"That's far enough, Blue Ever! I will not allow you to lay another hand on these islanders or their Monsters!"
"Ngh!? That guy is...!"
Brandishing a sword, the man who had made a heroic entrance was Torin Mathis, who should have been trailing far behind Yugo’s group.
Leaping high into the air, he brought his blade down on a nearby Blue Ever member, cutting the man down where he stood.
"Ugh, aaaaaagh!?"
"He’s using real steel! He’s actually cutting us!!"
"I, Torin Mathis, shall strike you down! I won't let you lay a single finger on Elena!"
As their comrade collapsed in a spray of red blood, the Blue Ever radicals began to scream in a blind panic. Torin struck a dramatic pose before them, stealing a quick glance at Elena.
(Perfect! She’s captivated by my heroic arrival! A Maxed Affection Level is practically guaranteed!)
Torin smirked inwardly at the sight of Elena’s stunned expression. Fueled by the desire to show off his prowess, he brandished his weapon again, cutting down more rioting radicals one after another.
"Gya—gyaaaaaa!?"
"Noooooooo!!"
(Hehehe! I’ll farm these small fry for Experience Points while boosting Elena’s Affection Level! At this rate, I’ll easily make up for lost time!)
Thanks to that idiot Woz getting lost, Torin could monopolize all the glory and rewards of this event. Chaos swirled around him, but Torin didn't care. He was intoxicated by his own performance, convinced he was strengthening himself by slaughtering these low-level Blue Ever members.
Behind him, however, Elena was silently shaking her head in horror.
"People are... falling? How... why is this happening!?"
"Elena! Pull yourself together!"
"Kani! Kanini!!"
Elena wasn't mesmerized by Torin’s display of power. She was in a state of pure shock, watching humans being cut down and collapsing lifelessly to the earth. Horon and Poruru called out to her desperately, but the situation continued its downward spiral.
"Grrr...! How dare you butcher my comrades! I’ve had enough mercy! If that’s how they want to play, then we’ll show them no quarter either!!"
"Uooooooooh!!"
Burning with rage as his people fell, the leader barked out new orders. The panic-stricken members transformed their terror into fury. The last of their restraints snapped, and they unleashed a wave of unbridled violence.
"Kill them! Destroy everything! Burn it to the ground! Avenge our fallen brothers!!"
"Evil like you belongs in the dirt! Dieeeeeeee!!"
Bloodcurdling screams echoed through the air. Firebombs arched through the sky, houses and sheds crumbled, and the agonizing shrieks of both Monsters and people filled the night.
Retaliation for retaliation. Blood for blood. Having claimed a righteous cause, Blue Ever abandoned all reason. They were radicals to begin with, obsessed with environmental protection through extreme means. Once they crossed that final line, there was no limit to their atrocities.
Ravaged and broken, the island of Shandia was being systematically erased as fire consumed both trees and homes. The chaos showed no signs of subsiding; instead, it intensified. The devastation was set to spread further.
"A-Ah...! Shandia... the island Mama loved...! Why... why is this happening!?"
The people, the Monsters she considered family, the village of her memories, and the beautiful nature her mother had cherished—all of it was being swallowed by the flames. Elena loved this island with all her heart. Watching Shandia descend into such a hideous, destructive conflict brought her to the brink of despair.
"Stop...! Please, stop it! I beg you, don't hurt this island! Don't hurt anyone else!!"
Her desperate plea was swallowed by the roar of the battle. No one listened. No one even tried to hear her. They were too consumed by the urge to kill the enemy in front of them and destroy everything in sight.
Only Marcos remained focused on stopping the radicals. He neutralized them with minimal force, constantly shouting for a ceasefire.
"That's enough! Haven't you done enough already!? What does this accomplish!? What do you gain by hurting this island and the people who live here!?"
"Shut your mouth! Blue Ever's Justice is absolute! Justice is on our side!!"
Marcos's pleas fell on deaf ears. Deeming his words an annoyance, Reika lunged at him with a Flying Kick, her comrades cheering at the sight.
"Uoooooooh! I will protect Elena!!"
"Damn it...! You really did it now, didn't you? I'll never forgive you...!!"
"It is a Holy War! A Holy War, I tell you! Comrades, fight on! Do not fear death! Let the world know Blue Ever's Justice!!"
Geras, bleeding from the arm where Torin had slashed him, spat the words through gritted teeth. The leader stood at the center of the conflagration, shouting his fanatical slogans as the battle intensified—but then...
"GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
A roar that was unmistakably not human tore through the chaos. The sound was saturated with madness and violence. Every person on the battlefield instinctively froze, turning their heads toward the source. Their eyes widened in terror.
"Gyo, gyo, gyo...!!"
"W-What are those!?"
Rising from the sea were green fish-men. Their sharp fangs and fins caught the moonlight as they swarmed onto the land in a massive pack. Ferocious, atrocious, and driven by pure frenzy—the Sahagins had arrived.