Chapter 974

The massive, overturned wave came crashing down directly on Sharloin’s breakwater.

Yuder’s body, having lost all strength, was flung through the air like a discarded rag.

Beneath the surging current, the frenzied writhing of monsters echoed as they leapt up, clawing to devour him.

Yuder no longer had the strength to fight them off. And yet, he wasn’t afraid—not in the slightest. A hand appeared out of nowhere, seizing him without hesitation, pulling him securely into a firm embrace.

Letting himself be drawn in, Yuder rested in the arms of the one who had caught him, finally catching his breath. When he opened his eyes, wet hair clinging to his forehead, he saw the face of the man who had crossed through thin air to retrieve him. Both of them were in a wretched state—drenched, disheveled, and utterly battered.

Yet Yuder had never in his life felt more content.

Letting out a deep breath, he leaned his forehead gently against Kishiar’s shoulder. The man, lowering his head to rest it atop Yuder’s, asked in a hoarse voice:

“If I’d been even a little late just now, you’d have been swept away in that wave. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t made it in time?”

“I saw you coming to greet me... There was no chance of that.”

Yuder’s voice, like Kishiar’s, was long since hoarse.

“Goodness. You have too much faith in me.”

“Then who else should I believe in?”

Kishiar didn’t answer. Yuder, feeling a quiet satisfaction at having rendered the usually eloquent man speechless, lifted his head. The tension in Kishiar’s brows had softened, and his shoulders shook slightly with silent laughter. Yuder realized he was smiling, too—reflected in the other man’s gaze.

“...I’ve returned.”

“Yes.”

Kishiar pulled Yuder tighter into his arms and looked down at the wave crashing beneath them.

“It’s going to be close... but it won’t reach the hill where the medical tent is. That’ll be the perfect place to watch from.”

There was no need to ask what they were supposed to watch.

It reminded Yuder of the day the hailstorm struck. Back then, too, his strength had run dry, and he and Kishiar had stood side by side, equally beaten, watching from the sidelines.

But unlike that day, now... his heart felt calm. Peaceful.

Yuder looked down at the waves, then slowly nodded.

“...Yes.”

The wave, which under normal circumstances would have swept over the land unimpeded, obliterating everything in its path...

Faced its first trial at the towering breakwater wall, raised like a fortress to shield the harbor.

— BOOM...! KRAK-KRAK-KRAAASH!

The sound of water slamming against stone roared so loudly it felt like the world itself was being torn apart. But no matter how fiercely the sea tried to devour it, the breakwater—reinforced by Jeong and the unit members—held fast. Though battered, it didn’t collapse. With its stubborn resistance, the wave lost its peak momentum and crashed over the wall with weakened force.

— Swaaaaaaaahhhhhh—...

Carrying both the dead and the living monsters in its current, the wave pressed forward—only to face a second trial.

— BOOM, BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

As soon as the monsters in the water came into contact with the magical traps buried near the shore on Helrem’s orders, explosions burst one after another. The traps, infused with the venom of the long-tailed Black-Purple Penpen, released clouds of black poison that spread swiftly through the water, staining the translucent monsters and drastically slowing their movements.

Previously, when the tide hadn’t reached this high, the poison had only managed to affect a small number of monsters. But now, with the land submerged, the venom spread rapidly and fulfilled its purpose beyond expectations. Even with a limited number of traps, the monsters, now marked with mottled colors, became clearly visible from a distance.

The wave’s third trial came just before it could breach the lowland villages.

“...Everyone, ready!”

Standing atop a tall tree, Marin swallowed a breath of tension, surrounded by others who clung to branches or crouched in place, waiting to attack.

“It’s coming!”

With a thunderous crash, the wave collided head-on with the forest.

“Ugh...!” “Khh!”

All around, people clung to the shaking trees, letting out strained groans as the flood tried to shake them loose.

But the densely grown forest, nurtured by Marin, did not fall. The tightly-knit roots held firm, supporting the fragile southern land that should have collapsed beneath the wave.

In a sense, those trees supported one another more effectively than the breakwater, shielding the villages behind them. To the weary defenders, this natural bulwark offered a sliver of hope—that they could fight back against nature and monsters alike.

“We’ll protect our village with our own hands!”

Ordinary soldiers, knights, and civilians with no special powers wielded °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° long, sharpened stakes like spears and hurled heavy stones from the treetops.

They had done the same during the previous waves—though those times had only brought a few monsters. Now, they had to brace atop swaying trees with the water nearly licking their feet, but the task remained the same.

The smaller monsters, already weakened by the poison, burst and fell apart under even minor attacks. The wave itself began to slow, stagnating before the forest like water caught in a sieve, unable to surge forward.

Emboldened, the defenders cried out. Those who had once cowered behind the Awakeners now stood tall, doing their part without hesitation.

And behind them, standing against the monsters that had broken through even that defense—was Nathan Zuckerman, the Swordmaster.

He alone stood at the final line, a heavy and unyielding blade, ensuring not a single monster reached the places where the Sharloin villagers had taken shelter. No enemy could pass his sword.

While the wave that had struck Sharloin faltered, others that had splintered off surged toward different regions—and faced similar resistance.

Defenders stationed in forests raised by Marin fought alongside Cavalry members, coordinating their efforts to stop the tide.

Kurga, facing off against Steber, slammed his rock-solid fist into the wave, punching a hole straight through it. Though the water quickly rushed to fill the gap, the sheer force of that one blow was enough to cripple the wave’s momentum.

Suns, having returned with Elpokin after taking medicine from the medical tent, guarded their assigned region alongside Emon, who had insisted on joining. The two, knowing each other’s strengths better than anyone, supported each other through the toughest moments.

Elsewhere, Ever Beck coordinated their team with silent precision, obliterating every monster in sight. Though their fingers—except for the monster-hide-covered palms—were drenched in blood, their methodical, unfaltering strikes never ceased.

At that same time, in a distant location—

Gino Bodelli, the Empire’s other Swordmaster, stood staring at his former disciple, now bound and kneeling before him.

“Master! I swear, this is all a setup! That vile Meghna Curlieva framed me to destroy my reputation! How could I possibly be a traitor? I’m innocent!”

“Galexantr. Do you know where Meghna is and what she’s doing right now?”

At the cold, heavy voice, Galexantr Balfos flinched.

“H-how would I know...?”

“She’s out there cleaning up your mess. Because the Southern Army is no longer trustworthy thanks to you, she’s been working without rest for days, trying to fill the gap.”

“B-but I told you—it’s all a plot...!”

Galexantr tried to cry out in protest, but was silenced by a suffocating surge of killing intent. The old general rose from his seat and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him upright.

“Look out that window.”

“...”

Outside the window, the coastline came into view. But unlike usual—what filled the horizon was a monstrous wave, bearing down with terrifying force.

Galexantr’s face turned deathly pale.

“T-the wave... It’s coming. Why are you still here? You should be evacuating—”

“Meghna is standing at the front of that wave, facing the monsters riding it. She’s protecting the people. And yet you... the first thing you think about is running.”

“...”

“That’s the difference between you and Meghna.”

Galexantr froze. The old general gave a bitter smile and released his grip.

“You used to be a boy who, despite his ambition, knew how to work hard. But now... you’re just greedy. And you’ve grown in nothing else.”