The temporary base was full of chaos by the time the first wave of Krepsunas breached the underground routes. Hundreds of thousands of Therianthropes were pushed into evacuation lines that couldn't possibly hold under that kind of pressure.
The ground itself had split in multiple places where the Krepsunas shot upwards. Their bodies poured out in waves that immediately clashed with the defenders. Even with the Dynasties coordinating, the scale of the assault was overwhelming. The defensive lines broke and reformed repeatedly. Units scattered and regrouped as they tried to keep the Krepsunas from reaching the civilians, but every second lost meant more were being dragged into the chaos. And worst of all, the corruption was spreading faster than anyone could contain, turning Therianthropes into Krepsunas at a rate that made the battlefield feel like it was growing against them.
Farrynelle dominated one side of the battlefield in her Divine Transformation. Her form was a massive blue Thunderbird. Blue lightning cascaded from her wings as she flew above them. Each beat of her wings sent storms of lightning crashing down into the hordes below, incinerating clusters of Krepsunas in bursts. Their bodies disintegrated under the sheer intensity of her power.
She didn't hold back, diving through the battlefield and rising again in sweeping motions that destroyed entire sections of the horde. The lightning wasn't random either. It struck with intent, following her focus as she picked apart the densest concentrations of enemies. But even with all that, the gaps she created filled almost immediately. The endless tide of Krepsunas swallowed the space she cleared as if the battlefield itself refused to thin.
Xander fought beside her in his own Divine Transformation. His form was a massive White Horned Serpent. He had massive horns the design of a stag with a colorless gemstone on his head. Thick mist poured from his body. That mist didn't just obscure vision. It shaped itself into sharp sweeping currents that sliced through anything caught within it, turning the space around him into a constantly shifting field of lethal blades. At times, the mist surged upward in spiraling formations, forming massive slashes that tore through entire lines of Krepsunas before dispersing and reforming again around him.
His attacks didn't rely on brute force alone, making it nearly impossible for anything to approach him without being shredded apart. And yet, just like with Farrynelle, the numbers refused to drop in any meaningful way.
Behind them, Kazrion Skyrover and Varmina Fedres, Monarchs of the two Dynasties, were pushing through the chaos in their own Divine Transformations, acting as the core of the evacuation effort for the Therianthropes to escape.
Kazrion's black Thunderbird form moved with sharp, aggressive bursts of speed, striking down Krepsunas that got too close to the fleeing groups. His attacks were more focused and controlled compared to Farrynelle's overwhelming storms.
Varmina, in her Phoenix form, burned them. Her flames formed protective barriers and explosions that kept the Krepsunas from closing in on the evacuation routes. Together, they created a shifting corridor of safety, constantly moving and adjusting as they guided groups of Therianthropes away from the most dangerous areas.
Even so, the sheer number of people made it impossible to keep everything organized. The Divine Rank Therianthropes from both Dynasties did everything they could to assist, forming defensive lines and intercepting incoming threats, but with hundreds of thousands needing protection, the chaos never truly subsided.
Every minute, more Therianthropes were being turned. New Krepsunas joined the fight almost as quickly as the old ones were destroyed. Farrynelle and Xander pushed harder as they tried to compensate for the overwhelming numbers. Lightning storms collided with mist blades and still it wasn't enough.
Xander's insane instincts warned him. His mist surged defensively, wrapping around Farrynelle's massive form just as a presence far beyond the others entered the battlefield. The next moment, a massive beam of black energy tore through the air, slamming into both of them with overwhelming force that shattered the mist barrier almost instantly. The impact sent them crashing down from the sky.
Their massive bodies slammed into the ground hard enough to crush several Krepsunas beneath them. The shockwaves from their fall cleared the immediate area. Slowly, both of their Divine Transformations began to fade. They reverted to their humanoid states as the damage was too severe to maintain those massive manifestations.
Farrynelle's voice was strained as she pushed herself up slightly. She wiped blood from the corner of her mouth.
"That's an Overlord Rank Krepsuna."
Xander didn't respond. His focus was already shifting as his mist began to gather again instinctively, forming a defensive layer around them even in his injured state.
A woman stood in front of them.
Her black dress was clean despite the chaos around her. Xander's mist formed a protective barrier as he positioned himself slightly in front of Farrynelle. His instincts took over before his thoughts could catch up.
The blast was faster than before. It shattered the mist barrier and slammed into them with enough power to send cracks through their bodies. The impact alone forced the air out of their lungs as they were driven back against the ground. Her gaze settling on Xander with a faint smirk.
"Tch… you've got good instincts. You moved just enough to avoid a direct hit. Most wouldn't have reacted in time. Ha, I thought the Sentina Erideae were supposed to be the strongest Divines of the Third Generation. Looks like you're just a pair of show-offs."
Xander forced himself to stay conscious. His vision blurred as he turned his head just enough to look at Farrynelle.
"Did Veneri make it out?"
Farrynelle coughed more blood. Her voice was quieter but still clear enough to answer.
"He left… he told me through the Sapphire Bond. He's going after the Reniatsus. He was right about the attack… I just didn't think it would be an Overlord—"
She didn't finish the sentence, because her body moved before her thoughts could. She forced herself forward, grabbing Xander and shifting him out of the way just as another blast came down toward them. The attack didn't miss completely. The force of it slammed into her body, sending her crashing back as the impact tore through her defenses.
"—!"
She hit the ground hard as she coughed violently. Blood kept spilling as her body struggled to recover from the hit.
"How romantic. Throwing yourself in front of him like that. Too bad it doesn't change anything. You're both going to die here."