episode_0064

And so, the day of the mission dawned.

Knowing that something was about to happen, I wasn’t as surprised as the other players when I heard the emergency siren while having breakfast. I deliberately took only a little food and hurriedly finished my meal.

Everything was perfect except for the fact that I couldn’t use my tablet.

The tension among the players was palpable as the portal opened on the field. If we were lucky, we could return without any casualties, but if luck wasn’t on our side, someone among us who was laughing and joking just moments ago could end up dead.

While we didn’t mourn for every sacrifice that occasionally occurred, the sudden death of a player we had trained and shared instant noodles with just the day before was a different matter.

Even if the world was facing the threat of destruction, most people cared more about those close to them than the entire human race.

It was just the natural tension that stemmed from that fact.

Lager was also lost in his thoughts.

“Let’s come back alive, Ale.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you feeling okay? Not in pain anywhere?”

“No.”

“Why are you so unenthusiastic in your answers? Are you on your period?”

Even with Lager’s intentional joke, I couldn’t hide the pale look on my face and nervously bit my trembling lips while shaking my head.

“Are you really feeling unwell?”

“It’s not that.”

“How can I postpone the mission if you’re not feeling well?”

“That’s not possible. Don’t you know that you created this world?”

Anyone would come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid going out if they could. If luck wasn’t on their side, they might go out in bad condition and end up dead.

However, the Academy’s regulations strictly prohibited changing or postponing the order of deployment. Except for patients on long-term hospitalization, it was not allowed to change the order of deployment. Menstrual cramps or fever were not excuses.

The hospital system was well in place, so if you didn’t want to be deployed, you should be hospitalized. It was a regulation that was strict for everyone, but it felt a bit harsh at times like this.

…It’s probably because I’m in danger.

“Let’s go!”

As the portal opened, the female instructor took the lead. Upon entering the portal with numerous players, a familiar sight unfolded before us.

A grand forest of buildings rising majestically above the cool 8-lane road. A clean bustling area reminiscent of Gangnam or Cheongdam stations.

But back then, it was a crow.

This time, giant crow-like creatures were occupying the road, waiting for the assault command.

Countless creatures, so numerous that it was hard to estimate, shook their heads and rushed to devour the players.

“All units, prepare for battle.”

The female instructor with sunglasses gave instructions to the players in a solemn voice, raising her arms to prepare to unleash powerful magic. Cold air condensed above her raised hands, gradually gaining strength.

She condensed the cold air as much as possible until the creatures leaped forward and rushed to the vicinity. Eventually, when the instructor lowered her arms and aimed forward, the swirling storm in her hands transformed into a chilling cannon that tore through the enemies.

Close combat units held the front, while long-range combat units blocked the mobility of the enemy at the forefront, disrupting their formation before unleashing concentrated fire. It was the basic strategy when facing over 50 monsters.

This time, the instructor took on the role of disrupting the enemy’s mobility. Just before firing the powerful cannon to tear apart the enemy’s front line.

“Kweeeak!”

The ground beneath their feet sank deeply, and the sharp spikes protruded from below.

“Ah, ahhhh!”

“They’re coming from below!”

At the urgent shout, the instructor had to fire off a prepared strike in front before looking back.

“Stay calm, don’t panic!”

As a result, the sharp spikes, torn apart by the storm of icy coldness, hesitated for a moment as they scattered in the spot where they had been torn apart, but soon shook their heads and rushed back in at a terrifying speed.

“They’re coming!”

Maintaining almost the same number, they stuck to the close combatants.

“Haahhh!”

“Ack!”

A melee where both sides’ frontlines were in disarray.

Blocking the ones coming from behind after dealing with the spikes attacking from the front, that guy had his legs bitten by the spikes and was cut at the waist by the disciple who had defeated the spikes rushing from the front, and that disciple was bitten on the shoulder by the spikes rushing again from the front.

It was a nightmare.

What was truly serious was what was happening at the back. The spikes quickly burrowed underground and aimed for the rear of the disciple’s front line.

The limbs of the long-range attackers, strong only in attack power but weak in defense, were broken one by one by the spikes’ powerful jaw strength, and blood poured out.

“Argh, agh!”

“Ahhhh! Ahh!”

“It’s a hole, block the hole!”

The female instructor frantically dealt with the spikes, freezing the spikes coming up through the holes in the ground.

But without a moment to relax, new holes were being pierced from all directions, and the spikes were popping out. They mercilessly rushed at the long-range attackers who couldn’t summon complex magic due to their panic.

“Ahhhh!”

“Everyone, pull yourselves together! Focus! We need to focus and take them down one by one!”

The female instructor’s orders fell on deaf ears as legs and arms were being chewed on, none of it registering. The spikes didn’t know how to stop, and just like insects, they didn’t die right away even if their heads were ripped off. The spikes’ relentless determination to push forward was terrifying.

Could they hold out for 15 minutes?

What would happen after 15 minutes?

The most bewildering thing in this living hell was actually me.

“Ayle! What are you doing!”

“Uh, well, that’s…”

“Do something. Are you here to run away!”

Despite the woman instructor’s scolding, I just stood there dumbfounded, unable to do anything, just rolling my feet.

I can’t do anything.

I have to watch as a tremendous amount of damage is being done.

The female instructor sighed deeply and shook her head.

“You’re useless, like a useless woman. It’s a waste of a disciple like you.”

With those words, she no longer paid any attention to me.

That’s when it happened.

“Ayle!”

The body of the spike covering my head was split in half in mid-air with a flash of light.

I hadn’t even realized the guy was coming at me. If it weren’t for Lager, I would have had my head torn off and resigned from life immediately.

“Snap out of it. Stay by my side as much as possible!”

Lager wielded his halberd and swung it fiercely at the spikes rushing towards me. With each swing of the halberd, several spikes were cut down, and he systematically stabbed the writhing spikes on the ground with the tip of his spear.

Lager’s movements were much faster than before, and the halberd he wielded was extremely fierce. If before his attacks were easily blocked, now the spikes’ outer shells couldn’t withstand Lager’s attacks, and they were being cut down in groups of three or four.

Have you been to the room of mind and time? Lager, who powered up tremendously in less than a month, had an astonishing combat power even in this chaotic situation.

Despite Lager’s fierce resistance, the enemy numbers did not seem to decrease. It became increasingly difficult to block them from the front, and the backstabbers kept pouring in without a break.

Eventually, as Lager struggled, he ran back to me and made a proposal.

“Ale. For now, run away somewhere.”

“What?”

“Anyway, we can’t do anything right now. It’s too dangerous. If the situation seems to be getting under control, join us again.”

“No, but…”

“The instructor requested additional support, so the situation will soon be reversed. But I can’t guarantee to protect you until then.”

So, run away.

“Damn it.”

It was a very unpleasant thing to hear.

I thought I could survive on my own without your help, but now it seems like I have to prove it.

The situation was not good. There were many fighters who had lost their arms and legs, fighting while bleeding profusely. There were also many fighters who had their heads torn off or their waists cut off and died.

There is no guarantee that it won’t happen to me. They are violent, and I have no means to face them right now.

Reluctantly, I realized.

I am someone who needs protection.

“Damn it…!”

My hands trembled white as I clenched my fists, and eventually, I dodged between the buildings. I ran away in anger the whole time.

Cowardly.

Without conscience.

I vowed that I would never show Lager the trash-like appearance of seeking help only when I needed it…!

Spitting out self-pitying curses, I ran and ran. I could only catch my breath and calm down after hiding my body in a narrow, dark alley.

“Haah, haah…”

The sounds of fighting seemed incredibly distant. It didn’t feel real, like something from another world.

Is Lager okay?

As I bit my lip and looked around.

Suddenly, a rustling sound caught my attention, and my shoulders tensed.

There is something.

Is it just a cat? Or is there someone who hasn’t evacuated yet?

Should I run away?

Or should I approach?

Swallowing my saliva, I slowly moved forward. Ready to flee at any moment, I walked towards the direction of the sound.

There, a girl who looked about twenty years old was crouched, trembling.

Thud.

Sensing my presence, the girl startled, raised her head, and stumbled backward, clutching her buttocks and whimpering.

“P-please save me. I, I mean, uh… I don’t know what’s going on. Please save me. Help me…”

The girl had a long, thin tail of a backstabber attached to her head.