(Author note: sorry. I said it's around 3k-4k words but it's less than 3k instead. Sorry for the long delay. With my current health, I still have no idea whether I could go back releasing one to three chapters within 7 days. But don't worry, for the foreseeable future, I don't plan to drop this story. Thank your for reading and bearing with what I have written) 

After she bought the fruits from the old man's stall, she's heading towards the gate where the monsters are.

But the area around the gate had become a soldier's concentration barrack. There were many soldiers posted near the gate and on top of the wall.

The sound of a wall which kept being pounded could still be heard on the other side of the gate.

Willa couldn't get any closer because there's some kind of perimeter which acted like a police line with soldiers guarding it. Although there were curious onlookers trying to check the situation crowding nearby.

Willa decided that it's safe for now and even if the situation goes west, there were many soldiers who would notice anything odd immediately.

So she decided to explore the city.

As expected of a Merchant City, merchants were passing by or were doing business no matter where she looks.

On the way of her exploring she stopped to eat her apple in a nearby cafe where she ordered a drink called Mud, something that she never heard of as a name for a drink.

It really does look like mud in a cup. I wonder how does it taste?

Before she takes a sip, she smelled her drink first.

....it smells weird...

What she smelled was a weird combinations of cocoa, orange, coffee beans and something she didn't understand from what was the smell came from.

Then she took a sip.

........it...tastes weird...yet somehow, it is kind of addicting? This drink is definitely like that king of fruit on earth. Many likes it, but many of them also do not like it to the point of disgusted by it. The presentation is unappetising too. But there is this...sensation of wanting to stop drinking and wanting to continue drinking at the same time. To begin with, how could it be like mud when it made of cocoa, orange, and coffee beans?

All of sudden Willa was being a reviewer.

While she was drinking she overheard people talking nearby. It seems that they're merchants too, just like the many people around here.

"Hey, long time no see. How's business of yours"

"Some troubles here and there, but overall it's fine. You?"

"Smooth sailing as always. Though nowadays it's better than before"

"Show off. Meanwhile, it's getting harder for me to satisfy my customers' demand"

"Why? Are they being fussy"

"Nah, it's just that, it's getting harder to restocked goods from Shyaraya"

"I see, you're main business is selling products from Shyaraya, isn't it? That's rough"

"Yup. Since they vacated from Shyaraya kingdom, it's hard to restock high quality vegetables since two weeks ago. Most of my customers are those who open up restaurants who used ingredients from Shyaraya. My stock is dwindling, and I still haven't been able to restock enough to keep up with the demand"

"You said you're still fine right? Your other business still doing well I guess?"

"Yeah, if my goods transportation business isn't doing well, I might be in the red right now"

"What goods were you transporting nowadays?"

"Rations, cements, woods, rocks. Just those for now, because of the amount of the request for goods transportation was abundant, all of my armada are gone to transport them here and there"

"In my case, I got asked by Lord Voce to secure all kinds of mineral ores. Well, me and some tens of other Merchants. It seems that there's a join international project going on"

"Yeah. I saw a several races working together a lot more nowadays"

"I heard that every nations are trying to build walls around their important sectors"

"Yeah, I saw a bunch of materials that usually being used to build a wall being transported to the warehouse here and there"

"It seems that every nations asked the merchants to gathered the materials"

"Yeah. But building a wall for what though? Are they preparing for war?"

"I don't know, but if it's really a war which is about to happen, every nation wouldn't blatantly making new walls, or working together to build it for that matter"

"Do you think it has something to do with the monsters that attacked this city yesterday?"

"Huh? Why do you think so?"

"I heard from a soldier who is my friend, he's there on top of the wall when the attack happened you see? When we were drinking, he told me that it was scary. The monsters couldn't be harmed and the city wall was starting to crack"

"Seriously? I haven't check the monster because the site is being guarded tightly. But is there really a monster that couldn't be harm?"

"He said that all kind of attacks were useless. Mana imbued arrows, magics, or even burning them after oil being poured on them, those monsters acted like nothing happened and no injury could be seen at all"

"Then isn't this bad?"

"For now the magicians from Shyaraya keeps reinforcing the entrapment dome. But even that was cracking if it's not being mended regularly, he said"

"I also heard that the reason Shyaraya was vacating from their Kingdom was because their territories got attacked by millions of them"

"That's scary"

"Yeah"

After that the two merchants talked about things that didn't interest Willa.

Now that she finished her drink and apple, she continued exploring again.

It seems someone has realized how much threat the monsters bring. I wonder who among these nations who proposed to build a wall? Maybe I should make a contact with an important people to tell them the method of killing those abominations. Still, the fact that we still do not know something besides that fact is quite alarming.

Pondered Willa while she walks with no particular destination in mind.

==================================================================

At one of Voce's guest's mansion at the Elite District of Merchant City, in the afternoon.

King Arexé was reading a report about the woman he's so curious about.

His usual cold and taciturn expression still looked the same, but his eyes that beamed with excitement which belied his face.

He began to read the paper in his hand.

After reading it for while, he came across an information that made him frozen still.

It was an information that says "the woman might be pregnant".

Although the report did say that the information was currently without concrete evidence aside from an old man's testimony who made contact with the woman and saw her rubbing her belly with a loving expression.

King Arexé always told his subjects to report in details, even the dubious ones without any concrete proof needed to be reported.

Usually he would take a neutral stance while reading such dubious reports which was filtered by his Prime Minister already, he would read it calmly and never believe nor doubt it and simply stored it in his mind. 

But just this matter alone, it made him to be someone that his subjects would deem "It's not like His Majesty to be like this".

If I knew this before hand...I would not attack her. What if she has miscarriage? I was such a fool. I should not be too hasty...

Lamented the King, for something that was not as important as what happened often in his life as a king.

I need to meet her...and then secure her. I do not want harm to befall her...

King Arexé himself didn't realize what kind of dangerous and ridiculous thought he just had.

For a king to secure a woman so that she wouldn't be harmed, a woman who harmed him and stole important documents at that, would definitely make his subjects, especially that Prime Minister of his to doubt his action.

King Arexé has been such a perfect king for Shyaraya, he never made incorrect judgements nor policies for his people. But it seems, this time would make it his very first mistake as a king.

"Your Majesty! I have something to report!!"

While in the midst of his thought, one of his royal guard shouted from the other side of the door of his room.

By his tone, it seems to be an urgent matter.

"Come in"

The soldier came in and immediately kneel.

"Your Majesty! The same kind of monsters heading to this city from the direction of the orchards! They numbered around two to three thousand!"

King Arexé widened his eyes in surprised.

Because the Orchards of Guja were on the opposite of the gate that was being attack previously.

And it was highly likely because that gate is facing Shyaraya which got attacked first.

From where were they coming from? They give me the vibe that they could swarm us from any direction.

"Tell Voce. I shall take command of Guja's military for the time being. Also, close all the city gates. Ask our magicians to reinforce them. Tell the other royal guards to stand by at the lawn of this mansion. We would be heading to the monsters after I arrived"

"It shall be done!"

The royal guard stood up and gave his salute before he hurriedly went to do what was ordered.

Meanwhile, King Arexé was getting ready and equipped all of his equipments which were put on standby nearby.

Fully equipped with the highest level of equipments (for this world's standard) for a warrior, King Arexé was ready to head to the battlefield.

====================================================================

"Report"

Asked King Arexé to his Royal Guard Leader.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The villagers between the orchards and Guja were swarmed by them. Only less than twenty from the supposedly three hundreds villagers managed to escape within the gate. Those monsters are currently slamming the wall and the gate, trying to get in. For the moment, we have sealed all the gates"

"Let us head there immediately"

"As you commanded, your majesty"

The 50 royal guards plus King Arexé moved fast. It took them only five minutes to travel what usually was 15 minutes walk from the mansion he stayed in to the gate in question.

When they arrived, the situation was worst than what got reported.

It seemed, there's a defect on the wall. A part of it has crumbled from the might of those monsters. The magicians King Arexé had sent to Guja ahead of time were in a state of panic. Some of them had been eaten.

"20 of you, make a second line of wall surrounding the radius of 200 meter within the breach. 30 come with me to buy time. Do not fight them head on, knock them back anyway you can with earth or ice attribute spells"

"Sir!"

Replied all the royal guards, and then King Arexé and his 30 royal guards attacked the monsters and tried to knock them back.

There were around twenty to thirty of them managed to get inside. Thankfully, the breach on the wall had been sealed, although three Shyaraya's elite magicians got eaten as the price. While Guja's soldiers which were stationed on this gate were either had the same fate as his elite magicians, or ran away.

"20 of you, support with magic. 10 of you follow me"

The King and his 10 royal guards charged on the monsters that aimed at the Elite magicians who were in disarray.

They werere all enhanced with multiple physical enhancement spells.

"Prioritize toppling its balance, do not parry, just dodge. Once you are caught, you die"

King Arexé, with his full-might, swing his sword on one of the monster's leg which was about to grab one of the elite magicians.

His swing was like a pro golfer trying to send the golf ball as far away as possible.

The monster got toppled, and its body immediately slammed to the ground hard.

Another split second, the ground beneath the monster catapulted it right outside the house.

That was the might of the royal guards. 

They didn't need further instructions, the already knew what to do as one.

The spell that catapulted the monster just now might seemed simple.

In fact, it was simple in its magic formula.

But those who could use it as fast, as precise as the Royal Guards of Shyaraya, or knew when to use what spell on what situations, were only handful of people.

To the Royal Guards, using spells were as natural as breathing and doing everyday activities in life. Only the king and the prime minister could topped it.

From the first attack he just did, King Arexé has realized that even with his strongest slash that could bisect the limp of a true dragon couldn't bisect it.

But at least, he understood that his strength just now was too much just to toppled the enemy down.

They weight a ton more or less. I need to reduce my strength to conserve stamina in case something worse happen.

So then, he adjusted his strength only at the level of capable of toppling his enemies down.

After that, he continued golf-swinging left and right with his sword while the 20 royal guards supporting from the back catapulted every downed enemies.

King Arexé looked around after he managed to down fourteen of them and his surrounding became emptier due to the absent of the monsters.

The Royal Guards has managed to get the survivors away. There were only eight of the monsters left which were within the gate and five Royal Guards with him while the rest was taking the survivors to safety.

"Eight more. Psyche up"

The five guards nodded and then charged at them.

Few minutes later, every single one of the monsters have been thrown outside the wall.

Today, the common people knows what would threaten their life. The merchants would spread the words about this to every corner of the continent.

====================================================================

On Willa's side, at the time when the surviving villagers from the village between the orchards and Guja has not arrived and reported the terrible news yet.

Willa was eating her apple while exploring the city.

She was at the part of the city which seemed to be newly built. There wasn't anyone here, only empty buildings that looks newly built, half-finished buildings, and empty lots with building materials.

She was within an alley between two tall buildings, so the sun light didn't reach the ground at this time of day.

Willa was just walking with no particular destination, she just wanted to explore.

Nonchalantly she was enjoying her apple when suddenly she felt a vibration from behind her. 

She turned her head and looked for this ominous feeling.

Then she saw it.

A Warp Gate just like what she had seen before. The gate that let through so many of them.

Willa's expression turned serious.

Instead of just dropping the apple she was holding, she stored it in her storage.

It seems even in a situation like this she did not want to waste foods.

She took out her grenate launcher, set it so the ammunitions got replenished from the storage automatically.

Right after she was ready, the monster came out.

She immediately pulled the trigger and shot it. It got obliterated.

But Willa still had this bad feeling gnawing inside of her.

So she continuously shot towards the gate.

How come they appeared here? Exactly where are they originated from?

Willa looked at the ominous Warp Gate  and continued to shot her grenades inside.

I should go in and investigate...

With slow little steps, Willa was walking towards the gate while still shooting at it.

A moment later, Willa had entered the Warp Gate.

====================================================================

Once she came out of the Warp Gate, what she saw was... abominations.

In front of her were the remains of those monsters who got hit by her grenades scattered about and there are a lot of them.

But that wasn't the abominations.

The abominations were the humanoid black monsters that stood more than two meters could be seen anywhere she looked.

And, on the sky was the same. Smaller in size, but has wing. The looked just the same as the one on the ground.

The amount on the sky blocked most of the sun light as far as her eyes could see.

If I do not defend this Warp Gate until it is closed, there would be many casualties.

The black monsters on the ground charged towards Willa. Or to be prices, the Warp Gate.

It would be unwise for me to fly now with those things flying above...

Willa chose to fight on the ground because she felt that being attack from all three dimensional directions was bad.

Willa could only defend the Warp Gate from being entered this way.

Her spells were from Last Imagine, and there wasn't such a spell like those used by magicians in this world. Plus, she could not learn it when she tried to learn it from Inaugurath last time.

Grenades Launcher would not do with this many enemies...

The she took out her mini-gun on her left hand. Her Grenade Launcher was on her right.

She kept attacking the monsters that swarmed at her non stop as if their quantity was endless.

Her attacks decimated thousands or maybe more in this short time since she got here.

But even so, the swarm got closer in each passing moment.

The Warp Gate hasn't closed yet.

Willa with the power of her title that could handle her firearms at an impossible level has begun to be overwhelmed.

180° in front of her was full of them swarming towards the Warp Gate.

Their distance now were just 30 meters away from her.

While she was keeping them at bay, she felt another vibration behind her.

She took a glance behind her for a split second, and the gate was getting smaller at a fast rate before it finally ceased to exist.

Great! Now I just have to teleport away!

*Slosh*

........Eh?

Willa fell down.

Her sight seemed like she fell down.

But then, she saw the back of her own body standing within her eyesight.

In front of it was a five meters big humanoid scorpion that came out from the ground.

Its pincer decapitated her head.

Before her head could even touched the ground, and her vision turned all black, her head got swallowed by it.