Chapter 41
It took four days for Keith’s Mana Erosion value to drop from 88% to 12%.
During that time, he intentionally stayed away from the Blockade, unwilling to watch people die. Keith noticed that with every passing day, the atmosphere of the military compound grew increasingly heavy as people lost their friends and loved ones.
In the end, Keith couldn’t hold back from asking Yara about the casualty count.
The numbers were staggering.
Thirty-four thousand fell on the day Keith fought.
Thirty-two thousand on the second.
Thirty-one thousand on the third.
Twenty-nine thousand on the fourth.
Twenty-six thousand on the fifth.
Though it was hard for Keith to quantify exactly how many died in total, he felt an unprecedented sadness upon learning the statistics.
It proved that the Innate’s military was bleeding hard.
In exchange for lives, they acquired an influx of skill gems, equipment, elixirs, and materials every time they beat back the monster horde. Without those, the situation would’ve been hopeless and morale low.
The rewards were so lucrative that everyone willingly risked their safety again and again.
It made Keith question their motivations.
Was it greed that drove them?
Probably not.
Keith contemplated long and hard before arriving at what he guessed was the answer.
They took the risk so that they wouldn’t have to in the future.
While the countless men and women in the military knew it was dangerous, they possessed the courage and boldness to step forward, all to fight for what they believed in.
Invigorated by their mentality, Keith now regretted spending so much mana earlier.
Instead of fighting alongside his fellow countrymen and women, he had taken four days to recuperate. Keith didn’t want to take so long to recover after every battle. He decided that from now on, he would keep a firm leash on his mana consumption.
After looking at his Mana Erosion gauge, Keith sat crosslegged and mentally prepared for tomorrow, unaware that he had responded contrary to Yara’s hidden scheme.
The military’s leadership paid close attention to the Blockade Event’s contribution ranking, and Keith’s rank of 105 out of millions hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Yara was especially horrified.
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Keith’s unexpected power had come from out of nowhere.
Scarred by the past, she saw a possibility where Keith perished from taking on heavy responsibilities and had sent the casualty information to make him back off. Yet, it made Keith feel aggrieved that he wasn’t there to help fight the monster horde.
Yara wouldn’t have sent him the data if she knew what his response would’ve been.
And so, the next day, Keith strode out to the Blockade, arriving a few hours early.
He took his position atop the ramparts and waited.
From time to time, more people showed up, gradually taking up the remaining space.
Suddenly, a voice called out to Keith, “Hey, you’re back.”
Keith glanced to his left, finding the vaguely familiar visage of a middle-aged elf woman. “You are…?”
“I’m Renalla. I took you to the medics when you collapsed,” Renalla explained, smiling.
“Oh!” Keith’s expression brightened. “Thank you for your help back then.”
Renalla waved her hand dismissively, asking, “What happened, anyway?”
Keith heaved a sigh. “I spent too much mana and almost acquired Mana Sickness.”
“Wow. I’ve heard of that condition. Don’t you need to consume a colossal amount of mana in a short time? I’m impressed,” Renalla gave a thumbs up and refrained from asking how Keith managed to accomplish it. She guessed it had something to do with his innate gift.
“Yeah, I don’t recommend it,” Keith chuckled.
Renalla glanced around and moved closer to Keith. Leaning in, she whispered, “Were you the one who fired those death rays?”
“Death rays?” Keith took a moment to understand what Renalla was referring to.
“Yes!” Renalla nodded fiercely, an excited glint in her eyes. “Everyone’s been trying to figure out who cast that skill. I was standing right next to you on that day and remember you only collapsed after those death rays appeared. You did it, right?”
Since Renalla had already connected the dots, Keith told the truth, “It was.”
“Awesome!” Renalla punched Keith on the shoulder and laughed vigorously.
At that moment, a stern-looking male dwarf with a meticulously groomed long beard and numerous medals on their armor approached Renalla and Keith.
Renella jumped in shock at his appearance and quickly saluted, “Colonol Hadjar, sir!”
Hadjar grunted and turned to Keith. “Are you Keith Walker?”
“I am,” Keith was confused.
Hadjar stared at Keith quietly for over ten seconds before stating, “Section B34 is under my command.”
After saying that, Hadjar fell silent again.
When almost a dozen seconds passed, Keith started to say, “Did I do som-“
“I’m here for one thing,” Hadjar interrupted.
Keith was inwardly amused and waited patiently until Hadjar pulled out an intricate necklace and asked, “Are you willing to accept the position of a War Array guardian and defend Section B34 with your life?”
This time, it was Keith’s turn to turn mute.
Upon seeing Keith’s lackluster response, Renalla shook his shoulder, speaking excitedly, “Take it! Take it!”
Hadjar glared at Renalla and grunted.
“Oops,” Renalla calmed down and scrutinized the sky.
Hadjar turned back to Keith and said, “I should add that 75% of the contribution points you earn will go towards the men and women sharing their power with you.”
Hadjar didn’t press Keith for an answer and stood, waiting.
The moments passed, and although Keith hadn’t said anything, his mind was in chaos.
Never in his life had he encountered such a difficult decision.
Should he accept or decline?
It was a seemingly simple question, yet it involved shouldering a heavy responsibility. By accepting, Keith would have to fight against the strongest monsters in the horde. He couldn’t stay atop the wall.
While the risk was high, the benefits were hard to pass up.
A War Array granted a single person the power of many.
Keith would gain vastly higher stats and a much larger mana pool. His Mana Erosion resistance would likely skyrocket!
There was only one question lingering in Keith’s mind.
He asked Hadjar, “Why me?”
The dwarf took five seconds to respond, “We hold 20 sections of the Blockade, with each having six War Array holders. Though it's normal for them to rank at the top, on the first day, you could squeeze into rank 105 even without a War Array backing you up. It’d be a mistake for the military not to utilize your combat power. However, you’re a private citizen. We can’t force you.”
Keith voiced his concern, “That was days ago. I’m sure I’ve fallen behind.”
“With your potential, you’ll need just a single day to catch up,” Hadjar responded.
Keith thought back to the decision he made yesterday. Taking a deep breath, he took the War Array necklace in Hadjar’s extended hand, saying, “Fine, I accept.”