A loud drum sounded. Soldiers shouted, and the ground trembled with the approach of the beast tide.
The old man stood up quickly, sparing Void a glance before rushing outside.
Beside him, Linkir was panicking. Just moments ago, she thought the church had arrived, but instead, a disaster loomed. For the warning drums to sound and the soldiers' alarmed shouts to echo across the village meant one thing—an Archmage-level monster was leading the charge, accompanied by several mage-level beasts.
"Void... please, can you help?" Linkir pleaded, her voice desperate. She knew Void had settled in the heart of the forest, where even the archmage monster wouldn't dare approach. That meant Void was either as powerful or even stronger.
Void grinned, amused by her fear. "Oh, dear. I didn't quite catch that. Say it again," he teased.
Linkir's mind went blank. What was she thinking? Asking a demon for help? She snorted and stormed out in frustration.
"This will be fun," Void chuckled, rising to follow. Outside, soldiers were already stepping into the teleportation circles, heading to the front lines.
Linkir ran to her uncle. "Uncle, I can help. Give me a weapon!" she demanded, urgency in her voice. They had no time to waste—every moment delayed gave their people less hope of survival.
"No, you can't. You're important. You're chosen now," her uncle refused, tightening his grip on his equipment. "I will fight for us."
"But I'm already at the knight level! I'll be a great help!" Linkir argued.
"No, Linkir. You are a saint and my only family. I won't risk your life. End of discussion."
"Uncle, every minute we hold them off gives others a chance to escape. I'll go with or without equipment," she shot back.
"You're a saint. The God of Light will sense our plight and send help," her uncle insisted, a weary smile on his face.
Linkir's voice softened. "Uncle, you're my last family. And this village is my home. What's the point of being a saint if I'm left all alone? I have to protect them... I'll die with them if I have to."
Her uncle looked at her, finally realizing she had grown up. With a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Suit up."
Void watched the exchange with a smile, finding their determination amusing. As the soldiers hurried to the teleportation circles, Void mused, "This might not be a war after all—more like a massacre." With a grin, he entered one of the circles.
When Void arrived at the battlefield, the pungent smell of blood filled the air. What was once a bustling market was now a scene of death, with the bodies of orcs and monsters scattered everywhere. The soldiers' screams echoed through the chaos, and Void's eyes tracked the endless horde of monsters stretching across the horizon.
"Aah, I need a better view," Void muttered, teleporting to the roof of a nearby house. "Much better," he said with a grin, watching the battle unfold beneath him.
"I could use some popcorn. This is like watching a live-action movie," Void said, amused by the chaos. From his vantage point, he could see how pitifully outmatched the orcs were against the monsters.
Yet, despite being severely outnumbered, the orcs fought with everything they had. Their desperate hope was both inspiring and foolish. Even in the face of certain death, they refused to give in.
Void watched his new servant, amused by her fierce determination. The sight of her cute little face, now drenched in blood, entertained him. She was clearly giving it her all. Though Linkir didn't speak, her expression was clear—she was ready to die in this war.
While fighting, Linkir heard a loud noise and turned to see her uncle on the ground, clutching his shoulder—one of his arms was missing. A mage-level monster loomed over him, ready to finish the job.
"No!" Linkir screamed, sprinting toward her uncle. But she wasn't fast enough. Desperate, she transformed into her Aeron form. It came naturally, like moving a limb. The transformation was seamless.
A demonic presence filled the air, catching the attention of both monsters and orcs alike. The orcs were stunned—this was their princess, yet now she looked no different from the very monsters attacking them. In an instant, Linkir reached her uncle and beheaded the mage-level monster.
Void clapped at the spectacle, impressed by the brutality. As a demon, the urge to join the battle stirred within him, but he suppressed it. He was more interested in watching—for now. Besides, his attention was drawn to two distinctive human souls atop a nearby mountain. He was curious to see what they would do.
Linkir's stats flashed before Void's eyes:
- **Host:** Linkir
- **Race:** Orc
- **Rank:** 0 - High Level
- **Strength:** Peak
- **Stamina:** High
- **Speed:** High
- **Blessing:** Chosen (Enhanced concentration and affinity with the element of light)
- **Aeron:** Merged with the Abyss, now holds the potential to become the Daughter of Destiny.
Void noted how her potential had more than doubled since her transformation. With her strength at its peak, she could now take down other high-level Rank 0 beings with ease.
Linkir, now a savage beast, tore into the horde of monsters. In seconds, she had felled over five hundred monsters, clearing a small area. It momentarily eased the pressure on the orcs, but the space quickly filled with more enemies. Realizing that killing the cannon fodder wouldn't be enough, Linkir shifted her focus to the knight and mage-level monsters.
After slaying dozens of mage-level monsters, a powerful roar shook the battlefield.
"Raaaaaasr!"
The roar was so intense that it caused blood to leak from the ears of those below mage level. Linkir felt an immense pressure focused solely on her. The Archmage monster had arrived, furious at the destruction she had wrought.
As both orcs and monsters ceased fighting, all eyes turned to Linkir. Her people stepped back, frightened by the power aimed at her. Linkir smiled at them, but her heart was heavy. The soldiers were drenched in blood, terror on their faces, while her uncle still writhed in pain, clutching his severed arm.
"I guess this is it for me," Linkir muttered. She glanced at Void. Though she knew he was a demon and her master now, she hoped—foolishly—that he might show some concern. But all she saw was amusement on his face.
Tears welled in her eyes as she turned back to face the giant monster. Its form towered above her, a massive creature with no visible end. It glared down at the tiny being who had dared kill its subordinates and raised its colossal fist to crush her. Linkir closed her eyes, bracing for the end.
But the blow never came.
Linkir slowly opened her eyes to see a golden figure standing before her. The fist of the giant monster was being held back by a single woman in golden armor, her hair flowing backward. Without emitting any visible aura, this woman alone had stopped the massive blow.
"Are you okay?" the woman asked, turning back toward Linkir. Stunned, Linkir could only nod. This woman was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, far surpassing anyone she had known. Though Linkir was also beautiful, she felt like a moth before the sun in comparison.
Seeing the God of Light's totem on the woman's armor, Linkir realized the church had finally arrived.
"Not you," the woman said, her voice hardening. "What are you—a monster?" She asked, glaring at the red-skinned creature before her.
Linkir blinked, confused. Then it hit her—the woman hadn't been asking *her* if she was okay. She had been asking the orcs. Now, she was talking about Linkir as if she were a monster. Slowly, Linkir looked down at her hands. Instead of fingers, she saw long, blood-soaked talons.
Her arms were bulkier, more monstrous. She realized then that she had truly become something else—perhaps the Aeron Void had mentioned.
"What have you done to me?" Linkir asked herself, trembling in horror.
Meanwhile, the woman in golden armor, Ariya, slashed through the monster's fist with her sword, severing both its hand and its massive body in one clean stroke.
Boom.
The battlefield fell silent. The monsters were shocked by their king's sudden death, while the orcs stared in awe of Ariya's power. But Ariya's gaze remained on the trembling form of Linkir. "Do you know this... *thing*?" she asked, frowning.
Silence. The orcs hesitated, unsure how to respond. The woman before them was one of the church's highest warriors, and associating with monsters meant death. Then, finally, a voice called out from the back of the crowd.
"No, we don't know this beast!"
Like a signal, the rest of the orcs followed. "We don't know her!"
Linkir stood frozen, heartbroken. The very people she had been willing to die for had just disowned her. Her eyes burned red with tears, her body trembling uncontrollably. But she still held onto one hope. She turned to her uncle, the man she had saved, hoping he would clear her name.
But instead, his voice broke her heart completely.
"I... I don't know her either," he said.
Tears streamed down Linkir's face as her mind collapsed. How could he deny her? Even after everything, even after saving him, he disowned her. Her uncle looked away, ashamed, but resigned. He had no choice. To associate with a monster meant the village would be labeled as rebels, and the church would destroy them.
He couldn't sacrifice the lives of the entire village for his worthless nephew—no longer a saint, no longer anyone of importance.
"I really don't know this beast," the old man repeated in his mind.
Ariya nodded, her expression cold. She had heard enough. "Well, this marks the end of you," she said, raising her sword to deliver the final blow.
*************************†*****************************†
Thank you Alayot for the edit and thank you ultraman and daoistnaCel for the power stones. Thank you guys for adding it to your library and I thank the readers for your support. It means a lot to me.