Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 374 The Hero Returns

The battlefield fell eerily quiet as the severed head of the werefox king rolled to a stop, leaving only the chilling presence of the three remaining werebeast kings. Their brutal act had just been demonstrated, and now their attention turned toward the city.

Far in the distance, atop the city's defensive walls, the soldiers and students surveyed the aftermath of Adrian's daring assault, and though the tide had momentarily turned in their favor, it was clear the battle was far from over.

Commander Serin, standing at the highest point of the walls, observed the remaining forces with a calculating gaze. Roughly three thousand werebeasts still swarmed at the base of the city, including seventy mutants—ferocious, twisted versions of the werebeasts with far more strength. They were probably equal to that of a 5 Stellar Tier Awakeners. Magus ones.

And then there were the kings.

The three towering figures, each as powerful as a Solar Tier Awakener, began to stir.

His brow furrowed.

Neither General Theron nor Principal Eldrich was present to fend off enemies of this magnitude. His heart sank as he thought of the devastating power these kings wielded. Only those on their level could match them, but they were far from reaching that kind of backup in time.

"Activate the barrier!" Commander Serin barked. His voice carried a clear edge of urgency.

A series of magical glyphs ignited across the perimeter of the city, casting a shimmering, thick dome of protective energy over the walls and buildings. The barrier flickered with pulses of light, encasing the entire stronghold in an ethereal glow. Though formidable, it was nothing more than a temporary defense—a desperate attempt to buy time.

"Send distress signals back to the Academy!" Serin ordered. "We need reinforcements from the strongest instructors, now!"

The students, adrenaline coursing through their veins, scrambled to activate their communication bracelets, sending urgent messages back to the Celestial Arcane Academy. Red flares of distress lit up the sky as students and soldiers alike prayed for help.

But there was no time to wait.

"They're moving!" a sharp-eyed soldier called out, pointing toward the horizon where the three werebeast kings had begun their approach.

The largest king, the one who had just executed the werefox king, led the charge. His massive form cut through the dust and debris like a storm, and his eyes gleamed with a vicious hunger for destruction. The other two flanked him, their snarls carrying across the wind as they closed the distance between themselves and the city walls quickly, too quickly.

The entire defense force tensed as the kings arrived. Mages and archers were ready to fire upon them, but the kings were fast—too fast.

They slammed into the barrier with the force of a hurricane.

Boom!

A deafening crash reverberated across the city as the largest werebeast king drove his fist into the shimmering barrier. Tremors shook the ground, and cracks began to spiderweb across the surface of the magical shield. The sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, causing the soldiers and students on the walls to lose their balance momentarily.

"Hold the line!" Commander Serin shouted, though even his voice wavered as he watched the barrier struggle to contain the kings' onslaught.

On the frontlines, both Anthony and Ella kept their units firing at the remaining werebeasts. Magic blasts, arrows, and projectiles rained down upon the enemy forces below, cutting their numbers down as much as possible. But the pressure was immense. Even with the barrier up, the presence of the werebeast kings was suffocating.

"Keep firing! Don't stop!" Anthony bellowed to his comrades, though his own voice faltered when he caught sight of the barrier. His heart pounded in his chest as cracks began to deepen.

Ella, positioned on the other side of the gate, clenched her fists, casting another volley of high-powered magic at the lesser werebeasts. The explosions and attacks sent debris flying as more and more enemies fell. But the sight of the kings' relentless assault on the barrier made her stomach drop.

She cursed herself for being unable to fight against these monsters. Alas, she was just a Stellar Magus. A peak one...

Another thunderous crash echoed as the strongest werebeast king launched a second punch at the barrier, and this time, the entire city trembled.

"Crack!"

"Crack-!"

The magical dome flickered, the cracks spreading like lightning across its surface.

"They're breaking through!" someone shouted in panic.

Before they could brace for the worst, the two other kings lashed out simultaneously, their sharp claws ripping through the air.

"Boom!"

The top of the wall exploded as claw strikes tore through the magical barrier like paper, obliterating a section of the ramparts. Stone and rubble went flying in every direction, and soldiers and students alike scrambled for cover. Some were too slow—caught in the explosion, their bodies thrown back by the force. Shouts of pain and terror filled the air as the injured were dragged away.

Serin barely held his ground, gripping his sword tightly as dust and debris settled. He cursed under his breath.

They weren't ready for this.

The barrier... it was gone.

Panic began to spread through the ranks as they realized the monster kings had broken through. Even as Anthony and Ella's forces continued their desperate attacks on the lesser werebeasts, the shadow of the three monstrous kings now loomed directly over them.

"We need to hold them here!" Serin roared. "Do not let them enter the city!"

But it was too late.

The kings, having shattered the barrier, stepped forward, their expressions cold and predatory. The strongest of the three raised his arm, preparing for another devastating strike that would surely destroy what remained of the city's defenses.

The ground quaked as the werebeasts roared, preparing for the final assault. Enjoy more content from empire

Desperation clung to every breath, as the soldiers and students braced for what seemed like an inevitable massacre. There was no one powerful enough left to stand against the kings.

Until suddenly...

They heard a familiar whistling sound.

"..."

The battlefield fell silent once more as all eyes turned toward the sky, the faint sound of a whistle cutting through the chaos. It was a sound no one expected to hear, especially not after what had just happened.

Both the kings and the soldiers froze, their gazes shifting upwards. High above, a familiar sight soared through the air—a Rylath, its massive wings casting shadows over the broken city walls. But it wasn't just the beast that captured their attention.

There, standing confidently atop the Rylath, was...

Adrian.