On the seventh day, Galahad's body finally began to change. His already pale skin started turning a bluish gray, and the veins beneath it gradually became more visible. At first, no one noticed the change. Amid the chaos of the battlefield, a slight abnormality in the old soldier's appearance was hardly enough to distract anyone. Except for Chen Luo and Hina.
Hina did not need to look for long to realize that something was wrong. It sensed it through Chen Luo's emotions. Normally, no matter how dangerous the situation became, his emotions remained relatively stable. But now, they were fluctuating violently. It was not ordinary fear or unease. It was more like a calm sea struggling to suppress a gigantic tsunami beneath its surface. One final drop would be enough to make everything erupt.
It was only noon, yet the sky remained submerged in a gloomy red. There was no sunlight, only the Blood Moon hanging high above, casting a cold hue over the land. Seven days had passed, and the battle was approaching its end. Chen Luo took the opportunity to distribute food to everyone. This might be their last meal before facing the final wave of attacks.
When he handed Galahad his portion, Chen Luo did not immediately let go. He tightly clasped the old man's cold hands, his gaze resting on that already haggard face.
Neither needed to say anything. They both understood what was waiting ahead.
Outside, the monsters had begun to gather. The final assault was about to descend, and Chen Luo knew for certain that this would be the strongest wave of the entire Blood Moon Battle. He took a deep breath, tried to push the distracting thoughts from his mind, then stood up and shouted.
-"Get ready! This is the final wave! Once we finish this last attack, I'll treat everyone to a huge feast!"
-"That's the spirit, little Chen Luo!"
Galahad immediately joined in, his booming voice rising above the noise of the battlefield. He raised his weapon and swept his gaze across everyone preparing to fight.
-"EVERYONE! GIVE THIS BATTLE EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THEY CAN BREAK THROUGH THIS DEFENSIVE LINE!"
His shout quickly lifted everyone's spirits. Those checking their weapons raised their heads, and a few even answered with spirited cries. No one wanted to admit how exhausted they were after six straight days of fighting. Even though everyone had suffered injuries of one kind or another, even though their eyes were dark from lack of sleep, they still struggled to remain standing.
Galahad laughed along with them.
But he knew that the feast Chen Luo had just promised would never be as joyful as he made it sound. It would be a farewell feast, the occasion that sent him out of this world—a goodbye he had been preparing for a long time. He tried to hold back the tears welling in his eyes and forced himself to maintain his composure.
It was not time for the curtain to fall yet.
He still had to wait a little longer.
Only, for Galahad, that brief stretch of time felt endless, as though he had to wait for decades.
When the final wave of monsters officially surged forward, Barick's group also appeared.
They did not choose to wait behind the monster horde. Instead, they charged ahead of it. Their figures flickered in and out of sight across the battlefield, using the chaos to close in on the defensive line. The soldiers immediately opened fire, successive volleys tearing through the air and pouring down like a storm of metal.
But the enemy had prepared for this.
Barick's men constantly changed positions, dodging or deflecting the incoming bullets. They counterattacked while clearing a path for the monsters behind them. Whenever the soldiers' firepower was diverted, the monsters immediately surged forward, causing the pressure on the defensive line to rise sharply.
This was no longer merely another monster assault. The enemy was exploiting the most chaotic moment of the battle to settle its score with Chen Luo's group.
-"Why did it have to be now?!"
Chen Luo gritted his teeth. He had been on guard against Barick for days, yet he still had not expected the other party to choose the final day—right when everyone was devoting all their strength to holding back the strongest wave—to make their move.
Even though he had prepared himself for this possibility, he could not avoid feeling furious.
He immediately grabbed his M4-XT, aimed at the figures rushing toward him, and pulled the trigger. Gunfire rang out in rapid succession, and several enemies fell. But there were simply too many of them. Moreover, the high-ranking members of Barick's group were not targets that could be easily dealt with by a few ordinary bullets.
The situation quickly slipped out of control.
The people beside Chen Luo were injured one after another. Some were knocked away from their positions, while others had to be dragged back by their teammates. When the defensive line could no longer be maintained, everyone was forced to retreat to the three-way intersection. At this point, only Hina's group, Galahad, and Chen Luo could still fight on the outer line.
Alice was still rushing to heal the wounded. The light from her abilities flashed repeatedly, but the number of people needing treatment kept increasing. She barely had time to rest, let alone handle every injured person by herself.
-"Hina, come back! Protect Alice for me."
Hearing Chen Luo call her, Hina immediately turned around. It gave a short howl, and the wolves fighting nearby abandoned their positions, quickly gathered around it, and retreated together.
Only when Hina returned did Chen Luo see how badly it had been hurt. Its once-neat fur was now disheveled, and there were quite a few wounds across its body. The wolves following it were in little better condition.
Chen Luo did not say much. He gave Hina a few brief instructions, then sent it into the rear area where Alice was protecting the wounded. He knew Hina had already fought with everything it had. Keeping it on the front line now would be no different from forcing it beyond its limits.
After Hina withdrew, only Galahad and Chen Luo remained on the battlefield.
-"Didn't expect this, did you, you little brats? You never saw this coming, did you? Hahaha! You dared to kill my brother-in-law! If I don't tear you into a hundred pieces, then I'm no Barick!"
Barick's arrogant laughter rang out across the battlefield. He charged straight toward Chen Luo, making no attempt to hide his murderous intent.
Chen Luo did not answer immediately. He glanced at Galahad, then deliberately shifted his position to leave the old man room to keep dealing with the approaching monsters. He would focus on Barick himself.
-"All right. We'll do it your way."
Galahad understood what he meant. He took out his final dose of adrenaline and injected it directly into his body. The drug quickly entered his bloodstream, forcing his already exhausted body to keep moving.
The battle erupted once again.
Barick swung his weapon, sending one heavy attack after another toward Chen Luo. He had no intention of giving his opponent time to rest, continuously using his physical advantage to close the distance. Chen Luo dodged and counterattacked, his successive sword strikes blocking Barick's attacks.
On the other side, Galahad was still holding back the monster horde. Gunfire, clashing weapons, monster roars, and the cries of the wounded blended together into a chaotic battlefield symphony.
One technique after another was unleashed. The attacks continued without pause, and neither side intended to retreat. Every time weapons collided, sparks scattered through the air. Explosions rang out one after another, making the ground beneath their feet tremble.
Then, for a brief instant, everything suddenly fell silent.
Chen Luo stopped. He lowered his center of gravity and locked his gaze onto the targets in front of him. The sword in his hand shifted slightly, and a cold voice rang out.
-「First Form—Chaotic Slashes」