Ren looked on at the shattered sky, bow in hand, waiting patiently for her commands. It would be suicide to act on her own it a situation like this. Sunny stood close by absentmindedly, worried if what they were doing could be seen as the right thing, but quickly focused on the task at hand. 

"The 'Husk Who Returns Home'? What is that supposed to be?" Ren asked to fill the silence.

"I only know as much as you." Sunny replied flatly. He was curious, but without answers.

"It should be starting soon. Everyone is making their final adjustments now." The duo watched as crowds of hunters collected themselves and lined up accordingly. Together, the two lead the Support Team. Their two divisions would account for any mobs that showed up on the battlefield and assisting or protecting the Attack and Defense Teams. 

'No matter how you look at it, this isn't enough.' Sunny thought. In a raid, it was quality over quantity, however since the Association leaders made no exceptions in the hunter who would fight this battle, the responsibility of a division leader was that much more daunting.
Those without achievements that were good enough to be considered on par with first generation hunters by the system wouldn't be of much help in this battle, regardless of talent.

"Even the Duke-Level Earth Spirits that followed the Dragon would have taken 10 of these guys. There's no way they thought this through." he lamented. The loss of life would be a heavy burden that the world had to recover from.

In their divisions, Mages were spaced intermittently. Among their division were those that were naturally resistant to most debuffs. In addition those mages could buff over long distances and even themselves for greater protection. Together with Lyn, they came up with a strategy that could best defend against unknown variables.

"It would be nice if there were more mages with buff skills but it can't be helped. At least that Archmage is somewhere around here." Ren complained. Sunny nodded in agreement, but kept paying close attention to his [Relay Stone]. Of course, she couldn't leave him to his thoughts.

"Hey? Let's focus now 'kay Sun? These hunters' lives matter too" She remarked, taking her place at the foreground.

Sunny gave the stone one last glance then put it on a hook at his waist, designed specifically for it, then he shouted.
"Everyone! Focus and ready your spells!" In unison, the Support Team started coordinated various spells to maximize every team's efficiency.

The Attack Parties were already in position. The Defense made their rounds as well. The time had come for the greatest siege any group of hunters had launched to commence  Calamity to arrive.

. . .

The crack in the sky that was only growing larger began to shine. Like a dam had been split, a wave of life force crashed down on the formidable army of hunters.

"That's from one enemy..?"
"Can we really do this..?"
"Oh god..."

Throughout the army, the newer hunters could not help but voice their worry.

'These people really shouldn't be here, and the Defense Division is shivering..' Ren thought.
Although they were mixed everywhere, it was the team with the largest amount of new generation hunters. It's leader was none other than the Association Branch's Vice President, Dr. William Knox, as if the Association were saying they were taking full responsibility for their lives.
'But still that isn't enough.'

In any case, they were closest to the wave and yet the managed to avoid the intense pressure.

'Even while leading the new generation, this force should be enough to take down an [Earth Dragon] but I can't calculate the potential loss here.'
Ren could not stop herself from worrying. If they succeeded, a golden age of hunters could be born from this achievement, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

"Ahh~ it's too much of a distraction." She whined. Attempting to stay focused was difficult even for her. With the skills benefiting her status, Ren pushed out any thoughts beyond the battle for a moment. Just then looming over the army-

A shock wave a life force permeated through the crack.
The first sight of the Calamity could be seen.

The monster hooked onto the crack in the sky and pulled itself towards the ground, stretching the hole in the sky even further. Instinctively the first generation hunters could feel the difference between it and any monster they've faced before, and the new generation couldn't shake off their fear.

Regardless the attack division armed themselves, the defense raised their magic barriers and shields, and the support division chanted their spells. Fear was nothing new to those who risked their lives.

Without giving it a chance to attack first, a wave a magic spells were launch at the creature-

BOOM!

-A cloud of life force exploded off it, directly towards the attack division. The mages of the support and defensive divisions casted their spells and kept barrier up that stopped the kickback with their combined efforts.

'It's tough' Knox thought. It was the only thought he could spare as the Calamity looked unfazed. The mass didn't have any features that could tell you how it felt, but Knox could tell it was moving toward it's goal regardless.
Even more tense, the army gained a sense of how the battle would be going forward as more people came to this realization.

Yet you couldn't really call it a proper battle as the Calamity hasn't fought back.

Just then a warning came from the system.
[Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home'] is unleashing the spell [Permanent Sleep]!]

"W-what?" 
"How can a skill like that even exist...?"
The army wavered. For the first time they were truly unsure if they could put up a fight against the monster.

"Cast any resistance blessings you can! Across the entire army! We can at least lower the effects of the spell!" Sunny shouted with determination to not abandon the battle.

'We'll go all out from here' Knox quickly decided, as he signaled the command to unleash their strongest attacks.

[Greater Resistance has been cast!]

Knox ignored the system window as he only focused on his spell [Chain Fireball].

A molten mass of heat and light floated above the attack party. The skill allowed for the attack division to all focus their energy into one attack, greatly increasing it's power. 
'A skill that I created for a second [Earth Dragon]. Let's see if you can take it.' Confident, Knox launched the spell while the Calamity's slow moving body couldn't out maneuver it.

At the same time the effects of [Permanent Sleep] reached the attack division. Most of the attack division faltered and fell asleep as they put their all into the gigantic fireball and couldn't defend themselves.

BOOM! RNNNG!

A deafening sound of an explosion rang out, but an unfamiliar sound accompanied it.

'That ringing?' Only then Knox noticed it. The fireball didn't connect with the enemy.

"No wonder it seemed unfazed, it was never hurt in the first place.." Knox felt the true power of the Calamity. He was the first to realize it truly couldn't be stopped as a larger wave of life force rushed towards the attack division again. There was no time to think of those who had already reached their limits and succumbed to the one spell.

The defense stood strong against the wave. Since the attack division had mostly crumbled, their formation changed to protect their sleeping comrades along with the Support division. Immediately the army was put on the defensive. Their efforts were all put towards stalling for a long enough moment, hoping to be able to wake up the rest of the army if only they could keep themselves awake, and try a new tactic.

The Calamity again moved further towards the ground. It payed the army no attention even as it moved.
'How absurd.' Sunny remarked. He rushed foward to move to Ren's side, and commanded the army, while appointing the Head Mage as the new lead of the support division.
'The defense won't need help, but our attack force is in danger' Sunny sighed, unsure how to go forward from here.

Ren stared at the Calamity as it grew closer towards the ground. 'Is that close enough for him?' She thought while she moved towards towards the attack division, Sunny close behind.

. . .

The Calamity's aura began to kick up dust and the even the weapons of some hunters who fell to the [Permanent Sleep] status.

Sunny noticed Ren's dark expression as she stood over some of the attack force. It had only been an exchange of blows yet she was already carrying that familiar gaze.

"..It's impossible" she muttered.

"What?" Sunny asked while moving to the hunter closest to him.

"No matter what technique I use, those who didn't get that blessing aren't getting up. We won't have enough time to do another blessing for the entire attack force if it launches another spell." Ren was ready to remove them from the battle entirely to ensure their safety.

But Sunny didn't stop there. "Mage! I need high level mages to wake the attack force."

Quickly 15 Mages responded to the order. It was a unfortunately small amount compared to the size of the whole attack division, but Sunny was more than prepared for that weakness.

Sunny quickly moved to convene with the Mages and give orders, but Ren only stood absentmindedly. 
She glanced down at her relay stones once again and activated the escape signal. 

There was no response. 

Sunny noticed the stone's glow at his hip. He got no response either no response either. As the mages went to fulfill their duty, he glanced but he couldn't even begin to locate the original traces Lyn's position in the dust storm. He could barely see the entirety of the Attack division in front of him.

'What an oversight.' He thought, his hands shaking with anxiety. He had been able to keep his calm before but as he began to put the factors together he began to feel a sharp sense of dread. 'We won't be able to fight like this.'

"Let's leave." he said, now carrying a dark expression as well. He snapped to the mages who relayed that to the ones in charge.

"The Captain is calling for a retreat! We cannot fight in these conditions! Please prioritize saving these hunters!" The mages relayed the order to the army as they moved to create a portal out of the domain.

'No.' Ren didn't move.

"Captain we must leave! We cannot guarantee even the safety of our lives if we wait any longer!" One of the mages spoke up, worried for not just her but the army of hunters.

'No.' She stared at the relay signal. Just a response. Even if it wasn't the right stone, just if one of the stones started glowing she could spare some hope.

"Ren." Sunny grabed her arm, and rushed towards the portal the mages were starting to form, with the help of the Archmage.

Ignoring the tears in his own eyes, he continued to shout orders for the mages to cast blessings across the battle field while as few as possible focus on the portal. They couldn't abandon those that they cared for in the other divisions so easily, and were subconciously delaying their own escape.

To save anyone they could, they had to try something.

Ren, who finally came to, shook Sunny's hand off.

"I know where he is, Sunny. I'll make sure he's safe." She said abruptly.

Sunny's vision became blurry as Ren rushed off it to the cloud of dust. The chaotic atmosphere of the army and the aura of the Calamity are getting impossible to ignore.

If only they could all get out safely and create a finer strategy for raiding that monster. If only they could get the chance to do something different. There had to be something they could do.
As the mages confirmed that [Permanent Sleep] states were being converted into [Deep Sleep] states, the system gave another warning.

[The Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home' is creating its true domain!]
[Please, turn away now!]

Ren watched as dust storm got even fiercer, the ground began to rumble and the Calamity loomed over her path.
"Lyn.." She muttered, desperate for a sign that he was okay. That he was even alive at this point.

Even in her desperation she couldn't throw her life away so easily. Approaching the Calamity alone was suicide, even for her speed. As it again moved closer to the ground Ren forced herself to turn away. She had to. If there was a chance that Lyn would survive it would be up to him and the efforts of the mages.

Woom.

With a burst of air, their escape was signaled. The portal was ready. 

Anyone who was awake carried someone on their backs, and anyone who was able to carried multiple.  The division leaders were saved, but many more couldn't be. The hearts of hunters still could not rest easy even while leaving the battlefield.

[The Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home' is in an [Immunity] State due to the progress of its Domain Completion]
[Please, turn away now!]

Like a curse, the system's warnings beat them while they were down. Those who were caught in the Calamity's Temple began to fade as their legacy weapons shimmered through the dust storm. A great loss of life couldn't have been avoided, even with their best efforts.

The hunters couldn't bear to watch as they stepped out of the battlefield, shaken and hopeless.