****(POV)

The day that we were fearing all along has finally come. The task of defending this world from the Abyss Devourers is the only reason we are still alive.

I have been in this village for centuries already, so long that I lost track of time, we all did. It doesn't help that besides growing carrots there was nothing much for us to do.

Then came a stranger. A young man that was clearly extremely depressed accompanied by a small white wolf. We still have no idea where he came from or how it all happened, but the barrier was destroyed.

For some reason, he was able to leave even with the spell in place and he journeyed to the dwarven city to bring back help. Just when we were celebrating our success, it appeared. A disgusting and weak-looking creature. One that has the appearance of a big insect.

I rushed and killed it instantly. We may not look like it, but we are all rank 3 to the very least. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been chosen to guard this place. Plus our teamwork was honed over the years. Frankly, we had nothing better to do.

We instantly all take formation. This may be pointless but we will try our best. At least to kill as many of the creatures as we can. No, this is pointless for sure. These things reproduce so fast once they eat mana. Plus the more there are and the weaker we'll become.

Now there are hundreds about to arrive. We all steady our hearts for the last showdown. That's when we hear the dwarf shouting.

"If you can somehow hold them long enough the entrance will close by itself! We just need to kill the whole first wave and then it should be fine!"

"Understood!"

As much as we understand I'm pretty sure we'll fail. Nevertheless, we will put everything on the line. It is time we retire anyway. No matter the casualties we suffer we just need to win, at all costs.

Then, many spawn. We slash, murder, crush, we all have our own fighting styles. Yet we somehow all work in perfect harmony. We all share the same sentiment I am sure. We willingly will give our lives for the cause.

Still, so far we are managing. The enemies are only rank 2. There is still hope. Well, that is until we run out of mana. These normal Abyss devourers are not that bad. They can only eat mana that comes into direct contact with them.

That is when a bigger one appears! Seems I was rejoicing too soon. This one is clearly a rank 3. It has a special ability. Their very presence can drain the ambient mana. This makes using spells extremely hard no matter how careful we are.

Then some more appear. Each rank 3 simply hides in the pack without ever coming forward. Getting to them is literally impossible. There are so many bodies stacked on top of each other.

"We need to kill these mana suckers!"

"Suicide attack?"

"That's probably our only option, yes."

"Wait! Move out of the way, you all! It's acid time!"

The old mage that came back with the young man is launching a huge acid bubble toward the creatures.

We barely move out of the way that it collides with them. It kills more and more as it falls but eventually the ball has been diluted with so much insect juice that it loses all acidic properties.

Yes, it did kill hundreds but meanwhile even more have been spawning. We are screwed! That is when appears a gigantic one compared to the others. Oh no! This is bad!

"If this one manages to come here this continent is doomed! Quick, try to destroy the space there to mess with it!"

The dwarf screams: "What the hell is that thing?" Meanwhile, he's swinging his weapon around helping.

"This is a rank 4 one incoming! They have a frightening ability! They can create a null magic area that even disables physical enhancement!"

I see everyone shake at my words. We try to use as many big attacks as possible toward that specific spot. But it doesn't work, we only manage to kill tons of the weaklings that throw their bodies at the spells. It doesn't help that the rank 3 are sucking the mana in the air all the while.

*SCREECH!*

Finally, it manages to cross over…we tried our best, but it was all for naught. This continent will get destroyed. All our lives were for nothing. We failed in the end. Forgive us.

That's when I see a small wolf out of the corner of my eye. It's our fault. If only we had told the young man about the barrier sooner. We didn't know he could exit the village. Everything would have been fine.

It slowly advances toward the rank 4. I'm about to scream at her to go back. That it's dangerous, but then I realize it doesn't matter. We will all die anyway. Now or a few hours or days later doesn't matter.

Wolfie slowly approaches and then happens a scene I will never forget.

An incredible quantity of mana starts accumulating in the area. At an unbelievable rate. All toward the small wolf. How?! Impossible!

Then she simply swipes her claw. The hundreds of rank 2 creatures, the many rank 3, the rank 4 …all get shredded into instants. A colorless liquid flows everywhere along with the bug mush.

The fight that could only end up with our demise is over in one move. I can't believe my eyes.

"What the fuck! Wolfie, you were so strong?!"

"I mean, it's his pet so…at this point, it's to be expected."

Somehow the dwarf doesn't even seem surprised. This is insane! How is this even possible?! What is her identity?! What's his identity?!

Did the world just get saved by one wolf?! Just as we are about to celebrate, we see more space fluctuations, there will be many more of these creatures. The worst is this is all wave one.

There is also a clear crack in the space opening. This will become a direct link to the subspace they inhabit. One that they will be able to use with no delay whatsoever. Instead of a few hundreds teleporting it will become a few thousand directly walking over.

Once more we are doomed. Except if Wolfie manages to create a miracle.

That is when I see something out of the corner of my eye again. There is the youngster coming this way. He seems to be yawning with his eyes half-closed. He seems to be walking toward...

"Careful!"

He turns his head to look at me, but he keeps walking in the meantime.

[Eh, *yawn* what's up?]

That is when he just happens to walk directly in there, disappearing from sight.

Oh god! Did he really just enter the enemy's den?! He will be appearing right in their midst on their home ground to boot!

Surviving this is clearly impossible! Yet, why is Wolfie not panicking one bit?!