Invaders

The growth of Byzark had already gone beyond expectations. His power would make him strong enough to be an S-rank mana user. That if he was still a human. It was clear that he already lost himself to his creation. A monster with no sanity. He howled again and this time releasing mana pressure which affected several hundreds of metres in area.

Larc who was quite close to the mansion could feel the extreme pressure pushing him down to the ground. He had to stop for a while to barely maintain his composure. The pressure was too strong that he could barely move a step forward. Luckily there's no residency near the place for the safety of the mayor. The mansion is in the middle of a giant courtyard that surrounded with a huge brick wall of several tens of metres in height. The design which was for the protection of the mayor actually protected the citizens by keeping them away. If not, who knows how many would die due to the terrifying pressure.

For a monster that could emit mana pressure this strong, what can a mere A-rank like him do? Thousands of oncoming monsters from outside, a monster who at least a legendary from the inside "Is this the end of Kuala Terengganu? Will I unable to protect the innocent people again?"

At that moment there was only one hope remain. The duo who broke the logic of his several decades living as a mana user. He not sure how strong the two are, but as far as what the city guild could offer, the two are the best. Even though they only had a momentary meeting with each other, he sure that they should at least be as strong as an S-rank.

Momo released Goliath and retreated toward Kim. "Master, you are okay as expected." Even though she was showing her everyday smile, Kim knew something was troubling her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm not injured or anything."

"Are you really okay?"

"I-...I will not forgive this monster."

Kim could see the sadness and anger that were emitting from her eyes. Even so, she still looked cute. He didn't want to ruin the mood and tried hard to remain his composure.

"I understand. Do you want to do this alone? He's close to a mythical now."

"I've been fighting master for years, I'm sure I'll be okay."

Seeing her smile confidently made Kim nodded and retreated far back to observe. He's ready to intervene anytime Momo is in serious danger. Not wanting any bystander to get caught in the fight or even disturb them, he created a mana barrier which covered the whole area where the mansion once stood. In the middle of rubbles from the collapsed mansion, Momo was facing a giant monster that could trample an entire building.

The suffocating pressure had finally be released from the atmosphere. His clothes were drenched in sweats when he struggled to barely maintain his consciousness. Currently, he was on all of his fours, since standing was too unbearable that he had to crawl his way to the mansion. On his way there, he was shocked to see a giant demonic-looking werewolf with devastating mana pressure was standing where the mansion was supposed to be.

He's not sure how the monster could appear so suddenly without anyone noticing it but it was fortunate that the monster just stood there as if it was waiting for something. But who knows when it could suddenly go rampage and start to terrorize the city. Not wanting to waste a single time, he sprinted toward the monster even if it means diving to his death. He has to give it all to protect the people. As he got closer, he saw two familiar faces who were Kim and Momo. To his surprise, Kim was only there observing while Momo was preparing to face the monster.

Of course, Kim sensed he was coming so he turned his head around and waved his hand at Larc to tell him to come. He was a bit hesitant at first since Kim was standing quite close where the monster was, but nothing would happen if he just stands there doing nothing. He at least needs to get Kim to cooperate.

"Kim, what are doing here not helping Momo? We need to kill that monster as soon as we can!"

"I'm helping her by not letting anyone disturb her fight."

"No there's no time to play around! Our city is under attack by huge waves of monsters!"

"Monsters outside the city?"

Soon as he heard that, Kim expanded his mana sense to confirm what Larc had said to him and to his surprise the number of oncoming was huge and they were coming from all four directions. What could possibly be the reason? He knows that the automated defence system which protecting the city could block mana from leaking outside so there's no way the city could attract this much monsters. Unless...

"Guild master, let's say, a mythical monster suddenly appeared in the middle of the city...will it mana leaked out of the barrier?"

Larc understood well that the monster Kim was talking about was the huge demon werewolf who kept howling in rage. If that's the case, that would be more of a reason they should join Momo to kill it now. But a mythical? If it was a legendary like what he assumed just now, it may be possible. Larc already expected that both Kim and Momo power is at least as strong as an S-rank.

However, in history, none of the S-rankers was able to kill even a legendary one on one. Much less a mythical. Even if all the S-ranks in this country were gathered, including a master rank like Sylva, they won't get out of this unscathed. How could this monster appear in the middle of the city without notice? What had happened here? Only the two of them knows the answer. Larc left aside the thought of why the two of them were here in the first place and focused on the most important part

"If that is a mythical rank monster, we should not stand here idly. Momo will be killed!"

"You can try to jump in there if you want. I will stand here and watch."

"But, why?"

"It's her personal request."

'Personal request?! We are in a life-threatening situation now and all the two of you could think of is a personal request?!'

Larc could only scream in his heart from this insanity. When Kim told him to try was amount to a blow to his face at this point. Larc already tried and there was no way he could pass through Kim's barrier. All he could do was to see for himself where the trust of Kim to Momo comes from.

For someone as small as her, standing in front of monsterized Byzark made her look like a mouse facing a lion. The differences in their size were huge. Most probably it must be obvious to others that Momo will be squished to death. What they do not know was facing a monster several times bigger than herself has been her everyday life since the calamity.

"Ignoring me aren't you?"

Byzark did not notice her as he howling aimlessly with his overwhelming mana bursting everywhere. He had already succumbed himself to his monsterized self. Momo unleashed her mana pressure which immediately caught Byzark attention and made him stare at her in silence. He stopped howling like a wild wolf. He was looking at her as if he was fully cautious of her.

Larc was shocked beyond measure. From his vast experiences, monsters usually come at their prey full of thirst of mana. However, when they felt that they are threatened, they would stop in their place and become very cautious. The same thing what suppose to be a mythical rank monster was doing.

Even after witnessing with his own eyes, everything was still inconceivable to Larc. In history, the number of mana users who could fight a mythical monster one on one was zero. But why did he feel like it is threatened by the presence of Momo?

Out of nowhere, myriad of swords rain down toward Byzark trying to stab into his flesh that was covered with thick furs. Byzark raised one of his arms to block the oncoming swords. Taking this chance, Momo sprinted toward Byzark at lightning speed. She waved both her arms sideways and two katana appeared in her hands. She then jumped, aiming for his head.

But Byzark noticed her movement and swing his other arm towards her. Several swords appeared in the midair which Momo took steps on to push herself and changed her trajectory. She avoided the vicious swing and landed on his arm. Like a hurricane, she charged forward, while slicing his arm apart with her two katanas. Blood was spilling like rain as she continued to go further and further.

Byzark opened his mouth to gather mana which compressed into a dark red coloured orb. The orb burst which shoots barrage which he shot toward Momo. She reacted instantly by conjuring several swords. She jumped from one sword to another to avoid the oncoming missiles which exploded as they hit Kim's mana barrier. After the last orbs pass through, she jumped high and made a giant downward slash, slicing off Byzark left arm.

The giant arm spanning several tens of metres fell onto the ground sending a massive shockwave to the entire area. Momo landed gently on the ground and swung her katanas to wash the blood away from the blade. Her eyes remained focused and her breath remained calm. After surmounted an endless number of near-death experience, she knew a single mistake would be fatal.

"Grrr!!!" Losing one arm had made Byzark growling in anger. However, it doesn't matter because he's a werewolf. Not long after his arm fell to the ground, a new arm regenerates itself from where it was sliced off. A werewolf trait that makes it a nightmare for mana users who are facing them. The regeneration was more powerful for a mythical rank that it was able to instantly grow a new arm of that size. However, compared to how it looked before, it was not pleasuring. It looked like a grotesque parasite had taken over his entire arm. Instead of an arm, it was more like rotten tentacles with disfigured fingers at the end. Even his bone was slightly showing.

"I see"

"What do you see?"

"His mana is really unstable. Even if he got that amount of mana, it doesn't matter if he can't control it properly."

"He? Are you talking about the werewolf?"

Larc did not understand why Kim was referring the werewolf as a 'he' as if it was actually a human. But the thing he was worried the most was the fact it could still generate itself. Especially a werewolf of that level, which can endlessly regrow any part of its body.

"True. That would be troublesome even for me."

"Then, won't it be a problem for Momo? We should help her now."

"No need. This kind of monster is perfect for Momo."

Larc didn't understand where that confidence came from. He thought that what Kim was seeing probably beyond the comprehension of his level. All he could hope was Momo would survive the fight. Since he could only observe the fight he sent a message to Leila to issue an emergency evacuation for the ordinary people and ask for full cooperation from all mana users. Little did he knows, all four sides of the city had already been occupied by attacking monsters.

The arm on the ground suddenly dissolved into a pool of blood. The blood then started rippling, and slowly it started to form into a blood werewolf. Not only there, but more and more blood werewolves were also forming wherever the blood from his had splattered. The number was more than hundreds and each of them was as strong as superior-rank monsters.

Momo jumped backwards to retreat and conjured huge numbers of swords that were more than thousands! "Raining swords, meteor shower!" The swords mercilessly took down each one of the blood werewolves without any of them able to move forward.

Conjuring is basically the materialization of one's mana essence. In Momo's case, her mana essence is related to a sword. It's hard to understand how mana essence works or what it is exactly but one could say it is an innate ability that a person is born with.

As a conjurer himself, Larc is well known as one of the best in the Varhem Kingdom. Still, Momo's feat was out of the world to him. To be able to conjure powerful swords at an insane amount with precise speed and accuracy, who knows how much hours she put in her training behind her outrageous talent. Even though it's a precarious situation, he could not help himself from feeling blessed having to witness this.

"Is it possible? A mana user to beat a mythical monster?"

Larc was hoping that would be the case, but the fact that the monster regeneration power never escaped his thought. How can someone possibly kill a monster that could endlessly heal itself?

Byzark giant body was also getting stab by the thousands of swords raining down from the sky. Even the layers of thick furs like armour had been pierced through relentlessly. But it doesn't matter because his body immediately healed itself. Not wanting Byzark to get a single breath of relief, Momo moved instantaneously and her katana sliced through one of his legs which made him fell down to the side.

A deform shape of leg regrew from where it was sliced, and Byzark quickly turned around while swinging his arm wildly toward Momo. She gritted her teeth and conjured Goliath to cover herself. Then out of nowhere, a red-coloured arm punched toward her. With Goliath occupied, she conjured thousands of sword to brace impact but It was too strong for her take on directly that she was sent flying.

Byzark then jumped toward her aiming to smash her to the ground. Momo undid Goliath and reconjured it again to protect herself. But it was done in a hurry that the sword was not in its full strength. One downward swing from Byzark and Goliath was broken to pieces. The incredible force from the attack sent Momo to the ground like a meteor.

Byzark howl and his mana exploded wildly. Behind his back, numbers of red arms forming from his blood. He was manipulating the werewolf blood that was coursing through his body. Through this, he was able to land a sudden hit at Momo. With several additional arms growing from his body, he sent a barrage of fists to where Momo was on the ground, making the entire battlefield covered with dust. It was hard to see what was happening, but the sound of Byzark plummeting the ground never stop.

Little do Byzark knows, Momo had already escaped from the place in a distance. However, the direct hit from Byzark had sent a heavy toll toward her body. Her arms and her ribs were broken. She could barely stand with her trembling legs. She spewed the blood in her mouth and unleashed more of her mana making black clouds forming above.

Byzark sensed her mana and finally realized she was behind him but it was too late. Like a god's judgement, the heaven punishing azure sword fell onto him at a blinding speed. With ease, the sword pierced through his head until the bottom, splitting Byzark into half. When it touched the ground, the azure sword sent a mighty thunder which burnt his entire body.

However, it wasn't enough. Byzark was still able to regenerate his body. At this point, it was unbelievable how much vitality does he had. But, his body wasn't that of werewolf anymore. He looked more disfigured and grotesque than he was before. Even so, he looked like he could still go rampage on the entire city. He was a very definition of a 'monster'.

Looking that Momo was already on her knee, Larc used all his power to slam the mana barrier.

but it was futile. His hands felt like they were going to break if he continues. Before that happen, Kim then stopped him.

"Hold yourself together."

"What are you doing?! Momo is going to get killed!"

"No. She already won."

Byzark slowly moving toward Momo. He looked like he was crawling with his disfigured limbs. It looked like Momo was going to get eaten by him, but then suddenly he fell down. Byzark tried to get back up, but as he was struggling he fell down again. He didn't understand what was happening, but his monster instinct was continuously kicking to make him eat Momo. So he literally crawled toward Momo. But slowly, his body was getting heavier and the pain was tremendous. It felt like the entire cell in his body was burning.

Larc didn't understand what was going on, but he knows what happened to the monster. Its body was slowly melting as if someone poured an extremely strong acid on top of it.

"What is happening? Why is it not regenerating?"

"He is regenerating, but the regeneration is too weak compared to what is attacking his body now."

Larc just ignored Kim calling the monster 'he' and continued to ask him, "But Momo is not doing anything."

"That's what you are seeing. Momo has been doing many things since the beginning. What she was aiming for was his inside."

By the time Byzark got close to Momo, only his head remained and surely that too finally melted to the ground.

Byzark, a man who was respected for his kindness and charisma had a bright future ahead as a leader. Unfortunately, his heart has been blinded by his thirst of power having not satisfied with what he had. He did everything he needed to do, even if it means sacrificing the lives of innocent children. Finally, he got to taste the power he ever wanted. On the same day, he was erased from existence.