Once they arrived back at the base, as usual, Arla didn't find anyone there. Valeria didn't seem surprised either, and without overthinking it, Arla assumed everyone else was probably out on a mission.
Arla smiled and asked,
Commander Valeria, what should I do now?
Valeria replied with a calm smile,
Nothing... It's better if you take some rest. But if you're interested, you can visit the Aegis Library. You might find something… interesting there—something you won't get from training or fighting. Just a suggestion, though.
Arla nodded in agreement, though she muttered in her heart,
(Ugh… reading books? That'll just make me sleepy…)
Valeria, looking a bit serious now, said,
Then I'll be going for now.
Arla smiled,
Alright, good luck out there.
Valeria mounted her vehicle and sped off—swiingggggg!
Arla sighed, looking around.
So... what am I supposed to do now???
Hours later...
Haaah… I'm so bored… maybe I should just go read something at the library. Who knows, maybe there's something interesting there.
And so, Arla spent her time wandering through the Aegis Library.
The next day
Valeria, now standing before the whole squad, spoke firmly,
ALRIGHT EVERYONE, AS USUAL WE'RE GOING ON A MISSION ASSIGNED BY THE Adventurer's Council! AND NOW, I'LL INTRODUCE OUR NEW MEMBER WHO'LL BE JOINING US — ARLA!
Arla smiled and bowed slightly,
Nice to meet you all.
Valeria grinned,
Alright, without wasting any time, let's—
Before she could finish, one of the members, Jian, interrupted politely,
Excuse me, Commander… but how about we take on a tougher mission this time? I mean, we've been doing the same type of jobs from the guild for a while. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, there's been a major incident near the Northern region. Why don't we take that one?
Mane, looking skeptical, quickly responded,
No… that's not possible. With our current squad's composition, it'd be too dangerous. The monsters up north usually have extremely high mana levels—some are strange goblins or even half-human creatures.
Jian smirked a little,
Oh come on… We're the Aegis Squad. We should prove we're stronger than the rest! And besides, we've got Arla—she's tough both offensively and defensively. Honestly, Mane, I think you're just being overly cautious. And even if things go wrong, we can always call for backup from the royal forces.
Beni and Hera spoke up together,
We agree.
Everyone then turned toward Valeria.
Valeria folded her arms and spoke decisively,
As per our squad's rule—majority wins. Alright then, I've confirmed with the Adventurer's Council—we're taking that mission!
Valeria's expression sharpened with excitement,
Let's move out! Mane, use your teleportation spell!
Mane muttered under his breath while activating his magic circle,
This feels like one of those 33/3 incidents again… let's hope not.
They all arrived at the designated area. But the moment they saw the creature before them, everyone froze in disbelief.
Jian, Beni, and Hera were the first to speak,
Is that… a monster? A goblin? A human???
Mane tried to analyze it but couldn't fully understand what he was seeing. Still, he muttered,
Its body's huge… heavy… The skin looks like layers of dried earth, cracked and glowing faintly underneath—as if molten rock is flowing beneath. Its breathing sounds like grinding stones. But that arm… what is that? A mechanical arm? A weapon? I… I can't tell if this thing is half-human, goblin, or something else entirely…
Valeria's tone grew grave,
That's definitely a male half-monster. But… the equipment and form don't match the usual hybrids from the North. It's not even emitting mana, and that gauntlet—looks like an old mechanical war arm.
Arla's eyes widened in shock.
Wait… no way. Could it be… from the Dusk Region?
Before anyone could react further, the creature noticed them—and roared. Then it charged wildly, smashing through trees and sending shockwaves with every step. Everyone was thrown back, injured but still conscious.
Valeria barked her orders,
Alright! Form up! Arla, you take the front line—draw its attention! I'll analyze its attack pattern while Mane supports from behind!
The squad immediately moved into formation. They attacked one after another, but every strike bounced off the monster's hardened skin. Jian, Hera, and Beni's weapons barely left a scratch.
From a distance, Valeria shouted,
Mane! Keep it distracted! I need time to gather my mana for a concentrated blast!
But even as she focused her energy, Valeria's instincts screamed danger—
(This is bad… This mission's already beyond what my squad can handle. I'll need to call the guild for reinforcements…)
Still, she stayed calm,
Arla, protect me! Mane can handle herself—just give me a little more ti—
Before she could finish—
The half-monster appeared right in front of her, moving with impossible speed. In an instant, it swung its massive arm and struck Valeria, sending her crashing through the ground with a deafening boom.
Arla froze, horrified—her mind blank, her body refusing to move. When she turned around, Mane was already down… unconscious. Hera, Beni, Jian—they were nowhere to be seen. Only Arla remained, alone.
With shaking hands, she gripped her sword.
Haaaaaah!!!!
She fought with everything she had, but nothing worked. Her attacks bounced harmlessly off the creature's body.
The monster laughed.
Ha... ha... ha...
Desperation filled Arla's eyes. She kept swinging, again and again, until her body gave out.
Panting, bleeding, she fell to her knees.
Haah... this is… too soon... Is this... really where my journey ends...? Huh...
Her sword slipped from her hand, sinking into the dirt.
And for a brief, haunting silence—only the monster's slow, heavy breathing echoed through the ruined battlefield.....