GILF Hunter

Chapter 324 It’s Done

Inside the passages that spread like cobwebs beneath the Labyrinth.

A mercenary was running through the intricately connected underground waterway.

From here... right. Then left.

Thanks to memorizing the route every day until it appeared in her dreams, her body naturally found the way even in an urgent situation.

Anne, who was running in a hurry, soon arrived at the defense point of the main waterway where several small passages joined.

Anne shouted to Tanya, who was waiting at the guard post there.

’It’s breached!’

’Already?’

’A strange slime suddenly exploded in front of the barrier....’

’Get to the back for now!’

No sooner were the words spoken than a swarm of slimes appeared from the other side of the passage.

Tanya saw them and hurriedly rose to her feet.

It was a sight she hadn’t seen in nearly a year.

Tanya glanced at the supplies piled up behind her. The amount was still sufficient.

Even further back, soldiers were continuously bringing in more supplies.

Last time Tanya had been in charge of that role, but this time it was the opposite. Tanya stepped forward to block the swarming slimes.

While watching the approaching crowd from afar, Tanya recalled the formula Ian had taught her.

The scale is medium. There are no purple slimes in the lead, and the distance is still... aim for when they get closer.

Tanya decided on the orbs to use and waited for the timing to attack.

...Now!

When the slimes drew a bit closer, Tanya shouted to the Fairies.

Following Tanya’s instructions, several types of orbs fell from the air all at once.

Rising ice walls blocked the slimes’ movement, and blue flames flared up, sweeping through the area behind them.

Into the thick flames and smoke, orbs brought by the Fairies continued to fly in.

Tanya remembered the advice she had heard from Ian beforehand.

These supplies were items organized within the military budget. While she wasn’t allowed to embezzle them like last time, she was told she could use them all up without holding back.

In fact, it was supposedly better to use every single one until none were left.

As instructed, Tanya was using the supplies piled in boxes without any hesitation.

...It really feels like I’ve become a mage.

Tanya muttered to herself while watching the brilliant flames blooming before her eyes.

If these had been items bought with the mercenary group’s budget, this would have definitely been a massive deficit. But since they weren’t the mercenary group’s property, there was no need to worry about such things.

Being able to use such expensive orbs recklessly made Tanya feel a bit excited.

The soldiers and workers calling her ’Mage-nim’ was also a bit embarrassing, but it didn’t feel bad.

After a short time had passed. Having confirmed that the slimes were annihilated, Tanya turned around with a slightly proud face.

A brief lull occurred after defeating a swarm of slimes.

While Tanya sat down to rest, a soldier from behind approached and handed her a drink bottle.

It was a non-commissioned officer from the supply unit.

’Good work, Miss Tanya.’

’Ah, yes. Thank you.’

Tanya accepted the gift with a smile.

The NCO stood by Tanya’s side, glancing at her before cautiously speaking up.

’By the way, excuse me. I’m the administrative supply officer for the 2nd Company....’

’I’m not interested.’

Tanya answered firmly before even hearing the full story.

It was the fifth enlistment offer today.

＊ ＊ ＊

’Mika, how is it?’

’Ugh, u-umm.... Just a little more.’

Atop the clock tower in the plaza.

Beside Ian, Mika was peering into a grimoire while letting out soft groans.

Behind Mika, who had been muttering and focusing on the grimoire for a long time.

On one side of the floor, an enhancement magic circle was installed to amplify and maintain the magic’s power, and next to it, even mages were on standby to assist with the casting.

It was the kind of support usually reserved for high-ranking mages casting large-scale spells.

Perhaps because such things were set up behind her, Mika had a very anxious face.

While Mika talked about wanting to play an important role, she was the type to get nervous from the pressure once the stage was actually set for her.

Watching her from the side, Chris spoke up as if to ease her tension.

’You don’t have to feel pressured. We’ve prepared a Plan B just in case.’

Chris turned his head to look down at the Stalkers swarming in the plaza.

The Stalkers driven from various parts of the city were ultimately gathering here.

Had there really been this many inside the city? They were huddled together to a truly disgusting degree.

The final part of this plan. The most important conclusion was to eliminate the Stalkers gathered together in one go without leaving any behind.

If they failed to catch them all at once after going through the trouble of gathering them, it would be a wasted effort if some escaped and went back into hiding.

To prepare for that, boxes were piled high in various places around the plaza.

They had been pushed back to Plan B now, but they were originally items prepared to be used as Plan A.

It was a plan to wipe out the entire plaza with a frost explosion.

The building repair costs would be significant, but it was a method that could settle the problem very cleanly.

Compared to the cost of dealing with those things roaming around the city, it would result in the cheapest resolution.

However, this time, a new method had emerged thanks to Mika.

It was the large-scale isolation barrier Mika was currently preparing.

It was a method to trap all the Stalkers within a hemispherical barrier covering the entire plaza, through which monsters could not pass, and then deal with them inside.

’If it really doesn’t work out, we can just blow it up. City Hall will pay for the restoration costs anyway, so it doesn’t matter. I might get summoned to a few formal hearings, though....’

’I-it’ll be ready soon...!’

It was likely Chris’s joke, but Mika couldn’t laugh at all and hurriedly prepared the magic with an even more anxious face.

A moment later, Mika’s staff began to glow.

’It’s done!’

At the same time Mika shouted, several more Stalkers arrived at the plaza.

And from one of the watchtowers, a flag signal was raised.

It was the signal that all monsters within the city had been flushed out.

’Start immediately as soon as you’re ready.’

By Mika and the mages, a large-scale barrier covering the entire plaza at once was cast.

A wall through which monsters and ranged attacks could not pass. Originally, it was a spell to create a safe zone where enemies could not enter, but it was also possible to use it in reverse.

The Stalkers gathered in the plaza were trapped inside the barrier.

’Should we go in now?’

The swordsmen of the standby unit deployed inside the barrier, along with elite forces from the Defense Army, walked into the plaza.

’Gross....’

The Stalkers’ gazes turned toward them all at once.

A mercenary shuddered at the sight.

’Are you sure these things don’t roam around outside?’

’They must only be in the Labyrinth. Where else would things like this be outside?’

Hearing the question, Rin answered cautiously.

’Since the Master said they were sealed inside the Labyrinth, there probably aren’t any elsewhere....’

’If things like this were roaming the forests, I’d just retire as a mercenary.’

’Then kill them all here without letting any escape. What if they go outside and breed or something?’

Sharing idle talk, they drew their swords and walked into the plaza.

The Stalkers trapped in the plaza realized there was no place to escape, blocked by the barrier. And also that their opponents could see them.

Screeches echoing through the plaza erupted from everywhere. Since their concealment no longer worked, they no longer hid their aggression and revealed it plainly.

With nowhere to run, the Stalkers rushed recklessly toward the enemy all at once.

’I’ll apply the barriers!’

Individual barriers were cast on the members inside.

Simultaneously, they scattered in different directions, and the battle began.

──!

Evading a claw flying straight forward.

A mercenary’s sword emitted a pure white light as it cut through a Stalker.

Taking a strike aimed at a weak joint, the Stalker was split in two and crashed to the ground.

Toward another Stalker trying to sneak up behind and pounce on the mercenary, a Defense Army soldier clad in heavy armor slammed his body into it.

The Stalker was sent tumbling across the ground, and its head was severed by a sword that immediately flew in from the side.

With their concealment exposed and their escape routes gone, the Stalkers no longer hid their aggression. They charged indiscriminately like a swarm of bugs rushing toward a light.

The swordsmen methodically cut down the lunging Stalkers one by one.

Stalkers were a type whose stats were concentrated in permanent concealment, ambushes, and stealthy movement.

Their attack power and speed during an ambush were considerable, but their stamina and defensive capabilities were pathetic.

Having such extreme stats meant that once their specialty—concealment—was neutralized, they lost most of their advantages. If they couldn’t ambush, they essentially became monsters with no special traits.

In a head-on confrontation, they were just a bit fast; compared to same-level monsters, their combat ability was miserably low.

The swordsmen, composed of members at the Stalker rank or higher, soon exterminated the monsters swarming inside in an instant.

The last Stalker fell, and a quiet silence settled over the plaza.

’...Is that all of them?’

A mercenary’s murmur settled quietly in the plaza.

Inside the plaza, where red auras had been rising chaotically, no more red light was visible.

Chris, watching the scene from atop the clock tower, signaled.

’Check.’

A flag signal was raised at the very top of the clock tower.

Soon, signals rose one by one from watchtowers, soldiers, and the cavalry across the city.

After a moment, the adjutant who confirmed the signals from all units spoke to Chris.

’There are no confirmed remaining monsters within the city.’

’Phew....’

It was the signal that the cleanup operation had ended successfully and perfectly.

A small sigh.

At the same time, the signal for the end of the invasion rose from the walls as well.

It was the end of a long and chaotic day.