Dung-
A heavy collision echoing through the mountains reverberated above the crater. Volcanic gas and ash that had been rising high were pushed away in all directions by the shockwave.
The tip of the greatsword shattered the creature's skull and instantly killed another monster hidden inside. Small ice crystals penetrated the caved-in skull, freezing the writhing cells and tissues in an instant.
An ear-splitting scream scattered, mixed with black smoke. The monster, its face grotesquely distorted, plummeted downward with that scream.
With some of its sensory organs cut and frozen, the creature's regeneration lagged, and it even lost its balance. It kept falling through the thick curtain, twisting violently as it drew closer to the bright red lava.
At that moment, the chilling gust blowing from above took human form and appeared before the mother body's eyes. Hugo, who had caught up with the target while radiating explosive cold, swung his greatsword once more as if to drive the creature down into the abyss.
The mother body rapidly expanded its wing muscles to avoid the sword energy flying from the tip. Instead of regenerating its eyes and skull, it enlarged its wings even further and made a sharp turn.
Small explosions occasionally erupted, as if recreating hell's fire pit, as it fell toward the crater boiling with ice crystals. Sparks mixed with heavy metals and ash flew up terrifyingly, but the mother body increased its speed and glided, ignoring its flesh being cooked. It knew the human pursuing fiercely behind it was vulnerable to heat.
The creature crossed the deeply gouged crater at full speed, as if its goal was to completely escape the lava zone. However, the massive shadow advancing relentlessly soon hesitated and had to stop midway.
"Where do you think you're going."
A dazzling fire demon appeared right in front of its escape route. Leonardo, who had cut it off at the speed of light, swung his flame sword wide, aiming for the creature's head. The two small monsters he'd seen when the head split earlier seemed to affect the creature's reaction speed and regenerative ability.
But as the mother body immediately kicked off the air and shot upward, his attack narrowly missed the skull. Still, as if proving his guess partially correct, the golden current that flew from the blade cleanly severed one of its front legs that couldn't avoid it.
Kyaaaak-
A massive chunk of flesh and acidic liquid bursting from the cross-section poured down onto the fiercely boiling lava. The melting, blackly undulating rock cracked as it rubbed against the flesh, and the red-hot magma completely swallowed even a single claw of the severed leg.
Meanwhile, a chill that cut into the skin swept down again over the mother body as it raised its head and fled.
Ice from above, fire from below. As the two figures, who could be called the strongest on the peninsula, tightened their grip from both sides at a mad speed, the mother body rolled its few remaining eyes, scanning the chaotic surroundings in confusion.
Then it emitted yellow smoke from the gaps in its hide, blurring the two humans' vision. Through the billowing smoke screen, the beam of light that had caused havoc earlier stretched out.
'Damn it.'
'Oh no.'
The two, noticing the ominous sign, slowed at the same time.
Kwaaang-!
Hot light bursting from the hazy smoke sharply cut through the ash-filled air. An explosion accompanied by violent wind pressure swept in, instantly pushing back the two humans who had hesitated.
Even in that moment, tangled in gusts and heat, Leonardo stretched out both arms toward the shadow fleeing leisurely. Focusing all his nerves on control rather than output, he fired an attack aimed at the creature's wing joints.
A thunderous rupture covered the area. At the same time, the mother body's scream, its wings pierced through, spread wide. Then, perhaps from the aftermath of the terrifying magic, a strong collision as if rocks were collapsing came from an unseen place.
As savage magma spurted up before his eyes, Leonardo belatedly widened the distance while gaining altitude. Just as he thought he might have been a bit late, Hugo hooked an arm around his waist and raised a thick ice wall in front of them.
Lava particles that had spurted up like spray stuck to the surface of the ice, gouging deep into the thick membrane. Emitting pale steam as they cooled, they eventually became black stone fragments embedded in the ice.
Leonardo, hanging on Hugo's arm while watching, bit his lip as he realized his slowed reflexes.
'My body's gotten heavier. At this rate...'
But there was no time for despair. He could hear the mother °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° body struggling, claws scraping rock as it clung to the edge of the crater.
As sharp roars containing ultrasonic waves rang out in succession, Hugo let go of Leonardo and immediately surged forward to chase after the creature. Leonardo followed behind Hugo, about to break through the thick smoke, when it happened.
Kung- Kukung-
'...?'
If he hadn't been mistaken, that had clearly been a tremor. Not one from a temporary impact, but one ringing at once across a fairly wide area.
It made Leonardo, who'd been tracking the mother body's howls, stop in the middle of the crater. Then the monster's cry, as if drawn from deep in its belly, spread across the area, centered on the airspace above the crater. It was a wave on a different level from anything he'd felt so far.
The strange energy pouring from the creature's maw seemed to lash the beings on the ground. As if answering the mother body's call, the monsters gathered in the south began to howl with chilling sounds from below.
Kieeek-
Kiaaak-
The sharp metallic sounds coming from nearby, amid the blocked vision, stirred fear of the unknown phenomenon. At the same time, the dark red lava boiling underfoot undulated like waves, then spurted upward as if bubbles were bursting. Its flow looked ominous, as if twisting under tremendous pressure from deep within the earth.
As abnormal phenomena erupted here and there, Leonardo felt his spine gradually go cold. Just then, the mother body's roar, laced with a dull shockwave, pushed away the thick volcanic gas, momentarily clearing the view.
Though it was the south, being on a fairly high peak gave him a clearer view of the distant situation than ever before.
On the northern plains revealed beyond the scattering smoke, pale lights flickered repeatedly, as if sending signals. Around them, massive dust rose, and the sound of horse hooves and horn trumpets rolled grandly across the land.
It was a sound Leonardo knew well.
"Parren's cavalry?"
He remembered hearing it when he was dispatched as reinforcements during the war Parren had once waged for independence. They were driving the widely spread monsters into one place and charging toward the southern ridge.
The moment his gaze was drawn there, fierce shockwaves spread as monster and human clashed on the far side of the crater.
With no time for deep thought, Leonardo threw himself toward where Hugo and the creature would collide. Soon, the creature that had been stuck in a corner after being hit by the greatsword scraped the ground with its claws and sprang toward the outside of the crater.
As if determined not to let it escape, the two coming from different directions blocked the front of the mother body's head at full speed. Though bright red breath boiled up from its maw, arms wreathed in flames and ice swung their blades at the creature without hesitation.
Kwaaang-!
A rupture that shook the mountains swept in once more, and the breath slammed directly into the ice greatsword. The solid ice shattered instantly, and sharp fragments grazed exposed skin. Amid it all, the two energies grinding close together threw off explosive steam.
However, thanks to the full-force strike that seemed to have landed, the retreating mother body's trajectory came within range. It was a good position—not too high, not too low—where they could keep constant pressure even in the volcano's heat.
The small monsters inside the skull must have lost their function from the blow, because the mother body's wingbeats slowed noticeably. Hugo, sensing the moment had come, immediately stirred up a gust of wind. Pushing away the debris blocking his view, he shouted.
"All battalion commanders, deploy RAID 5 barrier!"
His voice, amplified through the waves in the air, clearly pierced the ears of the battalion commanders lying in ambush near the crater. Not only that, it also seemed like a flare to the monsters crawling up toward the queen from below, because those clinging to the rock face began to glow and picked up speed.
As a result, an unusual swell rose over the lapping lava with fierce vibrations. At that moment, five white lights shot up into the sky at once from within the grayish-white smoke that stung the eyes.
The figures spread wide around the crater moved apart, expanding their territory at regular intervals. When their lights grew faint and were barely visible to one another, they stopped at designated positions, relying only on their senses and trust in their comrades.
Bruno, laden with protective gear and light balls, took a deep breath in the tense moment. Led by the deputy commander, who showed clear signs of strain, the five commanders who had spread out shouted in unison, palms together.
"Council End Gate Binding Technique, deploy Pentagon!"
The five commanders' arms spread at the same time, forming a 108-degree angle. Then the magnetic force lines extending from their palms connected in straight lines, borrowing power from the heavy routers hanging from each battle uniform.
The magnetic force lines from different directions generated an enormous shockwave the moment they collided. However, as the aftermath was sucked toward the center rather than spreading outward, Hugo, feeling the success of the myth was close, gripped Leonardo's arm beside him.
"Leo."
Just as Leonardo was lost in a trance at the terrifying vortex that looked like it might suck in even his body, Hugo caught his waist and lightly lifted him.
"Huh?"
Hoisted up in his hands, Leonardo looked down at him with a bewildered face. Hugo pressed his forehead to Leonardo's and whispered with an earnest wish.
"Now's the time."
Without giving him time to grasp what he meant, he held Leonardo at the waist and spun two and a half times in the air. As centrifugal force slammed in so hard it was difficult to endure, Leonardo, eyes wide, grabbed Hugo's forearm and held on.
"Wh-what, wait─!"
Just as he felt his soul might leave him from the spinning view, Leonardo felt his body float.
And with Hugo below shrinking in his sight, he flew silently into the air above the crater in the blink of an eye.
