Cynthia and I were both running towards the gates but they were raised before we could even enter

"OI! you fucking cunts! we're still here!" I roared out at the two archers above the walls

"Fuck off! we're only following orders!" One of the two archers replied

"What the hell is that order?" I asked

"Not to let anyone or anything in!"

Looks like we can't enter through here, I could've just run up the walls and killed them but they've done nothing wrong. I princess carried Cynthia and ran along the walls, looking for a blind spot where there are no guards. After some running, I saw that the northern wall was least guarded because most of them have already run towards the southern wall where the Formars will be attacking, I found my chance and ran up the walls before jumping to the other side and stabbing Azazel to the wall to ease our fall. It generated sparks and noise but the guards were unable to hear or notice it, we safely landed and I quickly started running towards Aegis.

We finally returned to Aegis and was met with Lea's questions

"What happened?" She frantically asked

"Formars, they're coming" I briefly stated before letting down Cynthia

"That explains the sudden meeting, you were outside right? tell me what you saw" Lea asked me

"We didn't stick around because I didn't want us to be surrounded so we quickly escaped" I replied and Lea looked at Cynthia for an explanation

"That thing was disgusting if there were more of them then it will truly turn into a scene from hell" Cynthia spoke out

"...do you think we should help?" Lea looked at me and asked

"I prefer you guys watch from a safe distance" I stated

"...Why?"

"You almost know nothing about those things, I would explain them to you guys but I've got no time so it's better to learn from experience"

"Then what's the best advice you could give to all those who are going to be participating in the fight?"

"Don't be a hero, don't be arrogant. Use the walls and attack from a distance with magic, everyone lacks experience when it comes to fighting off those abominations"

"Alright, I need you to come with me" Lea looked at me

"Why?" I asked

"I still wish to reduce casualties if I can and you can definitely stand your ground against those things" Lea was really kind, this is something that most people have but only Lea would go so far for people she doesn't know

"If I do that, won't they start suspecting?"

"I already got that covered, I've already spread rumors of you being a traveling master swordsman"

"What? when did you do that?" I looked at her in surprise, did she predict something like this would happen

"I did it a week ago, this would be some kind of a fall back plan in case people would start suspecting your origins. I never thought I'd use it like this though..." She smiled

"You scare me sometimes" I laughed and nodded

As a soldier, I can't ignore the lives of these people here and who knows, perhaps some pathetic adventurer that will participate in this war might become a great person in the future. When that time comes, he will be a big help to fighting off the bugs...

'Lilith, energy levels?' I asked

'DK's energy level is 78%, your core is 90%' She quickly replied

"Let me call for some back up" I went to the ship to grab Guardian 1 and 5

I entered the ship and saw the two research buddies engrossed in their research

"Alissa, please be careful, Formar's have started attacking this city" I want to warn her in case something goes wrong, and also because she's my lover

"...sure..." Alissa replied without looking back

I sighed and called out to Guardian 1 and 5

"Are you guys fully charged?" I asked

"90% energy, would you like us to recharge?" The two Guardians synchronized on their reply

"No, it's good, wear the robes I got you to hide yourselves and prepare for battle" I ordered out, the two Guardians quickly went to one side of the ship to get the robes

"Guardian 2" I called out to Guardian 2 who was at the door

"Reporting, how may I serve" Guardian 2 saluted

"Fix Behemoth, can you do that?" I asked

"Affirmative, although I am in need of parts"

"Do what you can"

"Affirmative"

Guardian 1 and 5 arrived while wearing a robe that covered their entire body

"Let's go" I started running back to Aegis' gates while the two Guardians followed

"You're here!" Lea waved at us from a distance

"Ok, we're ready to go" I spoke out as soon as I arrived next to her

"Okay, let's go, the others are waiting" She replied

"Alright"

Lea and I entered a carriage while Guardians 1 and 2 were the coachmen, we hurried towards the south gate and stopped at a hastily constructed base of operations. Lea and I left the carriage and she pulled me towards the largest tent, we both entered while I ordered the two Guardians to wait for us at the carriage. Inside the tent were Astarotia and 3 burly men that I don't know

"Oh, Lea, you're here... and this is?" the oldest of the burly men asked Lea, he was bald but his beard reached up to his chest. He was as large as a bear and had a huge pike on his back

"Uncle Mardoth, this is Zeno, the wandering swordsman I talked about" Lea was respectful towards this Mardoth

"Oh! nice to finally meet you, I am Mardoth, Guild leader of Spearhead" Mardoth smiled with his which was riddled with scars as he presented his large arm for a handshake

Spearhead was the third strongest guild here at Lugrus city and was the fifth strongest in the international guild's rankings

"The pleasure is all mine" I nodded as I shook, his palm was at least 2 as large as mine

"Wandering swordsman? Ha! where'd you get that joke from, I bet he's just a bumbling buffoon hiding in his pathetic mask" the middle-aged man spoke, he was not as large as Mardoth but he gave off a similar aura

"Shut it Raiz" Lea looked at the man with contempt

Raiz carried a sword on his back and had a badge of the guild "Elegante", the fourth strongest guild here in Lugrus and third in the international rankings. Elegante is a guild of swordsmen and women that pursue perfection in their swords art

"Isn't that giving a bad name to buffoons?" the last man spoke out, unlike Raiz, he wore no armor and had a large axe on his back

"Raizar and Raiz, can't you just shut up?" Mardoth spoke out

Raizar, he must be the guild leader of "Red army" guild here in Lugrus, the sixth strongest guild in Lugrus and in the international rankings

"Hmm~ are you bullying my little Zeno?" Astarotia finally spoke out and it silenced the entire room, what the hell?

"Astarotia, could you repeat what you said?" Raiz looked surprised and asked

"You and Raizar really are brothers, a bunch of idiots, let me tell you something, don't bully my little Zeno here" She pointed at me, how obsessed is she with me?!

The two guild leaders went silent and just sat in their seats with crestfallen expressions

"Alrigh~ now that we have that taken care of, why don't we address the problem at hand" Astarotia announced

"Wait, where are the other guild leaders?" Lea asked

"They're not here, they left some time ago" Astarotia blankly replied and Lea meekly sat lowered her hand

"Lea warned us before about this but you guys ignored her, isn't it about time we listened to her?" Mardoth spoke out

"Indeed, Lea was first to present that weird specimen to us" Astarotia nodded

"I can't say much but Zeno here can, he's had a few encounters with these monsters" Lea looked at me

"Oh? please Zeno, help us" Mardoth looked at me and asked

"Right, I've seen these monsters in my travels before, they're parasitic creatures that take control of any living organism they find. They reshape the body into something that they can properly control, not only that, they also strengthen the body during this process"

"Hehe, strengthened or not, it's not something that I can't cut!" Raizar arrogantly flexed his arms

I ignored him and continued my explanation

"After reshaping, the body now becomes a powerful predator immune to arrows and weak physical attacks so my only advice is to stick to the walls and attack from a distance with magic"

"such are the ways of pathetic men" Raiz looked at me and mocked me

Astarotia slammed her fist at the round marble table which caused it to break and fall apart, her actions shocked the two brothers

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Astarotia looked at Raiz

"I-I'm sorry!" Raiz hurriedly apologized

Seriously... what power does this woman have?

"Alright, since there are no better plans, let's go with Zeno's" Astarotia quickly regained her smile and nodded

We all left and Astarotia led Raizar, Raiz, and Mardoth towards the frontline while Lea and I fetched the two Guardians while we headed for the spot where all of Aegis' members were gathered

"Alright, our job is simple, Cythia, Ella, and Liralei, your job is to attack with magic from a distance, Fujo, and Rick, all you have to do is protect the two women in case something goes wrong. Our objective is to observe the enemy while we defend this city... prepare yourselves because this might make you lose your lunch" Lea announced

"What about Zeno?" Rick asked

"He's also here to protect" Lea replied

The horns sounded and we saw hundreds of Goblins coming out of the forest, the magicians were about to attack but Astarotia stopped them

"Don't attack!" Astarotia roared out

After all the goblins left the forest, they started frantically heading for the castle but suddenly numerous Formars came out of the forest and butchered everything they came across. Limbs and heads flew while blood dyed the grass red, the goblins screamed and whimpered as they were slowly dissected, dismembered and devoured by the Formars. All of the adventurers puked at this horrendous sight, even Lea had to cover her mouth... the others couldn't take it and started fleeing while some only puked

"Don't fear them! if you flee now you will be considered traitors!" Astarotia strictly announced

"But those things! those things aren't even monsters!" waves of protest were heard from the adventurers

Typical human nature, fear something that you don't know or understand, I looked at everyone's panic-stricken face, they're afraid... at this point, I won't be surprised if they all flee

One man threw away his weapon and ran away and soon more people followed

"STOP!" Astarotia roared out but she can't control the situation anymore

More people fled as time passed by, at this rate, no one will be left to defend the walls

"You bunch of Cunts!" I roared out before jumping down the walls and running towards a few Formars

I am now facing three Formars, all of them had the same body structure, both hands are scythes while their chest was open as their internal organs dangled out for everyone to see. They were first to move as one started crawling while the second and third ran towards me, the first to arrive was the third Formar, it tried to slash me but cut off its arms before cutting it diagonally in half. The first Formar pounced from behind, the exposed ribs acted as teeth that tried to chomp me.

'Lilith! use [Illusion strike!]' I requested

'Acknowledged!' I heard Lilith's reply shortly after

I jumped to the side and saw an illusion of me where I once stood, the first Formar bit empty air and crashed on the ground. I saw the second Formar swing his scythe made out of bones at me but I only moved to back to dodge as I left another illusion for the Formar to attack, it cut empty air and I used this chance to pull its arms before kicking his ankles which caused it to lose its balance and fall forward. The Formar hit the ground as I held on to its right arm, I twisted it and broke it before I raised my leg and stomped on its head with all my might, bones and bits of brains flew out as I pulled out his right arm before vigorously swinging it behind me. I hit the first Formar that pounced on me straight on its head which caused it to once again crash on the ground, its surprise attack failed and I didn't miss this chance to grab its leg as it tried to stand back up, I did a cobra lock and broke off its right leg before using the protruding bone from it to stab the Formar on the head. All three enemies were now killed, I wanted to show off, I wanted to tell the adventurers that these are monsters that can be killed... it's the reason why I used hand to hand combat on two Formars

My plan worked and the adventurer's morale was boosted, I ran back towards the gate that opened to welcome me back inside. The Formars tried to pursue but were killed under the barrage of hundreds of magic