Crackle, crackle...
The broken corridor lights flickered.
From the distance came the muffled cries of infected, mingled with the desperate screams of those not yet infected.
'Damn, I hate horror games.'
I rubbed the goosebumps off the back of my neck.
Charging recklessly could get us bitten by the infected, leading to our annihilation. We were moving cautiously at a moderate pace.
As we descended the stairs to the lower deck, I asked McMillan behind me.
"Where's the engine room located?"
"At the very bottom of the ship, towards the rear."
For reference, the bridge we started from is located at the very top center of the airship.
We had to go down several levels and move toward the back. Given the large size of La Mancha, it was a considerable distance.
"Hurry. Our time is running out."
Was it just my imagination, or was the airship slowly descending?
It probably wasn't a mistake. As the main magic reactor's output decreases, the airship must be gradually descending in preparation for an emergency landing.
We moved as quickly as possible toward the engine room while staying alert.
And then, at the end of the corridor leading to the stairs on this deck...
Graaah!
Bang!
Crash-!
Doors on both sides of the corridor burst open simultaneously, and infected lunged at us.
"...!"
Mikhail, who was walking tensely at the front, swiftly punched the infected on the left in the jaw,
"Get away!"
and Dearmudin, with a now familiar delicate scream, unleashed a magical shockwave that sent the infected on the right flying.
Thud! Crash!
It was over in an instant. Mikhail, sweating, checked the infected he had punched.
"...I hit him too hard out of surprise. This guy lost a molar."
"Better than dying. Can't be helped."
Dearmudin, clutching his chest and gasping, grumbled.
"Huff! Huff! This is terrible for an old man's cardiovascular health...! These shocks are killing me..."
"Think of it as good for blood circulation..."
As we continued to subdue the infected and move forward, I started to think.
We were returning to humanity's final defense line with an airship full of infected people.
'Is this really the right decision?'
What if this decision spreads the infection to Crossroad?
Should we have followed McMillan's suggestion to make an emergency landing far from Crossroad and slowly dealt with the infected there?
For the greater good, would it have been more efficient to abandon the infected?
We already have so little time to stop the zombie monsters.
Am I wasting precious time trying to save infected patients...?
"If it were my usual self..."
Dearmudin suddenly spoke from the rear, almost as if he knew what I was thinking.
"I would have suggested eliminating all the infected. Isn't that right?"
"..."
I smiled bitterly and glanced back.
"That means you're not your usual self now, are you?"
"Can I be honest?"
"Of course, speak freely."
"Prince Ash. I want to believe in the convenient magic called you."
Dearmudin looked at me with deep trust in his eyes.
"The one who always brings miraculous turnarounds in impossible situations... who comes up with ingenious solutions I never thought of."
"..."
"I want to hope for that once more."
I kept silent.
Suddenly, the famous Trolley dilemma came to mind.
A trolley is headed down a track where five people are tied up. If you pull the lever, the trolley switches to a track where only one person is tied up.
What will you decide in such a situation?
Pull the lever or do nothing?
"..."
Every battle on this monster front has been a fight against dilemmas.
Who to save. Who to abandon.
But my choices have always been consistent. I always made the same decision.
Save everyone I can.
Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I failed. Some lived, some died.
I toasted with the survivors and wept at the graves of the dead. I was never a flawless commander, and my record was marred with as many losses as wins.
But, yes. Through this long journey, I've paradoxically held on to one thing.
'Save everyone I can.'
Reflecting on the path I've walked.
My journey is paved with luck and miracles. Without good fortune, my decisions would have led to this world's destruction several times over.
But I also know.
Not all those miracles were mere luck.
The karma I've built, the connections, and the will of the people who journey with me...
They've sustained this front, this world, and our spirits up to this moment.
'I will save them.'
Everyone I can.
Those brave enough to charge the enemy and got infected. Those trembling in fear of the advancing monsters.
I will do my best to save them all.
With that resolve, my steps grew confident. Dearmudin, following at the rear, noticed and chuckled.
***
After a long, relentless advance, we reached the stairs leading to the lowest level.
But due to the commotion we'd caused, we were already being pursued by infected. The number of infected rushing at us had grown significantly.
"They're still coming from behind!"
"Take it easy, Dearmudin! Easy!"
"Easy... easy..."
Muttering while preparing his magic, Dearmudin gritted his teeth.
"Damn it! My magic is too powerful to go easy on them!"
"Then just break a bone or two!"
"Break a bone?! Alright, that I can do!"
Dearmudin unleashed shockwaves, and the charging infected fell back like autumn leaves.
But since the strikes were too weak, they got up again and rushed at us, screaming. Gritting his teeth, Dearmudin shouted.
"I'll hold them off here! Go ahead!"
"Dearmudin...!"
"Don't worry about me! Go, quickly!"
Dearmudin wasn't adept at this kind of situation.
This old mage is an extreme firepower type. Can he hold off these feral infected who are trying to bite him without seriously hurting them?
But there was no time to consider that.
Time was running out. The airship was making ominous noises as it approached its flight limit.
"Then we'll go ahead! Be careful, Dearmudin!"
Trusting Dearmudin to hold the stairs, we dashed down to the bottom level.
"The engine room is close!"
McMillan pointed ahead.
"Just through here!"
The large space before us was the hangar.
The engine room was behind the hangar. So, we had to pass through the hangar...
Screeeech!
Screeeech!
Entering the hangar, we were greeted by the ear-piercing cries of frenzied griffins.
"Wait."
I wiped the sweat from my brow and looked at them.
"Don't tell me the griffins are...?"
"Every monster got infected."
McMillan, also sweating profusely, said.
"So why would the griffins be any different...?"
Clang! Clang, clang!
The infected griffins, their eyes blood-red, glared at us and twisted their bodies.
Snap!
...No, it was more than just twisting.
The metal fences in the hangar, used as makeshift stalls, were breaking like sticks. The infected griffins took to the air.
The Sky Knights who came to support La Mancha numbered fifty.
That means there were fifty griffins.
Luckily, not all were infected. About half were trembling in a corner of the hangar... but even twenty-five infected griffins were a tremendous threat!
Screeeech!
The griffins soared to the top of the not-so-high hangar and then dived at us.
In desperation, I pulled out a low-grade magic core and threw it.
"Summon!"
It had been a while since I summoned a defense tower. I called its name.
"Shield Tower-!"
Clang!
The broken fences and walls gathered in midair and settled in the center of the hangar.
The defense tower, Shield Tower, was a rectangular structure covered with shields.
It had no attack capabilities but boasted considerable defense. And it had a wide-area taunt feature!
Thud! Thud!
The aggroed griffins began pounding the Shield Tower. It quickly got battered but bought us some time!
"I'll calm them down!"
Mikhail dashed forward like a streak of light.
Wait, calm them down? How does he plan to calm infected griffins...?
"Haaah-!"
With fluid motions, Mikhail mounted a griffin and crossed his forearms around its neck, choking it.
Screech... Urk.
The griffin, choking and gasping, soon fell unconscious with its tongue hanging out.
"This is how we usually subdue overly excited griffins. I've done it countless times."
Running toward the next griffin, Mikhail shouted.
"I'll handle this! Prince Ash, go to the engine room!"
"But, Mikhail!"
Even if you're skilled, dozens of infected griffins are too dangerous...!
"Go! We don't have time! Go!"
"Damn...!"
Clenching my teeth, I nodded and sprinted toward the door at the back of the hangar.
"Don't die, Mikhail!"
"I won't!"
Subduing a second griffin, Mikhail shouted back.
"Dying on my honeymoon would be too unfair!"
You little rascal, pretending not to care, but you were looking forward to your honeymoon, weren't you...?!
'I swear I'll turn Crossroad into the best tourist city! Filled with honeymooners!'
I renewed my determination with thoughts of my grand tourism plan.
For that dream and Mikhail's honeymoon, I needed to normalize the main magic reactor!
"That door leads to the last corridor and the engine room!"
"Alright!"
Following McMillan's guidance, I kicked the door open and charged into the last corridor. We were almost there!
And then.
Grrr...
Grrr...
Familiar infected were gathered in the corridor.
Silver armor, scarlet cloaks.
The fifty Sky Knights.
"...Oh."
No wonder we didn't see them earlier; they were all here...
These knights, all hero-level combatants, had turned and were staring at me with bloodshot eyes.
Fifty disciplined infected soldiers turned their trained, fierce gazes on me all at once... it was anything but pleasant.
"..."
Dearmudin and Mikhail stayed behind to hold off the dangerous enemies with all their might.
'But this might be the most dangerous spot?!'
Seeing my trembling face, McMillan cautiously asked.
"...Should I tell the bridge to prepare for an emergency landing?"
"No."
With a deep sigh, I took a step forward and deployed my armor.
"Let's get a little rough."
Clank-!
The black chainmail made from Baal's magic core.
The armor of the [Lord of the High Tower] enveloped me completely.