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A massive form, as though a towering mountain of stone had come to life.
An outer shell composed of solid rock strata that wouldn't even budge against ordinary firepower.
And the core trait of the Petrified Dread-Type—it could continue fighting without so much as flinching even after losing parts of its body.
Grade-1 Petrified Dread-Type: Geogranite Dread.
Among Colossal Monstrosities, it was especially difficult to deal with. Its defense and vitality, innate to all Petrified Dread-Types, rendered most firepower ineffective.
Lania had no clear way to deal with them either.
Ether couldn't penetrate the Dread's massive body and solid rock shell. The Rift Flames, while somewhat effective, couldn't stop it unless they directly burned through its core.
So, when as many as ten Geogranite Dreads began emerging from beyond the horizon, Lania couldn't help but despair.
Given their traits, taking down these Dreads with the power she had on hand was next to impossible.
And yet...
A single beam of light shot from beyond the horizon and struck down one of the Grade-1 Petrified Dread-Types in an instant.
It was a death unbefitting a Colossal Monstrosity, so abrupt and anticlimactic—but Lania knew better.
She knew just how absurd it was to defeat a Geogranite Dread, a Grade-1 Petrified Dread-Type, so easily.
And as far as Lania was concerned, there was only one person who could do such a thing under these circumstances.
'...Brother.'
Though she couldn't make out the identity of that tiny dot on the horizon with her own eyes, Lania was certain—it could only be Carl Marcus.
No—it had to be Carl Marcus.
[Kaaaaaak!───]
[Kkyeeeeek!]
Flying-type beasts and monsters began swarming toward Carl Marcus as he revealed himself in the skies.
There was no way to escape once surrounded in the air like that...!
"Broth—urk!"
[Kaaaak!]
"Just get lost──!"
Lania wanted to scream, but sadly, her own situation was far too dire.
Even now, attacks toward her hadn't ceased for a moment.
Then it happened.
KRRAAAACKA-BOOOOM!────
A torrent of red flame and blue frost swirled violently around Carl Marcus at the center.
Once the light and frost had passed through the area, the only thing left was shredded meat—chunks of the flying beasts that had once filled the sky.
"...."
It happened in an instant.
Unfortunately, there was no time to admire it.
Beasts and monsters were still charging her from every direction.
'…I can't hold on any longer.'
Lania had reached her limit.
Even the ether storm she had deliberately triggered could no longer keep the beasts at bay.
Now, she had to choose:
Would she die fighting here?
Or would she retreat?
In truth, considering what she carried, the answer was already decided.
'If anything, staying here would only get in Brother's way.'
Just as she finished that thought and began gathering ether—
"Huh?"
Another flash.
FWEEEEEEEEEEEENG───!
A beam of light pierced through the heart of another Geogranite Dread.
BOOOOOOOOM!───
Another one fell.
"...."
Could this really be happening?
That thought ran through her head, but she couldn't deny the reality unfolding in front of her.
At the very least, the tremor from the collapsing Geogranite Dread had opened up a window for her—
A chance to escape this place.
[Heehee....]
Ether began swirling around Lania's entire body.
Not just around her—but into the air around her as well.
'I'll launch myself.'
Half-measures wouldn't get her out of the middle of this battlefield.
The ground was crawling, and the skies swarmed with flying monsters.
So, Lania chose a brutally effective and straightforward method:
She would use ether as a propulsion system and blast her entire body away from the battlefield.
The reason she hadn't used this method before was simple.
Hurling a human body like a cannon shell would, without question, turn her into paste on arrival.
So, Lania had to not only launch but also divert all her focus into slowing herself down to avoid being reduced to a pulp.
In short, this method would render her completely combat incapable.
'Still… better than being a burden to my brother here.'
Ether gathered tightly.
It wrapped around her, swallowing her whole.
[Launch....]
And then—without hesitation—Lania fired herself away.
It was time to return to Ark.
* * *
As I rushed back toward Ark, what greeted me were ten Colossal Monstrosities.
Grade-1 Petrified Dread-Type: Geogranite Dreads.
Those bastards.
'First one.'
[Lv.10]
A violent spark erupted from the Zeus-444 Railgun as it discharged at maximum output.
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRAKABOOM!────
As always, the thunder of the Zeus-444 Railgun came half a second after the shot itself.
The Dread began to fall almost at the same time.
The moment the first shot was fired, its core was pierced clean through.
Even though I knew where its core was, to break through the outer shell of a Grade-1 Dread in one blow... now that was Level 10 firepower.
'One more.'
I pulled the trigger again.
Another Level 10 discharge. Another Dread fell effortlessly.
BOOOOOOM!───
'Hmph.'
As expected from the Zeus-444 Railgun at Level 10 output—two Geogranite Dreads down in an instant.
I wouldn't be able to use Level 10 again for a while, but this much was more than enough.
'Let's get started.'
Though I couldn't yet call on my strongest forces—Janus and Horus—due to the eyes watching me, it didn't matter.
I had plenty of other cards left to play.
[Lv.1]
I adjusted the Zeus-444 Railgun down to Level 1. Sparks crackled.
All that was left was to pull the trigger.
Zzzzzzt...!
BAAAAAAAAAANG!───
The Level 1 blasts ripped through the sky, mowing down flying monsters with surgical precision.
[KAAAAAK!]
[GYAAAAAH!]
As the Railgun's short, sharp blasts rang out, the monsters' screams pierced the air.
'Lania… is she safe?'
How I realized Lania was in the center of the battlefield was simple.
The violet flames clinging to Bearagon's body.
As far as I knew, only Lania could wield that power.
'Should I rescue her?'
If I rushed now, saving her wouldn't be too hard.
But if I got tied up with that, the Geogranite Dreads could reach Ark's front line.
'Hmmm…'
Just as I hesitated—
FWEEEEEEEEEENG!───
With a fierce etheric storm, Lania Marcus's body was quite literally launched from the heart of the battlefield.
It happened in a flash.
The monsters that had been surrounding her instantly became like dogs that lost their prey.
'Emergency escape? Smart move.'
If Lania had remained on the front lines, it would have severely limited my freedom in combat.
I couldn't exactly fire artillery barrages indiscriminately where someone like her was present.
But Lania had activated what amounted to an emergency escape and removed herself from the field in one go.
She had correctly judged what would benefit me—and what would serve Ark and the Kronos Union best.
'Truly wise.'
There are always those types—
People who get caught up in loyalty, foolish responsibility, or laughable senses of duty, only to drag down their allies.
Fortunately, Lania was not one of those fools. She understood what her role was.
'Now then…'
There were no more obstacles.
All that remained was to clear out these accursed beasts.
'First, let's split the front line.'
If I left it as is, the beast horde would keep pushing into Ark.
Even if cutting the line didn't reduce the overall number, it would buy Ark some much-needed time to regroup.
'Just that alone could drastically reduce the damage to Ark and the Kronos Union.'
And the method to split the front line was simple.
Create a wall—a barrier so formidable the monsters couldn't cross.
'If I used both Janus and Horus, I could build a physical wall… but why expend that much effort?'
"Janus."
[Giiik!]
Janus's bone tendrils coiled around my body.
I was about to descend through the swarms of flying monsters to reach the ground.
"Let's go."
Getting down was simple.
Just flip upside down and fire the Z-74 Jetpack and the combat greaves in reverse.
KRRAKAKAK!
Even though I was way up, it took only a blink to reach the ground.
Of course, it wasn't a gentle landing.
BOOOOOOOOM!───
The shockwave from my landing wasn't as powerful as expected.
In fact, more beasts survived the blast than died from it.
But that wasn't the point.
I immediately extended my left hand and drew the bone spear.
Then—I thrust it into the ground.
[Ankelenth's Domain has been declared!]
The moment Ankelenth's Domain was proclaimed, the charging beasts and monsters froze.
They instinctively recognized it as the realm of an overwhelming predator.
[Kik... Kiiiiiik...]
[Kkekkeng!]
They began to back away.
This—this was the invisible wall I had envisioned.
Some high-tier monsters still crossed the boundary, ignoring the domain.
But most did not.
An invisible barrier began forming along the front.
The beasts backed away from the Domain, while those already ahead rushed forward, away from it.
'Now, it really begins.'
Even if Ankelenth's Domain formed an invisible wall, it would only redirect the horde.
Maintaining it forever wasn't the answer to this war.
'What I need is time. And during that time—I'll cull as many of them as possible.'
My mission was clear.
Kill monsters. And then kill some more.
That was what I had to do.