The Earth’s Dragon was shaking directly beneath him, and while managing his bouncy movements, Subaru moistened his parched lips with a lick.

Right on schedule, the alarm on his mobile phone blared, notifying him of the White Whale’s appearance on the darkening Leafaus Highway.

About a minute or so—within that time frame, it would show itself. The problem was that the time and location were not precisely determined down to the second or the coordinates.

Subaru looked around, sharpening his senses, preparing for that moment.

And just as he thought the moonlight was blocked by clouds, he realized those clouds were merely the belly of an overwhelmingly large being, and witnessed the completion of his memories.

At the same moment, just like Subaru, those around him began to notice the presence, and the atmosphere of agitation started to spread, as everyone waited for the signal of a simultaneous attack to be given.

However, from the moment Crusch held her breath, it was by the slightest margin that Subaru and the others were quicker.

“—Let’s smash it!!”

“—Alhumma!!”

Responding to Subaru’s scream, Rem infused the mana she had already started gathering with directionality through her incantation. Four long ice spears, monstrous enough to resemble a bundle of great trees, were created and thrust forward with the momentum of splitting wind into the girth of the beast.

The sound of the spearheads being crushed against something hard resonated, and just before they were shattered, the tips slightly embedded into the Mist Beast’s belly, forcing the wound open and penetrating inward—blood gushed forth.

The White Whale’s scream echoed across the plains, and while Subaru and Rem rode their Earth Dragon, they dashed forward in one surge.

—Let it be known, this was not due to Subaru and the others being overly hasty.

If they hadn’t been able to move in that moment, or had even delayed by a fraction of a second, the surprise attack would have been detected by the White Whale.

That fleeting moment was the crucial dividing line. And while even someone as exceptional as Crusch held her breath in the face of the White Whale’s grandeur, she too understood that even a minute hesitation could mean the difference between life and death.

Things would stir—no matter how confidently one considered it, when faced with the facts, ripples were born in the human heart. Even the smallest ripple created distortions in thoughts, leading to stagnation, and stagnation invited defeat—this battle was precariously close to commencing under unfavorable conditions.

Yet still, the fact that Subaru and the others made it there in time could be summarized in one term: “the power of love.”

The existence and reliability of the magic tools—Crusch and her allies’ hesitation by a fraction lay in an unfounded doubt toward that aspect. No wonder they were anxious about the unseen beast, leading to a slight shadow in their judgment.

However, Rem held onto Subaru’s words, unwaveringly believing that the White Whale would appear at that moment. Consequently, she was able to prepare the most powerful magic she could muster and unleash it simultaneously as soon as she confirmed the White Whale’s emergence.

If this isn’t what we call Rem’s love, what else can it be called?

“Analyzing this is super embarrassing—!!”

“Subaru-kun, hold on tighter! You’re going to fall off!”

As Subaru nervously pondered his own strategy for initiating the conflict, Rem, wielding the reins of the Earth Dragon, shouted in reminder. Her words indicated part of the plan—The second stage after the opening strike.

“Everyone—follow those fools!!”

Behind them, Crusch, slightly falling behind as Subaru and the others surged forth, barked orders, causing the expedition team to ignite their cannons one after another—the embedded magic stones were fired, exploding midair, transforming into the destructive force that matched their colors, striking the White Whale’s torso in succession.

Flames, ice, and clumps of earth struck like blades, spears, and hammers, forcing the wound made by Rem to widen, as blood mist surged from the writhing giant and rained down dark crimson upon the highway.

Avoiding the bloody deluge that covered his view like a drizzle, the Earth Dragon maneuvered agilely, aiming to circle around the White Whale’s rear. This was the flow as planned.

“I’ll make it aware of my existence and let the expedition team take its back—!!”

“The Purifying Crystal is about to shatter, close your eyes!!”

Having already entered a battle state, Rem’s pure white horns peeked from her forehead.

Looking up, he followed Rem’s instructions as she bared her teeth in a snarl; Subaru complied by looking down and shutting his eyes—then in the next moment, the world blinked.

Brilliant light exploded in the sky, incinerating the world in white brilliance in an instant.

Even through his closed eyelids, the overwhelming intensity of light was enough to constrict Subaru’s throat in shock. Moments later, as he cautiously opened his eyes to survey his surroundings,

“Whoa, just as I was told. Amazing!”

The darkness of night was cut away, revealing a world that left no doubt it was bathed in midday brightness.

Above, shining in place of the already-submerged sun was the “Crystal of Purification,” fired simultaneously with the surprise attack on the White Whale. This crystal, which created a pseudo light source when shattered, was supposed to only cast a dim glow to break the darkness—but now,

“By smashing the countless ones I hoarded, I produced a pseudo-sun!”

“It’d be hard to find the White Whale at night, even with its massive body. —Now, here we go!”

The two leading merchants of the Royal Capital had combined forces, running around gathering crystals. The Leafaus Highway, previously steeped in the dark of night, was now flooded with daytime brightness, vividly illuminating the world that had relied solely on moonlight until now.

In other words, it was also when—

“That is…!”

—when the “White Whale,” a creature to which he had never been able to clearly witness under sunlight, finally became unveiled.

“—!!”

Enraged by being exposed to the light of day, the giant mouth of the White Whale opened, roaring with fury. The sound produced transcended mere noise, bordering on acts of destruction. The atmosphere shook, and even the trained Earth Dragon felt a shudder of terror from its violent roar.

Its monstrous form oozed blood from every part of its body, yet it did not lose any of its vitality; it looked down upon the humans that dared to challenge it.

“What enormous size…”

Subaru’s throat trembled as if it couldn’t help but vibrate; he lost feeling in his limbs, frozen in place. The threat the White Whale posed, which he had only previously seen from afar, towered over anything he had experienced before.

The White Whale—true to its name, it was covered entirely in white.

Its skin, rugged like a rock surface, was lined with countless strands of white fur, rendering it impervious to conventional attacks. While its silhouette was undeniably similar to that of a whale in his knowledge, its size far exceeded his expectations, superseding them by leagues.

From Subaru’s understanding, the largest whale known to man is the blue whale—a creature measuring around thirty meters in length, undoubtedly the largest and heaviest mammal on Earth.

Yet the body of the White Whale before him effortlessly exceeded thirty meters, approaching a size close to fifty meters. At this point, it seemed to be more akin to a mountain than a living creature.

A single white rocky mountain was floating in the air as if it were some kind of joke.

“Subaru-kun.”

A voice called out to him as his teeth began to chatter in fear, unable to maintain composure, a girl stood there, turning her small body to embrace him.

From just inches away, he could hear her breath as she refused to look at him,

“Are you scared?”

It wasn’t a provocation; it was a call of trust.

Gritting his teeth, Subaru forced his mouth to twist into a grin,

“Yeah, I’m scared—about how shiny my future will be when I defeat that thing and get all the praise!”

Jokingly responding to the girl’s expectations, he gave her shoulder a pat from behind.

“I entrust my life to you! Now, let’s escape like crazy!”

“Rem’s life belongs to Subaru-kun too. —Then let’s do it.”

With a thumbs up and a brave directive to flee, Rem smiled softly and flicked the reins. The Earth Dragon neighed, charging through the earth, undaunted even before the monstrous sight.

Their destination was aimed at the lower right of the White Whale, intended to circle and position themselves next to the tail.

As they cruised ahead, the White Whale’s giant eye turned toward them. Its maw opened wide enough to swallow an entire house, with a mouth resembling a stone mortar sucking in the air, preparing to unleash a roar upon them.

The previous roar that had interrupted their charge was poised to strike again, as Subaru braced himself—just then,

“You’ve quite underestimated those who are looking elsewhere—!!”

An invisible blade flashed horizontally, slicing shallowly across the White Whale’s head.

Without even a sound of blade against stone, the blow cut through its hardened surface, and blood gushed again from the White Whale’s massive body.

Turning to its source of attack, leading the charge alongside the expedition team was Crusch upon her sleek Earth Dragon. Standing atop its darkened back and unleashing a valiant proclamation was the refined woman—her severed arm bore,

“She’s… not holding anything…!?”

“A blade of incorporeal nature, famed for the ‘Hundred Sword Style’—it’s the swordsmanship of Lady Crusch!”

In response to Subaru’s astonishment, Rem answered in a low voice.

Though he was unfamiliar with the legend itself, the gist of it was painfully clear; the fact that Crusch appeared to be unarmed was commendable.

Depriving the White Whale of its preemptive actions with the invisible blade, a follow-up attack ensued.

The team unleashed the magic stones one after another, delivering concentrated fire to the White Whale’s massive body, and the writhing giant began to lose altitude.

The White Whale, previously soaring at the same height as the clouds, began to lower, finally putting it at—

“—the distance within reach of a blade.”

The Earth Dragon leapt into the air, its massive body surprisingly airy as it soared upwards. Even still, when comparing against the formidable White Whale, the difference in mass was undeniable. To the White Whale, the Earth Dragon that hovered at its nose would surely seem akin to an insignificant bug.

—Yet the blade flashed down to cut deeply through the nose of that beast.

The sight of silver slicing through its white rocky skin rang in the silence. The chaotic sounds of battle that resounded amidst the din faded altogether. It was not from a spell, nor a magic-infused stone; it bore the proof of a solid iron mass swung by human hands.

This was proof that the expanse of human will, built over a lengthy lifetime, had indeed reached the nose of the magical beast that stained the world in white.

“—Fourteen years.”

The blade remained embedded in the split nose, silhouetted against the backdrop of a crouching figure quietly murmuring.

Maintaining his stance with the other blade held as a counterbalance, the blood-soaked steel dried on his back—radiating a chilling sword energy that warped the very atmosphere.

“All this time, I’ve been hoping for this day.”

The shadow stretched, standing tall as the White Whale twisted its form. It seemed as if it was trying to fling the one gripping its nose off, the giant body rolling through the air like a barrel.

The fierce winds swept across the highway, causing everyone to hold their breath and widen their eyes in astonishment at the results of the giant’s writhing movements.

However,

“—!!”

As it turned its mass back into position, the White Whale trembled in its throat with pain, thrashing its tail and spilling bright blood. It now bore the twin marks of the vertical and horizontal wounds from earlier, a cross-like scar across its back, followed by a shadow stepping lightly upon it.

—The Sword Demon grinned, his wrinkled face distorting into a cruel smile.

“Here you fall, and expose your corpse. —You’re just a piece of meat.”

With that, he readied his stance, wielding the swords in both hands like a windmill slicing through the air.

The blade sliced from its head down to its tail, hacking mercilessly through the rocky exterior of the White Whale. This once-strong, resilient rock was effortlessly halved, casting dark blood mist across the sky, and the figure of the Sword Demon, indeed, emanated an aura of an unrivaled “sword ghost.”

Overcome with enmity, the huge body of the White Whale shook violently, unable to retaliate against the agile old swordsman. Once more, it spun, cloaked in a tempest of wind as it swam into the sky.

“You’re so kind to make it easy for me to slash through you.”

Just as the White Whale was about to spin in the air, Wilhelm leapt upwards, planting his blade to float momentarily. As the massive body of the White Whale turned, his blade cut cleanly through it, with the White Whale inadvertantly offering its own body to the blade.

Bathing in the full splendor of fresh blood, the Sword Demon chuckled. Laughing, the old warrior hoisted both swords overhead, bringing them crashing down upon the side of the massive form. As the blades were sheered into the side of the beast, they gouged out its flesh, cleaving down into the very core.

A scream cleaved through the atmosphere, shredding the air as Wilhelm descended upon the White Whale. Just before impact, the tail of the White Whale swung sideways, aimed directly at Wilhelm, but just in time, the Earth Dragon he rode darted in and scooped up the old swordsman, dodging the attack.

Yet as the White Whale raged, preparing to follow Wilhelm,

“Shut it, fool! We’re your opponents too!!”

A colossal axe burst forth into the White Whale’s mouth, gouging out a sizeable amount from the root of its teeth, with a dull sound heralding the ejection of yellowed molars.

As this occurred, a figure mounted upon a Liger, gliding above the air, raised a shout of applause; it was Ricardo. The grand dog, epitomized for its nimbleness compared to its Earth Dragon counterpart, unleashed its agility while maintaining its charge atop the soaring White Whale’s back.

“There’s no end until the very end!!!”

While running on the back of the racing Liger, Ricardo hurled spit and curses as his axe descended again, shattering stone and tearing through flesh, spilling blood in a torrent. The Liger followed suit, utterly flaunting its claws and teeth, digging deeper and wider into the formed wounds.

Following Ricardo’s furious pace came,

“Let’s go!”

“Sis, don’t charge too far ahead! Everyone, now’s your chance!”

The feline beastman twins mounted upon a smaller Liger dispersed as they directed the beastman mercenary group to swarm over the White Whale’s vast form, beginning their tyrannical assault.

Swords and spears were thrust, many being deflected off the rocky surface, yet damage was undoubtedly being dealt through the broken exterior. It was as if they were a swarm of parasites attacking a beast.

Clinging around its massive body, elongating its wounds even if just a sliver, the White Whale revealed its greatest weakness in mobility, struggling while faced with the agile attackers、

“—Everyone, disengage!!”

Crusch’s furious voice reverberated through the battlefield, causing the mercenaries clinging to the White Whale to leap back in unison. The airborne Liger elegantly descended, finding firm ground, but as the White Whale spun around, preparing to retaliate, it made the grave error of exposing its flank.

“You’ve displayed your side—!”

Crusch swung down with her second strike from above—an overwhelming cut diagonally cut into the side of the White Whale, pursued closely by another wave of attacks.

The attacks were sourced from the unit that had not begun their assault and had instead solely focused on building their magic spells.

“—!!”

The chants overlapped, forming destruction summoned by the honed mana. In the sky, a contradictive scene unfolded wherein both a sun and moon occupied the same space, as a second sun arose low in the sky.

Recognizing that this was an amalgamation of fire magic’s power was incomprehensible, so beholden was Subaru to the horrifying intensity generated by the flames that even at a distance, the heat began to scorch his skin, threatening to evaporate the moisture from his eyeballs.

As the gargantuan fireball, with a diameter exceeding ten meters, attained its velocity,

“—Whoa!!”

That initial force turned to acceleration as the massive fireball critically impacted the White Whale’s flank—setting the gaping wound ablaze, raising its internal temperature and agitating its entrails, the White Whale’s scream and the explosive sounds echoed brightly into the night sky.

The fireball’s fragments scattered fiery debris across the plains, and the mercenaries below scrambled to evade the flames. Subaru and Rem joined the scramble to distance themselves while keeping their eyes locked on the White Whale, its white fur ablaze.

This overwhelming success of a surprise attack—the White Whale was defenseless, unable to retaliate as they achieved a success exceeding all expectations. Would they really be able to navigate through this battle effortlessly without taking any damage?

“I think it really took a hit! This could be our ticket to victory, right!?”

Once at a safe distance where the flame’s residual heat couldn’t reach them, Subaru raised his fist in joy atop the back of the Earth Dragon.

Indeed, they had suppressed the White Whale significantly and dealt non-trivial damage so far. Whether the former expedition team lacked strength or if their preparations had been impeccably pristine, they felt an exhilarating sense of victory lay on the horizon.

However, in answer to Subaru’s exuberant remarks,

“No. —Honestly, I had hoped to send it crashing down right there.”

Shaking her head, Rem glared regretfully at the blazing beast hovering in the sky.

Drawn in by her statement, Subaru lifted his gaze, scrutinizing the creature that had ignited its white fur. Although flames danced across its body, it twisted as if trying to extinguish itself, without any sign of quenching the fire. Despite numerous cuts from slashes and magical stones dotting its flesh, it was clear the wounds were not debilitating.

At the very least,

“The altitude… hasn’t dropped.”

The White Whale’s massive body was still glaring down from the heavens above.

It was not out of reach of the Liger’s jumps, yet it was far too high for a person to challenge by themselves. Most importantly, they needed to bring it down to shift focus to the next plan.

“We’ve used every card at the onset. If it remains aloft after this, it’ll mean those endurance capabilities are something else altogether.”

Carrying his massive axe on his shoulder, Ricardo approached.

He sniffed with his dog-like nose, whiskers twitching as he gazed up at the White Whale.

“From what I can gather, breaking through that thick hide will not be easy. It’s likely a brute-force endeavor, or one needs techniques comparable to Wilhelm’s to wear it down.”

“That may hold true for physical attacks; however, magical assaults seem to get through, don’t they?”

“That’s still iffy. Initially, it may seem like the attacks are landing effectively, but the white fur covering its skin scatters the mana and reduces the impact. The damage from Rem’s attacks isn’t as pressing as it appears.”

Rem sighed, feeling aggrieved her strongest magic wasn’t being effective.

Subaru turned toward her words, noticing that while the White Whale had shallow cuts on its body, none appeared troublesome enough to hinder combat. Nevertheless,

“That last fire magic burned off the white fur, and it looked like it landed!”

“Burning off the mana-spreading fur allows the underneath skin to be sliced with blades—it’s that simple.”

Agreeing with Subaru’s analysis, Ricardo bared his fangs fiercely.

He then lowered the axe and thumped the side of the Liger, turning his head to speed back toward the front lines once more.

“Same plan as before, we’ll chip away its strength! Make sure to ask Crusch to unleash that big move of hers at crucial points too!!”

Without waiting for a response, he dove beneath the White Whale again, leaping to target its back.

It seemed Wilhelm, once pulled back to distance himself, was also aiming for the White Whale, with the expedition team swiftly running to the same conclusion they had reached.

In other words, they were continuing the full-on assault.

“Given the current situation, we’re all focused on inflicting maximum damage, so getting close would only hinder us. Rem, can’t we hit it with a spell?”

“If I try for the same power level as earlier, it’ll take too long to chant… and really, my mana dispersal is ineffective against it, so that build up won’t yield any damage. Anything less would be insufficient power.”

Following Ricardo’s earlier theory, it was indeed far more plausible for Rem to charge in with a morning star in hand and deal direct strikes to the rock-hard flesh.

However, for that to happen, Subaru had to act as a Ї shackle, and if they wanted to adhere to the future plan he had devised, Subaru and Rem could not split up at this point.

“As frustrating as it is, all we can do is wait for the next move…!”

“We share the same exasperation, you know?”

Speaking that way, another Earth Dragon ran alongside Subaru’s dragging at a reduced pace. Adorned in protective gear, riding on the heavily armored dragon was the lightly armored knight—Felix.

He mischievously narrowed his eyes, directing his gaze toward Subaru.

“With limited offensive means, Felix-chan is merely watching the scene, huh? While I’m used to it, the frustration is always there, you know?”

“For your part, you’re the lifeline of this expedition with your healing specialization. It’d be a problem if you charged in. Just stick to your job, please.”

Subaru countered as Felix maintained his usual attitude despite the situation. Felix arched an eyebrow in surprise at his response,

“Seems you’ve had a change of heart, Subaru-kun. What happened?”

“If I had to say, I’ve become a bit more of an adequate man.”

Scanning the shifting battlefield, Subaru munched on bitter thoughts, responding with a sullen expression. Felix, in turn, placed a finger on his mouth, contemplating.

“Could it be that Rem-chan turned Subaru-kun into a man?”

That answer was both a yes and a no.

Frustrated by Felix’s crude display, Subaru nearly shouted at the knight, but just then,

“Wilhelm-samaa—!!”

At Rem’s shout, they swiftly turned their attention back forward to spot the figure of the old swordsman galloping across the White Whale’s back.

Holding his sword down vertically, Wilhelm slashed his blade vertically down the back of the White Whale. As he ran from tail to back, blood erupted in a geyser-like burst trailing behind him.

This was truly the manifestation of tremendous activity.

Now buoyed by Wilhem’s astounding display, the morale of the expedition team shot up, and the already relentless barrage of magic stone projectiles and the strategic maneuvering of the mercenary Ligers intensified.

Cries of pain escaped from the White Whale, hanging in frustration amidst the air, completely unable to retaliate against such ferocity.

The Mist Beast—bearing an appearance that had long tormented the world, Subaru felt the winds of fortune shift in their favor.

“Cheeea!!!”

With a massive blast of strength, Wilhelm’s blade bifurcated the head of the White Whale, the agile old warrior leaping off its tip. He spun in midair and faced the White Whale head-on.

“Hoa!!!”

Suddenly above, Ricardo leaped forward, swinging down his axe with intensity.

The edge of the blade wasn’t aimed toward the White Whale but rather at the upside-down Wilhelm. Wilhelm aligned his feet to match the impact.

“Shii—!!”

As Wilhelm was propelled away, the dual-handed sword slashed across the giant’s face, tearing savagely between its nose and cheek.

The White Whale was brutally shredded, blood and carnage spilling forth, yet Wilhelm was unyielding, adjusting his grip on the swords and thrusting forward—

“—!!”

The ginormous left eye of the White Whale was pieced through deeply by the blade, and the lens of its eye burst forth in a stream of crystalline liquid. Wilhelm released that blade right away and pulled out two more from his waist, unleashing a series of flashes—

The encroaching slashes split the top and bottom of the eye simultaneously, and as the returned edges of the blades sliced the injury’s sides, behold—

“The left eye is gone—!”

The square strike deeply gouged into the eye, and the left eye of the White Whale was severed.

What someone had voiced earlier had become reality as the severed eye crashed down, leaving behind a trail of blood and ocular fluid, crashing and splintering the ground below.

Moments later, the eye landed next to where Wilhelm had just descended. Without missing a beat, he plunged his sword into the fallen eye, hoisting it upward as if presenting it for the White Whale to see.

“—How foolish.”

With a grim smile painted across his face, Wilhelm delivered that one remark.

The Sword Demon’s fiercely waged battle left the White Whale helpless and at the mercy of its craftiness. No longer were they simply subject to the whims of its size—it was the mismatch of battle prowess that overwhelmed all conceits.

However, this act of provocation led to—

“The White Whale’s eye color…!”

“It’s coming!!”

“Subaru-kun, lower your head—!!”

The moment they realized the shift, Felix shouted, and Rem sharply accelerated the Earth Dragon.

The rush of wind swept over them as he braced himself against the sudden acceleration, Subaru fixed his gaze on the White Whale, forcing himself to remember its monstrous outline— and then,

“—!!”

It let out a roar, and the void where its eye had once been now blushed a vivid red.

The eye, stained in blood, gazed downwards as the furious rage over being blind in one eye appeared, the White Whale tilted its huge form toward the retreating expedition team, and instantly, a strange change enveloped its body.

—The moment it began to emerge, Subaru’s loathing surged forth, unable to be contained.

The White Whale’s mouth opened.

No, to be more precise, the descriptive phrasing wouldn’t fit; it was more accurate to say—

—Countless mouths sprouted from the entire body of the White Whale, all gaping wide with exposed teeth.

“—!!”

A banshee-like roar erupted, trembling the air over the plains as the sound clawed painfully at the psyche of anyone who heard it.

Not just humans, even animals like Earth Dragons and Ligers quaked at the tone of that voice. Instinctively, it beckoned to them, causing legs to falter, rendering the beings defenseless against their prey.

And then,

“——ah.”

From every mouth across the White Whale’s body, a “Fog” erupted, enveloping the world in white.

In mere moments, it rained down upon the entire plain. The light they had captured was seized from the environment, gradually being obliterated into a pure white blanket.

—The roar of the Mist Beast soared, and the difficulty of the assault escalated dramatically.

The conclusion of the White Whale hunt remains obscured—.