Chapter 78 : Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Somewhere Between Coincidence and Fate (1)

It’s embarrassing, but could you help us?

Trophin’s voice was trembling slightly.

Calm down and tell me the situation first. What’s going on?

Our mercenary corps is isolated inside the castle.

What did you say?

The fiends started falling from all directions and suddenly surrounded us. We’re holding on, but… we’re reaching our limit. A lot of our guys are down.

Surrounded by enemies inside the castle when the walls haven’t even fallen?

It was hard to believe, but Trophin wasn’t the type to lie in a situation like this.

“What is it, Artier?”

“...It seems the Derth Mercenary Corps is in danger.”

When I relayed the communication to the party, a heavy silence fell upon everyone.

“What’s the location of the Derth Mercenary Corps?”

“We have to go further west from here.”

“West of all places, it’s the complete opposite of the direction we need to go.”

Even now, the barrier was weakening by the second.

Everyone knew there was no time to delay.

Was that why?

Even though it concerned the Derth Mercenary Corps, whom everyone had met, no one rashly stepped forward.

“I will go alone.”

In the end, it was I who stepped forward and spoke.

“You’re not joking, are you?”

“No.”

I took something out of my inventory and offered it to them.

[Low-Grade Simple Barricade (Normal)]

Description: A small mechanical device compressed to reduce its volume. When infused with mana and thrown on the ground, it installs a simple barricade.

Option: Creates a barricade with a certain amount of durability.

“This is?”

“I bought it at a general store. Being a county, they had a lot of good consumables.”

I poured them out from my inventory.

“Go ahead first and use these to set up a defensive outpost at the east port.”

“What are you going to do by yourself? It’s impossible to even get there alone in the first place!”

“I’ll ride Collie. That way, I can avoid most threats.”

“Ah…?”

Collie’s ears and tail perked up, and he quietly came and stood by my side.

It was hard to tell in his wild dog form, but he seemed to be a mixture of joy and relief.

“I see why you want to go alone. Even for Collie, it would be difficult to carry two people at the same time.”

Gerard nodded and accepted the barricades.

“Do you have a rescue plan in mind?”

“Yes.”

“Then go. Be sure to contact us if you need help.”

With those words, Gerard went to Jeina and Tersion.

I immediately got on Collie’s back.

“I thought you were going to abandon me again, sir.”

“I’ve always just given you the role you were needed for.”

“Hmph, I’ve had enough of your smooth talk. Hold on tight, sir!”

Paang!

Collie’s body shot forward in an instant, and the sound of the wind roared past.

With every step, the surrounding view changed in a flash.

‘I feel this every time, but this speed is truly terrifying.’

My past self would have struggled to even hang on.

I grabbed onto the fur on Collie’s scruff and lowered my posture.

***

“Vice-Leader, we have a problem.”

Inside a building crowded with people wearing the same patterned armor.

Trophin couldn’t shake his heavy heart.

“We just ran out of our last potion.”

“Do you have bandages?”

“We have some left, but it’s only a matter of time for those too.”

“How’s the encirclement?”

“It’s no good. It’s actually getting thicker. If they breach now, we’re all dead.”

At those words, Trophin stared at the cold glint in the eyes of the Hellmorphs visible beyond the building.

He wasn’t afraid of their killing intent.

But even confirming it didn’t make his frustrated heart feel any better.

‘We didn’t survive because we were strong. They’re letting us live.’

He couldn’t understand it.

Through several battles, he had learned that the sole goal of those monsters was to slaughter humans.

They had never induced fear or applied pressure to receive a surrender.

“Krom, is there still no support?”

Trophin looked at the leader, who was busy communicating in a corner.

Krom, who had ended the communication with a curse, glared at Trophin and spoke.

“What are you doing, interrupting like that? It’s already hard enough to understand.”

“It’s urgent. He said we’re out of potions too.”

“Already? What about your side? Did you try all the contacts you could?”

“Well… one of them picked up.”

Trophin couldn’t finish his sentence properly.

He was wondering if he had really heard correctly.

“He said he’s coming alone.”

“What are you talking about? He’s coming to commit suicide?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

No matter how highly Trophin thought of Artier, he couldn’t fathom how a single person could break through the encirclement.

“Are there no other guys?”

“None. They all seem to be dead.”

“We’re screwed.”

The conversation was light, but their expressions were anything but bright.

It was then.

Trophin flinched and put a finger to his ear.

“Uh, yeah. What? What do you mean, get ready to come out?”

“Leader! Vice-Leader!”

A corps member ran in from outside with an urgent expression.

“A chunk of ice is falling from the sky!”

“What are you talking about?”

Trophin and Krom rushed outside the building.

An unbelievable sight unfolded before their eyes.

Chwaaaak!

Krrrrack!

Suddenly, a large amount of water appeared in the air and then froze solid.

The giant chunk of ice that was created then fell, crushing the monsters below with its immense weight.

“Kreeegh!”

The Hellmorphs hastily looked around, searching for the source of the magic.

Soon, they discovered a single swordsman and a large wolf standing on the roof of a building.

“Kyaaaak!”

The swordsman immediately got on the wolf’s back and began to flee at a tremendous speed.

“It’s Artier. What did he do?”

Trophin, who was muttering, quickly came to his senses.

Long experience told him that he didn’t have much time right now.

“Krom, gather all the kids!”

“I know! Everyone, get ready to run!”

A single person had created a hole in one corner of the encirclement.

It was a golden opportunity that wouldn’t come twice.

Everyone who could swing a weapon began to run towards it.

“Run as if your life depends on it, because it does if you fall behind!”

Chwaak!

Trophin and Krom pushed back the Hellmorphs charging from the front.

Trophin’s greatsword shattered them before they could even resist, and Krom’s sword and shield became a wall, completely blocking the Hellmorphs’ approach.

Keep running straight. Follow the wide boulevard.

Trophin moved forward, listening to Artier’s communication.

“Artier!”

Soon, Trophin found Artier standing with two swords.

Where the wolf from just now had gone, a boy wearing a robe stood by his side.

“Is communication still possible?”

“What?”

“The moment I use my skill, tell all the corps members to get down.”

Artier said so and took out a peculiar-looking disc from his pocket.

[The Tablet of Strife is activated.]

[Attack power within the area increases by 100%, and defense decreases by 100%.]

The moment Artier threw it into the air, a colosseum filled with a red aura suddenly appeared on the wide boulevard.

“Wh-What is this?”

Even though Trophin didn’t know much about magic, he could tell at a glance that this was no ordinary artifact.

“Are you ready, Collie?”

“This is the first time I’m using it without enhancement magic, so I’m worried.”

“It’s fine. The power will be sufficient.”

Click.

Artier lowered his stance and crossed his hands.

As flames began to burn from the blades, Artier quietly began to count in his mind.

“Kyaaaak!”

The fiends were approaching.

They were sticking close behind the corps members, attacking and felling those who fell behind at the rear.

Those who fell behind or tripped even once could not rejoin the formation.

‘Three, two, one. Now!’

“Collie!”

“Understood!”

[Dual Flame Cleave is activated.]

[Collie copies and uses the Flame Cleave (Lv.2) skill.]

Artier swung both his arms horizontally, and Collie swung one arm horizontally, sending out flames.

Trophin, realizing something, immediately put a hand to his ear and shouted loudly.

“Everyone, get down!”

Kwaaaaang!

Immediately after, the boulevard was filled with flames, engulfing the approaching Hellmorphs.

“Kieek!”

The carapaces of the Hellmorphs, which had deflected mediocre magic and weapons, burned and melted away in vain.

The Hellmorphs at the very front were turned to ash, and the ones behind them were in agony, their bodies engulfed in flames.

“What in the…?”

Krom and Trophin couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before them.

When the bewildered corps members raised their heads and looked around, there were no more living Hellmorphs in the vicinity.

***

“That was amazing! How on earth did you do that?”

A moment later, they had moved to a relatively safe place to catch their breath.

Trophin lifted Artier up and shouted with a broad smile.

“Well… thanks to my equipment.”

The corners of my mouth lifted slightly.

‘I’m glad I got it.’

The Tablet of Strife, which had played its part well in Dorman.

The reason I could wipe out the Hellmorphs in a single blow was because of this.

Though dangerous, the power of an artifact was something that could change the tide of a war.

“Vice-Leader, everyone’s condition suddenly worsened.”

One of the corps members entered the barracks.

“It seems to be poison.”

“Damn monster bastards. There’s nothing to like about them.”

The good atmosphere instantly turned cold again.

The wounds the corps members had sustained from the Hellmorphs were festering, not healing properly, accompanied by terrible pain. It was clear that they had been injected with poison, just as Gerard had been before.

I also became serious.

‘If we leave them like this, they’ll either die or, even if they survive, they’ll be left with aftereffects like Gerard. We need to treat them quickly.’

I remembered Gerard, who had struggled with not being able to use his arm properly.

Fortunately, he was now walking the path of magic, but not everyone would.

Some might fall into despair upon seeing their own bodies not moving as they wished.

“I’ll go get the antidote.”

Trophin said.

“The antidote? From where?”

“There’s a shopping district nearby. If we rummage through a general store, something might turn up.”

“Are you planning to be a thief right now?”

When Krom asked back, Trophin was silent for a moment, then clenched his fist and said.

“We have no choice. It’s better than dying.”

“I’m not planning to stop you, but it’s just a bit strange to hear that from you, who’s always going on about conscience.”

Krom shrugged and looked at me.

“I know it’s shameless, but could you help?”

“Is it okay? I heard that most of the people here are patients.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect this place.”

Krom raised one arm and smiled triumphantly.

His appearance was so similar to Trophin’s that I found myself smiling without realizing it.

“Then I’ll be back.”

After saying that, I followed Trophin out of the barracks.

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