Stepping to the left, I avoided the incoming claw aimed at my chest.
The same moment I dodged, a chain materialized in my right hand, already extending itself to wrap around the predator turned victim.
Once it wrapped around, I willed spikes to form on each link, impaling it dozens upon dozens of times in an instant.
Then I yanked my hand backwards, the chain ripping through the creature with terrifying ease.
Blood flew through the air like rain, bones and flesh alike falling all around me.
[You have slain an Awakened Devil, Vagr's spawn].
I paid no attention to the spell. Instead, my giant metal-covered form whirled around smashing right through an Awakened Beast without even slowing in its trajectory.
Now having gained some breathing space, I looked around the giant battlefield, locating my allies with ease.
I had memorized their very soul cores after all.
All were doing fine.
With the worry for my allies now buried, I turned my attention back to the swarm.
The swarm is almost a literal wave of creatures, all resembling some sort of wolf.
Their ranks range from Beasts to Devils, and their classes are equally varied.
It was tough, but once I had gotten used to my newfound limiters and powers, they didn't really pose a challenge.
Other than the few Fallen Devils of course.
Those were a hassle, usually having really tough armor, as well as some sort of ranged ability.
My armor expanded, forming a wall behind me, just in time for a creature to slam headfirst into it.
Then the wall grew spikes, which coiled around the creature, building a prison.
I looked at it with neither disgust, nor interest. It was pity.
Then the spikes surged inwards, dicing the creature into slim lines.
I ignored the notification from the Spell as I usually did, already picking a target.
My eyes locked onto the three soul cores dashing around.
The next moment, all three cores shuddered, then collapsed into soul shards.
I silently ran to the creature, slamming a leg through the body to crush the shards.
Then I picked another target. The same thing happened.
And then again. And again. And again.
Until the once a wave of creatures remained nothing but blood and corpses on the ground.
My cohort and the allies of the town didn't look at me directly as they always did, fear gripping their hearts.
They silently cheered and laughed, suppressing their fear beneath the joy of living another day.
I didn't blame them. I couldn't.
After all, no one could kill so easily, no one else could grow stronger from a single or a few fights to the level I have.
They didn't understand. And they never would.
***
All of the major people sat in a giant room, seated around a giant round table on which a paper map lay.
My cohort walked in first, all spreading out to their own seats.
Then, I walked in. The darkness-filled armor made not a single sound.
I slowly walked in, everyone noticing and deliberately not looking at me.
Two weeks. In two weeks, I made Awakened tremble at the mere sight of me.
Ascended to avoid my gaze as if their life depended on it.
And a single Transcendent to become infatuated with me.
I mentally paused at the last one, almost physically shuddering at the thought.
I secretly looked around, making sure she wouldn't jump out of nowhere.
Once certain of safety, I took my own seat, which was larger than the others for my refusal to take off the armor.
With everyone gathered, the meeting started.
All seated, and after a moment, the head speaker who informs any and all of any news stood up.
"Tonight. The attack came four minutes sooner than previously."
He paused, his fingers fidgeting.
"With this now realized, we were able to find related historic evidence to this situation, and confirm them."
At that, the whole table leaned forward, eager to hear the news.
"Every night. The gap between attacks will lessen by a random amount of time once it starts. Until a single horde will arrive together with the Tyrant."
The man breathed in, looking around for any questions.
There were none.
"We either have to defeat the Tyrant and the horde when this inevitably happens. Or we have to hold out for an unknown period of time.
Which then will restart attacks back to their twenty-four-hour cycle for fifty years. "
I slowly stood up, my shadow covering the table.
"Losing is not an option. We must learn of the creatures, perhaps it will help us against the Tyrant when the time comes."
None disagreed.
"We must also start fortifying the entire village. We cannot let civilians perish if a creature goes past us in the chaos."
Again, no disagreements.
Then I asked a question.
"Who still doesn't have a full soul core here?"
Two men and a woman stood up.
I nodded.
"You will stay by my side at the battle, collect all shards for yourselves."
The woman opened her mouth.
"I will watch over and protect you while you are doing this. If not, my echo will."
Then I sat down, letting the others share their own ideas.
A woman stood up after me.
"We should also protect our fields in some way. Even if we win against the horde, if they are destroyed the people will starve!"
All nodded in agreement, myself included.
I didn't actually think of that.
Considering that for Awakened, creatures meat was enough if you had the will to eat it for a year straight.
But that didn't really include mundane, especially the children.
They would probably hurl at even learning what would be for dinner.
"We should repair the siege machines of old for aerial creatures."
"Oh yeah, like mundane materials can hurt those abominations!"
Was the immediate response.
"I can create the projectiles, or at least the front of them."
I added.
The refuser thought it over for a moment before clapping his hands twice.
"That could work!"
The man who suggested it and the refuser both left after that, already shouting for messengers.
The same woman who had brought up the fields stood up again.
"We must also consider the water supply line. The river isn't so close, and the underground network may hold out for a week at maximum.
If the line is damaged, it could be even worse than losing the fields. "
I almost cursed out loud. Damn, how do I not think of these things?
Of course, that would be horrible.
But with completely different directions of each point, it would thin our numbers far too much.
Unless I myself stayed at a single point.
The idea formed instantly, and it sounded far too good.
"That would spread our already barely existing numbers too thin. I would need to protect an objective alone."
The table fell quite at that.
I myself thought of options, another, far more delusional idea being born.
"Or I engage with the Tyrant alone."
There was a long deafening pause, to the point I started hearing my own breathing.
"Absolutely not! You are our second strongest fighter. It would crush our entire battle formation if you were to perish!"
The woman of the fields and water spoke up immediately.
I silently turned towards her, the hidden dagger inside the fake arm slowly being filled with essence, until finally, [Blood sense] activated.
She actually looked shocked at my suggestion, even if she wasn't looking directly at me.
I raised a brow that no one could see.
"And what other options do we have?"
I paused, having one.
"Or would you all rather send out the mistress herself?"
None argued at that.
I myself shuddered even thinking of the idea.
The woman would probably obliterate the fields herself, or the water line, or the town. Yeah, probably the whole town.
The woman has never heard of the word "restraint", always going into her transcendent form and causing havoc with her large area elemental attacks.
I shuddered again.
Before I had taken up the role of the vanguard, she used to be sent out alone.
Every night, and somehow. She still managed to kill a few residents of the town. Every night.
I shook my head, others noticing but not commenting on it.
"We hopefully have enough time to talk about this topic another time. We should switch to a different matter."
Everyone agreed begrudgingly.