NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 20.1
Chapter 20: It’s My Heart (1)
The attack, which began outside the garrison, was growing increasingly fierce.
– ROAR!!
The attackers were a mix of beasts and robed individuals resembling those seen at Palace.
These individuals, who had previously harvested life energy using the beasts, found themselves unable to do so after my intervention. Left with no other choice, they resorted to a direct assault on the garrison.
“Fight as the Sage taught us!”
“Keep attacking! Don’t stop!”
In the past, the kingdom’s soldiers might have been overwhelmed, but thanks to their steady training, they were holding their own against the beasts.
The real problem wasn’t the beasts but the robed individuals—the White Moon cultists.
– Ooooooo…!!
Apparently irritated by the soldiers’ success against the beasts, the White Moon cultists raised their staffs.
“Goodness…”
Fixed in the night sky was a crimson moon—the blood-red moon, a harbinger of this world’s hardcore mode.
But its color began to change.
To white.
A pure, unblemished white impossible in this world.
– ROAR!!
The altered moonlight illuminated the dark sky, enhancing the beasts stationed on the battlefield.
Under the power of the Pale Moon, the beasts, whose strength was amplified by this characteristic, began to grow larger. Their sharp teeth and claws, already formidable weapons, became even more dangerous.
Witnessing this, General Leoden urgently shouted, “Sage! This, this is—!”
“Don’t worry.”
I had prepared for this.
Rolling up my sleeves, I revealed a bracelet embedded with a crimson gem I had acquired in a previous dungeon. It began to emit a faint red glow, resisting the pale moonlight.
– CRACK!!
“Why, why do you have that?!”
With the sharp sound of shattering glass, the pale moonlight broke.
The white moon in the sky vanished, and the crimson moon reappeared. The White Moon cultists panicked, shouting, and I smirked at them.
“Did you forget I’m the Sage?”
“As expected, you know everything! Attack them!”
With the beasts restored to their original state, the kingdom’s soldiers launched their counterattack. As the chaos intensified, three powerful figures emerged from the garrison.
“Haaaah!”
The Hero Claire, the Knight Leventia, and the Elf Archer Evangeline.
When they joined the fray and led the charge against the White beasts, the morale, already bolstered by the moonlight’s reversal, soared even higher. The soldiers fought with renewed vigor.
Satisfied by their performance, I grinned. “Good! Time for me to play some music—!”
Could you please not?!
lizardman Lark, who had grabbed his lute, by the collar, I turned my gaze to the White Moon cultists. They raised their staffs again, likely attempting to recreate the pale moonlight.
Too late.
– CRACK!!
“Ugh!”
One cultist’s head shattered under the weight of a large, solid mace.
The one responsible for the gruesome scene was none other than Veronica.
Clutching her bloodstained mace, she coldly commanded, “Sweep away these heretics who defy the light!”
“The Witch of Light is here?!”
They only realized it now? Veronica had infiltrated their rear lines while they had been busy making a ruckus up front.
“Yaaah!”
Taking advantage of the surprise, the White Moon cultists faltered. Though they tried to regroup, being event-tier enemies meant they were still strong.
But then—
“Yahoo!”
“How much is the bounty for these guys?!”
“No idea! Just get them!”
A group of adventurers, their eyes gleaming with greed, surged forward and attacked the cultists. With three or four adventurers per cultist, the cultists were overwhelmed.
When one of the White Moon cultists finally fell with a scream, I raised my staff and shouted, “Capture anyone we can! We need information!”
Thanks to our preparation, the surprise attack was contained with minimal damage.
General Leoden was jubilant, the knights were satisfied, and the soldiers heaved sighs of relief.
Though there were casualties, they were minor given the scale of the attack. With inquisitors and paladins aiding in recovery, there were no fatalities, and injured soldiers were promised intensive treatment in the rear lines.
“Hehe.”
“Hehe?”
Clicking my tongue, I glared at the grinning adventurers.
These jerks.
I told them to capture anyone possible, but they killed everyone instead.
“The resistance was too strong,” muttered a beastman warrior, scratching his head. A dwarf mage fiddled with his staff, grumbling, “The guy wouldn’t give up his good staff.”
“Is that really something to say?”
Of all the cultists they faced, how was there not a single one captured alive? Speechless, I glared at the adventurers, who sheepishly avoided my gaze.
Adventurers. Not a single decent one among them.
“Well, at least I caught someone! Right, Sage? Since I helped, we’re teaming up next time, right? Dungeon runs with you are so easy. What dungeon should we do next?”
The werewolf shaman Wilkes puffed out his chest and jabbered excitedly.
But hey.
All you did was tie up the cultist I knocked out. Riding on my work and calling it yours is a bit much, don’t you think?
“Ehehe.”
Realizing his shamelessness, Wilkes averted his gaze, embarrassed.
Unbelievable. The audacity.