Horizon Institute Stronghold, Akaza Ruin, Fortified City 89
Unlike the Sanctum of Masters’ stronghold, which stood near the center of Fortified City 89, Horizon Institute’s stronghold was positioned near the city’s outer walls.
That location brought constant danger.
Where Sanctum of Master was responsible for dealing with city’s inner defense system and the monsters that had made the place their home, Horizon’s people were on the front lines, defending against monster attacks that came in waves from beyond the barrier.
The cost of that duty was written all over the current scene.
Blood, exhaustion, and urgency.
The stronghold was in chaos.
Medics shouted orders. Injured students limped or were carried on stretchers. Soot and blood smeared their uniforms.
A few collapsed in corners, too drained to even sit up straight.
Potions were being distributed, but stocks were running dangerously low. Healing spells were cast non-stop, and the air stank of iron and scorched meat.
It wasn’t a battlefield anymore. It was an aftermath.
Even the reinforcements from Aeternum University’s stronghold had arrived, but they didn’t ease the pressure much.
They had their own wounded to tend to.
Some mages were still unconscious, slumped beside the supply tents, pale and cold. The expressions on their comrades’ faces said it all. Last night had nearly been the end.
A massive beast wave had hit the stronghold.
No one saw it coming until it was too late.
Normally, the mages would be the first line of response with their long-range artillery, elemental support, precision strikes.
But during the last night’s heavy attack that no one expected, the mages ran out of mana midway through the battle.
That was the breaking point.
While mana potions existed, they weren’t bottomless.
Most awakeners could only drink two in an hour. The body’s capacity to absorb mana from external sources was limited, depending on their species and talent rank. Chugging more than the limit only led to mana poisoning.
As a result, Horizon Institute’s stronghold had been on the brink of destruction.
Thankfully, the Titan Edge Guild arrived in time.
They had moved faster than anyone expected.
Reinforcements came within half an hour, and more importantly, their Guildmaster’s younger sister, Celia Rae, had used her teleportation talent to bring someone else.
Vice Principal of Sanctum of Masters.
Eleanor Weiss.
One of the four Overlords of humanity.
She had been in the Sanctum’s stronghold at the time. It was a stroke of luck, or perhaps fate.
No one who saw her fight that night would forget it.
With a single slash of her sword, hundreds of monsters were cut apart.
With another step, she entered the heart of the enemy’s formation, and brought chaos to them. Her presence turned the tide of battle instantly.
Eleanor was like a goddess of war and thunder.
She held back nearly half the beast wave by herself.
It was the first time the new generation of Awakeners saw an Overlord rank awakener in action, and it stunned them.
That level of power wasn’t just a difference in stat numbers. It was an entirely different plane of existence.
Not even twenty Level 50 Champion rank Awakeners could scratch her.
But even she had limits.
When morning arrived, Eleanor entered the stronghold again through the main gate.
She normally avoided filth and disorder. Yet she was drenched in blood. Her once-pristine uniform was stained and tattered at the edges.
She had wounds on her arm, and one side of her coat had been torn clean off.
Despite that, she still carried herself upright, walking through the crowd without stumbling once.
She exchanged a few words with the stronghold’s command team, gave brief instructions to some officers, and then returned to her tent, which stood near the back corner of the stronghold.
The moment she entered, she let out a long, tired sigh.
"Finally," she muttered, pulling off her gloves and tossing them onto the table.
Before she could even sit, the air beside her shimmered.
Catherine appeared.
"Master," Catherine said with a quick bow, "I have news."
"Speak."
Catherine reached into her storage ring and pulled out a small orb.
It was dark green, with thin golden lines wrapping around it like veins. It pulsed faintly, giving off a strange frequency in the air, almost like a heartbeat.
"This is a monster attractor," she said. "I found it buried five meters deep near the eastern perimeter. It was hidden just below the defensive formations."
Eleanor took the orb. Her expression didn’t change much except for her furrowed brows.
Catherine continued. "I am sure this was planted by a Naga Champion. If the monster horde destroyed this stronghold, forces from other strongholds would be forced to come here. It would weaken other strongholds and buy time for the Naga to complete whatever they’re planning."
Eleanor closed her eyes for a second, pressing her fingers into her temple.
Catherine added, "They possibly to escape with the Hellspawn. Or to awaken it, and attack us to take over the city."
The orb’s pulse grew louder the longer it was held. A low hum echoed through the tent.
"They’re getting bolder," Eleanor said softly.
"They are," Catherine agreed.
Silence fell between them.
"Master... do you think we can win if a war actually happens? Nagas are a mid-rank species. Even with you and me, I doubt—"
Eleanor interrupted her. "The Naga are a mid-rank species. But their numbers are low."
Catherine listened silently.
Eleanor placed the orb on the table.
Her presence changed and her aura grew heavier. Catherine watched in surprise as Eleanor took out a sword from her palm.
The sword was sealed in a sheath covered in intricate runes.
It had a white hilt with blue inlaid. The hilt and the sheath were locked by chains that oozed an otherworldly presence.
"The Nagas entire strength comes from their individual power," Eleanor said. "They have mostly summoners, spirit masters, shamans classes, and their Talents are similar. It makes them difficult to deal with since each Naga controls a small platoon of spirits.
"But the loss of even one Naga hits them hard. That’s their flaw."
She looked over the sword with a deep gaze.
"I will unseal my sword. Take care of the kids while I’m gone. Also, send a message to the other Overlords, and ask them for reinforcements."
Catherine’s eyes widened slightly.
"You’re leaving?" she asked.
Eleanor nodded. "Unsealing Ezkavorn is going to take time. I will need to enter deep meditation for it."
She looked at the sword, then back at Catherine. "Make sure the kids stay safe, and don’t tease them too much."
Catherine raised a brow, and smiled. "Children?"
The word hung in the air for a second.
"Don’t start it." Eleanor’s expression twitched in a mix of annoyance and amusement.
Catherine smirked. "Does that mean you’re finally admitting you’re old?"
There was no reply. Just a long, sharp stare from Eleanor.
But the atmosphere lightened, and the tension faded, if only slightly.
Catherine chuckled and adjusted her coat.
"I’ll make sure the stronghold holds," she said, returning to her usual calm tone. "And I’ll watch over the three of them properly. You don’t need to worry."
"Good," Eleanor said. "I’ll return as soon as I can."
Eleanor turned to leave the tent, sword now resting on her waist.