Kaiden raised his blade high. The runes orbiting his body flared to life, answering his will.

"Girls!" Kaiden roared.

They responded instantly.

Aria planted her staff into the ground and began channeling her energy. Her eyes glowed as the lunar sigils swirled into a concentrated orb above the staff's tip. The air shimmered with radiance as she prepared [Radiant Overload], the upgraded evolution of [Lunar Overload]. The moonlight swelled, forming arcs of energy that radiated outward, threatening to blind anyone not shielding their eyes.

At the same moment, Nyx's fingers danced in the air. Where she had once relied on [Phantom Grasp], now her powers had grown into [Giant's Grasp]. A colossal, spectral hand of starlit energy erupted into reality, wrapping around the monster and pinning it to the ground. Smaller hands sprouted from the main form, gripping its limbs and neck with precision. The beast thrashed violently, but the hands held firm, restraining it completely.

"Ghh!! What a heavy boy this one is…! I don't envy the mom," Nyx grunted, straining so hard that veins began throbbing on her forehead.

Kaiden's aura flared in tandem with their actions.

"Aria, let's do it together!"

"I'm ready, Kai!"

The timing was perfect. The instant Aria unleashed [Radiant Overload], a massive beam of concentrated lunar energy cascaded down in a brilliant crescent, smashing against the monster's carapace. Its light cut through the darkness of the space, overwhelming the creature's senses.

At the same time, Kaiden unleashed [Astral Execution], the upgraded version of [Astral Carving]. He carved multiple, layered runes into the air, each sigil glowing with indigo-purple light that spiraled like tiny constellations.

The runes hovered for a heartbeat, then collapsed downward in a storm of celestial blades, each strike slicing into the monster's obsidian carapace. The impact was deafening, shards of energy embedding into the creature's armor, cracking it further with each collision.

Aria's [Radiant Overload] flared in perfect synchronization, sending a massive beam of lunar energy cascading right into the monster's body, dealing devastating damage.

Nyx's [Giant's Grasp] held the creature in place as her allies did their work, ensuring it was going nowhere.

Kaiden's layered runes converged into a final, glowing brand hovering right on top of the creature. The sigil pulsed, then launched like a homing missile directly into the monster's chest. The impact detonated with blinding light, sending a shockwave through the monsters. The creature screamed while staggering violently. Its plating was now breaking like shattered glass.

The three of them struck in perfect harmony.

Aria's lunar beam seared, Kaiden's celestial blades tore, and Nyx's astral hands restrained, leaving no room for escape.

The monster convulsed violently right before light and magical energy erupted from its core, after which it collapsed into lifeless ruin. Smoke and lingering shards of magic spiraled into the air.

[You've slain Obsidian Terror (Level 35).]

[You've gained 40,872 XP.]

The three stood together for a single moment, marveling at the fallen beast. It was not just a kill. It was a show of absolute domination, arcane precision, and unbreakable control. They were the Paragon of Sin, the Lunar Orbital Striker, and the Queen of Space, each using their advantages in tandem to bring down a foe that none of them could have slain alone.

Kaiden then turned his gaze behind him. The group of civilians they were protecting had grown to nearly fifty, some clutching children, others holding onto the injured. Among them, Sarah looked as flabbergasted as the rest; her wide eyes were busy marveling at their saviors.

"Alright," Kaiden spoke up, gathering attention. "We push forward. Able-bodied and clear-minded, help the others you meet along the way. Grab them, make sure they follow. We're moving as one."

Nyx and Aria flanked him immediately, poised to clear the path and restrain any threats. Behind them, Luna and Bastet took up the rear, cutting down any monsters that tried to pursue.

Sarah, snapping out of her shock, nodded fervently. "Leave it to me, Kai!"

Other men and women mirrored her resolve, rallying to the task despite fear and fatigue.

Kaiden nodded in response, then turned and led the way. Using his wall-breaking method, he smashed through the first of several homes, creating a labyrinthine path that denied the winged beasts any line of sight from above. The civilians followed.

For the next five minutes, they pushed further and further away from the dungeon gate. Each home they moved through became a temporary haven, and each alleyway turned into a strategic chokepoint.

The roar of distant monsters faded into the background as the group weaved through the neighborhood, working seamlessly.

Finally, Kaiden, sweat dripping from his brow and muscles screaming, stumbled slightly as the exhaustion of the past battles caught up with him. Before he could fall, a gust of wind caught him, steadying his descent. A familiar voice sounded over the wind.

"Kids..."

Kaiden noticed the distinct tone without even having to look. Levi the Whirlwind, high-tier awakened, stood before them. He was the same man who rushed to their rescue when Luna's lunatic brother, Theodore, tried to kidnap the girl inside their very first dungeon.

The sight of the calm, confident figure, combined with the wind's power holding him aloft, was enough to make Kaiden sigh with relief.

Backup was finally here.

"I might just hand in my resignation letter after today," Levi joked lightly. "The next generation is way too capable."

Behind Levi, more awakened poured into the streets, descending from rooftops and breaking through barricades. They moved with precision, driving back the monsters and securing the civilians. The neighborhood, once a battlefield of chaos and blood, became a controlled zone under the awakened's command.

Kaiden, Aria, Nyx, Luna, and Bastet finally allowed themselves a moment to collapse against walls and rubble, as exhaustion was quick to overwhelm them. The weight of the day's trials, the sweat, the blood, the near misses, finally came crashing down.

It was over. Finally.

Valhalla's Sinners leaned heavily against each other, breathing in the air thick with dust and magic.

Sarah's voice broke the quiet in the next moment. Her eyes were sparkling with intent.

She wavered at first but became strong. She sank to her knees and bowed deeply before Kaiden and his companions. "You saved us," she said, reverent and breathless. "You are our heroes. You saved our lives."

The civilians, inspired by her example, followed suit.

Men and women, old and young alike, bowed deep or raised their hands in gratitude. "Thank you!" a father shouted, clutching his child tightly. "Thank you for protecting us!" An elderly woman sobbed quietly, shaking Kaiden's hand while murmuring blessings. Children peeked out from their parents' arms, faces alight with awe and tears. The voices blended into a chorus of genuine, fervent appreciation aimed right at the five exhausted combatants.

Kaiden's gaze swept across the crowd and then down to his four companions. Even Bastet, usually aloof and uncaring for outsiders, blinked in surprise.

Then, the four of them exchanged glances. They were happy, joyous, and proud. Their faces reflected an unspoken acknowledgment: what they had accomplished tonight was extraordinary. They had not just survived an attack by strange men and a dungeon outbreak at the same time, but they had even saved the lives of more than a hundred innocents.

Kaiden allowed himself a big smile as the reality of the moment settled in.

Their heroics tonight will have a resounding effect on the future of Valhalla's Sinners. The choices, the risks, the sheer force of will displayed by Kaiden and his four allies had set the stage for something far greater.

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