Chapter 196 – The Nightmare
Chapter 196
The Nightmare
Date : Day 3 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
After parting with Hyoren and the others—Ina and Holley immediately began their sweep of Riverville Town.
The two ran through the deserted streets, checking every road and intersection they passed. Following Hyoren's orders, they started with the southern district first.
Unlike the front line, where hundreds of Living Dead gathered—this part of the town was eerily quiet. Only abandoned houses. Open storefronts. And the occasional trail left behind by fleeing townsfolk.
Even so, the danger hadn't disappeared.
Before long, they encountered their first group of Living Dead.
It seemed several militia had died while being carried toward the rear. They had immediately risen as Living Dead.
"Holley!"
Ina pointed ahead.
"Another one in front!"
There were pairs of undead militia wandering the middle of the street.
Their movements were slow and aimless. But the moment they noticed Ina and Holley, their vacant eyes turned toward them. The two Living Dead charged.
Ina immediately unsheathed her short sword.
"I'll take the left one!"
Without waiting for confirmation, she dashed forward.
She knew Holley would naturally follow her decision. She was his direct superior in Adventurer's Guild. And Holley always listened to orders.
Ina tightened her grip around the short sword in her right hand.
At the same time, her left hand reached toward one of the throwing daggers attached to her belt.
With a swift flick of her wrist, she activated her skill.
"Precision Throw."
SWOOSH!
The throwing dagger streaked through the air.
SQUELCH!
It buried itself deep into the Living Dead's ankle.
The undead stumbled. Its movement was immediately restricted.
Ina closed the remaining distance. She sidestepped the clumsy spear thrust aimed toward her. The rusted spear harmlessly swept past her shoulder.
Then—she thrust her short sword straight toward its chest.
SQUELCH!
The blade pierced its Aethell Core. The Living Dead instantly collapsed.
Without wasting a second, Ina crouched and retrieved her throwing dagger. Only then did she turn to check Holley's side.
The ferryman had already finished his opponent. His curved sword was still pointed toward the ground. The militia Living Dead before him had already returned to being nothing more than a corpse.
Ina smiled faintly.
Holley had once been a Copper Rank adventurer before deciding to leave that dangerous life behind to become a ferryman. His combat ability hadn't disappeared. Especially against the slow and clumsy Living Dead that no longer retained the combat skills they had possessed while alive.
She gave a satisfied nod.
"Good. Let's go again, Holley."
Holley casually swung his curved sword once, shaking away the dark blood clinging to the blade.
Then he followed Ina once more.
The two continued running. They rounded another corner. Another empty street greeted them.
Then, they met another Living Dead.
This one wandered alone.
It appeared to have been an ordinary townswoman. Perhaps she had been shopping when the disaster struck. A woven basket still hung from one of her hands. Its contents had long since scattered across the wooden road.
Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle. Yet, she continued walking.
Ina quietly raised her short sword.
"Let me."
Holley nodded.
"Understood, Mistress Ina."
He tightened his grip around his curved sword. His eyes remained vigilant. Constantly watching the surrounding streets in case another Living Dead appeared.
Ina charged once again.
She repeated the reliable method she had already used several times. A throwing dagger first. To immobilize the target.
SWOOSH.
A precise thrust straight into its chest.
SQUELCH.
Then, the townswoman quietly returned to being an ordinary corpse.
Ina knelt briefly to retrieve her throwing dagger. She cleaned both the dagger and her short sword before returning them to a ready position.
Her amber eyes slowly scanned the surroundings. Her cat ears twitched. The sounds of battle could still be heard from the southern part of town. The false sky above remained pitch black. The Domain of the Undead still enveloped Riverville Town.
The rest of the town remained eerily silent.
"I guess… Most of the townsfolk already evacuated to the northern side then..."
She murmured quietly.
Ina turned and began running once more.
Holley immediately followed close behind as the two continued searching Riverville Town for anyone who still needed saving, or undead which needed to be killed.
***
The three of them continued sweeping through Riverville Town.
Street after street. They searched every corner for survivors. Or newly risen Living Dead before they could harm anyone else.
The eerie silence still dominated the town.
Only the distant sounds of battle from the southern frontline reminded them that the fight was far from over.
Before long, Ina suddenly stopped.
"There!"
A wounded town guard lay in the middle of the street. Blood continued flowing from a deep wound in his abdomen, staining the wooden platform beneath him crimson.
Not far from him—another guard lay motionless. An iron spear had pierced straight through his heart.
Ina immediately understood what had happened.
This guard had already been forced to kill his own comrade. His friend had risen once as a Living Dead—only to be put down again.
As Ina hurried toward him.
Holley remained several steps behind. His sharp eyes constantly swept the surrounding streets. His hand never left the hilt of his curved sword. Ready for another Living Dead to appear at any moment.
The wounded guard didn't even notice them approaching.
His vacant eyes remained fixed on the dark sky overhead. His lips moved weakly.
"So… So this is it… I'll become just like Rick..."
He slowly turned his head toward the corpse lying nearby.
"Rick… I'll follow you soon..."
His trembling hand weakly pressed against the gaping wound in his abdomen. Blood still seeped through his fingers.
"I just hope… I won't kill too many people afterward..."
His gaze slowly drifted back toward the unnatural void sky.
"What kind of sin… did our town commit… to be punished like this..."
The hope inside his eyes gradually faded.
Then—Ina suddenly rushed over.
"Get yourself together! Don't lose hope!"
The guard weakly turned his head.
His unfocused eyes finally noticed the approaching Cat-clan Beastkin.
"Who..."
He gave a bitter laugh.
"But… There's no use… My wound is too big… I'll just become another undead… Haha..."
Even in such despair—he still laughed at the absurd fate awaiting him.
Ina clicked her tongue.
"Tch."
Without wasting another second, she reached into her storage bag.
From inside, she took out a bottle filled with glowing green liquid. Unlike the ordinary healing potions—this one radiated a noticeably stronger Aethell. A high-grade healing potion.
Ina immediately uncorked the bottle. She crouched beside the guard. Then gently pressed the bottle toward him.
"Drink."
The guard blinked.
Almost instinctively, he drank. Moments later, His eyes widened.
The massive wound across his abdomen slowly began closing. Torn flesh knitted together before his very eyes. The bleeding gradually stopped. Only after seeing the potion take effect did Ina finally introduce herself.
"That was a high-grade healing potion. I'm Ina. Vice Guild Master of Akela City Branch. I came here together with Freedom Party. The strongest adventurer party in Akela Territory."
She pointed toward the southern part of town where the sounds of battle continued.
"They're fighting the undead horde at the frontline right now."
She looked directly into the guard's eyes.
"So… Don't lose hope. We will save this town."
The last traces of the wound finally disappeared.
The guard slowly looked down at his own abdomen. Then back at Ina. The hopelessness that had filled his eyes only moments earlier slowly disappeared.
His eyes were fixated on Ina’s face.
"Huh… A goddess came to save me..."
Ina's cat ears immediately perked upright. A faint blush appeared on her cheek.
"Good grief! I'm not a goddess! I said I'm the Vice Guild Master!"
She stood up while brushing the dust from her trousers.
"Now. I'm busy. You won't become an undead like your friend anymore. But go to the medics. You've lost quite a lot of blood."
The guard blinked several times. Only now did the reality of his survival truly sink in.
"Mistress Ina..."
He slowly stood.
His legs were still slightly unsteady. He walked toward the fallen guard. He clasped both hands before his friend's corpse.
"Rick… It seems… I've been given a second chance at life. And I won't waste it. Please… Rest peacefully."
He lowered his head for a brief moment.
Then picked up the iron spear lying beside Rick.
When he turned around—Ina and Holley had already begun preparing to continue their sweep.
"Mistress Ina! Wait! My name is Alvis!"
Ina stopped and looked back. Alvis walked toward her with determined steps.
"Please let me come with you. There should still be Living Dead roaming around the town. Many guards and civilians were wounded during earlier skirmish."
He tightened his grip around the iron spear.
"Let me protect you… And help save this town too."
Although his complexion had already improved considerably thanks to the high-grade potion, His face was still somewhat pale from blood loss. Even so, he gritted his teeth. His eyes were filled with determination.
"I can still fight."
Ina quietly looked him up and down, judging his condition. After a few moments, she nodded.
"Suit yourself. But be mindful of your own condition. We can't let you die and become another Living Dead."
Without another word, she turned around once more and resumed walking. She didn't show much expression. But—the gentle twitching of her cat ears and the slow swishing of her tail—quietly revealed that she was in a good mood.
Alvis immediately straightened his posture.
He gave Ina a respectful salute.
"Yes, Mistress Ina!"
Then he hurried after the two.
The three of them continued sweeping through Riverville Town together.
Searching every street for the wounded. And hunting down every Living Dead that rose from the town's unfortunate casualties before another tragedy could occur.
***
The three of them continued sweeping through Riverville Town.
Along the way, they encountered more Living Dead. Some had once been ordinary shopkeepers. Others were carpenters or workers. Some were simply townfolks who had failed to escape in time.
Occasionally—another town guard.
Every encounter ended the same way.
Ina's reliable combination of a throwing dagger to immobilize the target, followed by a precise thrust into the Aethell Core, quickly returned them to being ordinary corpses. While Holley and Alvis worked together.
Whenever they found wounded guards or civilians who still had a chance of surviving, Ina immediately distributed healing potions from the Adventurer's Guild stockpile.
Everyone understood what was at stake. If the wounded died, they would simply rise again as another Living Dead.
Gradually, their group grew larger.
The guard Alvis wasn't the only one who decided to accompany them anymore. Two more guards, inspired after witnessing Ina saving lives throughout the town, volunteered to join their sweep. Now, their small rescue party numbered five.
Before long, they finished sweeping the southern district of Riverville Town.
Without stopping, the group crossed one of the wooden bridges spanning the central canal. Below them, the dark river flowed silently beneath the unnatural sky.
They stepped into the northern district.
Ina looked toward Alvis, who knew Riverville far better than anyone else among them.
"Where are the evacuation camp and the medical camp, Alvis?"
Running beside the Cat-clan Beastkin Vice Guild Master, Alvis immediately pointed ahead.
"For medical camp… I think they should be around the plaza. Near the mayor's house and the church."
He continued while keeping pace.
"It's on the raised ground in the northern part of town. There isn't any other place wide enough to heal that many people. The church also has healers, so I think the medical camp should be there."
Ina nodded.
"Good. After we finish sweeping the northern district, we'll head there."
Alvis and the other two guards answered almost simultaneously.
"Understood, Mistress Ina!"
Ina continued leading the group through the streets.
A wry smile slowly appeared on her face. Her cat ears twitched.
Why do I suddenly have so many followers like this...?
The thought made her quietly chuckle to herself.
The five of them continued their sweep. Checking every street. Every alley. Every abandoned building they passed.
Eventually—they arrived at the large plaza before the church and the mayor's residence.
Unlike the most part of the town which was built upon wooden platforms—this area stood upon solid raised ground paved with stone—just where the sturdy wooden platforms ended and the raised ground started.
Rows upon rows of wounded people lay upon mattresses spread across the plaza.
Church healers hurried back and forth without rest. Some carefully examined the wounded, deciding who needed immediate treatment first. Those with life-threatening injuries were always prioritized.
Others knelt beside patients while casting healing spells. Some carefully helped the wounded drink healing potions.
The plaza was busy, yet organized.
Watching the scene before her, Ina finally let out a relieved sigh.
"Good… This area is secure… No Living Dead has appeared. And every wounded person is being properly taken care of..."
She immediately reached into her storage bag again.
One after another, she took out bottles filled with green healing potion. She handed several bottles to the two guards who had recently joined her.
"Help me distribute these potions to the wounded and the healers."
The two guards immediately straightened themselves.
"Yes, Mistress Ina!"
Taking the bottles carefully, they quickly hurried toward the church healers.
Some delivered the potions directly. Others began helping distribute them among the wounded. Only after watching them leave did Ina turn toward Alvis and Holley.
"I think this part of town is safe. I don't see anyone with life-threatening injuries anymore."
She glanced toward the healers busily working throughout the plaza.
"With the stockpile of high-grade potions we've distributed… They shouldn't be at risk of becoming Living Dead."
Holley nodded.
"Then what should we do, Mistress Ina?"
Ina tapped her chin thoughtfully. Her cat ears perked upright.
"Hmm… Let's check the rear. Where the refugees are waiting."
She looked toward Alvis once again.
"You know this town well. Is there a place in the northern district where most of the refugees would gather?"
Alvis looked toward the northern end of Riverville Town.
"Yes. I think they should gather near the warehouse district. It's on the northern side. There are many warehouses there. They can shelter inside the empty buildings. And there's also a fairly large area of solid ground before the marsh opens up again."
Ina nodded.
She briefly turned her gaze toward the south. Toward the distant frontline. They were already too far away. The sounds of battle could no longer be heard. Still, she wasn't worried. Freedom Party is there. There's no way the same party that defeated a horde of one thousand five hundred goblins would lose here.
Her confidence in her companions never wavered.
She turned back toward Holley and Alvis.
"Good. Then let's check the situation there. And if the refugees are safe..."
A determined smile appeared on her face.
"I'll return to the frontline and help Freedom Party."
Alvis and Holley nodded firmly. Ina drew her short sword once more.
"Okay, Alvis. Lead the way."
Alvis tightened his grip around his iron spear.
"Follow me, Mistress Ina!"
By the time the other two guards finished distributing the healing potions and hurried back—the five of them immediately set off once again.
***
Ina, Holley, Alvis, and the two guards had finally finished sweeping the town.
Throughout their patrol, they no longer found any Living Dead wandering the streets. Neither did they discover any more wounded people left behind. Every Living Dead has already been taken care of. And the injured had all been transported to the medical camp, where the church healers and volunteers continued treating them.
Ina's cat ears twitched.
She slowly turned her gaze toward the northern side of Riverville Town.
"Okay, Alvis. Only the refugee camp is left. Let's go."
Alvis immediately nodded.
"Understood, Mistress Ina."
Without another word, he took the lead.
The four of them followed behind him.
They passed rows of residential houses and small shops that had been hastily abandoned. Doors remained wide open. Some belongings still lay scattered inside, as if their owners had only intended to leave for a brief moment before the disaster struck.
After several more minutes of running—they finally arrived at the northernmost part of Riverville Town.
This district served as the town's warehouse area.
Multiple wooden warehouses stood neatly in rows. Each warehouse was massive, built to store harvests and supplies throughout the long winter. Wide stone roads separated one warehouse from another, allowing wagons to travel easily between them.
Alvis slowed his pace.
"We're here, Mistress Ina."
Ina nodded appreciatively. Her cat ears twitched.
"Thanks, Alvis."
Her amber eyes quietly surveyed the surroundings.
Beyond the same sturdy wooden wall that protected the southern entrance—a vast stretch of open land extended before the Greyveil Marsh began once again.
Most of the warehouses remained tightly closed. They might contained the town's precious winter supplies. Grain. Dried food. And other necessities.
Only the empty warehouses had been opened.
Those buildings now served as temporary shelters for the refugees. Children. The elderly. And those who had suffered only light injuries rested quietly inside.
Outside the warehouse, others had naturally gathered into small groups.
Several people stirred large cooking pots over makeshift fireplaces. Others simply sat together upon the wide open ground, trying to comfort one another after everything they had experienced. The atmosphere remained gloomy. Yet, at least their life still continued.
Ina slowly walked through the refugee camp. Holley, Alvis, and the two guards quietly followed her.
They carefully checked the condition of the refugees one by one. Making sure no one had been overlooked. Whenever they found someone with minor injuries—Ina immediately offered them healing potions from the Adventurer's Guild supply.
Before long, the group reached the wooden wall overlooking the open ground beyond.
Ina pointed toward the refugees resting outside the wall. Most of them sat around small campfires. Completely defenseless.
"Are those people alright?"
Her amber eyes swept over the refugees. Her cat tail swished slowly in worry.
Among them, she recognized a few familiar faces.
Most were the same refugees who had escaped aboard the ships earlier. The very people Hyoren had rallied before entering Riverville Town. Although fear still lingered on their faces—there was now a small spark of hope among them.
He turned back toward Ina. Alvis smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry, Mistress Ina. This area should be safe. There aren't many monsters that come from this direction."
He gestured toward the northern marsh.
"This place is often used for festivals."
He gave a small shrug.
"This part of the marsh still has monsters. But not many."
He then gestured toward several guards standing watch nearby.
"We've posted guards around the area. So if a non-undead Vyan or another wandering monster appears… They'll be able to deal with it."
Ina nodded in understanding.
"I see… That's good then."
She gave the refugee camp one final glance. The children. The elderly. The volunteers. The guards keeping watch. Everything appeared to be under control.
Satisfied, Ina turned around.
"Let's go, Alvis. Holley. I think we've confirmed that the northern district is safe."
She smiled determinedly.
"I want to return to the frontline and help my companions."
Holley, Alvis, and the two guards all nodded firmly.
"Understood, Mistress Ina."
The five of them immediately left the refugee camp. Passing through the wooden wall once more.
Walking past the refugees who quietly watched them leave.
Then crossing the warehouse district. Making their way back toward the battle still raging in the southern part of Riverville Town.
***
But just as Ina had taken a few steps away from the warehouse district, preparing to leave—her cat ears suddenly perked upright. The fur on her tail stood on end. An overwhelming sense of dread washed over her.
A terrible premonition gripped her heart. For a split second, her entire body froze.
Decades of experience as a scout for the Adventurer's Guild immediately screamed at her.
Although she had stopped taking field missions after becoming the Vice Guild Master three years ago. The instincts she had honed over decades had never disappeared. They had simply been sleeping. Now—they roared back to life.
Ina abruptly stopped. Her amber eyes snapped back toward the refugee camp.
She didn't know why. She couldn't explain it. She simply felt that something terrible was about to happen.
Alvis, Holley, and the two guards immediately stopped as well.
All four looked at Ina with puzzled expressions.
"Mistress Ina?"
"What is…"
Before anyone could finish speaking, it happened.
The two large warehouses standing side by side near the center of the warehouse district—both suddenly exploded.
BOOOOOOM!!
A deafening roar tore through the entire northern district.
The ground trembled violently beneath their feet. Nearby buildings shook from the tremendous blast.
An enormous pillar of fire erupted into the sky. The explosion instantly engulfed the refugees standing closest to the exploded warehouses.
There wasn't even time for them to scream. Their bodies were swallowed by the flames. Incinerated in an instant.
The blast wave hurled everything outward. Burning timber. Broken roof beams. Splintered walls. Wooden crates. Barrels. Anything that had been stored inside the warehouses. Everything became deadly projectiles.
Flaming debris rained in every direction.
Some crashed into neighboring warehouses. Almost immediately, those buildings also caught fire.
Others flew straight toward the tightly packed refugees. Heavy beams crushed those unfortunate enough to stand beneath them. Burning fragments landed among panicked crowds. Clothes caught fire. People stumbled. Some were crushed to the ground before the spreading flames consumed them.
Then—the screams began.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!"
"HELP!!"
"FIRE!!"
The peaceful refugee camp instantly descended into chaos.
People ran in every direction. Parents desperately searched for their children. Children cried as they were separated from their families. The elderly stumbled while trying to flee. The wounded, who had only just escaped death earlier, now found themselves trapped once again.
The fire spread mercilessly.
Burning debris and collapsing timbers crushed and incinerated indiscriminately. Young men. Women. Children. The elderly. The sick. Even those who had remained healthy only moments before. None were spared by the explosion.
Ina stood rooted to the spot.
Her amber eyes reflected the towering flames. Her expression tightened.
She silently watched the devastation unfolding before her.
Behind her, Alvis and the two guards could only stare in horror. Their faces turned pale. Holley instinctively tightened his grip around the hilt of his curved sword. For several heartbeats, no one could find the words to speak.
***
Finally, Alvis forced his trembling lips to move.
His eyes remained fixed upon the burning refugee camp.
They were filled with disbelief and overwhelming dread.
"What… What the hell just happened...?”
The other two guards finally found their voices.
"How…? Those warehouses were only supposed to contain grain and other dried food!"
The other guard quickly nodded.
"We never stored anything flammable in them!"
Hearing those words, Ina grimaced. Her grip around the handle of her short sword tightened.
That only strengthened her suspicion.
This was definitely sabotage… But… Who? And why...?
Her amber eyes suddenly widened.
From within the burning warehouses—several figures slowly emerged.
They walked through the raging inferno. Stepping over collapsing beams and burning debris as though they felt no heat at all.
As the first figure became visible. The answer revealed itself. Those figures were skeleton-type Living Dead. Goblin skeletons. Wolf-like skeletons. Human skeletons. Other kinds of skeleton which were not easily recognizable. Their empty eye sockets stared blankly ahead.
One after another, they calmly walked out of the flame. Then, they turned toward the living refugees. The people still desperately trying to flee.
The sight immediately confirmed Ina's suspicions. She gritted her teeth so hard that they audibly clacked together. Her cat ears stood completely upright. Even her tail stiffened in anger.
"Voided Covenant!"
Her voice trembled with fury.
"Cursed heretics… How could they commit such atrocities?! They're not humans… They're demons in disguise!"
Holley, Alvis, and the remaining guard immediately turned toward Ina.
She continued, her voice filled with certainty.
"This was definitely their contingency plan. If the undead horde at the frontline was successfully defended… They prepared another attack at the rear."
She glared at the burning warehouses.
"Damn it!"
Her mind rapidly pieced everything together.
The members of the Voided Covenant had likely infiltrated Riverville Town long before the ritual began.
Disguised as ordinary townsfolk, or travelers, or merchants. The disguise didn't matter.
They had secretly planted explosive magic tools, or perhaps some kind of delayed runic arrays inside the warehouses.
At the same time, they had filled those buildings with the bones of countless living creatures. Human bones. Monster bones. Anything capable of becoming Living Dead.
Then—the moment the Domain of Undead ritual activated. Those bones awaken to become an army of skeleton.
Ina wasn't certain how the explosions themselves had been triggered. But countless magical tools and runic arrays existed that could accomplish such a thing. She didn't need to know the exact method. Only the result.
And the result stood before her in flames.
There was no time to hesitate. Every second they wasted would claim more lives.
Then, the very thing Ina feared most happened.
She watched as several refugees who had just been burned alive—slowly stood back up.
Their skin had been scorched black. Large portions of flesh had burned away entirely. In several places—only charred bones remained exposed.
Nearby, those crushed beneath collapsing debris also began moving.
They pushed away the heavy timbers pinning them down. Some had arms bent at impossible angles. Others had necks twisted unnaturally. Several still had wooden splinters driven through their skulls.
Yet, they continued moving.
One refugee's head had clearly been crushed by falling debris. Even so, its body slowly staggered forward.
Another had lost both legs completely. It dragged itself across the ground using only its arms.
Everywhere Ina looked, the newly dead were rising again.
Alvis and the remaining guard gulped. The horrifying sight left both of them speechless.
Ina tightened her grip around her short sword. They had to act. Now.
If they hesitated—a Living Dead outbreak would spread throughout the refugee camp. And once that happened, it would become impossible to contain.
Even now, the explosion victims, alongside the skeleton Living Dead emerging from the warehouses, had already begun charging toward the defenseless refugees.
Ina clicked her tongue.
"Tch..."
Then she immediately barked out her orders. She pointed toward one of the guards.
"You! Quickly inform the medical camp! Tell them to evacuate into sturdy buildings! The church! Or the mayor's residence! Or whatever sturdy building they could have! Then barricade everything!"
The guard froze for a heartbeat. Still overwhelmed by the horrifying scene before him. But Ina's sharp voice snapped him back to reality.
He immediately saluted.
"Yes, Mistress Ina!"
Without another word, he turned and sprinted toward the medical camp.
Ina immediately faced the others. Their expressions had completely changed. No hesitation remained.
Alvis and the remaining guard tightened their grips around their iron spears. Holley firmly grasped his curved sword.
Ina's voice became calm once more. Yet every word carried undeniable authority.
"And our job… is preventing any more casualties."
She looked directly at Alvis and the remaining guard.
"You two! Help the refugees evacuate toward the middle of town! That area should be safe by now! Tell everyone to get inside sturdy buildings they could find and barricade themselves!"
Her voice hardened even further.
"Prioritize minimizing casualties."
She paused. Her lips tightened. The next words were difficult to say.
"If… They can't be saved..."
She bit her lower lip. The order felt cruel. But as Vice Guild Master—she couldn't allow emotions to cloud her judgment.
"Then leave them. Only save the people who still can be saved. And be quick."
She looked each of them straight in the eyes.
"But be aware of yourselves. If you can't save them… Ignore them. Don't create more Living Dead by sacrificing yourselves."
Alvis and the remaining guard immediately saluted.
"Yes! Mistress Ina! Understood!"
The two guards immediately rushed toward the panicked refugees.
One began shouting instructions. The other helped calm those who had frozen in terror. Together, they directed everyone toward the middle district of Riverville Town.
Toward the sturdy buildings that could serve as temporary shelters.
***
Ina finally turned to Holley. Her amber eyes met the ferryman's steady gaze.
"Holley. Our role..."
She tightened her grip around her short sword.
"...is to defeat as many Living Dead as possible."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"But remember… Our safety is the priority."
Her voice became firm.
"If we truly can't contain this outbreak..."
She looked toward the distant southern district, where Freedom Party was still fighting.
"...then we regroup with Hyoren. And together, we'll defeat the culprit as quickly as possible."
She took a slow breath.
"We have to stop the Domain of the Undead."
Holley nodded without hesitation.
The broad-shouldered ferryman understood exactly what Ina meant. His duty wasn't only to fight. It was also to protect the Cat-clan Beastkin Vice Guild Master standing before him.
"Understood, Mistress Ina."
Ina gave a small nod.
She immediately rummaged through her storage bag. After searching for a moment, she produced two bottles filled with glowing yellow liquid—stamina Potions. Each bottle contained refined Dreambloom's Nectar, a precious concoction capable of temporarily enhancing one's stamina and physical capabilities.
She uncorked one bottle before handing the other to Holley.
"Drink this. We need every bit of help we can get."
Holley accepted the potion without question.
The two quickly drank the glowing liquid. A warm sensation immediately spread throughout their bodies. The fatigue accumulated from their earlier battles gradually eased. Their muscles felt lighter and stronger. Their breathing steadied once more.
Ina looked ahead.
Toward the growing horde of Living Dead wreaking havoc throughout the refugee camp. Burned corpses. Crushed corpses. Charred skeletons. And countless skeleton-type Living Dead emerging from the destroyed warehouses.
She bit her lower lip. The next order was the hardest one to give.
"And don't stray far from me."
She looked directly at Holley.
"The moment I judge this situation hopeless… As I said before… We run toward Freedom Party."
It was a painful decision.
But it was the correct one. If this outbreak truly couldn't be contained, then defeating the source became their highest priority.
Once the Domain of the Undead disappeared, no new Living Dead would be created. The endless cycle of death followed by reanimation would finally stop.
It was a cruel choice. But, not everything could always be saved.
Holley remained silent for a heartbeat. Then he nodded firmly.
"I'll be right behind you, Mistress Ina."
Ina smiled faintly.
Then she turned back toward the burning refugee camp. She raised her short sword.
"Let's go!"
Without another word, she and Holley charged toward the growing horde of Living Dead.
To contain the outbreak. To prevent this tragedy from escalating further.
To stop the nightmare consuming Riverville Town from growing even worse.