On the walls, the air was filled with tension, and the faces of the soldiers were marked with anxiety.
They stared at the back of the confident youths and couldn't help but wonder how these children could maintain such composure, especially the likes of Wendy, Nox, and Nyx. Their current state gave the soldiers the impression that these children had fought beasts before.
However, this was far from the truth. Except for Wendy and Nox, the rest hadn't even fought a real battle in their lives before. But after witnessing Nox's overwhelming prowess in the fight against Hendrix, the team's confidence was significantly boosted.
Adrenaline was flowing through their veins, and at this moment, they felt invincible. To the likes of Rab, Hendrix was a greater threat than the horde of beasts, but that was something he would regret a few moments from now.
"I envy these kids. Are they stupid, or do they just not understand the severity of this situation?" one soldier whispered, shaking his head.
"If only they knew what they're getting themselves into." Another soldier shook his head with a bitter chuckle. "Don't worry, they'll learn the harsh reality very soon."
"You're right; sooner or later, they'll run back to us like a bunch of scaredy-cats." A man laughed, but his laughter, meant to ease the others, came across awkward due to the underlying fear.
Just then, Nox's voice cut through their muttering, cold and sharp. "Instead of gossiping, why don't you activate your skills? Worry about yourselves, not us."
The guards immediately shut their mouths. In the heat of the moment, they had forgotten that the kids standing in front of them were Awakened and could hear their whispers due to their enhanced hearing.
Moreover, Nox was now the duke. As absurd as it sounded, one word from him could mean the end of them.
"Yes, sir!" the guards echoed and rushed forward to the edge of the walls. Archers drew their bows, and the tips of the arrows gleamed ominously, ready to be released. Meanwhile, the Awakened with long-range skills held their arms out.
Rab held his shield tightly, Wendy tightened her grip on her weapon, and Nyx's body glowed with a blinding, holy light. She emitted a fiery aura that stung the soldiers close to her, forcing them to move a few meters away.
"At my command, fire away!" Nox shouted, his voice filled with authority, compelling the others to listen.
"5!" Nox began to count down, and the muscles of the archers grew tense.
As soon as these words left his mouth, a rain of arrows and magical skills descended on the beasts. The battlefield lit up in a kaleidoscope of colors as the arrows whistled through the air and hit their respective targets. Among the rain of magical skills, there were fire, ice, earth, and many more.
These collective attacks slammed into the beasts with terrifying velocity.
A cloud of dust rose up for a split second, but the Awakened didn't remain idle; they continued to bombard the beasts blindly with their skills.
After a few more intense volleys, Nox raised a hand to halt them, which the soldiers obeyed.
A brief silence filled the air as the soldiers stared at the dust cloud.
"It had no effect on them," Nox said, his voice low but loud enough for the others to hear.
"Huh? No effect on them?" one of the soldiers exclaimed. Before he could speak further, a strong gust of wind blew the dust away, revealing the unhurt beasts, still growling with the same ferocity as before.
Nyx narrowed her eyes. "It seems these beasts are unusually powerful, just like the ones that attacked the barony."
"Huh." Nox turned to his sister and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Right, you weren't around, so you probably didn't notice," Rab responded, his bald head shining under the glare of the sun as he explained everything that had happened in recent months.
After Nox listened to everything, he briefly recalled events from a few years ago. 'From his description, it seems the beasts possess abnormal strength like the Blue Fang Python.'
As he thought, Nox stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the horde of monsters.
'Makes you wonder if someone is messing with the beasts.'
Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone, Nox jumped down from the towering walls, his expression unfazed as though several gleaming fangs weren't waiting below to tear his flesh away.
Has that kid gone mad?" one soldier shouted, his voice cracking slightly. "I know he's strong, but with that many beasts down there... does he have a death wish or something?"
Before the soldier could complain further, Rab, Wendy, and Nyx also jumped down, further shocking the guards.
"These kids... they've all lost it!"
"I knew that madman was beginning to rub off on them."
"What is this? Is it stupidity or bravery?"
The guards were perplexed.
What they saw next left them even more stunned.
At that moment, a massive blue portal appeared in the sky.
The soldiers' heads jerked toward it, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
"Don't tell me more beasts will pour out of that thing!" a soldier shuddered.
The beasts, who were about to attack the group of humans who had foolishly jumped down from the walls, also froze. For a moment, they disregarded the humans as they sensed an even greater threat: the blue portal.
Its surface crackled with power, and the beasts subconsciously stepped back, some even tucking their tails behind their legs. From the portal, the beasts could feel three terrifying auras unlike anything they'd felt before. The aura was overwhelming, forcing them to stiffen.
If... if whatever was in there could elicit such a reaction, then... how terrifying would it be if they actually emerged?
The intense battle temporarily stalled, and the soldiers grew even more confused.
Just then, three figures stepped out of the portal.
Another chapter coming up in few hours.