Corrupt Creations

Seth and Rina continued their journey, passing through many different Elven cities. As they were reaching the borders, Rina was able to see that the quantity of humans was increasing more and more. 

Right now, they have just left a city that had at least three humans out of ten people she saw on the streets. 

"We've arrived at the Ygnolia forest. At the other side of it, is where the Human Territory is. Are you prepared Rina?" 

Rina was wearing her green cape and her hood was up, giving her a mysterious feeling. 

"Sure." 

"Then let's go." 

Both of them entered the Ygnolia forest and after traveling more than twenty kilometers inside it, Seth felt that something was off. 

"Something is off Rina." 

"Hm? Is there anything wrong?" 

"Haven't you noticed? We weren't attacked by a beast until now. Right here, is where most Mana Perception mid to late-stage beasts live in, but there are none here." 

"They must be hiding, no?" 

"That could only apply to most of them, but not all of them. Let's keep going, but make sure you tell me anything different you notice." 

"Okay." 

They kept advancing for many hours until Seth realized that they were close to reaching the other side. They were able to travel fast, since they didn't need to stop even once to fight against enemies. This is something unheard of. 

Beasts were a very territorial type of living being, so they tended to attack anyone that trespassed a certain bound. However, throughout the whole journey through the forest, they were not attacked even once. 

After thirty more minutes, Seth and Rina left the Ygnolia Forest and were able to see the walls of the Hilkhell city from afar. 

"Wow! Is that how humans build their cities?" Rina's eyes started to admire anything new she was seeing. 

"Yes. However, there is something off with everything." Seth activated his Soul Sense to observe what was happening at the city walls. 

His eyebrows creased after he realized that things were not so simple there. 

"Come, let's go. Make sure to stay alert, there is a conflict ongoing." 

"Conflict?" Rina took Seth's words to heart and started to pay her full attention on everything. 

They arrived near the gate where there were many beast bodies lying on the ground. Right after passing through the gate, they saw many soldiers were dead with varying degrees of injuries. There were signs of battle everywhere, as if there was a war between beasts and humans. 

Rina covered her mouth with her hands while feeling shocked. The quantity of bodies she had seen just after they entered the city was already numbering three digits. 

"What have happened here?" 

"I don't know. Give me a second, I will expand my senses to the maximum." 

Seth activated his Soul Sense at full power, and he was able to sense what was happening ten kilometers away. Coincidently, it was where the City Lord lived, right at the heart of the city. 

He felt that there was a huge group of beasts gathering in that area. It seemed they were pushing against something, using their most powerful attacks against it. 

"I found something. Let's hurry." 

The duo started to sprint towards that place. 

. 

. 

. 

"City Lord, the barrier is not going to last much longer! What are your orders?" 

Colton Hilkhell was leading the last group of guards still able resist the beast tide they had suffered. Since the time those random beast attacks started to occur on the villages nearby, the situation has been getting worse. 

It had only worsened and even Seth and Lilian's help the last time, hadn't changed anything. Last week, the situation has reached the apex. Suddenly, they suffered a massive beast attack coming from the Ygnolia Forest. Many Mana Perception Realm beasts attacked at the same time and the entire garrison had entered the battle. 

The battle has been going for an entire week, with slow and fast developments, until it reached the state it was in. More than ninety percent of his troops died protecting the city. The citizens had been quickly relocated and Colton Hilkhell stood behind with his last five hundred men, to protect the city from the beast tide. 

Those men gathered inside his mansion and they activated the defensive barrier to protect that point, while they kept waiting for reinforcements. 

The Hilkhell city was part of small country, called Tough Marble Country. It was named after the technique they used to polish their marble stones with Mana, creating defensive barriers around it. 

That's precisely what was holding the beats outside the mansion. However, they knew that it was only buying them time and soon the battle would resume. 

Colton Hilkhell turned to look at the soldiers of his last battalion and said: "We can't count with the reinforcements! Get ready for battle, since it can begin anytime. After the Tough Marble barrier is broken, make sure to enter the formation, battling the beasts from left and right. We need to..." 

Crack! 

Everyone heard the sound of the barrier shattering and they knew that the time has come. 

Colton entered his battle position and the soldiers very quickly aligned themselves like they had trained. 

Roar! 

The first beast started to assault the mansion after the barrier fell. It destroyed the frontal gate and invaded it from there. 

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! 

Many arrows pierced it, killing that beast instantly. However, a second later, a stronger beast invaded the mansion passing over that beast body and advancing towards the soldiers. 

Some seconds later, another beast invaded the mansion, however, it had destroyed a side wall, fighting the guards that were positioned around there. 

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! 

Many walls were thoroughly destroyed and different types of beasts started to flood the mansion through everywhere. Very quickly, the entire place turned into a bloody battlefield, where humans and beasts were fighting madly. 

ROAR! 

GROWL! 

Two Mana Perception Realm beasts released their aura, making many guards tremble in fear. They were not able to fight against an enemy at that power level.. The only Mana Perception initial-stage Realm cultivator among them, was Colton Hilkhell.