Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 486 ALL IS LOST

CHAPTER 486 ALL IS LOST

I hadn’t slept in days. My island was no longer a bustling construction zone, but was being converted into a war zone. Trenches had been dug on the North side of the island, giving us plenty of cover across the surface. Traps set along the South, West, and East side, I was sure the coming waves of monsters would trip them. Despite what the Monarchs said, they didn’t overly care about their species. Far too many to care for, it wasn’t the end of their world to lose some. 

I had also emptied my coffers. My potions and secreted away items split among thousands of Hunters, I was poor again. But in the end it didn’t matter. I was betting it all on this one fight. I would either make or break the role in the world. For once, failure was a real possibility. Too many variables, too few fighters, oh right, and they had a Returner on their side. Someone that knew what we could throw at them. Which was why I had been working so hard with the best minds in the world. 

“No! The formation has to be perfect!” Morgan Lambert yelled. He was a British man specialized in the art of war. His degrees related to dungeon portals, party formations, and most everything needed to optimize team construction. The only scholar of his kind, he had proven himself more useful than anyone thus far. 

“You people are too used to the regular tank, healer, and damage dealer set ups. This is a war. A battlefield of proportions only seen hundreds of years ago. This is the Alamo people!” He yelled, trying to make them see. I hadn’t really thought about it, but he was right. Though we wanted them to take up the South side of the island, they would probably attack from the sea and air, breaking our lines. We would be surrounded in all meanings of the word. Wave after wave of monsters coming at us as the Monarchs controlled their forces from the shadows. 

“We need rings. Tanks on the front lines. Damage dealers around them, and healers at the back. Always at the back. You do not step from this line here. They come to us, we do not go to them. Never step far from the unit. Our last stand is here, and we need to show them everything we have.” 

I nodded, relaying his messages. As I did, another helicopter landed near us. It was from the Hellfire guild. As the front one landed, more dropped down from the clouds to drop troops. Their guildmaster jumped off first. 

“Decided to show up?!” I yelled over the sound of the chopper blades. 

“We thought it was best to at least check it out,” he said, cocky as all the S-Rank Hunters were. “Where can we help?”

“Kim! Get these people assigned in the unit. Put them in Thomas’ army,” I said. The Korean man nodded and began relaying messages in the radio. 

Rather than keep all of our eggs in one basket, we had split everyone into six separate armies. Well five, and one secret Shadow army. Each army had their one Player mixed in. Since they were the only Hunters that could level up it was best to give them all the experience they could. Special units designed for trapping monsters were made so the weaker Players could gain easy and quick levels. Though they were currently with Easton jumping between worlds as he worked on his hidden assignment, they would be needed in the battle to end all battles. A war I expected to last days or weeks, or however long it needed to take. 

Each of the five armies had their own base, and were encircled by trenches. Mana bombs hidden all around us, I knew the Monarchs would be watching, but everything had to be done to help the people. As I stared off, worried about Easton and his goals, more helicopters began to descend, showing that quite a few believed my story. 

—

It was almost time. Everything had been done that could be, which wasn’t true. I had a dozen advisors fighting constantly over priorities. The whole island felt like a melting pot of anxiety, worry, and doubt. 

Though many guilds had flocked to Jeju Island. Not everyone believed. No portals had appeared, and Monarchs hadn’t made a peep in nearly 14 days. Tensions were high as guilds pushed for better spots, or more agreed upon loot. But I was steadfast. You got to keep what you killed, that was the only way to make it fair. 

“Here’s hoping they live to see it,” I mumbled. 

“What?” Hae-In asked. She stood beside me in the best gear I could provide her. It was a set I had been working on for Hancock, so it showed more skin than Hae would have liked. Either way, she looked gorgeous in it. Two short swords strapped to her side she was beyond worried. 

“Nothing,” I mumbled. I was in my Demon King’s Armor, which was hidden from site by my Clearguard skill. If people saw the armor, they would think I was the bad guy. Lots of horns on it, the armor looked like it belonged on a demon.. The massive ornate sword Demon King’s Sword strapped to my back, it would be needed soon enough. Only an hour from the agreed upon time I studied my status screen as I waited. 

Not much had changed, except my Gold and Won deposits, but what was money in the face of death? Also, what were rewards? I had bitten the bullet and dismissed my Handicap in this world. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore, and had to get used to my increased energy stores. Chakra, Nen, and Haki were like a raging inferno in me now. Well over double my strength normally. 

There was only so much I could do though. I had no use for Weakness Eliminators. Wearing the Achilles Greaves with my Demon King’s Armor, I had no weaknesses. The odd item I had received randomly was needed right then, shoring up all my defenses. I had bitten the bullet and used my Item Augmentor+ on my mana bomb, Annihilation. Now the item could be used four times a day instead of one, hopefully ensuring at least some groups of our foes killed. 

“I love you,” Hae-In said as the sun creeped over the horizon. 

“I love you too,” I admitted. I had known she loved me for a while. Every day spent together, we had accompanied one another everywhere. My Love Bask always activated around her, ensuring I was always healed rather quickly. 

Her Haki leaked worry, but I tightened my grip on her hand. Unsure if she would make it through this, I never realized how unused to war I was. The closest I had ever gotten was the ending of Naruto World. Back when all the shinobis attacked the remaining members of Akatsuki. I didn’t really see that as a war, so here I was, general, main combatant, and inciter of a war, all rolled into one.  

As the sun began to creep over the horizon, people got worried. Many hoping I was wrong. But, as the minutes ticked away, the Earth below our feet shook. Rhythmic booms that only got stronger. My eyes scanning everything, I noticed it as others did. The sea at our back was disturbed. Great waves began to breach the surface as monstrous heads poked out of the water.

“It’s here,” I said, then was in war mode. “Giants!” I yelled, my voice like it’s own attack as it reached everyone in the area. Rather than waiting, I jumped on a puddle of water. My chakra manipulating it to carry me, I flew over the people and our defenses. The first torso of a giant was revealed as I drew my Demon King sword.

It was at least 100 feet tall. Huge head, it’s nose and ears were disproportionate to it’s face. It wore thick rock armor, unbothered by the weight as it roared at me. The waves around it rippled from the force of the yell. I yelled back, unafraid as my sword swung at it’s face. It moved to block, but black smoke billowed out of the blade, extending it. 

As it did, I felt strength enter me from the air as the Kaiju Breaker skill kicked in. Multiplying the blows eight times as the blade sliced through it’s face like some master swordsman in an anime. The beast stepped once and the top of it’s head fell off. I received a notification. 

“Nice,” I said as more giants peeked their heads up from the water. 

I floated toward them, but the one I had killed turned black. Making me pause, it was covered in shadow as it sunk into the water. Then the blue and black shadow of the beast stood up. I turned to face Jinwoo, hidden away. Nodding at him the giant below me roared at it’s once brethren. 

Before his Shadow giant could attack, a monstrous blue fire cat shot flames over the water. Tabi had been lent to me again. Helping me out as the chakra beast grew to the size of a house. As she did, I heard screeches from the sky. 

Turning upward I saw valkyrie’s falling from the clouds. The screeching harpies were deadly. Winged creatures about double the size of a normal person, they fell upon the armies, silencing spellcasters with their cries.

To the South, mana bombs began to explode as more monsters stormed the island. “Here we fucking go,” I mumbled as the fight began for real. 

—

“I-I-I can’t do this!” The kid cried. He was only 18, his Haki told me he was probably a D-Rank. We were in one of the many trenches, the body of a rock monster laying over us. 

“Yes you can!” I yelled. “This is nothing, man. I was your same strength once. Keep pushing. Retreat, find healers, come back. Don’t sacrifice your life for this.” I began dragging him along the trench. He was starting to feel some hope as light appeared ahead. The rock monster had been a bitch to take down, but it was dead, leaving another hundred on the surface of the island. 

Bombs exploded overhead, the sound muffled by the monster. Screeches, cries, for help, all of it said there were no clear winners at the moment. My hands dragging us along, it met mud. Cursing, I noticed it had begun to rain while we were trapped under the rockling. 

“Come-On!” I yelled, pulling the kid. “That way!” I ordered as I pushed him up the trench. As I did, a stray fireball struck us, killing us instantly. 

—

Memories poured in from another shadow clone that was killed. “Fuck!” I cursed, as my sword clashed with a demon. They were all around me. Rather than put it off, I pulled Annihilation from my status screen and tossed it up. Using my Townsend skill, mana coated me as I appeared where my clone and the kid were hit by the fireball. 

My clone had disappeared. I saw the kid as the explosion from Annihilation destroyed the group of demons I had been fighting. The kid was a darkened and mangled corpse. I immediately cast Resurrection. 

White light formed over the kid’s body, and his corpse was healed. As the mana restored him and pulled his soul back he coughed out smoke. 

“What happened?” He mumbled weakly. 

“You tripped,” I said, grabbing him and using Townsend to take us to one of the headquarters. I appeared in the medical tent. People yelling and in pain, Healers and doctors scrambling this way and that. I was nearly overwhelmed by the sorrow of the Haki in the area. Limbs were gone, and the healers were bleeding from their noses from mana exhaustion. 

“Here,” I said, dropping the kid and pulling out some minor mana potions from my Inventory. I passed it to each of the Healers. They stared up at me like I was the messiah or satan himself. I ignored the stares as I used Townsend to get to the command tent instantly. 

“How are we doing?” I asked Thomas. The big man was bloodied but he exuded so much confidence it put a smile on my lips. 

“Terribly,” he said. “I’ve lost contact with everyone, but we are holding the line. How’s out there?” A blue three-dimensional map was displayed on the table in front of him. The five armies were marked. Everyone surrounded by red. More memories of shadow clones dying filled my mind. I ignored them.

“I think I saw hobbits or gnomes or the like here,” I said, pointing to a large group of red coming our way. “Make sure they have people that can watch for stealth.”

“Aye aye,” he said. “How is the fight going on the rest of the island?”

“Pretty good,” I said. “We can start pushing out. I think they tripped all the bombs we set. There has to be a hundred thousand dead on their side.”

“I doubt that, but good to hear,” he said. “I’m heading out for another skirmish, care to join me?” 

“Want your levels, I see,” I said as we walked out of the large tent together. 

“Ha! I need to catch up to you. What are you at now?”

“226,” I said. One nice thing was that I actually got experience for those my shadow clones killed, just like Jinwoo got experience for his undead. As I thought that another giant pulled itself from the water and a dozen shadow giants fell upon it. 

“Jeez, I got a ways to go,” he said. He hefted his large weapon and music was heard overtop of us, the song was Carry on my Wayward Son. We both looked up to see people falling onto the island, parachutes loosed as they broke from the clouds. I watched as they cast fireballs and kept the few valkyries from getting to them. “Looks like more reinforcements.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Guess people are starting to believe.”

“How could they ever doubt?” Thomas asked. “Shall we have a little wager?”

“On kills?” I asked. 

“I can’t count that high. How about whoever lives, gets the other’s stuff?”

“And if we both live?” I asked.

“Then we can fight over each other’s crap,” he laughed. I joined him, using Townsend to hop to a group of people caught in a sonic blast. Grabbing them, I pulled them back to Thomas then jumped to the bat-humanoid attacker. 

—

It was dark on the second day. The battlefield became eerily quiet. I wasn’t sure anymore if I was a shadow clone or the real Weston. So much death, no sleep, I was afraid I’d finally gone deaf from all the attacks and crying. I heard nothing. 

Taking a gulp of air, my mouth tasted like death itself. I spat a tooth out of my mouth. Cursing, I pushed myself up, lifting the corpse of the ice elf off of me. It had lived for thousands of years, but lost to a kid that had only been playing with swords for the last few years.

I shook my head. Stumbling to my feet as I nearly tripped on another corpse. This one was from my side. A healer girl that had followed me to try to help. I tried to cast Resurrection but the time limit was up. Each level only afforded me 1 extra second to cast the skill on someone dead. She must have been dead longer than 10 seconds. 

“Fuck,” I said, my Resurrection skill had only been at level 3 when I started. I studied my status screen, proving I was me. 

On reflex I pulled out an Endurance potion. It was one of my last. After drinking it, my Fatigue dropped to 27, allowing me to see more clearly. I began to feel the accessories I wore start up again, replenishing mana and health rapidly. 

My Observation Haki extending out, I felt no Easton still. Two days of this, and he still hadn’t figured it out. Taking a breath I used Townsend to one of the armies. Cha Hae-In was there, crying in our tent. 

She shook almost violently, I was merely relieved I hadn’t gone deaf. Walking over to her she jerked away, but when she saw it was me she cried happy tears.

“I thought you were dead. I haven’t seen you in hours,” she said. 

“Damn ice elves trapped me in an illusion. But I’m still kicking,” I said, noticing the water bottle next to her I drank it down. “Where are we?”

“They stopped attacking a few minutes ago,” she mumbled from my armored chest. She was bloody and tied, probably trying to grab an hour of sleep before she went out again.

“Are they digging below us again?” I asked. 

“No, sensors are reading normal,” she said. I nodded and used Townsend again. Taken to one of the armies command tent people gasped as they stepped away.

“Shit, you’re alive,” Sung Il-Hwan said. He was next to Jin-Ah and Jin-Woo, his kids. 

“I am,” I said. “Glad to disappoint. Where are we?”

“We don’t know, sensors have gone dark,” Jin-Ah said. She was wearing the robes of a caster. An actual healer, she had been able to stay behind the lines most of the time. She was very strong now, close to level 100 if I had to guess. She must have been gaining a lot of XP. 

“Great,” I said. “Give me a minute and I’ll get eyes on them.” I searched internally. I had regained some chakra, but I really needed sleep at that point. Too many dead clones, it was hard to know if I had any out there. “I can-” I was cut off as a roar sounded from above. 

Everyone could feel the power in the roar. All experienced by this point, we had felt the call of many strong beasts from across the universe. This one was different. In it’s voice was the sort of thing that told you, you were dead. That fighting against it was useless. Some preternatural feeling that survived after generations from some long dead ancestor that had fought this being. 

I was instantly outside. Up above was the glowing body of a dragon. It’s body lit up from the slowly rising sun. It was a few hundred feet across. It’s scales red, it breathed a bout of flame that lit up the entire island.

All around me, sorrow radiated off the surviving Hunters. No one wanted to fight this thing. Which proved true as the King of Dragons appeared on it’s back. 

“You’ve done well, humans,” the voice said. Conveying how ancient Antares actually was. His body glowing like that of the dragon, his Haki was far higher than when I had seen him last. “But, it was always leading to this.” As he said this, more portals appeared around the camp. Just on the other side of the first row of trenches, more monsters stepped out. This time their elites, and at their heads were their kings and queens. The Monarchs, the devils themselves. 

Hancock rode in on a massive snake I didn’t recognize. This one covered in spikes. She wore a deep green dress, green lipstick, and her bosom hidden. It was good to see her, but her appearance was a reminder that we had only gotten to the final stage. Our forces depleted and worn down, it was the true strength we had to worry about.

“Finally,” I said, my timer going off for a potion. I pulled out a mana pot. Drinking it down I stepped to Hancock with Townsend. Slapping her across the face I had to try knocking sense into her at least one more time before I gave up on losing this battle.