Shadow Slave

The coastal highway... that damned thing.

Sunny was, of course, aware that traveling by means of the highway was an option. An incredible option, even, considering that the highway was wide, flat, kept in good condition, and stretched most of the way to the very northern edge of the Antarctic Center as it skirted the whole landmass between the mountains and the ocean.

But that was exactly the problem with it. Built along the coast, it was both awfully close to the water and utterly exposed. Here in the mountains, they were hidden from most of the prowling Nightmare Creatures by the terrain, and could use it to their advantage. Out there on the coast, nothing would be protecting them from the hordes of abominations, both those on land and those hiding beneath the waves.

Sergeant Gere and the other survivors of the initial, much larger convoy could attest to the horrors of the coastal highway. They had barely escaped it once, losing most of the transports and every member of their Awakened escort in the process.

Indeed, the soldier looked incredibly tense at Luster's suggestion.

"With all due respect, you don't know what you are talking about. That place... it's a death trap. A handful of us managed to survive a shorter journey across the highway than what you are proposing, and even that was by some miracle."

Luster scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, but your situation back then was different."

Gere frowned.

"How so?"

The young man looked at him with surprise.

"I mean, isn't it obvious? You didn't have the Captain with you!"

'...What?'

Sunny stared at Luster for a few moments, dumbfounded. Did the fool finally lose his mind?

However, Sergeant Gere reaction to the ridiculous response was out of his expectation. Instead of mocking Luster, the soldier looked down and cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Well... that is true, indeed..."

blinked a couple of

a miracle worker. I am afraid of the

much longer, much more arduous journey through the mountains, after all. Even if the highway offered a convenient path to their destination, it held a much higher risk of running into something that none of them was prepared to handle. From hordes of Nightmare Creatures akin to the Devouring Cloud to the damned Terror that had slaughtered every living soul at LO49, to countless other

in the north by Saint Tyris, but the location of the monstrosity that Army Command had designated as Goliath

However-

worst. By now, he had successfully managed to lead the convoy into pretty much every possible terrible situation that they had been supposed to avoid

path ahead so close to being impassable and the civilian transports falling apart on the steep, unreliable mountain roads... the more

Kim sighed.

Erebus Field. That is if we go straight, of course. If we have to maneuver through the mountains and circle around them in search of passable roads, fighting Nightmare Creatures as we go... I doubt that many of us

a tentative

six hundred kilometers in a matter of hours. Of course, this is a huge risk, b-but... isn't it an even bigger risk to stubbornly push forward through the mountains, if

Sunny winced.

dangerous, but so were the mountains. They were teeming with Nightmare Creatures of all

time, which no one except for Sunny - and perhaps Professor Obel -

not earning any victories against the tide of abominations... instead, its position was gradually worsening. Those additional days and weeks Kim had mentioned were much more important than she knew,

Sunny sighed.

Remaining in the mountains was a bit safer, but also a bit hopeless. Trying to charge

was like rolling a

I feel lucky

silent for a long time, then deactivated the projection and looked at

tiredly rubbed his

ever slowing down... do everything you can. I don't care if the transports completely fall apart and explode after that, just make sure that nothing breaks down on

everyone was suddenly extremely busy. Getting the convoy ready for a high-speed charge across the coastal highway was not a small task, especially considering that it was most likely going to

to do, so he simply went outside and stared

meters away from him, the lone Sleeper of the convoy was busy applying Black Venom to whatever bullets Sergeant Gere's soldiers had left.

curious, Sunny called out to the young

you. What do you