MEMELAND

The northern district drowned in steel and blood.

Greater Demons crashed through barricades.

Ordinary demons flooded the streets behind them.

Monsters climbed over the corpses of their own allies.

The defenders refused to give ground.

Every alley became a battlefield.

Every rooftop became a firing position.

Every home became a fortress.

A soldier emptied his single-shot rifle into a Greater Demon's eye.

The creature barely flinched.

It answered with a backhand.

The man's body disappeared into a wall.

A blacksmith swung a forge hammer into another demon's knee.

CRACK.

The leg shattered.

A hunter finished it with an axe through the throat.

Cheers erupted.

Only for another monster to leap over its corpse.

The battle never slowed.

Bandages stained crimson.

One hand rested against his injured side.

An officer looked toward him.

"Chief."

"You need to stay here."

Taai frowned.

"I can still fight."

Another officer shook his head.

"If they see you fall..."

"...we lose more than a fighter."

A veteran nodded.

"We lose Muscle City."

Several nearby soldiers quietly agreed.

"Our morale is you."

Taai clenched his fists.

"...Damn it."

He hated it.

Every instinct screamed at him to charge into the frontline.

To stand beside his people.

Instead—

He forced himself to remain behind.

Issuing commands.

"Third line reinforce the east flank."

"Rotate the wounded."

"Keep the civilians behind the second barricade."

"Don't waste ammunition."

Orders flew one after another.

The defense continued holding.

Barely.

A scream echoed across the battlefield.

"HELP!"

Taai's head snapped toward the voice.

Several young volunteers—

Barely adults—

Had become isolated.

Their formation had collapsed.

A Greater Demon slowly approached them.

The creature smiled.

One boy raised his spear.

His hands shook violently.

"...I..."

"...I can't..."

The demon lifted its massive arm.

Taai disappeared.

BOOM!

The stone beneath his feet exploded.

He crossed the battlefield in an instant.

His fist slammed into the Greater Demon's jaw.

The monster flew through three buildings before crashing into the street.

The young volunteers stared.

Taai didn't even look at them.

"Fall back."

"...B-But—"

"You've done enough."

His voice carried absolute authority.

"Go."

None of them argued.

They immediately retreated toward the rear.

Taai rolled his shoulders.

Blood dripped from beneath the bandages.

"...Now then."

The Greater Demon climbed back up.

It laughed.

A deep.

Mocking laugh.

Taai smiled.

"...Good."

"I hate ugly laughters."

The demon charged.

Taai met it head-on.

BOOM!

The shockwave shattered nearby windows.

The demon swung.

Taai ducked beneath the claw.

A hook slammed into its ribs.

CRACK.

Bones broke.

The demon answered with a knee.

Taai blocked—

Too late.

The impact sent him skidding across the broken street.

His wounds reopened instantly.

Blood soaked fresh bandages.

He stood anyway.

The Greater Demon laughed louder.

Another one joined it.

Then another.

Three.

Against one.

Taai cracked his neck.

"...Figures."

The first attacked high.

The second low.

The third from behind.

Taai moved like flowing muscle.

He caught the first punch.

Redirected it.

Used its momentum to slam it into the second.

Before the third could strike—

His elbow crashed backward.

CRACK.

The demon staggered.

Soldiers nearby immediately joined.

Spears.

Axes.

Magic.

Gunfire.

Everyone fought together.

Taai roared.

"NOW!"

"CHARGE!"

The defenders answered without hesitation.

"HAAAAAA!"

The entire northern line surged forward.

Shields smashed into monsters.

Spears pierced demon flesh.

Civilians swung tools with everything they had.

A hunter tackled a cultist.

A mason crushed a monster's skull with a brick hammer.

A mother fired a rifle before handing it to her son to reload.

The entire district became one unstoppable wave.

For a brief moment—

The demons were pushed back.

Hope returned.

Then—

The largest Greater Demon stepped forward.

Nearly four meters tall.

Covered in jagged black armor.

It looked down at Taai.

Then laughed.

"So..."

"...this..."

"...is..."

"...your..."

"...leader?"

Its voice rumbled like collapsing mountains.

Taai spat blood.

"...Unfortunately."

"I'm the only one you've got."

The Greater Demon grinned.

Then disappeared.

Taai barely raised his arms.

BOOM!

The punch sent him crashing through two buildings.

Stone buried him.

The demon slowly walked forward.

Still laughing.

"You..."

"...are..."

"...finished."

Taai forced himself upright.

Every muscle screamed.

His vision blurred.

His legs trembled.

"...Heh..."

"...Not yet."

The Greater Demon lifted both fists.

Preparing the killing blow.

Then—

A silver flash crossed the battlefield.

One clean slash.

The Greater Demon's arm fell to the ground.

Silence.

Everyone looked toward the source.

Several cloaked figures stood atop the broken wall.

None of them had been there a second ago.

Their robes danced in the smoke.

Weapons gleamed beneath the burning sky.

The emblem stitched onto their cloaks was unfamiliar to almost everyone.

The newcomers looked over the battlefield.

Then, without a word—

They jumped into the war.