UNIT-556: Wolf Pack - Taking The Path As A New Ruler In The Another World -

Chapter 4: The Chaos Within the Dungeon

.- Derek's POV -

I sat on the ground, a peculiar yet overwhelmingly powerful weapon known as a light machine gun placed on the makeshift wall made of "sandbags," a combination of empty sacks and sand piled up to form barricades at the height of a normal human's waist. Genji instructed us to build a defense here in the middle of the main path, where it connected to different paths heading in the same direction towards the dungeon.

- FLASHBACK -

"Derek, shoot them down. We need to protect Liliana and Horus. I'll evacuate everyone outside the dungeon to relocate out of this shit hole!" Genji shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. The gun was deafeningly loud and powerful as I held down the trigger of the machine gun, spewing multiple projectiles out of the muzzles and mowing down the undead as we retreated from the dungeon.

"EVERYONE, GET OUT OF HERE NOW! MORE MONSTERS ARE COMING. TAKE THE INJURED WITH YOU, WE'LL COVER!!!" Taurus cried out, urging everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible. People gathered their belongings and carried the injured, while Tatania reminded them not to separate from the group. Genji fired his weapon, taking out hobgoblins blocking the road, while Sorana and Tatania provided covering fire. Meanwhile, Liliana tended to the injured with her healing magic. Despite the chaos, Genji remained steadfast, carrying injured individuals while continuing to fire his gun single-handedly.

By the time we reached the town, Genji negotiated with the man in charge to fortify the area, setting up barricades and medical tents. Many volunteers came forward to help.

- Present -

I took a pack of cigarettes that Genji had given me, savoring the luxury that only nobles could afford. I lit a cigarette according to Genji's instructions, enjoying its bitter yet satisfying taste as I guarded my position with the machine gun. Passing the pack to the adventurers and guards beside me, I took a moment to relax.

"Hey, newbie, tell me what happened during the examination and how all of this came about," the guard equipped with a magic rifle asked me as he smoked.

"We don't know exactly. Everyone in the examination faced unexpected crises. We encountered monsters, ranked D and C, in the forest and dungeon," I replied, noticing the shock on the adventurer's face.

"Hey, you were once in the Adventurer's Guild before becoming a guardsman, right?" the adventurer with the bow asked the guard.

"Yeah, back when I was a neophyte, we only encountered slimes and spiders. Sometimes weaker goblins during exams," the guard reminisced.

"I also fought those monsters when I was a neophyte. What did you guys fight?" the adventurer inquired.

"Red wolves, hobgoblins, arachnids, and undead," I answered, sensing their growing unease.

"Those monsters..." the guard's hand shook as he smoked.

"Those monsters?" I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling a chill run down my spine.

"Those are the monsters that appeared before the Eadara Stampede three years ago. Three days after their sighting, the stampede occurred, causing great casualties. Every military and guild issued warnings about them. The same happened nine years ago before stampedes in Leadalia, Mikusha, and S'rajah," the guard revealed, sending shivers down my spine. My original hometown was Mikusha, and I had witnessed the horrors of the stampede firsthand. Determined to avenge my father's death, I swore to kill the horrifying monster known as Solomon.

"Derek," Genji's voice interrupted my thoughts as he stood behind the sandbags with the rest of our squad. Two men walked away, seeming to know something. Genji sat on the sandbag, exhaling deeply before speaking.