Chapter 258

Chapter 258

A short while ago, at the West Gate.

The moment Junior had just joined the defense of the West Gate.

Climbing atop the fortress walls, Juniors eyes widened in shock at the sight before her.

"What is this...?"

Outside the West Gate, several soldiers were ensnared by werewolves.

The werewolves were using these soldiers as human shields and were advancing, while the soldiers on the walls, their bows aimed, trembled with fear.

"What on earth is happening?"Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com

"When the werewolves first invaded... Captain Hans of the West Gate defense led a chase."

One of the archers answered Juniors question.

"It was a trap. Dozens more werewolves appeared... and our entire pursuit team was captured."

"These fools! They should have just defended. Why chase them?"

"Half of the defenders were killed in their first assault."

On the wall, soldiers lay scattered. The explaining soldier gritted his teeth.

"Hans said he couldnt let the fleeing ones go, so he pursued."

"Even so...!"

At that moment, the youngest among the captured soldiers - Captain Hans - shouted loudly.

"What are you all doing! Shoot!"

"...!"

"Do you want to endanger everyone inside the wall because of us?! Shoot, now!"

Hans yelled towards the soldier beside Junior.

"Shoot, Miller! Now!"

"Ugh...!"

But the soldier, Miller, choked back tears as he slowly lowered his bow.

"I... I cant shoot."

With a trembling voice, Miller tried to explain to Junior.

"Hans, that guy... Hes my friend. We grew up together, like brothers. How can I... How can I kill him with my own hands?!"

Outside the wall, Hans gritted his teeth.

"Its a commanders order, you idiots! Shoot now!"

At the command, a few of the shivering soldiers released their arrows.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Arrows rained down. But the werewolves calmly raised their human shields, blocking the onslaught.

"Arg! Aaaargh!"

"Oww! It hurts!"

Pierced by arrows, the soldiers screamed in agony. Hans, with arrows stuck in his abdomen and knee, couldnt hold back his groans either.

The werewolves closed the distance to the wall, laughing all the while.

The faces of the soldiers on the wall turned deathly pale.

Feeling the rapidly waning morale of the defense squad, Junior stepped forward.

I have to stop them.

As she began casting her magic, Junior tried to think rationally.

Once captured by the werewolves, those soldiers are as good as dead. Nows not the time for sympathy. I have to wipe out the werewolves with an area spell...!

But then, even though she knew it logically, images from Juniors childhood flashed through her mind as she summoned the elements of lightning and wind.

The screams of soldiers being used as human shields overlapped with memories of people in his childhood village dying from lightning.

No, its not the same as that day!

It was a necessary sacrifice.

A sacrifice for a greater cause...

Who decides what that cause is?

Junior hesitated.

Weighing the value of a life, doing the math of addition and subtraction, and if necessary, readily sacrificing the lives of allies.

Junior lacked the leadership ability to make those decisions.

Frozen in place, he couldnt unleash his magic at the hostage. And in that moment, the fate of the western gate was sealed.

Thump-!

Judging they were close enough, the werewolves all began charging at once.

In desperation, Junior swiftly changed her magic element to water and released a massive surge, but it was too late.

Splash!

Dozens of werewolves engulfed by the torrential water blast were thrown aside.

However, a few at the forefront managed to penetrate the water barrage and got as close as the gate itself.

Thump-!

Leading the pack, a colossal white werewolf fiercely leaped, scaling the fortress wall with an unbelievable agility.

White Werewolf.

Only four of these elite monsters existed in the Werewolf Legion, ranking second only to the Wolf King.

Looking down at the opened city gates, Juniors eyes narrowed.

I made a mistake."

""

"If I had just used my magic! Regardless of those monsters taking hostages, I could have burned them all! Then the other soldiers wouldnt have died, and the gates wouldnt have been opened"

"Yes. Had you done that, youd have been an exceptional mage," Reina said in a tone neither cold nor tender.

"But the moment you do such a thing without hesitation, you cease to be human."

Reina, standing beside the guilt-ridden Junior, gestured towards the interior of the gate.

"Lift your head, kiddo. Only the gates have opened. The world isnt over yet."

"..."

"Whats done is done. Now, we need to rectify it."

Reina smirked.

"A mage is the only one who can put the spilled water back into the jar, right?"

""

Junior, rejuvenated by these words, quickly splashed water on her face and widened her eyes.

Both mages simultaneously leapt off the city walls.

They were determined to hunt down and eliminate every last wolf-monster that had infiltrated the city.

***

There were several prisons located on the outskirts of Crossroad, but the prison where the death row inmate Camus was held was to the west.

"...Hmm?"

Camus, who had been dozing off in the cold cell, squinting on the bed, slowly opened his eyes.

Monsters had entered the city!

We have to stop them. Lets move quickly!

There had been disturbances outside for a while. Now, the prison guards were seen hurriedly conversing amongst themselves.

But watching over the prisoners is our primary duty...

Damn it! Are these prisoners the issue right now? If monsters get further into the city, civilian casualties will snowball!

Grab your weapons! Join the defense!

The guards swiftly poured out of the prison.

Camus stared blankly at the scene before sinking back into his bed.

He was set to be executed soon.

It didnt matter to him what transpired in the outside world. He just wished for the tedious hours to pass and to face his imminent death...

Then it happened.

Bang! Crash!

Growl!

Aghh! Nooo!

We messed up! We did! Please, spare us!

Not long after the guards had left, they were violently thrown back into the prison.

The sound of metal being twisted, bones breaking, and the growling of a wolf-like monster echoed throughout.

...What the hell?

Camus, roused from his sleep, sat up. Beyond the bars, he saw a wolf monster vigorously chewing on two guards.

As Camus tried to make sense of the situation, the werewolf grabbed the bars of his cell with both hands and forcibly pried them open, entering his cell.

Grr! Grrr!

The beasts bloodshot eyes blazed with hunger.

In the next instant, Camus hurled himself behind the corpse of a guard lying on the floor. His hand reached the sword sheathed by the guards waist.

Swoosh!

With deft skill, Camus drew the blade, dodged the descending claws of the werewolf, and in a fluid motion, plunged the sword into the wolfs throat.

Thud!

It was the masterful swordsmanship of an SR-grade hero character, powerful enough to end the life of the unsuspecting werewolf.

Growl... Grr...

The werewolf, vomiting blood, collapsed lifelessly to the floor. Camus clicked his tongue.

Im sentenced to execution, not to become food for monsters like you.

Howl-

Howl-

The distant cries of monsters echoed from outside the prison. Camus narrowed his eyes, glaring out.

...What in the world is happening?

Still, it might be a blessing. After all, he was a prisoner and shouldnt venture outside.

Camus intended to curl up on his bed and sleep once again.

However, he saw that the werewolf he had slain had ruined his bed, spilling its hot blood all over.

...Sigh.

Camus let out a long, weary sigh.

Its even hard to die peacefully...