her arm.

"Meijia! What’s wrong!"

"I’m fine!"

Gritting her teeth, she raised her Soul Weapon with her good hand. Zhicheng covered her fiercely. Exhaustion weighed on him; the relentless battle drained him dry. A wyvern lunged at Meijia’s back. Zhicheng shoved her aside—claws raked his chest, blood soaking his clothes.

"Zhicheng!!!!"

Meijia forced back nearby wyverns, hugging him with her injured arm.

"You... stop it! Let go......"

Zhicheng struggled. His wounds would only drag her down. Protecting him meant her death.

"No! No! I won’t let go!"

Sobbing, she clung tighter, swinging her Soul Weapon one-handed to keep monsters at bay.

"Fool... you could last longer alone... Hold on for Lady Sherry... you’ll be saved..."

"I don’t care! If you die, I die too!"

A wyvern clawed Meijia’s back. She spat blood.

"Meijia! Meijia! Talk to me!"

"I’m... fine......"

She forced a smile, then collapsed unconscious.

Zhicheng gritted his teeth, tears streaming. He tried summoning his Soul Weapon—its phantom flickered, then vanished. He couldn’t even manifest it now.

He held Meijia tightly.

"Someone... please save us......"