As Silvia entered the room, her eyes fell upon the sight of Elena carefully feeding Connor. Relief washed over her as she saw him awake and somewhat responsive.
"I hope you're feeling better now. Everyone's been worried sick about you," Silvia said softly, her concern evident in her voice.
Connor managed a weak smile, his voice still raspy. "I should recover in a few hours, hopefully," he replied optimistically, knowing his third-order healing skill would accelerate his recovery. It was nothing short of miraculous that he had already regained consciousness after being in a comatose state just a day ago.
Silvia nodded, focusing on peeling some apples to feed him. "So, what's our next move?" she inquired, glancing up at him with a mix of curiosity and determination.
"For now, I need to assess how long our food supplies will last for all of us," Connor responded, his mind already racing with thoughts of strategizing their next steps.
Concern etched on her face, Silvia asked hesitantly, "Are you planning to fight like that again?" She had witnessed firsthand the devastating toll on Connor's body when Elena had brought him in.
His skin had been charred, smoke still faintly rising from his exhausted form. Guilt gnawed at Silvia; she had been the one to urge him to push himself so far, and seeing him in such a state pained her deeply.
"I think I'll play it safer now. I'll go there and sweep them in batches. They can't all be taken out in one day," Connor proposed, his voice determined yet cautious.
Connor understood why no one from Julian's team was willing to confront the threat head-on. It was like facing an endless tide of Fallen, relentless and overwhelming.
Elena interjected fiercely, her voice cutting through the room. "Whatever your plan is, include me in it. I won't let you go there recklessly," she declared, her eyes flashing with concern and determination.
Connor grinned, though his expression was tinged with seriousness. "Don't worry, Elena. This time will be different," he assured her, his tone confident. "The more I push my limits, the stronger my will becomes. I'm sure I can endure much longer now," he reasoned, trying to reassure both Elena and himself.
"But you'll still end up getting fried and look like human bacon," Elena retorted sharply, her concern for Connor evident in her voice. Her protective instincts were in full force, unwilling to see him risk himself unnecessarily.
Connor just shrugged, a determined glint in his eyes. "No pain, no gain," he replied. "And besides, I get rewarded with tons of SP. You guys can join me as well once their numbers are reduced to a tenth."
Elena and Silvia couldn't argue anymore. They understood there was no other option. Connor's unique darkness skill made him their best chance at holding the Fallen at bay and reducing their numbers significantly.
A few hours later, in the afternoon, Connor was fully healed. His body showed no signs of the burns he had sustained. He checked his skill conditions, ensuring he could still use them as effectively as before.
With everything set, he cast a final glance at Elena, who watched him with a mixture of concern and determination. Just as he was about to jump out the window again, he stopped, gazing outside.
"You know, the whole reason I feel so confident about my plans is that I know you have my back. So please, have faith in me like I have in you," he said, his voice soft but resolute.
Without waiting for a response, Connor leapt out the window and summoned his undead gorilla, leaving Elena in a state of conflict. She admired his courage but feared for his safety, a complex tangle of emotions stirring within her as she watched him disappear into the fray once more.
Once again, using his summon as a meat shield, he started killing the Fallen in quick succession. This time, he began with improved techniques. Instead of wasting his energy with unnecessary movements, he waited for them to approach him and only then struck them.
Connor evaded the attacks with fewer movements than before, countering and ending them with one precise strike each. But he received a shock when he refilled his mana with SP conversion.
"What the hell, why is the SP conversion reduced to a tenth?" he muttered, his brows furrowing in frustration.
Before, he could convert 1 SP to 100 mana. Now, he could only get 10 mana. Reflecting on it, he realized that maybe it was too broken from the beginning to have 100 mana for just 1 SP.
With the amount of SP he could store in his core now that he had passed above level 20, he could convert 200,000 mana for the 2000 SP. He reasoned that as he leveled up, the conversion rate would also fall.
But the problem was that now he had to spend ten times more SP to recover his mana. Not that he was at a loss, since he would still gain thousands of SP in a few minutes of nonstop fighting.
"Screw it, I still have the 2x multiplier, and when this is over, I will use [Soul Eater] on all the corpses."
Connor became more proactive as he started getting serious. He raged on with his dull blade while supplying more mana to his undead. Even though it couldn't use the skills without a core, it still had its innate abilities, like the flames in its head. Even the Tigra Squirrel could use its tail to beat the crap out of Connor.
The undead gorilla's body burned with flames as it struck the landscape with its blazing fists, causing huge explosions and sending the Fallen hurtling through the air.
Spectators from afar watched with awe as Connor and his summon took on the entire tide, repelling them back with pure explosive strength.
Connor wasn't exhausted despite the heavy movements, thanks to his physique and high stamina, which allowed him to recover rapidly. He adapted to this fighting style only now because of the reduced numbers of enemies.
His back was facing the hospital from the start. He did not want to use Darkness Surge recklessly, as he had promised Elena. Instead, he adopted a more passive approach.
Connor deduced that he wouldn't be surrounded from all sides now that the south side was nearly half wiped out. By staying at the entrance, the Fallen could only approach from the front, with a few jumping across the walls from the sides, which reduced their incoming speed.
The others also understood this since the other half was still on the northern side trying to break in. They knew they could soon enter the battlefield and got ready.
Connor's plan was working, and though he was starting to feel the strain, he pushed on, knowing that every effort brought them one step closer to survival and victory.
After an hour of relentless fighting, Connor finally showed signs of tiredness. But there were still at least 5,000 Fallen ahead in his path. Connor sighed and realized that he was nearing his limit, every muscle and bone inside his body crying for rest. He decided to call it a day and signaled for Elena.
She didn't waste time and quickly brought him back like before. The only difference was that Connor didn't faint this time, but he was gasping for air and panting heavily.
"You did well, Connor. You should take a rest. Leave the remaining for us to handle," Elena said, her voice filled with praise and concern.
She nodded toward Furina, who stood by Connor's side to take care of him while the rest started walking with Elena as she took the lead. Even Julian didn't say anything about her being the leader.
Right now, he only focused on one thing: getting stronger with the opportunity presented to him.
He rushed to the now open area with the others while the Fallen were still approaching from behind.
Connor did not like that he was losing so many kills. His plan was to recover and finish the rest of them by himself. He summoned his undead again and commanded it to kill only the Fallen.
"You don't have to push yourself, Connor. The rest of them can handle it," Furina, who did not know his intentions, said with concern.
"Don't worry. It doesn't require much mana, and besides, that gorilla would act as a tank and save the rest from harm," Connor replied and watched the battle as, slowly but steadily, the area was getting cleared.
Furina's eyes followed the undead gorilla as it charged back into the fray. The flaming undead gorilla once again became the centerpiece of the battlefield, drawing the Fallen's attention and absorbing their attacks. Connor's eyes were sharp, monitoring every move, every shift in the battle.
Even after half an hour had passed, the area was still not cleared as there were still a couple of thousand Fallen remaining. But that time was enough for Connor to recover as he once again marched to the battlefield with the resolve to end it this time.
"Third time's the charm," he chuckled inwardly and started slashing his enemies in rapid succession. His movements were fluid, each strike precise and lethal, cutting down the Fallen with relentless efficiency.
Elena watched Connor with a tired look, her skill already deactivated, and she was dead exhausted from fighting for 30 minutes without a break. The rest fared even worse as they were all grouped in a corner, crying out in pain and exhaustion. But luckily, none of them were bitten or scratched, thanks to their armors and teamwork.
Elena had ordered them to fight defensively from the start, and it was only thanks to her that all of them were alive. She focused not on vanquishing the foes but on protecting her allies with her incredible speed. Her leadership on the battlefield was like a commander. The combatants admired her strategy and kindness. If not for this defensive approach, they might have already cleared the area, albeit with some casualties.
Her swift movements and tactical mind had kept everyone safe. She darted between the combatants, intercepting attacks and providing critical support wherever it was needed. Her eyes constantly scanned the battlefield, calculating the best ways to shield her comrades.
But even she could not fight for long. That's when he appeared again.
The tired combatants looked at Connor, the demon who was back and butchering the remaining Fallen like pigs. His return was a spectacle of sheer brutality and power. He moved with an almost supernatural grace, his blade a blur as he tore through the enemy ranks.
They were all wondering whether he was a human or a machine, to fight for one hour nonstop alone and then come back again in just half an hour. His stamina seemed inexhaustible, his determination unbreakable.
Connor's eyes were focused, his mind clear. He felt the weight of responsibility but also the thrill of battle.
Each Fallen he defeated brought them closer to victory, and he knew he couldn't stop until the area was secure. His undead gorilla followed his commands with unerring precision, creating havoc among the ranks of the Fallen.
Elena, despite her exhaustion, couldn't help but admire Connor's resilience. She knew that without him, they would have been overwhelmed long ago. He had arrived at the right time when she was at her limit. Her tired eyes sparkled with a mixture of awe and gratitude as she watched him fight.
The combatants, inspired by Connor's raw power, found a second wind. They steadied themselves, their fear replaced with determination. Together, they fought with renewed vigor, forming a solid line of defense behind Connor.
As the minutes ticked by, the tide of battle began to shift definitively in their favor. The number of Fallen dwindled, their once overwhelming presence now reduced to scattered groups.
Finally, the area was safe with only piles of corpses lying on the ground, as dark red blood painted the battlefield. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the acrid smell of burning flesh from the undead gorilla's flames. The once-chaotic scene had settled into an eerie stillness, the silence almost deafening after the relentless sounds of battle.
Connor stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his sword. He looked around at his comrades, nodding to Elena and the others. The weight of the battle, the strain of every swing and command, began to lift off his shoulders.
"It's over," Connor said, his voice carrying a mix of relief and triumph that reverberated through the quiet aftermath of battle.
Elena approached him, her steps slow but steady. Her eyes shone with admiration and exhaustion as she spoke. "You did it, Connor."
Connor shook his head, a weary smile spreading across his face. "We all did," he replied, feeling the collective victory settle within him.
The weight of their success was a shared burden, lightened by the knowledge that they had overcome together.
As he turned to look back at the hospital, a grin spread inwardly. The battlefield was strewn with the corpses of their fallen enemies, numbering more than 10,000.
If he used his Soul Eater skill on all these bodies, he could easily reach level 25. Right now, he was at level 22, tantalizingly close to the next stage.
Inwardly, he cursed the SP conversion. It was the main reason he couldn't level up despite fighting for so long. He had to spend so much SP only to gain the same amount back, with a bit more. The cycle was frustratingly slow.
But he was 100% sure to level up by absorbing the remnants from these corpses using his skill.