Before long, the two women scouting on the griffin returned with good news. They had already encountered the scouts of the reinforcement unit on the road, confirming that the main force was not far from Juna.
The small cavalry squad Blake had left behind also successfully rendezvoused with the reinforcement unit. Thanks to the light element shield Midir had set up before leaving, the entire squad was only slightly fatigued, and their injuries had mostly healed—a silver lining in their misfortune.
However, despite scouting for dozens of miles from the air, they found no trace of the black monsters. It was as if those eerie creatures had never existed.
Upon hearing the good news that the main force was arriving soon, Midir and Blake quickly adjusted their thinking and refocused on the task at hand. After a deep and detailed discussion, they finally finalized their upcoming route.
Since the entire Azure City-State was located in the heart of the Korana Mountains, the army's marching route would be significantly affected despite the crisscrossing mountain roads. They had to choose the slightly wider main roads. To reach their destination, they would also have to pass through several small and medium-sized towns along the way.
Although Aila insisted on waiting for the troops to rendezvous before entering the city, Blake, unwilling to wait in place, shamelessly asked Midir to accompany him into the interior of Juna.
Since the group had arrived at Juna near dusk the previous day, it had been difficult to get a comprehensive understanding of the city in the dim light. Now that the sun was up, it was the perfect time to investigate the situation inside.
As the two walked through the deserted streets, they saw signs of flight and struggle everywhere, along with deep furrows left by the giant black insects as they crawled over the ground and walls.
The entire city was in a state of chaotic disarray, yet it was so quiet it was eerie. Midir looked at the scene on the road and suddenly realized a problem.
“Why haven't we seen a single corpse along the way? Leaving aside the residents, the insects we encountered yesterday weren't that strong. If they put up even a little resistance, they should have been able to kill at least some of them, right?”
He had just walked out of a shop with its doors wide open. He had checked several similar buildings in a row, and they were all essentially empty.
“I think... there are only two possibilities. Either the people in the city received word early and evacuated toward the fortress, or... or those black insects have habits like cockroaches... and ate everything they came into contact with...”
Blake spoke slowly, his voice echoing through the street with a hint of undeniable worry. When he mentioned the second possibility, a chill rose from the soles of his feet and shot straight to his head, making him shudder involuntarily.
“Let’s think on the bright side. Judging by the size of this small city, there shouldn't have been too many permanent residents. For now, we can only hope they’re all safe.” Seeing Blake’s pale face, Midir patted his shoulder to comfort him.
In the end, the two spent the entire morning turning the already small Juna upside down, but they found nothing.
There wasn't a single human in the city, and even common snakes, insects, rats, and ants seemed to have vanished without a trace.
“Let’s head back. We won’t find anything else by looking further,” Midir said, exchanging a look with Blake after their fruitless search.
Returning to the temporary camp, they found Rosal carefully wiping the blade of Thunderwing, while Aila sat bored to one side, fiddling with the communication stone in her hand.
After the two sat down and had some water to rest, Aila finally spoke softly.
“The reinforcement unit just sent me a message. They should be here in about an hour. So... did you two find anything this morning?”
“Sigh, no. Forget about people, we didn't even see a single bug in the city.” Blake sighed and set down his water skin.
“So you mean there are no more cockroaches? Wait... what do you mean by not even seeing a single bug?” Aila seemed relieved at first, but she quickly realized the answer was abnormal.
“Exactly what I said. There isn't a single living creature in the entire city of Juna, including those cockroaches you hate so much.”
“Huh? That shouldn't be possible! Even after a natural disaster, there’s usually some life left. Hmm... if only my aunt were here. She’d be able to figure it out in an instant.” Aila furrowed her brows and muttered quietly.
“We still know too little about those black monsters. Based on a few battles, those monsters seem completely different from the creatures we usually see. Though their appearance is similar, they lack basic biological emotions and vitality. It’s like...”
Midir rubbed his chin unconsciously, lost in thought. He was searching for the right words to express his feelings.
“Like puppets?” Rosal suddenly stopped what she was doing and interjected.
“Puppets... huh? That’s quite close. It would explain their suicidal frenzy. However... if they are puppets, there must be a puppeteer. Who would that be?”
Midir nodded seriously, his eyes showing his agreement with Rosal's words. He then continued.
“Aila, do you have any way to analyze the structure of those monsters? Next time we encounter them, I’ll try to leave a few alive for testing.”
“It seems our thoughts are quite similar. Do you remember that we went to see Ronald Ironheart before we left? I actually intended to ask them for help. Even if he can't contact his uncle, he should come himself. After all, they are the professionals when it comes to researching these strange things.”
Aila didn't hesitate and immediately answered his question.
“If that’s the case, then that would be perfect... I just don't know when he'll arrive.”
“Miss Aila, are you talking about the Great Inventor, Mr. Stark Ironheart?” After listening to their conversation, Blake suddenly chimed in, his tone filled with unmistakable excitement.
“Yes, that’s him. Ronald is his nephew, and I’ve known him for quite a while. Why?” Aila asked, puzzled by Blake’s sudden burst of excitement.
“You actually know him! He’s my idol! What man could resist his inventions? I actually wanted to find time to visit him while I was in the Royal Capital, but I never found the right opportunity. If you meet him next time, please, you must introduce me!”
Blake’s voice jumped an octave, and his eyes shone with a hint of fanaticism. His sudden reaction startled Aila.
“Huh? Sure, but it’s actually quite hard to see him in person. By the way, you actually like those tin cans he tinkers with? To be honest, I don't really get it... though the communication stones he invented are very practical!”
Aila gave a distracted response, unable to understand the obsession Blake was displaying.
“Of course! How could any man not like them? Don't you agree, Mr. Midir!”
Midir, suddenly put on the spot, was somewhat speechless. Having no memory of such things, he had no idea what Blake was talking about and could only give a vague answer.
“If you mean those strange inventions in their shop? Well... it’s hard to say. I’d have to see them in person first.”
Once the topic was raised, Blake opened up, constantly explaining the “great inventions” he knew about to the other three. Midir, a man who knew nothing of this world, listened with a mix of confusion and amusement.
Finally, it was Rosal, using the magnification function of her goggles to spot the approaching reinforcement unit in the distance, who made the over-excited Blake stop.
Everyone quickly put on their goggles and looked in the direction she was pointing. At the end of the road, billowing dust tumbled like a long dragon, and an army holding high a gold-red lion flag appeared on the horizon.
Rate on N.U.
