“Get inside the room!”

We dashed into the nearest room.

Just before the Shilui chased after us, we barely managed to shut the door.

“Ugh!”

My cousin brothers Milan and Rishimund pushed the door with all their might.

I quickly looked around.

This was a storage room.

A place where rarely used teaching tools or broken weapons were kept.

I even saw a mace—half-damaged from Joffrey’s prank—lying around.

I shouted at the collateral relatives standing idly near the bookshelf.

“Move aside!”

Then gestured to my cousins.

“Help me.”

“Huh? O-okay!”

“What should we do?”

With my cousins’ help, we blocked the door with the bookshelf.

‘Won’t hold for long.’

Bang!

Bang!

Kwak!

The Shilui’s claws had already pierced through the door.

It was only a matter of time before the bookshelf would be destroyed.

The sharp-eyed ones rushed toward the weapons first.

My cousin brother Adam grabbed a greatsword.

The greatsword was the most usable weapon here.

Then Joffrey snatched the weapon from Adam.

“I’m going to use this. Give it here!”

Adam, big but timid, hesitated and took his hands off the sword.

“Idiot! Give it back to Adam!”

I shouted, and Joffrey flinched.

“Joffrey, no matter how good a weapon is, if it doesn’t fit the user, it’s useless. The greatsword is too heavy and big for you.”

“I can carry it too, you’re just saying that because you want to keep it for yourself, right? No way─”

Pow!

Someone kicked Joffrey’s back.

It was Loreina.

“Stop wasting time with nonsense and take that mace over there.”

I opened my eyes wide.

‘Why is Loreina, who’s usually eager to get me, saying that?’

Loreina picked up a pair of swords hanging on the wall and said,

“I’m pissed, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) but you’re the commander now.”

“...”

“We learned it over and over in class. Division in the army means certain defeat.”

She frowned and clicked her tongue.

“It’s really annoying, but I trust orders from you who ranked first more than other cousins. ...I mean, not me, but other cousins.”

I smiled silently.

Then hurriedly distributed the weapons.

“Special units, give up your weapons. If you can’t fight anyway, fall back to the rear!”

“Okay.”

“There are only two shields; give them to the younger kids. Strong ones hold the shields, and the kids hide behind. Stay as much in the corner as possible.”

“But then the escape route will be gone...”

“Since we’re cornered in the room anyway, no escape. Hold on to the shields as if your life depends on it.”

“What about people without weapons or shields?”

“Tie broken glass to sticks. Gather books or glass crafts behind. Support the frontliners by throwing books or glass from the rear!”

“Got it.”

“Girls with blades, listen carefully. Attacking the skin with your strength won’t do anything. Your top priority is to aim for the eyes.”

“Y-yes...!”

“If bitten, don’t try to run away. The bitten part will be useless anyway. Better to bite or stab inside the snout!”

I hurriedly ordered the kids.

“Our goal is not to kill the Shilui. We have to hold out until reinforcements arrive!”

“Yeah!”

“Y-yes!”

“Yeah!”

At that moment, the bookshelf toppled, and one Shilui jumped in.

“Throw!”

Kids in the rear threw books and glass crafts.

While the Shilui hesitated, Rishimund quickly stabbed its eye with a spear.

“Kieeeek─!”

With a chilling scream, the Shilui staggered back.

‘We have to fight one by one.’

Surrounded by so many Shilui, there’s no chance.

The Shilui whose eye was stabbed stepped back, and a notably large one growled and approached.

“Ombre.”

Ombre, who jumped out from the shadows, wrapped the Shilui with a shuruk sound.

The Shilui struggled violently.

Rolling on the floor, it howled “Krrrrr!” and slammed its massive front paw onto the bookshelf.

Part of the bookshelf made of solid black wood shattered instantly.

“B-black wood said to be stronger than steel...”

The terrified kids trembled.

Though artificially made, it was still an ancient monster.

Ombre, a normal monster, couldn’t endure the Shilui’s poison gas for long.

“Kiek─!”

The Shilui roared loudly and twisted its body; Ombre was thrown aside.

Adam, who was closest to the Shilui, froze stiff.

“U-ugh...”

At that moment, the Shilui opened its snout wide.

“Hik!”

Pale Adam closed his eyes tightly and wildly swung the greatsword.

The heavy greatsword made his movements clumsy.

The Shilui lightly dodged the greatsword and lunged at Adam’s neck while his eyes were closed.

“You idiot.”

“Duck.”

Joshua and Rishimund kicked the ground and ran low, quickly closing in on the Shilui.

As Adam crouched, Rishimund grabbed his shoulder and jumped into the air, landing on the Shilui’s back.

Rishimund pressed the Shilui’s head down hard into the ground, and Joshua stabbed a dagger into the Shilui’s nasal ridge.

“Krrrrrrrrr─!!”

The Shilui shook violently.

But then.

“What, what is that?”

“Th-that...”

The Shilui’s skin melted like pus, revealing bone.

“Aaah!”

Adam, pressed to the ground by Rishimund, screamed.

The melted liquid touched his body, and with a currrk sound, his skin burned.

Like touching hydrochloric acid.

I quickly shouted,

“Brothers, retreat!”

Joshua and Rishimund grabbed Adam’s neck and hurriedly pulled him back to us.

But it was strange.

‘The skin melted like acid, but his shoes and clothes are intact.’

I hurriedly examined Adam.

From his burning palm, strange patterns ran along his veins.

Liantin shivered and said,

“D-don’t go near!”

“What?”

“There’s an ancient monster that emits poison... If that’s the poison, and if Adam got infected...”

Liantin hugged her arms and trembled.

Hot-tempered Loreina shouted,

“What’s poison?!”

At that moment, Adam, who had his head lowered, started muttering.

“D-dea...”

Joffrey frowned.

“What did you say?”

“D-dea...th... Have to kill... Die... Die...”

“What are you talking about!”

“Die.”

“Wh-what...”

“Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.”

“Gah─!”

Adam grabbed Joffrey’s neck tightly with both hands.

“Joffrey─!”

“What are you doing─”

“Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.”

He seemed insane.

Looking closely, his eyes were bright red like a Shilui’s.

I looked at Liantin.

“Explain, Liantin!”

“If infected by the poison, you become a doll driven only by killing intent... Several ancient cities disappeared entirely because their people were infected by the poison...”

What?

My cousins, the collateral relatives, all turned pale.

Loreina scratched Adam’s arm and shouted,

“Let go of him!”

“Ugh... M-master...”

“Someone...! Joffrey!”

‘Oh my God.’

After the monster disaster, now it’s turning into a zombie story?

“First... first, get Adam away!”

I shouted, and the kids hurriedly clung to Adam.

Meanwhile, the Shilui kept trying to break through the door.

Milan, Rishimund, and Joshua tried to hold them back, but it was almost breached.

Even with everyone’s combined strength, it was difficult, and Adam got infected by the poison.

My cousin brother Elman barely pulled Adam away from Joffrey and hugged him tightly.

“Ugh, this guy, why is he so strong... Someone help...!”

“We have to help the Shilui side too! Waaah!”

The kids hiding behind shields began to cry.

“Save me... Waaah─! Mom!”

“Ooh...! Father...!!”

The children’s cries made Adam and the Shilui even more agitated.

Loreina muttered with a pale face,

“What is this? Why are we so powerless without blessings...”

Her dulled twin swords fell from her hands.

The situation had reached rock bottom.

At this rate, we wouldn’t last ten minutes.

“Mom─!”

“I wasn’t supposed to come to the Divine Hall. I wasn’t... Waaah!”

“Adam, please, get a grip, ugh! He bit me!”

Three big Shilui were clinging to Adam, and the kids’ spirits broke.

The door broke, and the Shilui started pouring in.

We were gradually backed against the wall.

Like mice trapped in a corner.

Most had dropped their weapons, and the Shilui stepped over them, closing in on us.

Everyone had expressions that sensed death.

Then.

I picked up a book from the floor and charged at a Shilui.

“Yah─!”

“...?!”

“...!”

“...!!”

My cousins and even the collateral relatives stared wide-eyed at me.

I threw the book to block the Shilui’s vision and stabbed a damaged arrow feather under its jaw.

“I won’t die like this!”

“...”

“...”

The kids looked dazed.

“I tried so hard, lived so desperately! I won’t die like this!”

“E-Erilot...”

“I won’t die quietly like this. Even if I die, I’ll fight to the end!”

“...”

All eyes turned to me.

I didn’t care if they looked at me like I was an idiot.

I grabbed glass shards and books indiscriminately and attacked the Shilui.

In my first life, I died helplessly due to someone else’s scheme.

In my second life, I died helplessly from illness.

‘Am I supposed to die the same way in my third life?’

Never.

Kuaaak!

The Shilui opened its snout wide toward my neck.

“That’s my child indeed.”

‘...Huh?’

Kwak! Kwak! Kwak! Kwak! Kwak! Kwak! Kwak!

The shattered Shilui crumbled into dust and scattered.

And then appeared...

A black cape embroidered with Astra’s emblem fluttered in the wind.

Blonde hair shining brilliantly in the moonlight.

The only man in the Kalsoi Empire granted the title of the strongest.

The War God.

The undefeated hero.

...My father!

“Milady~!! Are you safe~!!”

“Milady!”

“Are our milady and master okay, huh?!”

Behind my father came rough shouts.

Men like beasts carrying lances, maces, two-handed axes swarmed in a group.

They were the strongest soldiers of Astra gathered from everywhere by my father.

The soldiers of the Daymond Jurisdiction called “The Mad Dogs.”

My father’s cold gaze scanned the room.

Balzac’s abdomen, bitten and bloodied by the Shilui.

Joshua’s wrist, broken and dangling.

Rishimund’s neck, deeply scratched.

And my own hand, dripping blood from glass cuts while attacking the Shilui.

We were all a mess, drenched in cold sweat and dust.

My father’s gaze darkened.

The Shilui howled and swarmed toward him.

Even the kids ranked seventh like Selene had strong mana, but it was no match for my father.

My father is a man who doesn’t even pant after casting powerful area spells.

His mana is said to be an endless well that never runs dry.

For the Shilui, who feed on mana, there couldn’t be a more perfect prey.

Balzac frowned.

“Damn it. Even if he’s father, he can’t exert great power on a red moon day.”

Joshua and Rishimund nodded.

“We have to cover him.”

“Can he use ?”

“If it’s just me, I can manage about five meters short distance─”

Then.

The Shilui surrounding my father suddenly rushed toward the center.

But.

“...!”

“...!!”

“...!”

All of us, including my siblings, stood with mouths agape.

Because all those Shilui turned to dust in an instant.

“Kyaaaak─!!!”

Even the ones that barely dodged lost half their bodies.

Liantin took a deep breath.

“I-it’s impossible. You can’t use blessings on a red moon day...”

I muttered in a daze.

“It’s not that you can’t use them. They’re just weakened.”

Blessings weakened that much?

‘No matter how strong the mana... No way!’

Liantin and I, the strongest among the seventh rank, looked at each other.

“Level four...!”

“Yes. Level four!”

It was written in an ancient history book.

Those who developed their blessings to level four are not affected by the red moon.

‘But that’s just a legend...!’

Besides, no matter how artificial, these are restored ancient monsters.

To wipe them out instantly...

The kids slowly began to sink to their knees.

One collateral relative muttered with a pale face.

“The strongest on the continent...”

─and then.

How foolish I was to compare Alexis to my father.

This is the man who was always called ‘The Strongest’ in Ice.Black.Hand.

The true power of Daymond Astra.

Ereka looked out the window with a worried expression.

‘What happened?’

Her breath, which was heavy just a moment ago, was now normal.

As if the weight had been lifted from her body.

“They wouldn’t have been completely wiped out. So why...”

“What did you say?”

“...”

“Ereka, what’s going on? Hmm?”

Gilar Marquis, Ereka’s father, asked with a pale face.

“Are you saying we should run away? Is that it?”

“How’s the situation outside? You reported ten minutes ago.”

“It’s chaos. Reinforcements couldn’t break through the first floor and died being bitten by the Shilui.”

“...The Astra Duke’s direct troops can’t move, right?”

“Of course not. Without the Duke, who would move the direct troops? That would be rebellion in this family.”

If the direct troops haven’t moved, why are things suddenly normal?!

Ereka bit her lip tightly.

‘No. They said ancient monsters were restored. Who would destroy the Shilui pack?’

If all the Divine Hall kids are wiped out like this, Erilot Astra can be framed.

‘They’ll say she was jealous and tried to tame an even stronger monster but failed.’

Then all the undeserved reputation she has will be erased.

Just then, Ereka smirked.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Noisy footsteps came from outside the door.