Chapter 85: Era Change!

Upon receiving the order, the veterans, including Ethan, began to act.

Fifty-two 2nd-Circle mages, although the majority of them were tired and their mana reserves were low, when it came to dissecting corpses, they were more than capable.

"Amazing! It’s hard to imagine that these animals mutated like this in such a short period of time!"

"Isn’t this a rhino? Why does its skin look and feel like crystal?"

"Same with this snake! Isn’t that a pair of legs on its side?!"

"Interesting... If animals are like this, then it’s no surprise that humans can turn into those mana zombies or whatever."

Ripping open the rhino’s chest with his arm encased in mana, Darius exclaimed as he looked at the corpses around him.

It was hard to imagine that these were the same animals he had seen all his life.

Under the effects of mana, both their internal and external structures had undergone immense changes.

"Indeed, Darius. However, perhaps we can say we are unlucky. Who would have expected that Emerald City having so many zoos would cause such a problem?"

"Otherwise, even if we’re on the city outskirts, we wouldn’t be facing lions and rhinos."

"Rather, perhaps our greatest problem would be rats."

Swoosh!

Using his mana blade, Kenjiro instantly cut open ten corpses as he expressed his thoughts.

As the battle passed, he had grown accustomed to using his knife for even the simplest of things

And the others hearing this, they all nodded. If so many zoos did not exist, then perhaps Lucian would not have been able to amass such an army so quickly.

Unfortunately, they did and it had already happened; there was nothing much they could do about it.

Only Ethan, upon hearing Kenjiro’s lament, put down the gem he had just extracted from a monster’s heart into his pocket and then stared at the sky, a frown forming on his face.

’Wait a minute... Kenjiro has a point.’

’Just think of how large Emerald City is; there should be well over a million rats in the city.’

’Now think of it: if all of them evolve and unite, aiming to conquer the city, do you think we have any chance to survive?’

Thinking of this, Ethan’s expression twisted. In his past life, just like Kenjiro’s guess, there was indeed a rat tide, one that happened at the end of the first year of the apocalypse.

At that time, an Awakener who awakened the gift of foresight had a vision and alerted the major forces of Emerald City.

’Back then, to stand against the horde, with Victoria in the lead, hundreds of thousands of regular people as well as almost all Awakeners, including villains and heroes alike, all took a stand.’

’Back then, everyone realized that if they didn’t work together, they would all die.’

’Even then, over a hundred thousand regular people died, and hundreds of Awakeners.’

Remembering that battle, Ethan recalled how he could only hide in a destroyed building under a pile of rubble, feigning to be dead to avoid being forcibly conscripted.

He would scavenge the corpses of the dead rats for food and go back into hiding.

Recalling all this, unknowingly, his fingers clenched.

’Last time, all the power of Emerald City was used, and even then, the tables almost turned without the help of future S-ranks like Victoria.’

’However, now the future hang-overlord, the Clown King, has been killed by me.’

’Most of the mutant beasts who fought and ate the rats have been destroyed by us.’

’And the future S-class Ice Queen is currently training at the shelter.’

’Sigh~ Unknowingly, I’ve cut down our combat force by a large margin.’

Thinking of this, Ethan realized he was in big trouble.

If he didn’t increase the strength and number of mages under him by the end of the year, as well as develop Victoria’s potential, then they might actually lose that fight a year from now.

’Not only that, but perhaps it’s time to take a look at some of the factions forming in Emerald City.’

’It’s already been a while since the apocalypse started. A few of them should have popped up by now. Let’s see if there are any changes.’

Thinking of this, Ethan made up his mind.

"Alright everyone, hurry up! We didn’t bring bags, so everyone just keep the crystals in your pockets!"

"As for the corpses, pile them up and bury them somewhere; a few of you will come back with the excavation team."

"Time is of the essence, let’s move!"

Feeling a sudden sense of urgency, Ethan gave the command.

Although he had just defeated Lucian, this was no time to get complacent.

In his memory, apart from the rat tide, all kinds of territorial wars, secret realms, and world changes would occur from now on.

If he chose to relax, he would be buried by the times, letting his rebirth go to waste, a situation which he absolutely never would allow to happen.

Luckily, the veterans, although playful, knew when to be serious.

So hearing Ethan talk like this, they all narrowed their eyes, preparing to speed up.

"Yes, Patriarch!" their voices yelled in unison.

And Christian, who was watching all this, couldn’t help but have a smile on his face.

’As expected of my grandson. It seems after this battle, he’s completely won over these old people.’

Smiling in his heart, Ethan’s grandfather, although he had an obsession with his family, undoubtedly wanted his grandson to succeed.

As such, witnessing such a situation made him the happiest he had been in a long time.

’Haha, and here I was willing to die today.’

’Perhaps staying a bit longer to watch you grow wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.’

Thinking of this, Christian had a smile on his face as his hand dug into a nearby bear’s heart.

At this time, he had felt it: gone was the era of Christian Smith.

Rather, this was the time for his grandson, Ethan Smith!