Final Battle (4)
The battlefield swept clean by the storm. Evan stared blankly ahead.
In front of him loomed a massive footprint. Its owner was the boss he'd just faced.
"E-Evan, you okay?!"
"Any injuries...?"
Students came rushing up to him, breathless. They checked him over.
Even with his friends there, Evan was still out of it. His unfocused eyes gazed into empty space.
"Hey, water! Give me some water!"
"Evan, snap out of it!"
They patted his cheeks, splashed water on him—anything to bring him back.
Thanks to their efforts, Evan finally came to.
"Ah, yeah... I'm fine...."
But his voice was weak and listless. It only made them more anxious.
Did he go through a near-death experience or something? The students figured that might be it. They'd felt terror from the boss's presence even from afar. Evan had faced it head-on, nearly dying—no wonder he was like this.
But unlike what they thought, Evan was perfectly fine. His hands and feet weren't shaking, and he didn't feel like running away.
He'd "died" countless times in Kyle's training. Over a hundred, if you counted. He was too used to despair and frustration in the face of death.
Even so, Evan's dazed eyes fixed on one spot. The place where the boss had stood moments ago.
He stared at it for a long while, then muttered,
"What the...?"
He should've died. No doubt about it, even looking back. The boss's attack had come right up to his face, his stance unstable, unable to even raise his sword properly. No next move in sight—a deadly situation.
Yet he'd survived. Lived when he should've died.
Because the boss had stopped its attack midway.
That let Evan keep living.
"Seriously, what...?"
Why had it spared him? No way it was pity or mercy. He could still vividly recall it—the boss veering its strike to slam the ground. And the look in its eyes.
Those eyes... they definitely didn't want to kill.
It made no sense. Just earlier, it'd attacked the knight captain without hesitation.
And the boss's strange behavior afterward only confused Evan more.
It trembled in place, hesitating on the next attack. Not just toward him—it turned to distant friends, radiating killing intent yet shaking, unable to act.
Such bizarre actions. It looked like a body under control, rejecting the commands to attack.
Already sad eyes, now this? Evan grew even more distraught. A string of scenes defying common sense.
So.
"I have to check."
Whether those emotions were real. Whether the actions weren't fake.
Evan stood. He turned to his friends, frozen in place.
Before leaving, he needed to sort things here.
"Guys, first off..."
Evan issued orders one by one. Clear monster corpses, lay out fainted knights properly—do everything they could.
The students followed obediently. With no commander, Evan was the one they trusted. In their eyes, he was the most reliable alongside his skills.
Evan didn't slack either. He found the knight captain. The launch trail made it easy.
"Phew, good... he's alive."
Eyes closed, unconscious. Bones shattered all over, internal injuries spewing blood from his mouth—but as a Master, he wouldn't die easily.
Evan hoisted him on his back and returned. He applied basic magic treatment, then removed the comm magic tool from the captain's ear.
A commander-exclusive communication device. Evan fitted it to his own ear.
Commanders' shouts. As expected, not good. Similar events might be unfolding elsewhere.
Listening, Evan pinpointed the boss's location. Its final teleport confirmed.
He leaped onto the horse he'd ridden there.
"Evan! Where are you going!"
"Reinforcements will be here soon..."
To his calling friends, Evan said,
"Sorry. Got something to do."
Something only he—who'd faced the boss unscathed—might pull off. He had to move.
His serious face stopped them from holding him back.
Evan rode off. But heading toward the boss sparked a thought.
What if...
If someone's controlling it, what choice do I make?
Monster Season's culprit was the boss. Even with a puppetmaster, it wouldn't end unless the thing died. Plus, countless casualties—death was the only forgiveness.
But he couldn't abandon that wolf. Those sad eyes lingered.
Inner conflict raged. All sorts of thoughts tormented him en route.
What was right? How to get a satisfying outcome?
Doubts piled up, no decision.
What would hyungnim do...?
In that moment of choice, how would his senior handle it? He wanted to run to him right now.
But no time—and he couldn't rely on him forever.
Come to think of it...
They'd talked something similar once.
"Follow your heart..."
Evan mulled it over. And decided.
"I want to save everyone."
No more deaths. Save that suffering wolf too.
But Evan knew it wouldn't be easy.
Of course, that needs the power to back it up.
Yeah, lacking power. A year's growth, still student level.
Talent's great, but useless when needed. He resented his late start today. Earlier birth would've changed it.
"Damn..."
One wall cleared, another loomed—far bigger than his dilemma.
The world was choices, but this was cruel.
"How..."
Despair gripped him. The boss was near, yet no plan.
And right then.
Wuuung—!!
The pure white sword, Raman, glowed brilliant white.
Evan, my companion. I'll help you.
To aid its partner.
Blood, flesh, killing intent tangled. Stench assaulted noses, thick smoke blinded eyes.
Humans, demihumans, monsters. In the hellish battlefield maiming senses and minds.
There, soaked in blood, someone swung a black sword, rampaging.
He charged monsters head-on, dashed tirelessly, slaying.
From the walls, even afar, they knew him.
Kyle Arden. Called saint, yet mere student—facing upper-rank monsters himself.
Not alone; with Justia folk. But only about a thousand.
Dizzying scenes unfolded, perilous moments. Onlookers squeezed eyes shut each time.
They lacked the skill or courage to join.
"Saint..."
"Please, stay safe..."
All they could do was pray for the fighter.