On the Lifaus Highway, after Shendu used her holy sword to disperse the dense fog, the White Whale finally revealed its full form before them.
Enormous.
Vast enough to blot out the sky.
Those were Rem's first impressions. With such a massive body, a single sweep of its tail would be enough to crush them to death.
No wonder the subjugation forces had failed time and time again. With such an overwhelming size advantage, even a single exchange would cost them heavy casualties.
"It's too big. We probably can't defeat that White Whale through brute force."
Seeing its complete form, the blue-haired maid—who had just been reassured by Shendu—felt her heart tighten once more. It was as though she had fallen into an icy abyss.
With a body like that, Rem estimated that even if she exhausted all her mana and swung her flail with everything she had, she would not be able to leave so much as a scratch.
"Not necessarily. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
After Shendu dispelled the fog, inky shadows began spreading across the ground around them. The entire highway was gradually swallowed by darkness, as though night itself were descending.
To be honest, the White Whale looked quite similar to the marine animal from Shendu's previous world. The only differences were the single horn growing from its head and the slightly sharper fins.
It wasn't ugly. In fact, there was even something oddly endearing about it.
"At a time like this, Lady Shendu, please don't joke. My heart can't take it."
Rem stared at the colossal creature before her, unsure how to confront such a monstrosity. The tension in her chest only deepened.
"Haha, fine. I was hoping to tease you a little longer."
Shendu stepped forward leisurely, even taking the time to ruffle Rem's hair. Then she turned around, her black dress gleaming brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
After teasing the little blue-haired maid, Shendu lifted her head to look at the towering beast before her. A faint smile curved her lips.
"Come forth—Shadowkhan!"
She lightly tapped her foot against the shadow beneath her.
The darkness, thick as spilled ink, seemed to respond to her summons. In an instant, it surged and shifted.
Only then did Rem notice that the ground had completely turned black, as though drenched in ink. Powerful magic radiated from Shendu's direction.
"When did this happen?"
Because of her earlier tension, Rem had failed to notice the changes on the ground. Seeing Shendu's confident expression, her curiosity only deepened.
She also understood that in a battle of this scale, she would likely be unable to intervene. Watching quietly from the side seemed to be the best choice.
Under Rem's gaze, countless strange beings with blood-red eyes began emerging from the pitch-black ground. Clad in black garments and wearing masks that concealed their features, they rose silently from the shadows.
Like tireless assassins, the ninja knelt upon appearing, awaiting their queen's command.
Shendu had summoned an immense number of them. Aside from the Minikhan, the other eight legions had all assembled.
Those capable of flight belonged to the Batkhan. They could even unleash golden energy waves.
The legions specializing in direct offense included the Razorkhan, the Mantiskhan, the Samuraikhan, and the Crabkhan.
Providing support were the Squidkhan, the Sumokhan, and the standard Ninjakhan.
In one breath, Shendu summoned tens of thousands of Shadowkhan, nearly filling the entire Lifaus Highway. After their arrival, she temporarily granted the other legions the ability to fly.
She even lent them the power of the Pig Talisman.
"What... are these things?"
Rem was stunned. The sheer number of ninja was absurd—far beyond anything she had imagined.
Yet at this critical moment, she said nothing further. She simply observed, hoping to find her answer.
Empowered by Shendu, the Shadowkhan sprouted bat-like wings. Upon receiving her command, they rose as one, spreading their wings wide.
High above, the White Whale looked visibly confused. Just moments ago, there had only been a handful of humans. Now, the ground teemed with countless figures.
Though it had lived for centuries, its intelligence was lacking. It could not comprehend what these humans had done.
But its instincts screamed of danger.
"Go, Shadowkhan. Destroy that White Whale."
Shendu extended a hand and pointed forward.
The ninja, already poised for battle, leapt into the air in a surge of black light, charging toward the White Whale.
In that instant, light and darkness intertwined. Countless ninja swarmed upward, engaging the terrifying Witchbeast in fierce combat.
As they drew near, the Batkhan raised both hands. Golden sonic energy burst forth.
At the same time, golden beams shot from the blood-red eyes of the Shadowkhan.
It was like a meteor shower descending from the heavens. An overwhelming barrage of attacks rained down upon the White Whale, striking it from every direction in a saturated bombardment.
The sky, once bright, was consumed by explosions and blinding flashes. Even those in the royal capital began to notice the disturbance.
The first wave of attacks caused no visible damage to the White Whale—but it did ignite its fury.
With a violent sweep of its tail, it smashed apart numerous ninja.
But it was futile.
For every ninja it destroyed, five more rushed in to take its place. Fearless and relentless, they attacked without regard for their own existence, slowly chipping away at it.
If the White Whale had a health bar, its immeasurable reserves would now be shrinking—ever so slightly.
Even ants could devour an elephant.
Shendu had no intention of personally entertaining the beast just yet. Let the Shadowkhan handle it first.
"Lady Shendu... what exactly are they?"
Seeing that she had no role to play, Rem watched as the Shadowkhan advanced wave after wave in their subjugation of the White Whale.
"As you can see, those ninja are my familiars. Servants under my absolute control."
Shendu pinched Rem's cheek playfully and snapped her fingers.
Instantly, cola and popcorn appeared in her hands. With her magic, creating such things was effortless.
"I see..."
Rem finally understood why Shendu had remained so calm.
Everything truly was under her control.
To them, the terrifying White Whale was not insurmountable at all.
"Stand back and enjoy the show. When it's over, I'll treat you to White Whale meat."
Shendu smiled faintly, utterly unconcerned.
A one-on-one between the White Whale and the Shadowkhan?
It was indeed an interesting scenario.
Except the so-called duel was one White Whale against an army of ninja.
They felt no fatigue and functioned like perfect tools. As the main force against the White Whale, they were more than sufficient.
After Shendu's enhancements, their combat strength had increased considerably. Even though the White Whale obliterated hundreds at a time into black mist, even more flooded in to replace them.
Shendu rather enjoyed this dynamic.
Every time the White Whale destroyed a batch, she replenished their numbers three to fivefold.
What she wanted was an endless tide.
Meanwhile, members of the Sumokhan and Squidkhan wrapped the White Whale with immense strength and writhing tentacles, restraining it. The Razorkhan and Samuraikhan focused on breaking through its defenses.
Its hide was extraordinarily tough. Piercing it was difficult and required time to produce results.
Fortunately, time was something Shendu had in abundance.
She would wait patiently for the Shadowkhan to complete their task.
And when the moment came—
That would be when she made her move.
...
In the royal capital, within the noble district where Crusch resided.
As an outstanding soldier, Crusch was, as usual, reviewing books on governance and recording useful knowledge.
The green-haired young woman sat upright at her desk in a white home outfit, her posture straight and disciplined. Her expression was serious as she read, her military bearing evident in every movement.
Knock, knock, knock!
Just as Crusch was searching for policies that could revitalize the kingdom, an ill-timed knock sounded at her door.
A trace of displeasure crossed her otherwise composed face. She hated being disturbed while working. The only person who would dare approach her at such a time was her butler—
Felix.
"Felix again? Honestly..."
Ordinary people were easy to discipline, but Felix was different. He always found opportunities to get close to her, eager to talk.
To her surprise, when Crusch opened the door, she found not only Felix but also the former Sword Demon, Wilhelm. Several swords hung at his waist.
His expression was solemn, as though he had already made a decision.
"Lady Crusch, something big has happened, nya!"
The moment Felix stepped inside, he exaggeratedly stared at the green-haired girl before him and spoke in alarm.
"What is it, Felix? Even you are here, Wilhelm?"
Crusch sensed immediately that something was wrong.
For ordinary matters, Felix would handle them himself. He would not come personally—let alone bring Wilhelm along—unless something truly significant had occurred.
"The White Whale has appeared."
Wilhelm gripped the hilt of his sword and spoke in a low voice, his eyes brimming with killing intent.
"Just as the old man said, nya. The Lifaus Highway has been completely covered in fog. But about ten minutes ago, we received news that the fog was dispersed."
"It seems someone from the Royal Guard saw a streak of sword light that directly cut through the mist. We can't confirm whether that's true, but our people also verified that the fog there has indeed vanished."
Felix summarized the situation concisely, and Crusch's expression grew increasingly serious.
The White Whale's mist was no ordinary fog.
Any living being that entered its range could be killed by it—and worse, erased from the memories of others.
Perhaps only someone stronger than the Witchbeast itself could ignore the Authority of the Fog of Elimination and sever it with a single strike.
"Wilhelm, tell me the follow-up details," Crusch said after a moment's thought, seeking more valuable intelligence from him.
She trusted that Felix and Wilhelm's investigation would not disappoint her. Otherwise, they would never have interrupted her work.
"After the fog dispersed, countless winged humanoid creatures resembling bats gathered in the sky and launched continuous attacks against the White Whale."
Wilhelm paused, recalling the astonishing scene.
"They looked like the special familiars summoned by Miss Shendu."
The moment he finished speaking, Crusch's heart jolted with surprise—and a trace of confusion.
She immediately looked toward Wilhelm.
"So it was Emilia's knight. Why would she confront the White Whale alone? Has there been any movement from the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild?"
That was the key question.
"No. The Divine Dragon Merchant Guild was informed early on, but there has been no sign of mobilization whatsoever."
Wilhelm's thorough investigation was evident from his tone.
Hearing this, Crusch's pupils contracted.
Two possibilities came to mind.
One—Shendu was utterly confident in her own strength and believed she could defeat the White Whale alone.
Two—the Divine Dragon Merchant Guild had chosen to abandon their president.
After brief consideration, the first possibility was far more plausible.
Crusch had met that woman before. Setting aside her overwhelming strength, she was also extremely mysterious, as if everything lay within her calculations.
"I see..."
Crusch murmured, stroking her chin as her expression turned grave.
"I cannot fully grasp that woman's intentions, but I have a guess."
"What do you think, Lady Crusch?" Felix asked curiously.
"Perhaps the same as us. She likely seeks fame."
Crusch spoke matter-of-factly.
Originally, during the Royal Selection, she had intended to locate the White Whale herself and eliminate the legendary strongest Witchbeast in order to secure renown.
As a bold candidate for the throne, Crusch did not fear battle against Witchbeasts. If she could succeed, the calamity that had plagued the continent for four hundred years would finally be eradicated.
"Nya, that makes sense. Should we assist her?" Felix asked.
At the thought of the silver-haired, red-eyed beauty facing the White Whale alone, even he felt a degree of admiration.
"Of course. Immediately summon the Iron Fang. Gather all available forces. When it comes to fighting the White Whale, we stand on the same front."
Crusch clenched her fist and made her decision without hesitation.
"Hehe, as expected of Lady Crusch. But assembling everyone will take about half an hour. Forming a temporary subjugation force might not yield optimal results," Felix replied somewhat helplessly.
"It doesn't matter. I am prepared."
Crusch answered firmly.
Wilhelm, standing beside her, tightened his grip on his weapon. His gaze hardened.
"Lady Crusch, if possible, please allow me to personally slay the White Whale. The grudge between us must end today."
His voice was steady, but the hatred within it was unmistakable.
"Very well. It is decided."
Seeing Wilhelm's unwavering resolve, Crusch agreed.
Soon after, she summoned her personal guard and gathered them together.
There were only about five thousand—this was the maximum force they could assemble on such short notice.
Clad in armor and gripping their weapons, the soldiers looked at Crusch with anticipation. As supporters of this royal candidate, they admired her iron-willed temperament.
Facing her assembled subordinates, Crusch cleared her throat and spoke passionately.
"Everyone, the White Whale has ravaged the continent for centuries. It has torn families apart, leaving countless homes in ruin. Those who die to it are even erased from memory."
"Can we allow such a scourge to continue?"
Her voice rang out powerfully.
The Iron Fang members were stirred, raising their right hands to declare their resolve.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"Eliminate the White Whale! Restore peace to this world!"
Their faces flushed with fervor and determination.
A faint smile appeared on Crusch's face.
"Then we march. Head for the Lifaus Highway!"
With a decisive wave of her hand, the grand procession set out toward the distant battlefield.