Chapter 45: The Retreat Through the Mist

“Miss Roalsa, what’s wrong?”Qing Yu turned his head, looking in Roalsa’s direction.A thick, mournful white mist now billowed where Roalsa had stood just moments before, filling Qing Yu’s entire field of vision.The gasps of everyone present seemed infinitely amplified, the tension in the air scorching their bodies and gnawing at their highly strung nerves.A cold gust swept past, causing Qing Yu to shiver.In an instant, the already taut atmosphere grew even more eerie.

“Lord Qing Yu, please take shelter between Kills and me.”Jess, cradling Aldoran in her arms, created a space between herself and Kills.

“Oh, alright,”Qing Yu replied, not bothering with pleasantries, and squeezed himself into the offered spot.After all, survival was paramount.Jess then carefully transferred Aldoran’s body into Qing Yu’s hands, instructing him,“Lord Qing Yu, please hold Lord Aldoran securely. Kills and I will ensure both your safety.”Qing Yu immediately took Aldoran.Despite Aldoran’s small and light frame, Qing Yu possessed little strength, and it was only by exerting all his might that he could manage to hold Aldoran steady.Nevertheless, Qing Yu knew clearly that this was the only thing he, being utterly incapable of combat, could do.

The very moment Qing Yu took Aldoran, the preceding “hissing” sound suddenly intensified, erupting into a deafening roar, a sharp shriek tearing through the air.Everyone instantly turned in unison towards the source of the noise, their bodies tensing into a state of full alert.

With a wet ‘thwack,’ black blood splattered.Kills immediately positioned himself in front of Qing Yu, his face now streaked with the dark ichor.The next second, a monstrous creature with a hideous face and an elongated body collapsed before them.Visually, the monster bore a mule-like face, its slender body covered in sharp, filthy scales.Its crimson eyes glared fixedly at the group, while its two thick forelegs kicked in a desperate frenzy.A grotesque mouth emitted a frantic shriek, a forked, scarlet tongue flicking in and out, as putrid blood spilled from its mouth and nostrils, staining the dusty road.

Before anyone else could react, a sudden eddy of air swirled past, and Roalsa’s tall figure materialized within the mist.With a leisurely grace, she wiped her blood-stained longsword, simultaneously offering the group a radiant smile.Verdant currents of energy swirled around her, coiling about her form.Even when confronted by such grotesque creatures, Roalsa maintained her composure and elegance.

“My apologies, everyone, but it appears we’ve been targeted.”

Her words had barely faded when streaks of dark red light suddenly emerged from the mist.Under the collective gaze of the group, crimson glows converged from all directions, like countless eyes, fixing their menacing stare upon them.A putrid stench abruptly permeated the air, roars erupted in a cacophony, and one after another, dark figures appeared around them.These shadows were colossal, each nearly twice the height of a human.They stood silently in the gloom, the sensation of being watched chilling everyone to the bone, and an intense pressure made it difficult for them to breathe.On the streets, atop the rooftops, and even in the sky, a myriad of twisted, bizarre shadows surrounded the group, standing motionless within the mist.Low growls rumbled from the depths of the fog as the dark figures hunched their bodies, emitting threatening snarls, as if poised to pounce at any second and tear everyone to shreds.

“You bastard!”Since they had already been discovered, Kills no longer suppressed his displeasure, roaring furiously at Roalsa.This cry, like a clarion call to battle, spurred the monsters to roar in unison.Piercing, discordant sounds, akin to screeching instruments, filled the air as the creatures suddenly surged forward, lunging from the pallid mist.Their scale-covered bodies charged directly towards what they perceived as delectable “food.”

Kills stood his ground, legs slightly apart, unmoving.Alongside Jess, he shielded Qing Yu between them.The moment the towering shadow of a monster fell upon them and it lunged, Kills struck instantly, his sharp claws piercing the creature’s heart.Blood sprayed, splattering across Kills’s face.With a single, precise strike, the monster was slain.Kills lifted the colossal body, watching the viscous liquid slowly trickle down his arm.Dark red blood, reeking of decay, now covered Kills’s body.In the strange, swirling mist, the wide-eyed, enraged Kills appeared as a demon from the depths of hell.Kills showed no aversion to the blood coating his body.He extended his tongue, delicately licking away the droplets from the corner of his mouth, allowing the crimson stain to linger on his fangs.His furious pupils now mirrored an intense thirst for slaughter.

At that very moment, approximately five furry, entirely crimson eyeballs burst forth from the mist, hurtling towards Kills with lightning speed.From the center of each eyeball, a gaping, blood-filled maw emitted the cries of an infant, lunging directly at Kills.

“Haaah——”Kills opened his right hand, and a dark power coalesced within his palm, forming a small orb.Energy swirled around the sphere, much like planets orbiting a sun.Amidst the shrill shrieks, Kills meticulously calculated the distance between himself and the monsters.The instant the creatures were about to pounce, Kills forcefully hurled the energy orb.Upon contact with the monsters, the ball of energy relentlessly pushed them backward, like a miniature black hole.Its potent gravitational pull drew all the screaming, wailing eyeballs together, compressing and crushing them, further deforming their already hideous bodies.Blobs of blood burst forth as the monsters were squeezed into a single mass.Within mere seconds, the creatures were annihilated within the gradually vanishing black sphere, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.

Another cloud of blood mist dispersed, and the blood-soaked corpse of a monster collapsed at Kills’s feet.The scent of fresh blood pierced Kills’s mind, and amidst the surrounding battle cries, the cruelty in his eyes grew increasingly pronounced.Just then, a monster with the face of a horse and the body of a fish suddenly lunged from the side, crashing into Kills.Kills immediately seized the creature’s mouth, glanced at its head, and then, opening his fanged maw, viciously bit down on the monster’s eye.Amidst the monster’s piercing roars, Kills slammed it violently to the ground, stomped its head to a pulp, and began chewing on its eyeball.He then observed the knights desperately fighting the surrounding monsters, poised to charge out himself.Regardless of the situation, he was a wolf—a fierce and combative wolf.

No sooner said than done, as Kills was about to spring into action, Jess, who was behind him, swatted away a leaping monster with a swift swing of her hand.She then quickly reached out and firmly pressed down on his shoulder, casting a glance at the bewildered Qing Yu.While fending off monster attacks, she spoke,“Don’t forget Lord Qing Yu and Lord Aldoran.”Upon hearing Jess’s reminder, Kills paused for a moment, then, as if suddenly realizing, swiftly reined in his aggressive stance.He forcefully suppressed his inner bloodlust, returning to a defensive posture.

Roalsa also drew closer at this moment.She spun the longsword in her hand, its hilt adorned with intricate carvings, and whirlwinds transformed into blades of air, surging towards the towering black figures in the mist.In an instant, sprays of blood flew, scattering into the dense fog.Several chunks of blood landed before Kills and Jess respectively.Both of them, without a word, swallowed hard, but ultimately managed to forcefully suppress their inner impulses, focusing instead on confronting the attacking monsters.The knights on the other side, however, did not fare as easily as the trio.Faced with the colossal monsters, the knights could barely parry, struggling to block the creatures’ attacks with their weapons and seeking a slim chance to counterattack amidst the monsters’ relentless onslaught.

“Everyone, this cannot continue.These creatures are inexhaustible, and if we keep fighting them, we will only be courting disaster.”Roalsa effortlessly sliced a lunging harpy-headed serpent-monster in two, then cast a glance at the vast, dark army in the distance before addressing Kills and Jess.“I believe we need to find a way to retreat.”

“You bastard! How are we supposed to retreat?!”Kills exclaimed, looking at the monsters overflowing into the houses and streets.He hurled a black energy bolt at the monsters besieging the knights in the distance, providing them with some relief.

“Tell me, where is your camp?”Jess asked calmly, shielding Qing Yu and Aldoran tightly behind her.An idea had begun to form in her mind.

“It’s next to the restaurant on the north side of town.”

“Be more specific.”

“Head north, turn right after two streets, then turn left at the end of the road. There’s a restaurant there, and our camp is right beside it,”Roalsa replied.

“Very well,”Jess said after hearing the directions.Without ceremony, she immediately pulled Qing Yu.“Lord Qing Yu, forgive my impropriety.”

“You, you, you, what are you doing?!”Qing Yu was startled, attempting to pull his hand back, but Jess’s strength was considerable; he couldn’t resist her.

“Kills, I will break through with Lord Aldoran. You, take Lord Qing Yu and break through. Miss Roalsa, I’ll trouble you to cover us. Once we’ve successfully escorted our masters to the camp, we will return to rescue you all.”Jess spoke, seemingly to herself, yet Qing Yu immediately grasped her intent.

“But Roalsa and the others—”Qing Yu’s words were cut short by Jess.“Lord Qing Yu, Kills’s and my primary mission is to protect you and Lord Aldoran. While this may sound offensive, if you truly wish to help everyone, leaving the battlefield now is the correct choice.”As Jess spoke, she looked at Qing Yu with a serious expression.Qing Yu pondered for a moment, then handed Aldoran to Kills, before Jess firmly took hold of Qing Yu.Indeed, his lack of combat ability meant he would only hinder everyone by staying.The best course of action was to leave, allowing the others to fight without restraint.

“Please hold my hand tightly, Lord Qing Yu.”

“Don’t worry, everyone,”Roalsa said, still maintaining a seemingly flippant demeanor,“we are a knight order that once withstood ten waves of attacks from monsters. A mere moment like this is hardly worth mentioning.”Yet, Qing Yu noticed that sweat had already beaded on Roalsa’s hand; she gripped her sword hilt tightly, her gaze growing serious.

“Alright, Jess, now!”Kills said.With Aldoran secured on his back, he kicked away a bat-like monster flying directly at him, then vaulted onto a rooftop.Before the monsters could even react, Kills had already leapt over their heads.A black aura enveloped him, and wind blades sliced apart any monsters attempting to advance.In this manner, Kills, carrying Aldoran, vanished into the dense fog like a gust of wind.

Jess also moved swiftly.As fierce winds began to blow, Roalsa swung her sword, and a green hurricane swept past Jess, forming a barrier that firmly held the monsters outside, creating a clear path for Jess.

“Thank you. Please wait for us; we will certainly return to assist you.”Without waiting for Roalsa’s reply, Jess, taking Qing Yu with her, sprinted away, also disappearing into the mist.Behind her and Qing Yu, an ever-increasing horde of monsters surged towards Roalsa’s knight order…