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Chapter 161 - The Last Defender

Chapter 161: Chapter 161 - The Last Defender

The Rift Challengers would be left behind—while the monsters would be pulled out of the rift, expelled into the world beyond. And then, the rift itself would collapse, swallowing everything left inside.

That was the standard scenario. The fate everyone feared.

But... that didn’t mean there was no way out. Not in their current state. There was still a chance, some narrow path forward, if they could find it in time.

"Let’s go," Tave said, his voice cutting through the tension. "We need to get out of here and see what’s happening outside."

He was the first to step through the doorway. As soon as he emerged, the wind slammed into him. The darkness had grown even deeper, making every step a struggle.

Thankfully, Vellion took the lead beside him, his Light Element forming a steady glow around his body, acting as a beacon in the storm. He reached back, grasping Lina’s hand to help her stay upright. She was clearly the one having the hardest time navigating through the chaotic condition.

Elowen summoned her elemental magic to anchor herself, letting bursts of wind-based force keep her low and stable on the shifting ground. Finn, clad in his weighted defender armor, stayed firm without much effort.

Tave kept his focus on Vanya, making sure she could move steadily and safely beside him.

Together, the group pushed forward, weaving through the fractured remains of the demon fortress. Overhead, the sky still churned, where the massive tornado continued pulling monster after monster into the spiral tear, one after another, vanishing into the unknown.

They moved swiftly, following a path that led them toward an opening at the far edge of the fortress.

And there, just beyond the crumbling barrier. They saw it.

A battlefield.

Demons had formed a defensive ring around a clearing at the center of the grounds, trying to hold back the surge of monsters pressing in from every side. Explosions erupted at the perimeter, flares of dark magic clashing with beastly roars, claws against steel, power against chaos.

They were encircled. Outnumbered. Fighting not to win. Just to survive another minute.

Tave and the others crouched in the shadows, hidden just beyond the wreckage, waiting. Watching. Listening. They couldn’t move yet. Not until something changed.

And then... It happened.

At the heart of the demon ranks, a sudden flare of light erupted—brilliant and blinding. A massive portal had opened, illuminating the entire battlefield. Around it, the demons were barely holding their line, struggling as the relentless wave of monsters continued to tear into them.

"That’s the portal," Tave said loudly, raising his voice above the howling winds and screams of battle. "The one the demons are using to escape."

It was enough. Everyone understood what he meant.

"We need to sneak in. And get through that portal," he said, voice firm. "It’s our only way out."

Because if they didn’t... they’d die here. Crushed along with everything else when the rift finally collapsed.

Vanya turned to face the group, her expression resolute. "I can use my camouflage skill to cloak all of us."

It was a good plan, maybe their best one. But it wasn’t without risk.

A major obstacle still loomed in front of them: the swarm of monsters encircling the demons. The only way to reach the portal was to slip past that chaos without being touched. One hit, just one, and the camouflage would break.

And in this mess, that could mean instant death.

Because every creature out there, demon or monster, was a tier above them. A single misstep could unravel everything.

They were running out of time. And options.

Forced to think fast, every second counted as they searched for a way through the chaos in front of them.

"I can use my Light Element to draw their attention," Vellion offered quickly.

"I can slip through easily with my ability," Elowen added, her voice calm but sharp with focus.

Tave knew he could fly, and he could carry Vanya with him. But that still left the others. And the clock was ticking.

"We don’t have time!" Finn suddenly shouted, stepping out from their cover. "Look, the portal’s shrinking! Not all the demons are getting through. They’re sacrificing themselves for their leader. If we wait any longer, we’ll be stuck here too!"

Without waiting for permission, Finn sprinted forward, charging into the chaos. Without camouflage.

Tave didn’t hesitate. He nodded to the others, and they all moved at once.

Vanya immediately activated her camouflage skill, spreading it across the group.

Together, they surged into the open, dodging through the battlefield.

All around them, monsters clashed violently with demons. A brutal sea of snarling teeth, bloodied blades, and explosions of magic. The ground shook beneath them. The air was fire and chaos.

They moved quickly, weaving between the surging hordes, trying not to touch anything. Because one hit, one slip, and the camouflage would fail.

And the only thing waiting beyond that... was death.

They came to a sudden stop. No clear path forward.

The chaos ahead was impenetrable.

Finn, at the front, turned sharply, eyes locking on Vellion with a firm, unflinching gaze.

"Vellion, do it now! We agreed. There’s no other way!" he shouted.

Tave’s chest tightened. He knew exactly what Finn meant. And he hated it. It was the kind of choice that tasted like iron in your mouth. Sharp, cold, and bitter.

Even Tave held his breath as the weight of it all sank in.

"But Finn, we can still try—" Vellion began.

"No!" Finn stepped forward, grabbed Vellion by the shoulder, and held him in place.

"A leader has to know when it’s time to make the hard call! I hate this too. But it’s the only way. Light me up!"

"Finn—" Elowen tried to intervene, but her voice cracked. "Vellion can come back for you after he gets Lina out."

Finn’s expression hardened. "No. Don’t lie to yourselves. You know damn well there’s no guarantee any of us are getting out unless we go all in."

He took a breath. The fire in his eyes didn’t flicker. "This is my role. I’m the last defender. And I’ll hold the line."

He turned back to Vellion, gaze fierce, jaw tight. "Do it now. Let me finish this the way I was meant to."

At that moment, Lina finally spoke through her tears. "It should’ve been me... Finn, let me be the one who stayed behind."

"Enough, Lina!" Finn’s voice had no room for argument. "You barely made it out alive. Your sister is waiting for you. That’s the end of it. No more debate."

Tave’s hands trembled, fists clenched tight. He hated it. This helplessness, this impossible choice. And yet... there was nothing he could do.

"There’s no time left!" Finn shouted. "This is an honor for me, Vellion!"

And then. Vellion nodded.

A pulse of light began to radiate from Finn’s body, growing brighter with each heartbeat until it cast long shadows behind the others. One by one, the crew stepped back, giving space. Leaving him to stand alone, the beacon that would draw the monsters to him.

Elowen’s jaw clenched hard. Then, with no more words, she vanished into the chaos, slipping between the gaps of the horde.

"Go! Now!" Finn bellowed, his voice booming through the storm.

Vellion turned to him one last time, lowering his head in solemn respect. "You held the line for us, brother. I will carry this light forward."

He lifted Lina skyward. In a burst of energy, he shot into the darkness.

Then it came. A blinding explosion of brilliance from where Finn stood, so fierce it swallowed the surrounding darkness whole.

Monsters turned. Demons halted.

Everything shifted, drawn toward that single, searing flare of radiance.

Tave could no longer see Finn’s figure in the blaze.

Without hesitation, he summoned his Gaia Wings and wrapped one arm around Vanya, pulling her close.

And with a hard thrust of his wings, they launched into the air, racing to escape before the demons could realign, before the sacrifice lost its chance to matter.

He flew through the darkness, wings slicing the thick, chaotic air. From above, he could still see the demons locked in desperate battle, trying to hold back the endless tide of monsters from every direction.

Tave could feel it in his chest, that relentless pressure. But he pushed on, holding Vanya close as they soared.

He knew Elowen had made it through. Vellion too.

He grit his teeth and tightened his grip around Vanya, who hadn’t said a word since Finn’s last stand. Her silence weighed even heavier than the storm around them.

Tave beat his wings hard, angled low, and with a final burst of speed. They slipped through the portal, unnoticed by the demons.

He didn’t look back. He couldn’t. Because the moment he did, he would have to accept that someone had stayed behind. Someone who, despite his stubbornness and flaws, had chosen to carry the burden none of them could.

Finn had become the shield.

The last wall.

He had done his part until the very end.

And because of that... they lived.

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