Seeing their commander fall, the surviving soldiers cried out in grief:
"Commander!"
"No!"
"Kill him!"
At that moment, aside from the five still fighting the statue, the rest had already retreated to the edge of the battlefield.
Yet, witnessing Will's death, his former subordinates erupted in fury, dragging their weary bodies forward in a desperate attempt to confront the dark priest.
Seeing this, several nearby adventurers angrily restrained them, preventing their reckless charge.
Sean: "Are you all insane?"
Liv: "You can barely stand, and yet you want to rush in for revenge? Don't become a burden to those who are still fighting."
Realizing those words were the cold truth, the soldiers could only clench their fists in helplessness, grief, and rage.
They remained silent, eyes fixed on the battle nearing its end, whispering prayers for victory.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Will!"
Witnessing the death of his comrade, Erik murmured in sorrow.
He had known Will for nearly twenty years. Those two decades were enough for him to understand that Will was a brave warrior and a responsible commander.
Now, that honorable man had fallen, trading his life for a chance at victory. And they could not let that chance slip away.
Grinding his teeth, Erik continued to unleash his magic, draining every last drop of energy within him.
Blood streamed from his nose, silver strands spread across his hair. His body and mind ached, trembling under the strain.
Yet he did not stop. Not after they had come this far. He could not allow Will's sacrifice to be in vain.
"Do it! Our hope—I entrust it to you."
Erik screamed within his mind, sending his blessing, whether it could be heard or not.
As if in response, the figure cloaked by swirling white papers leapt high with all his strength.
When Erik's body finally collapsed, in his blurred vision, he saw a star soaring into the sky, bearing wings made of white paper.
"So beautiful…"
* * * * * * * * * *
Will's strike had toppled the statue, Erik's magic forced it to defend, while also shielding Tris as he maneuvered.
All had been waiting for this moment.
"Do it!" Tris signaled to the three Priests of the church.
At once, they poured all their power into support magic for Tris. Magics once used to protect the group are now focused solely on him.
Tris felt every harmful effect from the statue vanish, his body overflowing with strength. At this instant, he was stronger than ever before.
"Flash Steps." "Sky Walk." Combining magic and combat techniques, Tris propelled the Berserker straight toward the statue's head at blinding speed.
Sensing danger, the statue twisted its neck unnaturally, glaring at Tris.
Its single eye blazed, bringing death to anyone who defied it.
In midair, the Berserker twisted. Its back opened, and Tris launched himself out, flying even faster.
Using his puppet as a springboard, both Tris and the Berserker veered off course, narrowly dodging the deadly beam.
A moment's hesitation would have meant death, ending Tris's life then and there.
Closing in, Tris drew the black sword from his spatial ring, grinning with grim resolve.
He twisted, swinging with all his might, channeling every combat technique and Space magic into a single strike.
A flawless black crescent carved across the sky, severing all in its path.
The moment was breathtaking, etched forever into the eyes of those who lived to witness it.
The statue's eye dimmed. Its head split in two and slid apart. Its massive body collapsed, like a mountain falling from the heavens.
* * * * * * * * * *
The crushing sound and violent tremors of the earth awakened them, confirming the truth.
Coris: "Cough, cough… Is everyone alright? Anyone hurt?"
Choking on dust and debris, Coris hurriedly checked on those nearby.
Liv: "Everyone's safe. Just a few bruises from falling."
Mira: "Mr. Erik wasn't crushed by the statue, was he?"
She looked anxiously toward the battlefield.
Kate: "No, the Priests pulled him away in time."
Mark: "Unbelievable… they actually won."
Mark sat quietly on the ground, feeling his body and mind return to normal, freed from the statue's oppressive aura. His words echoed the thoughts of nearly everyone present.
The situation had seemed utterly hopeless. Most had accepted death as inevitable. Yet those great individuals had achieved the impossible, creating a miracle.
And all knew who had been the key to victory.
Kate: "Coris, did you see that small figure soaring at the end? It looked like…"
She hesitated, uncertain of what she had seen.
Coris: "Yes, I saw it too. It truly looked like…"
Before he could finish, soldiers nearby shouted:
"Did anyone see that cultist bastard?"
In their excitement, they had forgotten his existence. The reminder jolted them back to reality—rest was not yet allowed.
Searching, they regrouped with the Priests and Erik, but found no trace of the cultist. Even the stranger with the massive frame and terrifying face who had helped them earlier was nowhere to be found.
"He must have escaped when the statue fell."
"We were near the entrance, but didn't see him pass."
"Then there must be a hidden passage. Let's split up and search."
"Alright, but be careful."
After deciding on their next move, the group began scouring the area. Moments later, adventurer Ed called out:
"Over here!"
Approaching, they discovered a secret passage—dark and endless, its destination unknown.
"Should we pursue?" one asked hesitantly.
"No need," Erik, now conscious, replied.
He explained to the questioning eyes:
"Most of us are drained. The Priests and I cannot fight further.
That cultist is strong, and having fought little, his stamina and spiritual energy remain plentiful.
The passage is narrow; sending a large group would only lead to traps and needless deaths."
"But are we just going to let him escape?" Though they knew Erik's reasoning was sound, one soldier could not hide his frustration.
Erik: "Someone has already gone after him."
At those words, the group simultaneously recalled the grotesque, terrifying face they had seen earlier, and unconsciously swallowed hard.