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nNula went over her thoughts from the beginning; stopping the Eternal Flame cultists from producing more rune signage wasn’t the key issue.

nThe crux of the problem was how to deal with the rune signage that had already been manufactured.

nWhether it was the monster tide or the impending doom, both were consequences of their existence.

nOnly by addressing them first could a real solution be found!

nFirst, organize the evacuation of Rodel’s populace, emptying Rodel.

nThen, let the wild spellbeasts in and trigger the rune signage?

nSuch a drastic solution could indeed be effective, but what then?

nApart from this, what other solutions could there be? Nula couldn’t think of a better approach.

nIf she directly confronted the Eternal Flame cultists, those madmen would surely use the detonation of the rune signage as a threat.

nUnless there was a way to eliminate all the cultists within the stronghold in a very short time, or alternatively, to acquire the majority of the rune signage without alerting them, could such a thing be feasible?

nNula’s gaze shifted between the design plans on the desk and the immobilized clown mask.

nA plan gradually took shape in her mind.

n“I should be thankful I didn’t kill this guy outright. If I had, there’d truly be no chance left.”

n“If that’s the case, then there must be another person who can help!”

n“Howard, huh…”

nWith a sudden movement, Nula stood up, cast an Invisibility spell on the clown mask, pushed open the window, and agilely leapt out.

n…

nHoward walked the streets of Rodel, where no pedestrians could be seen on the rugged cobblestone pavement.

nWhen the alarm bells of the Rodel branch guild had sounded, all ordinary citizens had hidden in their homes, either trembling in prayer for the monster tide to pass or drinking and boasting with companions.

nHuman nature is laid bare in times of crisis, clearer than ever before.

nHoward was clad in a blood-stained garment, the marks on it a mix of his own and mostly his enemies’.

nThere were wild beasts, spellbeast subspecies, and spellbeasts among them, the most formidable being a creature known as the “newcomer’s bane,” the redfang tiger.

nYet, the most dangerous encounter was with a spellbeast wolfrat.

nPerhaps the wolfrat’s absolute strength wasn’t as great as the redfang tiger’s, but it was more cunning and ruthless.

nRaw power might decide much, but there are always elements that sheer strength alone cannot overcome.

n“Where on earth did Nula go?” Howard glanced back at the city walls, where the faint sounds of battle could still be heard even from this distance.

nTaking a deep breath, he straightened his posture and continued forward.

nAlthough he still didn’t fully understand the organization behind Nula, it didn’t stop Howard from recognizing their strength.

nDespite the dangers of this monster tide, Howard had always believed that as long as Nula could intervene, Rodel would not fall!

nDragging his weary body back to the inn, Howard ascended the staircase under the astonished gaze of the innkeeper.

n“Do you need any help, young man?”

nSeeing Howard looking like he could collapse at any moment, the innkeeper still mustered the courage to ask.

nAfter all, she had seen her fair share of gore; being closely linked to the Rodel branch guild meant the inn, which housed a large number of adventurers, reaped high profits but also meant trouble was never far behind.

nGrasping the stair rail, Howard turned around, glanced down at himself, and cracked a smile: “If you could, I’d appreciate some hot water.”

nBlood stains, if allowed to dry, would be difficult to wash out with cold water.

nHis wardrobe was limited, and in a few days, he would need to wear these clothes on the road again; they had to be cleaned.

n“Alright then. And, how are things on the city walls now?”

nSurvival was, after all, a concern for everyone.

n“No worries,” Howard smiled, then realizing his appearance might be more frightening than reassuring when he smiled, he moderated his expression, “I’m just coming off to rest. The monster tide won’t get in.”

n“Rest assured!”

nWith that, Howard did not linger any longer and headed straight upstairs.

nWhat he urgently needed now was rest, even if it wasn’t for long.

nJust enough time to relax his nerves would suffice.

nThe act of killing in a personal altercation and killing on a battlefield felt entirely different; the chaotic environment of battle meant all emotions were magnified infinitely.

nFear, anger, sorrow—every emotion on the battlefield was amplified to the extent that it could consume your entire being. .

nAnd within that turmoil, you had to struggle, to swing your blade.

nEven without killing, the battlefield still left its mark on everyone who passed through it, some of which might manifest as PTSD.

nThe fault lay neither with them nor with the bodies on the ground; everyone was just trying to survive.

n…

nClimbing the stairs step by step to his room’s floor, Howard let out a sigh of relief on his own.

nAlmost all adventurers had been gathered by the Rodel branch guild as reserves, which made the inn considerably quieter.

n“Why do I find myself missing the life I had before, where only minor, insignificant changes would occur over long periods, like a river flowing without a ripple?”

nHoward murmured against the wall, his breath tinged with the faint smell of blood.

n“It hurts so much; not feeling pain wouldn’t be so bad after all.”

nHis injuries might not be fatal, but the stimulus of pain was certainly overwhelming.

nNo one can ignore pain, not even specially trained soldiers who have only heightened their threshold for enduring it.

nRubbing his fingers, Howard straightened up with effort and moved forward.

nSome bloodstains on his clothes hadn’t yet dried, and it would be improper to stain the walls.

nHoward was curious about how he had managed to walk back from the base of the city walls without anyone, besides the innkeeper, asking him a single question, despite the conspicuous blood marks and his tattered half-armor.

nThe short journey felt as if he had walked back from the city walls all over again.

nStanding outside Nula’s room, Howard leaned on the wall and knocked on the door.

nWhat would happen if no one answered?

nWould he faint at the door?

nNo, no, he wasn’t that weak.

nAlthough in pain, his injuries weren’t severe enough to cause unconsciousness.

nWould he sit at the door waiting?

nProbably not.

nHaving asked the innkeeper to prepare hot water, perhaps a hot bath would be more comforting.

nAs Howard was lost in thought, the door to Nula’s room opened, revealing a woman who seemed unfamiliar at first glance.

nHoward stared at the face that was unfamiliar yet somewhat recognizable for a few seconds: “Where is Nula! Where have you hidden her?”

n“I am Nula,” the unfamiliar woman stated.

nHoward shook his head: “No, that’s not right. Nula isn’t as ugly as you!”

nThough flattered by the remark, Nula’s focus was not on Howard’s words.

n“How did you get so injured? Is the monster tide that severe?”

nSeeing Howard’s wounds, Nula realized the situation might not be as straightforward as she had initially estimated.

nIf Howard, with the strength of a level 3 magus, was so heavily injured, what about the others on the walls?

n“Has the wall been breached?”

n“Where have you just been?”

nRecognizing Nula’s voice, Howard thought of her mysterious ways, perhaps she had been off doing something to warrant such a disguise.

n“My injuries aren’t serious, mostly self-inflicted, and the casualties are within normal range. The wall is holding for now, but if you don’t have a solution, it might not last much longer.”

nHoward wasn’t lying; their sector was a hard-hit area of the monster tide attack, resulting in only two fatalities, with some parts of the wall suffering minor injuries and still holding.

nBut Rodel’s situation was indeed perilous.

nWithout a solution to the monster tide, casualties could explode in the not-too-distant future.

nIf no method to change the current state was found, just three more waves of the monster tide could cause casualties to skyrocket.

nThe city guard, adventurers, even magi – the numbers and physical strength on the human side are always limited.

nProlonged combat without relief naturally leads to casualties.

nAnd it’s like a snowball effect; it starts small, but grows larger and faster, becoming unstoppable in the end.

n“I have a plan!” Nula nodded. “But I need your help!”

nHoward looked into Nula’s fervent eyes, feeling slightly uncomfortable as he shifted his stance.

nAlthough unclear about Nula’s exact plan, Howard had a feeling it could be dangerous.

nAfter a few seconds of contemplation, considering the lives of over a hundred thousand people in Rodel, Howard finally spoke up.

n“What’s the plan?”

n“I’ve found the cause of the monster tide. If we can eliminate that cause, the wild spellbeasts will disperse on their own, and the monster tide will cease!”

nIt indeed sounded like a viable strategy.

nThis monster tide was unusual; Rodel hadn’t been a frequent path for beast herds, and it had been a long time since the last monster tide attack.

nMoreover, without a specific reason, this monster tide couldn’t have sustained its intensity, with wave after wave of spellbeast and wild beast attacks.

nNew novel chapters are published on .

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