"What? They're already aware of what we're up to?"
Flora nodded to the middle-aged man in front of her. "Yeah. The situation has changed. The enemies seem to be much more unpredictable than we originally expected.
"We need you to immediately create a wall one day earlier than planned. We have to trap them inside."
The captain couldn't help but cross his arms. "Listen here. This is the result of us trusting you. Do you know how many people will die if they are going to revolt? If they attack in all directions—"
Before he finished his words, Flora's expression turned cold as she stated. "Of course, we know it. While it's true that the enemy is tricky this time, it doesn't change the fact we're out of ideas. If they're trying to amass all their people and get ready to attack, we will immediately kill most of the normal people.
"Even your soldiers have originally expected to fight some thugs, right? If they don't attack right away, we have another plan ready as well."
The captain opened his mouth again, but Flora shut him up one more time by taking out a badge. "I guarantee you, in my name, Flora Vietta Ezelia, the crown princess of the Azilia Kingdom, that this mission will be a success."
"!!!" The captain's expression darkened the moment he heard Flora's title. He wasn't sure about the badge, but it looked similar to the symbol on the Azilia Kingdom's flag. Besides, no one was foolish enough to impersonate a crown princess.
Flora stated, "The situation might have changed, but we still have a chance. However, that requires your soldiers to create a wall to trap them."
The captain couldn't really say anything. Although he wanted to save as many soldiers as possible, the clash seemed to be not avoidable.
Flora nodded. "In that case, we'll immediately return and start our countermeasure."
The captain clenched his fists. He had no other choice but to command the entire troops under his command to surround the entire slum.
Meanwhile, Iris couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness… Are we really at a massive disadvantage right now? If the enemies scatter around, not only the soldiers but even civilians will also become their prey…"
Flora nodded. "We are indeed in a serious predicament, but it's not like Nathan can't salvage the situation. We've seen worse… The problem is…"
"!!!" Iris' face turned grim. "My lord has been struck by the enemy. I heard he almost died. Would he…"
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Iris couldn't finish that sentence. However, it was clear that she worried that the strike would leave a deep scar in Nathan's heart.
After all, people often lost their will after facing a life-and-death situation.
Flora couldn't answer that question. She was worried about Nathan as well.
This might be the first time Nathan got such a severe injury. From what she had seen so far, Nathan had been the one controlling the situation.
They silently walked back to the original position, finding Nathan in the middle of the street. He was standing still while closing his eyes, making people wonder what he was doing.
Anubis was watching him from the side, so Flora approached him, asking, "Anubis. What happens? Why is he like that? Is he…"
"Don't think too much. The enemy seems to be more troublesome than he originally calculated, so he is in deep thought right now.
"And you don't have to worry about his well-being. With me here, he will be fine." Anubis shook his head helplessly.
"I'm sorry…" Iris looked down. "I just wonder if my lord is hurt after almost getting cut down."
Anubis glanced at Iris, noticing her sincerity.
"Almost getting cut down, huh? You might have severely underestimated the person you admire, little kid. He is not that weak. If he gets trauma from something like that, we won't have to be this worried."
"Huh?" Iris tilted her head in confusion. Even Flora didn't understand why Anubis made such a claim.
Anubis sighed. "Did that female swordsman not tell you anything? Who was it again, Noelle?"
"When she brought him on a mission, she took a blade from a mutant right in the gut just in order to stop his movement so that we could kill that alien."
"Huh? No… She didn't tell me." Flora shook her head.
"You might not have realized or seen it directly, but that guy is much more reckless than you can imagine. That's why we are overprotective when it comes to him. If we just shift our gaze a bit, he would have been half-dead for one reason or another." Anubis shrugged. "That's why a single cut like that is the least of your worries.
"No. Should I say… because of that cut, he has become even crazier? I bet he is thinking of taking that guy by himself. In other words, you will have to fight the other grandmaster." Anubis pointed at Flora.
"…" Flora smiled wryly. She had never heard any of this.
As Anubis said, Nathan was actually thinking about fighting this person one more time. He didn't understand what was going on previously, but after reviewing the fight in his mind, he could see what he had done.
'I see. I should have noticed it sooner. That guy first formed a small sphere of ena, which could be transformed into any shape.
'And that shape could be transformed further. In that strike, he must have extended that blade or even changed the shape of the blade so that it could reach me, considering I had covered my front with my coat.
'I guess this was to be expected once you reach this level. There's no way he hasn't mastered anything after becoming a grandmaster.
'He can be considered an expert in control, specifically the Form and Enhancement.
'The next fight… I might have to consider the hundreds of thugs that can attack the soldiers at any moment while facing him and a few other summoners.
'Should I make a contract with an element? A normal one? An absolute element? Or maybe a unique element? Or should I use something else?'