Chapter 694

Chapter 694

The walls, brought from New Terra and rebuilt with all of humanity's technology, still stood firm amidst the chaos.

Though more sections had collapsed than remained intact, the walls were still standing, and people capable of fighting were gathered atop them.

"Your Majesty!"

Led by Junior, people who saw me return alive for the first time ran to me, crying out. While I appreciated the tearful welcomes, now was not the time for such emotions...!

Thankfully, everyone quickly calmed down.

Boom! Ka-ka-ka-boom!

To the south, Night Bringer and Jörmungandr continued their apocalyptic battle.

The split ground and emerging night swirled together in the air. Just watching it sent chills down my spine.

"...Senior."

Evangeline, who was rallying the troops, looked back at me, and I nodded.

"Good. Is everyone gathered?"

I had already sent Elize here to gather the troops and supplies.

I quickly explained the 'Night Closing' operation to the heroes and soldiers on the wall.

Though everyone looked exhausted, they focused because they knew this operation was our last chance for a counterattack.

"So, soon the airship will depart to pierce the Veil of Darkness... we need to support from the ground."

"What do you mean by support...?"

"Though there are gaps in the Veil, it continues to repair itself... the gaps have narrowed. We need to widen those cracks."

I looked at Damien and nodded.

"Damien will target those gaps."

Damien nodded back. He had been observing the rifts in the sky from the observation tower. He knew their precise locations better than anyone.

"But Damien's magic bullet alone isn't powerful enough. So... everyone here needs to lend their strength."

Evangeline and Junior widened their eyes.

"Lend our strength?"

"Yes."

As soon as I finished speaking, Lilly and the alchemists came struggling with something from inside the city.

"We brought it, Your Majesty!"

It was Burnout's special large-scale ballista.

Originally designed with various customizations in mind, it had been used in many ways, such as connecting to the Dandelion Corps Commander's magic core. We intended to utilize that aspect this time as well.

'Thank you for your legacy, Burnout.'

Bodybag, lifting the equipment with telekinesis, skillfully began setting up the ballista.

The large ballista was quickly installed atop the wall, and the alchemists connected it to the magic core and various artifacts.

"Damien, over here!"

Called by Lilly, Damien ran and fitted [Black Queen] to the top of the ballista.

As I watched the assembly of this unprecedented temporary magic bullet launcher, I explained to the remaining heroes.

"We will divide the heroes into four groups: spiritists, magicians, priests, and everyone else."

Nodding at Hannibal and the spiritists, I continued.

"First, the spiritists will enchant Damien's magic bullet."

Spiritists are skilled at 'imbuing.' They can embed spirits into equipment or attribute properties to objects...

They would coordinate the entire magic bullet enchantment process.

"Next, the magicians will compress their magic and infuse it into the magic bullet."

Magicians will enhance the magic bullet's 'power.'

Junior, understanding my intent with a simple command, nodded and led the magicians to the launcher.

I then looked at Zenith and Rosetta. Despite being covered in bandages from battle injuries, their eyes were sharp.

"Priests will convert divine power to light through the magic concentrator, helping the bullet resist darkness as much as possible."

Priests will handle 'light.'

The primary goal of this operation was to penetrate the Veil of Darkness. And priests had the highest efficiency in converting light through the magic concentrator.

Their role was to imbue the magic bullet with light to counter the darkness.

At my command, the priests nodded in unison and ran to the launcher.

"And everyone else, protect the launcher to ensure stable firing."

Led by Evangeline, the frontline heroes nodded.

The situation throughout this area was dire. If unexpected variables arose, the frontline heroes needed to protect the launcher... and Damien.

"Alright. Everyone, make the best shot. I'm counting on you."

"Yes, sir!"

After watching everyone run off to their respective tasks,

I headed to the end of the wall. There, two familiar dragons awaited me.

"Scalian, Parekian."

"Ash, you really came back."

Scalian's body was scorched and blistered, likely from blocking the breath attacks.

With a nerdy expression on his massive dragon face, he looked me over and then chuckled.

"You're still fighting even after becoming 'like that'? Truly indomitable will."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

I gestured with my chin and stood at the edge of the wall.

"Come with me, Scalian. Parekian. I need you both."

"I don't know if it's the strongest, but it's definitely the best shot we have...!"

"..."

"Due to the unprecedented excessive enchantments packed into one bullet, its duration is extremely short! The spirits will hold out as long as they can, but—"

Hannibal was about to explain further when—

Whoosh...!

A sudden gust of wind blew.

The startled heroes all turned in that direction, then gasped.

Squeeeeal—!

Flying towards Crossroad.

It was the long, severed tail of Jörmungandr, thrown by Night Bringer.

Evangeline, standing guard in front of the launcher, groaned.

"What is this...?!"

Shhh—!

In the sky, the magic barrier Ash had deployed appeared, but it couldn't fully block the overwhelming mass flying towards it.

The tail of Jörmungandr, having bounced off the magic barrier once, flew straight towards the southern wall of Crossroad.

There was no way to stop it.

Boom—!

The wall, which had withstood countless attacks, finally crumbled completely.

The magic bullet launcher installed on the wall was shattered along with it.

***

Boom, boom...

Amidst the rubble of the collapsed wall.

"..."

Sitting atop the broken launcher debris, holding Black Queen in both hands. Damien still aimed at the sky.

And all the other heroes, covered in blood, surrounded him, standing guard.

Despite the unprecedented disaster of the wall's collapse, Damien remained unharmed thanks to protective magic and the heroes' physical defense. While all the other heroes fell and got injured, they protected him with a united effort.

"Kh..."

Evangeline, who had taken the brunt of the falling wall debris for Damien, trembled at the corners of her mouth.

"Can you shoot, Damien?"

"...Of course."

The launcher was destroyed, but the magic bullet was already completed.

Though the target was out of sight, he had already seen it with his own eyes.

Damien, sitting in the rubble that now surrounded him like a well, smiled faintly.

"I've done it before."

The next moment, the sniper's finger pulled the trigger.

Boom—!

With a dazzling burst of magical flame, the bullet shot out of the barrel like a bolt of lightning returning to the sky.

The magic bullet pierced the darkened sky, illuminating it sharply as it ascended endlessly.

Like the last fireworks they all watched together during the autumn festival...

Boom...!

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the southern sky, and the white snow falling from the sky turned black and sticky like tar.

A pitch-black snowstorm raged fiercely, pouring down towards the ascending magic bullet. It seemed as if the sky itself was trying to thwart the bullet.

But the pure white magic bullet, drawing an impossible trajectory, pierced through the layers of the snowstorm.

It accurately reached its intended target, the scar in the southern sky.

Silently, the magic bullet burrowed into the Veil of Darkness.

...

And in the next moment.

Rip—!

The dark clouds tore apart, creating a massive hole in the Veil of Darkness.

It was as if a deep wound had been inflicted upon the sky.

"Target confirmed."

Inside the bridge of the airship 'La Mancha.'

Lucas murmured without inflection as he confirmed the breach in the Veil of Darkness.

"We're going in."

Following Lucas's order, Kellibey pulled the control stick sharply.

Boom!

Inside the airship, which shook violently as it changed direction, the eyes of the special forces heroes preparing for battle glinted fiercely.

"Let's go."

Staring at the next layer of the Veil of Darkness spread endlessly above the breached veil, Lucas growled.

"To cut through the night."

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading