Nearly an hour after Yulia and her Knight arrived to reinforce them, the long-awaited fortress reinforcements finally appeared. Just before dawn broke, the soldiers who had held the line saw the first light of victory.
With Officer Von’s large contingent arriving, the defensive line—previously sustained only by Yulia and her Knight’s efforts—was replenished. Plans for a counterattack began. Soldiers on the frontlines murmured about the pair deep in enemy territory, holding back the horde of Corpse Eaters.
"Never thought that noble lady would be so dependable."
"We owe our survival to that golden-haired miss."
"And that Ghostkind... terrifying. Does the fortress have another secret weapon besides Dante?"
"Reinforcements are here—let’s push forward!"
"But where’s Head Caretaker Dante this time?"
"Commander Dante is still hunting escaped demons in town. I, Colonel Feng Indel, will lead this Corpse Eater purge."
Mounted on his warhorse, Officer Von took command from the temporary frontline leader.
He split the three hundred fresh troops: two hundred infantry joined the defensive line, pushing cautiously toward the Hunter Settlement alongside hunters and soldiers. Von himself led the remaining hundred elite cavalry in a charge straight into the chaotic Corpse Eater ranks. The horde, already wavering between attack and retreat due to the Ghostkind girl’s interference, would crumble under a disciplined cavalry assault. Victory seemed inevitable.
"Only worry is... how much longer can Miss Yulia hold on?" Von muttered uneasily, watching the golden-haired child suspended under the moonlight.
A roar echoed. Arrows shot from the forest toward Yulia. She danced nimbly, dodging each shot with magic and swift movements.
"Carrion Feeders wielding weapons—Neogene-class have appeared too. Move out! Support Miss Yulia!" Von spurred his cavalry onto the ghoul-infested plain.
"Light’s blessing, shield us!"
As he charged, Von cast White Magic over his troops. Bathed in holy radiance, the cavalry swept through the wasteland, reaching the Hunter Settlement in moments.
Behind them, the frontline advanced steadily. Corpse Eaters fell beneath hunters’ blades and infantry spears. Then—a monstrous howl tore from the forest. A spear, swift as lightning, impaled Yulia mid-air. She drifted down, vanishing into the settlement’s depths.
Von’s urgency spiked. "Securing Miss Yulia is priority! Ten riders with me—rescue her! The rest, keep purging the outskirts!" He skewered a lunging Corpse Eater, then led his small squad deeper into the settlement.
They found Yulia amid a pile of ghoul corpses pierced by ominous black spears. Her wounds had vanished, but exhaustion and blood loss left her pale and weak. Though conscious, she pleaded for them to save the Ghostkind child surrounded farther ahead. By the time they reached the spot, only scattered ghoul limbs and a few stragglers remained.
With the counteroffensive now at the settlement’s edge, Von carried Yulia while his cavalry swept the ruins for survivors—and her missing Knight. Yet Corpse Eaters kept emerging from the forest. Neogene-class ghoul warriors, armed and armored, blocked their path.
Just as Von braced for battle, a blood-drenched figure crashed between them—a Ghostkind not aligned with either side.
Covered in wounds, it wielded blood and fire indiscriminately, slaughtering anything nearby like livestock.
"That’s Alice!" Yulia tried to step forward, but Von held her back.
This was no longer the Alice she knew. Dripping crimson, its eyes held no trace of reason. It lunged at a towering Neogene ghoul, tearing flesh from its chest with feral delight. When a soldier tried to strike the distracted ghoul, Alice snapped his limbs like twigs, then leisurely stalked toward him to feast.
The ignored Neogene roared, slashing at the cannibal Ghostkind. Alice’s blood surged, forming a crimson shield that blocked the blow. Then, serpentine tendrils of blood coiled around the ghoul.
Soldiers rushing to save their comrade were impaled by thorn-like spikes erupting from the gore-stained ground.
With obstacles cleared, Alice turned back to her prey. Von reacted instantly—White Magic flared. A shield of light materialized between the broken soldier and Alice. The man crawled to safety just as the enraged Neogene broke free, charging at Alice. She let out an unearthly shriek at the moon, then whirled to face her new challenger.
"It’s lost all reason. Fall back! It hunts ghouls too—we can use it. All units: avoid the crimson Ghostkind, focus on other Corpse Eaters. We’ll deal with this monster last."
Yulia protested weakly, but Von carried her away from the blood-soaked battlefield, leaving the Neogene and the Fourth Category Ghoul Species—Alice—to tear each other apart.
Infantry squads advanced through the settlement’s corpse-strewn streets. They dodged Alice while steering her toward remaining ghouls, thinning their numbers. Soon, the battle reached its climax. Multiple Tearmarked Ghouls lay dead. Troops converged on a massive Neogene ghoul wielding a crude club, cornering it step by step.
Suddenly, the sluggish ghoul moved with terrifying speed, felling spear-wielding infantry one after another. Simultaneously, the rampaging Fourth Category Ghoul Species reappeared, joining the fray.
Following Von’s orders, soldiers retreated from the clash. Hidden among the settlement’s ruins, they waited—letting the two monsters exhaust each other before claiming the spoils.
