Kieeeeek–!
The procession officially dispatched for the subjugation mission was swiftly advancing through the enormous gorge carved out by Leonardo when he had blown apart the peaks up to the 3rd summit. Beyond that, they were moving deeper into the narrow valley between towering cliffs, heading toward the 4th peak, whose scale rapidly expanded.
From somewhere ahead, the shrieks of unknown monsters echoed ceaselessly—but the long line of troops marched forward without much fear. That was likely because those cries resembled the death throes of beasts already on the brink of death.
There’s no need for me to step in.
Leonardo, bringing up the rear, felt somewhat bored as he walked past the corpses of monsters already slain by the vanguard.
He had wondered why there was no fear in the eyes of the procession members, but it made sense—strong commanders like the Commander himself and the battalion leaders were at the very front, cutting down monsters and clearing a path for the rest to follow with ease.
It was a tactical formation unthinkable in a traditional military, but with truly capable individuals at the helm, they had already made significant progress into the valley in a short time.
Above them, the sky was hidden by thick fog trapped between the narrow cliffs, and that dark shroud added to the sense of eerie confinement. And perhaps due to the area's dormant volcanic nature, the air was warm, yet the energy rising from the ground gave off a chilling sensation.
Leonardo thought the valley might have felt serene were it not for the monsters’ distant screams and the curious gazes of a few members behind him, watching as he trailed at the end of the column.
“Blaine, you were really amazing earlier.”
“...”
“I was watching from a distance. Did you see Meterion’s face? I’ve never seen him that shocked before!”
Among those giving Leonardo curious looks, a woman—likely a Council battalion commander—kept talking to him. Leonardo, annoyed, ignored her, but she prattled on cheerfully.
Listening to her nonstop chatter, Leonardo was reminded of Shorendo Hazelnut, the talkative Deputy Commander of the Central Branch. He thought quietly to himself, Why are all the Council people like this...
Whenever one showed excessive hostility, another displayed excessive interest—and the woman beside him now was clearly the latter.
Despite his silence, she suddenly clapped her hands as if realizing something and said,
“Oh dear, how rude of me! I’m Delua Rivera, 6th Battalion Commander of the Council’s Central Branch. I never imagined the Commander would entrust you to me, but please take care of me.”
Leonardo, who had been facing forward the entire time, turned to her, looking incredulous.
“Agrizendro didn’t entrust me to you—he entrusted you to me.”
At his first response, Delua blinked in surprise for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.
“Oh my, goodness. Why is your voice so nice? You’re not just handsome!”
Delua’s outburst drew glances from the scout members ahead, who turned back to look.
Feeling mortified under their gazes, Leonardo turned his head away. And the deputy commander of the 6th Battalion, seemingly embarrassed as well, quietly approached Delua and whispered,
“Commander... We’re not here to joke around. Please stop...”
“What’s the problem? The Commander and Meterion are handling everything up front. Since we’re moving anyway, why not enjoy it?”
Delua’s breezy response made her deputy sigh deeply, unable to rein her in. Leonardo shook his head as well.
Only Delua’s ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) voice echoed in the otherwise quiet valley, and the march continued in relative peace. Leonardo had reached a level of enlightenment, treating her voice like ambient noise.
Just as the tension began to ease, a small rock tumbled down from the left cliff. The sound was faint, but Leonardo’s eyes sharpened instantly as he looked up.
The dense fog obscured his view, but he sensed a faint presence lingering above.
He came to a halt, focusing intently on the sensation. Seeing him stop, Delua and Marlen Diaz—the deputy commander of the 6th Battalion—also paused, exchanging confused glances.
“Blaine, what’s wrong?”
Without replying, Leonardo moved toward where the rock fragment had fallen. Pressing against the cliff, he placed his ear to the sheer rock wall and closed his eyes. Delua and Marlen exchanged another look, shrugged, and silently observed.
After several moments of sensing something, he opened his eyes and stepped back, speaking at last.
“They’re coming. Fast.”
Delua’s previously cheerful face turned instantly serious. So did the expressions of the nearby 6th Battalion members.
She issued quick orders:
“Scout team, close the gaps and move up to rejoin the procession. All escort units, form up in the rear!”
“Yes, Commander!”
Delua’s demeanor had changed completely.
Watching her swiftly organize the unit and assume a defensive stance, Leonardo now understood why she held the position of battalion commander—despite his earlier doubts.
At her firm command, the members moved in perfect sync. The scout team quickly reconnected with the forward procession, while a sizable number of escort personnel gathered at the rear.
They drew their swords, loaded their firearms, and formed a battle-ready posture, waiting in tense silence.
Time passed. Even as the moments dragged on, the hostile presence didn’t draw closer. Marlen, her expression puzzled, muttered,
“Nothing’s appearing?”
“Shh.”
Delua gave her a sharp look and scanned the surrounding cliffs slowly. Suddenly, the sound of birds flapping and fleeing broke the silence—and then the ground began to tremble subtly.
Marlen, momentarily off-guard, felt the shift in energy and shouted,
“Everyone, tighten ranks and hold formation! Don’t scatter!”
At her command, the members quickly regrouped and resumed their positions in a tight offensive line.
Kieeeeek!
The ground vibrated violently now, and the roar of an approaching monster horde surged from the rear. Even with a brief listen, it was clear their numbers weren’t small. The hands gripping weapons tensed.
Then, one nervous member took a step back and brushed his arm against the right cliff. Rocks cascaded onto his shoulder—and as he looked up, his eyes widened in horror.
“They’re coming from above!”
At his cry, all eyes turned upward.
From within the fog, monsters with slick, black skin spilled down from the cliffs. With four-pronged, gaping maws, they scuttled downward on twisted legs and jagged claws, rushing the group.
The 6th Battalion’s combat troops sprang into action, leaping up and cutting down the monsters without hesitation.
Inside their split maws, hundreds of teeth extended deep into their throats. Their long, triple-stranded tongues lashed out to seize prey and shove it down, ensuring it couldn’t move.
But the seasoned members sliced those tongues mid-air and tore open their gaping jaws even further. One monster, shot through the eye, exploded in a spray of gore, its limp body hanging from the cliff wall.
“Commander! They’re Drocs!”
“All water-attribute users, to the front!”
Knowing Drocs were weak to water, Delua quickly formed a front line of water mages. At her signal, they launched synchronized blasts of high-pressure water.
The surging barrage briefly halted the monsters—who flinched under the deluge.
But it didn’t last. The Drocs scaled the cliffs to evade the water, then leapt back down to attack the airborne members.
From above and from within the valley itself, more Drocs poured in, multiplying until they seemed a single enormous mass. They surged like a wave, forcing through the members’ water barrages.
Leonardo, watching, felt something off.
They’re trying to avoid the water... so why aren’t they retreating? Why keep charging?
Normally, even seeing water would send Drocs into seizures. Now, though, despite flinching under attack, they pressed forward instead of falling back.
Thankfully, though numerous and agile, they were a relatively manageable threat for the skilled 6th Battalion.
The Drocs rushed in like moths to flame, only to be cleaved down by blades and mana. Their mangled corpses and spilled blood began to pile high in the narrow pass.
As Leonardo quietly observed, Delua approached and stood beside him.
“Well? Our 6th Battalion puts up a good fight, right?”
Her timing was bizarre—watching carnage unfold and commenting cheerfully—but indeed, her troops were efficient. Each blade and bullet struck the Drocs' vital points, killing them instantly.
The water mages forced the creatures into tight clusters, then blasted them with precision attacks, cutting off their escape.
Despite their efforts, the monsters held their ground longer than expected—strangely persistent for such low-intelligence beasts.
And then, a sudden thought flashed through Leonardo’s mind.
Could it be... the Sigals are following?
