[ A Quest has been issued for all awakened ones registered at Base #3 ].
[ Break the siege and save the base ].
[ Reward: 250 stats points / 25 fragments / Enough EXP for one level up ].
[ Note: As long as you are in this mission, you cannot leave the Ruined Realm ].
The sound of sirens was still echoing throughout the base.
Woooooooom!
Woooooooom!
The red emergency lights on the walls were on, and every few seconds their red light would fall on people’s faces.
The entire atmosphere of the base had changed within a few minutes, a few hours ago people were talking about the loot from yesterday’s operation.
About the money, about their share of the several tens of millions of dollars reward, about the new routes that had opened up after the Ironfang Ravagers were destroyed.
But now no one was talking about those things, fear had taken the place of everything else.
The massive gates of the base were closed one after another, the defensive walls were activated, and the mana cannons on the towers started charging.
Guard groups were rushing toward defensive positions.
The emergency announcement was broadcast over the base’s speakers again and again.
"All missions are canceled."
"All awakened ones must be ready for defense."
"This is a red-level emergency situation."
Many hunters were still wounded from yesterday’s operation, some had bandages on their arms, some had deep wounds visible on their bodies.
But no one had found time to rest, because this time what was coming toward the base was not just a monster nest.
But a complete army from two monster races.
They had struggled and barely succeeded in defeating one race yesterday, and now two races just as powerful, with several Fallen ones each, had launched an assault on their base and surrounded them.
And among them was a level 35 Fallen one! This was the main reason for everyone’s fear.
Why? What could be the reason? Were they angry about the destruction of their neighbors?
Even now, the system had issued a quest for them, the reward was really great, but the fact that they could not leave the Ruined Realm was like a nightmare.
This meant they either had to die or they had to save this place.
Lian was standing with the crowd on one of the high platforms.
Large holographic screens were displaying new information, red dots covered the entire area around the base.
Thunder Spine Serpents.
Ironhorn Marsh Drakes.
Thousands of monsters, thousands!
And the scary thing was that none of them were attacking, they were just standing there.
Waiting and silent, as if they were watching something or waiting for a command.
A few minutes later, the emergency meeting of the commanders began.
The female commander and the high-ranking hunters present at the base all gathered in one of the central buildings.
Lian was not allowed to attend the meeting, but part of the information was released through public screens.
The more information appeared, the more concerning the situation looked.
The monsters had not come here randomly, they had cut off the supply routes.
They had covered all the exit routes, caravans outside the base were trapped, and no reinforcements could enter, no one could leave.
This was not just an attack, it was a complete siege.
But they were lucky that they did not depend on outside support, all the portals were inside the base, and that was the first thing they did.
They contacted the government and the federation as fast as possible to send help and explained the situation, but unfortunately, help could not arrive that soon.
Many very high-level awakened ones had been involved in conflicts in the Heavenly Realm in recent days, and most of them were not available right now.
Everyone’s hope faded again... was there really nothing they could do?
At that same moment, something sparked in Lian’s mind, he looked at the image of the Abyssal River Drake, the same monster he had seen in the depths of the river.
The same creature that was patrolling around the egg, and then he thought about his storage space.
About the egg, about the Devourer, about that unknown object that even the book of treasure had not been able to analyze.
For the first time, this thought entered his mind, could they have come for the egg? At first glance, this assumption seemed foolish.
But the more he thought, the more he felt everything fit together.
Three different races, three races that should not live together in principle.
Unusual population growth, guarding the river, the presence of a level 35 guardian, and just a few hours after the egg disappeared, a complete siege of the base.
Lian quietly whispered under his breath.
"Damn it... they really came for the egg." Only a fool could not understand that they had come here for this.
And all the evidence was practically screaming that this entire army had come here because of what was now inside his storage space.
Half an hour later, he found Seraphina again.
The student council had also been summoned as backup forces, everyone who could help at this point had been called in.
Level did not matter anymore, whoever could help had to help, they had to save the base.
The council members were preparing their equipment.
"The situation is not good." When Seraphina saw him, she came straight toward him.
"I saw." Lian nodded.
Seraphina looked toward the defensive walls.
"If this siege continues, tomorrow’s trip will be canceled."
Lian did not say anything, but his mind was elsewhere, Kain and his critical status, if he was really wounded... if he was really trapped somewhere... he might only have a few hours left.
"The reward for this quest is very good, if we succeed, it will be a big boost." Seraphina then changed the subject.
"Yeah, 250 stats points is not something you can get every day, along with enough EXP for a level up."
"Exactly! If we succeed in this mission, it could be even more valuable than that ancient ruin." That girl nodded.
The only thing giving everyone hope right now was exactly this system quest reward, otherwise, which sane person would dare to fight ten Fallen ones and two races of monsters?
After separating from Seraphina, Lian went straight to the information center.
He started examining the siege maps, possible routes, monster deployment points, patrol groups, and anything that could help him.
If he wanted to find Kain, he had to leave the base.
But how? After a few hours of examination, he finally noticed something.
The siege was not complete, it was almost complete but not entirely, on the river side, the density of forces was lower.
Much lower, the reason was clear, the monsters considered that area safe, and no one was willing to enter that area again.
But for Lian... that point could be his escape route, if he could reach the river, after that he could move freely.
Also, leaving this place was not hard for him, but immediately another problem appeared, he looked at his skill status.
[ Abyss Veil ]
[ Cooldown Remaining: 5 Hours 42 Minutes ]
Lian frowned, without Abyss Veil, crossing the siege was almost impossible.
And even if he succeeded... the main problem still remained, he had no idea where Kain was, there were no coordinates.
There was no clue, no witness, and only a Semi active status in the academy database.
Night fell.
The sirens could still be heard sometimes, the defensive towers were lit, the guards had doubled, and the base had turned into a war fortress.
Lian finally returned to his room, closed the door, and stood in silence for a few moments.
Then he took the egg out of the storage space, the red light was flowing calmly on the egg’s surface.
But something had changed, he immediately noticed it.
The pulses, they had become stronger, the egg was now pulsing faster than before, each pulse was like the heartbeat of a living creature.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Suddenly a window appeared in front of him.
[ Warning ]
[ Devourer Senses Nearby Hostility ]
[ Devourer Is Hungry ]
Lian just stared at the notification for a few moments, then calmly looked at the egg, he felt that something inside it had awakened.
That previous stillness was no longer there, as if the creature inside the egg had started to feel its surroundings.
As if it was waiting for something or... hungry.
At that same moment... kilometers away from the base...
The Abyssal River Drake suddenly moved, its massive head slowly rose, and its bright red eyes fixed on the base.
It remained completely still for a few seconds, then its mouth opened and it roared, a roar that shook the ground.
A roar that was heard even from several kilometers away.
The base walls trembled, glass vibrated, and terrified people looked at the sky.
And at that same moment... thousands of monsters responded at the same time.
The serpents, the crocodiles, and all the surrounding creatures.
All of them roared together, a sound that rushed toward the base like a storm from every direction.
Even the base commanders understood that not much time remained.
The storm was coming.
————-
( Abyssal River Drake’s Visualization )
( Ironhorn Marsh Drakes’s Visualization )
( Thunder Spine Serpents’s Visualization )