Beyond the massive protective barrier of Rashenghart, war was unfolding in silence.
Far from the academy.
Far from the laughing students and training grounds.
Out near the outer defense zones where only soldiers and official hunters were stationed… the monsters had launched a brutal assault.
The night sky burned red from distant explosions.
Massive spotlights scanned across the dark wilderness while transport trucks raced across muddy roads carrying the wounded back toward temporary camps.
Outside Defense Camp H-3, chaos ruled everything.
“Move! Move! MOVE!”
“Get the healers over here!”
“We’re losing him!”
The sound of pain echoed endlessly across the camp.
Soldiers covered in blood stumbled through the gates while medics rushed toward them carrying stretchers. Some hunters could still walk on their own while others were dragged back unconscious after barely surviving the battlefield.
A young soldier screamed in agony as a healer pressed glowing hands against a deep claw wound across his chest.
“Hold still!”
“I AM HOLDING STILL!”
“You’re literally kicking me!”
Nearby, another healer sighed tiredly.
“At least if he’s yelling, he’s alive.”
The exhausted joke earned weak laughter from nearby soldiers.
Even in hell…
Hunters still found ways to laugh.
Commander Aaron stood near the center of the camp watching transport vehicles arrive one after another.
His expression remained cold, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion.
The situation was getting worse.
Fast.
Another explosion thundered in the distance.
Aaron looked toward the outer battlefield where flashes of blue and red abilities lit up the darkness.
The monsters just kept coming.
And worse…
Some of them were changing.
Evolving mid-combat.
A soldier rushed toward Aaron and saluted quickly.
“Commander! The western unit lost another defense tower!”
Aaron cursed under his breath.
“How many casualties?”
The soldier hesitated.
“…Too many, sir.”
Aaron rubbed his forehead roughly before walking toward the command tent.
Inside, maps and reports covered nearly every table. Radios buzzed nonstop with emergency communications while officers moved frantically around the room.
Commander Silvia stood near the central map analyzing monster movement patterns.
Her usually calm face looked tense tonight.
Aaron entered the tent.
“How bad?”
Silvia glanced toward him.
“The eastern monsters broke through the second defense line.”
Aaron stopped walking.
“…Already?”
Silvia nodded grimly.
“And we’re running out of healers.”
As if to prove her point, another injured squad was suddenly brought past the tent outside.
One soldier was missing an eye.
Another had burns covering half his body.
A healer nearly collapsed from exhaustion while trying to stabilize them.
Aaron clenched his jaw tightly.
“How many active combat squads remain?”
“One-third combat ready.”
Silence.
Heavy silence.
The kind that pressed against your lungs.
Aaron stared down at the map.
If the monsters pushed any further inward, they could eventually reach the outer sections connected to the barrier routes protecting Rashenghart itself.
And if that happened…
Things would spiral into disaster.
Silvia crossed her arms.
“We may have to request trainee support.”
Aaron immediately looked at her sharply.
“No.”
“We’re running out of soldiers.”
“They’re academy kids,” Aaron snapped. “Most of them barely finished beginner combat drills.”
Silvia stayed quiet.
Because she understood.
Sending trainees into this battlefield would be slaughter.
Some monsters out there could wipe out an inexperienced student in seconds.
One officer nearby spoke carefully.
“If the situation continues getting worse, we may not have a choice…”
Aaron slammed both hands against the table.
“That academy exists to train future hunters, not feed children to monsters!”
The entire tent fell silent instantly.
Even the radios seemed quieter for a moment.
Aaron took a slow breath before stepping back.
“…Sorry.”
Silvia studied him quietly.
People feared Commander Aaron because of how harsh he acted.
But the truth was simple.
He had seen too many soldiers die already.
And he refused to watch kids join that list.
Finally, Silvia spoke.
“Then we ask the Alliance for reinforcements.”
Aaron nodded immediately.
“Extra squads. Supplies. Healers. Ammunition. Everything they can spare.”
An officer quickly moved toward the communications station.
“Yes, Commander!”
Silvia looked back toward the map again.
The flashing red zones continued spreading slowly.
Too slowly to notice at first.
But enough to terrify experienced commanders.
“The monsters are coordinating,” she said quietly.
Aaron frowned.
“That shouldn’t be possible.”
“I know.”
Another explosion shook the camp outside.
Soldiers immediately rushed toward the exits preparing for another wave.
The battle wasn’t stopping.
Not tonight.
Outside the command tent, hunters prepared themselves once more.
Some sharpened blades.
Others repaired damaged armor.
A few sat silently while healers treated their wounds before sending them right back into combat.
One older soldier laughed weakly while wrapping bandages around his arm.
“If I survive this, I’m retiring immediately.”
His teammate snorted.
“You said that three years ago.”
“And I meant it three years ago too.”
Nearby, younger soldiers nervously checked their weapons while staring toward the darkness beyond the camp walls.
Everyone could feel it.
Something was wrong.
The monsters weren’t acting normally anymore.
Aaron stepped outside the tent again and stared into the distance.
Far beyond the battlefield…
The glowing barrier protecting Rashenghart shimmered faintly beneath the night sky.
Still standing.
Still safe.
And inside that barrier…
The academy students continued their normal training completely unaware of the nightmare unfolding beyond the border defenses.
Aaron silently hoped it stayed that way.
Because the moment the academy got involved…
It would mean the war had already reached humanity’s doorstep.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoq3tpl8o6
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