Felling the Supreme Erosion Beast
A thunderous roar echoed as the front of the highest-grade erosion beast caved in simultaneously—from its chest all the way to its face. But nothing was ever easy, was it? The highest-grade erosion beast began regenerating, as if to prove it hadn't earned its rank for nothing.
A repulsive aura rose from its body. What the hell was that? Something unknowable enveloped the highest-grade erosion beast. A mass of disgusting flesh wrapped around its entire form, like a protective barrier.
Sione and Professor Rohan easily discerned that it was buying time to regenerate. Professor Rohan conjured a massive blade of wind and hurled it at the barrier. The wind blade, as enormous as the highest-grade erosion beast itself, collided with the shield, cracking it.
Kagagak! But it failed to pierce the barrier completely, burrowing only partway before grinding to a halt. The beast was a highest-grade erosion beast, after all—the strongest force of the Salvation Cult among all erosion beasts short of the Devourers. A hastily formed sacred law, not one refined with time and effort, could be blocked once or twice, and that brief moment was all it needed. That much time was enough for it to regenerate. Or so it thought.
But it had overlooked one crucial fact: the two facing it now were the pinnacle of combat power at Solemnute Adem.
As the wind blade clashed with the barrier, Sione leaped into the air, stepping on gusts conjured by Professor Rohan's support, and swung her massive hammer down.
Kwang!Pa-chang! Once more, with the crack of thunder, the barrier shattered. The repulsive wall of flesh broke apart, revealing the beast's body—regeneration already well underway. It sensed grave danger. The terror of actual death.
One look at the enormous warhammer gripped in Sione's hands made such thoughts inevitable. Especially since it wielded the divine power of Solem, its natural predator. The instinctually ingrained threat overwhelmed the erosion beast, and in that instant, it realized it had to unleash every attack at its disposal.
A bizarre sound leaked from a fissure in its facial region, where a mouth might be.
—Kiaaaaaak!
A deafening roar. If struck head-on, it would rupture eardrums instantly. It wasn't just loud— the ferocious noise collapsed nearby buildings and tore up the ground.
“Uwaaak!”
“My ears—my ears!”
Ortara's warriors nearby clutched their ears and rolled their eyes back. The head-shaking clamor stripped the fighters of their combat ability in seconds.
But Professor Rohan and Sione, who had already felled several highest-grade erosion beasts, had anticipated some desperate outburst. The moment the beast showed signs, Professor Rohan swiftly erected a curtain of wind around himself and Sione, shielding them from the sonic assault.
That meant they could press the attack again.
“Professor Rohan!” Sione shouted.
Professor Rohan instantly grasped her intent. Or rather, in this situation, it was obvious. Bind the beast. And pinpoint its heart.
Those awakened to Celioum's divine power held a tremendous advantage in battles against erosion beasts. Especially someone like Professor Rohan, a master of Celioum's sacred laws. In truth, if given proper preparation, he could shatter a highest-grade erosion beast outright with his sacred laws. But those required immense effort, so in a frantic push like this, bolstering the stronger fighter was the wiser choice. He faithfully followed Sione's lead.
Vines of wind coiled around the beast's body. In the next instant, divine power intertwined with the wind sifted through the cacophony of noise to isolate the thumping of its heart—a faint pulse amid the screams.
Where was the highest-grade erosion beast's heart located? He focused, ears attuned, analyzing the intel from his divine power. Success.
“The center of its chest!”
Without a reply, Sione vaulted toward the erosion beast. Even as Professor Rohan restrained its body, he calmly supported her. He entrusted the destruction to Sione.
Responding to his faith, Sione poured her divine power into the hammer, enveloping it in the mightiest sacred law she could muster. The Judgment of Solem—that same blaze that had incinerated erosion beasts during the Solemnute raid—descended once more upon her hammer. Fierce radiance erupted, and the massive hammer in her hands began to swell in size. From the length of her own height, it grew to match the breadth of the highest-grade erosion beast's torso.
“Haa!”
Sione bellowed, slamming the colossal hammer into its chest from midair in a flash.
Kwaaang!
The explosion dwarfed even the initial strike to its front. And the sight that followed was exactly as everyone expected: its upper body obliterated into light, leaving nothing above the waist but empty air. The gigantic highest-grade erosion beast had been felled in a single blow.
“Hoo……”
Sione, having unleashed that tremendous strike, touched down briefly, catching her breath from the exertion. Professor Rohan descended to check on her, just in case, but she waved him off toward another battlefield. There were still highest-grade erosion beasts remaining—those with strength left had to protect the others.
“It's been ages since I squeezed out power like that. Feels good.”
With a quiet mutter, Sione opted for a short rest to recover her energy.
* * *
Ludenberg gazed straight ahead. The erosion beasts in the urban district were vanishing like dust swept by a broom—and he himself was part of that broom.
Higher-grade erosion beasts were no longer a challenge; his sword strikes traced clear paths. Each clean arc pierced hearts and sprayed foul blood from higher-grade erosion beasts. It made sense, now that his first trial had honed his physical prowess and convictions. But knowing it intellectually and feeling it firsthand were worlds apart.
Who could have guessed he'd dispatch these supposedly threatening beasts—the ones he'd barely managed during the last Solemnute raid, clinging to his lingering vitality—so effortlessly now? A single sword stroke pierced their hides. It wasn't just technique; his physical abilities had surged. Even minute differences were palpable to the one wielding the body, and this was no minor improvement—it was overwhelming growth that Ludenberg felt directly.
Having cleared the higher-grade erosion beasts around him, he glanced at the other brooms sweeping the area. Excessive force. Deploying this much power at once—was it to prevent the Salvation Cult from regrouping? Unclear, but there had to be a reason for such overkill. The thoughts of those in high places were beyond him now……
Ludenberg shook off the notion and surveyed the battlefield. And in that moment—
Kwaaang!
A boom resounded through the air, drawing his gaze. The spot where Sione and Professor Rohan had slain the highest-grade erosion beast. The beast's evaporated upper body was striking.
'As expected, Sione's sister is incredible.'
Recalling her exploits during the Eastern Erosion Zone crisis eight years prior, she probably could have handled it solo without Professor Rohan's aid. That was ages ago, and her genius was acknowledged even by his father.
'Highest-grade erosion beasts……'
Beasts he'd casually carved up in Liberatus's body during the trial exuded no real menace there. But facing them in reality, their oppressive presence was no joke. Building-sized bulk, devastating power from sheer scale. They destroyed surroundings just by moving. Could he, in his real body, even land a hit on such a monster?
The question surfaced in Ludenberg's mind. He scanned around. The urban district's lesser erosion beasts—even the formidable higher-grade ones—had been swept away by the warrior and knight squads. Only two highest-grade erosion beasts remained.
The perfect moment to approach them. But highest-grade beasts were a breed apart from higher-grade. The gap between higher and highest was as vast as that between highest and Devourers.
'Just watch from here? Or risk it and close in on a highest-grade erosion beast?'
Ludenberg hesitated. The professors' stern warnings echoed: Stay safe no matter what. Remain under the Imperial Knights' protection.
Sensible advice. Students were Solemnute Adem's most precious assets—the ones they had to guard desperately. Charging in now would be reckless bravado.
But……
Still, passing up the chance felt wasteful. A chance to experience a highest-grade erosion beast firsthand—not borrowing Liberatus's body, stronger than even his father, but his own. He wrestled with the dilemma.
By then, Ashytara, having cleared nearby erosion beasts, approached him.
“Lud. You okay?”
Her worried voice snapped Ludenberg back.
“Yeah, I'm fine.”
“Incredible. You did all this?”
Ashytara's eyes swept his surroundings. Scattered remains of higher-grade erosion beasts. She could now hold her own against them to some degree, but not as effortlessly as Ludenberg. Her body bore several bloodstains—multiple wounds.
Seeing that, Ludenberg immediately discarded the idea of approaching the highest-grade erosion beasts.
'It's a precious opportunity, sure……but I can't just leave Tara like this. The area's safe now, but erosion beasts pop up unpredictably. Tara's safety comes first.'
He couldn't abandon his close friend for one chance. Nor worry everyone with needless heroics.
'Right. No rushing. Opportunities will come again. They've only just started stirring…… No need for greed. Think calmly.'
“Yeah. You fought higher-grade ones too, right, Tara?”
“Yep. But I can handle them now. Felt different from last time. Looks like training with Lord Leonard—and you—really paid off.”
“……You're hurt pretty bad, though.”
“Oh, this? Just scratches.”
“Doesn't look like just scratches. Come here.”
Few students nearby wielded Mare's divine power, so he had to staunch the bleeding at least. Ludenberg grabbed Ashytara's arm and pulled her close. Scratches and cuts everywhere. Humanoid higher-grade erosion beast, judging by the clean wounds.
“Fought a humanoid erosion beast?”
“Yeah. One that used a sword. But I won easily!”
“Didn't look easy……”
As Ludenberg's expression hardened slightly, Ashytara looked flustered.
“Ah, haha……”
“Don't get hurt.”
Saying so, he pulled out a Mare's Breath he'd brought just in case and carefully applied it to her wounds.
“Eek! Ow…… Got it.”
Ashytara wilted briefly under his stern tone but smiled faintly, knowing it came from concern.
“There. That should heal quick.”
“Thanks, Lud.”
“I'm serious—don't get hurt. It worries me.”
“……Yeah. I will. I'll be careful.”
“We'll hold here. No need to get dragged into that fight.”
Ashytara nodded at where Ludenberg gestured.
Kwaaang!
Sure enough, the sound rang out—Sione, rested and risen, hammering another highest-grade erosion beast.