The air was heavy with tension as all available adventurers gathered outside the gate, preparing for battle while the city's residents continued evacuating.
Among them stood the city's three S-Rank adventurers, leading the charge. Out of six S-Rank adventurers in the city, only half were present, each with their own elite party.
Unlike ordinary fighters, all six adventurers here had awakened magic—some using it to enhance their weapons, while others specialized in pure offensive spells.
My father, Draven Vorstheim, once told me that awakening magic was rare among commoners, But Even among nobles, it wasn't common. Only the eldest sons of hero bloodlines had a high chance of inheriting magic.
And yet, despite this rarity, the adventurers here stood ready to fight, no matter their rank.
Sofia stood beside my father, gripping her staff tightly. Her fire and water magic made her one of the most versatile A-Rank magicians in the city.
"Are you okay, Sofia? You look nervous," my father asked.
She exhaled slowly. "I'm fine, sir," she replied, though her voice betrayed her unease.
Draven glanced at the assembled adventurers. "Look at them. Even the lower-ranked ones are standing their ground. Despite knowing the risks, they chose to fight." He turned back to Sofia. "You're an A-Rank magician, right? I saw how powerful you were against those goblins. You have nothing to fear."
Sofia nodded, gripping her staff tighter. "Yes, sir. Thank you," she said softly.
Just then, she pointed ahead. "Sir, is that…?"
Draven followed her gaze to a blond man wielding a sword engulfed in flames.
"Yes," he confirmed. "That's one of the S-Rank adventurers available in this city. The others are there." He gestured to the left and right.
On the left flank, an S-Rank warrior stood ready, his greatsword glowing with magical energy.
On the right, another S-Rank fighter prepared himself, standing not far from Draven and Sofia.
At the center, a mage clad in a dark blue robe took position at the front row. The formation was set.
Then, the ground began to shake.
A deep, guttural roar echoed from the distance.
"They're here," someone whispered.
The adventurers readied their weapons.
"Get ready! Prepare for battle!" the S-Rank warrior in the front roared.
Draven clenched his sword. "Here it comes, Sofia."
Sofia took a deep breath and raised her staff. "I'm ready."
The roaring grew louder.
Then—
"Attack!"
The first wave of monsters charged from the forest, a horde of goblins, giant rats, horned rabbits, and lesser golems rushing toward the city gate.
The S-Rank warrior at the front swung his blazing sword, unleashing a fiery arc that incinerated a row of monsters instantly.
Sofia stepped forward, her eyes glowing. She raised her staff and chanted.
"Flames of the abyss, consume all before me—Firestorm!"
A torrent of fire erupted from her staff, swallowing the frontlines of the monster horde in a sea of flames.
Draven didn't waste time. He rushed forward, his sword moving like a blur.
"Sofia! Enchant my blade!"
"On it! Fire Enchantment!"
The moment Sofia's magic engulfed Draven's sword in flames, he became a force of destruction.
He sliced through monsters like they were paper, his enhanced blade cutting through horned rabbits and giant rats in a single strike.
The other adventurers unleashed their attacks.
A B-Rank warrior smashed a lesser golem's head with his warhammer.
A C-Rank archer rained arrows imbued with wind magic, piercing goblins before they could get close.
The S-Rank mage in the center cast a powerful Ice Spear, impaling three monsters at once.
"Keep pushing forward!" someone shouted.
Draven and Sofia fought side by side. Whenever he swung his sword, Sofia's fire magic burned everything in his path. Whenever monsters tried to flank them, she blasted them away with water magic.
The first wave of monsters was strong—but the adventurers were stronger.
Minutes later, the battlefield fell silent.
The last monster collapsed, turning into nothing but ashes and bloodstains on the ground.
The first wave was over.
Draven exhaled, resting his sword on his shoulder. "Not bad."
Sofia smiled slightly, though she was still catching her breath. "We won the first wave."
The adventurers cheered, but the victory was short-lived.
The ground trembled again.
From the forest, a second wave loomed.
And this time—something much larger was leading them.