The return should have been simple. We had already eliminated two formations and confirmed the presence of a more organized command. The logical course would have been to report back, rest, and plan the next move. But as we advanced on the way back, the sensation in the air didn't lessen. On the contrary, it became heavier.
I stopped in the middle of the path.
"No one else feels this?" I asked.
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Liriel was the first to respond.
"It's denser… coming from the north."
Elara closed her eyes, concentrating.
"It's not residual… it's active."
Rai'kanna looked in the same direction.
"Then it's not over."
Scarlett let out a small sigh.
"Knew it was too easy."
Lyannis was already pulling out the map again.
"If it's what I'm thinking… they're advancing."
Vespera stepped forward.
"Then let's go to them."
I looked at everyone.
"We're not going back yet."
No one disagreed.
We changed routes immediately. The terrain became more uneven, the vegetation denser. The silence that had accompanied the path before now felt compressed, as if something was about to break apart.
And then we saw it.
In the distance, a formation far larger than any previous one. It wasn't a group.
It was an army.
"That's already over three hundred," Lyannis said.
"And there's something in the center," Elara added.
I focused my gaze.
There was a commander there. Different from the previous one. His presence was more intense, more stable. He wasn't just an ordinary leader.
I took a deep breath.
"So this is it."
Rai'kanna smiled faintly.
"Now this is getting truly interesting."
Scarlett crossed her arms.
"What's the plan?"
I looked at everyone.
"No dispersion. No hesitation."
Liriel stepped forward.
"We're using everything?"
"Yes."
Elara nodded.
"Then I'll maintain maximum support."
Lyannis spoke next.
"They'll try to surround us."
"They won't have time," I replied.
Vespera only gave a slight nod.
Ready.
I took the first step.
Their reaction was immediate.
The ground trembled as the entire formation advanced. There was no more subtlety. It was brute force charging forward all at once.
I activated the sword.
The energy surged through my body with greater intensity than before. It wasn't just basic usage anymore.
It was total control.
Rai'kanna advanced beside me, Scarlett on the opposite flank. Liriel began raising the support energy while Elara reinforced the defenses. Lyannis adjusted our positioning in real time, and Vespera vanished between the openings.
The clash was immediate.
This time, they didn't fall quickly.
But they didn't advance either.
"Hold them!" I shouted.
The line held.
But I knew.
This wouldn't be resolved with ordinary strikes alone.
I looked directly toward the center.
Toward the commander.
"Now."
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
I activated the blessing.
The change was instantaneous.
The energy that had once flowed through my body now exploded in intensity. It wasn't just power.
It was something beyond that.
Something absolute.
I felt the armor form together with the sword. A golden presence enveloped my body, elevating everything to its maximum.
Rai'kanna noticed immediately.
"So you're ending this."
"Yes."
Elara reinforced the protection.
Liriel amplified the support to its limit.
Lyannis shouted.
"Open a path!"
Scarlett and Vespera advanced simultaneously, clearing the way.
And I moved.
There was no hesitation.
The world seemed to slow down for a moment.
The formation ahead was still advancing, but it no longer mattered.
I raised the sword.
And unleashed the strike.
The impact wasn't only against the enemies.
It was against everything.
The released energy tore through the entire formation. There was no resistance. No defense. The line simply ceased to exist.
The ground split open ahead.
The air itself was torn apart.
And in the distance… a mountain was cut in half.
The silence that followed was absolute.
The entire formation… disappeared.
No movement. No reaction.
Nothing.
The energy slowly began to dissipate. The armor still remained, but it was already fading.
I took a deep breath.
Rai'kanna was the first to approach.
"That…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Scarlett stared at the empty battlefield.
"You erased everything."
Liriel still maintained the active energy, but her eyes were fixed on what remained.
"There's not even residual energy left."
Elara analyzed the surroundings.
"The impact… exceeded expectations."
Lyannis slowly closed the map.
"That wasn't just an attack."
Vespera watched the horizon.
"It was an ending."
I gradually deactivated the armor. My body still responded well, but the consumption had been high.
Even so… I knew.
I was stronger.
Much stronger.
I looked ahead.
Toward where the mountain had been split apart.
"So this is the level."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms.
"And there's still more."
I nodded.
"Yes."
Scarlett gave a faint smile.
"If this was only a lesser general…"
"Then the next one won't be like this," I finished.
Liriel took a deep breath.
"But you're ready."
I looked at her.
"I'm becoming ready."
Elara nodded.
"Real evolution."
Lyannis stored the records away.
"This changes everything."
Vespera slowly turned around.
"Then let's head back."
I nodded.
We began the journey back in silence. There were no more enemies. No more threats at that moment.
But inside me… something had changed.
This wasn't just a victory.
It was confirmation.
I was reaching a level that very few could attain.
And that meant only one thing.
When the true enemy appeared…
I would not retreat.