The elite troops stood frozen for a moment, their world suddenly twisted beyond recognition. None of them could react, stunned by the impossible reality that lay before them. But fortune favored them, as one man acted with lightning speed as if he had foreseen this all along.
This man was none other than the legendary figure rumored to be the blessed son of the gods, gifted with the power to glimpse the future. And in that instant, a golden cage materialized out of thin air and plummeted towards the massive Ison that had just arrived, towering above its kin.
The cage slammed down upon the beast with a deafening boom, the force of impact shaking the very ground beneath their feet. It was only then that the others snapped back to their senses, forced to confront the horrific reality that lay before them.
The elite troops stood frozen in shock and terror, staring at the grotesque abomination before them. Amidst the shattered insect parts and pools of green blood lay their fallen comrades, adding to the gruesome scene. What manner of beast was this?
Even the level 150 isons had been enough to strike fear into the hearts of these soldiers, but this creature was something far more sinister. It exuded an aura of malevolence and destruction, leaving the soldiers trembling in fear.
"Level 300… Hive Queen…" someone stuttered, but their voice was drowned out by the sudden movement of the special unit, who took center stage with their swift and decisive actions.
The elite troops watched in awe as the group of men closed their eyes and chanted something. Their lips synced, suggesting that perhaps they were all activating the same skill.
Meanwhile, Kouske swiftly withdrew his undead army from the battlefield, and the Oracle, stood silently watching, his presence that of a master puppeteer. He would not dirty his hands in the bloodshed but instead controlled the chaos from afar.
The elite troops continued to stand like statues while the other isons were even more helpless. Some of them rushed towards the golden cage, trying to free their Queen, while others charged forward to attack.
But their efforts were in vain, as the debuffs had sapped them of all strength. Even a mindless swing of a weapon was enough to kill these pests.
The real threat lay within the golden cage, and all eyes were fixed on the creature inside. The cage itself groaned and creaked, threatening to burst open at any moment. If that happened, it would be checkmate - there was no doubt about it.
But those who had planned everything from beginning to end perhaps had a plan for this creature as well.
The remaining soldiers looked on listlessly, their hope resting solely on the special unit. At this moment, none of them complained about being kept in the dark. All they could do was pray that the plan would work.
Fortunately for them, their prayers seemed to have been answered.
The familiar black mist seeped out once again, and this time everyone could see that it was the special unit's doing. Clouds of black mist emerged from each member, swirling together into a dense mass that hung ominously overhead - like the very embodiment of death itself.
The black mass, as dark and ominous as the Hive Queen's sinister aura, shot toward her with lightning speed.
In the next instant, the creature began writhing and screaming in agony. Horrid sounds emanated from her and the golden cage, causing everyone's ears to bleed.
Even though she had just slaughtered their friends and comrades, some of the soldiers couldn't help but feel pity for the creature as she underwent unbearable suffering.
The creature's already grotesque figure was being twisted in a much more puzzling manner.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the red zone, something even more inhumane was happening. Men and women were disappearing en masse.
And now, things had become much worse - anyone whose health was even slightly diminished below the 50% level was being consumed, their life force being squeezed out of their trembling bodies.
As the bodies dwindled, the sacrifice did not come to a halt. Instead, the powerful Generals turned on their own battalion and began attacking their unit members, deliberately reducing their health.
Only a fool would fail to grasp what was occurring at this point. However, no one had the power to retaliate. Even if they wished to and gave it their all, they quickly realized that it was a dead end.
That was because the Generals were never alone. They were never truly alone. Some members of the battalion appeared to be in on this scheme as well, turning against the rest of the guilds and attacking their own side.
"Why are you doing this?" Someone shouted in agony, and a reply came immediately. "For the good of the world."
What did that even mean? The guilds were in complete shock and horror as they witnessed the chaos unfolding before their eyes.
They had been fighting with all their might against the isons, making steady progress in accordance with their plans. Many had leveled up and collected an impressive number of mana cores, and the number of ison corpses left behind was a testament to their hard work.
Yet, in the midst of their victory, the unthinkable occurred. It was a betrayal beyond belief, and the guilds could only watch in despair as their own comrades fell to the treacherous attack.
It was a nightmare scenario that no one could have anticipated.
Questions raced through the minds of the guild members. Why were they being slaughtered like this? Weren't they just doing their jobs, fighting against the isons as they were supposed to?
The confusion and pain were unbearable as they were forced to confront the terrifying truth that they were pawns in a deadly game they never even knew existed.
The elaborate planning and coordination, the distribution of valuable items, the recruitment of all the guilds with the promise of wealth and rewards, all of it had been orchestrated with this endgame in mind. They were merely sheep being fattened up before the slaughter.
It was a sickening realization, but it was the truth. The so-called world saviors, the government guilds, had been using them as pawns all along, manipulating them to their own twisted ends.
And now, as the slaughter continued and they saw their comrades fall around them, it was too late to turn back.
They were trapped in this nightmare with no way out. All they could do was fight until the bitter end, knowing that their lives had been traded away for whatever reason.
At least if they knew this reason, then maybe they could rest in peace, but they weren't even given that small amount of mercy.
***
Mass Release Chapter 4~
Please thank JSwizz for sponsoring this mass release!