Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

The western continent stood as a sombre testament to the turmoil that had once gripped the world. It was a land forever tainted by the scars of a past conflict—a battlefield where humanity and its allies had clashed with the malevolent forces of demons and their ilk.

As the eye surveyed the landscape, remnants of the ancient struggle became evident. Crumbling ruins and dilapidated fortifications dotted the terrain, silent witnesses to the fierce battles that had unfolded in epochs long past. The very soil seemed to bear witness to the clash of swords, the echo of incantations, and the roars of monstrous entities.

The once-vibrant fields, now overgrown with wild flora, hinted at the passage of time. Nature had reclaimed its dominion, yet the scars of magical warfare lingered like ghostly imprints on the landscape. Occasional rifts in the fabric of reality, sealed but still palpable, punctuated the air with an otherworldly aura.

The western continent, once a thriving realm, bore the weight of history with a quiet dignity. It stood as a living chronicle, where every hillock and crag told tales of heroism and sacrifice. The remnants of fortresses, now mere shadows of their former glory, whispered of strategies devised and alliances forged against the encroaching darkness.

The dwarves, with their unparalleled craftsmanship and mastery of laminar crystals, had erected an impenetrable barrier that encased the western lands. This extraordinary barrier, a testament to dwarven ingenuity and the ancient magic of laminar crystals, stood as a guardian, shielding the world from the malevolent entities that lurked within.

For five decades, the barrier had held steadfast, an unyielding fortress against the terrors confined within. Its magic, woven intricately with the essence of laminar crystals, had proved impenetrable, ensuring the safety of the realms beyond its protective embrace. The dwarven creation had become synonymous with security and stability.

However, today marked an aberration in the history of the barrier. Despite fifty years of unwavering strength, a disturbance rippled through its magical fabric. An unsettling realization dawned upon the guardians of the western lands—the barrier, once thought impervious, was showing signs of vulnerability.

As if awakened by a malevolent force, a rift manifested within the barrier's magical lattice. A passage to the forbidden realm opened, allowing a small army of [A] rank demons to breach the once-impenetrable defences. The creatures, borne of darkness and malice, surged through the breach with ominous intent, their eyes ablaze with the hunger for chaos and destruction.

The news spread like wildfire through the World Hero Army base camp that is near the barrier, where the defenders stood vigilant against a threat they had long believed kept at bay. Panic and urgency filled the air as the realization set in—the demons, once contained, were now advancing towards the heart of the world.

"A rank hero, form the line of Ten. B rank hero from the line of 10, your job is to support A rank hero army who will be on the front lines."

"Mages, you must use a powerful attack magic attack, do not hesitate for a moment."

A man said as he assembled Heroes in the formation of battle.

The man had long black hair and a scar on the right side of his face, his expression was hardened at the moment as he prepared for battle.

"How many demons are coming through the 'dead land' Rae?"

A young man steps forward at the mention of his name, He looks toward the man who had called him, Rae takes a deep breath, and answers him.

"Sir Noa, at the moment there are a total of fifty [A] rank demons coming in the direction of our base and leading them all is an [S-] rank demon."

The man who was arranging his soldiers for the battle formation was Noa, at the moment he had deep frowned upon hearing that there was an [S-] rank demon leading all [A] rank demon.

"Got it, Rae you can go back to your position."

"Yes, Sir."

Rae bowed his head slightly and went back to his position.

Noa looks at his soldiers, he can easily tell that they are nervous, no one can blame them at all, it was the first time demons made their appearance through the borders.

Usually, when a dungeon becomes overloaded and monsters come through the dungeon, A demon also comes but one or two at max or when the demon fully consumes the soul of a fallen human, then they can appear in the Etheria.

But here they are coming through the barrier that was made by dwarves and running through Luminar crystal power.

'Someone had betrayed us...' Noa thought so.

"We can't let those filthy demons pass by us," Noa said, to all the heroes who were gathered in front of him.

"If they do pass by us, then the target will be Silva City, the closest city from here."

"We can't let those demons massacre all the people who live there, like they did fifty years ago."

Many people face hardened that mention of 'Fifty years ago'. since most of them are young men or women, they did not see that war but they did hear from people and history books.

"We must kill all the demons who came here at all costs," Noa said as he took out a long black sword from his dimensional bracelet.

Emotions began to ripple through the assembled aerosol, and some even visibly teared up. Many had experienced sacrifices, lost family members, or lived through the horrors of the last war against the demons. The weight of those memories and the impending struggle hung heavy in the air.

As Noa's words resonated, some Heros began to shout out in defiance, their voices growing in strength.

"We won't let them take our homes!"

"We'll fight till the end!"

"They won't defeat us!"

Seeing that his words have some weight, Noa also declares something

"I will fight against [S-] rank demon, while in the meantime all of you must kill fifty [A] rank demon."

-Don't worry sir Noa, just leave the rest of us.

-You can rest assured that we won't disappoint you.

-Let's kill all of those filthy bastards.

Seeing the morals of Heros returned Noa nodded his head in approval.

-Swoosh

"Huff" "Huff"

At that moment a young man came through the base door, he seemed to be in a hurry as he took a deep breath.

He looked at Sir Noa and bowed his head and said

"Sir the demon is within our Archer's attack range, they are just 2km away from our base."

Noa simply noted his head and looked back to all the soldiers in front of him.

"Let's go it's Time to hunt some demons."