Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

571. Heroism

It had been months since the Elves declared war on the Human lands. But the battles were still as brutal as ever— the Elven soldiers still fought as ferociously as they did at the very start of the war. It was said that Elves lived longer than Humans, and because of that, their sense of time was different. To them, the war had just started. But for the Humans, it felt like the war had been raging for a long time. 

Perhaps there were alternate explanations to it. At least, there seemed to be a plausible explanation as to why the Humans were not fighting with the same vigor of the Elves. And that was because they were tired.

The United Coalition of the Human Lands had expended much of their resources and manpower to repel the invasion of the Demon King. The constant battles had taken its toll. Even if it was not lengthy, each battle was intense— against forces of Demons that were far more dangerous than even the Elves.

That was not to detract from the dangers the Elves posed to the Human lands. However, there was a difference between fighting a constant swarm of high-leveled soldiers in the Demons. They even utilized hordes and hordes of so-called ‘wild Demons’. Each one of them fought savagely without any concern for their own lives.

So there were plenty of casualties from this brief incursion with the Demon King’s forces. Even Elites had fallen in battle. That which was such a rarity— even wars between the largest nations rarely ever resulted in the death of anyone above Level 150. Most of them typically died of old age or pure recklessness. Some simply disappeared, never to be heard from again.

However, the intensity of the Demon invasion aside, there had also been the protracted battle with Belzu— a Primeval Demon who somehow found his way here into the Mortal Realm. He had amassed an army of monsters and even brought forth the destruction of an entire country. He had killed an Elite. He had destroyed hundreds of towns and over a dozen cities. He displaced millions. He had been a thorn in the side of the Human lands for a long time before he had finally been defeated at the Motharis Mountain Range.

That was why the Humans were exhausted. They were tired of fighting. It was like they had been struck by one disaster after another— a constant barrage of calamities that had never been seen since the Alexandrian Era.

It had affected morale at the front lines of the battlefield. The soldiers who were fighting for their lives prayed that the constant fighting would soon come to an end. They wanted to leave the front lines. They wanted to see their loved ones again. But they couldn’t. They had to continue fighting if they wanted to have loved ones to return to. 

It was exhausting. It was tiresome. Even though Kacey hadn’t partaken in repelling Belzu, she found herself wishing she no longer had to fight. 

She was a [Crusader]. She was Diamond Ranked— far higher-leveled than most of the soldiers who took the battlefield. She had been training all her life to be the perfect sword for the Den of Souls. 

But she was tired. She wanted to rest. However, she had no other choice but to fight. She couldn’t let herself pause for even a moment here on the battlefield because of a single reason. Because he was still fighting.

Kacey raised her head to see the torn landscape littered with corpses. The bodies of both Elves and Humans lay collapsed on the grassy ground. The battle was almost over. It had been an hour since it began, and already tens of thousands lay dead. But even as the advancement of the United Coalition of the Human Lands slowed, a blurred figure continued to cut through the swathes of Elven soldiers.

It was like a whirlwind of blades was tearing through the first ranks of the Elves. Kacey could only stare in awe at the destruction being wreaked. And it wasn’t just her. A line of soldiers stood by her side, watching the battle from a distance. 

“How…?”

A voice asked. One of the soldiers could only gape in shock at the scene. Another voice replied.

“Is that an Elite? I didn’t think we had an Elite with us!”

“That’s not an Elite.”

Kacey said as she shook her head. She narrowed her eyes, before sighing.

“At least, not yet.”

“Then who is that?”

The soldier asked, turning to her. The [Crusader] took in a deep breath as she unsheathed her sword.

“That is Daniel Song— our [Hero].”

“What…?”

The soldiers exchanged a glance. They gasped, and a susurration swept over their numbers. They stared in wonder as Daniel continued cutting down the Elven soldiers. They couldn’t believe their eyes.

Neither could Kacey. She remembered how just a year ago, Daniel was barely around her level. She had met him when the United Coalition of the Human Lands had just been recently formed, and back then, she was assigned to watch over him. But over time, she saw how he had grown and had come to respect him. 

Even though he had been a [Hero], he was quite weak— nothing like what she expected from when she first heard about him. But now, it seemed like he encapsulated what it meant to be a [Hero].

He swung his sword down, shearing through a group of a dozen Elven soldiers. Each of them wore enchanted armor— proof that they weren’t just mere footsoldiers. But they didn’t even stand a chance against the [Hero].

Daniel took a step back as the Elven soldiers collapsed, crumpling onto the ground with their limbs sliced off. He wiped the sweat off his brow before a voice called out.

“Watch out!”

Kacey’s eyes widened, watching as a dozen glowing arrows fell from the sky. A winged figure descended from the clouds, and riding atop it was an Elf with a bow aimed his way. One of the soldiers gasped.

“That’s… a Griffin Herald!”

“What level is he?”

“He has to be at least Level 125, right?”

The Elven [Archer] continued unleash a volley of arrows down at Daniel. But the [Hero] countered with a flurry of his own strikes, blocking the attacks.

“[A Hundred Quick Strikes]! And—”

Daniel leapt into the air as the Griffin Herald blinked. Kacey watched the [Hero] soar through the air, blade glinting brightly in the sunset. The Griffin itself tried to tip out of the way, but Daniel was faster. 

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

He swung up with his blade, yelling as he reached the Griffin Herald. Kacey blinked, and the Eleven [Archer] fell out of the sky. Daniel landed as he sheathed his sword, glancing back down to the remaining Elven soldiers in the distance. They stared at him in shock and horror as he faced them.

Kacey blinked, before shaking her head. She turned to the United Coalition of the Human Lands soldiers. They were staring too. But then she urged them forward.

“Come on, what are you idiots standing for? Let’s go!”

She started forward as they followed after her. They rallied behind Daniel with a war cry, and the Elven soldiers blinked. For a moment, the remnants of the Elven army hesitated— then they finally broke out of their stupor and retreated. They cried out in fear as they Humans pursued them.

And the battle was over.

—--

“I can’t believe it! He was fighting like an Elite! He cut down that Diamond Ranked Griffin Herald like nothing!”

“Well, he is a [Hero], isn’t he?”

“I mean, I heard from a friend that the [Hero] was a weakling— but he’s not even Level 150, and I reckon he can take Laux Lionfist in a fight!”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously!”

“Don’t let Laux Lionfist catch you saying that!”

“It’s not meant to be an insult— plus, isn’t the [Hero] Level 147? He should be getting close to becoming an Elite by now.”

“Yeah, but—”

After the battle was over, everyone was talking about Daniel’s performance. Of course they were. He had quietly arrived here with his escort of [Crusaders] yesterday, and in a single battle, repelled the besieging Elves from the fort city of Taritos. 

The soldiers of the fortress hadn’t even known he was coming here. In fact, Daniel had only informed the city of Soros that he would be reinforcing their borders just the other day. And he moved fast without being slowed down by a following army. Only Kacey and a few dozen other high-leveled [Crusaders] accompanied him at any given time.

He went to where he was needed— like a [Hero]. And Kacey couldn’t help but respect him for that.

She strode up to his room after the battle, giving him an approving nod.

“Good job, today. Did you gain any levels from the Griffin Herald?”

Daniel glanced back at her simply as he rummaged through a Bag of Holding. He shook his head as he hefted it over his shoulders.

“I did not.”

“That is unfortunate. I would have hoped the Griffin Herald could have pushed you over the edge to your Class advancement.”

“Mhm…”

The [Hero] made a sound of affirmation as he started past her, but he didn’t respond to her comment. She frowned as she placed a hand on her chin.

“Perhaps we could pursue— wait, where are you going?”

Kacey blinked as he exited his room. He walked down the crenellations of the fortress without paying her any mind. 

“Are we relocating battlefields? I heard that the city of Wisha is in need of—”

“No.”

Daniel replied simply. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at him.

“Then what are you doing?”

He glanced back at her dismissively and held her gaze.

“I’m leaving the battlefield entirely. That’s it, really.”

“What…?”

And Kacey could only blink in response.