Three high-level Hobgoblins surrounded Lilya from three sides. Their large swords and spiked shields moved like living walls, slowly closing off her space to maneuver. The black aura radiating from their bodies pulsed erratically, still blazing-driven by a rage that no longer knew who it belonged to.
But Lilya did not retreat.
[Battle Instinct]
The world narrowed.
The paths of their attacks. The gaps between their shields. The weaknesses between the bulging, blackened muscles.
She saw everything.
"GROOOAAHHH-!!"
The level 40 Hobgoblin struck first. Its great sword swung horizontally-not to cut, but to crush. The wind from that single swing sent leaves scattering around it.
[Quick Step]
WHOOSH-!!
Lilya's body vanished from its front, reappearing on its left side-right beside the level 35 Hobgoblin, which had just raised its shield.
[Precision Cut]
SHHK-!!
Her blue-gold light sword sliced through the gap between the shield and the monster's arm. The shoulder joint opened. The Hobgoblin's right arm hung limp, its great sword falling to the ground with a heavy thud.
"GRAAAK-?!"
Before it could roar, [Chain Strike] followed.
SHHK-SHHK-!!
Two quick slashes. Neck. Stomach.
The large body collapsed.
It did not rise again.
One down.
The level 38 Hobgoblin roared in fury. It pushed its spiked shield forward-not to block, but to ram. The black spikes on its surface pulsed with potent poison.
[Parry Counter]
CLAAANG-!!
Lilya's sword moved at a perfect angle, deflecting the shield aside. The Hobgoblin's body opened up-and Lilya stepped right into its range.
[Sword Slash]
SHHHHK-!!
A vertical slash split the monster's chest from shoulder to waist.
Black blood sprayed.
Its large body staggered-then collapsed.
Two down.
The level 40 Hobgoblin, the last one, stepped back half a pace.
Its empty eyes stared at Lilya with something that could not be called emotion-only the remnants of instinct trying to understand why its two comrades had fallen in an instant.
But Lilya gave it no time.
[Air Cut]
SHHHHHKK-!!
A sharp wave of air shot from her sword, closing the distance between them before the monster could raise its own blade to block.
The level 40 Hobgoblin's body split in two.
Two halves.
Straight.
Silent.
Thud.
Three down.
Lilya stood in the middle of a circle of corpses.
Her breath was heavy. Her chest rose and fell irregularly. But she was still standing.
But then-
"...huh?"
Her vision suddenly blurred.
Not because of dust. Not because of smoke. But as if the entire world was swaying-unstable, unreal, like a painting soaked by rain.
Lilya rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.
It didn't go away.
Her vision stayed blurry.
Even worse, it grew hazier.
"...why...?"
Her body swayed.
Her knees gave way.
THUD-!!
She fell to her knees on the damp ground.
Her right hand still gripped the light sword-but her hand was trembling violently. Her entire body shook, from the tips of her hair to her toes, like a fever spreading beneath her skin.
Her breathing was irregular.
Short.
Gasping.
Broken.
She tried to take a deep breath-but her chest felt crushed under a heavy weight. The air came in half, went out in fragments, leaving a burning pain in her throat and lungs.
"hhh... hhh..."
Her voice was hoarse.
Dry.
"hhh... [st...atus open...]"
A transparent panel appeared before her.
Neutral.
Cold.
Without emotion.
But the numbers there-
=============================
MP: 5,800 / 62,000
Stamina: 8,200 / 120,000
=============================
Lilya's fingers trembled.
Her eyes-though blurred-could still read those numbers.
MP and stamina were dropping fast. Much faster than before.
Because she had forced [Veil Resonance] into full activation-not once, but twice.
Full activation when she fought the horde of monsters in front of the hut.
Full activation again when she fought these three Hobgoblins.
And her body-
was not designed for that.
Not because she was weak.
But because an ordinary human body-even at level 100-could not withstand the burden of a Sword Saint's power being forced to manifest continuously without rest.
She was exhausted.
Not ordinary exhaustion.
But the kind that made her muscles feel like they were being soaked in molten lead.
The kind that made every breath feel like a dull blade scraping the inside of her chest.
Lilya remained on her knees.
The golden aura that had been enveloping her body-warm, bright, like sunlight forced to appear in the middle of the night-slowly began to fade.
Thin.
Dim.
Pulsing weakly, dying.
Like a candle running out of wick.
Like the last breath of someone who had fought for too long.
SUUU...
Extinct.
Gone.
[Veil Resonance] died.
The blue-gold light sword in her hand trembled-then shattered into tiny fragments of light that scattered in the air and vanished before touching the ground.
What remained was just a twig.
Small.
Fragile.
Like how it all began.
Lilya's body felt empty.
Not light.
But hollow.
As if all the strength that had kept her fighting had left at once, leaving behind only flesh and bones that were barely holding together.
Her breathing was still broken.
Her vision was still blurred.
But her ears-
could still hear.
Auuuuuuuuuu-!!
A long howl broke the silence of the night.
Lilya turned her head.
Slowly.
Heavily.
As if her neck was made of rusted iron.
And before her-
the second wave.
One by one, monsters emerged from the darkness.
Three Hell Wolves, higher levels than the first wave and the ones that had attacked her inside the hut.
[Hell Wolf lvl 37]
[Status: Berserk]
[Hell Wolf lvl 38]
[Status: Berserk]
[Hell Wolf lvl 37]
[Status: Berserk]
Their black bodies crouched low, long claws digging into the ground, pale yellow eyes glowing in the darkness like dying embers.
Behind them, three Goblin Riders.
[Goblin Rider Lv. 31]
[Status: Berserk]
[Goblin Rider Lv. 33]
[Status: Berserk]
[Goblin Rider Lv. 31]
[Status: Berserk]
They carried wooden spears with sharp stone tips, raised in their right hands. Small totems hanging from their necks vibrated, emitting waves of black magic that spread into the air.
And finally, something that could not be ignored.
A massive monster.
[Hell Kong Lv. 55]
[Status: Berserk]
Lilya's heart stopped for a fraction of a second.
Fifty-five.
A level approaching that of the Elder Treant.
But the Elder Treant had been a forest guardian, its body already weakened by age and contamination.
The Hell Kong was different.
This giant primate monster was known for its brutal physical strength-even in Hikaru's memories, a level 50 Hell Kong was already considered a party-level threat.
And this one-
level 55.
Berserk.
Lilya couldn't do it.
Not in this condition.
She knew it.
She understood.
But-
she had no choice.
Lilya let out a small laugh.
A laugh that came not from joy, but from despair so deep that it could only turn into bitterness.
"hhhh... looks like... the mastermind... behind this... is serious... about killing me... huh."
She forced her knees to move.
Her hands pressed into the ground-cold mud clinging to her palms, seeping between her fingers.
One push.
Two pushes.
Her body rose.
Unsteady.
Heavy.
Like trying to straighten a statue that had already cracked at its base.
But she stood.
The golden aura-
appeared again.
Not as bright as before.
Not as blazing as when she fought the three Hobgoblins.
Just thin.
Almost invisible.
Like morning mist that would vanish as soon as the sun rose.
But it was still there.
[Veil Resonance]-
had not died completely.
Because Lilya would not allow it to die.
She gripped the twig tighter.
Blue light emerged again from the surface of the wood.
Slowly lengthening.
Unstable.
Flickering like a flame running out of air.
But the sword-
was back.
Lilya raised her head.
Her eyes half-closed.
One lid fully open.
The other-almost shut.
As if her body was too tired to keep both eyes open.
But the gaze behind that half-closed eye-
was not extinguished.
Still sharp.
Still burning.
Still filled with a will that refused to die.
"...you..."
Her voice came out broken.
Her breath still gasping.
But each word-
felt like a burden forced out of a wounded throat.
"...I will..."
She raised her sword.
Her right hand trembled violently.
The blue light blade flickered unsteadily-but it still pointed forward.
Toward the horde of monsters that had begun to move.
"...kill you..."
A faint smile-not a happy smile, not a confident smile.
But a smile born from despair so deep that it could only turn into bitter laughter.
"...all!"
The cry burst from her lips.
Not loud.
Not echoing.
Almost drowned out by the howls of the Hell Wolves charging toward her.
But-
it was enough.
Enough to remind herself-
why she was still fighting.
Not to live.
But for Cecilia.
WHOOSH-!!
Lilya lunged.
[Quick Step]
But her speed-
was not like before.
Her legs felt heavy.
Every step felt like treading through quicksand that pulled her down.
But she kept moving.
Kept advancing.
Because retreating-
meant death.
Not her death.
But the hope of saving Cecilia.
Meanwhile, far from the despair consuming Lilya's body, Rhett's team still stood before the newly opened path.
Rhett crossed his arms over his chest.
He was trying to make the right decision.
His face was stern, but not tense. He was thinking.
"So... what's your decision, Rhett?" Darian asked.
Rhett didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the dark corridor ahead-a path that had never existed before, suddenly opened because someone had commanded it, in a forest that had never been friendly to humans.
Rhett sighed. "Do you think we have any other choice?"
Darian didn't answer.
Bram didn't answer.
Kael only let out a long breath-then nodded.
Three nods. Without words. Without doubt.
Rhett turned to Harlan. The middle-aged man was still standing slightly apart from the others, both hands clutching his empty waist pouch-which just hours ago had been full of his homemade potions. His face was pale, dark circles visible under his eyes, and his breathing was still not fully stable.
But his eyes-were still clear.
"You heard that, Harlan?" Rhett's voice was firm, leaving no room for hesitation. "We move now."
Harlan opened his mouth. "But-"
"No buts."
Rhett cut him off quickly. His tone wasn't angry-but it was non-negotiable.
"Our home is under threat. We don't have time to hesitate."
Harlan fell silent. His lips trembled for a moment, but no sound came out. He looked at Rhett, then at Darian who only nodded quietly, at Bram who had already raised his axe to his shoulder, at Kael who was checking his bowstring one last time.
No one hesitated.
No one backed down.
Harlan lowered his head for a moment. His grip on the empty pouch slowly loosened.
Then he raised his head.
"Alright."
His voice was soft, but steady.
"Let's go."
Rhett smiled faintly-a small smile, barely visible, but enough to warm the cold air between them.
"Good."
He patted Harlan's shoulder gently, then stepped first into the dark corridor ahead.
Bram followed on the right, axe ready to swing.
Darian on the left, his right hand already on his sword's hilt.
Kael behind, bow raised, an arrow nocked between his fingers.
And Harlan in the center-protected by all of them.
No potions.
Bodies weary and wounded.
But they kept walking.
Because at the end of this path-there was a portal.
And beyond that portal-was the village.
The village that was still fighting.
The village that needed them.