Chapter 271

The 15th floor of the underground.

“Ugh…”

“I-It’s hot…”

“H-Hot! It’s t-too hot!”

The residents groaned, suffering from the scorching heat of the desert.

They had endured all sorts of hardships in the underground, but it seemed like the heat was the most unbearable.

It was even worse because they were fully equipped with armor and helmets.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, one of the new residents who had joined us on the 14th floor threw his helmet to the ground in exhaustion.

“We’re going to die from the heat before we even fight! For crying out loud, shouldn’t we be allowed to take off our armor in this situation?”

It was a strong protest.

I understood how he felt.

He must have been dying from the heat.

But.

It was an unacceptable act for the unit as a whole.

Sense of belonging, camaraderie, solidarity.

Those were the bonds that held the residents together, the source of their strength.

‘They’re still not fully integrated.’

They were grateful for being rescued from hell.

But time was short.

Two weeks was simply not enough for them to fully integrate.

But I had no choice.

I didn’t have the luxury of time.

I had thought that they would gradually integrate over time, but the unexpected harsh climate had brought the issue to the forefront.

“Yeah!”

“I can’t wear this anymore!”

“I’m quitting!”

As if the situation was contagious, other residents started throwing their helmets to the ground in frustration.

They were all new recruits from the 14th floor.

The residents from the upper floors remained silent, enduring the heat without complaint.

It was a clear indication of where the problem lay.

‘I need to take drastic measures.’

As I was pondering my options,

Hero’s Eye detected something. A red alert flashed in my vision.

“Enemy!”

I drew my sword and shouted a warning.

The residents immediately switched from marching formation to defensive formation, preparing for battle.

It showed how well-trained they were.

However,

The 14th floor residents were a step behind.

Those who had taken off their helmets couldn’t put them back on in time.

I doubted they even wanted to.

And then,

*Screech!*

Black scorpions emerged from the sand all around us.

They weren’t ordinary scorpions.

They were monstrous scorpions, as large as giant monsters.

I could see their venomous stingers dripping with a chilling black liquid.

“Don’t panic! Just do what you’ve been trained to do!”

“Watch out for their venomous tails!”

Gwen and Duncan shouted, and a fierce battle against the monstrous scorpions began.

* * *

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

*Screech!*

The last monstrous scorpion fell, its body riddled with holes from the residents’ coordinated spear thrusts.

They weren’t easy opponents.

They were strong, and their venomous stingers were deadly.

They were definitely predators.

Apex predators.

But we were able to hunt them down.

Battle-hardened veterans who had survived countless battles.

Their strength, honed by constant training and exceptional teamwork, was overwhelming.

However,

“Ugh…”

“N-No…”

There were casualties.

Bodies lay on the ground, their heads crushed, their deaths gruesome.

They had been pierced by the monstrous scorpions’ massive stingers.

They were all the ones who had taken off their helmets because of the heat.

They had paid the price for their foolishness.

The new recruits from the 14th floor were stunned, their faces pale with shock.

At that moment,

Milia strode towards them.

And then, in an uncharacteristically provocative tone, she said, “Hmph, you’ve learned the price of foolishness the hard way.”

“W-What?”

“How dare you say that to the dead!”

The 14th floor recruits reacted angrily.

But Milia didn’t even blink.

“Who told them to die?”

“W-What?”

“If you have eyes, then use them! These men’s deaths are suicides. Do you think we’re wearing helmets in this scorching heat because we’re idiots?”

Milia’s words were harsh and direct.

It was refreshing to hear someone speak so frankly.

Had Milia always been this refreshing?

So this was the strength of a reliable fanatic…

“W-Well…”

The 14th floor recruit was speechless.

Because they knew.

That all the dead had suffered fatal wounds to the same area, resulting in instant death.

And they knew what they all had in common.

“Do you have any idea what kind of sacrifices Savior made to provide us with this equipment? He went through hell and back to get this gear, all to save even a single life. Thanks to this equipment, we’ve been able to achieve victory after victory without losing a single life. And yet, these people threw his kindness back in his face. Because they were a little uncomfortable. Just a little uncomfortable!”

Milia didn’t offer condolences, instead, she condemned them as trash.

But the 14th floor recruits, who had lived and fought alongside the deceased, remained silent, as if they had been struck dumb.

They were overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

The mood had shifted, and the dead were no longer seen as unfortunate victims, but as fools who had brought their deaths upon themselves.

Everyone was looking at Milia with approval.

No one dared speak up in this atmosphere.

“You have two choices. You can continue to live like pathetic fools and die like your former comrades, or you can pull yourselves together and follow Savior to a new life.”

“…”

“Well? Choose! Do you think we have time to wait for your decision? The enemy could attack at any moment!”

Wow, I hadn’t realized it before, but Milia was a true knight.

…She was good at maintaining discipline.

“T-The latter!”

“Y-Yes!”

“W-We’ll follow Savior to a new life!”

The 14th floor recruits answered hurriedly.

They all chose the latter option, without exception.

Well, no one would choose the former option in this atmosphere.

Milia’s expression softened.

“Good. It seems like you still have some brains left.”

*Pat.*

She patted each of them on the shoulder approvingly.

A carrot after the stick?

She knew how to handle people.

“Let me say this one last time. Believe in Savior and follow him, and you will live! But if you don’t, you will die!”

Milia declared.

…She was even good at preaching.

Reliable.

“Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

“W-We believe!”

It was a beautiful scene of conversion.

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, covering my mouth and turning away.

* * *

The 16th floor of the underground.

This time, it was freezing cold.

It was a familiar environment for me, having fought in the snowy plains of the north.

It would be the same for the residents from the north.

But for most of the residents, it was an unfamiliar environment.

One that was difficult to endure.

‘This is better than any training.’

Real combat was the best training.

And this time, the real combat environment was extreme cold, following the extreme heat of the previous floor.

They were undergoing extreme environment training in actual combat, something that others would pay to experience.

It would be an invaluable experience for them.

I was certain.

That the consecutive extreme combat experiences on the 15th and 16th floors would make the resident unit even stronger.

“Don’t huddle! Straighten your backs!”

Milia shouted.

She had somehow become the training instructor for the new recruits from the 14th floor.

Her training seemed to be effective, as the 14th floor recruits had changed drastically.

Their eyes were filled with discipline, and I could sense their increased sense of belonging and camaraderie.

They were integrating into the unit properly.

The deaths of their foolish comrades had probably contributed to their rapid integration.

Their deaths weren’t completely in vain.

“Hey, 15th floor recruits, get your act together!”

This time, it was Duncan who shouted.

The new recruits who had joined us two weeks ago.

They were still a bit clumsy, but it wouldn’t be a problem.

Milia would train them well, and time would take care of the rest.

“Everyone, to your positions!”

Gwen roared.

“To your positions!”

The residents repeated his words and quickly took their positions, moving like well-oiled machines.

Siege formation.

Before us stood a mountain fortress, located on a snow-covered mountain.

It wasn’t large, but its natural defenses made it an impregnable fortress.

I couldn’t even imagine how many casualties we would suffer if we tried to conquer it conventionally.

But thankfully, we had something else.

“Load the ballistae!”

“Load!”

Large ballistae, capable of taking down even ogres with a single shot.

Their power had been proven time and time again.

And ballistae were siege weapons.

I had requested them to be built for taking down giant monsters, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be effective against walls.

They would undoubtedly pose a significant threat to the defenders.

“Prepare the siege ram!”

It was our turn to move.

We knew from experience.

That this cute turtle head could smash through any gate.

“…Is this really our role now?”

Camian shook his head.

“What? You have a problem with that?”

“No, not really, but can’t we rotate…”

“What’s the most important thing in a siege?”

“Hmm, I don’t know.”

“Breaking down the gate, of course. And the most important role is also the most dangerous.”

I looked at my juniors intently.

“Now you understand why I volunteer for the most dangerous role, right? To minimize casualties.”

It wasn’t just an empty boast.

Every single resident was a valuable asset for the future.

I wanted to preserve them as much as possible.

And one more thing.

If I was revered as their savior, I had to act accordingly.

To maintain my authority.

I knew that my current position and influence were based not only on my logistical support, but also on my willingness to fight on the front lines, to be the bravest among them.

“A-As expected of senior.”

Annette nodded repeatedly, her face filled with admiration.

“Well, that’s just like senior.”

Camian said calmly.

But actions spoke louder than words.

Camian, along with Annette, had fought alongside me in many dangerous situations.

There was no greater proof of his sincerity.

That’s why I smiled.

“Alright, let’s go.”

We moved.

* * *

The 17th, 18th, and 19th floors of the underground.

As we descended deeper, I felt something.

The end was near.

No, it felt like it was right in front of us.

“The 20th floor…” I mused aloud.

“What about it, senior?”

Annette blinked.

“The end.”

“The end? The end of the underground? Is it on the 20th floor?”

“Haha, I don’t know for sure. But I have a feeling.”

“Senior’s intuition is never wrong.”

Camian interjected.

He sounded almost certain, having witnessed my intuition firsthand on many occasions.

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Annette nodded in agreement.

I had become a fortune teller.

“Anyway, shouldn’t we prepare more thoroughly before going there?”

“Good point.”

I grinned.

The end was always the most difficult.

Even though time was tight, it wouldn’t be wise to rush in like we had been doing so far.

Besides, our forces had grown considerably as we cleared the underground, so we needed to reorganize and re-equip.

At least a month.

That’s how much time I had in mind.

That should be enough time for the new recruits to integrate and adapt to our tactics.

“One month. I’m going to give the residents one month to prepare thoroughly.”

“That’s a good idea, senior.”

“Sounds good.”

Annette and Camian readily agreed.

But I wasn’t finished.

“And Annette, Camian.”

“Yes?”

“What is it?”

“You two are going through hellish training during that time.”

“…”

“…”

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

*Grab.*

*Grab.*

“A-Ah! S-Senior, I’m all bones! I wouldn’t taste good!”

“Ugh! L-Let go! I’m not even married yet!”

My juniors screamed, remembering the “hellish training” they had endured (?) before the war in the north.

But it was no use.

I was too good of a senior, truly dedicated to their growth.

“No way. Starting today.”

“Aaaaaargh?!”

“Y-You demon!”

Their screams echoed through the academy garden.