And a shock wave was born.
The entire city shook with a force unlike any it had ever felt.
“““Grhhhhhhh?!”””
Adventurers, Evils, citizens—even the monsters—had to brace their legs so the blast winds did not blow them away.
Gouts of flames and raindrops of golden light spilled forth from the arena at the city’s center. So powerful was the blast that the ice wall continued shaking for some time, and even started breaking apart.
“The ice wall…and the barrier! They’re coming down!”
Asfi watched as a huge slab of ice sheared off and slammed into the ground, filling the air with crystalline dust.
Meanwhile, Shakti strained her ears.
“I…don’t hear fighting anymore.”
The air had fallen painfully silent. Atop Guild HQ, Royman came running onto the rooftop, almost tripping over his own feet before reaching the balustrade and pressing his stomach against it.
“Who won…?” he asked, straining his eyes to see into the distance. “Who won?!”
“Zald did, obviously!!”
Valletta cackled, reveling in glee as Orario held its breath.
“Finally settled your score with this city, huh? Took you long enough! Come out and let’s see ya already!”
She narrowed her eyes, casting a diabolical grin toward the cauldron of fire around Central Park.
“Let Orario know the truth, and despair! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha!!”
She laughed. She laughed and laughed and laughed, and then—
“…Ha?”
—she noticed something. Deep within the sparks and fire. Deep within the billowing smoke. The twinkling of a pair of eyes.
“The dust is clearing…” said Falgar.
“Someone’s stepping out!” cried Raul.
All eyes converged upon Central Park.
And then…
✦ ✦ ✦
When they caught sight of the city’s champion, Asfi shed tears of joy.
“It’s Warlord!” she cried.
Then came the cheers.
“““Hooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!”””
It came from every corner of the city. From the hearts and lungs of deities and mortals alike. All of Orario united in proclamation of their joy.
“Ottar!” exclaimed Allen with a hint of anger.
“You did it!” cheered Ganesha.
Loki’s eyes went wider than ever before. “You defeated him! The mightiest being this city has ever known!” she cried.
Even Hermes felt the excitement creep into his voice.
“You’ve surpassed Zeus and Hera!” he said. “A thousand years of history!”
Nobody escaped the sweeping frenzy. All across the city, those who stood in the light of justice felt their hairs bristle and their hearts ignite. Even the citizens cowering in their strongholds knew. They knew their sword had pierced evil’s breast. One after the other, they stood, and their confused murmur slowly transformed into cheers.
“Raise your voices, adventurers!”
There was one man who would not let the changing tides go uncapitalized upon. Zald’s defeat was the spark that could rekindle the coals of victory.
“Salute your champion!” Finn yelled. “Your one and only: Warlord!”
“Roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!”
Finn’s burning fuse set its charge alight. From every corner of the city came an outflux of emotion, and the people’s clamor caused the earth, and even Babel itself, to quake.
“““Ottar!! Ottar!! Ottar!! Ottar!!”””
The people chanted their victor’s name. The sound echoed beyond the mountains and rose above the clouds.
“H-he defeated Master Zald?!”
“Impossible! No one can best Master Zald!”
“Th-then how…?”
This shocking turn of events was bitter news to the Evils. Morale was plummeting in the wake of their champion’s defeat, and this effect was only hastened by the rallying of Orario’s troops that was happening all around them.
It was a complete and utter reversal of fortune.
“Th-this can’t be…! It’s impossible…!”
Even Evils lieutenants such as Olivas were beginning to show concern. In fact, his humiliation seemed even greater than most.
“Was it those old fools…? Should I have stopped them after all…?”
One didn’t have to be a god to realize it was the efforts of Noir and the other veterans that had left Ottar with just enough time to seize victory. Realizing he was partially responsible for their success, Olivas tore at his hair and let out a maddened scream.
“Zald…lost?”
Valletta stared off into space.
“Hold on. You gotta be shittin’ me. There’s no way. There’s no way…”
Her shocked stupor gradually gave way to a deranged anger.
“There’s no waaaaaay!!”
She shot a deadly glare at the boaz man standing in the distance, then issued an order to her troops.
“Listen to me, you tamer shits! Ottar’s gotta be on death’s door after that! Send in the monsters and finish him off!!”
The tamers jumped to attention and hurried to execute their leader’s command. They lashed their whips, commanding their ruby-studded giants, and the monsters unquestioningly followed.
The horde converged on Central Park, where the flames of war still raged.
“Oooooooouuughhh!!”
“Grh…”
Ottar grimaced, watching them approach. The battle had left him severely injured, and it was a miracle he could even stand at all. His allies attempted to keep back the horde, but the mages’ barriers had already failed, and monsters streamed in from all directions, overwhelming the defenders.
“Dammit… Ottar!”
Even Allen had reached the limits of his stamina. He could no longer protect Central Park as he had been doing. All he could do was crouch atop a pile of rubble, watching as the monsters breached the plaza.
It was at that moment, when all hope seemed lost, that the clack-clack of a pair of glamorous heels rang out across the battlefield.
“Stay strong, Ottar. I will not permit you to bend the knee here.”
“…! Lady Freya…”
Appearing before the boaz man was a silver-haired beauty of peerless defiance. From her position atop the tower, Freya could see clearly the perils of exiting Babel, but had chosen to do so anyway.
She stepped close to her warrior and looked up into his eyes.
“You are victorious, Ottar,” she said. “A true lord of war.”
“………”
“Always stand tall, Ottar. No matter who you face. No matter how painful. You must always bear my glory for this city to see.”
“…Yes, my lady.”
There was no other answer Ottar could give. He stood straighter and concealed his pain, becoming his goddess’s rock once more.
“I shall now update your Status,” said the goddess. “Stand still and stare down our foes until I am finished.”
Freya moved behind Ottar. His armor was in tatters, revealing a large gash from his shoulder to his flank. It was there that Freya penned her ichor, rewriting the hieroglyphics that covered Warlord’s muscular back. Before long, they glowed with the sublime light of ascension.
“Your great deeds have been recorded. Take up your sword, Ottar.”
The boaz man silently obeyed.
“You have strength enough to wield it?”
“Yes…”
“It is you who stands atop the peak?”
“Yes…!”
Ottar answered each word from the goddess’s mouth with complete and utter conviction.
“Then show us. Remove those ghastly fiends from my sight.”
“As you wish, my lady.”
Ottar twisted, his body like seasoned oak. The muscles in his shoulders bulged as he positioned his sword behind him, preparing to execute his goddess’s will—a spinning slash with the two of them at its center.
All the while, the monsters drew nearer. When they came close enough, they pounced. The fangs of beasts, the claws of monstrous birds, the cries of dragons.
“““Rooooooooahhh!!”””
But Ottar was simply silent, his spirit spent in his previous duel. Warlord only raised his hefty blade and swung.
What came next was a vortex of annihilation.
The creatures were erased without a sound. Ottar’s sweeping blade bisected every last one of them before they could even cry out in pain.
“Wha—?!”
A partial cry of shock escaped Valletta’s lips.
The large monsters crumbled, drumming the earth in a melody of death, while the smaller ones returned to dust, their magic stones destroyed.
Ottar’s one attack had wiped them all out.
“That whole horde… Gone, just like that!”
Valletta couldn’t believe her eyes. But it wasn’t only her; every adventurer who witnessed it reeled in shock.
“Such overwhelming power…” said Asfi. “That can only be…!”
It was Falgar who completed her thought. What he had just seen was so destructive as to belong to a higher category; another plane of being.
“The power of a Level Seven!!” he said.
“Ottar has well and truly surpassed us all!” exclaimed Shakti, witnessing the birth of a new ruler, a person on the same level as Zald was.
The title of mightiest adventurer was an invaluable weapon in and of itself. Simply usurping it from the Evils’ side was enough to turn the tide of war.
“All units! Eliminate the remaining enemy forces!”
Finn pounced on the opportunity to issue his next order. While the enemy faltered, he raised his spear to finish them off.
“Their morale is in tatters! Don’t let up now!!”
“““Raaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!”””
It was a fledgling cry of rebellion.