Moments after Tolle defeats the demoness Zesta and her group, another pair of demons appear before the group. Unlike Zesta’s group, the pair are both human form demons. Tolle, who tries to get up and fight the larger of the pair, gets clobbered into a storehouse by the younger man of the pair. With Tolle knocked out, Ryu and the remaining 11 soldiers are left to deal with them.

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On the battlefield, the monsters have been reduced to some measly tens of them. Down from the thousands of them who appeared, this is by no means a lesser threat. The surviving ones, all appear to be large and bulky, attributing features for their survival from the haphazard battle. On the side of the garrison, things aren’t fairing any better. The once little over 1,000 strong mixed battle group has been decimated. Platoons 01, 03 and 04 have been completely annihilated. The cavalry group is down to and an odd 15 surviving units and Platoon 02 only has 50 soldiers that are battle worthy, with another 30 injured. As for the engineer and logistics platoons have lost 50% of their forces with another 25% heavily injured. Luckily, the battle cannons of platoon 6 have survived, though same cannot be said of the howitzers near the central plaza.

In total, the situation of each group was:

Survivors:

Ryu’s Group – 386

Monsters – 76

Demons – 02

Dead:

Ryu’s Group – 1,414

Monsters – 6,023

Demons – 04

Many of the dead garrison had died fighting the 03 demon crows that followed, demoness Zesta. The numbers prove the intensity of the battle so far.

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Returning to Ryu, 06 of the remaining soldiers charge at the demon with fixed bayonets. However, before they could take third step, the demon casts a glance at them and simply swing of his arm across.

The charging solders are instantly decapitated across the chest. Blood spurt from the halved bodies of the soldiers.

Ryu and the remaining 05 soldiers paled greatly. With a simple wave of his arm, 06 soldiers were decapitated. And before that, Tolle was clobbered into a storehouse that is now in ruins from the impact.

[FALL BACK!!!]

Ryu immediately shouts as he dashes back several paces to enter the ruined central tower remains. Seeing what had happened to the previous group of soldiers, Ryu knew that the soldiers could not do much against these demons and instinctively decides to move into the tower. Though ruined, it is only the higher floors that have been destroyed. The larger base of the tower is relatively intact. With a plan in mind, Ryu rushes in.

The soldiers upon hearing Ryu’s command try to refute, however before they could move or turn, the young demon attacks again. His arm ran through the body of the soldier at the foremost of the group.

Not to engage the demon at close range, the remaining four, scatters into the ruins arounds the tower base.

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Having killed off several of the soldiers, the young demon nonchalantly throws away the body of its last kill. It cleans away the blood on its arm with some sort of magic.

[Kadal, was that necessary?]

The larger demon spoke.

[Nope. But they annoyed me by standing there]

The younger demon, Kadal replies unconcerned.

[We only need to kill only that human called Commander for us to complete our task]

Seeing that Kadal was noncommittal, the larger demon spoke grumpily.

[Segred, do you care about humans? We can simply get rid of these insects at our leisure. Why rush?]

Kadal turn to look at the large demon, called Segred as he spoke slightly irritated.

[Nope. I just want to be done with this sooner]

Segred lightly shrugging his shoulders heads in the direction of the entrance to the tower where Ryu entered.

Kadal, seeing that Segred walk in the direction of the tower, follows behind him leisurely. Truthfully, Kadal also finds their task bothersome, but would not say this aloud.

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Ryu, oblivious to the demons’ exchange, heads deeper into the lower levels of the tower base.

Ryu had only come in here due to AI’s transmission, suggesting him to enter here. While slowly making his way through a suggested route, he couldn’t help but question.

[Master: You will have at least 30% more chance of killing the demon pair. The base of the tower was designed as large trial by fire training ground with several contraptions littered across the maze like structure. If not killed, they would be severely injured]

Ryu retorts to AI’s suggested simplistic plan.

[Master: It is unlikely that they would use any large scale or explosive magic down here, lest the structure above collapses onto them. Also, from faint readings, they do not seem to have much more magic than Master. Only difference is that they know how to use magic, as to where, you do not]

AI states the facts for Ryu to digest. He tepidly agrees.

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Back on top, the remaining battle group quickly regroups at the base of the only standing tower on the forts walls. There the soldiers who separated from Ryu update the survivors on the situation.

[You left the commander alone to fight against the demons?]

The one who spoke was captain of the 8th logistics platoon, Kuroz. As the only surviving captain he was the current leader of the survivors.

[We were ordered to by the commander. And with the situation as it was, we had no choice but to scatter]

Kuroz was visibly angry at the soldiers infront of him. He couldn’t help think of how he would fight to his last breath to protect the commander and berated the soldiers in his head. He could not tell off the soldiers as they had mentioned that the commander ordered their retreat.

[So, where is the commander and the demons now?]

[The commander entered the ruins of central tower. And presumably, the demons followed him inside]

Kuroz couldn’t help but worry at the commander facing two demons alone. Like everyone else, he too thought that the commander was too weak and needed protection. This was not completely wrong, but Ryu would adamantly refute this if he were present.

The soldier also reported on the exact exchanges and short engagement they had with the demons. They report painted a horrifying image of the demons to the survivors and painted an even more horrifying image of an endangered commander in their minds.

Kuroz, couldn’t help berate them again in his head. However, that was all he could do. He had to think positively for the surviving troops.

Kuroz silently prays as he faces the troops and shouts out order to re-organize to engage the remaining demons. Even with their losses, the field cannon had survived the chaos. This gives him a chance to do away with the monsters.

Within 10 minutes, the survivors re-organize and start their attack to wipeout the monsters. Basing and barricading themselves on the corner portion in and around the tower, they target off monsters in ones and twos. With the restart of attacks, monsters focus on the tower as they start freezing towards it.

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Back inside the towers basement structure, Ryu has managed to reach the deepest room. With AI’s assistance he had gotten here using the shortest route using hidden passages.

[Master: The structure of this training ground is long and winding. As per calculations, the demon will only reach here in 20 more minutes’ time. Therefore, before then, please calm down and ready to use your weapons. It is recommended to mix use the carbine and short sword]

AI retorts dryly to Ryu’s never ending concern.

Shortly after AI’s message, loud booms and bang are heard with slight tremors across the room.

[Hey! Didn’t you say that the demons won’t use explosive magic?]

Ryu couldn’t help but yell out as he gets goosebumps all over.

[Master: That was unlikely to be the work of demons. Based on probabilities, it is deducible that the last of the garrison forces have re-grouped and are fighting the remaining monsters]

Ryu calms down slightly, clinching on hope that AI’s assessment that some of his troops survived the demon attacks.

Grasping his short sword tightly, Ryu sit down to meditate. In order not be ‘useless’ any further, he tries to collect himself and focus on surviving the demons coming his way.

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After a while, the large double doors into the last room are blown open as they dislodge from the falls and scatter into pieces across the floor. The 02 demons enter unhurriedly into the room.