The drooling, slobbering giants that were attempting to consume his flesh were sprawled out on the ground surrounding him, with wispy steams emanating and curling up from the deep, bloody holes in their massive bodies. Their gigantic forms were lying in an ever-growing pool of their own dark blood that was flowing freely from their wounds.
Shirou stabbed his spear firmly into the ground as he frowned, his eyes narrowing as he slowly looked around. The number of the hungry giants that had originally invaded was clearly more than just the ones he had managed to kill. The cries and roars of the giants continued to rage unchecked within the walls as well, echoing through the snowy land.
The massive breach in the towering wall had allowed an overwhelming, nearly unending invasion of giants to pour through. That breach needed to be plugged up as soon as possible, or the invasion would never end.
At that moment, the blood-stained Salter approached with his soldiers. "Eternal King!"
He turned to Salter. "It looks like you've killed quite a few giants, Saber."
"Let's not talk about this now," she said, pointing at the hole blasted open on the wall. "We need to find a way to plug up that hole. I happen to have a method in mind, but I'll need your help."
The commander who was standing beside her spoke up in agreement. "Yes, Her Majesty has already informed us of her plan. I believe it could work."
Before Salter could explain further or elaborate on the details of her method, Shirou abruptly raised his hand, catching their attention. Aiming the glowing spear that was clutched in his hand directly at the crumbling breach, he quickly transformed it into the brilliant, blazing Tower of Light.
The searing pillar of light fired swiftly towards the ruptured hole at extreme speed, appearing almost instantly directly in front of the opening. It powerfully plunged and drove itself violently into the gaping crevice with a resounding "Boom-Boom," instantly annihilating and incinerating the giants that were still in the midst of streaming through. The massive, towering column of energy completely filled the entire breach, even expanding and widening it a bit at the edges as it embedded itself, effectively and thoroughly sealing it shut.
After blocking up the hole, he turned around and looked at the silent Salter, asking oddly, "What's wrong?"
"I have nothing to say to you—" She said, pouting indignantly. She turned and stormed furiously toward the remaining giants who'd broken into Village No. 6, intent on killing them.
How can anyone play like this? Jamming the Tower straight into that hole? That's Rhongomyniad - the world's anchor! Who uses the world's anchor in such a crazy way!?
Salter fumed. It wasn't that her side lacked brains, but rather that her opponent was just too much of an oddball!
....
The chaos and pandemonium in the village continued to rage out of control as the ravenous giants persisted in their frenzied rampage of destruction. The village chief secretly slipped into A-46's room. Seeing Chloe writhing on the ground like a worm, he put a finger to his lips and whispered, "Shh...keep it down or they'll catch us."
Chloe's struggles slowly eased up after seeing the familiar face. As the chief carefully reached out with his weathered hands to begin untying and loosening the tight, biting ropes that bound the girl, he added under his breath, "I'm afraid the giants have already broken through and breached the wall... Once I get these ropes off, you need to hurry and make a run for it – try to escape from this place while you still can."
Chloe didn't react. After the chief freed her, she slowly rose, rubbing her numb hands and wrists. She then calmly walked outside and took in the chaotic scene engulfing the village.
Seeing her boldness and brazenness in striding out into the open chaos, the elderly village chief was shocked and taken aback. He quickly lowered his raspy, shaking voice even more and urgently said, "Lady envoy, please don't be so daring and foolhardy right now. You'll be caught again! Hurry and leave! This place will become the hunting ground and feeding pit for the giants soon."
Chloe didn't answer, but continued to silently gaze with an intense expression at the unfolding scenes of destruction happening around the village. "It seems Brynhildr's deepest worries have finally become a reality," She turned to the old man and said, "Village chief, I want you to gather together all of the surviving villagers and bring them to me."
"That's too risky," the chief said anxiously. "Hel's dogs are still here. If we travel together, you'll be in danger, Lady Envoy! You and Lady Illya are Lady Skadi's only hope. You must not risk yourselves for our sake. Even if we tried to flee now, I doubt we'd make it - not with the giants having smashed the walls. We'll soon be caught and killed. And with those creatures from the old tales starting to emerge from the frozen sea...I fear none of us can escape this village alive."
"If you stay here, you're as good as dead!" Chloe said bluntly.
"My lady, to you from that beautiful world, death may be an unbearable thing, but for us it's salvation," the village chief replied with a laugh.
Clenching her fists in frustration, she shot back, "If you all die, Illya and Brynhildr will be heartbroken. If death is your salvation, I won't allow it. I'm a wicked woman, after all."
Chloe hurried out the door, knowing she lacked the power to evacuate the villagers alone. The only one capable of accomplishing that was the person who had done it before - saving people amid disaster.
Gritting her teeth, she leapt onto the roof to search for that person.
...
The giants that invaded Village No.6 were not many, only about two hundred, and they were killed quickly. However, Shirou also lost tens of soldiers.
"What are you doing, Eternal King?" A-46 said with a blank expression and empty eyes. "Lady Hel has ordered us to withdraw from this area and not attack the Fire Giants. You're disobeying her orders."
Shirou glanced at her but said nothing. Instead, he called over the Legion commander and ordered him to gather the villagers.
The commander nodded quickly, then secretly glanced at A-46, a cold light flashing in his eyes. In a low voice he asked, "My king, do you want us to get rid of that mindless puppet..."
The commander made a throat-slitting gesture, clearly impatient and annoyed with A-46 and eager to kill her.
Shirou shook his head. "Not yet."
"What a pity," the commander said. "I'm sure you have your reasons, my king. We'll follow your orders." Then he left.
To be honest, he felt extremely angry about Hel restricting the king. As a soldier, having their king ordered around by someone else made his blood boil! However, judging by the king's expression...he seemed to be plotting something.
The commander could only restrain himself. He believed the king must have a plan, and whoever was restricting him would surely suffer under the king's hands. He was confident about this because many years ago, Vortigern and other enemy kings' forces were eventually defeated by the king and their territory became part of the kingdom as well.
He figured this time would be no different. Even if he couldn't see the king's exact plan, the answers would come out eventually as long as he followed orders. Facing the giant invasion and killings inside the walls, while Hel wanted the king to retreat without a fight, the commander knew the king must have something up his sleeve...
...
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