The ground behind the elves suddenly collapsed.
The roots split apart, pushed upward by something enormous beneath them.
A second beast emerged.
And this time, the mana surrounding it was far heavier than the previous one.
An Omega-level magical beast.
The ground trembled as the creature advanced.
The elves stepped back on instinct, but Grisela raised her bow and ordered the attack without hesitation.
—Fire!
Mana arrows shot forward at the same time, and dozens of green lights struck the creature's body, only to shatter against the black bark without even slowing its advance.
It did not even reduce its speed.
One of the elves gathered mana between both hands and compressed it desperately before launching it forward.
—Move!
A spear of light crossed the forest and struck the beast's head, exploding violently and tearing trees and earth apart around it.
For a moment, the monster disappeared inside the smoke.
Then the beast came straight through it.
Too fast.
The elf raised a mana barrier.
The monster pierced through it without slowing down.
The horn pierced the barrier, the armor, and the body at the same time.
Blood exploded into the air.
The corpse was sent flying into a tree.
The trunk split apart from the impact.
Emily took a step back, unable to understand what she was seeing.
—...What is that?
The creature opened its mouth, and the mana in the surroundings began compressing toward it as if the air itself were being swallowed.
Grisela understood instantly, and her voice came out urgently.
—Take cover!
A dark beam crossed the forest without exploding, erasing everything it touched as if reality itself had been cut apart.
Trees, roots, and earth disappeared in a perfect line.
Two elves were caught inside the attack without time to react and left behind not even a trace of their existence.
The forest was divided by a black scar across the ground.
The silence lasted a second.
Then came the screams.
The elves fired again without order or formation, only trying to delay the inevitable while fear destroyed any coordination they had left.
The beast kept advancing through the attacks as if nothing could stop it.
Emily reached Lusian and knelt beside him without wasting time, healing his wounds with trembling hands while staring at the battlefield in despair.
The elves' screams, the deaths, and the monster's advance were tearing her apart inside.
She turned toward Lusian with tears of helplessness in her eyes, unable to accept what she was seeing.
—LU-SI-AN! —her voice broke—. If we don't do something… they'll all die. ALL OF THEM!
The silence that followed was heavy.
Lusian did not answer immediately.
He looked over the battlefield once more, evaluating every movement, every distance, every mistake the elves were making.
Then he let out a sigh.
Emily lowered her gaze for a moment, as if the words weighed more than she expected.
—...What can we do to help?
Her hands trembled slightly over her magic.
Lusian barely shook his head.
—I don't know.
He looked back toward the battlefield, thinking about leaving without looking back, while knowing Emily might never forgive him for it.
The beast's roar tore through the air.
Lusian swallowed.
—Damn it... —he muttered.
He raised his hand.
Dayana approached the fallen beast's body without hesitation.
The mana had not fully dissipated yet.
Her fingers touched the monster.
An invisible thread penetrated the creature's mind.
—It can still be used… a little —she murmured.
The corpse moved.
Forced to obey a foreign will.
The hardened bark tightened once again, as if the body remembered how to defend itself.
Dayana stepped back while the energy held the beast upright in an unstable manner.
—It won't last long.
Lusian walked toward the Omega monster.
The mana around his fingers began twisting until it took the shape of dark spears.
Dayana smiled.
Emily released the breath she had been holding.
Elizabeth tightened her mana.
Thunder stomped the ground while electricity ran across his body.
Lusian snapped his fingers.
—Let's go.
The intervention… had begun.
The colossal stag lowered its head.
The air cracked.
Purple energy ran through its horns in the form of corrupted lightning.
—Leave —it growled—. Or die like dry leaves.
Then it charged.
The ground exploded beneath its hooves.
Three elves were sent flying into the trees.
One never stood up again.
His spine had bent at an impossible angle.
—FORMATION! —Grisela shouted—. STOP IT!
Too late.
The creature tore through the front line.
One of its legs crushed an archer against the ground.
The body burst apart under the impact.
The beast kept moving without stopping.
Its horns swept sideways.
Two elves were thrown in opposite directions.
One hit a tree so hard the trunk shattered.
The other disappeared into the forest.
Then the monster opened its mouth.
Demonic mana compressed in front of its fangs.
Grisela's eyes widened.
—GET DOWN!
A purple beam tore through the forest.
Trees exploded one after another.
One elf was caught directly inside the attack.
His body disintegrated before even touching the ground.
The beast's aura grew even larger.
Corrupted mana covered its body like a living storm.
Grisela stepped back.
Her hands trembled.
—That is not a guardian of the forest… —she whispered in horror—. It's a usurper.
The beast controlled by Dayana charged head-on.
The impact shook the forest.
The Omega monster turned toward it and their horns collided with a deafening crash.
The shockwave tore earth and leaves apart in every direction.
Lusian appeared from the side.
Dainslein descended wrapped in dark mana.
The blade left a deep cut across the monster's hardened bark.
The beast roared and fired a purple beam without controlling its direction.
Emily extended both hands.
Light enveloped the injured elves.
Broken bones began rebuilding while several of them tried to stand again.
Elizabeth remained atop Thunder.
Demonic mana flowed through her body, ready to burst free at any moment.
But she did not move.
Lusian had forbidden her from doing so.
Thunder stomped the ground hard while lightning coursed through his fur.
The Omega monster roared once more.
The air vibrated.
Lusian spoke to himself.
—That monster is a Corrupted Cervus Alpha. Level 97.
But before attacking, the beast spoke again.
—This is no longer their home…
Now it belongs to me.
By right of blood offered…
and blood taken.
Grisela drew her bow once more.
Her eyes burned with fury and pain.
—MONSTER! THE FOREST WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU!
The creature slowly turned toward her.
—It already has.
The left horn began glowing with dark energy.
The entire atmosphere trembled.
Emily stepped forward while light surrounded her body.
—LUSIAN! WE DON'T HAVE TIME!
He clicked his tongue in irritation.
—Yeah, yeah.
I already know how to kill it.
Elizabeth looked at him in surprise.
—You know its weakness?
—Yes —Lusian answered.
Memories of the game crossed his mind.
It was an optional boss from an old patch.
Many players died there.
—Lusian! —Dayana shouted.
Her monster was holding the Omega back, but it could barely restrain it.
The Corrupted Cervus Alpha pushed forward while its horns released purple discharges in every direction.
Lusian pointed at the horns.
—Cervus Alphas channel all their magic through those.
A dark lightning bolt crossed the air behind him and exploded against several trees.
—If we break one, it'll take longer to gather mana to fire again.
Emily's eyes widened.
—And how do we break something that huge?
—Distract it! —Lusian shouted.
The beast controlled by Dayana charged forward again.
The collision shook the forest.
The Omega roared and its horns crashed against the controlled corpse, tearing part of its neck away in a single blow.
Dayana clenched her teeth.
—Now!
Lusian appeared at its side.
Dark mana wrapped around Dainslein.
The sword rose with all his strength.
A clean slash.
The left horn was sent flying through the air.
Corrupted blood exploded alongside an uncontrolled purple discharge.
The monster released a deafening roar.
Corrupted mana exploded around its body.
The purple shockwave tore through the forest like a storm.
The monster controlled by Dayana took the impact head-on.
Its body tensed for barely a second.
Then exploded.
Fragments of flesh, bark, and bone flew in every direction.
Dayana stepped back as the mana link shattered violently.
The entire forest trembled.
Lusian barely managed to touch the ground.
Then he saw the shadow above him.
The paw crashed beside Lusian, and the impact opened a gigantic crater.
The shockwave sent him flying several meters away.
He rolled through dirt before stopping.
His breathing was heavy.
His fingers trembled around Dainslein.
Even lifting the sword was beginning to hurt.
Too fast.
The monster immediately turned toward him.
It had no intention of giving him time to stand.
Emily screamed his name.
—LUSIAN!
Then Thunder appeared.
Elizabeth was still riding him.
Both unleashed the attack at the same time.
The lightning struck the Omega directly in the face.
The discharge exploded between its remaining horns.
The monster shifted off course for barely an instant.
But it was enough.
The paw slammed into the ground beside Lusian and the impact opened a gigantic crater.
The shockwave launched dirt and trees into the air.
Lusian stepped back several paces while raising his gaze.
Elizabeth breathed heavily atop Thunder.
Demonic mana still coursed through her body.
And the monster…
Was now completely furious.
The horn cracked.
—NOW IT'S VULNERABLE!! —Lusian shouted.
The beast roared and charged blindly.
Now only rage remained.
Its attacks were still devastating, but it had lost control.
A tree more than forty meters tall was split in half when the horns tore through it.
Lusian dodged while riding Thunder.
Elizabeth remained wrapped around him while wind and mana battered their bodies.
Another charge passed close beside them.
The ground exploded behind them.
Then a black fissure appeared in the air.
Lusian raised his hand.
The crack advanced directly toward the stag's neck.
The creature tried to resist.
Corrupted mana covered its body once more.
But with the broken horn… it was already too late.
The fissure cut through flesh, bark, and corruption.
The monster's head jerked violently.
The beast fell to its knees.
The earth trembled beneath the impact.
For an instant, clarity returned to its eyes.
And before collapsing, it murmured:
—He… will come…
Then the body collapsed.