But when the three Lord-level bosses vanished, the remaining eerie creatures froze in place as if some essential gear had been ripped out of their machinery. Then, they all turned toward the black crack yawning across in the sky and jumped into it together. The intrusion had stopped. "Did we… survive?" The sudden reversal left everyone stunned. They could only stare as the eerie creatures streamed back into the crack. A long, breathless moment passed before someone spoke up, "Yes. We won!" As the crack faded and color returned to the sky, Aimor thrust his arm into the air and cried, "Soldiers! We claimed victory!" "I'm alive. I'm actually still alive!" "Boss, we made it!' "Sir, see that? We defended the city. We won with Mr. Jones and Mr. Nighthale's help." The battlefield boiled over. Some men wept and shouted, while some mourned the fallen with a heavy heart. However, what mattered was that they all lived after the terrifying attack of the eerie creatures. Leafport still managed to keep a spark of life. "Thank you, Mr. Jones. Thank you, Mr. Nighthale!" Someone cried out their names, and it was the single spark that ignited the crowd like a torch to dry tinder. Under the heavy dusk, a flock of white birds crossed the blood-red sky. The soldiers' cries and roars echoed through the ruined city. A lance stood lodged in the soil, its crimson tassel snapping in the wind. The eerie intrusion of Leafport had ended early. "What…" The surviving players were surprised by the thunderous chants. They had no idea who Merrick was, but Nighthale's name was unmistakable. They wondered if it was the Nighthale that they knew—the mysterious legend who held the number one spot on the Global Leaderboard from day one. Was he also respected even among these NPC powerhouses? Under the crisp caress of the cool breeze, an unnatural silence juxtaposed against the metallic clamor of the roaring conflict. Some players were still adrift in the hollow relief of their narrow escape, while others nervously pulled up the leaderboard with trembling hands. The number at the top of the board had changed to 40, but second place hadn't even reached half of that. "Is this still reality, or was today's nightmare just a hallucination?" One guy stared blankly at the ruined city, unsure what to feel. How is someone out there climbing atop a boss' corpse and soaring into the clouds when everyone else is running for their lives here? … Inside a quiet room in Westhand half a day later, a handsome middle-aged man bolted upright from his bed as he shouted, "Men, will you follow me to death?!" Alan Dankworth gasped desperately for breath, his mind still filled with the image of three terrifying, mighty monstrosities smashing down upon him. Those d*mned Lord-level eerie bosses! He looked up with a grim expression, then froze. It seemed he was in a civilian's home with the soft lamplight and simple furniture. But he was Leafport's City Lord. He should've been on the front, leading the defense himself against the bosses. Yet he was still well alive and lying on a warm bed even after taking a hit from a boss. Something's off! His breathing grew ragged. A terrifying possibility flashed through his mind. Could it be… that I was reborn? Alan checked his body. He clearly remembered blocking one of the eerie bosses' attacks. He had felt his bones shattering and limbs snapping. Not even the best healer in the city could've restored him this perfectly. "I won't let those b*stards enter Leafport no matter what happens." Alan clenched his fists and leapt to his feet. Creak. The door opened, and a young man entered. "Mr. Dankworth, you're awake." The youth looked happy and shocked at the same time. "Ted." Aaron lifted his gaze. "What year is it?" Ted Ashbridge blinked. Oh no. Was the blow to Mr. Dankworth's head that bad? Still, he answered respectfully, "It's Year 666 of the Genesis Calendar." "Year 666?" Alan fell silent. I'm not reborn then. "What's the time now?" he continued to ask. "Mr. Dankworth, one hour has passed since the eerie creatures intruded," Ted replied dutifully. "Is the intrusion over?" Alan's eyes widened. So I wasn't reborn after all.