As Kalia appeared, the situation within the collapsed barrier quickly began to stabilize.

With her wielding the giant ice sword and swiftly taking down the demons, the knights, the magicians, and even the hiding citizens were all astounded.

Crack! Clang! Clang!

“What are you staring at? Hurry up and take care of that side, Brik!”

As she swung the ice sword, reflecting the sunlight, small ice shards scattered, and jewel-like lights sparkled in the air.

The sight of the demons’ bright red blood bursting amidst the shimmering beauty of that light was truly ironic.

“…Weren’t you supposed… to be injured?”

Derek, who was about to cast a fire spell, hesitantly jabbed Brik’s side with a bewildered expression.

Brik nodded his head with a vacant expression, even more absent-minded than Derek.

“Yeah. You were definitely injured…”

“But why do you seem more energetic than before you got injured… Can you please tell me it’s just my imagination, Brik?”

Brik and Derek were distant relatives.

They didn’t resemble each other at all, but at this moment, their expressions were strangely similar.

‘What on earth happened to her?’

Kalia, literally flying as if she had wings, didn’t look like an injured person at all.

On the contrary, she seemed to have even more energy than usual, as if she had taken some kind of elixir.

By the time Kalia’s onslaught had somewhat pacified the interior and the reconstruction of the barrier began, another attack was coming.

“They’re coming again!”

The magical monitoring detected the second wave of attacks.

Although there were fewer than before, the chimeras were larger and more imposing than ever.

“Damn it, those bastards have gone insane!”

To make matters worse, hundreds of griffins and wyvern chimeras covered the sky.

The sudden onslaught of the Akan’s monstrous army caught the capital’s forces off guard.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed dryly, unable to hide their nervousness.

Had they ever seen the legion of demons and chimeras in Rojas’ history?

Was this how it looked during the previous Holy Demon War?

For a moment, they were stunned, but then they clenched their fists.

Although the enemy’s presence was overwhelming, Rojas would never yield to them.

However, time was the issue.

Fortunately or unfortunately, there had been no attacks in areas outside the capital and its vicinity. The nearby monsters had also redirected their focus towards this place, according to the real-time reports from the Mage Tower. It seemed like this was their coordinated assault.

If they were to arrive in the capital with such momentum, breaking through the barrier and entering, the ordinary citizens would undoubtedly be injured and killed.

Furthermore, the barrier had not been rebuilt yet.

About twenty magicians were working on fixing it, but it seemed like more time was needed.

“Prepare the front lines, everyone! Not a single demon should be allowed to breach our defenses!”

In response to Brik’s thunderous shout, the waiting knights responded with a roar.

Kalia climbed to a high point on the castle tower and looked at the approaching army of chimeras and the enemy alliance.

Observing their frightening approach, Kalia gazed at the griffin’s chimera perched highest above.

Narrowed eyes limited her field of vision, but she discovered something atop the griffin.

“…You’re here.”

Luckily, he hadn’t fled and had come as expected.

Taking a deep breath, Kalia called upon Gaia.

-Yes! Should I transform into a sword now?-

“No, Gaia. Didn’t you say you could transform into something other than a sword?”

-Something other than a sword? What could it be?-

Kalia briefly answered Gaia’s question.

“A bow.”

-Ah… a bow! I like it! I can do it!-

Realizing her intentions, Gaia appeared in a dazzling light, transforming into a form different from her usual one.

Prrrr—

With the vibrating giant bow in her hands, Kalia looked at the approaching army of chimeras heading towards the capital.

Arrows were unnecessary.

Holding onto Gaia, now transformed into a blazing bow, she aimed at her desired target and slowly drew back the bowstring.

With the taut string and focused concentration, she envisioned the arrow.

It required a more delicate control of force than when she unleashed slashes with her sword.

It was the first time she infused purification power into her weapon and launched it, so there was a slight tension in the air.

‘Just a little more… Just a bit longer.’

Her eyes, shimmering faintly, gazed at the griffin in the sky.

Beneath it, she aimed at the gigantic transformed chimera leading the vanguard of the chimera army.

‘Now.’Whoosh!

Kalia’s sword strike, engulfed in yellow flames, shot towards the chimera army with tremendous speed.

“…”

The defensive forces in formation, the magicians at the Mage Tower, even Buford on the griffin, all watched in awe as the purifying force infused with power was launched towards the chimera army.

The flames, growing in size as they absorbed speed, accurately landed on the vanguard of the chimera army with a menacing force.

Kwaaah! Whoosh!

A loud noise accompanied a dazzling light, and a strong wind blew.

The remaining lesser demons, trapped within the light and wind, were crushed, and the chimeras imbued with magic were obliterated.

“Excellent.”

In an instant, the demons that stood in the vanguard had completely disappeared.

Kalia looked upon it with a satisfied gaze and quietly smiled, but the many faces watching her had completely different expressions.

‘Whoa… Truly a monster…’

Even among the allies, some wore expressions mixed with a slight sense of dread.

To obliterate dozens or even hundreds of terrifying monsters with just one arrow…

Could such a monster be reborn in the Empire, no, in the entire continent?

As long as Kalia existed, it seemed that half of Rojas’ prosperity and peace were assured.

There was no one more dependable to the allies, but could there be a more fearsome individual for the enemies?

‘…Ah, there’s one more.’

Derek thought of the Archmage who claimed to be in charge of the capital’s overall defense.

The genius who could find vulnerabilities in more than six city fortresses at once and even provide methods to remedy them…

‘Monsters indeed have encountered each other.’

Brik and Derek exchanged glances, their heads shaking with a mix of admiration and excitement.

While the enemy hesitated due to Kalia’s advance, Derek and Brik, each leading their own forces, came out with a secondary camp to safeguard their positions.

“Preparations for the first camp are complete!”

Brik raised his head at the words of the subordinate and looked towards the approaching enemy.

Kalia drew her bow once again.

And this time, she aimed her arrow much closer to the griffin than before.

As the arrow of light flew precisely towards the massive griffin, the man on top of the griffin leaped off, pushing away the demons.

The one who caught Buford as he leaped off the griffin was another winged demon.

Kalia sighed as she watched him, who was hit by her arrow and plummeted to the ground.

Buford continued to mount several demons in succession but never seemed to get any closer.

‘Annoying.’

The other demons had already reached the outer defenses of the capital and started their invasion.

In the past few days, the battles that had already repeated several times began anew.

If there was anything different from the first battle, it was that the capital’s forces were a bit more exhausted, while the chimeras and demons showed no signs of fatigue at all.

This wasn’t even a siege battle…

What on earth was this?

Kalia gritted her teeth and tried to discern where Buford had disappeared.

He vanished around there and never appeared again.

He was probably trying to lure her.

Kalia tightened her grip on Gaia, her transformed sword, and straightened her posture.

Just as she lowered herself to find Buford, he suddenly reappeared, riding the griffin, flying low towards Kalia.

“…!”

Kalia swung her sword down towards the griffin approaching her.

Kieeek!

The griffin let out a shriek and crashed down.

But Buford, who was riding on the demon’s back, was nowhere to be seen.

Kalia surveyed her surroundings calmly and suddenly turned around.

“Are you looking for me, General?”

Exactly where Kalia was looking, a small gap appeared, and Buford with a pale face, as white as a corpse, slowly walked out.

* * *

“…That bastard.”

Without even realizing it, a harsh curse slipped out of Simon’s mouth as he stood on top of the Mage Tower, or rather, on the roof of the tower, observing the situation.

Simon almost let out a vulgar swear word he had heard from the mercenaries some time ago but managed to hold it back.

“I’m sorry, Sasha. I almost said something bad in your presence.”

It was because of Sasha in his arms.

The baby was quietly nestled in the arms of his handsome father, gazing at him intently before opening his mouth.“Shyaang!”

…Did I hear that wrong?

Simon’s forehead froze in disbelief.

While looking up at Simon with big eyes, Sasha let out another word with a refreshing tone.

“Boboo! Shyaahh!”

Simon, who had been absentminded, laughed.

He gently kissed the baby’s round cheek and forehead, quietly warning him.

“Well… Let’s just pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Abu! Kyaah!”

Sasha squirmed with excitement and hugged Simon’s neck.

Seeing Sasha like that, Simon could only laugh. The more he saw, the more he realized that Sasha was not an ordinary baby, but he was just his precious child.

In order to love this special Sasha with an even more special heart, Simon wanted to end this ridiculous war as soon as possible.

“Now, should we surprise Mom a little? And take care of that pest who keeps clinging to Mom?”

“Huh-gyaoo!”

“It’s fun to make a fierce sound once in a while.”

Smirking, Simon sat Sasha behind his neck.

The baby firmly held his father’s head with his small hand and fearlessly looked at the battlefield happening in the highest place in the capital.

Sasha’s emerald green eyes, resembling Kalia’s, sparkled.

Taking slow deep breaths, Simon slowly touched his inner mana core, just like when he found Kalia.

‘Mana release.’

Releasing the mana that had been accumulated for years, testing his limits and absorbing the world.

Some gained offensive power through mana release, while others gained the eyes of a sage.

Mana release also allowed for extensive defense.

But what Simon was trying to do now was different from those things.

“Where… Let’s test how far this is possible, Shaik.”

Combining Simon’s power with Sasha’s power.

The baby still didn’t know how to properly handle his power, but Simon could freely wield any power.

As long as that power was bestowed upon him.

Simon’s golden aura became more distinct.

His pupils dilated, and he could feel the power of the core that had been accumulated within him gradually overflowing.

In that moment, Simon felt the power of Shaik above his head.

‘This is it.’

Simon accurately grasped the subtle difference in power.

It was an immense power that made his stomach churn.

The concentration of power was so great that one could not even imagine a small baby possessing it.

Even Simon, the genius Archmage of the century, was momentarily overwhelmed by such tremendous power.

‘…My child is truly amazing. It gives me goosebumps.’

Simon gathered his emotions, not realizing that he was feeling proud, and focused on keeping his breath steady.

He cautiously drew in that power, which was fundamentally different from his own.

In response, Sasha let out a cry, imbuing Simon with strength.

“Alright, let’s give it a try, my son.”

Without any hesitation and with precise timing, Simon opened his mana while holding onto Sasha’s power.

Sasha’s purifying power slightly rose above Simon’s power, spreading like a faint mist.

Simon overlapped Sasha’s power with his own, spreading it out.

Paahh!

The mist, infused with the purifying power, spread outward like crashing waves.

He was capable of maximum expansion up to 1,000 km, so a mere 100 km of expansion was insignificant.

“Kyahh!”

Although Simon was concerned that it might be too much for the baby, Sasha instead shouted in excitement.

The combined power of Sasha’s strength and Simon’s mana attacked the chimeras, demons, and monsters.

The more they were stained with demonic energy, the more they writhed in agony.

It didn’t discriminate between those grounded and those flying in the sky.

Sasha’s power, fueled by Simon’s mana, attacked all demonic beings, gradually reversing the tide of the battle.

“What… What’s going on? I don’t know what it is, but the monsters are in pain. Don’t hesitate, keep moving!”

The vanguard knights quickly struck the demonic horde.

Relieved that the plan was working, Simon swiftly surveyed the situation, including Kalia.

Buford, too, seemed to have taken a hit and was staggering.

However, even in that state, he persistently moved toward Kalia with a stubborn determination.

‘That kid, until the end…’

Simon, with narrowed eyes, was about to unleash lightning at him.

Kalia lifted her hand toward Simon, precisely aiming at his location.

It meant not to move.

As Kalia calmly looked at Buford, who was kneeling with a broken knee, she slowly moved toward him.