Then—
BOOM!
The explosion tore into the griffin's body.
A violent shockwave rippled outward, forcing its massive wings to dip unevenly as the impact disrupted its balance mid-air.
"…Gnt—!"
Zachary was thrown back by the force, his body pushed through the air before his feet slammed against the ground.
He skidded several feet across the cracked surface, dust kicking up around him as he forced himself to stop.
He looked up.
A chunk of the griffin's body was gone.
Cleanly blown off—
Like a missing piece from a puzzle.
"Nice hit!"
The voice came from beside him.
Zachary turned.
A girl stood there, one arm still raised toward the griffin, faint traces of mana flickering around her fingertips.
Despite the chaos around them, her expression was calm—
Almost… cheerful.
"Who are you?" Zachary asked, his voice slightly muffled by the handkerchief covering his face.
"I'm Lilia Von Silverhart," she replied without hesitation, a small smile forming on her lips.
She didn't look tense.
Didn't look afraid.
Like this battlefield—
Was just another day for her.
—Lilia Von Silverhart is a Level 64 hunter. Class type: Hidden Healer.
Known worldwide for her unusually bright personality and consistent presence in high-risk missions, she holds a position within the global Top 20 rankings
But
Calling her just a "healer" would be misleading.
Unlike most in her class, Hidden or not, Lilia wasn't limited to support.
She fought.
And judging by the damage dealt to the griffin,
She fought very well—
Lilia fired another condensed mana shot.
It struck the griffin—
BOOM!
The explosion tore into its body, the force disrupting its wings completely. The griffin staggered mid-air before crashing down, its massive form slamming into the ground.
CCRRAAWW!
It shrieked in pain, its claws digging into the earth as it struggled to regain control.
The impact left a shallow crater beneath it.
"Now!" someone shouted.
The hunters rushed in.
Blades clashed against flesh, sparks and blood mixing as attacks rained down on the griffin's legs. The sound of metal cutting into something far too tough echoed across the battlefield.
Zachary moved with them.
But he held back.
His attacks barely left marks—just shallow scratches compared to the others.
Barnacle and the Chimera, however—
Did not.
They tore into the griffin relentlessly, their attacks landing with far more weight, contributing heavily to bringing it down.
Time passed.
Hours blurred together.
The fight dragged on—
Longer than anyone expected.
After twenty-nine hours of nonstop battle—
CCRRAA…
The griffin's voice weakened.
Its body trembled—
Then collapsed.
With one final, broken shriek, it fell under its own weight.
Silence.
Its body was ruined—covered in deep wounds, burns, shattered bone, and countless strikes from every direction.
It was over.
"YEEAAHH!"
The hunters erupted.
Some laughed.
Some shouted.
Others dropped where they stood, exhausted beyond words, their bodies trembling from fatigue.
Then—
One of them noticed.
"Look!"
All eyes turned.
"It's those 'monsters' that helped us!"
Barnacle and the Chimera stood still.
Silent.
Unmoving.
The hunters approached cautiously.
"They didn't attack us…"
"What do we do with them?"
"Wait—don't kill them. They helped."
"You're right… but they're still monsters—"
Voices overlapped as they argued.
Zachary stood among them, slightly hunched, breathing unevenly.
Weak.
Or at least—
That's what he showed.
"…Disappear," he said quietly.
Black circles formed beneath Barnacle and the Chimera.
Dark tendrils rose, wrapping around their bodies as they were slowly pulled downward.
None of the hunters moved.
No one dared.
…But one foolishly did.
A single hunter stepped forward, breaking into a run—
Then stopped.
Mid-step.
Frozen.
Barnacle stood before him.
Its sword raised.
The blade hovered inches from the bridge of his nose, perfectly still. Sunlight reflected off the metal, a sharp glint cutting through the moment.
The hunter didn't breathe.
Neither did anyone else.