Typically, monsters instinctively prioritize attacking the humans in front of them.
Thus, the soldiers on the walls serve both as defenders and a kind of bait. This principle has allowed Crossroad to endure as humanity's last line of defense.
Intelligent monsters, capable of tactics, have tried various methods to destroy the city.
They have targeted weak points in the walls or used overwhelming force to break through. However...
Charging headlong into our firepower, sacrificing themselves to break through, was a first.
"..."
A moment of silence followed.
Cromwell had leaped over the wall, an unprecedented feat.
The wall was not only tall but also wide, extending from the front black dragon wall to the original Crossroad wall, spanning the width of a small river.
Cromwell had leaped over all of it.
Of course, the damage the monster sustained in the process was immense.
Without a barrier or magical defenses, she took the full brunt of our firepower. Moreover, she used her own life force to propel her massive body over the wall.
Inside Crossroad, Cromwell lay in a mangled, shredded state, barely distinguishable from a corpse.
Normally, such a reckless attempt would result in the monster's death.
However, the problem was—
She was a zombie.
Wriggle!
The shredded flesh of the monster heaved violently.
A thick, white steam rose from her pulverized body.
Tentacles, lying limp, began to twitch, gripping the ground, and countless teeth clacked together, gnashing at the air.
And then—
Rip! Rip!
Cromwell, once a massive reindeer or stag-like creature, began to split apart along the lines of the wounds we had inflicted.
The chunks of flesh staggered, each taking a step and standing.
Parts of the antlers, individual tentacles, and the gnashing teeth formed—
Grotesque, monstrous versions of Cromwell's fragmented body began to walk, their limbs trembling.
They opened their gnashing jaws, emitting eerie sounds.
"Aaah, aaah..."
"Aaah? Aaaargh?"
"Aaaah... Aaah, aaah...!"
Rip! Rip!
Countless monsters began pouring out of Cromwell's body.
Humanoid forms, dog-like forms, rhinos, mantises, centipedes...
Grotesque masses of flesh with gnashing teeth, emitting distorted voices, and flailing tentacles spread out in all directions.
The artillerymen and mages on the black dragon wall desperately attacked, but due to the old Crossroad wall, their angles were not optimal. Moreover, the sheer number of emerging monsters meant a few shots wouldn't suffice.
"These disgusting creatures..."
I ground my teeth, watching the monsters stagger and spread into the city.
"Really causing trouble...!"
Fortunately, Crossroad is a fortress city.
The monsters breached the southern wall and entered the city. However, this doesn't mean the end of humanity's last line of defense.
Crossroad is fortified on all four sides. The monsters had essentially trapped themselves within walls.
"Everyone-!"
I shouted to the soldiers and heroes, stunned by the unexpected situation.
"Regroup and move to the northern, eastern, and western walls of Crossroad! Reinforce the defenses!"
"...!"
"As long as we hold the outer walls, the monsters inside can't escape! Block the exits and take them down one by one! Don't panic!"
The civilians had already been evacuated from Crossroad.
By sealing off the city and methodically eliminating the trapped monsters, we could still defend the human world's entrance. We still held the advantage.
"Move quickly! Defend the other walls before the monsters break out!"
I commanded, extending my arm.
Dash!
Dash-!
The heroes and soldiers on the wall began running with all their might.
Lucas quickly organized which units should move where and issued orders, ensuring the soldiers relocated without confusion.
"Protect the walls at all costs! We must stop them!"
"Yes, sir-!"
Some heroes and soldiers ran, while others used magic or other means to fly to their positions.
Watching the coordinated movements of our forces amidst the chaos, I bit my lip.
'We're still okay. We can still fight safely.'
I had aimed to avoid close combat in this battle, using long-range firepower to defeat the monsters.
The reason was obvious: the monsters were zombies. A single bite could cause infection.
In the worst-case scenario, our own could become the enemy, forcing us to eliminate them ourselves.
That's why I hadn't deployed Kraken or Jörmungandr earlier. Using close-combat specialists risked them being bitten and turning into zombies.
'Though the defensive area has expanded, Cromwell... and her spawn are undoubtedly weakened. We just need to hold the walls and intercept those trying to escape Crossroad.'
However, this containment plan had one significant problem.
'...There are still people inside the city.'
Even if civilians were evacuated, non-combat personnel remained.
Priests, alchemists, laborers, cooks, supply soldiers... Not civilians, but individuals who could easily fall victim to the monsters.
"..."
I glared at the monstrous spawns pouring out of Cromwell's body and spreading through the city.
Like insects swarming from a broken nest, the tangled masses of flesh burrowed into every corner of the city.
If we surrendered the interior to the monsters and focused solely on defending the walls, we could safely use firepower to eliminate the threat, sacrificing the non-combat personnel inside.
But...
'Do you think I'd do that?'
Even in this dire situation, I decided to be greedy.
Before the city was overrun with monsters, I would rescue every non-combat personnel.
Quickly formulating a plan in my mind, I turned to the side.
"Damien!"
"Yes, sir!"
Having just fired the Black Queen and rolled back, Damien promptly stood by my side. The sniper heroes gathered behind him.
I issued my command to Damien and the snipers.
"Take positions on the towers near the walls and survey the entire city!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Monitor for any monsters trying to escape and rescue any allies in danger within the city. I'm counting on you."
"Leave it to us, Your Highness!"
Damien quickly gestured, and the sniper heroes followed him.
Next, I called Lucas, who had just finished issuing orders for the troop redeployment.
"Lucas!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"Fire a signal flare. Alert everyone to the emergency and direct all remaining personnel inside the city to move towards the walls!"
"Understood!"
As Lucas prepared the signal flare, I turned to the elite heroes still on standby.
They knew what I was about to ask of them.
"I need you to handle a difficult task."
Using [Map Creation], I quickly identified the locations of the remaining non-combat personnel in the city.
"Enter the city, rescue the non-combat personnel before the monsters reach them, and bring them out. Can you do it?"
"..."
No one said a word.
They simply looked at me with unwavering eyes.
I nodded heavily.
"Good. I'll assign each of you a specific location. Enter the city, rescue the people, and get them out. Avoid combat and focus on survival and rescue."
I allocated the rescue missions based on the heroes' mobility and combat capabilities, covering the various groups of non-combat personnel scattered throughout the city.
The moment the orders were given, the heroes leaped into action, heading into the city without hesitation.
"Lastly, the farthest and most difficult rescue operation."
I clicked my tongue as I confirmed the final location.
"The old barracks housing retired and injured soldiers. It's in the center of the city."
This included Chain, Hecate, and others who couldn't participate in combat but had no place to go outside Crossroad.
Normally, being in the city center would have been one of the safest places, but now it was the most dangerous.
"Who will rescue them?"
I glanced at Lucas.
"..."
Lucas lowered his bright blue eyes, deep in thought.
Finally, he spoke in a dry voice.
***
"Aaah, aaah..."
"Aaah! Aaaargh..."
"Aaaah! Aaaargh-!"
Emitting meaningless screams, the grotesque masses of flesh traversed the city.
The monsters indiscriminately captured any living beings within the city, shoving them between their gnashing teeth and devouring them.
From livestock to small rats, nothing in their path retained its form, torn apart and consumed.
"..."
The retired soldiers hiding in the barracks watched in silence.
Chain trembled, her face drenched in sweat.
"What the hell are those things doing in Crossroad...? Did the wall fall?"
"That's unlikely. A signal flare went up just a moment ago."
Hecate glanced skyward.
"It seems these monsters somehow got over the wall, but our forces are still fighting. The signal flare is a call for all survivors to move towards the wall."
"Move towards the wall? How the hell are we supposed to do that?"
That was the problem.
The distance from the barracks to the wall was considerable. Even if it wasn't too far normally, it was an impossible distance for the retired, often injured, soldiers here.
Chain grabbed her crutch, swallowing curses. She could move, albeit with difficulty, but some of the retired soldiers had no legs or were bedridden.
How could they possibly make it to the wall through those monsters?
Thud!
Suddenly, the door to the barracks shook violently.
The retired soldiers peeked through the windows and saw monsters swarming the entrance.
Thud! Thud! Crack!
The barracks door was ripped off and fell to the ground. The masses of flesh, emitting suffocating screams, staggered into the barracks.
"..."
The retired soldiers turned pale, looking at each other in a cold sweat.
Shling—
Hecate and the four other Glory Knights drew their weapons from their sheaths.
"We can't escape on our own. Everyone, gather in the large room. Block the door and build barricades. Hold out until the rescue team arrives."
"What? But..."
There were already over a hundred monsters inside the barracks.
How could they hold out in such a situation?
"We'll create a distraction."
Hecate exchanged glances with the other Glory Knights and gave a bitter smile.
"We're still useful for at least that much."