The monsters in the Sanctuary were gaining a wider field of vision, monsters steeped in radiation were appearing, and due to these rapidly changing circumstances, we could no longer delay the Demon King raid.
However, the opponent was the Demon King.
This time, I could not make the decision alone.
So I convened a Demon King raid meeting.
The location was the Lake Base.
The attendees were Catherine, David, and my exploration team members.
Although everyone knew what the situation was, I recounted the story thus far to the gathered people once more.
That the Demon King commanded all the monsters, and that the monsters were gathering in the Sanctuary where the Demon King resided. That we had brought hydrogen bombs from Earth to fight the Demon King, and that we had used nuclear bombs.
David seemed to be hearing quite a few things for the first time.
He looked at me with bewildered eyes.
Under that gaze, I finished the story.
“...Before we arrived, it was the Demon King and his subordinate monsters who destroyed the world of the mages that ruled this planet. The mages succeeded in sealing the Demon King, but they could not prevent their own destruction. And now, that Demon King is trying to awaken.”
As David was barely keeping up with my words, Hannah stepped forward.
She informed us of the nature of the seal placed on the Sanctuary.
“There will only be one chance. To enter the Sanctuary, if we make a hole in the seal, the Demon King’s seal will also weaken. He won’t be able to break the seal and come out immediately, but there won’t be a second chance.”
Her appearance and speech were unlike usual.
It was the visage of the prophet of this age, of the guardian of Earth.
The meeting grew more serious.
And, as always, I said that I would assault the Sanctuary with the minimum number of personnel.
“We do not need many people to enter the Sanctuary.”
Those entering the Sanctuary would be me, Hannah who needed to break the seal, and a few to protect Hannah.
There would be many obstacles due to the small number, but it could not be helped.
The gap between my abilities and those of the others was too great.
Even if I gathered people now, they would not be of much help to me.
At my words, the exploration team members objected first.
There was not a single member who said they would drop out.
Not even Sergeant Woo and Tom, whose families had crossed over.
Truthfully, I had expected the members to insist on coming to some degree, but even Catherine opposed my plan.
“If it is a monster called the Demon King, I believe we can consider it the final battle. In that case, all exploration team members must participate.”
I shook my head at her words.
“The difference in ability is too great. The help will be little, and the damage will only grow.”
“It is fine. They are manpower for that very purpose. No matter how great the sacrifice, if it raises the possibility of success, everyone must participate.”
That was Catherine, indeed. Words typical of her—that a certain degree of sacrifice was necessary for success.
At her cold-hearted words, I looked at David, but contrary to my expectations, he thought the same as Catherine.
“To drive the strategic weapon known as the Commander into the heart of the enemy, the sacrifice of the infantry—the ordinary members—is necessary. We must minimize the sacrifice, but having them not participate at all is not a good decision.”
“Is that so...”
Come to think of it, Catherine and David were right.
Because I had been fighting alone every time, I had been neglecting strategy and tactics.
[To think I’m playing the hero. It isn’t because I’ve been with Soph, is it?]
[There is no single correct answer. Even in our time, there were always those who sacrificed. They were merely heroes or mages, that’s all.]
Soph did not get angry at my joke.
She merely answered bitterly.
Rather, I felt sorry.
Soph had sacrificed her comrades as well as herself.
To say such a thing as “playing the hero” to a person like that.
[I spoke carelessly. I apologize.]
[It is fine. More importantly, I am in agreement with Catherine as well. The more it is such a time, the more right it is for everyone to step forward.]
Since Soph agreed as well, there was no reason for me to object.
At first, I had believed that only the ‘minimum personnel’ would reduce the damage.
But as the words of Catherine, David, and Soph overlapped, a different emotion bloomed within me.
In the countless battles until now, I had grown accustomed to ‘fighting alone.’
Fighting that I shouldered alone was more familiar than fighting alongside someone.
I had thought that was courage, but looking back now, it might have been weakness—the inability to muster the courage to share responsibility.
I exhaled deeply and nodded.
“Very well. This time... everyone goes.”
Since the decision was made, it was time to draw up a detailed plan.
We planned all day, and began preparations according to the plan.
First, for everyone’s safety, we opened the Underground City.
The families of the dispatched members who had crossed over this time, along with non-combat personnel, were moved to the Underground City before the operation.
I distributed all the weapons brought from Geumseong to the dispatched members, and the Underground City workshop led by the blacksmith and the flame ability user ran the forge to produce as many weapons as possible.
As people visited and the city grew lively, the Spirit was immensely pleased.
“I am Shamara, the Administrator. Welcome to my city. There are guides here, so simply follow them. And if you are curious about anything, ask me. There is nothing about this city that I do not know!”
The Spirit showed off to her heart’s content before the people visiting the city.
While there were those coming to the city, there were also those leaving it.
They were scientists from Earth.
“We have heard enough about this city from the Spirit. Now we must see the Terraforming Ruins.”
“It is dangerous right now.”
“It was dangerous in Antarctica as well. Moreover, the Terraforming Ruins are in the desert, and I heard the defense facilities are well equipped.”
Certainly, compared to the Lake Base, the Terraforming Ruins were safe.
Furthermore, since it was the Sanctuary that was also the Terraforming Ruins, we could not stop their investigation.
I took the two to the Terraforming Ruins.
Afterward, I visited the Magic Tower where golems cultivated the ‘Mage’s Flower,’ then traveled to other ruins to gather materials and artifacts as much as possible, stockpiling them in the Underground City.
It was in preparation for the possibility that we would be unable to use the ruins going forward.
Time passed thus, and after several days, all preparations were complete.
Truthfully, the preparations were woefully insufficient, but in the current situation, we could not simply continue preparing indefinitely.
I placed the nuclear warheads prepared by the nuclear technician and the Spirit into a box.
These warheads were hydrogen bombs with their security disarmed and even fitted with timers.
“After this operation is over, will you be able to bring my family from Taepyeong?”
Cheonming’s family had already gone to Taepyeong with Secretary Lee’s help. Thus, he had not been worried about his family all this time.
“It is always possible, but why do you ask?”
“Because this city is far more livable than I expected. No matter how hard the Chinese government worked, there is no way Taepyeong is more livable than this Underground City.”
At Cheonming’s words, the Spirit puffed out her chest and snorted.
He was right.
Though Cheonming did not know, Taepyeong was a planet without water.
They were bringing it from Earth now, but Taepyeong, far from comparing to this city, must be more difficult to live in than any place on Earth.
There was no reason not to listen to the nuclear technician who had excellently disassembled the hydrogen bombs.
I promised that immediately after the operation, I would bring Cheonming’s family.
Having packed the hydrogen bombs thus, I teleported together with the members.
Our destination was the Magic Tower west of the mountain range. It was the first tower encountered after crossing the mountains.
The reason we did not go directly to the Sanctuary was because there were people to meet here.
Inside the canyon, in front of the tower, the entire hunting team was gathered.
Dark energy users holding weapons brought from Geumseong and new weapons forged by the blacksmith.
All roughly two hundred capable of combat had come here following Sterling and Catherine.
The reason they were gathered here, and why my exploration team members and I came here, was because this place—the Magic Tower west of the mountain range—was the forward base for fighting the Demon King.
After confirming that everyone had arrived, I descended to the underground of the Magic Tower and planted the spear upon the altar.
The spear standing vertically upon the altar.
Magic circles rose around the spear.
“Cut the connections.”
At my request, Soph began controlling the teleportation device.
[If we cut the connections now, from here or the Sanctuary Magic Tower, we will not be able to connect to other ruins in the future.]
The work Soph was doing now was severing connections to all other ruins while leaving only the connection to the Sanctuary Magic Tower.
If that happened, even if one teleported from the Sanctuary Magic Tower, they could only come here.
[To reconnect, we must go to the place we wish to connect and establish a link with this place. We would have to go directly to the Lake Base or the Ice Planet.]
Just as Soph said, for teleportation to become possible again, we would have to go directly to the desired location, and Soph or another mage would have to establish a connection with this place.
The reason for going this far was to prevent the worst-case scenario of the Demon King using the teleportation device.
We did not know if there was a need to go this far, but we had to think of the people left behind as well.
[Still, since we have you, we will not need to go directly to reconnect.]
Unlike other mages, I could switch paths during teleportation.
This time as well, after the operation was over, I would cross over to another ruin and reconnect it with this place.
The contents of the magic circles floating in the air changed.
The connections were being severed one by one.
The Terraforming Ruins coordinates disappeared, and the Underground Ruins, and the Ice Planet coordinates disappeared as well.
Now only the Sanctuary Magic Tower coordinates remained.
Having confirmed that all coordinates were erased thus, I picked up the spear and went outside.
The people waiting for me outside the tower.
They were all holding their breath, looking only at my mouth.
A situation where something had to be said.
I began the speech.
“This operation will be the final battle that decides our survival.”
My voice echoed throughout the canyon.
“The Demon King is not simply a strong monster. If he awakens, all the monsters we have fought until now will grovel at his feet. The Demon King is the one who destroyed the Magic Kingdom and polluted this planet. If he breaks the seal, he will corrupt even the air, earth, and water of this planet, turning it into a world where we cannot even breathe.”
The members had likely heard about the Demon King from Catherine, but it was their first time hearing it directly from me.
The members listened intently.
“Today, we fight not simply to defeat the Demon King. This is to survive. For ourselves, for those we love who are on this planet, and for those who will come here.”
I caught my breath and looked into everyone’s eyes.
“If we are victorious here, this planet and the Underground City will become a new homeland for me and my family. A safe land that will never be destroyed.”
At my words, someone gritted their teeth, and someone nodded.
“Our origins, pasts, and the paths we have walked are all different, but today we are one. Do your best, and survive. That is the path to our victory.”
When I finished speaking and came down, Catherine nodded with a satisfied expression.
It was an uncharacteristic speech, but the speech itself did not seem to have been bad.
The atmosphere of the people had changed as well.
People gripped their energy rifles and stroked their spears.
They steadied their rough breathing and caressed various symbols brought from Earth—crosses and rosaries.
Fear remained.
But those who had realized the reality were prepared to overcome terror.
After the speech, we teleported in turn. Toward the Sanctuary Magic Tower.
Fortunately, the Sanctuary Magic Tower could accommodate everyone.
The underground was spacious, and combining the half-destroyed second and first floors, everyone could stay inside the tower without stepping outside.
Because we were inside the tower, as expected, the monsters did not notice.
The members’ tension was palpable.
The tension was even greater for the members on the first and second floors who could see the Sanctuary.
But not a single member was overcome with fear or despair.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer.
I signaled Catherine.
“Operation start.”
At her command, Sterling took the people and went outside the tower.
The atmosphere of the Sanctuary was worse than before.
The air was heavily oppressive, and the number of monsters seemed greater.
The smell of iron seemed to brush past my nose again.
The members’ expressions hardened stiffly. Fear flashed across their faces.
But neither the people nor Sterling stopped.
Sterling had changed from before.
Now he was a proper warrior and mage.
But now was not the time to admire him.
The operation had begun.
A simple operation: while the dispatched members drew the attention of the monsters, the exploration team members and I would dash into the Sanctuary.
It was a simple operation, but one that would inevitably result in heavy casualties.
But the members advanced without hesitation.
The reason they stepped forward thus was not because they believed in me or were loyal to me.
They believed my words that I would bring their families here and let them live in the Underground City.
The belief that even if they died, they could save their families moved their feet.
Entering the Sanctuary (1)