...

Most of the titan-class monsters didn't even pay attention to the forward group and just ran straight ahead.

Even though many of the beasts didn't mean to trample them, they sure came close...

"Why are none of them humanoid types?!"

Mary growled furiously slashing the tendons of yet another gigantic beast looking like a crossbreed between a wingless moth and a tiger with enormous human-like arms instead of legs.

"«¤¡¿>£€€"

The beast screeched as its hind arms lost their strength but even so the creature still tried to crawl forward with its many bloodshot golden eyes staring at the defense lines where the Sloth soldiers were preparing for them.

*CHOMP*

Out of nowhere, a terrifying mass of darkness engulfed the beast's head and chopped it perfectly clean - with all the steaming yellow insides perfectly visible.

"Raor... (Ugh, disgusting...)"

Arion gulped down the massive bite as he jumped out of Mary's shadow and then shook off as if getting rid of some filth that stuck to his fur.

"You can complain later, I spotted one with a humanoid torso, maybe it will be enough to count!"

Mary clearly wasn't in the mood for the culinary discussion since she just straight up jumped on the wolf's back and forcibly turned his head towards the monster of interest.

"RAOR! (AH, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!)"

Arion roared and his eyes glowed with an insatiable hunger and his body let out a faint orange light right before he charged at half humanoid titan-class monster, while his master was hitching a ride on his back.

With the borderline insane amount of agility, the two of them had no trouble with maneuvering between tens of gigantic paws, feet, and hands stomping all around them during a mad dash.

"They killed another one with ease but instead of getting the next weakest one, or helping the little Mika, they are off to a strong titan-class. Are your friends trying to accomplish some other quest during this mess?"

High up in the sky, just low enough to still see the earth and the monsters down below, Shanks aimed his rifle at the ground and asked the blue griffin he was riding on

"Skwee."

The indifferent screeched sounded just as if Blueberry shrugged without any interest...

*SHING* *SHING* *SHING* *SHING* *SHING* *SHING* *SHING* *SHING*

"÷$€•¤%¿¡£"

*WHAM*

...right before unleashing a flurry of storm talons right at the humongous reptile with jaws full of eyes instead of teeth, and successfully making the monstrosity trip and fall down face first right under the hooves of the one-eyed deer with antlers made of humanoid hands - which said monster crushed the reptile-like titan-class without even trying to dodge its brethren.

"Nice one! But if I may, please try keeping a steady flight for the next twenty seconds."

Shanks whistled impressed and patted Blueberry's neck.

"...I need to save the little miss..."

He sighed while carefully taking aim.

Mary and Arion had an overwhelming speed and reaction time.

Blueberry and Shanks were in the air, and with the monsters concentrating on the blind charge, it was a completely safe space with no golden beams shooting everywhere like it was during the previous wave.

That would left Mika...

The ashen-haired girl with overwhelming status points and a body that could bear with the status modifiers of her skills.

Unluckily for her, one of the main skills she used was a berserk's class enrage, more well known as simply going berserk.

While it halved the damage she received while doubling her attack power, it certainly didn't do anything good for Mika's perception and awareness of her own position...

"GHUAH...! YOU DAMNED BEAST! I'LL RIP YOU TO SHRE- KHUGHUAH!"

Mika was shouting furiously and breaking limbs as many titan-class monsters as she could while being kicked around like a rubber ball.

If it wasn't such a horrible sight to behold, the act itself could be even considered as funny.

Unfortunately, that rubber ball bouncing around and getting more and more damaged to the point of bleeding from her nose, mouth, ears, and even eyes, was the only person who couldn't be allowed to die under any circumstances - which she seemed to be getting closer and closer by each second.

*¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤*

But then a low hum resounded through the skies and a ray of death descended from above, piercing right through the humongous centipede-like titan-class monster and making its crumbling body account t like a cushion or a catching glove for the ragdolling girl.

"...kuhah...! Took you long enough...!"

Mika spat out a mouthful of blood and glared angrily at the blue spot high above her in the foggy sky.

Certainly, her situation wasn't making her any kinder.

Thankfully, the thunder of the artillery strikes resounded just at the right moment so that Shanks didn't hear her since he hurriedly deactivated the detection skill that relied on his ears to protect himself from going deaf.

Still...

"Already?!"

The rat-faced man didn't have the time to consider Mika's feelings.

While still lightheaded from his HP and MP getting rapidly drained to fuel the powerful ranged skill, he looked back towards the first line of the defense in utter shock.

The titan-class monsters were running like mad, true, and he knew that their little group wasn't really enough to stall even half of them even if they were incredibly lucky - but it literally took no time at all for the monsters who blew past them to tear right through the first defense line!

Were the soldiers there even trying to even slow down the oncoming monsters?!

Because it certainly looked like they just let them right into the second line!

With no consideration for their brothers in arms behind the third line who had to aim the cannons at the approaching monsters!

"The three-defense line system was devised for a reason, system damn it!"

Shanks let out his anger by growling through his teeth and clenching his shaking hands on the rifle still scorching hot from the previous shot.

"Skwee!"

The blue griffin screeched and shook her head so that the tips of her feathers smacked against Shanks's face.

"WHAT?!"

The rat-faced man asked angrily but the answer came instantly, though not from the Blueberry...

"GHUH!"

Mika grunted as she became airborne - swatted away by the feline titan-class monster with teeth instead of fur and a single eye instead of the mouth, which she missed while attacking the horse-like titan-class with multiple grabby arms growing out of its eye sockets - and flew by close enough for the griffin and her rider to hear her cry.

"Oh for the love of system! WHY ISN'T MARY WATCHING HER AS SHE PROMISED?!"

Shanks shouted furiously and felt his lifeforce being sucked away as he overdrew his power in order to use the charge cannon skill twice in the span of a few seconds to shot the beast with a jaw like a meatgrinder already spread open - that was clearly anticipating for the ashen-haired girl.