The sharp sound of steel clashing filled the air. Demons and humans collided with full force, striking again and again. Blood sprayed on the snow, and the cries of both sides mixed into the storm. It was a brutal fight. On one side, the demons fought with wild excitement. They laughed and roared, enjoying the chaos and pain. On the other side, the humans struggled with all their strength. They fought only to survive, holding their shields and swords against the bloody intent pressing down on them. Atop a small raised ground, Riley stood beside Martina. His face was calm yet tense. He looked at her sharply and spoke in a low voice. "Ma'am, if this backfires, we might be in huge trouble. I really condemn your choice." Martina's eyes narrowed. Riley clenched his fist as he continued. "If we had all the rankers here, we might have been able to defeat them with fewer casualties." His voice was heavy, carrying both worry and blame. Martina frowned as she answered. "We can't be sure, because we don't know anything about the enemy forces. There is no intel on their strength." She paused, her tone softening for a moment. "However, you are correct. Their presence would have lessened the casualties." She stepped forward, her boots sinking into the snow. Her voice was steady as she declared, "That's why I will make sure to fill the gap." With a firm grip, she pulled out her sword. A strong gust of wind burst out as she drew the blade. The storm around her shifted. Snowflakes were blown aside, spinning in the air like broken glass. The ground trembled as she took her first step forward. Her aura spread, pressing against the battlefield. Soldiers turned their heads, their eyes widening in awe. She shot ahead like a flash, as she moved leaving a trail of blur. In an instant, she tore through the air and struck down the first demon. The explosion of her swing sent the monster flying,with its body splitting apart. Blood sprayed across the snow, painting it black and red. She moved again, sharper and faster, her sword carving through the lower demons like paper. Her movements were clean and ruthless. One strike cut through a demon's chest. Another swing sliced two apart at once. She spun sharply. The blade swept away through the flesh as it hacked off arms and legs. The demons screamed, but none could touch her. To the soldiers, she looked like lightning moving across the field. They only saw a blur of light flashing between the shadows. Each blur was followed by a demon falling, cut into pieces before they even understood what happened. A soldier hid behind his shield, his body trembling as a demon struck him again and again. He coughed, barely holding on. Just as the demon picked up a heavy stone to smash him, its head was cut clean off and blood splashed across the soldier's shield. He froze, staring wide-eyed. The demon's body fell with a thud beside him. He lifted his head and looked around. All he saw was a flash of lightning streaking across the battlefield. The blur of Martina moved so fast it seemed unreal. Demons fell one after another, and their blood mixed on the ground. "That's great," one soldier muttered,with hope rising in his eyes. "It's the newly appointed Commander!" another shouted, his voice shaking with excitement. "Oh my!" a woman gasped, her lips trembling as tears filled her eyes. "She is so strong," whispered another, unable to take his eyes off her. The soldiers who had been on the edge of despair felt their hearts grow lighter. Martina's presence cut through their fear. She was like a storm tearing apart the darkness in front of them. From afar, Riley watched. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his hand tightened on the hilt of his weapon. He nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving her figure. "This is good," he admitted in a low tone. His breath fogged in the cold air. "But I worry what will happen then. No S-rank demons have appeared here yet, so sending them to camp might be too much." The wind howled as Martina kept moving. Her blade flashed again and again, breaking through the demon ranks. The snow fell endlessly from the sky, but none of it touched her as she fought. She was a blur of lightning and steel, a lone figure standing between the army and destruction. The humans pushed forward, their spirits lifted by her strength. Demons fell,yet their screams were swallowed by the storm. Meanwhile, a few miles away from the battle zone. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍 Cold mist escaped from their lips as the group moved quietly through the frozen forest. Their breaths mixed with the falling snow, vanishing into the night air. The pine trees stood tall and silent, their branches heavy with ice. The group pressed on, narrowing the distance to their target. Soon, a cluster of tents came into view through the trees. What greeted them was a foul sight. Blackened hides were stretched over crooked poles to make tents. Bones of beasts and men hung from ropes like trophies. The ground was littered with scraps of flesh and broken weapons. Fires burned low, releasing a stench of rot and smoke. Shadows moved between the tents, their hulking figures stirring the frozen earth with each step. Linda gagged, pressing a hand to her mouth. "Ugh… it smells so disgusting," she muttered, fighting the urge to vomit. Freya pulled her mask tighter over her face. Her brows furrowed as she whispered, "The demons really do have bad habits." Sol glanced at Kael, his voice low but uneasy. "We won't cause a huge mess here, right?" Kael gave a soft nod. His tone was firm when he spoke. "Our mission is to observe their strength first. Find their numbers. If there is an opportunity, then we strike. But remember, this is not a suicide mission." Sol chuckled lightly, though his voice was edged with nerves. "Aren't you being too serious? Even if we die, we'll just be kicked out of the virtual realm." Kael fell silent. His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away. Inside, he sighed. These people take life for granted too much. At least pretend to value it. He moved ahead, his steps careful and measured, the others following close behind. When they reached the edge of the camp, Kael lowered himself near the ground. He squatted, closing his eyes, and pressed both hands to the frozen earth. A low hum of mana spread from his body, rippling into the ground like waves. The energy moved outward, invisible but strong, slipping under the soil and stones. Kael's breathing slowed as the picture began to form in his mind. A rough map unfolded in his vision, lines and shapes revealing what lay inside the camp. His eyes snapped open. He stood slowly, brushing frost from his gloves. "Hmm." He paused, his face darkening. "Now it's a bit tricky." Sol leaned forward, concerned, flickering in his eyes. "What happened? Any problem?" Kael nodded grimly. "The camp doesn't hold many demons. But lying there is troublesome." "Who is it?" Sol asked. Freya's gaze sharpened, waiting for the answer. Kael's voice was steady, but heavy. "A Leviathan." Sol and Freya both froze, their eyes widening in surprise. "What's that?" they asked almost together. Before Kael could answer, Linda spoke, her voice low and tense. "It's a giant demon. Some of them can be as big as mountains."