Under Charles' roar, countless monsters surged out, not only from the current cavern but also from other hidden caves. It wasn't just humans who were infected and turned into zombies; animals were also affected, and their numbers were horrifying.

Charles, the intelligent species here, controlled them. Now that Charles intended to leave, even more monsters gathered. At his command, hundreds of thousands of zombies began crawling out of the abyss, joining the battlefield above.

Charles had his sights set on the injured Queen Hathaway. A demonic hand slammed down, releasing a black mist shockwave.

He hadn't used this ability earlier to ambush Hathaway, fearing the commotion would alert her. But now that she was discovered and severely wounded, he no longer held back. His demonic form showcased its terrifying power once again.

Queen Hathaway frowned, her broken blade slashing out a sword beam that collided with the shockwave, creating a massive explosion.

"Let's head up," Rosen said, returning to Law and Natalie. Just standing there, they had already attracted the attention of all the zombies. Fighting them would be pointless.

"Alright," Natalie agreed, though she worried,

"Will the queen be okay?"

"She's strong enough to leave whenever she wants. No one can stop her," Rosen replied calmly.

This wasn't flattery but a fact. Even if Charles was powerful and Hathaway injured, there was no overwhelming force to stop her from escaping.

It was like a bear—if it wanted to leave, it could easily take someone with it. Of course, this also had to do with her abilities.

"Updraft!" Rosen pressed his hand to the ground, and a massive sand pillar lifted the three of them into the air.

They soon rose above ground level, witnessing the chaotic battlefield where the monsters attacked both the Marines and the people of Lantis. In fact, under Admiral Eric's orders, the Marines had already begun retreating.

Without being able to tie down Hathaway and Crocodile, the two major forces, they were nothing but cannon fodder. Only when the top-tier fighters were occupied could the lesser soldiers make a difference. Once the top-tier fighters were free to deal with them, they would be wiped out.

However, the zombie horde, crawling madly out of the abyss, entangled the retreating Marines. As the Marines withdrew, the Lantis forces gathered near the iron cages, building defenses and rescuing their comrades.

Despite the overwhelming numbers of zombies, their attacks and movements were mindless and predictable. With efficient coordination, waves of zombies were cut down. But their numbers were vast, and if the soldiers didn't organize a quick retreat, fatigue would lead to a different outcome.

"Where's the queen?" Alice returned to the group. Under Admiral Eric's retreat order, Admiral O'Neill also chose to withdraw.

The Marines were gradually leaving the battlefield, though some remained. Her fight with Admiral O'Neill had ended inconclusively. "She hasn't come up yet, but she must have won. Otherwise, the Marines wouldn't be retreating.

Quickly gather the troops; the abyss is roaring," Morad said gravely. Although the Marines were retreating, it wasn't a victory for Lantis. The zombies had also hindered their pursuit of the Marines and their chance to seize the port and cross the sacred sea.

Their king was still fighting, and without his leadership, they couldn't recklessly chase the Marines.

"Commander Eric, PX-0, what happened to you?" Ganoss, protected by two Pacifistas, approached Eric and Kuma. Seeing their condition, he was shocked.

Commander Eric was one of the strongest in the Marines and the World Government, with many admirals admitting they were no match for him. Yet now, he was in a pitiful state—missing an arm, covered in countless wounds, and his skin dried up on one side.

Kuma, too, showed many mechanical parts and circuits, looking equally battered. Could the Lantis queen really be that strong?

Facing two top fighters alone, not only did she repel them, but she also inflicted such severe injuries. Was the Lantis queen on par with the Marine's top three? Impossible!

Kuma didn't respond, disliking Ganoss and his use of his experimental codename.

"Crocodile is still alive. Have the soldiers retreat quickly. Also, alert the temporary port. Lantis is launching a large-scale attack with significant ambitions. They might directly assault the port and seize ships,"

Eric said as he led the Marines toward the port. His eyes gleamed with madness. Since control was lost, only total destruction remained. Once most of these people were dead, they could search the island for the long-lived species. Even corpses would suffice.

As they spoke, several reckless sea monsters charged at them. Eric prepared to punch them but found himself too weak to deliver a proper attack.

In the end, Kuma used a pressure cannon to eliminate the sea monsters.

"Report! The port is under attack. The captain needs our support. They're about to be overrun," a communications officer reported via Den Den Mushi.

"These ambitious savages. Tell the captain that if they can't hold the port, burn the ships. We can't let Lantis seize them, or the consequences will be dire," Eric said bitterly.

This was a wise decision. Although Marine ships were expensive, some losses were unavoidable in critical moments. Destroying the ships would prevent Lantis from gaining them, and the Marines could always call for new ships to pick them up.

Lantis would gain nothing, and they absolutely couldn't be allowed to leave the island. Otherwise, they would become enemies of the World Government.

If that happened, Eric would become the scapegoat. Once the scandal spread, his situation would become dire. If Lantis people left the island, the truth would come to light.

A few might call it a conspiracy, but if thousands of Lantis people spoke out, the world would learn of the tragedy and scandal that occurred in this country. Eric would inevitably become the sacrificial lamb.

He didn't want to be sacrificed. He wanted to continue serving by the side of the gods, not be cast aside. For that, he would even apply for the Buster Call if necessary.

The Lantis incident was beyond redemption, and he would report the facts. But he was confident that the World Government would eventually deploy national-level forces—the Buster Call—to erase this threatening island from the map. He had seen this many times before, and this time would be no exception.

(End of Chapter)

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