NOVPUBInside the Goddess Palace, Athena sat on her throne with her eyes closed.
"My Lady, most of the Heroes and Division Commanders are here protecting our land. You don't need to worry," said a muscular woman with short red hair.
She was one of Goddess Athena's Heroes—a powerful warrior at the Tenth Shackle Realm, a genuine Freedom Realm expert.
Her name was Daphne Urses.
"I know… It's just that he's here. I can feel his presence in the air," Athena replied calmly.
"He…?!" Daphne's eyes widened.
"Yes. I've been trying to communicate with the other Gods," Athena nodded.
Daphne turned pale. She understood what this meant. The situation was far worse than she had ever imagined.
With Goddess Athena sitting here, mere mortals stood little chance of taking down the Goddess Palace. There was a reason Athena hadn't moved to clear all the enemies herself.
…
Souta waved his hand, and several doppelgangers emerged from his shadows.
Swoosh!
The doppelgangers swiftly scattered in different directions. Some followed Alice and Vashno.
"So, where do I start?"
Souta leapt onto the rooftop of a nearby building and scanned the area. Then, his gaze dropped back to the portal where he had emerged.
'There are barely any people giving commands... Most of the higher-ups are out fighting,' he thought inwardly.
The Grain Leaders were doing their best to gather the warriors under their command and face the enemies.
'Speaking of Grain Leaders... I forgot that I'm one too. Though, I rarely give orders to the warriors under me.'
With no other choice, Souta descended to guide the confused warriors who didn't know what to do. As a Hero-candidate, he was qualified to take charge.
He issued simple orders: divide into groups to evacuate civilians, hold the frontline against enemies, and eliminate foes within the city.
Disorder reigned in the city.
Souta sighed, then opened his palm and placed a [Shadow Ball] there, protecting it with shadows and thick layers of blood.
Swoosh!!
Souta vanished from his spot, flying at high speed. A dozen kilometers away, he arrived and surveyed the enemy formation.
But here... things were different.
There was order.
He looked around and landed beside the Chief Captain he recognized.
"I'm Grain Leader Souta. I'm here to assist," he reported.
"Oh, the Hero-candidate! I'm Sett, the person in charge here. Perfect timing—we need your strength," said a man clad in full plate armor.
Sett calmly explained the situation.
The Goddess Palace stood at the center, with several kilometers of defensive Sets stationed around it to prevent enemy advances. However, some Sets had fallen, allowing enemies to breach the city.
"What about inside? I'm sure there are enemies within the city," Sett asked.
Souta shook his head. "Yes, there's a bunch of enemies inside. Worse still, Lady Kyveli is fighting just above, causing widespread devastation. I scattered my doppelgangers to gather more information in the city."
Sett frowned at this. He paused to think before speaking again. "What do you want to do? Stay here or help clear the enemies inside? I'm sure you want merits to solidify your position and become a Hero."
"I'll stay here for a while to cut down some enemies, then head to the other areas," Souta replied.
"Good. With your strength here, we'll push back the enemy," Sett nodded.
The two stood in the air, surveying the battlefield.
Thousands of warriors fought kilometers away. The ground trembled beneath the onslaught as combat arts and spells filled the air. Support teams moved swiftly, handing out buffs and potions to the fighters.
Giants, titans, and the Gluttony Army showed no concern for cooperation—they simply rampaged across the land, overwhelming with sheer numbers. Despite their advantage, defeating the warriors was far from easy.
Formations and runes had been set up to enhance the warriors' overall abilities.
On the enemy lines, a massive curtain of darkness stretched wide. Countless enemies gathered beyond it.
"What can it do?" Souta asked, though he already knew the answer.
"It obstructs the perception of warriors who enter it while sharpening the senses of those inside the enemy lines," Sett explained.
"Give and take," Souta muttered.
An order was passed down among the warriors in the area: retreat.
Yes, a full retreat.
"What's happening?!"
"Why do we have to retreat all of a sudden?!"
"I don't know!"
Confusion rippled through the ranks, but the warriors obeyed—the command came from their superiors, leaving no choice.
Seeing the retreat, Sett glanced at Souta and said, "Are you ready? I'll follow your lead."
Souta nodded and took a step forward.
"ATTENTION!! ALL WARRIORS RETREAT!! GRAIN LEADER SOUTA WILL ADVANCE!!"
Whoosh!
The warriors looked up as a powerful wave of energy surged forward.
On the enemy side, titans, giants, and Gluttony Army members caught sight of a flash of red light.
Boom!
An explosion erupted in the heart of their formation, followed by a crushing wave of suppression.
[Serpent Dominance]!!
The enemies dropped to their knees, struggling to turn their heads. A towering pillar of blood surged up from the center of the explosion.
"What is this? I can't feel my strength…!!"
Titans, giants, and Gluttony Army members alike felt their power drain away in that instant.
Ohm!!
The pillar of blood slowly faded, revealing Souta's released form standing tall.
He raised his hand.
Suddenly, blood and razor-sharp webs erupted from beneath the ground, piercing through the bodies of the titans, giants, and Gluttony Army soldiers alike.
"Argh!!"
"Noo!!"
Their agonized cries echoed through the battlefield, but the assault didn't relent. Blood splattered everywhere as limbs were severed and bodies torn apart.
Soon, the cries of the fallen faded into silence.
Souta closed his palm, and all the spilled blood swirled upward, gathering into a dense orb suspended in the air.
Hundreds of enemies had fallen by his hand.
It was effortless with his skills.
With [Serpent Dominance] active, they had almost no resistance.
"Strong!!"
The warriors watching from the sidelines stared in awe. Souta had dismantled hundreds of foes with ease, greatly easing their burden.
"Next..." Souta was about to launch another attack when a sudden chill ran down his spine.
An intense killing intent pierced through the chaos.
He snapped his eyes wide open, swiftly turning around and drawing the vajra sword that hung at his waist.
A figure rushed toward him at lightning speed.
Bang!
Souta felt a sharp pain as he was thrown off balance, rolling across the ground.
Sett released his energy and charged forward. Drawing his massive axe, he swung fiercely at the newcomer. But the enemy anticipated the attack perfectly.
With a quick sidestep, the enemy dodged the blow, then drove a powerful knee into Sett's stomach. Before Sett could recover, the assailant spun around and delivered a brutal kick to his face.
Bang!
Sett crashed hard onto the ground, the impact creating a massive crater.
The enemy turned slowly and glanced at Souta.
"It's been a while, Blood Lightning Monster," he said.
Souta stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. He frowned as he looked at the white-haired man.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The man grinned wickedly.
"Oh, you don't remember me? Well, that's natural... but you're the reason I'm like this."
Half of the man's face was burned, his right arm replaced by a puppet, and his body was covered in scars that would never fade.
"I am Arden. You may not know me, but I know you very well. I will end you here — to wipe away the punishment I received!" His eyes burned with fury.
"Arden...? I don't know anyone by that name," Souta replied calmly.
He studied Arden carefully. Despite the injuries and scars, Arden radiated a formidable strength — one that rivaled even the top-ranked warriors of the Seventh Shackle Realm.
Sett stood up and warned, "Be careful, Grain Leader Souta. This one is an Officer."
Souta nodded.
"Everyone! Kill the Blood Lightning Monster! No matter what, cut off his head!" Arden roared as he charged at Souta.
"Well, if you want to fight, then let me give you one," Souta grinned.
They clashed in mid-air at high speed, the impact making the air vibrate around them.
Boom!
Sett glanced at the battle, then raised his weapon.
"Everyone! Grain Leader Souta has already cut down many enemies! Advance and eliminate the rest!"
"GO!"
The warriors charged forward once again.
Sett picked up his weapon, ready to rush to Souta's aid when a sudden surge of powerful energy caught his attention. He turned to see a Seventh Shackle titan charging straight at Souta.
Without hesitation, Sett bent his knees and sprinted forward.
Whoosh!
Grain Leader Souta has become their target... I have to keep this titan away, Sett thought determinedly.
