Gacha Leveling

Chapter 243: Chapter 104 – The Hell on Christmas Eve 13

On his way to the Valhalla Riders base, Faralynn called Matthew.

"Where are you?" She asked.

Matthew told her where he was and briefed her on all that had happened on his side.

"Is that man on the horse, Paimon?" Faralynn asked. She was close enough to see him better.

"I think so. What is he doing now?"

"He’s just there. Flying around the city, looking down. All the gates around us closed and we can’t find any other cultists. There are still plenty of demons around. We’re killing what we can and are resting for now."

"What’s the army doing?"

"They’re keeping positions. Did you see what happened?"

"Somewhat. I’m very far away."

"The big portal simply dragged everything upwards. It killed anyone that touched it. Even the demons." Faralynn’s voice was grim. "We have no news from Tina. We also can’t reach Helen’s parents. She’s getting desperate."

"I sent Kazan to aid the army. Can you reach him? He might’ve been caught by the portal as well."

"I haven’t tried yet." Faralynn sighed.

"What are you going to do?" Matthew asked.

"I don’t know. The army has no leadership, they’re just keeping the encirclement on the city waiting for someone to lead them. We can’t count on them. With that man flying around, I don’t think we’re safe here."

"Then come to me. Meet me with the Valhalla Riders. We can plan what to do there." Matthew suggested.

"Alright. I’ll bring everyone."

Matthew found Ffyr and Sarah sitting on a couch. Their faces showed how hopeless they were. Michael brought every one in the guild and the adventurer helping them to the base.

"Matthew." Michael called to him. The sight of him brought a slither of hope to everyone. "What do we do now?"

Matthew sighed and let his body fall between Sarah and Ffyr on the couch. He lifted his head and looked at how everybody waited for him to guide them. But Matthew had nothing. He could not fight Paimon on his own. And bringing the people around him just meant he was going to condemn them to death.

"Flee." He said in a whisper.

"What?" Michael asked, surprised.

"Flee." Matthew said louder. "Anyone who can, grab what you can carry and run away from the city. We failed. There’s no way to defeat Paimon with our forces alone."

A dreadful silence fell around the house. No one moved or said anything.

"There must be something we can do." Michael protested after a minute, breaking the silence.

"I fought a simulacrum of the Northern Star. She’s level 112. The only reason we won was because we had an army of level 60 monsters to help us. And every single one of those monsters died." Matthew said annoyed. "A demon king is about level 150. Perhaps even 200. Do you think any of us have any chance? Most of you will die simply for being around. There’s nothing we can do. The city is doomed. Run away."

It didn’t take long after that. Everyone around started to talk with each other and quickly made plans to leave the city. Within 15 minutes, the house was almost empty. Matthew, Sarah, Ffyr, Michael and 3 other adventurers were the only one who stayed behind.

Michael repassed the news to everyone he could. Flee the city. All the adventurers who were friends with the Valhalla Riders quickly complied. And soon after, every adventurer in the city heard the command.

Very few of them stayed behind. Only people like Matthew and Sarah, whose friends and family were still in the city and unable to leave, stayed behind. A huge exodus started.

Faralynn and the others arrived shortly after. Faralynn also brought Geovanna, Lydia, Claude and other professors from the school. They, like Faralynn herself, were wandering around the city helping civilians and defeating stray demons.

"How many adventurers were lost with the main army?" Michael asked.

"All high leveled ones. Anyone above level 35 with the exception of Mia." Helen said, her voice was cynical.

"Claude and Geovanna are level 41. I’m level 45" Lydia corrected her.

The other professors were all between level 30 and 35.

"Still not enough." Matthew complained.

Lydia walked towards Matthew and stared down at him while smoking a cigarette with her cigarette holder.

Matthew stared back at her.

He could see how she was disappointed with him. He averted her eyes, but could still feel her presence hovering over him.

"You’re just giving up? You?" Lydia accused him.

"What can we do?!" Matthew was acid. "It’s a fucking demon king. I fought two of them before. I know we’re doomed." He exclaimed.

"And you survived two of them." Lydia protested.

"I had help, powerful help. And even so I almost died." Matthew slammed his fist on the couch he was sitting on.

"So you’re just going to give up? Why didn’t you just run away with the others?" Lydia continued.

"I can’t just leave Eric and Ness in the hospital." Matthew whispered.

"Then stop wallowing in self pity and do something." Lydia was stern. "I know you can, Matthew. You’ve always been driven and resourceful." Her docent side said.

Matthew got up, breathing hard from his nose and left the house annoyed.

Sarah meant to go after him, but Ffyr held her.

"Let him breathe a little." The fairy said. "Lydia is right."

"Do we have anyone else?" Karynn asked, looking around and changing topics.

"No." Michael shook his head.

"What should we do now, then?" Mia asked.

"I think we should help people flee the city. Or help defend those who can’t leave." Sarah said.

"I think we could go to the hospital where your guild members are." Claude said. "We can fortify the place and wait for the army to send more men."

"That sounds like a good plan." Erin agreed.

"It is." Matthew said, on the doorway. He avoided looking in their eyes, embarrassed for his early behavior.

Michael and the others started to lift camp, taking the laptops, equipment and potions they had there and putting in the cars.

"Professor." Matthew called Lydia.

"Yes, Matthew." Lydia replied with a smile.

"Thank you." He said. "You’re right."

"I know." Lydia tapped her cigarette letting the ashes fall in the front lawn.

On the way to the hospital they didn’t see any demons. Neither they felt them. It seemed for a while that the worst was over. But the threat of the demon king flying in the sky was still visible.

The hospital was surrounded by police officers and some army men. They were already setting up barriers and positioning defenses on the roof. They were very receptive to the party and knowing they were from Laufgraan gave them a huge boost in morale.

The soldiers there were just low leveled soldiers and only a handful of cops had any level at all.

Paula received them and informed them that Vanessa was doing surgery.

"And how is Lumi?" Sarah asked, looking at the ring the bird nested inside.

"She’s recovering. Doubt she’ll be able to fight." Paula gave her a sad smile. "But she’s well."

"And Sebas?" Sarah asked, afraid of the answer.

"I managed to speak to him, in his dream. It was hard to get through to him." Paula sighs. "I don’t know if he understood me. His mind is... Messy. But I told him to do what you said."

"Where is he?" Sarah asked.

Paula pointed her to Sebastian’s room.

Matthew went with her while all the others helped the people preparing the hospital’s defenses.

Sebas was connected to machines in the ICU that helped him breathe and monitored his status. A blood bag hung over him feeding his veins.

Sarah sat by his side and held his hand.

Matthew used Identify on the man and smiled.

"He did it. Swordsman level 2."

"Really?!" Sarah smiled widely filled with hope.

"Let’s hope it’s enough." Matthew patted her shoulder and left the room, leaving her inside with him.

Matthew then proceeded to go upstairs. There he found soldiers keeping an eye on the man flying on her red winged horse.

"What is he doing?" Matthew asked the soldiers.

"Just flying around. Sometimes he goes down, other times he enters buildings. I don’t quite get it." One of the soldiers said, handing a pair of binoculars to Matthew.

"He doesn’t look like a demon." Matthew said, seeing the handsome face of the man.

"It’s the Red Rider." Another soldier said, on his knees and praying.

"You’re Christian?" Matthew asked him, seeing he had a chaplet in his hands.

"Catholic." The first soldier added.

"You said he is the red rider?" Matthew questioned him.

"In the Apocalypse, it is said that at the end of the world, 4 riders would bring ruin to Earth. The White Rider, Conquest, the Red Rider, War, The Black Rider, Hunger, and the Pale Rider, Death." The soldier explained.

Matthew knew those titles. Conquest was Beleth, who Aym killed before he could come to Earth. Hunger was Vine. He had no idea who War and Death were. Was Paimon War? He never heard him being called that.

Is that really Paimon? Matthew thought. He remembered that Tilyth said that Paimon wasn’t interested in Earth. But if that wasn’t Paimon, why did Samil summon the Red Rider if he served Paimon?

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