Chapter 34

Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

“Get to the north wall now!” Crystal’s little brother shouted in her mind. “You and your yuki-onna. All the monster girls to the wall right now!”

“Fuck,” growled Crystal. She broke into a run, her surviving yuki-onna rushing with her.

She reached the main street that led to the administration building. Halia and her salamanders appeared from a side-street. Crystal’s mother burst out of an alley with her three basilisks. Morana joined them while Lana, Garnet, and Vaivory soared over them

The group ran fast.

Fear thudded in Crystal’s heart. She had heard the report from Marwo on how many monster girls were coming. Twice what they had barely defeated. She didn’t see how any of them were surviving today.

Just so long as Leo survives and can close the dungeon. If he can do that, then we’re fine. We just have to hold them back.

Crystal would. She would drive off these bastards for the halflings, for her family, for her little brother. She was born for this. Her life in the other world had been empty. Boys, parties, clothes, TikTok videos and Instagram posts.

Nothing that mattered.

This did. She was terrified and determined.

Leo turned to race to the wall after getting everyone moving.

Hagane grabbed his robed arm and yanked him short. He turned to face her, his flesh transformed into granite. He gripped his lightning spear in a tight hand, his brow furrowing in question at the animated statue.

“What?” Leo asked her.

“Where do you think you are going?” she demanded, arching a metallic eyebrow at him.

“The wall,” he shouted, pointing to it rising over the buildings. “We have to hold him there long enough for Kassie to get the halflings out.”

“No,” Hagane said. “Your monster girls have that task. Your job is to be ready to activate the Void Crystal the moment you can.”

“I’m the strongest one here,” Leo growled at her. “You can’t expect me not to be there. You’ll need me to keep them off.”

“No,” Hagane said. “Halia, you need to protect Lord Leo. Get him into the dungeon. You, Kassie, Isatu, and he are the last line of defense. Leave the guarding of the city wall to the monster girls.”

“Hagane!” Leo growled in shock and anger. “That’s not where I’m going to be.”

Hagane cupped Leo’s face and stared into his eyes. “I know you can command me to do differently, but this is the logical thing to do. We come back. You don’t. And you’re the only one who can close off the dungeon.”

Leo stared at her in shock. She kissed him.

Her eyes closed as she savored the warmth of his lips. They were so magnificent. This thrill rippled through the metallic girl’s body. She savored the kiss, her fingers stroking his granite cheeks. The fear diminished for a moment.

“I love you, Leo Baldwin,” Hagane said. “I am your animated statue. Trust my advice.”

“Yeah,” he groaned and nodded. “You’re right.”

She smiled, glad he listened to logic.

Ms. Trueno watched the kiss Hagane planted on Leo’s lips. Then her student nodded and headed for the dungeon. She was so proud of him. He was making the hard choice. To send his women to fight. His pride would want him leading the battle.

But a commander had to stay in the rear, out of the fray of combat. You couldn’t see the entire battle when you were fighting to stay alive in one small part of it. It was why you never saw generals on the front lines. Or if they were there, then things had gone badly.

It wasn’t cowardice. It was a necessity.

As he headed off to the dungeon, Ms. Trueno glanced to the wall. It would do nothing for the thirty flying monster girls heading for the city, and Garnet, Lana, and Vaivory were the only fliers left. They would not last long.

Ms. Trueno didn’t see much odds of their success.

I’m going to die, she thought. The other monster girls didn’t view that as a problem. They would come back. She would come back. So long as her student lived.