"But Clara will still protect Big Brother.
Since you are saving everyone.
I will save you from the nightmares."
With a cute, secretive giggle, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small, hand-stitched Cloth Snowflake Amulet.
It was a simple sachet, filled with dried herbs and a hair of her own.
She carefully slipped it into the pocket of his hoodie, patted it once, and then scurried out of the room like a cute little mouse.
The moment the door clicked shut, Mu Zhong's right eye snapped open.
He stared at the ceiling for a long moment, a look of profound bewilderment on his face.
"What is wrong with these children?"
He muttered to the empty room while shaking his head.
"I am a Hero.
I am resting, not sleeping like a pig.
Which Hero on Earth sleeps like a Pig in a Fortress?
(Most Jap anime Heroes:Floored)
Did she really think a tiptoe would hide her mana signature?"
He reached into his pocket, feeling the soft texture of the snowflake sachet.
He let out a low, tired chuckle and pushed it deeper into the fabric.
"Fine. I'll keep the 'protection' of a fifteen-year-old Baby.
Better than Nothing."
He closed his eye and, finally feeling the tension leave his neck, fell back to sleep.
At 7:00 AM sharp, Mu Zhong pushed open the storage room door as he yawned and stretched symbolically.
After all, at his level he did not need to do those movements but the Human Habit still exists in him despite his inhuman countenance.
The morning air of Vesla was crisp, and the smell of the military biscuits and holy water hung over the barracks, replacing the usual scent of Despair and Ashes.
The Rations were effective.
He thought as he looked at the soldiers.
"Good morning, Sir Hero!"
A guard snapped to attention, his back straighter than it had been Yesterday.
His eyes were clear, as he had some timely sleep.
"We've kept the watch, and the wall stands firm, Sir!"
Mu Zhong yawned, stretching his arms over his head as he stepped into the light.
"Morning.
You look like you actually got some sleep for once.
Did the bed turn into a cloud, or are you just happy to see me?"
"I... I haven't slept that soundly in quite a while, Sir!" the guard replied, his voice thick with gratitude.
"But rest assured, our duty remains absolute.
No Black monster will touch this gate while we breathe!"
Mu Zhong nodded and made his way to the Command Center.
Inside, the atmosphere was transformed.
Maps were laid out, and the smell of fresh tea—another luxury from his inventory—wafted through the air.
Naturally the Tea was taken out yesterday and was a Magical Breed used for Nobles in Belzerg and added extra concentration which I had retrieved a while back.
Iriel stood at the center, looking refreshed but intensely focused.
"Status report,"
Mu Zhong said, leaning against the doorway casually.
"Did the Monsters try anything funny while I was resting?"
Iriel looked up, tapping a quill against a map of the Gold Scorched Earth.
It was a new map since I had recently changed the Landscape with the Void Discharge evaporating the Corruption and the Ashes.
"The tactical situation is irregular, Hero,"
Iriel began, her voice professional and sharp.
"The monsters of the Black Calamity are still hovering outside the 2km scope of your Light Sanctuary.
The concentrated Light Element in the soil and air is acting like a physical barrier; the low-level grunts that tried to cross simply sizzled and melted into steam before they reached the 500-meter mark."
"It's like a bug zapper on a Large Scale."
One Legion Captain added, his finger tracing the golden boundary.
"The irregular abominations—the ones with enough mana to resist the initial burn—are being weakened the moment they step onto the golden soil.
Our Long-Range Archers have been picking them off with the enchanted arrows you provided.
It's a slaughter."
I nodded as this was entirely normal.
That was an SS-Rank Light Element Bombardment.
This much was Expected.
"My 1st Legion is fully rested," another Captain interjected with a grin.
"We've rotated the mages, and for the first time in almost forever(6 months only), the [Black Calamity] is the one retreating.
They've only managed to cover 500 meters of the Sanctuary overnight.
At this rate, it would take them at least 2 days to even touch our walls again."
A third Captain, a woman in heavy plate, nodded in agreement.
"The 'Grey Domain' has retracted significantly and can barely move forward again due to excess Light element Concentration.
The pressure on the soldiers' minds has dropped by at least 40%.
We are currently holding the most important forces in reserve, exactly as you ordered."
Mu Zhong nodded, walking out onto the ramparts to check the state of the Light Sanctuary himself.
He looked out over the horizon.
The 2km zone he had cleared was still a vibrant, glowing gold, standing out like a divine wound against the gray world beyond.
"500 meters of encroachment in seven hours," Mu Zhong calculated silently.
"That means Julian is still holding back the [Black Calamity]."
"Isn't this Great?"asked Eris via telepathy.
Mu Zhong raised his Eyebrows in surprise and smiled.
"Where have you been Wife?"
Mu Zhong asked as Eris blushed in the Divine Realm and continued with a shy tone.
"Well previously, The others were assisting you but now they are assisting the other teams on the other 20 worlds.
The others are making Progress although they are much Slower.
There was some trouble at the Start but all the 4 teams ignored the Kingdoms that summoned them soon after and directly went to the Battlefield instead and became Lone killers.
Kazuma's team had the most troublemakers and Senior Aqua cried a lot but they eventually made it to the Fortress and joined in a battle last minute."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise as I said.
"Kazuma actually reached in time?"
This was indeed surprising.
Only a day had passed and yet the most powerful Trouble Makers reached there?
This was simply too astonishing.
Eris's sighed in exasperation as she said in Embarrassment.
"That… Senior Aqua was causing trouble so Kazuma tied her to Darkness and along with Megumin and Forced Darkness to run with a whip."
My own brain felt a pleasant Headache at this as I could almost Imagine a Crying Aqua and Chuuni Megumin being Carried by the Masochistic Darkness at the Peak of Her Ecstasy with a Trash-zuma with a Whip behind her.
Although I did not think Kazuma will be a Sadist.