750. [STAGE 45] As expected,
an ordinary monster instinctively attacks the human in front of it as its top priority.
Therefore, the soldiers on the walls serve as both a line of defense and a kind of decoy. Based on these principles, Crossroads has endured as the final line of resistance for humanity.
Monsters who have intelligence and can devise tactics that are not controlled by these instincts have attempted to conquer the capital in various ways.
However, although there have been times when they have targeted a weakly defended castle wall or destroyed the castle wall itself with power beyond common sense… it
was the first time that they had focused solely on breaking through, even giving up their own lives while using all of their firepower from the front.
“….”
There was silence for a moment.
This is an unprecedented situation in which Cromwell, running in front of the castle wall, jumps into the air and jumps over the castle wall.
The walls are not only high but also wide. Including not only the forward-positioned Black Dragon Wall but also the wall originally installed at the Crossroads, the width of a small river is sufficient.
I jumped over it all at once.
Of course, the damage the monster suffered in this process was also enormous.
Without any barriers or magic defenses, our firepower was completely destroyed. Moreover, in order to jump over the castle wall with that huge body, he burned his own life and used it as a driving force.
Cromwell, who fell inside the walls of Crossroads, is literally a corpse torn to pieces like a rag.
Normally, the monster would have died here as a result of such an unreasonable attempt to fortify the city.
But the problem is –
he’s a zombie.
Wiggle!
The monster’s torn body trembled loudly.
A thick cloud of white steam rose from the body, which looked like a piece of crushed meat.
Tentacles that were hanging helplessly on the floor wriggled, and countless teeth that had rested on the floor began to chew on each other with a crackling sound.
And-
wow! Ugh!
Torn.
Cromwell was in the form of a huge reindeer or something like a deer. It began to separate into small pieces according to the wounds inflicted on us.
Eventually, the pieces of flesh that fell out stumbled and ‘stood’ in their respective places.
It has some tentacles from a stag’s antlers and teeth that make a constant crackling sound.
The strangely shaped monsters that had fallen from Cromwell – like lumps of crushed flesh – began to walk shakily, one by one, with trembling bodies.
And he opened his teeth, which were making a crackling sound, and let out a voice.
《Ah…》
《Ah? Aaaaaaa?》
《Aaaaa… Ah ah…!》
Sigh! Sigh!
The next moment, a huge number of monsters began to pour out from Cromwell’s body.
There was a human shape, a dog shape, a rhinoceros mantis, and a centipede…
All kinds of flesh pressed into grotesque shapes crawled out in all directions, chattering their teeth, letting out broken voices, and waving flaccid tentacles.
It was an artillery piece standing on the wall of the Black Dragon Castle, and the wizards made a hasty attack in that direction, but because it was located on the old wall of the Crossroads, the blind spot was not fully visible. Moreover, the number of monsters pouring out was so large that firing a few shots was not enough.
“These disgusting monsters…”
I gritted my teeth as I watched the monsters stagger and try to spread into the city.
“You’re really bothering me…!”
The good news is that Crossroads is a fortress city.
They climbed over the southern wall and landed inside the city. But this is not the end of humanity’s final line of defense.
Crossroads is a fortress with walls on all four sides: north, south, east, and west. It was as if they had forced themselves into a trap surrounded by walls on all sides.
“everyone-!”
I shouted to the soldiers and heroes who were dumbfounded by the embarrassing situation.
“Come to your senses and move to the northeast, west, and walls of the Crossroads! Reinforce your defenses!”
“…!”
“If we strictly protect the outskirts of the fortress, those who have infiltrated the Crossroads will not be able to escape! All you have to do is completely block off the outside and wipe out the monsters one by one! “No need to panic!”
All citizens inside Crossroads had already evacuated.
All you have to do is seal off the inside of the city and calmly destroy the monsters that have entered the trap one by one. This is still the entrance to royalties. We still have the advantage.
“Everyone run! “Defend the remaining walls before they escape to the outskirts of the city!”
I stretched out my hand and commanded,
Taaa!
Taaaa-!
The heroes and soldiers on the wall began to run with all their might.
In the meantime, Lucas quickly decided which unit should move where and issued orders, and the soldiers sprinted toward the redeployed location without any room for confusion.
“No matter what happens, protect the walls! “We must stop them!”
“yes-!”
Some heroes and soldiers ran, while others used magic or other means to fly.
I bit my lip as I watched my ally move smoothly even in the midst of confusion.
‘It’s still okay. ‘You can still fight safely.’
In this battle, I tried to avoid close combat whenever possible and finish off the monster with long-distance firepower projection.
The reason is, of course, because they are zombies. This is because if you are bitten, you will become infected.
In the worst case, our allies also become enemies and we have to eliminate them with our own hands.
This is why neither the Kraken nor Jormungand were intentionally taken out in the previous battle. If you take out an ally who is optimized for close combat and get bitten and turn into a zombie, it will be a headache.
‘The range of defense has been expanded, but Cromwell… and his clones have also undoubtedly been weakened. All you have to do is guard the top of the castle walls and intercept those trying to escape the Crossroads.’
However, there is one problem with this Crossroad blockade operation.
‘…People still remaining in the city.’
Even if all ordinary citizens are evacuated, there are bound to be non-combatants remaining inside the city.
Priests, alchemists, workers, cooks, supply soldiers… Although they are not civilians, there are a small number of people who will die in vain if they are swept away by those monsters, but there are definitely in the city.
“….”
I glared at Cromwell’s clones as they poured out of Cromwell’s body and spread throughout the city.
Tangled chunks of flesh are digging into every corner of the city, like a swarm of insects spilling out of a burst nest.
If you give up the inside of the city to them and completely seal off the top of the castle wall.
By sacrificing the small number of non-combatants remaining within the city and safely operating the majority of the troops deployed on the outskirts of the city.
Then, as originally intended, we can exclude close combat and safely finish them off with firepower projection.
But…
‘Do you think they will do that?’
The situation has already been messed up once. But I decided to be greedy even at times like these.
Rescue all non-combatants and get them out before the city becomes overrun with monsters.
As I was quickly organizing the situation in my head, I looked to the side.
“Damian!”
“yes!”
Damian, who had rolled over to the other side firing the Black Queen just a moment ago, quickly stood next to me. Behind him, the sniper heroes were seen gathered together.
I gave an order to the sniper heroes led by Damian.
“You occupy the spire near the wall and monitor the situation throughout the city!”
“yes!”
“Check to see if there are any monsters trying to escape the city, and rescue any allies who are in danger inside the city. request.”
“Please leave it to me, Prince!”
Damian quickly gestured, and the sniper heroes rushed to follow Damian.
Next, I called Lucas, who finished giving the troop redeployment order.
“Lucas!”
“Yes, my lord!”
“Shoot a flare. Announce an emergency and move everyone remaining inside the city towards the walls!”
“All right!”
I looked back while Lucas prepared the flare.
The elite heroes who have not yet moved are looking at me with nervous faces.
They probably know what orders I will give them now.
“I must entrust you with a difficult task.”
I quickly used [Mapping] to locate the remaining non-combatants inside the city.
“We must enter the city and quickly rescue non-combatants and escape before they are captured by those monsters. “Can you do it?”
“….”
No one opened their mouths.
He just quietly looks at me with his unwavering gaze.
I nodded heavily.
“good. I will designate a point for each. Rush inside the city, rescue each person, and get out of the city. “Avoid fighting as much as possible and focus on survival and rescue.”
I assigned an operation to take out groups of non-combatants scattered throughout the city according to the heroes’ movement and combat power.
Whenever an order was given, the heroes rushed into the city without a moment’s delay.
“Finally, this is the farthest and most difficult escape from here.”
I clicked my tongue after checking the last point.
“This is an old barracks where retired and injured soldiers gather. “It’s located in the center of the city.”
This is where Chain, Hecate, and others who can no longer go to battle but have nowhere else to go outside of the Crossroads stay.
Originally, it would have been one of the safest places from outsiders because it was in the center of the city, but now it has become the most dangerous place.
“Who will save them?”
As I spoke, I glanced at Lucas.
“….”
Lucas lowered his characteristic bright blue eyes and was lost in thought for a moment.
And then he opened his mouth…
and gave an answer in a dry voice.
***
《Ah ah ah….》
《Ahh! Ahhh….》
《Ahh! Ahhh-!》
Letting out meaningless screams, strangely shaped lumps of flesh ran through the city.
The monsters thoughtlessly grabbed the remaining living creatures inside the city and swallowed them, shoving them between their chattering teeth.
From the livestock left at Crossroads to one small rat. The creatures that crossed the path of the monsters were torn apart and eaten without leaving any form.
“….”
And the retired soldiers hiding in the barracks watched with bated breath.
Chain trembled with a face drenched in cold sweat.
“Why are those guys walking around inside Crossroads…? Could it be that the castle wall has been taken over?”
“That won’t be it. “A signal was fired a little while ago.”
Hecate glanced toward the sky.
“It appears that these monsters have crossed the wall by some means, but our troops are still fighting. “I see a signal telling all survivors inside the city to come towards the walls.”
“Come towards the wall? “Damn it, how on earth!”
Yes. The method was the problem.
It is quite a distance from the barracks to the castle walls. It’s not that close to begin with, but for the retired soldiers here who were discharged due to injuries, it’s a really long distance.
Chain picked up his crutches and swallowed a curse. Still, the chain made it a little difficult to move, and among the retired soldiers left in the barracks, some had no legs or lived lying down.
How can I overcome those monsters and reach the castle walls with a body like this?
thud!
It was then. The door to the barracks entrance shook violently.
When the frightened retired soldiers looked through the window, they soon saw monsters flocking to the entrance of the barracks.
thud! thud! Quad deuk!
The front door of the barracks was torn off in one fell swoop and fell to the floor. The gathered lumps of flesh staggered into the barracks, letting out suffocating screams.
“….”
It was a time when retired soldiers with pale complexions were looking at each other and pouring out cold sweat.
Sreung –
Five Glory Knights, including Hecate, each brought their own scabbards and drew their weapons at the same time.
“Anyway, it’s impossible for us to escape alone. Everyone please gather here in the large room. Block the entrance, build barricades, and hold a sit-in here until the rescue team arrives.”
“What? But…”
The number of monsters that have already entered the barracks seems to be well over a hundred.
How can you endure in this situation?
“We will try to attract attention.”
Hecate smiled bitterly as she made eye contact with the other Glory Knights.
“I think it still has that much use for us.”
