One o'clock in the afternoon.
Near the port in Beta Town North District, in the small square before the Forest Goods Market.
The cold wind howled. The sun seemed unable to rouse itself, and the light it cast was somewhat pale.
A gray bird circled beneath the sunlight, letting out low, rasping cries.
Its voice was unusually hoarse, as though a block of wood had gotten stuck in its throat. Its feathers were dry, disheveled, and dull. One glance was enough to tell that it had not had an easy winter.
Yet it could only circle in midair, unable to land in town. Whenever it tried, a hazy, thin barrier would emerge in the air, flashing with brilliant sparks and knocking it back into the sky.
The experienced wizards in the small square paid little attention to the gray bird overhead.
After all, this was not a war between Wizards and Demons, but a confrontation between Beta Town and the Silent Forest. Any Magical Creatures with even a little sense had long since brought their families to seek refuge at First University. Those left to attack Beta Town likely lacked the brainpower to make flexible use of scouting and tactics.
Not to mention that the town's defensive formation only had a small hole in it. It had not yet collapsed entirely.
For the time being, trying to invade Beta Town from the sky was not a smart choice.
At the front line of the defensive position, the burly beast tamers gripped thick iron chains and shouted loudly, trying to make their Three-headed Dogs and bird dragons settle down a little.
But the frenzy potions fed to them before the battle were too potent, making the beast tamers' efforts seem rather futile.
They would serve as the first wave of force