Several minutes before the assault on Hossylei Nac…

At her house, which was one of the giant trees of the city of elves, Canna was talking to her parents.

“You don’t have to follow me everywhere.” [Canna]

She tried to reassure her father and mother who had become worrywarts after she came back.

“I cut off my consciousness to protect my mind. So my time as a slave was mostly spent asleep. It was the same with the other Travelers. And we had the chance to take revenge against our captors. I can’t say I’m completely fine, but I’ll be alright.” [Canna]

“Disgusting humans.” [Canna’s dad]

Her father, who had golden blonde short hair, said curtly in a firm tone and though he didn’t raise his voice, Canna could feel all of the denial and hatred he put behind those two words. He, and her mother, who had beautiful long hair, hated the outside world for what it made her go through.

“… The High Elder should have gone to war with them.” [Canna’s mom]

“Mom, if he did, then we might have to fight against beastmen and demons too. And those two races didn’t do me any harm.” [Canna]

“And? Are beastmen or demons kinder?” [Canna’s dad]

“… I got captured before I could meet any of them.” [Canna]

As her parents were getting increasingly bloodthirsty, Canna tried to convince them to not go on the war path, mainly because of her savior.

“Not everyone is like that. Remember, Ryner’s a human and he saved us. Me, Meirith, and everyone else without ever exploiting us. I never sensed any malice or ill will from him.” [Canna]

“… True.” [Canna’s dad]

“… We owe him.” [Canna’s mom]

“Right? Besides, honestly, I’m done traveling.” [Canna]

After successfully calming the two down, Canna hugged them tightly.

“I’ll be staying here.” [Canna]

Her father and mother did the same and wrapped their arms around her. The daughter silently basked in the warm Pulse of her parents, in the love they had for her.

Back in the present…

“They’re dead.” [???]

“Good. We’ll have to search these huge trees for anyone hiding inside too.” [???]

Canna was powerlessly lying down on one of the giant roots that served as a road while hugging her parents. Like their daughter, her father and mother tightly embraced her with their eyes wide open, and their bloody corpses riddled with bullet holes. Although they tried to protect their child using their bodies, the projectiles from the enemies’ weapons easily pierced through their flesh.

“Be careful. A bunch of giant spiders came out of one of them.” [???]

“Good thing they ran away. I hate spiders.” [???]

The family of three was not the only victim as their assailants fired upon anyone they saw.

“Guh… *Cough* Filthy humans…” [Randiriel]

BANG

Randiriel, who was crawling on her stomach while bleeding profusely, also stopped moving forever like Canna, her fellow Traveler. Corpses littered the bridges and waterways of the verdant city of elves and blood painted the plants an ominous shade of red.

“Things are going well for now.” [Gawain]

“For now. Let’s finish up before the Fang breaks again. And I honestly don’t want to stay in the Dead Field forever.” [Marilyn]

Gawain and Marilyn conversed over the cacophony caused by the Thunder Screamers and the screams of their preys as they made their way deeper into Hossylei Nac. Thanks to the Dead Field Fang that was being carried around, the elves couldn’t use magic and grew weak, making them easy targets. Any magical attack launched at them outside of the Fang’s range would sizzle out of existence once inside the Dead Field.

Besides the elven race, amazons also came out to confront them. However, their presence was expected and came as no surprise since the elven guide, Melda, told them everything they needed to know. The invaders wiped out every amazon, who were unable to use magic, they saw with their Thunder Screamers. No mercy was shown to the female warriors who bravely charged at them. It was the same for anyone they met.

“Look!” [Invader]

“Incredible. Dark elves exist, just like we were told.” [Invader]

“We’re probably the first ones to have ever seen them! Just imagine how much money we would make if we sold off just one…!” [Invader]

“Don’t even think about it, or you’ll be the next person that the Order wipes out.” [Invader]

“Damn. We’re basically walking in a gold mine and throwing away the gold…” [Invader]

Some of the invaders were talking to each other, excited after seeing a rare dark elf. However, it didn’t stop them from shooting the defenseless dark elves they encountered. Men, women and children were slaughtered. The assailants also saw some creatures like big spiders and bees, but they quickly escaped as if driven away by something. That said, it worked to their advantage. Their main targets were the elves and the amazons.

“Gawain, tell our troops to begin securing several elves. Afterwards, we’ll focus on wiping out their kind and the amazons before we move to capturing the dwarves.” [Marilyn]

Despite how well things were going, Marilyn couldn’t help but frown unhappily.

“What’s the matter?” [Gawain]

“The elves’ loss is the magicians’ loss, dolt. With the Fang and the Thunder Screamers, magic, my prided field, loses its meaning.” [Marilyn]

“W-well, true. But, I don’t think the Order will want to spread these weapons.” [Gawain]

“Of course not. It would change everything. Regardless, it is still an irksome truth to witness.” [Marilyn]

Gawain quietly nodded to the blue-haired woman’s complaints as he looked at his men doing their work with mixed feelings. Although he believed it necessary, it still didn’t feel too good to have to kill defenseless people.

“Are you actually having second thoughts?” [Marilyn]

Marilyn peered into Gawain’s face that was distorted from his doubts.

“I can take all the credit for myself, so please feel free.” [Marilyn]

“No, I’m not! I understand how dangerous elves are, so we have to hit them hard before they decide to wage war agains-.” [Gawain]

“Pity. I would have punished you, and the First Order would have killed anyone you know.” [Marilyn]

“I won’t betray the First Order! Ever!” [Gawain]

The shield-toting man strongly said, almost desperately, as he put a hand on his chest, where his silver locket was located under his armor. A bead of cold sweat flowed down his cheek.

“Let’s just hurry and exterminate as many as we can before they all smarten up and escape.” [Marilyn]

The cold-eyed magician next to him said as she flipped her hair and walked on after reloading her Thunder Screamer.

“We’ll capture some elves and dwarves. And then we shall let our fearless leader deal with the rest by destroying this place.” [Marilyn]

She declared as the massacre continued.

Mi woke up and was in the middle of the battlefield. A bunch of people were fighting against plants that were sprouting from the ground. The giant green plant and the giant red man were duking it out near her, shaking the earth with every move they made. With the sound of thunder, screams and explosions, Mi panicked. Ignoring the pain in her body as her instincts flared up, telling her that she was going to die, the young pup barked reflexively.

“Woof!” [Mi]

“(I’m, I’m the big sister!)” [Mi]

She told herself. So in a fight-or-flight situation, she chose to fight.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” [Mi]

The red and white dog barked loudly to intimidate, right at the giant of molten steel and magma in front of her. Normally, it shouldn’t have done anything. Her bark could barely be heard on the battlefield. But, it was not silent, and it actually showed some effect. The giant flinched, stopped his attack and looked at her. Using that opening, the giant green plant stabbed him with multiple huge vines like spears.

“MAAAASSSSTEEERRRR!!!” [Hames]

That was what Mi saw as Hames’ loud voice, accompanied by his loud running steps, approached at high speed. His sprinting figure, barely perceptible because of his inhuman speed, charged at the puppy. The sword that was raised over his head came down on Mi with extreme, excessive force.

“… It is amazing how things can change so quickly in so short a time.” [Iparus]

Iparus, who was sitting on a chair with a book in his hand, said as he looked at something resembling a round mirror floating in front of him. He was reading peacefully, despite the shockwaves happening beside him, when he decided to take a peek at the mortal world and materialized the mirror.

“What?” [Ryner]

Ryner, who was repairing the Heaven’s Blade, which was causing the shockwaves, asked back. The blonde-haired god quietly turned the mirror towards him. The man with white feathers for hair could then clearly see what was reflected on its surface. It was the sight of Hossylei Nac being attacked by individuals clad in black. Being shown such a scene, Ryner’s half-closed eyes opened wide.

He materialized a sword in his hand right away. Then, swinging his weapon downward, he cut opened a portal through dimension and swiftly went inside. The golden strings emerging from his long coat that held onto his blacksmithing equipment and materials followed after him through the hole he made before it disappeared. Left behind, Iparus closed his book and stood up.

“This… Might need intervention.” [Iparus]

The god said as he kept track of Ryner who appeared in the cloudy sky above Hossylei Nac and was looking down at the city. While throwing all of his items in his pocket dimension, the black-clothed man focused his senses. His dark brown eye and glowing golden eye saw passed the branches, the leaves and even the giant trees. He could see and hear everything currently happening inside the city. Filtering through all of the unwanted sounds and movements, he searched for the small puppy.

“(Where are you, Mi?)” [Ryner]

From his position, he could see the invaders slaughtering anyone in their path using firearms that he didn’t expect to encounter.

“(Outside force? Humans? Semi-automatic handguns. Impossible. No. Possible. Other worlds. Like the kids called heroes. Mi.)” [Ryner]

He could see how the elves, dark elves and amazons somehow grew powerless and couldn’t fight back at all.

“(No strengthening magic. No spells. Like magic shackles. Cause is the black horn being guarded? Mi.)” [Ryner]

He could see the dead bodies now decorating Hossylei Nac, from the young to the old.

“(No Mi. Kill them quickly. Move on.)” [Ryner]

After examining the situation in a few seconds, Ryner decided to swiftly eliminate the unknown attackers before continuing his search for Mi. So, two black semi-automatic handguns that resembled a high caliber pistol with a slightly longer barrel appeared in his hands. Then, ten more materialized around him as his body floated parallel to the ground. Locking on to his targets, as all twelve muzzles pointed downward, Ryner adjusted their output before rapidly firing.

Streaks of blue light like laser beams flashed out from every firearm and fell onto Hossylei Nac like rain. Each accurately hit their mark. The people were startled from such a sudden event. The elves, dark elves and amazons looked on with fright, bewilderment and awe as the invaders began to fall one by one by the mysterious and sudden phenomenon.

“(… Beautiful…)” [Ena]

Ena, who was bound by magic shackles, watched it all happen from up close while her mouth hung open. The rain of light was falling all around her, targeting only the invaders.

“W-wha-!?” [Invader]

Her captor standing close by was shot in the chest, which instantly heated up his black armor made of dragoon materials. Then, before he could react to the sudden attack, he was shot in the helmet, which blasted a hole straight through his skull. The beam of light greatly diminished after passing through him and only singed the giant root beneath.

“The fuc-!?” [Invader]

Another, looking up at the sky, was shot in his exposed face, instantly killing him, and again in the chest as he fell on his back.

“AMBU-!!!” [Invader]

One brave warrior didn’t panic like most of his comrades, but it still didn’t stop the blue lights from opening holes in his armored body.

“G-GATHER UP!! SHIEL-!!!” [Gawain]

Gawain was hunched over while holding up his tower shield over his head. He tried to give orders to his team that was becoming a disordered and wailing mob. His shield protected him against the first two streaks of light, but was easily pierced by the third. It was his armor that saved his life, but it too only kept him safe temporarily. The next shot cleanly blasted through the shield and his armor, stabbing a hole in his back, right where his heart was. His eyes opened wide as he felt a burning pain and his inevitable end.

“(Oh no… At this rate, I won’t be able to go home…)” [Gawain]

One of his hands let go of his shield and reflexively went for the locket around his neck. His face twisted into grief.

“(I won’t see your smile again…)” [Gawain]

Another flash of light penetrated his shield, helmet and head respectively and utterly reaped his life.

“(Impossible! A magical attack from the sky?! The Fang should negate anything created with magic within its field!)” [Marylin]

Marilyn thought, not far from the deceased Gawain. Incapable of using magic, she was completely helpless.

“(Does this mean this isn’t magic?! And who unleashed it?!)” [Marylin]

As a result, a blue light went through her chest and another was right in front of her face.

“(I’m going to die here, unable to cast a single spell… This is utterly unacceptable! I will prove that no magician equals me! My name MUST go down in history!)” [Marylin]

Staring at it, her mind was rapidly turning and it was as if time had stopped.

“(Marilyn Snowhorn is the best magician the world has ever known! Not my family! Or the Emberfields!! DO YOU HEAR ME, ELSA!!?)” [Marylin]

However, the blue-haired magician’s vision soon went from pure white to complete darkness.

Though it felt like hours, the rain of light lasted only several seconds before it stopped as abruptly as it started. Left in its wake were the corpses of the invaders who at one point seemed unstoppable, and the stunned residents of Hossylei Nac who were left speechless.

“Did the spirits come to our rescue…?” [Elf]

One elf composed himself and muttered while looking up at the sky. The perpetrator that floated there a second ago had already left to continue his search for a puppy.