"Ahh-Ahh…"
The air burned like bile at the back of Reneal's throat.
Several serpentine monsters with mantis-like claws lashed at him, their bladed limbs striking with terrifying speed. His boots skidded against the blood-slick grass as he dodged one blow only to take another across the shoulder.
Cuts littered his arms and legs, blood soaking into the torn fabric of his robes. His mana was low, his stamina draining quickly, and his breath came in ragged bursts. The once-fluid elegance in his swordplay now faltered, slowed, and staggered.
Behind him, the children huddled together, their terrified eyes glued to his every move.
The clashing of steel reverberated in the air, tangled with the roars of soldiers, the wet snarl of monsters, and the panicked cries of civilians.
What had once been a festive space was now a battlefield drenched in carnage. Bodies—both human and beast—lay strewn across the ground. But with Reneal's assistance, there were more monsters than humans.
Just as the soldiers began to think they might survive the onslaught, a bolt of lightning tore across the sky. A violent vortex of mana spiraled above them, and from its swirling depths, a familiar winged creature began to descend. Its body was warped and augmented by stone.
Its piercing screech sent waves of pain through the crowd, forcing men to their knees and children to cover their ears.
Then it opened its mouth—
And hell rained down.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Wind projectiles launched from its gaping mouth, striking the ground like cannon fire. Explosions tossed soldiers and civilians through the air, ripped chunks of earth from the ground, and shattered trees like they were paper.
Screams erupted all around. Spears flew skyward in desperation, but the creature hovered too high—and the few that struck its body clinked off harmlessly.
The monster's gaze settled on the barricades protecting what lay beyond the field—the inner city, and in a heartbeat, it fired again. Barricades splintered, wood and stone scattering like confetti, bodies hurled from the impact.
"No!" Reneal shouted. "It's trying to blow a hole in the perimeter! If it breaks through, the monsters will flood into the city! Hold the line! Secure the barricade!"
But no one could hold back a hurricane.
The creature split open its maw again—
CRACKK!
A gust like a Minotaur's fist struck, smashing into the frontline and sending soldiers flying like ragdolls. Even those who braced behind shields were tossed aside, their defenses shattering on impact.
The captain roared above the chaos. "Siege weapons—move them up! Load everything we've got!"
Soldiers wheeled in catapults and ballistae, rushing to reload as fast as trembling hands would allow. One team lifted a massive stone into place, another primed a bolt, and a third prepared a net reinforced with iron bindings.
The captain raised his hand. "Aim—!"
Weapons locked on.
"Fire!"
The siege projectiles soared through the air. For an instant, there was hope. Then the monster twisted, veering to the side as if it had eyes in the back of its head. The bolt missed, the net was shredded by a burst of wind, and the stone barely grazed its hide.
The retaliation came instantly.
With a single beat of its wings, the fiend unleashed another volley of wind blasts, shattering one siege weapon after another.
Screams echoed as debris scattered and soldiers were thrown to the ground like broken marionettes. The monsters at the barricade, emboldened by the chaos, surged forward in a frenzied attempt to breach the barrier.
Then, just as another wind projectile spiraled toward the weakened barricade—
CHENGGG!
Golden chains snapped out of the sky and coiled tightly around the monster's wings, halting it mid-flight. It screeched in fury, thrashing against the restraints.
Up above, from a foothold made of pure mana, a figure launched downward in a blur.
And then—
CRACK—WHIIIIIRR!
A spiraling sphere of mana screeched through the sky like a jet engine. It crashed into the monster's back with a flash of white-hot energy. The creature convulsed, then plummeted like a meteor, smashing into the earth with a deafening explosion.
DING!
[The Magic Chains skill effect has been activated, inflicting Paralysis and Silence. The target is temporarily immobilized and casting any skills requiring mana will be impossible.]
Dust clouded the air as a light breeze carried through the battlefield.
Time slowed.
Long silver hair rippled in the wind.
Tattered garments clung to a lithe frame.
A woman rose from the creature's back, her spine arched, golden eyes blazing beneath thick lashes.
Reneal stared, stunned, his breath frozen in his throat. "…Sophia…" he finally whispered.
There was awe in his voice, and something else he couldn't name. Her presence commanded the space like a force of nature, and despite the chaos surrounding them, his eyes wandered—tracing the line of her back, the curve of her waist, the way her torn garments clung to the flushed skin beneath.
He swallowed hard, heat rising to his cheeks as he admired the wild beauty of someone forged through fire.
Leopold, just arriving on the battlefield, also paused to admire the female warrior. His eyes narrowed, a flicker of recognition and intrigue sparking as he witnessed what unfolded next.
Daisuke exhaled, a breath of frost escaping through his parted lips.
DING!
[Activating the skill «Glacial Dominion».]
SHHHK~
A gleaming wave of frost surged outward from his feet, blanketing the ground in a thin layer of rime. The air shimmered around him, and in a matter of seconds, the Dungeon Boss and the remaining monsters were caught within the radius.
Their movements turned sluggish, muscles locking up beneath growing coats of ice. Frost clung to hide and fur like chains.
"NOW!" Reneal's voice thundered above the chaos. "SLAY THEM NOW!!"
The soldiers didn't need to be told twice. Shouts erupted as they charged forward without hesitation, weapons raised high, eyes burning with determination.
SHINGGG!
Daisuke's daggers—Dark Upheaval—flared into existence in a reversed grip, their curved edges humming with cold malice.
DING!
[Dolomagnon | Lvl 20 | Unique Dungeon Boss | HP: ???/???]
I don't know how much HP you've got, Daisuke thought darkly with a frown, and honestly, I don't really care—because I'm sure it's nothing compared to the last few Field Bosses I've taken down.
The moment the last word dissolved from his mind, his body dipped low. Civilians and soldiers alike stared in captivation at the woman—at Sophia.
Her silver hair billowed around her like a silken banner, catching the sunlight. She was like poetry in motion. The frost swirled around her enchantingly as if even nature itself was drawn to her. The daggers painted arcs of orange and green in the air, a stunning contrast to the pearl white of her garb.
The fiend writhed, shrieking in fury, its wings crippled and body stunned. And still, the goddess of war stood rooted on the creature's back, carving it apart piece by piece. Her blades tore mercilessly into its joints, hacking through the dense, rocky armor with a vengeance born of all the lives lost.
From the side, Reneal caught a blur of movement. Several children appeared, struggling to drag a squirming sack behind them. Inside—bound and gagged—a bald man akin to an overgrown potato thrashed and shouted muffled curses.
Reneal blinked. "Wh-What's going on?"
Two identical boys—clearly twins, and even more clearly the most mischievous of the lot—saluted with beaming faces. "We've brought the prisoner as commanded, sir!" one of them declared.
"Baldie secured," the other one announced with a smog grin.
Reneal's jaw dropped.
Inside the sack, the man let out a muffled yell of protest, violently shaking his head. He was clearly livid at being referred to as "baldie."
"The… prisoner?" Reneal asked, still trying to process the situation as he approached them.
"The mistress told us to bring him to you," said an older boy, nodding solemnly.
"…Mistress?" Reneal blinked again.
A tiny girl poked her head out from behind one of the twins. "Mistress Sophia," she whispered shyly.
Understanding suddenly dawned in Reneal's eyes, especially when he recognized the prisoner. The children, satisfied with their delivery, quickly darted behind him to join the other kids for safety.
The prince's gaze returned to the sack—and darkened, eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. Father Alvian's eyes went wide with terror when they met Reneal's. He recognized the look in his eyes. This was no longer the same timid boy once prone to manipulation and ridicule. The cowardice was gone. Only fire remained—a prince carved by war and loss.
Reneal's grip on the saber tightened until his knuckles turned white. His thoughts screamed to drive the blade through the priest's throat.
But instead, with a slow breath, he reached into his magic bag and pulled out a pouch of Slumbering Dust—the sleeping powder Sophia had given him the night before.
He sprinkled a pinch onto a handkerchief then stoically leaned in. "With what's in store for you, you'll end up wishing the monsters had torn you apart instead."
The man's eyes widened in horror as a shiver shot down his spine. Before he could squeal, Reneal pressed the cloth over his nose. The priest thrashed, mumbled… then went still.
"Sleep," Reneal muttered coldly, yanking the sack over the man's head and cinching it tight to completely obscure him from view. "When you awake next, I'll thoroughly ensure that you answer for your crimes."
With a sigh, he shifted his attention, wishful eyes lifting back toward the heart of the battlefield.
All the monsters were slain except one.
The Dungeon Boss snarled and bucked, but the golden chains held fast, keeping it anchored in place. Its wings flailed wildly, but the membranes were already shredded. Even if it broke free—it would never fly again.
The creature's body bled from a hundred deep gouges, armor chipped and shattered. Sophia—Daisuke—showed no mercy. Each slash was vengeance—for the dead, for the terrified, for the children who had to grow up too soon.
The monster shrieked in agony. The stone shielding its head finally cracked. And with a final, brutal drive, both daggers plunged straight through its skull.
DING!
[Haxks has slain the Hidden Dungeon Boss «Dolomagnon».]
[166,333 Experience Points have been acquired.]
[Boundless Rune has been acquired.]
[Reinforcement Tablet x3 has been acquired.]
[Celestial Cube (White) x2 has been acquired.]
[Celestial Cube (Blue) has been acquired.]
[Runetablet has been acquired.]
[Dolomagnon's Mana Core has been acquired.]
[Dolomite Crestbone has been acquired.]
[3,333 gold has been acquired.]
A deafening silence followed.
Then—
"WE DID IT!" someone bellowed.
A soldier lifted his weapon high and shouted, "It's dead!!"
Like a wave crashing over a cliff, a loud roar of celebration erupted. People cried, screamed, laughed, and collapsed in relief. "We survived!" someone wept. "The Dungeon Break is over!" another howled.
The demihumans, seeing the turn of battle, began to retreat back into the safety of the slums. Several of the children threw themselves at Reneal in a group hug. Startled at first, the prince slowly relaxed, his arms coming up to return their warmth.
Parents, faces smeared with dirt and tears, rushed toward their sons and daughters. Tearful reunions followed. A pair sprinted through the crowd and fell to their knees in front of the prince, sobbing and offering thanks as they clutched their children—the ones he and valiantly protected throughout the onslaught.
But not all the children had someone to run to. Off to the side, the orphans Daisuke had saved stood in silence, watching the happy reunion with hollow eyes. They didn't cry. They didn't smile. They just watched.
Daisuke—still in the guise of Sophia—stepped down from the monster's corpse. He walked to Reneal, reached for his hand, and lifted it high into the air. The crowd responded instantly, roaring at the spectacle with reverence.
"Prince Reneal!!"
"Long live the prince!!"
The soldiers banged their weapons against their shields in rhythm, calling his name, their cheers loud and proud. The sight overwhelmed him, but he held steady, unwilling to show weakness.
Daisuke leaned in close and whispered, "You've grown stronger. I'm proud of you. Lumielle will be, too… and so will your father." He offered a faint smile. "Your mother would've been proud as well."
Reneal swallowed hard. His gaze dropped to Neville's still form, and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
"…I'm sorry," Daisuke said quietly, a hint of remorse in his tone for dragging the prince into the fray—even if it was for the sake of his growth. "I didn't make it back in time."
Reneal didn't answer right away, just nodded. "There's no need to apologize," he returned softly. "Without your help… this disaster could have been far worse."
In the distance, Leopold flicked the crimson stain from his sword with a stony expression, his eyes gleaming with suspicion as he stared at their female savior.
"You did it, Mistress!"
The children swarmed and hugged him. Even while he returned their affection, a faint glimmer of light discreetly flickered beneath his heels. Then the massive corpse of the Dungeon Boss vanished in a flash of light, whisked away into his inventory.
Many blinked in disbelief at its sudden disappearance, while others nodded, relieved not to see the grotesque thing remain.
Daisuke leaned in again. "I need to get the hostage out before anyone notices.… can you handle the rest?"
Reneal nodded silently. "Thank you. For everything."
Our hero allowed a small smile. As he slipped away into the crowd and threw the unconscious Alvian over the saddle of a stray horse, another figure pushed his way forward.
It was none other than Stynx.
The royal bastard—who had fled past the barricade to save his own skin while civilians were torn apart—shoved his way through the crowd, drawn back by the thunder of cheers.
He'd returned to reclaim whatever scraps of attention he could. However, he abruptly halted in his tracks when he saw Reneal. Saw the crowds cheering his name, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
"How…?" he whispered to himself.
The pathetic prince was still standing.
The Dungeon Boss was gone.
And the masses were practically worshipping his name, chanting it as though he was a god.
Stynx's jaw clenched, and his fists balled at his sides. How had the same spineless brat he used to mock brought down such a fierce beast on his own? How had he survived when seasoned warriors hadn't?
Rage surged through him. The glory, the praise—it should have been his to savor and enjoy.
Then why?
A clear answer didn't come. But his rage did.
And it burned.