Just like Nox had suspected, Wendy and Rab had stayed back to help against the demon tide. The two could actively be seen fighting on the front lines.
As for the survivors, they were inside the town. After the tournament, the Cromwell Barony had developed significantly and now boasted enough homes to house the entire region, so it didn’t inconvenience the citizens.
However, despite the comfort, they were still frightened, having witnessed the number of demons firsthand.
Aina had temporarily abandoned the underground tunnel to help out on the battlefield. With her there, most of the Awakened were able to catch a brief respite.
"They just keep coming and coming. Just how long will we keep this up!" Wendy complained as she killed a demon that was sneaking up on her.
After killing it, she paused and stared into the distance where Nathan was currently locked in a brutal fight with the Level 100 Demon General.
The two combatants had covered the little distance between them and were trading blow after blow. Nathan’s fists were encased in flames while the demon was covered in miasma.
"You think you can keep up with a demon!" Nathan sneered as he headbutted the Demon General.
The horned demon staggered back, but before he could counterattack, the mad dog’s fire-coated fist smashed into the side of his face, causing blood and teeth to fly about.
’What the hell!’ The Demon General’s head rang. ’How does someone with such a physique feel so strong?’
In the past few minutes, the Demon General had been on the receiving end, unable to counter Nathan’s attacks.
Each of those punches carried the weight of a mountain.
"Hahahaha, I love that look on your face." Nathan’s chaotic laughter rang out across the battlefield, so loud that everyone present could hear him.
On another side, the demon teenage girl with the curved blade frowned. ’Tsk, father is in trouble. I need to finish this fast and go help him.’
"Getting distracted mid-fight." Theo clicked his tongue and thrust his sword forward. She wasn’t able to deflect in time, sustaining a grievous injury on the side of her stomach.
She grunted in pain, but Theo didn’t give her time to recover. He directly exploded forward in a shower of sword strikes.
A deep frown appeared on Hans’s face. Although the fight seemed under control with only a few human Awakened dying once in a while, he could tell it was only a matter of time before things worsened.
Without hesitation, he grabbed a communication crystal and contacted Elvin and Bridget.
On a mountain peak overlooking the giant portal from which the demons poured out.
"We need to find a way to close the portal as fast as we can," said Bridget, her brows furrowed.
At that moment, the communication crystal buzzed, and Elvin answered. As he listened, his expression grew pale.
"What is it?" Bridget asked.
Elvin didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he retrieved a special arrow from his quiver. As he placed it on the string, he said, "The situation back there is getting worse by the second. We need to find a way to close the portal."
Bridget followed his gaze and noticed he was aiming at the Level Four Agent, who was surrounded by a horde of demons. Her eyes then settled on the device just below the hovering portal.
"I only have one of these left," Elvin muttered as he narrowed his eyes.
Bridget’s purple eyes narrowed. "Wait, that’s—"
"A Mana-Piercing Explosive Arrow," Elvin replied. "If I miss, we’re done for. If I hit... the portal closes, but I’ll draw the attention of every demon here."
Bridget clenched her fists. "Isn’t there another way?"
"No," Elvin whispered, his eyes burning with resolve. "I have to try. No matter what, that portal must be closed."
In order to make the explosion as powerful as he could, he needed to channel mana into it. Although he wasn’t an Expert Rank, Elvin had enough mana to work with.
"If you want, I can help you as well," Bridget said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. She began to channel her mana into him.
Feeling the rush of mana into his body, the older archer of the Cromwell Barony, master of Serena, pulled the bowstring taut. His aura surged, mana flooding his body as the arrow gleamed with a faint blue light, pulsing with contained destruction.
Bridget’s gaze was glued to the portal in the distance, her heart pounding slightly. She subconsciously prayed to any god that cared to listen for the arrow to hit.
The mountain seemed to fall silent, the battle sounds fading into the background as if the world itself was holding its breath.
The arrow tore through the air like a comet, its tip glowing fiercely.
For a moment, time seemed to slow.
Down below, the Level Four Agent caught sight of the streaking arrow and instinctively threw himself to the ground, the demons surrounding him completely unaware of the doom descending upon them.
The arrow pierced through the crowd in the blink of an eye.
A deafening explosion erupted as the arrow struck the device.
A shockwave blasted out in all directions, vaporizing nearby demons instantly. The ground cracked, dust and debris shooting skyward.
Bridget raised her arms to shield her face from the force, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Elvin lowered his bow, sweat dripping from his brow as he watched the device disintegrate in the explosion.
"No, we did it!" he said with a small smile on his face.
In the distance, the hovering portal trembled violently, its surface distorting like rippling water before suddenly imploding inward.
The deafening roar as the portal collapsed sucked the air toward it, pulling in nearby demons before the spatial rift sealed shut with a final crackling snap.
For a heartbeat, the entire battlefield froze.
Elvin exhaled, his body relaxing for the first time since the battle began. Even he didn’t expect the arrow to be so destructive.
"It seems the Level Four Agent was sucked into the portal as well," Bridget pointed out as she watched the disorganized horde of demons. "Talk about killing two birds with one stone."
Then a frown appeared on her face. "It’s such a pity though. He could have made a good undead."
Afterward, Elvin called Hans and reported the situation.
After hearing the news, the short, sturdy warrior screamed at the top of his voice, "Hurrah! The portal has been closed down!"
"Hahahaha, demons! You’re done for!"
The morale of the Awakened soared, and they began to kill the demons with renewed vigor.
’This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!’ the Demon General muttered these words like a broken tape.
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