100m before meeting you (6)
It was a high-ranking monster made entirely of rock. It came toward us, its black eyes bulging.
Thump, thump, thump!
A flock of birds fluttered and took off in unison.
The ground shook so much that I couldn't stand properly. People tried to hold on to each other and balance, but soon they were falling apart.
There were troops here, too. However, compared to the soldiers at the front, they were almost non-combatants.
No, even if they were skilled in battle, no one could make on a high-level monster.
Even Ian wouldn't be able to overpower a high-level monster on his own.
It was that big.
With a single gesture of hand, an ordinary person like us would be crushed to death.
Worse than that was the horror. Just looking at it made my body freeze, and the fear clenched my limbs.
"Ugh..."
Before I knew it, a strange sound came out of my mouth. My teeth clenched and my limbs stiffened.
Baba snatched me up as I stood stiff.
"Let's run."
"...What?"
"I told you I'd protect you! Let's go!"
"Hah, but those people..."
"Do you say that when you see something like that? Wake up!"
"Oh..."
My vision flickered, and tears welled up in my eyes.
I have to leave a Whitefield right in front of me and run away? Abandon all those people? They're going to die, and I'm the only one?
I'd rather not send them oil. I shouldn't have conceived the device for nothing.
If that were the case, I wouldn't have rushed to send supplies from the rear...
Nausea gets worse. Baba forced my hand to bite her lip.
"We don't have time for this!"
"...Let's go."
Maybe I'm destined to be a sinner somehow. I couldn't even wipe away my tears and turned away.
The high-level monster that had been walking on the ground suddenly stopped. Then its enormous black eyes turned downward.
"Now, wait! Hey!"
Baba turned his head. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head.
"Huh? Who's there? Who is it?"
It was looking down at something. Hidden by the woods, I couldn't see from here, but it was clear that something had stood in its way.
"What?!"
Baba yelled at what he saw. Then it leaned and flailed its arms.
Unknown ash swirled around. With a thud, a whole tree was uprooted and snapped away. In the end, it couldn't keep its balance and fell forward.
Kugung!
The impact was such that the river was churning violently. Unlike me, who managed to hold on to the pillar of the boat, Baba didn't look away until the end.
"Its foot was cut off."
"Ugh, what?"
He didn't say anything. He's just staring at the high-level monster with a flushed face.
I hurried to follow his gaze. The advanced monster had fallen on the ground, devastating a part of the forest, so I could see it clearly.
True to Baba's word, one of the legs of the monster made of rock had disappeared neatly from below the knees.
"Uh, what happened? Who would do that..."
Instead of answering, Baba lifted the corners of his mouth, his eyes widening.
I couldn't ask him again. Its severed leg was regenerating.
What I read in writing was not the same as what I read in reality.
A monster so great that ordinary people can't even face it can regenerate. Despair weighed on his shoulders as if he were falling into a deep abyss.
At that moment, Baba muttered to himself.
"Look."
What are you talking about?
As I examined the situation, my eyes widened.
Someone in a white uniform was leaping up on the face of a high-ranking monster.
The moment I saw him, my breath stopped.
'Ian!'
Ian quickly crossed his thighs to his chest, stepping on its face.
Soon, the silver sword sliced through the air, sinking deep into the monster's eyeball.
Chur!
The high-level monster let out an earth-shaking roar, its limbs struggling. But before it could be stirred properly, it was scattered into rocks and dust.
It didn't take long for it to dissipate. It was before the missing bridge had even been regenerated.
'Really...'
You've really become a Guardian. He became the Protector. The proposition that had occupied me all along became clear again.
The 'Protector' cannot achieve love.
"Breathe."
"..."
"Master, it's over, breath."
"Huh!"
Finally, my throat opened.
My breath bursts out, and the tears that have been pooling in me fall from my eyes.
Ian collected the sword and walked over to it. Surrounded by cheering crowds, he turned his head.
Golden eyes scanned this direction one after the other. It looks like he's checking for supplies.
Just before his gaze landed on me, Baba pulled me hastily.
"What are you doing standing there? Hurry up and hide!"
"..."
"If the little Duke finds out, you'll go straight home, you know?"
"I know."
"You need to blend in and go quietly, and stay hidden until the little Duke leaves, and then let's go out."
"If Ian wants to escort us to the main camp..."
"He's hurt. He needs to get back to work and heal."
"Is he hurt? Ian? Where are he going?"
"His right arm, I think it's broken or missing."
"He doesn't even bleed, how do you know?"
"He's holding the sword with his left hand."
Only then that I gently poke our eyes out of the deck to examine Ian.
Speaking of which, Ian, who is right-handed, was holding a sword in his left hand. His right arm hung limply, looking awkward.
"Did he get hurt when he was dealing with a high-level monster?"
Still, Ian didn't even bother to show it. He just listens to the supply commander's report with a dry expression.
It's not like he's hurt, but the impression is written.
'What are you doing? Hurry up and get healed!'
The people under Ian's direction began to move in unison.
Supplies were transferred to carts and those still on board were taken out.
Quickly spitting out supplies, the ships departed one after another for the rear.
I'll be back with extra supplies. We need to make the most of this time when the monsters have receded.
The bustling dock was cleared in no time, and it was our turn. Twenty waiting boats slowly made their way to the dock.
"Disembark!"
Baba and I got off the boat in the crowd.
Ian was still here. All the supplies have been dropped, and now only the transfer is left, and I don't know what he's waiting for.
"Ian. Why don't you go yet?"
Baba glanced around.
"I think he's trying to see if there are any monsters among the volunteers."
"You don't think Ian is going to do it yourself, are you?"
"Well... I don't know..."
"You told me to hide before Ian finds out."
"You can't hide now. And just check the back of your hand. It's not like looking at your face in the face..."
"But..."
The conversation hadn't even ended when the soldiers gathered the volunteers in one place.
"Please remove the bandage on the back of your hand and wait."
It was just as Baba had expected.
I don't know if Ian will check on everyone yet, but I can't help but feel uneasy.
How did I get here?
What if it is right around the corner and Ian finds out and is sent away... I'm so frustrated that I might die.
"Well, it's going to be okay, right?"
"If you're fidgety, you'll look even more suspicious. Keep your head down and keep your mouth shut, and no one will know. Trust me."
As he calmly untied the bandage, Baba's actions got on his nerves.
'Don't be restless with me.'
Ian couldn't stay still for a moment and looked around as if he was looking for something.
"What have you been looking around for? Who are you looking for?"
"It's weird."
"What is it?"
"Don't you think the monsters have retreated too easily for anything they've done so far?"
"Advanced monsters are easy opponents, right? If it wasn't for Ian, we'd have been wiped out."
"That's so, though."
The supreme monster in command of the monsters was more intelligent and cunning than ordinary humans.
So they could have made other plans. I know how important it is to humans.
"But they're in a confrontation with the Coalition. They know that if they take more power out, the Allies won't stand still."
"Is that so?"
Just in time, the soldiers passed by. I was silent for a moment, then whispered softly.
"We've been out of supply for almost three weeks. How tired and hungry must the Allies be right now? That's a huge benefit for them."
"Well, they've completely lost the energy to fight."
"That's right. If I were a top-tier monster, I'd attack the main base rather than here. There's even a Protector here. This is their... chance."
My words were slurred. My head stood on end as I felt a cold hand brushing the back of my neck.
Then.
Pow!!!
There was an eardrum-shattering boom and a huge plume of smoke billowed out of the forest.
It was Whitefield, the side where the main camp was.
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