Ethan positioned himself at the center of the bottleneck, feeling the familiar warmth building within him as he channeled mana to his Fire talent.

The first monster—a wolf-like creature with razor teeth—leapt through the narrow opening. Ethan’s hand shot forward, a concentrated blast of flame erupting from his palm. The beast howled as fire engulfed it, momentum carrying its burning body into the path of the soldiers around Ethan.

“What the—” A soldier gasped, nearly lowering his spear in shock.

“Focus! Kill the ones that escape towards you or are injured,” Ethan snapped, already preparing his next attack.

The soldiers nodded already dispatching the wolf on fire.

Two more monsters charged through, only to meet the same fiery fate. The fourth and fifth followed, their flesh sizzling under the intense heat of Ethan’s flames.

“Don’t waste your energy!” Sergeant Wei shouted to some of his stunned men. “Let him soften them up, we finish them off!”

The soldiers adapted quickly, striking down burning monsters as they stumbled through the breach. Soon they fell into a deadly rhythm—Ethan’s flames, followed by precise spear thrusts and sword slashes.

One of the monsters was able to escape, lightly injured as it hid behind tohers.

“This one’s mine!” A burly soldier stepped forward, driving his spear into the creature’s eye.

The monster dropped instantly.

“Good kill,” Ethan nodded, already focusing on the next wave.

Ten, fifteen, twenty monsters fell in rapid succession, their charred bodies piling up in the breach until they formed a gruesome barricade.

Behind them, Wei’s other men worked frantically to reinforce the damaged section, dragging beams and stones into place.

“It’s working!” someone shouted as the monsters began hesitating, unwilling to face the wall of flame.

From outside the wall came frustrated howls as the horde realized their direct assault was failing. The pressure against the breach suddenly lessened.

“They’re pulling back,” Wei observed, squinting through the smoke.

Ethan nodded, allowing the flames to subside as he caught his breath. Using his Fire talent continuously had drained nearly a quarter of his mana reserves.

“They’re not giving up,” he warned, scanning the battlefield beyond the wall. “They’re—”

“Look!” A soldier pointed along the wall. “They’re attacking other sections!”

True to Ethan’s prediction, the monsters had begun targeting multiple points along the wall, spreading the defenders thin.

“Hurry up! Close it,” Ethan ordered the repair crew. “The rest, help me kill them!”

The soldiers nodded, splitting into teams without question. Half continued reinforcing the breach while the others followed Ethan toward the nearest point of attack.

As they ran along the battlement, Ethan assessed their situation.

Ethan and the group reached the next breach point. A group of soldiers fought desperately against a swarm of smaller monsters, while the Bronze-rank beasts were wreaking havoc.

“Focus on helping everyone!” Ethan shouted. “I will kill their leader!”

“Yes! Sir!”

The soldiers found themselves unintentionally taking him as their leader.

Ethan raised his bow, nocking an arrow in one smooth motion.

The arrow flew true, burying itself in the creature’s throat. It thrashed, gurgling, before collapsing.

<You have killed High-Bronze…>

Without their leader, the smaller monsters fell into disarray, attacking with brute force rather than coordination. The defenders capitalised immediately, their disciplined formation cutting down the confused beasts.

Ethan moved through the chaotic melee like a ghost with his blade slashing throats and vocal cords.

The soldiers fought with renewed vigour, inspired by Ethan’s example. What had seemed a hopeless situation minutes ago now felt winnable.

The soldiers fought with renewed vigour, inspired by Ethan’s example. What had seemed a hopeless situation minutes ago now felt winnable.

“Fall back and regroup!” The sergeant ordered as the number of monsters fell. “Check the wounded”

Ethan scanned the wall, noting with satisfaction that their success was being replicated along the wall. The repair crews had managed to close or narrow several breaches, and the defenders were using the choke points exactly as he’d suggested.

For the first time since the battle began, the monsters were no longer at an advantage.

BOOM!

The walls rattled as the crystal Gorilla managed to get a good hit on the general. The impact sent him flying through a section of the battlements, disappearing in a cloud of dust and debris.

Soldiers cried out in alarm, their momentary victory forgotten.

“The general!” a soldier shouted, starting forward only to be held back by his comrades.

“Stay in formation!” Sergeant Wei commanded, though his own face had paled. “Hold the line!”

The general emerged from the debris, silver aura flickering weakly around him. Blood streamed from a gash across his forehead.

Despite his injuries, he gripped his sword firmly in his right hand, his expression turning grim.

‘He isn’t going to last long. I need to help them,’ Ethan thought, as he watched the fight between the general with the officials and the massive Silver-rank beast.

The Crystal Ape beat its chest in triumph, the crystals that ran along its spine glowing with energy. It sensed victory, its prey weakened and vulnerable.

Ethan made his decision instantly. Turning to Sergeant Wei, he spoke. “Keep the smaller monsters contained. I’m going to help the general. Focus on defence, once we beat the gorilla we will have the upper hand and they will most likely retreat or spread out to attack other parts.”

Wei’s eyes widened. “Against a Silver-rank? You said yourself you’re only High-Bronze!”

Ethan did not reply, already moving toward the confrontation.

Ethan sprinted along the wall, leaping over debris and fallen soldiers. The Crystal Ape had cornered the general against a partially collapsed tower, each thunderous blow further weakening the structure around them.

The general parried a devastating swing, his silver aura flaring briefly before dimming again. Fatigue and injury were taking their toll.

Ethan assessed the situation as he ran. The Ape’s crystalline growths provided formidable defence, but they didn’t make him invincible.

Its joints remained vulnerable, as did the unprotected areas beneath its arms and the soft tissue of its neck.

As he ran towards the fight, Ethan spotted a familiar figure.

“Jack?”

His eyes widened as he watched him cornered by four beasts near the wall.

‘This idiot…Why did he not listen’ Ethan thought grimly, as he immediately headed in his direction.

Jack who was cornered was scared shitless.

“Is this how I die? I should’ve listened to Ethan. They came so quickly i was unable to…” He muttered as tears flowed from his face. He wasn’t used to such confrontations, his position was at the wall.

As the four beasts attacked, Jack closed his eyes already accepting his fate.

But it didn’t come to him.

All he heard was.

Shing shing shing.

The blade tore through four beasts leaving them like sushi on the floor.

His eyes opened to find a figure in front of him and the four beasts dead.

Ethan turned towards him.

“What are you doing here? I told you to run.”

“I-I couldn’t.”

Ethan shook his head.

“Forget it. Come with me,” He said, supporting him by his shoulders before leaping onto the wall.

“You can either fight inside the walls or go to your family. You decide, but just know that i won’t be able to help you anymore.” He said, leaving him stunned. Ethan was so powerful that he was stunned.

Ethan did not wait for a response, immediately darting back towards the general.

“Thank you, Ethan!” Jack shouted, before immediately going to safety.

The Crystal Ape roared, its massive fists hammering against the fortifications with earth-shaking force. The general parried another devastating blow, silver aura flickering like a candle in a storm as fatigue set in.

Ethan analysed the battlefield in seconds, evaluating strengths and weaknesses. The general’s technique was flawless, but his power, stamina, and mana reserves were failing.

Ethan reached into his storage ring, fingers closing around a bronze dagger he’d taken from Han Wei’s collection. The weapon was unremarkable save for the quick-acting paralytic smeared across its blade. It wouldn’t paralyse the ape, but it would slow him down a little.

“I need a distraction,” Ethan muttered, eyes tracking the Crystal Ape’s movements.

As if answering his request, the general launched a desperate assault, silver aura coalescing around his blade. The monster raised its arm to block, crystals glowing brighter as it activated its defensive talent.

Ethan didn’t waste the opportunity. He leapt, Enhanced Speed carrying him across the battlement in a blur of motion. His trajectory took him directly toward the monster’s exposed flank—the opposite side from where the general engaged it.

Time seemed to slow as Ethan activated his Iron Enhancement, hardening his skin against the expected counterattack. His trajectory put him directly on a collision course with the Ape’s unguarded kidney region.

The first dagger—his regular weapon—plunged into soft tissue between crystalline plates. The monster roared, twisting to dislodge him. Ethan used the momentum to swing around its massive torso, withdrawing his blade only to strike again in another vulnerable spot.

Three rapid strikes, each targeting the gaps in the creature’s natural armor. The Ape howled, crystalline growths flaring with defensive energy.

Then Ethan drove the poisoned dagger deep into the unprotected flesh beneath its arm.

The effect was almost immediate. The paralytic, designed to incapacitate humans, wasn’t strong enough to fully immobilise a Silver-rank beast. But it did exactly what Ethan needed—it slowed the monster’s reactions just enough.

The general stood shocked at the performance of Ethan. He was incredibly powerful, and he had never seen him before!

“Quick!” the general shouted, recovering quickly. “Attack him now!”

The general did not waste the chance and attacked alongside the peak-bronze officials. Their movements synchronized with years of battlefield experience, each strike precisely aimed at the vulnerabilities Ethan had exposed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep