Chapter 223

Chapter 223

Deep into the night, I exhaled heavily, my gaze fixed on the last werewolf standing before us.

It was the final Gray Werewolf.

The creature, already torn to shreds, was gasping through its punctured lung, emitting a boiling cry of agony.

The fight against the last of the werewolf spawn had become utterly tiresome.

They did everything in their power to prevent us from destroying their neural cores. Not only did they ambush us, but even when skewered by our swords and spears, they would break our Part-Destroyer Drills and refuse to die. They would even hug their own neural core before falling, as if they were trying to protect it.

But their annoying resistance had finally come to an end.

"You crawl out of a snakes asshole to mess with us, and this is how it ends, you bastard?" I raised my middle finger in the face of the last werewolf.

"Yeah, no matter how much you screw with the balance, Ill still clear this. Keep it up with your bullshit. Itll all be fodder for my crew."

The grand principle of RPGs: what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

Ive harvested the XP from 40 werewolves, and Im looking forward to the bonus rewards after the clear.

As I looked down at the werewolf with these thoughts, the creature grinned. As if very pleased.

"What are you grinning about, you freak?" I muttered incredulously.

"We have accomplished our goal, human," the creature responded, surprisingly articulate.

Caught off guard by its speech, I listened as it continued, "Weve stalled you for as long as we needed to. Now, you wont be able to stop the snake."

"What are you tal" I tried to continue the conversation, but the creatures breath cut off.

Frowning, I looked down at its corpse and then up at the neural core. The werewolves bodies were stacked around it, adhering to it like layers of leather on bone. Lit by the bright moonlight, the sight sent chills down my spine. I gritted my teeth and opened the system window.

[Jormungandr - Status of Part Destruction]

- First Vertebra: 86%

- Second Vertebra: 99%

- Third Vertebra: 99%

Almost done with the second vertebra...

Just then, a notification sound rang out.

Ding!

The second vertebras Part Destruction was complete.

All that was left was this head section.

I took a flare launcher from my bag, loaded a yellow flare, and shot it into the sky.

WhoooshBang!

A yellow flare meant rally. Now the rear party members would gather at the head. All that was left was to destroy the final vertebra together.

I looked at my main party members.

They were all bloodied and had minor injuries, but no one was showing it. They were ready to resume the Part Destruction process.

"Once we bust this damned horn, its all over," I yelled, kicking the final vertebra.

"Lets push through for just a few more hours!"

My party members nodded in unison and began removing the werewolf corpses stuck to the vertebra.

I joined in and casually glanced toward the north.

Crossroad had grown much closer than before.

My mouth was parched, and I turned my attention back to tearing apart the werewolf corpses.

***

It took a considerable amount of time to strip the werewolf corpses of their vertebra.

By the time that task was done, the members of the rear party started to join us by climbing up on hooks.

"Once we smash this damn thing, our three days of hellish toil will finally be over, right?" Kuilan, his face flushed from operating the drill all day, and members of the Penal Squad began to yell as they took their drills to destroy the vertebra.

"We better get a generous vacation and bonus for this, Your Highness!"

"As if they wouldnt give it to us."

Despite everyone being in terrible condition, they desperately attacked the last vertebra.

Crack!

While the Penal Squads five members were focused on destroying parts, the main party members stepped back for a brief rest.

Junior, in particular, was in terrible shape even after fighting back-to-back battles while injured.

Evangeline gently rested Juniors head on her knee and let her sleep for a moment.

I also wiped my sweaty, dizzy forehead when Reina flew up to me on a hook and spoke.

"Your Highness."

"What is it, Officer Reina?"

"Were not far from Crossroad now."

Looking toward Crossroad, now clearly visible to the naked eye, Reina mumbled. I clenched my mouth shut.

"Well reach the city walls in less than an hour at this rate."

"What are you getting at, Officer Reina?"

"Im the lord of Crossroad! You think Ill allow that?!"

"I am a soldier of the Empire, Your Highness. What I aim to protect is the Empire and the Imperial Familys well-being, not the preservation of some provincial backwater."

Reina casually glanced to the north.

"Two of my subordinates are already preparing to activate the magic circle."

My fist trembled.

The two mages who were left behind when Jormungandr caused the avalanche.

Could it be they didnt fall behind but deliberately stayed back...?!

"And when I send the signal through this transmitter, well immediately execute the shutdown protocol."

Reina shook a black transmitter from her bag.

"That would stop the serpent from crossing into Crossroad, giving us ample time to comfortably destroy its vertebra."

"You think Id accept such a proposal?!"

"Didnt you say youre fighting to protect the world, Your Majesty? Please make a rational decision."

With the switch in her hand, Reina coldly presented her case.

"Crossroad, and the world. Lose both, or just one."

"..."

"If Your Majesty fails to make an accurate judgment..."

Reina raised her finger to the transmitter.

"...I will have no choice but to decide at my discretion."

***

Meanwhile, at Crossroad.

"The city feels eerie because its empty..."

"Haha, thats true. Everyone has evacuated to the north."

Walking through the alley in front of the temple, Damien and Kureha were casually chatting.

While all the residents had fled to the northern part of the city, the two had secretly stayed behind to spend time together.

Theyd been hiding to sleep, hiding to eat, and even when people from the temple came looking for them, they hid together in some corner of the alley.

In short, they were partners in mischief.

"This is kinda fun, isnt it?"

The two had grown close in a few days, and the older Kureha spoke openly with Damien.

"Ill probably get in trouble when all this is over tomorrow, but it feels fun because its like Im disobeying my mom and hanging out."

"Hahaha, true."

Tomorrow, when the evacuation decree ends, theyd likely get a good scolding from Saintess Margarita and Lilly, but doing something they werent supposed to was thrilling. Damiens face had lightened considerably.

"The monsters should be attacking soon..."

Looking toward the southern wall, Damien mumbled.

Both were wide awake because the monsters would soon invade, so they were walking through the deserted streets.

"Whenever there was a defense battle, Id always participate. But being this far away actually..."

"Actually, what?"

"Makes me more nervous."

Damien looked down at his empty hands.

"I thought Id feel better being far away, but..."

"..."

Just as Kureha was about to say something, in response to the boy who felt more uncomfortable being away from the battlefield,

"Huh?"

"What?"

They spotted something strange.

Just as they stepped into the citys central square, where there should have been no one... two wizards, one in a white robe and the other in a black uniform, were drawing a blood-red magic circle.

They were two mages from the reinforcement party. Damien blinked.

Werent these the people who had left to fend off Jormungandr?

"What are you wizards doing here?"

Upon hearing Damiens shouted question,

"...Eh?"

"...Gah!"

The mages, Kitty and Piggy, who were preparing the shutdown protocol, broke into a cold sweat.

An awkward silence fell among the four.