Chapter 44: The Stronghold Under Snow Storms (6)
They could imdiately ask for reinforcents from the headquarters. However, the distance was considerable, and if there was any S-class esper available.
The man held the back of his neck for a mont and took a deep breath. In a situation like this, he showed why he was the one in charge in this red zone.
"Imdiately send a—" he paused and looked at the woman. "You need to rest and have soone guide you first."
Before the woman could argue, he had already instructed another staff mber to get her. He then rushed back to the office while taking a communication device to start talking with the headquarters.
They were not the only ones who noticed the urgency and the unusual movents of the cold beasts. The veterans in this red zone had already dreaded this assumption, and as the hours passed, they needed to admit it.
This was a cold beast tide. And was being aided by a snowstorm no less.
In each hour that passed, the situation on the front lines was getting worse. The espers barely had enough rest. They also could not risk overworking the guides too much, or each of them would exhibit backlash symptoms.
And yet, the cold beasts were endless.
"Where are they coming from?" An esper exclaid in frustration, kicking a small cold beast that managed to go over the first defense line.
"In a dungeon, probably," soone answered behind him. He was not wearing any official insignia and so was a rcenary.
"A dungeon break?"
"I don’t think so. How co there’s already a dungeon break?"
They could only chat because they were on the second defense line, but they soon focused their attention on the battlefield. It was almost dawn, and they had yet to sleep a wink.
The exhaustion would soon accumulate, and their combat power, which was hindered by the snowstorm, would plumt even more.
Suddenly, a louder cry resounded that made almost everyone’s faces change.
"Fuck!" One swore, his eyes widening. "Are you serious?"
A loud flare then resounded from the wall. And the espers from there waved their hands in unison, prompting them to co up.
"Retreat!" Everyone from below the wall quickly went to the ladder that was dropped. So did not need to use the ladder and used their abilities to climb the wall.
No one asked; they only retreated in haste.
This ti... The situation turned drastically worse.
Everyone was up and awake; no one could possibly sleep peacefully after that. Ayen was the sa. He only napped for an hour or two before he woke up.
Nolan was the sa. The two decided to go downstairs and help support the front lines. Ayen found it strange that Nolan had yet to be called for a guiding session but did not ask.
Everyone had secrets.
The lobby had begun to look like a hospital, injured espers lying around everywhere. After all, this place was warr than other buildings.
So civilians were also mobilized to help deliver so supplies or support the staff in any way they could.
"Hey." Lucian sat on the ground, not bothering to get a seat. He gasped for breath after drinking water. "You two haven’t been called?"
Ayen shook his head. Lucian did not question him, but he stared suspiciously at Nolan. "What about you?"
Clearly, Lucian might have known to read the room, but he still fell short.
"I don’t know." Nolan smiled. He put down the bloody cloth in the basin.
Lucian narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to ask again, but his attention was disrupted when Ayen talked to him.
"How are the front lines?"
Lucian turned to him, and his whole focus imdiately shifted.
"It’s terrible! Damn!" He then leaned forward, looked around, and whispered, "I heard they are considering evacuation."
As he was an A-class Guide, he could guide A-class Espers who also had access to more information, and so this source must have a basis.
Ayen frowned. Nolan did the sa.
"That bad?" Nolan could not believe it.
Lucian nodded furiously. "I swear, too unlucky. We just arrived too!"
Nolan did not react; the casual smile could not be seen on his lips. He looked worried and returned to what he was doing.
Ayen pursed his lips, sitting for a bit. He could not help but caress his bracelet. They fell into silence.
Based on the status of the front lines, the stronghold’s survival seed unlikely. Ayen knew that once the evacuation did happen, he would not be part of the priority.
His mind began to spin. This ti, he did not know how he would be able to survive. Ayen thought of contacting the two espers, but would they be able to arrive in ti before that?
Everyone had deep thoughts and was unable to chat anymore.
On the other side, in the front lines.
"We might have to run away later."
"Perhaps. Or..."
"Do you think that person will act? I feel it’s unlikely."
The two n talking were the rcenaries who escorted Ayen and the others.
The taller man did not speak. Whether he agreed or not matters less in the situation.
No matter how many cold beasts were killed, they were still endless. The famous A-ranks stationed in this stronghold had long been mobilized to intercept the big bosses that arrived.
Suddenly, a change happened on the battlefield. Mana erupted, overwhelming everyone.
The expression of the two beca twisted. "I’m afraid... we can’t even escape now."
A cold beast that had mana density almost equal to an S-class appeared. Though not fully an S-class, A-class espers could hardly compete.
Despair began to rise, and the morale plumted even faster. The A-class espers retreated, and they were already injured and far from their peak.
If that cold beast had arrived a little earlier, if all A-class espers joined together to fight, they might have a chance. However, what happened after that was the problem.
Even if they managed to kill it, they might not have the combat power to continue fighting after that. When the beast tide was ongoing, that was also a terrible scenario.
Either way, they were fucked.
A man standing at the governnt building sighed and closed his eyes. He had yet to get the reinforcent he needed, and now the situation had already taken a drastic turn.
His hands clenched, and the phone almost crashed. While past his pri, he was still an A-class esper. His self-control was incredible to be able to not damage that phone in the end.
"Those bastards." He cursed the higher-ups with gritted teeth. Everyone was working for survival here, and yet, they were still arguing over a reinforcent?
Sotis, he always hoped a dungeon would open on that incredible fortress and wipe them all out. But... He could only think about it.
His shoulders drooped, and gloom overtook the room. All of those people... would not survive once evacuation proceeded.
Just as he was already conflicted and in rage deep inside, a new developnt suddenly happened on the front lines.
"Sir! Soone appeared... an S-class esper, sir!"
The man looked over in shock. An S-class esper?
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