Chaos consumed the interior of the fortress as a horde of Foreign Tribe warriors poured inside.
Yet, even amidst the turmoil, there were those standing firm against the disaster.
"Do not waver!"
Bareia Catreia, commander of the defense force, bellowed orders that cut through the din of battle.
"The gate has been sealed! No more reinforcements are coming! Stay calm and strike down every intruder within these walls!"
As he directed his soldiers, Bareia personally engaged the enemy, a spear gripped firmly in his hand.
"Hmph!"
"Gyaaaaaaaaah!"
A sweeping strike of his spear sent a Foreign Tribe warrior flying, the body slamming hard against the inner ramparts. The sheer force of the blow left the Ogrekin's bones shattered, mangling its body beyond recognition.
"Listen to my brother! Everyone, stay focused and take them down!"
"He's right! Men of the Aiwood Kingdom don't break this easily. Quit your whining and fight!"
Bareia’s younger brothers, Karyus and Toya, were also busy scattering the enemy ranks. Karyus with his dual swords and Toya with his spear fought with a ferocity that inspired the soldiers around them.
"Almacain Blade Dance Arts... Scattered Petals."
Further in, flowers of blood bloomed within the courtyard. In a heartbeat, several tribal warriors were carved into pieces, reduced to nothing more than mangled corpses.
"A relief."
Drenched in the blood of his enemies, a somber young man with long bangs obscuring his eyes muttered to himself. Even in the heart of the slaughter, a faint smile played on his lips as his cold, callous gaze swept the area.
"What a relief. I expected nothing more than to watch the hours drift by in peaceful monotony. It is a pleasure to find I have a part to play after all."
These frigid words came from the Woman-hating Sword Saint, Wilhelm Lyubase. Lyubase raised his blade, glaring at the surrounding warriors.
"I will begin by cutting you down. If you value your lives, I suggest you resist with everything you have."
"You arrogant human!"
"Don't mock us! We'll crush you!"
Enraged by the way Lyubase taunted them with his blade, the warriors charged. Ogrekin, Lizardmen, and Insectmen swarmed him from all sides.
"Almacain Blade Dance Arts... Flying Plum."
Lyubase’s sword flashed. Despite the distance between them, a vacuum-like slash lanced out and cleaved the lead attacker in half.
"What—!?"
Lyubase lunged forward, closing the distance in a blur.
"Hmph!"
"Gah!?"
The Sword Saint's blade lopped off an Ogrekin’s head in one clean motion. A Lizardman thrust a spear at him a moment later, but he evaded it with a effortless twist of his body. Mid-rotation, he swung his sword again, severing the Lizardman’s torso.
"Oooooooooooooooooh!"
A massive Insectman warrior tried to use his sheer bulk to crush Lyubase underfoot. However, Lyubase merely narrowed his eyes, flashing his blade without a hint of panic.
"Scattered Petals."
A flurry of countless slashes followed. Among the Foreign Tribes, the Insectmen boasted peerless defensive capabilities; their rigid carapaces were said to be thick enough to repel even the finest blades. Yet, Lyubase’s sword threaded through the gaps in the armor, systematically dismantling the giant into pieces.
"You were slightly more satisfying to cut... but only slightly. A tedious opponent."
"Damn you... human!"
"Curse you to hell!"
The warriors screamed in futile rage, but the tide of battle had already turned. With Rest having sealed the main gate, the enemy’s reinforcements had been cut off. Though the initial surprise attack had pushed the defenders to the brink, the prowess of the Catreia brothers and Lyubase was allowing them to reclaim the fortress.
"Push them back! Unleash your magic!"
"Everyone, do not give them an opening to counter. Eradicate every last one of them!"
"Ooooooooooooooooooooh!"
Isis and Dieble seized the moment, raining down counter-magic upon the intruders. The number of tribal warriors within the fortress dwindled by the second.
"I wasn't sure how this would go for a moment there... but it looks like we're going to make it."
Observing the shifting tide of the battle, Rest let out a long sigh of relief. He moved to join his comrades, unleashing a series of Wind Blades to cut down the remaining tribal warriors.