“Haa… haa…”

Ivan gave ragged breaths.

“Haa… Huff… huff…”

His breathing was uneven, only matching the disheveled state he currently suffered.

He was running low on Mana, so he avoided wasting it on healing himself unnecessarily. If it wasn’t fatal, he could bear it.

It had only been a couple of minutes—ten minutes tops—that he had started his battle with this beast, yet he was already in such a sorry state.

Unlike him, the massive Demon still seemed to be eager for a fight. It kept healing despite the injuries Ivan inflicted on it. The young man was never able to deal any decisive hit.

‘The moment I try to… it uses that negative burst of his and pushes me away…’

That was why Ivan was stuck!

‘Shit…’

He had expended too much Mana, and he couldn’t maintain Bond Magic for very long too.

At this point, the excitement of the young man had faded away and he was beginning to wonder about reinforcements.

However, he knew the problem with that.

—Preparation!

It had been three years since the first Demonic attack.

Initially, there was tight security measure across the kingdom. Protocols were tight, and defense was airtight.

However, given the fact that nothing had occurred, people were bound to get complacent. The soldiers stationed at the border were probably lazing around. Even the Archmage in charge of the fort had gone for a Seminar.

No one saw this coming!

“Damnit!”

This was a remote area that faced the land of the Elves. Who would have thought that a Demonic assault would come from here first?

‘Are the other areas experiencing this too?’ Ivan couldn’t help but ask himself.

If that was the case, then could that mean the war had begun?

,ᴄ-ᴏm For someone who had been complaining about his uneventful life and craved excitement, the prospect of engaging in serious warfare made him shiver.

He didn’t want this!

‘Focus, Ivan!’ He shook his head and focused on the hulking creature before him. It somehow seemed bigger than before, but that was probably Ivan’s imagination.

‘I have to buy time until they’re rea—”

“IVAN! FALL BAAAACK!!!” A familiar voice shouted at him.

He recognized it well.

“Cephas!”

Ivan, who would have stubbornly refused to heed the man’s words, found relief that help had arrived.

He was just about to reach his limits, so this was perfect.

“Haa! Understood!”

With that, Ivan sharply turned away from the Demon and began heading in the direction of the fort—with the watchtower in his view.

“GURRRURUUUUU…”

The Demon didn’t seem to agree with Ivan’s tactical retreat.

“Eat this, you monsterrr!!!”

Ivan used the last bit of his Mana and Bond Magic to launch several spikes at the Demon—at least to buy time. However…

>BOOOOOMMMM!!<

… They were all deflected by the creature’s negative burst.

“SHIIIITTTT!!!” Ivan picked up his pace as he ran.

He didn’t have nearly enough stamina and energy to fly with the use of his Magic. In his current state, running was the best he could do.

“GET DOWWWWWNNNN!!!” Ivan heard a sound, and he instantly obeyed.

Taking a bracing position, Ivan prepared for the bombardment that was about to come.

“FIIIRREEEEEE!!!”

In a deafening roar, several Magic Canons spat flames and explosive ores.

>BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!<

The balls of flames were launched, and they made impact with their target—though some missed.

>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!<

The shockwave was enough to push Ivan’s body. If he hadn’t braced for impact, it would have meant serious problems.

‘Haa… those things sure pack a punch!’

The Magic Canons that were spread throughout the fort to handle multiple enemies were used on a single one. While some missed since their aim couldn’t accurately capture a single enemy—even with its size. Still…

… There was no way it could survive!

As Ivan smiled, enjoying his brief moment of satisfaction—that they triumphed against the threat—the hulking monster emerged from the immense smoke and flames that licked its body.

The moment Ivan heard its deafening footsteps, his smile froze, and his body became stiff.

He was currently on the ground because of the bombardment, but he couldn’t get up at the moment.

The shock was too much.

“GURRRRUUUUUU…” The battered Demon growled.

Its body was full of holes and wounds, but… none were fatal!

>SHUUUUUUUU!!!<

It spread disgusting Miasma throughout its body and healed from the effects of the bombardment…

… Just like that!

It was almost like nothing had happened. No, something was different.

More Miasma swelled from the horrifying creature, and it opened its wide jaw to produce something.

It was a massive ball of flames!

Mixed with the immense Miasma, the crimson cluster of destructive energy became purple, and it swirled above the mouth of the monster.

In a few seconds—no, maybe even less—Ivan was going to become a pile of ash.

“SHIT! RESTOCK! RELOAD! RELOOOOAAADDDD!!!” Cephas declared, brandishing his own dual blades as he dashed in the direction of Ivan.

The fort was a bit far from the helpless boy’s location, but Cephas’ Martial Arts made that meaningless.

In a few moments, he closed the distance and reached the kid.

Unfortunately…. by the time he got there, the monster had already fully prepared its blast.

“SHIIIITTT!!!” Cephas brandished his blade, probably in an attempt to stop the monster from firing.

Martial Arts were great, but the middle-aged man should have known its limits. There was no way his meaningless struggle could amount to much.

However, in times of desperation, people could summon power beyond their usual limits. Perhaps he was hoping for that.

>KRRIRIIIKKKIIII<

Flashes of purple energy burst forth, and a wave of despairing energy made Cephas abandon the thought.

There was no way he could compete against that.

If his master was here, then something could be done, but this? This was beyond him!

Before the Magic Canons got reloaded, the damage would already be done. He and the young boy on the floor would die.

If the next barrage didn’t end this Demon, then it would go on to extinguish the life of the defenders of the fort.

‘Is this it? If only we were more vigilant…’

>VWUUUUUMMMMMM!!!!<

The purple spark of destructive lightning and flames was launched.

In a fraction of a moment, it could collide with them.

Death was imminent!