Chapter 214

“I can feel the Power of the Abyss again.”

As Ulan was gazing at the Eastern Jungle, he suddenly heard this line, and Noa stared back at him with wide, startled eyes like a rabbit.

“W-what does that even mean?”

“It’s just what it says. It definitely vanished without a trace yesterday, but I sensed the Power of the Abyss again from this morning.”

The Spirit of the Abyss, happy with its candy, repeated what it just said, adding it didn’t know why.

“Anyway, I’ve delivered the message, so I’ll be off.”

And just like that, the spirit disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Feeling the eerie silence wash over him, Ulan suddenly jumped up.

With his axe drawn.

“U-Ulan?”

“I’m heading to the Eastern Jungle.”

Ulan declared as if making an announcement.

He planned to chase after the culprit responsible before the Power of the Abyss vanished again.

Seeing him about to leave immediately, Noa quickly grabbed Ulan’s arm.

“Wait a second.”

“Why?”

“If we’re going to the Eastern Jungle anyway, it would be better to leave a bit later.”

“What’s the reason?”

Noa flashed a smile at the puzzled Ulan. At that moment, Professor Melt’s words suddenly came to her mind.

“Next, we will move to the Northern Border and have a look at the Magic Barrier installed at the defensive line.”

The Northern Border and the Magic Barrier.

As soon as she recalled this, Ulan seemed to realize something, his eyes widening. Noa continued with a gentle smile.

“Looks like you just thought of it.”

That the Northern Border of the Endrak Kingdom was the place Ulan was most trying to reach.

It wasn’t just that.

The other reason Noa suggested they wait was simple.

“I also heard we’d be traveling by Magic-Powered Train, so we could arrive much earlier than just rushing.”

Noa was right.

No matter how fast Ulan ran, he wouldn’t be as quick as a train. Plus, taking the train would save his stamina.

“Got it. That does make sense.”

Ulan nodded, seemingly in agreement with Noa’s suggestion.

A little while later.

“Professor Wirathim!”

“We’re done with the preparations!”

The magic engineers inspecting the Magic-Powered Train shouted in unison. Under Professor Melt’s orders, boarding began shortly afterward.

But just then, as Ulan was about to board the train, someone came galloping from a distance.

“Urgent news! Urgent news!”

A man waving a red flag was charging toward them.

From his military uniform, he seemed to belong to the city’s defense force.

He rushed over to Professor Melt and, gasping for breath, shouted.

“An evacuation order has been issued for the city!”

“What? An evacuation order?”

“A horde of monsters has appeared!”

“…What?”

Professor Melt asked back, his face blank.

This was understandable.

Considering that monsters usually appeared near the Eastern Jungle, which was protected by the border defense force and the Magic Barrier, how could they have come this far?

Other students had similar reactions. However, judging by the messenger’s urgent tone, they didn’t seem to be joking.

“This news comes from the Northern Border.”

After calming his ragged breath, the messenger explained the current situation and why the evacuation order was given.

“Hundreds of monsters have emerged from the Eastern Jungle! We’re trying to hold them off by establishing a defensive line, but some have already breached it and are heading south toward Plume!”

“W-what does that even mean…?”

With a stiff expression and a frantic voice, Professor Melt sensed the gravity of the situation and visibly panicked. The cadets of Arsen shared his confusion as well.

Noa felt the same.

‘What’s happening? This has never occurred before.’

It was something that didn’t happen at all in the original story.

The large-scale monster invasion would only be instigated much later by the Desert Order.

But there was no time for contemplation.

“This was reported two hours ago, so they must be nearby by now. Please assist with the evacuation of the students!”

Professor Melt nodded.

Though startled by the sudden situation, following the evacuation order was of utmost importance now.

“We’ll guide you to the evacuation shelter.”

“Please follow the instructions!”

Following the magic engineers’ guidance, the cadets of Arsen headed toward the evacuation shelter. Yet amidst the chaos, someone remained calm.

The barbarian, sniffing the air.

It was Ulan.

‘I can smell blood.’

The scent of monster and human blood mingling with the wind from the north indicated that the monsters were not far off.

Ulan promptly turned around.

In the opposite direction of the shelter. To the castle gate leading to the Northern Border. Just then, hearing his footsteps, Noa hastily called out.

“U-Ulan? Where are you going?!”

“Monster hunting.”

With a nonchalant response.

Ulan stomped the ground and took off.

2.

In the wake of the sudden monster attack, the city of Plume fell into a frenzy with a hastily issued evacuation order.

“Everyone hurry! The monsters are coming!”

“Move to the evacuation shelter!”

Screams and shouts echoed through the streets.

Civilians, including the elderly, women, and children, headed for Plume Academy, where the shelter was located.

Meanwhile, the men were conscripted into soldiers under royal law and summoned to the northern gate to block the advancing monsters.

At that moment.

A cloud of dust billowed up from the plains beyond the northern gate. A middle-aged man observing from the castle wall clenched his jaw.

“This is madness!”

Owen Hiraes, the captain of Plume’s defense, a veteran knight responsible for the city’s security for the last ten years. However, he hadn’t fought many monsters before.

As long as the Magic Barrier and border defense force were present, monsters would never come this far.

“Damn it, why is this happening…?”

Owen cursed repeatedly.

But complaining wouldn’t change anything.

The monsters had already approached within sight, and in this predicament, his sole duty as the defense captain was clear.

“Everyone, take your positions!”

Owen’s sword glowed blue.

A mana sword forged by a mid-level knight.

He infused some morale into the soldiers as he felt the tremors from where the dust cloud originated and shouted.

“Prepare for battle! They’re right on top of us!”

The tension hung palpably around the castle walls.

The soldiers gulped nervously. Just then, as the tension mounted on the walls, one of the soldiers suddenly squinted.

“Huh? What’s that…?”

His eyes widened as he observed through the lookout device.

It seemed he spotted something. Moments later, he hurriedly reported to Owen.

“Captain Hiraes!”

“There’s someone at the front!”

“What? Who is it?”

“I can’t see clearly yet since it’s far away, but it seems to be a soldier from the Northern Border!”

Wait, what does that even mean?

Owen’s face contorted in confusion.

He then grabbed the lookout device and scanned in the direction the soldier pointed.

“…!”

His eyes widened in shock.

He clearly saw someone galloping in front of the horde of monsters.

A blood-soaked soldier riding on horseback. While it was unclear if he belonged to the border defense, that wasn’t the critical point.

“What are we going to do?”

“We should open the castle gate even now…”

“That’s nonsense!”

Before the soldiers could finish their thoughts, Owen exploded in anger. His frustration boomed because they were suggesting something so ridiculous.

“If we open the gate now, the monsters will rush into the city! We’ll be defeated without even getting a fight!”

“But we can’t abandon our comrade!”

“That’s right. We should hear the situation from the Northern Border, so maybe opening the gate would…”

The distance between the soldier in front and the monsters was considerable. Anyone could tell that there would be enough time to open and close the gates.

However, Owen thought differently.

“No, we won’t open the gates.”

“Captain Hiraes!”

“I can’t risk the entire city for one soldier!”

The firmness of his voice echoed throughout the hall.

Absolute determination was etched in his eyes, telling everyone he wouldn’t open the gates. Just then, he suddenly felt a heavy presence behind him.

At the same moment, a calm voice rang out.

“Then I will go down.”

“…What?”

Startled by the sudden presence, Owen turned to see a hulking man leap past him and dive over the wall.

Without any time to react, a blonde girl wielding a slender sword followed suit, jumping off the wall after the giant.

“W-wait! Hold on!”

By the time Owen regained his wits and reached for them, it was already too late. Both of them had jumped off the wall.

They looked rather youthful.

They seemed to be students without wearing any uniform.

Then there could only be one answer.

“Don’t tell me they’re from Arsen Academy…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Just when Owen’s eyes went wide.

A mysterious voice echoed in his ear.

Turning to look, he saw the black-haired girl standing there, hugging a thick book to her chest.

“We’re here to help.”

Technically, they had just followed Ulan, who dashed off without permission. But thinking about it, assisting the defense was indeed a worthy choice.

There were at least hundreds of monsters.

In contrast, the defense had only about three hundred men. If they fought under such conditions, they wouldn’t last long.

‘That’s why while the castle walls are still solid…’

They must wipe out the monster horde.

Just as Noa made this decision, a roar of anger echoed through the air.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

It was Owen’s voice. Approaching with a furious face, he was scowling as he shouted.

“Fighting monsters is no joke! Even if you came to help, doing this would only hinder the battle…”

“No, not them. They can handle it.”

Just then, someone stepped in front of Owen, who was threateningly approaching Noa.

A man in a gray robe symbolizing a magic engineer, wearing black horn-rimmed glasses. The moment he appeared, Owen stopped in his tracks.

“…Professor Melt?”

Melt Wirathim.

He was a professor at Plume Academy and the actual leader of the magic engineers.

Also hailed as a genius among magic engineers, he was, however, of no help in combat.

“Why are you here?”

Recalling this, Owen frowned and pressed him for answers.

“You’re supposed to guide the academy’s students to the evacuation shelter. So why…”

“Oh, I’m done guiding them.”

Professor Melt waved his hand dismissively.

As if to say not to worry.

But it was only for a moment, as he awkwardly smiled while answering.

“Well, except for a few students.”

As soon as he finished speaking, two more students climbed up the wall.

One was a silver-haired girl, and the other had pure white hair.

They looked like they wouldn’t help in battle at all, which made Owen grimace.

At that moment.

“Captain Hiraes!”

“They’re about to come into firing range!”

The soldiers shouted in urgency.

While Owen was bickering with the students, it seemed the monsters had drawn closer.

He quickly turned to lead effectively.

Just then, once again, he heard Professor Melt’s voice behind him.

“There’s no need to worry.”

“What are you even saying in a situation like this?”

“You’ll understand if you watch closely. You’ll see why they didn’t follow the evacuation order and came here.”

With eyes filled with strange certainty.

Before his enigmatic words finished echoing, the three girls atop the castle walls began to act.

And at that moment.

The curtain raised on an one-sided battle.

Everything is going according to plan.