Zoe rode atop Vera, flying in from the horizon.
At the same time, the slime monster army charged from the north and south, striking at the goblin army.
“Those are reinforcements!”
“They are reinforcements! Be careful not to attack them! The reinforcements are wearing blue bands on their right arms!”
Jaden’s brow furrowed beneath his helmet, but the rest of the soldiers and adventurers all wore expressions of exhilaration.
Although toxic gas had now been released in the city, the reinforcements from the Slime Territory had indeed helped them block two goblin forces earlier.
Now that this powerful force had actually charged all the way to the west gate, it was highly heartening.
Right at this moment, the white dragon in the air dove, charging straight toward Jaden along with the slime on her back.
“Oh no! The slime lord is being controlled!”
Flora, who had charged out from the other side, shouted.
“What?!”
Everyone was shocked, and seeing Zoe charging toward them, none of them dared to let their guard down.
“Puji.”
[Attack me quickly! I've been manipulated, and my body is out of control!]
“Vera too! My body is out of control!”
As Zoe popped up the dialogue box, Vera also shouted at the top of her lungs.
The corner of Jaden’s mouth twitched. He gripped his lance and pointed it toward the sky.
“Bring him down!”
“Puji!”
[Do exactly as Sir Jaden says! I can't control myself!]
Acid Rain Bullet!
A dense shower of rain bullets was spat out by Zoe, raining down toward Sir Jaden.
Seeing this, the knights dodged one after another, making no active move to attack.
After all, Zoe was an ally who had traveled countless miles to rescue them.
Even if they were being controlled, how could the knights truly strike them?
“What did you run into? How are you being controlled? Can it be undone?!”
The knights shouted.
“Puji!”
[I ran into the Headhunter Cult! They teamed up with the monsters and ambushed me, and then I was controlled!]
“It’s the Headhunter Cult.”
“So that’s it. No wonder!”
“Many of the monsters among the goblins are controlled by the Headhunter Cult.”
“To think the Headhunter Cult could even control a Mid-tier Monster and a dragon!”
The knights came to a sudden realization.
Meanwhile, the corner of Jaden’s mouth twitched incessantly. He wasn’t, and he hadn’t.
The Headhunter Cult couldn't control a Mid-tier Monster that easily!
[I've already prepared myself! Attack me, it's fine! I can feel my sanity slipping further out of my control!]
While attacking, Zoe popped up another dialogue box.
At the same time, he “struggled” to control his attacks so they wouldn’t hit the other knights, focusing them entirely on Jaden.
However, the more Zoe said this, the harder it became for the knights and guards to make a move.
The other party had only ended up controlled because they had come to rescue them.
Now, they were expected to return kindness with enmity, striking down an ally who had lost control and was being manipulated?
Even though the other party was already controlled, they were still struggling to ensure their attacks didn't hit them.
It wasn’t just a matter of an uneasy conscience.
They were also afraid of turning the monster reinforcements from the Slime Territory against them.
Or perhaps damaging their own reputations.
They were all knights with bright futures. At least on the surface, they had to remain upright and chivalrous. Striking an ally’s leader who had lost control...
That was simply far too unrighteous and lacking in chivalry.
It would negatively impact their future prospects.
Thus, they had absolutely no way of dealing with Zoe for the moment.
Jaden also found it highly troublesome. That damned slime was spitting all its acid directly at him.
However, he had to maintain his public image, so it was difficult for him to make a direct move.
“Sir Jaden, at this point, only you can hold Mr. Slime back!”
Evelyn spoke with a serious expression, and this statement was not a lie.
“You deal with this slime lord,” Jaden said, shifting the subject. Since they were putting on such a show, he would let them tear each other apart.
“Sir Jaden, even if Mr. Slime has lost control, our friendship prevents me from raising my hand against him.”
“I can only... rely on you.”
This statement was still not a lie.
Jaden’s mind whirled. He wanted to trap Evelyn—who could not lie—into speaking the truth, thereby proving that Zoe had not lost control and was just pretending.
“Has the slime lord truly lost control?” Jaden asked.
“What are you saying, Sir Jaden? Of course my friend has lost control!”
He had indeed lost control. Evelyn really hadn't expected Zoe to choose to risk his life against Jaden. This was indeed very out of control.
Therefore, it didn’t count as a lie.
Having been a Sacred Circle Knight for a long time, Evelyn had already learned how to exploit the loopholes of her profession, speaking "truths" that aligned with her actual thoughts.
“Puji!”
[Sir Jaden, it doesn't matter even if you kill me! I'm about to lose control completely!]
[If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from harming others!]
[Please, you must stop me! Dying at the hands of someone as upright and charitable as you, whom I have admired for so long, I will have no complaints!]
Zoe kept popping up dialogue boxes faster and faster, looking like he was on the verge of running wild.
Jaden took a deep breath.
“My apologies. If that is the case, I have no choice but to do as you say and kill you.”
“I will remember you.”
Jaden felt so disgusted he wanted to throw up.
This damned slime! Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting!
Jaden’s killing intent seethed endlessly.
Since you want me to kill you so badly, since you want to die so much, then let it be as you wish!
Zoe seemed to use the last shred of his sanity and strength to knock Vera unconscious.
Vera cooperatively “fainted,” fluttering her wings a few times before crashing onto the ground in the distance.
[Protect her! She is my precious companion!]
Leaving behind one last dialogue box, Zoe turned around. As if expending the absolute last drop of his sanity, he drew Jaden along with him and charged toward the location of the goblin army.
Even in this final moment, his act of shifting the battlefield to avoid catching others in the crossfire filled everyone with grief.
Though a large part of it was performative grief. After all, at a time like this, one had to appear sorrowful.
In the future, for promotions and advancements, this would be counted as a bonus point for displaying chivalry.
“Amazing...”
Flora stared at Zoe’s retreating figure, completely lost in awe.
An eye for an eye. They had been constantly disgusted by Jaden, and now they had turned the tables to disgust him in return.
It felt absolutely refreshing.
“Suppress the goblin king. Don’t kill him right away. We must kill him the exact instant the slime lord kills Jaden.”
Evelyn urged Flora as she charged toward the goblin king.
The moment the goblin king died, all the soul power would concentrate on Jaden.
At that point, Jaden would directly advance to High-tier, and Zoe would be in danger.
“Understood.”
Flora nodded. As for Jaden, that piece of trash, she now only wanted to do everything in her power to put an end to him.
The single fact that he had caused her brother's death was already unforgivable.
And just now, he had mercilessly attempted to slaughter the entire city’s population by releasing toxic gas.
‘Brother, are you watching? I am about to avenge you.’
‘Even if it isn’t by my own hand, I’ve played a part in it.’
Rate on N.U.
