Yusar's face, which had been feeding himself with hope moments before, convulsed.
Elijah, too, with a frown on her face, watched the gate intently.
One, two, three… The monsters that jumped out of the gate were six.
If we add the monster that was facing Axion, the total becomes seven.
‘One monster we can barely bear, so how about seven?!’ This was nothing but completely cutting off the spark of hope and burning it with fire.
“Calm down, everyone!” Elia shouted forcefully at the unit members.
But even her, her whole body was trembling in fear.
The unit members completely lost their minds and sat down on the ground.
They only had to hope that Keisha would come here as soon as possible after sensing something strange.
Whoop!
Whoop!
Whoop!
The monsters that had come out in response to their companion's call rushed towards the tree to which Axion was clinging.
“Axion, there are bombs in the pocket!” Yusar hurriedly shouted, and Axion took out the bombs from the dimension pocket and threw them.
Whoop!
Whoop!
Successive loud noises exploded, but the monsters were not harmed at all.
Gooooo!
Cooooooooooong!
With feral screams, the monsters attacked Axion who was on the tree.
Axion swung his sword forcefully, but it was to no avail.
Chuaaak!
Bright crimson blood splattered under the feet of Elijah, who was standing at the bottom of the tree.
When she raised her head, she saw Axion hanging dangerously from the tree, covered in blood.
‘If the situation continues like this… it is dangerous!’ Illya saw the blood scattered on the ground, so she hurriedly shouted towards Axion.
"Axion!
Get down quickly!"
But he couldn't get down because he was surrounded by monsters.
Now, the monsters no longer looked at the other members of the unit, but instead attacked Axion with determination and stubbornness.
Yusar felt something strange, so he asked Ilya.
“Why do these people only attack Axion?”
“They went crazy because of the smell of blood...”
Illya answered with a serious face.
The stronger the monsters were, the more sensitive they were to the scent of the opponent's blood.
And the monsters that invaded the Baron's fiefdom were like that as well.
Once she starts smelling blood, she attacks the opponent until they die and then devours them.
Therefore, those monsters would attack Axion until he died.
If Axion dies, it will be Elia and the rest of the unit's next turn.
“When will the Colonel come… huh huh...” Lennox burst into desperate sobs.
Everyone started crying and sobbing here and there, but Elia quietly thought about what would happen next.
Today, here, at least one person is sure to die.
In the worst case, everyone will be wiped out.
But she was the deputy commander of this unit.
Even if there were casualties before Keisha arrived, she had to save as many of the unit's members as possible.
Even if she had to sacrifice herself.
‘Because this is the Vice Commander’s job.’ Her eyes sparkled with determination.
But how could she do that?
At that moment, Illya saw the crimson portal from which the monsters emerged.
The portal seemed to have spewed out all the monsters, and was slowly closing.
'Wait a minute…' Elijah's eyes narrowed.
It was a crazy method, but if I used it, at least most of the unit would be able to return safely.
She called out to Yusar and Lennox.
“Listen to me carefully.
When Keisha comes, report today’s events accurately.
Tell him that a monster portal has appeared here.
Also tell him that a portal appeared two months ago in the Triengen Baronial Fief, not just here.”
“Heh heh...El, this is your job as deputy commander...” Lennox said while crying.
Unlike Lennox, Yusar looked at Ilya as he realized something.
“Are you…?”
Elia nodded.
“Yes.
Axion is now in a situation where he cannot escape on his own even if he comes down from the tree.
They will attack us if they kill Axion.
Before that, I will take Axion and escape.”
Illya paused for a moment, then took a breath and added in a firm voice: “To a place where they can never attack you.”
Lennox shook his head, crying.
"Heh heh!
El, then you'll die!
If there is a place like this, we can all run to it!"
“I can't do that.” Ilya answered with a sad face, and Yusar shouted with a shocked face.
“You don't mean to enter that strange portal, do you?”
She nodded.
If she and the injured Axion entered that portal that was closing, the monsters would also follow them into the portal.
Then the gate will close completely, and this place will become safe.
But she and Axion would inevitably die.
She didn't know what was inside that portal, nor when it would open again.
But it was the only way to reduce the number of casualties to a minimum and save as many members of the unit as possible.
Fear gripped her at the thought that she would die soon.
'Anyway, if I hadn't come here, I would have starved to death in the Baron's fiefdom already.'
Moreover, this was better than dying from punishment after her entry disguised as a man was discovered.
Since she would die during training, compensation would be disbursed, and at least the baron's fiefdom could be saved.
She thought like this as she touched the silver deputy commander badge pinned to her training uniform with her hand, and calmed her down.
"Heh heh!
Elle!
I don't want that…"
“Yes, that doesn't make sense.
Maybe there's another way...”
Lennox shook his head, completely soaked in tears.
Yusar also strongly disagreed, his violet eyes trembling violently.
The gate was closing more and more.
There's no time left.
Illya continued speaking in a stern voice: “Wake up!
This is an army!
If we don’t do this, we will all die!
And I am the deputy commander.
This is my order as the deputy commander!”
After a while, Yusar nodded as if he had made up his mind.
"…Good."
As Ilya was preparing to approach the tree to save Axion, Yusar hugged her and whispered: “You must come back alive, Illya...”
The voice calling her name was trembling.
She gritted her teeth, nodded, and climbed the tree.
The monsters did not notice their presence because they were busy attacking Axion.
Axion was bleeding profusely, swinging his sword with incredible stubbornness and willpower.
sway-
At that moment, Axion's body swayed and headed downward.
Illya extended her arm and grabbed it, then quickly slid down the tree.
Bang!
They landed on the ground as if they had fallen.
Blood was flowing profusely from Axion's body, and his blue eyes had already lost their focus.
He had already lost consciousness.
It seemed as if his consciousness had faded away some time ago, and he was swinging his sword relying solely on instinct.
When Elia saw that sight, a shiver ran through her, and an old question suddenly came to her mind.
Why does Axion push himself to this extent?
For what exactly?
But this question is no longer useful now.
Anyway, they will die soon.
She quickly lifted Axion, who was lying on the ground, onto her shoulder.
The stench of blood and the smell of his body reached her nose strongly.
‘How many times have you carried this boy like this...’
I ran with all my might towards the gate.
From behind, seven monsters began to chase madly.
Axion's body pressed against hers like a piece of iron, but she gritted her teeth and continued walking with desperation and determination.
The crimson portal approached until it was close to it.
Fortunately, it was open enough for them to enter.
She took a deep breath, then jumped into the portal with the unconscious Axion.
Strange feeling!
A strange sensation enveloped her body.
flash!
There was a strong flash, and she involuntarily closed her eyes tightly.
Soon, she regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes.
Before her eyes, a strange world unfolded.
The sky was dark red like blood, and the ground was black and dry as coal.
The demonic energy was vibrating everywhere, making it extremely difficult to breathe.
Even the baron's fiefdom that was completely destroyed by monsters wasn't that bad.
This is the world of monsters!
Tremendous terror and fear swept over her.
Gooo!
At that moment, the seven monsters that were chasing them appeared.
But these monsters were not alone.
She turned to see monsters gathering from all sides, and she sensed the smell of blood.
'What a long-awaited prey...!'
'Prey comes crawling on its feet, without us having to go out into the outside world... kekekee!'
Strange sounds echoed in her ears.
Dozens, even hundreds, of hideous monsters that seemed to be having fun, began approaching them.
Although she was prepared, she felt as if the blood had frozen in her veins.
Illya involuntarily hugged Axion tightly.
Vibration-
Just when she was about to close her eyes tightly, Axion's body moved in her arms.
He slowly opened his eyes while in her arms.