"Everyone, fall back!" While the special class students and Tristan’s soldiers were fighting, a loud voice boomed through the surroundings. It belonged to Nox. At first, the soldiers were confused. They looked at their leader, their eyes seeming to ask for permission. One could see the desperation and uncertainty in them. The scared leader peeled his eyes away from them and approached Nox. "Do you have any plans?" he asked. "We’d like to retreat too, as you can see, to take a little rest. But if we fall back right now, there’s a high chance that the horde will chase us." "I know." Nox nodded his head. "But you have to remember, rest is important. We’ll only take a pause if we must—not quit." "Y-you’re not wrong." The man was slightly taken aback by Nox’s deep words. He couldn’t help but admire Nox’s mindset. Brandon was just a leader in name. He operated like a supervisor, always standing on the side and watching everyone. It was as if he swore not to even touch a single monster, which was infuriating. All the soldiers glared at him with disgust. He was clearly the one with the highest level among the reinforcements from the Vermilion Kingdom, yet he had watched as one of Tristan’s soldiers had fallen—as if nothing had happened. It was as if he didn’t care about the soldiers’ lives and was here for an entirely different reason altogether. Unlike Brandon, who was the supposed leader of this operation, Nox was much more proactive and made active decisions on the battlefield. Because of his habit of taking charge, the leader of this battalion had acknowledged Nox as the second-in-command. "So what do you suggest?" the scared man named Luton asked eagerly. "Simple. For now, call back all soldiers and students," Nox stated without even looking at Luton. Without hesitation, Luton channeled mana into his lungs and gave the command. The next instant, they all disengaged from the monsters they were fighting and rushed back to their camp. Their sudden action took even the beasts by surprise, leaving them momentarily confused about what to do. It was only when the first monster gave chase that the others followed. "What now? Are we just going to run like this?" Find exclusive stories on freewebnovel "Those damn things are chasing us!" "Oh shit, fucking shit! They’ll catch up soon!" Meanwhile, as everyone was running back, Nox remained standing in his spot, his arms tucked into his pants pockets. His dark hair whipped around in the wind, and his midnight eyes were locked onto the approaching tide of beasts. This action was reckless in the eyes of the soldiers and students. Many turned their heads back in shock, their faces filled with confusion and panic. "What the hell is he doing?" someone shouted. "He’s not running?" "He’ll get torn apart!" Luton, who had just reached the fallback point, clenched his fists. "Damn it! Is he insane? Was this his genius plan?" Nox exhaled slowly, his gaze calm. He could hear the thundering stampede, the snarls, and the roars growing louder. The horde of monsters—dozens of them, ranging from mutated wolves to towering ogres—rushed toward him with unrelenting ferocity. And yet, he stood there, unfazed. Then— [Titanrock Barrier (Ultimate)] A defensive-type skill that conjures a colossal wall of Titanrock, an indestructible mineral infused with ancient earth energy. Absolute Defense: Reduces all incoming damage by 90%. Shockwave Pulse: Releases a seismic shockwave upon impact, knocking back enemies within a 20-meter radius. Regenerative Structure: Repairs minor cracks within 10 seconds, ensuring continuous durability. Fortress Mode: The wall can be expanded when reinforced with extra mana. Consumes 500 MP per activation. Lasts 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 seconds. "The Fortress Mode can expand the wall, right? I have enough MP points. Whenever the wall collapses, I can always build another one several meters back. If I can do this for 30 minutes, the soldiers will be more than energized to fight." Nox mumbled to himself as the monstrous tide grew closer. All these thoughts barely consumed a second before Nox’s eyes snapped wide. "Yes... let’s do this. Let’s see how long I can keep this up!" "[Titanrock Barrier—Activated!]" BOOM! The ground trembled violently as a colossal wall of Titanrock erupted from the earth, stretching across the battlefield like an indomitable fortress. A deafening rumble echoed as the 30-meter-high, 5-meter-thick barrier solidified, its surface gleaming with ancient runic inscriptions. The sheer scale of the wall left the soldiers and students in stunned silence. "W-what the hell!?" "A wall?! No way! That thing looks impenetrable!" Even Luton, who had questioned Nox’s plan, was left speechless. His mouth hung open as he stared at the towering construct blocking the monster tide. The monsters, however, did not stop. Fueled by their beastial instincts, they crashed into the Titanrock Barrier. BANG! BANG! BANG! A massive ogre swung its club, sending shockwaves through the air. But instead of shattering the wall, a Shockwave Pulse rippled outward, sending the creature flying backward and knocking over several monsters behind it. Wolves clawed at the rock, but their attacks barely left a scratch. A mutated scorpion attempted to climb, but the Regenerative Structure repaired any cracks before they could spread. The horde screeched and howled in frustration. Nox, standing at the base of the wall with his arms still tucked into his pockets, smirked. "Good. This should hold them for now." But he wasn’t done yet. "Fortress Mode—Expand!" The Titanrock Barrier stretched even further, extending across the battlefield. The monsters that had tried to circle around were met with another impassable wall. They were trapped. The battlefield transformed into a cage of stone, sealing the horde within an unbreakable prison. Gasps echoed behind Nox. "He caged them in…" "He actually trapped all the monsters inside the wall!" "This is insane! How can a student do this?!" Even Luton, who had fought in countless battles, couldn’t comprehend what he was witnessing. He turned to Wendy, who had also retreated, expecting her to say something. But Wendy’s face was pale. She had nothing to say. Nox, on the other hand, remained indifferent. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the mana drain from maintaining the wall. "500 MP per activation. If I maintain this for 30 minutes, it’ll cost me 30,000 MP. That’s impossible… but if I cycle the cooldowns properly, reinforcing only when necessary, I can extend it far longer." His gaze sharpened. "Let’s see how long you bastards can struggle." The battlefield was no longer a desperate retreat. Now, Nox had turned the tide. And for the first time, the soldiers realized— They weren’t following some student’s orders. They were following a monster in human skin.