Chapter 245

Pull with all your might.

Release in an instant.

The turtle’s head shoots forward.

And then.

*Booooooom!*

“This is fun!”

My eyes sparkled like a child who had discovered a new toy.

It was incredibly stress-relieving.

“W-Wait! I think the skeletons are noticing us…”

Annette said, her body trembling.

“They’re not just noticing us, they’re glaring at us. Like they want to kill us.”

Ran said calmly, as if it was none of her business.

She was safe under the turtle, so she didn’t care, right?

“Ugh, everyone be careful!”

Camian shouted, his expression serious.

…No, you’re the only one who needs to be careful.

“Careful or not, Camian, you’re switching with me. The rest of you, hide or whatever.”

Whoosh.

Before I could finish speaking, Ran had already disappeared under the turtle.

She was fast.

Swoosh.

Annette followed, crawling underneath.

…Well, it was good to see that she had gotten used to it.

It was better this way.

Fewer targets to worry about.

“Switch? Then I…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

I drew my sword and pushed Camian towards the battering ram, urging him to take my place.

Camian awkwardly positioned himself near the turtle’s neck.

“…I trust you.”

Why was he looking so serious?

Was he going to his death?

He really didn’t trust his amazing senior.

“Just hurry up and start. They’re coming.”

As soon as I finished speaking, a rain of arrows flew towards us.

Magic followed.

“Bring it on.”

– Net Slash Form.

My sword created an impenetrable net of defense.

* * *

The human’s swordsmanship.

It was as if it was created solely for defense.

Arrows and magic were deflected harmlessly.

Vaien’s facial muscles twitched.

What made it even more infuriating was that the human wasn’t just protecting himself, but also the one operating the siege weapon that was pounding on their castle.

*Bang!*

Vaien slammed his fist against the wall, the stone crumbling under his immense strength.

He seemed unable to contain his rage.

“You fools! If it doesn’t work, try something else! Aim for the siege weapon! Attack the siege weapon and destroy it! Now!”

Vaien’s roar echoed across the walls.

The skeletons finally changed their target.

Instead of aiming at the humans, they aimed at the siege weapon.

* * *

*Booooooom!*

“Good, you’re doing great. The gate is really taking a beating.”

“It was worth trusting you, senior.”

…He still looked pretty nervous, though.

“Anyway, keep going… Huh?”

I noticed that the direction of the attacks had changed.

Towards the siege weapon.

They had switched their target to the siege weapon itself.

It was impossible for me to block all of them.

I only had one body.

But.

“Don’t underestimate it just because it’s cute.”

I chuckled.

The tortoise battering ram, with its unnecessarily cute appearance.

It was a bizarre creation born from someone’s personal preference, but despite its appearance, it was built to last.

They probably thought they could easily destroy it with a few attacks, but they were sorely mistaken.

They would soon learn the true power of the cute turtle.

“Wait, I think they’re trying to destroy it.”

Camian finally sensed something was wrong and said urgently.

“Don’t worry about it, just keep pounding. Don’t you trust Ran?”

Camian flinched at the mention of Ran’s name.

“O-Of course I trust her! Who else would I trust?!”

He was like a fanatic.

“Ahem.”

Ran seemed to be enjoying his reaction.

…Why did I feel like I could see her smug expression even though she was hidden?

“Good, pound it! Pound it! Smash it to pieces!”

I encouraged Camian, acting like a true leader.

“Of course!”

*Booooooom!*

The sound of the battering ram hitting the gate was even more satisfying now.

* * *

“Uggghhhhh?!”

Vaien clutched the wall, his face contorted in pain.

His face was flushed red.

Once again, the situation was unfolding in the worst possible way.

A concentrated barrage of arrows and magic.

Any ordinary siege weapon would have been destroyed by now.

But that damn turtle wasn’t even budging.

He cursed under his breath.

The unnecessarily cute shape seemed to mock him, making him even angrier.

What the hell was that damn turtle made of, it was ridiculously sturdy!

His body trembled uncontrollably with rage.

“L-Lord! It seems impossible to destroy it!”

One of the vampires said, his voice trembling.

“I know that, you idiot!”

This useless fool!

This was the best he had left?!

The vampire cowered under Vaien’s glare.

“…Lord, we need to abandon the walls and prepare to fight inside.”

Riel said, her expression grim.

Once the gate was breached, the walls would be meaningless.

They had to abandon the walls and regroup inside, forming a new defensive line.

Even Vaien, his body shaking with rage, couldn’t deny that.

“Damn it, we have no choice. Retreat! Everyone, retreat and form a new line!”

And so, Vaien chose to retreat and regroup.

The first stage of the siege had ended in a complete victory for the humans.

* * *

*Booooooooom!*

The loudest crash yet.

The gate, now twisted and mangled, tilted backwards.

It was open.

“Yes!”

“We did it!”

Camian and I shouted almost simultaneously.

“W-We did it!”

“Heh, as expected of my turtle.”

Annette and Ran, who had emerged from under the battering ram at some point, also cheered.

And then.

A deafening roar erupted from behind us.

“Woooooo!”

“The gate is down!”

“We breached the castle!”

“Victory is ours!”

Their morale was sky-high.

That was the significance of breaching the gate in a siege.

Everyone knew that victory was within reach.

“The Savior has opened the way for us! Let’s advance and save this land!”

Milia, my first fanatic, shouted, her words music to my ears.

So this was what it felt like to be a cult leader.

It was addictive.

“Charge!”

Gwen, the commander, roared.

The residents, seasoned veterans, surged forward in a disciplined and orderly formation.

*Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!*

“We will eliminate all enemies within the castle!”

“Eliminate! Eliminate! Eliminate! Eliminate!”

Their powerful chants shook the very air.

Even I felt a thrill run down my spine.

If I were the enemy?

I would be terrified.

The residents’ army was that imposing and intimidating.

I was right.

If this army were to go to the surface…

The world would be turned upside down.

“Hmm, what do we do now?”

Ran asked.

“What do we do? We help them, of course.”

We had achieved a major victory, but the battle wasn’t over yet.

We had to eliminate Vaien Blood, the enemy leader, to truly end this.

And I couldn’t let anyone else take care of him.

I had a personal grudge against him.

I had died to him countless times.

“Time for revenge.”

I said, a cruel smile twisting my lips.

“Huh?”

“It’s a personal thing.”

And so, we joined our allies and charged into the castle.

* * *

Every castle had secret passages.

Secret passages for the high-ranking individuals.

That’s why they could escape even if the castle fell.

The king of the Castle of Curse was no exception.

When the situation became hopeless, Vaien Blood abandoned his subordinates and fled through a secret passage.

Only his two trusted lieutenants, Riel and Bloodkin, followed him.

*Gnash!*

Vaien gritted his teeth, his bloodshot eyes filled with hatred.

Humiliation.

The second worst humiliation of his life.

And both times, at the hands of those lowly humans.

He wanted to fight them to the death, using all his power.

But he couldn’t.

Because if he died, everything would be over.

He had to live to plot his revenge.

He had been able to dream of revenge after his first humiliation because he had escaped with his life.

It would be the same this time.

He would hide somewhere no one could find him, build up his strength, and take his revenge.

He would.

As Vaien clenched his trembling fists, his eyes spotted the exit of the secret passage.

Once he went through there, it would be over.

Those humans would never be able to catch him.

*Clank!*

Vaien quickly opened the secret exit.

But at that moment,

His eyes widened in shock, and his body froze.

Riel and Bloodkin also froze, their faces filled with horror.

“A king abandoning his castle, how pathetic.”

Max said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Behind him stood heavily armed humans.

At least twenty of them.

How did they know about this place?!

It was impossible!

Impossible!

Vaien’s expression crumbled.

He seemed to be in shock.

“L-Lord! I’ll clear a path! Escape!”

Riel showed her loyalty.

“Y-Yes, Lord! I’ll hold them off, so go!”

Bloodkin shouted, his voice filled with determination.

Twenty men.

It was a large number, but not an insurmountable obstacle.

They hadn’t lost all hope yet.

But.

Their hope was shattered.

Along with an arrow that tore through the air.

*Whoosh!*

*Thud!*

“Gah!”

A custom-made Orichalcum arrow, fired from somewhere, pierced through Bloodkin’s chest.

Or rather, it obliterated his chest.

A gaping hole appeared in his chest, a wound that couldn’t be healed, no matter what he was.

The light faded from Bloodkin’s wide eyes.

*Thump!*

He collapsed, his body turning into a lifeless corpse in an instant.

“Heh, nice shot. Bullseye.”

Ran’s cheerful voice echoed through the air.

Riel’s eyes burned with rage.

“Those damn humans! I’ll kill them all!”

Riel charged forward like a mad boar.

She seemed to have lost her mind, but it was also an act of desperate loyalty.

She would use all her strength to create a path for her master, even if it meant sacrificing her own life.

But.

What awaited her was a forest of spearheads.

*Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!*

Riel, the Human Hunter.

She was strong.

But the humans were stronger.

Especially trained humans.

That cold, hard truth became reality.

“Aaaaaargh!”

She screamed, her body pierced by countless spears.

It was a futile death.

She hadn’t even bought Vaien a single second.

But it wasn’t a completely meaningless death.

Vaien had used that brief moment to try to escape.

But.

“Ugh?!”

His attempt was thwarted.

Someone had anticipated his move and blocked his path.

That someone was, of course, Max Celtrine.

“It’s your turn to die.”

Max pointed his sword at him.

“Damn you! Who said you could?!”

Vaien snarled.

He wouldn’t die a dog’s death at the hands of these humans.

“You’re nothing but a stray dog now. You can’t win. You can only die.”

Max said coldly, his voice filled with certainty.

The Vaien who had killed him countless times had been a king.

He had possessed the dignity of a king.

That was why he had been strong.

But now, Vaien was nothing but a stray dog.

A stray dog who had abandoned his kingdom, his subordinates, everything.

A stray dog couldn’t be strong.

He was weak now.

“Shut up!”

All that was left was petty evil.

Max raised his sword as Vaien charged at him, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

*Bang!*

He kicked off the ground.

– Explosion Slash Form.

The secret technique of Baker’s Swordsmanship surged towards Vaien.

* * *

*Slice!*

Red blood splattered, spraying high into the air, staining his face.

A severed head.

Vaien’s head.

I held it high.

And then I shouted with all my might.

“The battle is over! Victory is ours!”

A deafening roar answered me.

“Woooooo!”

“We won!”

“Savior! Savior! Savior! Savior!”

“Long live the Savior!”

“The undefeated Savior!”

And so, I had saved the humans on Underground Floor 13.