A total of twelve monsters had appeared around the fortress. Once all were slain and a detection spell confirmed no further threats, Elias and his group returned inside.
“You have my deepest gratitude. Truly, thank you.”
Nork expressed his appreciation to Elias, sweat beading on his forehead—a clear sign of how tense the situation had been for him.
“Now that the area around the fortress is clear, we can send messengers to the surrounding regions. Our priority is to share information and determine where the monsters are appearing.”
“Yes, that would be the best course of action… However,”
Elias interjected, shifting the conversation.
“While I cannot fully grasp the situation, the fact that monsters have reached the fortress perimeter suggests that the subjugation force is struggling. We need to assess their situation.”
“Hmm, I agree… There is little chance they will send word to us. Even if they do, if they are in disarray, it will take time for that information to reach us.”
Nork paused in thought, clearly weighing his options—no doubt considering Elias’s role in this matter. However, given the urgency of the situation, he quickly made a decision.
“…Understood. Go and assess the subjugation force’s status.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Will you need additional personnel?”
“As long as Frenn is with me, that will suffice. The knights and soldiers should remain here to defend the fortress.”
“Very well. I leave it in your hands.”
With that, Elias swiftly made preparations and set out with Frenn. As they left the fortress, he cast another detection spell.
“No signs of monsters. It seems we’ve dealt with them all.”
“Still, there were quite a few. A single monster or two wouldn’t be unusual, but over ten is concerning.”
“It’s possible the subjugation force’s assault has driven them into a frenzy.”
At his words, Frenn’s expression grew tense.
“This reminds me of what we experienced in the East.”
“Indeed. When faced with imminent peril, some monsters rampage wildly, attacking indiscriminately… But in this case, the alpha seems to have opted to mass-produce underlings instead.”
“The subjugation force should have dealt with them, yet some managed to escape into the lowlands. Even if they’re weaker, if they descend into human settlements, it would be a disaster.”
“We still have time to act… but we need to confirm the situation first. Frenn, let’s hurry.”
With those words, Elias surged forward. Enhancing their bodies with magic, the two accelerated, closing the distance to the battlefield at an incredible speed.
Just then, a loud explosion echoed through the air—someone had cast a powerful spell. The source was unmistakable—the direction of the subjugation force.
“Has the alpha finally revealed itself?”
“Possibly… Elias, up ahead—monsters.”
Elias spotted them too—two small red wolves, identical to the ones they had fought near the fortress.
“These will be easy to handle. I’ll take them down while maintaining speed. Stay behind me, Frenn.”
“Understood.”
As soon as she moved into position, Elias accelerated further, closing in on the monsters. They turned, sensing him, attempting to ready themselves for combat.
But they were too slow.
Before they could strike, his blade flashed. His slash was precise, severing one wolf’s head cleanly. The monster collapsed instantly.
“We’re pushing forward!”
Elias called out as he quickened his pace. As they neared the battlefield, he became aware of an enormous magical presence.
“The alpha itself has taken the field… but was it drawn out by the subjugation force? Or is it running out of options? Or perhaps—”
Even as he speculated, he did not slow down. Soon, the canyon—the site of the battle—came into view.
Upon reaching the battlefield, Elias immediately grasped the situation. Chaos reigned.
He first spotted Michenna, along with other warriors and knights, locked in battle against the red wolves. The creatures were small, likely of a low threat level. However, the sheer number of them posed a significant problem.
And then he saw it—the alpha.
Positioned at the edge of the canyon, it loomed over the battlefield, exuding a menacing presence. Unlike the others, it was significantly larger, and its body pulsed with magical energy. Each time its magic touched the ground, new red wolves materialized.
The subjugation force clearly intended to charge at it. However, the constant flood of newly spawned monsters was bogging them down. Although they were capable of slaying these wolves with ease, the alpha’s rapid summoning was outpacing their efforts. Despite their valiant resistance, the battlefield was becoming increasingly overrun.
“—Misheana!”
Elias called out as he approached, cutting down several monsters along the way.
“This situation looks like a real mess.”
“…Elias! What are you doing here?”
“Monsters showed up near the fortress. Probably ones that slipped past you.”
“—Ah, I see. This morning, just as we were about to enter the canyon, the large one appeared. You see it, right? The one at the front. Judging by how it keeps producing more monsters, that’s definitely the alpha.”
“It only appeared this morning?”
“That’s right… though why it suddenly showed itself, I have no idea.”
Elias turned his gaze toward the alpha. It continued its frantic summoning, almost as if something were driving it into a corner.
(Was it forced out of its territory by another monster? If that happened yesterday, it would explain why it fled here.)
It had likely fought the subjugation force in desperation—and now, in its last throes, it was losing control.
And then Elias noticed something.
“Every time it spawns another monster, it grows weaker…”
“You noticed it too? The newly created wolves are smaller, and the alpha’s magic is diminishing. We decided to hold our ground, since approaching only seems to make it summon faster… but,”
“You couldn’t prevent some from escaping.”
Elias assessed the situation. He now understood the problem. All that remained was to determine the best course of action.
With his strategy forming in his mind, he knew—this battle was at a critical turning point.