I Became a Prisoner in the Game After Defeating the Final Boss Chapter 56
Soon after, the rest of the 4th Special Task Force members were forcibly woken up by Edric, just like me.
“Ugh…… don't the demonic beast bastards sleep? Why are they raising hell in the middle of the night!”
“……I agree.”
“Me too.”
Conlan and Albino, with blinking eyes, turned to look at Alicia.
“What.”
As Alicia glared with hollow eyes, Conlan and Albino stealthily avoided her gaze.
“……No, it's nothing.”
“The environment really does make the person.”
It wasn't that I didn't understand that reaction, seeing as I had doubted my ears for a moment.
That was how much Alicia's attitude just now was, what should I call it…… very different from usual.
As expected, when people lacked sleep, problems arose in many ways.
‘That aside…….’
The fact that Edric had personally woken us, who were steeped in fatigue, meant that the current situation was quite urgent.
“What's the scale of it?”
“I heard it's at least over a hundred.”
“If it's that number, it will be difficult with just us.”
It would be a different story if I had firearms that displayed powerful might in dealing with large numbers, but I had no intention of using firearms right now.
“The mercenaries hired by Bernhard will be joining us. Well…… it's difficult to guarantee their skill, but just filling the numbers will greatly lessen the burden.”
Mercenaries…….
Come to think of it, I thought I had seen a post on the Anonymous Bulletin Board saying they were recruiting mercenaries in Bernhard.
‘I don't know if users will be mixed in among the mercenaries this time or not…… but still, there's no harm in being careful.’
I had no intention of using firearms during this journey anyway, but it meant I had to be even more careful.
“Let's hurry.”
“Yes.”
Already at the inn's entrance, Garrett Mason was waiting with horses.
It seemed that Garrett Mason had shown consideration, as the horses we had ridden had collapsed from exhaustion after the forced march.
“You've come. This way.”
At Garrett Mason's appearance, who was taking the lead as if it were natural, Edric asked, as if puzzled.
“Are you going personally?”
“Because it is my job to do.”
Garrett Mason's face, saying so, looked quite determined.
“I see. Excuse me.”
“It's not something for you to apologize for, Captain. Rather, I am the one who is strange.”
Garrett Mason smiled bitterly.
“Because many people tend to forget that rights stem from duties. As if it's natural.”
Edric nodded his head slightly.
“Then let's hurry. I've spoken uselessly.”
“Not at all. To think there is someone like you, Councilman, in Bernhard, it seems the future of Bernhard is bright.”
“I am just doing what I must.”
“Because there are many statesmen in the world who cannot do even that.”
Garrett Mason and Edric looked at each other and smiled faintly. It was a smile tinged with a bit of bitterness somewhere.
After the 4th Special Task Force properly mounted the horses, Garrett Mason took the lead.
“Currently, the mercenaries are also stepping forward, but the Mülhen Granary Zone is such a vast land that it won't be easy to respond to the demonic beasts' attacks with just the mercenaries.”
Just as those words implied, the Mülhen Granary Zone was a vast plain, to the extent that Garrett Mason mentioned the Empire's food security.
Naturally, it was an environment that was bound to be disadvantageous if fighting a defensive battle.
“It seems there is something separate for us to do.”
At Edric's words, Garrett Mason nodded his head.
“……You've grasped it correctly. While the mercenaries defend the granary zone, I ask that the Special Task Force members find and subjugate the chieftain leading the demonic beasts.”
“A chieftain in that wide place……. It won't be easy to find.”
“Yes. That's why we need the Special Task Force members, who know demonic beasts well, even more. With just the mercenaries, it's overwhelming just to deal with the demonic beasts.”
Hmm…….
To be honest, not everything Garrett Mason said was convincing.
This was because, according to what I had seen on the Anonymous Bulletin Board before, there was a possibility that users were also mixed in among the mercenaries.
‘Even though there are users, they can't take care of the demonic beasts' chieftain and are asking the Empire for help……. ’
Of course, there was bound to be a difference in levels even among users, but on average, the existence of a user itself was bound to be considerably ahead of this world's natives.
But they were still struggling, unable to do anything about the demonic beasts?
It was strange not to have questions.
‘Well…… if there really is something, I'll naturally find out this time.’
Of course, I couldn't resolve that question on the spot right now, so for now, it was time to do what I had to do.
Driving the horses and passing through Bernhard's east gate at once, the sight of the vast, sprawling plains was revealed soon after.
It was the Mülhen Granary Zone.
-This dog bastard!
-Block it! Block it somehow!
-Kyaaaaaak!!
As soon as we entered the granary zone, the blaring lights visible from all directions, the dozens of shadows swaying, and the shouts and bizarre cries told how fierce the battle currently taking place in the Mülhen Granary Zone was.
“Then, I will be going to the mercenaries now. It seems we need someone to organize the situation.”
To Garrett Mason's words, Edric replied.
“Will you be alright alone?”
“I may look like this, but I can at least protect my own body.”
As if to prove it wasn't just words, a single spear was hanging from Garrett Mason's saddle.
“Understood. Then, we will try to find where the chieftain demonic beast leading this attack is, just as you said, Councilman.”
“I'm counting on you.”
Garrett Mason, who had bowed his head deeply to ask, immediately galloped off to where the mercenaries and demonic beasts were fighting.
Edric, who had been watching that figure silently, gripped his reins and spoke.
“Then, let's move too.”
“Yes.”
The 4th Special Task Force quickly galloped through the Mülhen Granary Zone in the darkness.
The objective was to find the chieftain demonic beast leading this attack, but considering the vastness of the Mülhen Granary Zone, it was not an easy objective.
‘In the first place, it's doubtful if such a chieftain demonic beast even exists.’
There were many strange things about this mission in many ways.
As we galloped through the plain, where darkness was cast, a few shadows swaying in the darkness could be seen in the distance.
It was a horde of demonic beasts.
“Halt!”
With Edric's shout, we hurriedly stopped our horses.
“Whoa, whoa-whoa!”
“Stop!”
After barely stopping the horses, we looked at the shadows beyond Edric's gaze.
-Grrrrr…….
-Yelp! Keoheong!
Edric, facing the shadows swaying in the darkness, spoke.
“All personnel, prepare for battle.”
There was no disagreement.
The 4th Special Task Force members, including myself, all jumped off our horses as soon as Edric's command fell.
It was true that cavalrymen were fundamentally superior to infantry, but in a battle with demonic beasts, the horses could be injured, and unless it was a proper warhorse, it couldn't fight properly when facing demonic beasts.
Demonic beasts were essentially predators of the ecosystem, and most horses would fall into a panic when facing such predators.
That was why, in anti-demonic beast combat, getting off the horse was a common tactic unless it was a truly exceptional horse.
It was needless to say, now that we were riding horses borrowed from Garrett Mason, which weren't even proven.
“They're coming!”
With Conlan's shout, the horde of demonic beasts in the darkness began to rush toward us.
-Heee-ing!
At that, the horses made a fuss and immediately turned their backs to flee; it seemed the choice to dismount was the correct one.
-Yelp! Yelp yelp!
-Grrrrr!!!
We, too, each holding our own weapons, greeted the uninvited guests of the dark that began to reveal their forms soon after.
【Lv.1】
【Demon head hound】
Lv.1 Demon head hound.
They were the demonic beasts I had first encountered when I came to this world.
Sssreung─!
With a chilling sound of metal, the neck of the Demon head hound that had rushed in first was cut off.
It was Edric's skill.
“These dog bastards!”
To match that, Conlan and Albino shot out, and Alicia stood by my side and cut down a Demon head hound flying in from the side.
“Puppies, all die.”
The fact that Alicia's sword looked even more murderously sharp today was probably not just my imagination.
‘In that case…….’
I couldn't just stand still either.
It was a natural story, but I had no intention of using the Fang of Blazing Fire in this fight.
If I did such a reckless act in a granary zone, it would be a case of burning down a 3-room thatched house while trying to catch a flea.
No matter how successfully I completed the mission, if I did such a thing, I would clearly be hanged immediately.
It meant it was a situation where not only firearms, but also the Fang of Blazing Fire, could not be used.
Of course, despite that, there was no need to worry greatly.
Because the weapons I possessed were not just those.
[The ‘Orb of Water’ activates its power according to the wielder's will.]
[The ‘Orb of Water’ deploys ‘Splashing Waves’.]
The water spray that shot out from the Orb of Water scattered toward the flocking Demon head hounds.
It neither blocked the opponent's attack, nor did it attack the opponent with strong water pressure.
A power that merely scattered water spray.
Therefore, this alone could be said to have no effect, but I had a means to turn this into the strongest Area of Effect skill.
Tzzt, tztztzt─!
The electric shock flashing from the necklace around my neck.
With that, the power from Nak's Legacy, obtained from Dennis, began to be emitted.
[‘Nak's Legacy─Jeon’ activates its power according to the wielder's will.]
[‘Nak's Legacy─Jeon’ deploys ‘Lightning’.]
Pajik, pajijik──!
The electric shock that spread out, riding over the water-drenched Demon head hounds, swept the area at once.
[Keng, Keheeeng!]
[Kkiing! Kking…….]
The power of the electric shock was weak, to the point that it couldn't even kill a level 1 demonic beast, but it was at least enough to temporarily put the Demon head hounds in a paralysis state.
“Kkeureuk, kkeugeugeuk……!”
……Well, it seemed that demonic beasts weren't the only ones swept away by the blind electric shock in the meantime, but there was probably no need to worry greatly.
Conlan was, as he looked, just a very sturdy fellow.
“Excellent, as expected!”
Edric let out a savage laugh and cleanly stabbed the vital spots of the Demon head hounds that were having seizures.
Albino and Alicia also moved as if not to be outdone, and I, too, holding a different sword than the Fang of Blazing Fire, ended the Demon head hounds' lives.
Puk!
Pupupuk!
[Kkiiing…….]
With the Demon head hounds' death throes being heard a few times, the situation was organized in an instant.
The demonic beast that was like a grim reaper of death when I first came to this world had now been reduced to the level of a mere neighborhood dog.
“Hoo…….”
Despite having faced a horde of dozens of demonic beasts, there wasn't a single person in the group who had shed a drop of sweat.
That was how easy the battle was, no, it was a one-sided massacre that was awkward to even call a battle.
“Everyone worked hard. Thanks to you, Vell, we handled it easily.”
“We would have handled demonic beasts of the Demon head hound's level easily anyway.”
“Still, it's thanks to you that we were able to handle it this easily.”
Edric laughed heartily.
In the meantime, Albino stealthily came to my side and opened his mouth.
“……That from just before, it wasn't magic. Was it the power of an object?”
“Do I have to tell you?”
“Hmph, I can tell that much just by looking. I don't know where you got such a thing, but you're lucky.”
Would he believe me if I said it was an achievement obtained as a result of misfortune rather than luck?
Well, it didn't really matter what Albino thought.
“Ugh…… I almost died.”
Conlan, who had collapsed, foaming at the mouth until a moment ago, staggered and raised his body.
“Why don't you lie down more? The sight of your fallen flat suits you perfectly.”
“……Shut up.”
“Oh my, how scary.”
Every time Albino taunted, the character for 'river' was drawn on Conlan's forehead.
Conlan turned his murderous gaze toward me.
“Hey! If you were going to use something like that, you should have said so beforehand!”
“I didn't know you'd be hit.”
“How was I supposed to dodge that!”
“Everyone else dodged it.”
“That's……”
Conlan's pupils looked back at Edric, Albino, and Alicia, who were standing there perfectly fine.
A completely fine appearance.
It was proof that the rest, excluding Conlan, hadn't been swept away by the electric shock.
“……Be careful next time.”
“I will.”
“Keu-eung.”
What should I say…… he was truly an easy fellow.
“Over there.”
“Hm?”
“Ah.”
While we were momentarily distracted, Alicia, who had been surveying the surroundings, pointed at the horizon.
The world is slowly being dyed in an orange light.
The long, long dawn was retreating, and at some point, morning was dawning.