My front door leads to a comic strip

Chapter 170, page 169, Level 7 – Defeat!

On the surface of Orario, flames tore through the night, and explosions echoed, shattering the city's tranquil nightscape.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, Luca, an orc girl from the Ganesha Familia, suppressed her inner anxieties and, in a hoarse voice, directed her fellow members to evacuate civilians and treat the wounded.

"Quick! Bring the wounded this way!"

Her cries struggled through the smoke and dust, her heart burning as if on fire. The commander's condition was unknown, and this sudden attack left her in a state of utter confusion.

Just as she was struggling to drag an old woman from under the crumbling eaves, a sudden chill crept up her spine.

Her keen senses, unique to orcs, allowed her to detect something unusual amidst the noise.

Luca suddenly turned her head.

At the end of the street, thick smoke billowed, a figure shrouded in a black robe walked at an almost steady pace against the panicked crowd, heading straight for the gate of the Ganesha Familia headquarters.

Sparks from the explosion grazed the hem of his robe, yet the man didn't even falter in his stride.

This absolute calm, on the hellish streets, was more chilling than any monster.

Luca's breath hitched, and all the anxiety about the captain's whereabouts was instantly replaced by heightened vigilance.

The headquarters houses the clan's confidential files and serves as a refuge for the seriously wounded—unidentified individuals must never be allowed to approach!

Without hesitation, she left the crowd of people seeking help, took a few steps forward, and placed her right hand on the hilt of her sword.

"stop!"

She raised her voice, trying to drown out the surrounding noise, her gaze fixed on the dark figure. "This is the clan's important territory! Please identify yourself immediately!"

The man in black robes still did not respond, nor did he even turn his head.

Only the crackling of burning and the faint wails in the distance filled the space between the two.

bass.

Luca no longer hesitated, drawing her sword half an inch from its sheath, the blade reflecting the firelight.

"I'm issuing this final warning—take another step forward, and it will be considered an intrusion!"

Upon hearing this, the man in black robes finally stopped and slightly raised his head.

At that moment, Luca felt two cold gazes filled with the aura of death directed at her, and a chill ran down her spine.

Then, a very soft voice rang out, carrying a hint of annoyance at being disturbed by the noise: "————How noisy."

Before the words were even finished, Luca didn't even see the other person's movements clearly, but felt a sharp gust of wind rush straight to her face!

She dodged by tilting her head, relying on her orcish instincts.

Swish!

A dark shadow brushed past her animal ears, taking away a few wisps of fur, and then with a muffled "thud," it embedded itself deeply into the solid stone wall behind her!

Luca stood frozen in place, her heart almost stopping, a chilling sense of lingering fear instantly engulfing her.

If that movement had been slightly higher—

She reached out and touched her earlobe with trembling hands, feeling a slight stinging and wet sensation on her fingertips.

is blood.

She slowly turned her head and looked at the object that was nearly half-embedded in the wall. It turned out to be a seemingly light and flimsy paper card!

Ahead, the figure of the man in black robes had vanished without a trace, as if he had never appeared at all.

Luca took a deep breath of the smoky air and forced herself to calm down.

She called to the group members to be on guard around, and then, with a heavy heart, she forcefully pulled out the card.

By the flickering firelight, she could make out the red characters that seemed to be written in blood.

Instantly, her pupils contracted sharply, and a chill ran down her spine to the top of her head.

This is undoubtedly a blatant provocation directed at the entire Orario region!

Meanwhile, at the top of a tall building in the distance that was not affected by the fire.

The wind howled, filtering the hustle and bustle of the city below into a blurry and distant background noise.

Erebus leaned leisurely against the railing, looking down at the "fireworks" that were igniting in many places below, a smile on his lips as if he were appreciating a masterpiece of art.

Swish.

The black-robed figure who had just disappeared—Alphia—appeared silently behind him like a snowflake.

She surveyed the city's devastation, her clear, ethereal voice ringing out, devoid of any emotional fluctuation: "Was it really necessary to declare war on Orario so openly?"

She was waiting for the war three days later when she suddenly received this order, which makes it hard not to wonder about Erebus's true intentions.

Erebus didn't turn around, but chuckled softly: "Who knows? I just think chaos is the best stage."

However, despite this, a barely perceptible anxiety was hidden deep within his eyes.

What he truly cared about wasn't the stage, but the "actor" on it—the variable named Gu Yuan.

If we allow him to slaughter all the "chess pieces" we have painstakingly accumulated, then there will be no way to talk about the subsequent plans.

The gods cannot use their divine power in the mortal realm, and these powerful adventurer pawns are becoming increasingly rare, which is why Orario deliberately weakens its core strength.

"Now that you're back—"

Gathering his thoughts, he casually instructed, "Go check on Chardo, make sure the pieces are safe, and while you're at it—assess the extent of that hero's strength."

He deliberately emphasized the word "hero".

Alphia remained silent for a moment.

She had known Chardo for many years; though not close friends, they were old acquaintances, and she was well aware of his importance to the Erebus Project.

It would be very troublesome if Chardo were to perish before the plan officially began.

She finally responded with a faint "Mm".

The figure vanished like mist, disappearing into the shadows of the rooftop.

Deep underground, the battlefield between Gu Yuan and Chaldor.

The aftershocks of the battle had not yet completely subsided; the air was thick with dust and the stench of blood, and rubble occasionally slid down from the top of the passage, making a rustling sound.

Chardo's massive body was pinned to the ground by Gu Yuan.

At this moment, Gu Yuan's divine sword seemed to have condensed the weight of mountains, using an invisible gravitational field of tens of thousands of tons to firmly imprison him.

The deadly toxin raged wildly within him, bringing waves of tearing pain and weakness that nearly shattered his will to resist.

"Cough—why—why won't you just give me a quick death?"

Chardo coughed up a mouthful of thick blood mixed with pieces of internal organs and struggled to lift his head.

The knotted muscles trembled involuntarily as they struggled against the pressure and pain.

He looked at the young man who was slowly adjusting his breathing not far away, his eyes full of confusion.

The defeat is inevitable. We could have easily taken his life, so why did we stop?

Gu Yuan drank the healing medicine, and the small wounds on his body were healing rapidly.

He wiped his mouth, his gaze calmly scrutinizing this former legend, his eyes seemingly able to pierce through flesh and look into the depths of the soul: "Kill you? I will, but—not now."

He paused, then asked the crucial question, "Tell me, where is Erebus?"

i”

'

Upon hearing this, Chardo's pupils constricted sharply, his breath caught in his throat, and his face was filled with disbelief.

How could he know this name—this name buried deep in darkness?

Gu Yuan took a step forward, the sole of his boot lightly touching the ground, carrying an invisible pressure.

"I know everything about you, Chardor. I also know the fundamental purpose of Erebus's operation—to create a hero who will save the world."

His gaze swept over the ravaged battlefield, his tone calm yet tinged with impatience, "I personally don't object to this, but until then, could you please stop hiding like rats in the gutter?"

"This endless, covert attack by the enemy is really annoying."

tread.

He took another step closer, looking down at Chardo, and delivered his final ultimatum, striking at Chardo's deepest weakness: "Tell me his location, and I will give you the swift death a warrior deserves."

"You willingly became a pawn, dragging your poisoned and severely injured body back onto the stage, wasn't it all to sacrifice yourself and fulfill the 'hero' in your heart?"

Chardo's massive body shuddered violently.

The shock in his eyes was immediately overshadowed by a deep sense of bewilderment after the word "hero".

How does this young man even know this?

Can he read minds? Who exactly is he?

A deathly silence spread through the ruins.

A moment later, all the light in Chardo's eyes gradually faded, eventually turning into a bottomless weariness and emptiness.

Since everything has been seen through, any further sophistry is futile.

He let out a long sigh that was a mixture of pain, relief, and even a hint of admiration.

"Sigh—young people these days are really something. I think I understand why Erebus chose you."

He completely gave up resisting, his massive body collapsing under the immense pressure as if the last bit of support had been removed.

"Could you let me—think about it?"

This almost pleading whisper is no longer a bargain, but rather the last bit of dignity and time a loser needs when facing a final decision.

Gu Yuan stared at him for a few seconds and realized that the other's mental barrier had collapsed.

Now that the seed has been planted, all we need to do is wait for it to bear fruit; too much pressure is not good.

"Can."

Gu Yuan said no more and deftly took out a specially made binding magic tool, binding Charles, who had completely lost his will to fight, in multiple layers.

With the divine sword's sealing effect in place, ensuring absolute safety, he took one last look at the hero he had defeated, then turned without hesitation and sped deeper into the passage.

The objective is clear—Alicie may be being hunted, so all remaining threats must be eliminated in the time it takes for Chardo to make his final decision.

Only in this way can we proceed with the subsequent plans.