Monster Season (3)
Before the monsters could rampage through Tianis Academy's interior, I sorted the students according to their specialties.
"You're on Team 1. You two, Team 3."
The reason for the sorting was simple—to handle the students more efficiently. Without some structure, battling the monsters would be impossible.
Tianis students were undoubtedly exceptional. With the skill level of those about to enter their third year, the monsters charging toward us would be easy pickings.
But that only worked against a small number of monsters in a confined space. In a situation like this, where they were swarming from all directions, their abilities wouldn't even shine at one-tenth capacity.
Moreover, they lacked the skills essential for warfare. Especially the ability to read the flow of battle—understanding how the fight was unfolding and what judgments to make. They were sorely deficient in grasping that rhythm and acting accordingly.
If we charged into combat like this, they'd fixate only on the enemies right in front of them. Those without war experience always had tunnel vision.
War wasn't something you could win with enthusiasm alone. Martial prowess was the baseline; you needed a whole array of supporting skills. Monster wars demanded even more.
That's why we needed a commander to assess the situation and issue appropriate orders. I'd take on that role, filling in their gaps in judgment.
Sure, I'd mostly soloed dungeons, but I'd led raiding parties plenty of times. Sure, they were only about a hundred strong, but I'd commanded thousands too. Dungeons had all sorts of environments, and I'd handled armies of up to a hundred thousand soldiers.
Once the rough sorting was done, I cast a spell over the students' heads and spoke.
"The people gathered here now form a team. Fight as one, retreat as one."
The students nodded, indicating they understood. In the meantime, the spell I'd cast settled into their ears.
"It's a communication spell. It's linked by teams by default—touch your ear and speak to use it."
The students tested the connections. Seeing no issues among them, I continued.
"You'll occasionally hear my voice too. When I speak, act immediately. If you go rogue, even I can't protect you. If you don't want to die, obey without question."
I put a bit of steel into my voice. The students swallowed hard. Mentioning death had tensed them up, but it was necessary. There were always a few who wouldn't listen.
By then, the monsters had closed in. The ones smashing through buildings charged straight at us humans upon spotting us.
I touched my ear and issued a low command.
Teams 1 and 2, move west. Prepare for collision.
The ordered teams moved out at once. Two hundred or so people surging forward made the ground rumble.
BOOM!!
Moments later, the two groups clashed.
A battlefield tangled with monsters and humans. The students locked in fierce combat there were having the fight of their lives.
"Ugh…"
"Gonna puke…"
Bodies strewn everywhere to start. The blood and stench wafting from them made it hard just to stand.
And the battle showed no signs of stopping.
"We held!!"
"Don't give ground!"
"Nngh…!"
Deafening shouts hammered their ears. Eardrums felt like they might burst, heads spun. The monsters' killing intent and roars turned stomachs.
Is this what war is?
Is Monster Season always this horrific?
A sight never taught at the academy. All their prior training felt pointless now. What had all that hard work been for?
Still, the students held the line with swords and shields. They didn't want to die here, no matter their shortcomings.
A brief standoff ensued. Then, a voice rang in their ears.
Teams 1 and 2, lure the monsters inward and retreat. Team 6, assist the two teams.
Kyle's order. Students from Teams 1 and 2 took a step back. The monsters, mistaking it for fear, pressed harder.
Then Team 1's line broke. They couldn't withstand the intensified assault.
"Hey, left flank! Left!"
"Block it somehow!"
Desperate cries. Team 2, retreating alongside, didn't know what to do. Helping Team 1 would weaken their own defense.
"It's fine. Retreat without worry."
A voice cut through the din of battle. They knew the owner instantly: Ariel Tianis.
Team 1 breathed a collective sigh of relief at her arrival.
"Don't overdo it—follow me."
Her teammates nodded. With Ariel leading, Team 1 charged toward the gap. Team 6, composed of the quickest movers, arrived swiftly.
Ariel assessed the situation. Team 1, pushed back relentlessly in that short time, was on the verge of total collapse. The monsters had exploited every weakness.
"Two of you, follow me. The rest, spread out and clean up."
With that, Ariel launched herself at the most dangerous breach.
Slash—!
Her blade turned red as blood sprayed. It splattered her face, but she ignored it and cleaved the monster down.
With Team 6's intervention, the battlefield stabilized somewhat. Team 1 withdrew unscathed.
Once they'd retreated a safe distance—
Team 8, cast your prepared spell. Team 9, follow up right after Team 8's activation.
The order came through, and instantly, a massive fireball formed overhead. Team 8's collective flame spell.
It appeared above the monster horde's center and plummeted down.
WHOOSH!!
The flames hit the ground, melting everything. Monster shrieks filled the air, the stench of burning flesh spread.
But the magic didn't end there. Wind magic followed, whipping into the inferno's heart.
The blaze, laden with immense heat, met the gale and swept the area clean. Monsters couldn't even resist the fiery tempest—they were simply annihilated.
A scene straight out of a massacre.
"Wiped 'em out easy…"
"Yeah…"
Teams 1 and 2 stared, dumbfounded. They'd just followed orders, and the monsters around them were gone.
An astonishing result. Even Ariel felt the same.
Impressive…
She marveled inwardly. The sequence had been flawlessly smooth, the outcome a resounding success. Especially the timing of attack and retreat.
It was the kind of battlefield oversight only possible from above. Ariel couldn't close her gaping mouth.
How does he do it?
Every day since then, he'd shown new sides of himself.
Back then too…
But Ariel couldn't pursue the thought. Nearby stragglers attacked their flank.
"Fall back, quick!"
She shouted in alarm. Then, as if he'd foreseen it—
Rana, wipe them out.
Got it, Kyle!
Rana's summons appeared, striking the monsters' side. Caught off guard, the beasts died without a fight.
Perfect timing. One slip, and three teams could've been wiped out.
The students gawked in shock once more.
I told you. I won't let you die.
His low voice over the comms felt utterly reliable.
I surveyed the battlefield.
The west side, centered on the Student Council Hall, was mostly cleared. It connected to the Contract Land, so few monsters had breached there.
East was the same—linked to the capital, it was eerily quiet. Though smoke rising from the city meant it was under attack too.
That left north and south. Both were dire. As in the novel, those direct entry points were half-destroyed.
But no casualties yet. The professors had moved out.
A mere hundred of them, but with Master-level powerhouses stepping up, lives were saved. They'd focused on rescue over hunting, though.
They'd shift to extermination once rescues ended, but it'd take time. Guards helping professors couldn't provide much either.
So.
"Time to move."
The longer monsters lingered, the more lives lost. Inflows were slowing anyway—it was go time.
I contacted Rana.
"Rana, ready?"
Ready!
"Good. Begin."
On it, Kyle!
RUMBLE!
The ground began to shake. The source was south, toward the General Department building.
I looked that way. Monsters and other lifeforms came into view—Rana's summons.
Obeying their master, they herded the monsters my way. Rana's powerful, hefty summons outmatched them; terrified, the monsters fled.
Rana didn't let them stray off course—she funneled them straight to me.
The monster pack arrived nearby. I sheathed my sword at my waist, assumed position.
As they all entered my domain, I drew and swung wide.
A crescent sword beam halved the horde. Total annihilation—no need to check.
"Whew, that's taxing."
The wide range guzzled mana. But for quick, decisive cleanup, it was ideal. The ring would refill it—no issue.
"Rana, south clear now?"
Just stragglers left. Professors are handling them. Paths blocked—no more breaches.
"Good. Seal the paths with walls, leave it to the professors, and join me."
Roger, Kyle!
Perfect—south secured. North remained.
Block that, and all entry routes were sealed. I linked up with Rana, then headed north to the Craft Department building.
The north was nearly wrapped up by arrival. Looked like it'd end soon.
"Huh? Already over?"
"Hmm… what gives?"
No way it'd end this fast. Then, someone appeared to explain.
"Hyungnim! You're alive!"
"What? You're back?"
"Haha, it was rough. Thought I was a goner for real."
"You look it."
Evan's tattered uniform told the tale of his ordeal. His return meant the first wave was done. Just wait for the next.
"Let's rest first. I'm beat."
"Student cafeteria? Food's prepping."
"I'm starving too!"
Still, relief washed over me. I'd downplayed it, but I'd been worried. A derailed story could twist unpredictably.
So.
"Yeah, let's head there."
He'd returned in one piece—that was enough.