"Seems the next phase will begin soon.... Jessie are you ready?" Ryuu who also witnessed Frostine's entrance turned to Jessie the mage corps' vice leader. Their job would be to restrict the frost monarch, Lord Frostine so he couldn't interfere with the battlefield. A tall ask given their comparative powers but something Ryuu was confident in doing as long as Jessie assisted him.
Ryuu's mastery over fire magic would grant him a slight elemental advantage with his spells thus allowing him to overcome some of the power difference and along with Jessie's earth style magic which was geared towards defence they had exactly what they needed to restrain this mighty foe. Taking him down however wouldn't be as easy.
"Don't worry Ryuu I've got your back." Jessie replied in a playful tone before taking a step forward towards a specially prepared platform just for the two of them. There were no signs of fear or trepidation in her face or demeanour instead she was excited and felt a fire in her veins that she hadn't felt since her youth.
A wide smile grew on her lips as she absorbed the surrounding mana like a starving child, preparing a grand welcome for the enemy commander.
The platform prepared for the two of them was lined with magic devices that aided in accumulating and enhancing mana on an individual level rather than for large groups, this way the two of them would be able to endure a battle of attrition against a B-rank monster with almost unreal mana capabilities and that's before the monster stampede.
Thanks to the influx of mana corruption the ambient mana in the air was far higher than normal. Though it was rather chaotic this didn't affect high rank monsters as much as sapients in fact under such circumstances a frost monarch would see their spells become even more powerful and their mana regeneration grow.
Without the prepared war machines and magic devices, the forces of Furano would be at a clear disadvantage.
Ryuu smiled after hearing her response and with his limbs trembling from excitement, he joined her on this platform and began accumulating mana.
Lord Frostine arrived in front of the treeline in a grandiose manner, his aura stretching forth so as to draw the attention of the sapients fighting for their very lives. He wanted to pressure them further, make them feel despair and weaken their resolve.
The other B-rank monsters followed closely behind him making for a very impactful display. Present were the three rindars, the B-rank poison herald as well as another 5 entry level B-rank monsters, 3 of which were newly unveiled and anxious to join the battle. Many exhausted soldiers couldn't help but grow weak in the knees upon seeing this line-up.
However, before Frostine could get too cocky Ryuu and Jessie attacked in earnest, summoning some of their most powerful 4th circle spells with excellent synergy.
A fire bird made of azure flames appeared above Ryuu while a great earthen salamander manifested before Jessie. The two mana lifeforms roared out before flying and leaping towards Frostine respectively.
"Tsk!" Frostine clicked his tongue in annoyance, wanting to enjoy the spoils of his entrance for a little longer.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Frostine's gaze drifted over the remaining two rindars and the other B-rank he ordered forward. His tone was filled with unveiled threat and the B-ranks not ordered forward either looked on in a gloating manner or let out sighs of relief.
Fearing that they'd be struck down then and there the two rindars and the other B-rank monster made their way forward with anxious steps.
Frostine chuckled in derision before focusing back on his magic contest with Ryuu and Jessie.
"Chaylen bring our personal forces into the direct fray; I want Furano's frontline decimated after this wave." Frostine spoke to an upper C-ranked spirit monster that was one of his kin.
"Understood Lord Frostine." Chaylen performed a light bow before moving to take command of their spirit monster forces.
Frostine then looked toward the B-rank poison herald.
"Have your forces move out as well, harm as many of them as you can regardless of the cost." He spoke with that threatening tone once again, it was clear that like the other B-ranks he only really cared about his own forces.
The B-rank poison herald frowned in displeasure but was powerless to disobey, he sent the order down through one of his own subordinates and a moment later swarms of poison heralds and spirit monsters that were adept in magic took to the battlefield.
Frostine didn't care about the rindars in the slightest, but the poison herald was a different story. Even though he also failed in his mission and sported a plethora of internal injuries thanks to his face off against Hamon he was still useful as were his subordinates. Poison was a really annoying thing to have to deal with while also fighting for your dear life against unsurmountable foes.
With the worry of poison the forces of Furano would be under even more pressure but more than that the poison heralds would ensure that their reserves would be completely spent by tomorrow.
Frostine looked up at the sky that had been lit by with the magic device [solar dawn] not so long ago as well as the confrontation between his ice serpent and Ryuu and Jessie's firebird and earthen salamander.
"I wonder how long you can hold out. Desperation will only take you so far. Once Valend comes tomorrow your end will be nigh and we'll be free of this insufferable urging." Frostine grabbed his forehead as he spoke, the mutterings of his instincts constantly whispering in his ear, ordering him to kill and decimate the southlands' towns and cities, Furano most of all.
Frostine had been alive during the previous monster stampede but even then, when he was weaker, he wasn't ensnared by the corruption and stayed within his territory, ignoring the happenings of the outside world. This time however not only was he a proud and powerful frost monarch ensnared but so was a frost giant as well as something even greater.
A frightening change that left him rather unsettled but powerless to do anything about. Only when the mission was done or when their strongest leaders were defeated would this crusade end.