Goliath threw its massive jaws wide and began gathering Mind.
Dwarves bearing long shields formed a solid wall in front of the Mages.
The next instant, a roar twisted the air as it tore forward.
But it was far weaker than Goliath's direct attacks. With their shields raised and their racial toughness to rely on, the dwarves barely managed to endure the impact.
Seeing the Mages' chant nearing completion, Bors gave another order.
"Front line, fall back! While it's disoriented, finish it in one push!"
"Fire!!"
Magic erupted outward. Countless streams of light converged into a barrage that shot forward like cannon fire.
Flames, ice, lightning, and raging wind—brilliant Magic exploded into thick black smoke, accompanied by a thunderous roar that shook the field.
When the volley subsided, every adventurer stared at the center of the battlefield.
Goliath's body was riddled with holes. Beneath its pitch-black hide, raw flesh lay exposed and vulnerable.
"OOOOOOO!!!"
The adventurers burst into cheers. The vanguard tightened their grips, ready to rush in and claim the finishing blow.
Then—
The cheers died instantly.
Disbelief and fear froze across every face.
Goliath's wounds had healed.
Under a faint crimson glow, its regeneration moved at an absurd speed.
In the time it took to blink, the charred wounds vanished without a trace.
"Don't just stand there!"
Daphne shouted sharply at the stunned adventurers.
But she was a step too late.
After staggering under the overwhelming assault, Goliath steadied itself in a single breath—and then bared its fangs at the vanguard.
Its massive fist came crashing down. The fragile grassland shattered on impact.
Like a landslide, cracks and shockwaves ripped through the field, sweeping up everyone in their path.
Adventurers and monsters alike were caught in the devastation.
"Ugh…?!"
Cassandra forced herself back to her feet.
The blow itself hadn't been fatal. But it had driven despair straight into everyone's hearts, draining the adventurers' will to fight.
"Insane self-regeneration… How are we supposed to beat something like that?!"
"This Goliath's power is Lv.5?! There's no way we can win…"
Defeated voices rang out one after another.
Goliath's roar drowned them all out.
The next moment, monsters from beyond the grassland surged in again.
Roars battered against shields. Blades clashed with claws.
"We can't hold this! We need to run!"
"Run? The entire floor's sealed. Where do you think you're going? Leave the grassland and there might not even be anyone left to collect your body."
Hearing the retreating talk, Mord snapped back with a harsh dose of reality.
"But we can't possibly defeat that thing!" an adventurer shot back in panic.
"No. There is a way."
Daphne kicked away the monster in front of her and shouted,
"Our captain, Little Rookie, is in the Tree Labyrinth. He'll be back soon—with the Sword Princess."
"The Sword Princess?!"
"If that's true…"
At the mention of one of the city's top fighters, hope flickered back into the adventurers' eyes, and their fighting spirit surged once more.
Welf raised the magic sword and shouted,
"We throw everything we've got at it, magic, the magic sword, items, and hold out until reinforcements arrive!"
Before the last word left his mouth, a fierce jet of flame shot out and struck Goliath square in the eye.
More ugly cracks spread across the crimson magic sword.
Welf didn't flinch. He simply lifted his head and kept his eyes locked on Goliath's movements.
The magic sword's bombardment could wipe out the incoming monster waves, but Daphne insisted they pour every bit of firepower into Goliath instead.
With that burst of flame as the signal, the battlefield turned into a full-blown magic onslaught.
"Shield Guard and Vanguard, handle the monsters! Don't try to take Goliath down. Spread your shots out and don't give it a chance to roar! Once the Sword Princess gets back, we win!"
Bors barked orders even as he joined the extermination himself.
Magical blasts and the magic sword's strikes alternated, pouring down on Goliath like a driving storm.
Compared to the earlier volley, the damage was lighter, and it healed completely in moments.
But that was fine. They'd achieved their real goal. The constant bombardment slowed the giant's advance and pinned it in place.
A blue crystal hung high in the sky, silently watching the long, grinding fight.
Its light gradually dimmed.
Then Mind Down began spreading through the adventurers like a sickness.
"I can't do this anymore..."
"Where are the Mind recovery potions? You've got some left, don't you? Hurry up and hand them over!"
"We're out... even the town's potion shop emptied its stock..."
"Another Mage is down!"
"The Healer over here too!"
"Does anyone still have healing potions? I'll pay, name your price!"
"I can't... I really can't hold on anymore!"
The line collapsed.
Potions and magic swords were the only reason they'd lasted this long.
Starting with the first Mage to fall, it took barely half a minute for the fragile balance to snap, spreading across the battlefield like an avalanche.
The front kept giving ground. The Goliath, once held back by Magic, surged right up to them.
"Heavenly light, once rejected.... ugh...?!"
Cassandra hadn't even finished chanting her area Healing Magic when a dizzy, spinning vertigo hit her.
She forced herself to steady her footing and looked around.
The vanguard and Shield Guard could barely stand, let alone fight, and more monsters were already emerging from the distant forest.
Mages and Healers lay on the ground, surrounded by potion vials drained to the last drop.
Lili dug frantically through her bag. Aside from counter-spell potions that wouldn't help here, everything else was gone.
"..."
Despair crept onto Cassandra's face before she could stop it.
The magic sword Welf had forged had spent all its uses, leaving nothing behind, not even dust.
After Mikoto's Mind recovered, she'd forced out one more gravity spell, and now she was unconscious again.
Daphne panted, her body soaked in blood, warped with twisted, bark-like patterns.
Cassandra knew what that meant. It was her friend's special ability, something that only activated when her stamina was gone and death was right at the door.
Daphne's body, like a laurel tree, took the monsters' claws for everyone else.
"Ugh..."
A true dead end.
Stamina, Mind, potions, items, magic swords...
Everyone here had burned through every resource they had.
If they tried to squeeze out anything more, all they'd have left was a life like a candle about to go out in the wind.
"Cassandra-sama!"
Lili called out in a panic. In her sight, Cassandra leaned on her staff and stepped to the front.
"..."
Cassandra didn't answer. She only faced the oncoming giant and closed her eyes.
Had she misread the prophecy?
Had she chosen the wrong path?
No.
That wasn't it.
He will come.
Then this body has to be the bait. She had to buy the others time.
Ignoring the cries behind her, Cassandra walked forward anyway.
"Cassandra!!!!"
Daphne screamed.
The giant's fist came down, about to crush Cassandra—
And a figure shoved her out of the way.
"..."
"...?!"
Hope?
Or despair?!
After the deafening impact, white hair was soaked through with blood.
In that instant, time stopped for everyone.
...
...
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