[No title provided]
The leader of the Monster Union could not afford to show weakness. After the materialization crisis, Alexei had devoted every ounce of his strength to halting the monsters' advance. But the results were devastating.
-2nd Division survivors: 5! Combat impossible!
"Mr. President, the situation is too dire! We must withdraw from the Far East!"
"What about the civilians left behind?!"
"Casualties are too high. At this rate, our main forces will be annihilated!"
Strategies hammered out through all-night sessions with his staff, elite player units with exceptional skills—all meaningless before the monster waves that defied common sense. A nation too vast, monsters pouring from every corner of its territory. Faced with overwhelming numbers that made fighting impossible, they despaired, collapsed into hopelessness.
But even fleeing and giving up was forbidden. Because he was the president. His surrender would mean the spiritual pillar of the nation crumbling.
"Kuhk..."
So even shedding tears was not allowed. But this time, he couldn't hold back. Sertina—that girl—had pierced straight to the desperation in his heart, the pain he couldn't share with anyone, and embraced it fully. She was willing to give everything for it.
How could that be the world boss destined to destroy the world?
Behind the prejudice of deathly terror lay an angelic true face. Alexei wiped his endless tears with a handkerchief. Sertina's slender but sincere voice stabbed into his chest.
"...You did well."
Once the Russian delegation finished their thanks after the summit, they immediately returned home. With the update ending soon, air travel would be cut off, and they needed to prepare countermeasures for the third update.
Capturing the sight of the president's plane ascending into the sky, I headed home and fired up the community site, now feeling quite familiar. That's when I noticed something odd.
"Huh?"
The FirepowerLover, who had vanished for months, had finally resurfaced!
Hey everyone! Info post time after a long hiatus.
Today's topic: F-grade monster strategies!
Why F-grade when there are tons of strong ones? Because even regular civilians can handle F-grades to some extent.
Truth is, if you can't beat any monster, hide or run. But what if you're spotted before you can hide, or forced to fight?
I've compiled their behavior patterns and habits for those situations!
A chuckle escaped as I read the post. Still alive, huh. And I wasn't the only one feeling that relief—the comments were flooded with welcomes.
└ Thanks to you early on, I survived
└ Fr lol
└ Fr, timing was perfect lol
└ Whew, had let go...
The reaction was explosive. Recommendations already over 1,000 shortly after posting. True to his status as a perennial hot post maker, his mere return stirred massive waves.
He's not a bad guy. But calling him a good one is a stretch...
His posts had helped me, sure. But those malicious ones sniping me personally? Unforgivable.
'Saying the devs have a type for tiny people to someone alive and well—too much!'
Still, familiarity breeds fondness. As I scrolled comments one by one...
"Uh...?"
My eyes widened.
└ FirepowerLover: lol sorry sorry. Complicated stuff... Anyway, safe now. In Eterna Guild, no worries
└ ?
└ Nearly died fr??
└ Whoa another victim here
└ Told you he's the real deal lol
└ Eterna isn't for just anyone whoa
└ This real?
└ Seen real Sertina??
I blinked my bulging eyes.
'In Eterna Guild...?'
Doesn't that mean he's one of my guildmates right now?
A faint tremor ran through my hand gripping the smartphone. I swallowed hard, eyes tense with suspense.
'There's a traitor among us!'
A particularly vile one who mocked me for being small!
Update complete.
Welcome to the world of Astria Online!
A bizarre warping sensation twisted the world, and vast mana surged across Earth once more. As vanished monsters respawned in their original spots and chaos swept the globe anew, an unprecedented threat rippled through a remote mountain village in Russia's eastern eternal snows.
"So, have you decided, Aros?"
A chilling voice emanated bone-freezing cold. Aros recoiled a step, snorting sharply enough to ruffle his helmet's interior.
"No need to deliberate. Priscilla, I accept your proposal of alliance."
The massive figure in light-devouring black armor clasped Priscilla's hand. A gigantic black greatsword, oozing ominous energy, hung at his waist.
Priscilla smiled contentedly, lips curling up.
"Looking forward to working with you, partner."
The woman made entirely of ice—her skin, muscles, veins, bones—all harder than any earthly material.
Aros turned away, clicking his tongue.
"Utterly absurd creature."
An unattended TV blared ongoing news: nonstop coverage of Sertina. The so-called strongest world boss was coming to Russia's aid.
"That girl is indeed a dangerous element. I've never even heard of such a realm."
Sertina's feats, transmitted via this 'TV' artifact, were hard to believe. Cleaving sky and sea with one sword stroke, obliterating cities. Instinct screamed red alert.
"Heh, don't worry. We can win."
Priscilla smiled calmly yet eerily, scanning around. The village they stood in was a ruin. Citizens and players—fled or not—bisected at the waist, frozen solid. As if their very composition had transmuted. Severed surfaces mirror-smooth, like a master chef slicing tofu. A realm only sword arts at their pinnacle could achieve.
One village annihilated by just two beings.
Priscilla turned.
"...You think so too, right, Rox?"
The entire mountain range shuddered like a living beast.
"■■■■■■■!"
A roar transcending life's limits shook the region's air. Monster howls echoed in resonance.
Priscilla stepped forward slowly.
"Right. Let's gather more allies. With your keen senses, Aros, finding them will be easy, yeah?"
The ground she trod transmuted to pure ice.
"Of course. Follow."
The black-armored figure nodded steadily, striding forth with heavy steps. Dark flames erupted before Aros, vaporizing piled snow.
"Hm, more reliable than expected. Kids, all of you—follow."
Priscilla called coldly toward the forest. Thousands of glowing eyes ignited in unison, as if waiting.
Priscilla, who had descended to Earth first, had learned a key fact ahead: Humans excel at cooperation. Huddling like rats to form societies, sharing knowledge to advance civilization. In crises, they fight to the death with desperate resolve. Feeble individuals sometimes wrought miracles against insurmountable foes.
But.
"No rule saying only humans can cooperate, right?"
Her chilling laugh echoed across the mountains. Skin-tearing killing intent froze fleeing bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, and small critters into ice statues. Birds overhead plummeted, iced mid-flight.
"The stronger, the more I want to collect."
Priscilla licked her lips openly. Preserve in ice, torment until death, instill maximum humiliation. Nothing more thrilling.
"Haa... I'll be waiting. For the end of life, Sertina."
Gazing at the clear sky, Priscilla anticipated their imminent clash. Everyone sensed the peace would shatter soon.