The year 2032, June 24, according to the global calendar.
After three days had passed, the Barony of Elin had become completely silent.
All families hid in their homes, peering through the windows at the city's wall.
The Barony of Elin is a region surrounded by mountains, and entry is only possible through a gate in the north of the city or by air travel.
Near the gate on the city wall, soldiers could be seen gathered and divided into two groups.
One group stood atop the wall, armed with long-range assault rifles.
The other group stood below, directly in front of the closed gate, wielding swords.
At the top of the wall, a man and a woman stood side by side, gazing forward.
"So, we're going to be on our own."
The red-haired girl spoke, a hint of despair in her eyes.
"Yes, it seems that way," replied the red-haired man with short hair, keeping his focus ahead.
"You know, Riana, I wished at least you would escape so the legacy of House Elin could live on."
"You want me to leave you here to face death and run away? You know that's impossible for me to do, Father."
"Yes, I know my daughter well."
The Baron of Elin sighed, a faint, proud smile appearing on his face.
"I wished, at the very least, that I could see you in a wedding dress before I died."
"Oh, come on, Father. Who would ever want me, with this scarred face?"
The Baron remained silent, narrowing his eyes as he stared ahead.
A black dot appeared in the far distance beyond the wall.
Soon, more black dots followed, until the entire horizon became a mass of darkness.
"They have arrived."
Riana spoke, tension in her voice as she tightened her grip on her sword.
The creatures advanced swiftly, becoming identifiable as they drew closer.
Their numbers were overwhelming, filling the entire field of vision.
Monsters of various shapes and sizes—perhaps numbering over a hundred thousand.
Yet in the Barony of Elin, there were only around a thousand soldiers.
Their ranks ranged from intermediate to advanced, with only the Baron of Elin reaching the level of a graduate.
Faced with these creatures, everyone knew their fate that day.
But they could not retreat, because their families sat right behind them in their homes.
The Baron of Elin turned his gaze to the soldiers, took a deep breath, and spoke loudly and clearly.
"Brave knights! Today we will defend our city and our families, even if it means sacrificing ourselves in the process. We will not let them destroy our home! Are you with me?"
"Yes!!!"
"I can't hear you—ARE YOU WITH ME?"
"Yes!!!"
The knights' cries echoed their determination to press forward despite their fear and protect their people.
The Baron of Elin turned his gaze back to the monsters and raised his right hand.
"Marksman! At my signal—fire!"
The marksman readied their rifles, raising them onto their shoulders.
"Prepare the missile launchers."
Three soldiers carrying large weapons with massive shells inside began prepping them, standing ready for orders.
Silence fell over the battlefield—only the sound of the monsters' pounding footsteps and the trembling earth could be heard.
The creatures were now extremely close to the wall, and sweat and tension appeared on the soldiers' faces.
"Fire!"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Gunfire rang out through the air as the monsters began to fall one by one—but this did not stop them. They pressed forward, trampling over the corpses of the fallen.
"Hit them with the missiles!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions erupted, and this time, numerous monsters were felled by the attacks.
"Ground knights! Open the gate, kill as many as possible, and retreat swiftly! Wall-mounted gunners—cover them!"
Screech!
Immediately upon hearing the Baron's command, the gate began to rise, and the sword-wielding soldiers charged out, rushing toward the monstrous horde.
Seeing the soldiers exit, the Baron turned to his daughter and nodded.
They both leaped from the ten-meter-high wall.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Gunfire continued, monsters kept falling, yet their numbers seemed never-ending.
The swordsmen advanced in groups, cutting down anything in their path.
Each group slaughtered several creatures, retreated, and another group took their place, continuing the fight.
Two figures advanced alone—the Baron of Elin, the strongest among them, and his daughter Riana, well-experienced in battles against monsters.
With a single swing of their swords, they felled multiple beasts—no creature survived their proximity.
"Everyone—fall back! Missile teams, fire!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the knights retreated, explosions rocked the battlefield once more.
Once everyone was inside, the gate was swiftly shut, and the Baron climbed atop it.
He looked at the piles of hundreds of corpses and sighed.
"This is going to be a long battle."
The same cycle repeated—swordsmen advanced in groups, marksman protected them from afar.
But after hours of continuous fighting, exhaustion crept in, and injuries began appearing among the soldiers. Some fell due to severe wounds.
Though the Baron's strategy was effective, fatigue was taking its toll.
As everyone prepared to go out once more, two colossal monsters emerged from the horde.
A mere glimpse of them sent shivers down spines.
Standing at around six meters tall, their bodies were massive and thick, supported by two powerful legs.
Their glowing red eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty intent.
Suddenly, they opened their mouths, and within them, swirling lights of blue and red began to gather.
Seeing this, the Baron's face paled. He turned toward the soldiers and shouted urgently.
"EVERYONE! RETREAT FROM THE WALL—FALL BACK QUICKLY! MOVE NOW!"
Riana's face paled as well—she leaped from the wall and sprinted away at full speed.
A moment later, an earsplitting sound erupted, so loud that some soldiers clutched their ears in pain.
BOOOOOOM!
The monsters' devastating blasts shot forth from their mouths, striking the front gate and obliterating it completely.
The gate shattered, parts of the wall crumbled, and monsters flooded into the city.
Upon witnessing this, the people hidden in their homes rushed outside, fleeing to safer ground.
The unlucky ones fell into the hands of the creatures, torn apart into pieces.
Blood filled the air, and the city began to collapse.
"Mother! Waaah! Where are you, Mother?!"
"Please, help me! My sister is trapped under the rubble!"
Cries and screams echoed as the terror unfolded.
Down the street, a girl ran as fast as she could, a monster chasing her relentlessly.
"Help! Please—someone help me!"
She screamed desperately, trying to flee.
Suddenly, she tripped, tumbling to the ground, giving the monster the perfect chance to pounce.
"Please, anyone—even the devil—just save me!"
She shut her eyes, expecting the end.
Moments passed, but nothing happened.
She cautiously opened her eyes to see why the monster hadn't devoured her.
Before her stood a boy who looked about fifteen years old.
He was gripping the monster by its throat effortlessly.
The boy had black hair and crimson eyes. He wore formal attire with a fur-lined coat draped over his shoulders.
Crack!
With a simple squeeze, the monster's neck snapped, its lifeless body tossed aside like a discarded pebble.
Particles of light formed in the boy's hand, and an azure sword materialized.
He took a step forward.
"Your cries have summoned the devil. And now, this devil will grant your wish."