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Willem stopped running and stared blankly at the empty tunnel behind him.
"How could this happen...?"
"No, I have to go back!"
"Grick, take Chtholly out of here. I'm going back for Kaito!"
Hearing Willem's words, Grick shook his head.
"It's useless. That collapse was enormous. Even if you go back now, there's no way he could have survived... My condolences."
"No! I have to go back and save him!!!"
"Calm down, Willem!!!"
Thump!
Grick's shout finally brought Willem back to his senses.
His knees gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he muttered softly.
"Am I still useless...?"
Although Willem hadn't known Kaito for very long, and despite the fact that the guy constantly teased him, Kaito was the only other human in this world.
Little by little, Kaito's optimism had changed him.
For the first time, Willem had begun accepting this world.
After all, he wasn't alone anymore.
Yet now, he couldn't even protect that one precious companion.
A trace of sorrow flashed across Grick's face as he looked at him.
Still, he continued trying to persuade him.
"Let's go back first. You still have Chtholly to save, don't you?"
At the mention of Chtholly's name, Willem lowered his gaze to the unconscious girl on his back.
Determination gradually returned to his eyes.
Grick was right.
He still had to save Chtholly.
If he kept wallowing in despair, what would become of her?
"Let's go."
Willem slowly rose to his feet and cast one final look toward the empty tunnel behind him.
His expression was filled with sorrow.
As for Kaito?
Was he really crushed to death?
Of course not!!!
"Wow!!! Kai-chan, are you bringing another child home?"
Rimuru lay sprawled across the enormous block of ice, staring wide-eyed at the red-haired little girl sealed inside.
"What are you talking about? What kind of accusation is that? I just can't stand seeing well-behaved children meet tragic ends!"
Sitting in Commander Sengoku's seat while drinking juice, Kaito protested indignantly.
"But Master, you really do have a habit of bringing children home."
Standing nearby, Izayoi Sakuya covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Eh? Sakuya, you've picked up bad habits!"
Seeing even Sakuya joining in, Kaito suddenly felt his future looked rather bleak.
'System check-in!'
Host, do you still remember that you have a System?]
'Uh... Well, I've just been busy.'
[Tsk...]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You've obtained one box of Brain Idiot (White).]
Brain Idiot (White): Take one pill to instantly relieve memory deterioration. Especially effective for amnesia patients.
Kaito stared speechlessly at the item description.
The System was clearly mocking him.
[Open System Panel.]
Kaito
Gender: Male
Age: 24 (Immortal)
Realm: Peak Golden Immortal (Peak Eleventh Stage)
Cultivation Method: Basic Cultivation Method
Special Abilities: Eye of Identification, Advanced Dimensional Gate, Space Compression Technique
Followers: Izayoi Sakuya, Tom, Jerry
Magic Treasures: Tenkuu, Conqueror's Banner (3.57 million souls)
Items: Dragon Ball Space Capsule Technology, Origin Interpreter, Human Federation Shipbuilding Technology, Loudspeaker, one box of Brain Idiot, one box of small umbrellas, Coke (drink it and die)...
Overall Evaluation: You are already a being capable of stirring up a bloody storm throughout the myriad worlds with a single step. Why not try stepping on someone? (￣︶￣)♦
'Hmph! I'm a magnanimous person. I won't stoop to your level!'
'Heh... ptooey!'
[...]
"Commander Sengoku, what's with that expression? Why do you look so wronged?"
Kaito finally noticed Sengoku sitting nearby with a pitiful look on his face.
"Every single time. I'm clearly Commander Sengoku, so why is my seat always occupied by someone else?"
"Ah? That's all? Commander Sengoku, I have to criticize you for that. You see, we should..."
The moment Kaito entered his favorite mode, "let me say a few words," everyone in the command center except the essential staff immediately fled.
As for Sengoku, the primary victim, he no longer looked wronged.
He looked completely resigned to his fate.
"Nice work."
Back on the surface, Nopht spoke softly to Rhantolk, who had just slain another Beast.
Then she rolled her shoulders and sighed.
"Ah, I'm exhausted."
Hearing that, Rhantolk asked seriously:
"Should we switch out with Nephren now?"
"Forget it. She's busy at the moment."
"Besides, most of the nearby Sixth Beasts have already been dealt with."
The moment she finished speaking, a huge disturbance erupted in the distance.
Rhantolk's expression immediately turned serious as she looked toward the endless wave of Beasts approaching.
"It seems our break is over."
"Okay, okay! I'm in great shape today. Another ten or twenty won't be a problem!"
Looking at the countless Beasts in the distance, Rhantolk calmly asked:
"What about one or two hundred more?"
"Then I'd have to surrender."
A faint smile appeared on Rhantolk's face.
"Is that so? What a pity."
"It seems we have no choice but to prepare for death."
"You're right. There's really nothing we can do."
After speaking, Nopht spread her wings and rushed forward.
Rhantolk immediately followed after her.
"Fire!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside the ship, three soldiers armed with rifles desperately fired at the Beasts that had broken aboard.
Unfortunately, the bullets were completely ineffective.
Instead, one of the soldiers was suddenly pierced through the chest by a tentacle that shot out from a Beast.
"Urgh..."
"Captain!!!"
Just as the remaining soldiers fell into despair, Nephren suddenly rushed out from behind them.
With a single slash, she severed the Beast in half.
"Retreat. Only we can kill the Beasts."
Facing the constantly regenerating monster, Nephren spoke without turning around.
"But... but..."
One soldier tried to protest while supporting his wounded captain.
Before he could finish, Nephren interrupted him.
"This is our battlefield."
"Whether it's killing the enemy or dying ourselves, that's simply our duty."
With those words, she raised her weapon and charged once more.
However, as more and more Beasts flooded into the ship, Nephren and the others gradually began to lose ground.
Their injuries became increasingly severe.
At the same time, Willem joined the battle as well, venting the grief and frustration building inside him.
Not long afterward, just as before, he rescued the exhausted Rhantolk.
"Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Nopht frantically hacked apart the Beasts swarming around her.
As the monsters surrounding the propulsion system were eliminated, the spaceship finally regained vertical thrust.
The vessel immediately spun upward, attempting to escape the danger zone.
The sudden maneuver caused the entire ship to tilt violently, forcing everyone aboard to cling tightly to whatever they could grab.
"Little girl, hang on! I'll save you right away!"
A frog-like soldier in a crew uniform struggled forward, trying to reach Nephren before she fell.
"No. Don't come closer."
"The gate is about to open."
Nephren's eyes were bloodshot as she expressionlessly stopped the crewman from approaching.