Chapter 304 ·The Collapse of Tawu Ishihara

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Collapse of Tawu Ishihara

"Skree!"

The dragonhawk dove downward, releasing various elemental magic upon the flank of the zombie horde. Flames erupted, clearing away large numbers of zombies. Then, two gargoyles began to sweep up the remaining undead, while Chips and Gefimar blocked the zombies attempting to encircle them.

A pure giant beast battle!

As for the enemy's undead giant beasts, they were born to counter infantry. When it came to giant beast battles, the Abomination and Abomination were no match.

With such an advantage, a pathway had been opened!

"It's a way out!"

"Hurry, let's get out of here!"

The group did not panic. Instead, the melee professionals took the front, followed by the wounded and civilians. They moved in an orderly fashion toward the opening, clearly a well-trained team.

In this way, with the help of the bone dragon and the two gargoyles, they successfully got rid of the zombies' entanglement and, following the guidance of the dragonhawk, made their way toward a safe area.

Half an hour later...

The guard squad found a high slope, and after eliminating a small group of pursuing zombies, they were finally able to catch their breath. Their commander, naoli, gradually regained consciousness.

"Where... where is this..."

"Commander, you're awake!"

"Everyone... this is..."

Looking at the weary and mostly wounded group, naoli could only recall a few fragments.

"Commander, we're safe now."

"???"

Seeing Naoli was still puzzled, her adjutant recounted the entire ordeal in detail. After listening, naoli found it all incredible.

"The bone dragon and the gargoyle helped us?"

As Naoli murmured in disbelief, a sudden strong wind swept by. She looked up at the sky.

"It's the bone dragon, it's those people!"

As soon as she finished, gefimar landed on the ground.

Boom!

A cloud of dust rose. Naoli raised her hand to shield her eyes. When she looked again, her gaze was drawn to the masked girl on the dragon's back.

That familiar feeling, it seemed...

"Royalty!"

Naoli immediately recognized the elven royal power within Serea. Then, Lola and the others landed too. When she saw Lola—

"Two royals!"

Her surprise matched that of the other elves in the group, who sensed the same aura. They were filled with joy but also felt a touch of loss. The joy was in meeting fellow elves with royal blood; the loss was...

They were a tribe of "lost royals."

The dwarven adjutant knew nothing of this. While deeply grateful to their rescuers, he also remained cautious—after all, these people had arrived riding a bone dragon. Serea, however, paid no mind to this and looked directly at Naoli.

"Elves?"

Hearing a member of elven royalty address her, naoli forced herself to stand and saluted.

"I am Naoli, of the Ailwen Elven Tribe, under Tawu Ishihara. I represent the whole guard in thanking you for your help."

Hearing this, Serea's face showed an expression of "as I thought."

But then a new question arose.

She swept her gaze around, roughly estimating there were nearly 800 non-humans and humans present, most of them elves—about 400 or so—and many had brought their families. What exactly were they trying to do?

"Tawu Ishihara is hundreds of kilometers from here. What brought you all the way to these lands?"

"Our homeland was destroyed by the undead plague, so we migrated here to seek a new home."

"Seeking a new home? Aren't you part of one of Tawu Ishihara's united tribes? If you're looking for a new homeland, shouldn't you go to the eastern jungle? Why come here?"

"This..."

Naoli hesitated. She didn't know if "that matter" should be revealed.

"If you're unwilling to answer, then we'll be leaving. Also—almost forgot to tell you—the recent battle has alarmed nearby large-scale zombie hordes. Soon, they'll surround this place. Take care of yourselves."

With that, Serea prepared to leave. At this, naoli panicked.

"Please wait!"

"What is it, do you have more to say?"

Serea was playing hard to get, while Naoli understood clearly that—without supplies and with many wounded—if abandoned here, their losses would be catastrophic, even if they survived.

So, naoli decided to be honest.

"Tawu Ishihara's united tribes have disbanded. The eastern jungle is no longer a home for us, so we had no choice but to come here."

"Tawu Ishihara disbanded? Why?"

"Because the eastern jungle was at the epicenter of the undead plague outbreak. The united tribes of Tawu Ishihara suffered severely. To survive, the grand chief of the united tribes, the Dwarf King 'Tanfordin', was forced to request aid from the Ailera Empire, but the Empire only allowed a small number of our people to take refuge inside their borders. Thus, some received shelter, but the majority were abandoned. We are those who were abandoned."

At this, naoli's voice was full of resentment. The noble Ailwen tribe had once thrived under their royal leadership, but after the royals vanished, they ended up as forsaken refugees.

The other non-humans and humans present were likewise angry and helpless; only after being abandoned did they gather together.

Serea couldn't help but marvel at the rapid changes of fate. She thought back: when she herself was migrating, she'd considered seeking out Tawu Ishihara. Now she was glad she hadn't gone—and thankful she'd left early.

Still, with the eastern jungle fallen, countless non-humans would be forced here—a headache, or perhaps... an opportunity.

On the other hand, naoli was also considering her options. After hesitating a long while, she spoke:

"Noble Queen of the Elves, since we are both under the protection of the Goddess of Nature, could you grant us some assistance? We swear in the name of the Ailwen that we will repay you double in the future."

Here came the real request. Having lost all supplies and with many wounded in urgent need of treatment, if they hoped to make it through this crisis, they would need someone's help.

At that moment, naoli felt a wave of mental power sweep across her body, but she didn't resist. She knew the other party was probing her intentions.

To help or not—Serea asked Dogsius,

"What was the result of the mind-reading?"

"She told the truth. She has no hidden intentions."

In that case...

"There is a camp to the southwest. These little fellows will guide you there. You can find some assistance at that place."

Upon understanding, naoli hurriedly expressed her thanks.

"Thank you, noble Queen of the Elves!"

Amid the people's gratitude, the bone dragon and gargoyles took to the skies, leaving behind only a squad of shadow drakehawks.

"Skree!"

The shadow drakehawks led the way. Seeing this, naoli quickly ordered,

"Hurry, follow them."

With the merciful "Queen of the Elves" willing to help, everyone was overjoyed and forced their exhausted bodies to set out toward the horizon.

(To be continued...)

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