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…why did the titans have to be creatures with such a good biological clock? It seems that when the first rays of the sun hit the ground, they had risen from the lethargy they were during the night!
Also, probably because of the large crowd of people gathered in this place, the number of titans coming towards us couldn't be compared to when I went out by myself earlier! Dozens of these could be seen walking slowly from all directions… yes, we were practically surrounded.
“N-No… Noooo!! It's over ... it's all over!! ”
"I-I don't want to die..."
“N-Noooo!! I don't want to be devoured by the titans!! ”
Obviously, the people who had been relieved that the girls and Horo eliminated the previous group of titans, once again despair and fear washed over them. I had to act before chaos spread like before!
“Those who don't want to follow me, the remaining option left to you is obvious. These people have to face those titans by themselves!
Things are simple, either to follow me in the hope that I can lead you to safety... or to stay here to probably end up in the stomachs of those things!
I would like to give all of you time to consider these options, but… I don't think they have the same patience as I do to wait for your decision.
So choose quickly!!”
…this was perhaps a bit unfair, I know. There's nothing worse than having to choose one thing while someone ties a rope around your neck and starts tightening it while waiting for your answer...in fact, this probably can't be called a choice, they're just being forced to.
But, I wasn't picky…if this made things easier for me, then I had no complaints. Also, it wasn't like I was trying to exploit them or anything, my purpose was still to save most of them. That's why I had a clear conscience... well, almost.
“ P-Please help us!! ”
"I-I'll do anything, but please get us out of here!!"
“Y-Yes!! I don't mind becoming your slave! At least it's much better than ending up being eaten by those titans!! ”
After reminding them of the option of being able to get out of here alive since many forgot it by fear, immediately people start promising to accept my requirements to help them. Even the voices of those who had some doubts before had now completely changed their words... It seems that there was no longer anyone willing to waste any more time to talk more about the conditions I put down.
…well, surely those people will reappear once things settle down a bit, but I can fix those things once they come up again. That didn't bother me too much.
“…you look like a tyrant”
“…”
I agree with Horo's words, there is nothing worse than someone who leads people through fear… but it's okay, I wasn't the one who generated this to them. I was just using it a bit to my advantage.
“See that hill? Behind it is a safe place where the titans can't get to you! If you want to get out of here alive, then start heading there as fast as you can!!"
“T-That hill?”
“B-But it's still a bit far, isn't it? C-Can we get there safely? ”
“ W-We don't have a choice, if we don't then we'll die for sure!! ”
“B-But… what about the mission we had?”
"Who cares? It's obvious that those people only sent us here to die!! ”
“R-Run!!”
Now with the people willing to follow my words, I point to the hill where around I had built the citadel. It was still several miles away, but… things were still much better than I had expected. At least we had gotten this far without much trouble.
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Immediately people start walking or running towards it, and the group of about 15,000 individuals with only one goal in mind move together.
Now the girls and I had to do our part too...
“I and the two of you will go to the front of the group to clear the way for any giants that get in the way. Horo, you will take the back to block as many enemies as possible.”
After getting off Horo's head, I give the girls instructions. This was the best formation I could think of for this. Saeko and Shigure along with me would be like the arrowhead of this formation to quickly open the way, while Horo will run in the rear and sides of the group making a "U" shaped path. With her mobility this shouldn't be much of a problem.
They all nod to my words, and without wasting time each one takes their position. So as I had imagined before, the 4 of us started herding to protect from the “wolves” these “sheep”. In addition, people who seemed to be from the Militia also offered to help with the work.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to keep a long line of about 15,000 people totally protected by just a small group like ours… occasionally, a titan managed to pass the thin perimeter of protection that we had created. Mainly in the places that were protected by the people of the Militia… or when several of the titans were grouped in a single point where were the girls or me.
The worse was that the loss of one of those people from the Militia also meant that the area that the others had to guard increased... and thus, things became a little more complicated.
“ Advance in a united way, compact the formation even more!! ”
“Close the gaps!!”
“Don't split up!!”
That was the only thing that could be done now to improve the situation… the girls and I along with the horsemen of the militia were constantly giving instructions while we continued to eliminate any titan that came to try to take a bite of these juicy "sheep"!
Furthermore, the girls and I had also used several of the scrolls that I had earned in the previous missions. While we weren't doing it because any of us were at risk, these still helped deal with some titans when they came in numbers we couldn't handle as quickly.
In this way, we continued moving for several tens of minutes… although for us who protected the group, and even this one, surely every minute was as if it were an hour! I could see the sweat trickling down the girls' foreheads... and I myself several times had to wipe my face of it with my hand while panting!
“A-A wall?”
"W-Why is there another wall in this place?"
“Who cares about that? The only thing worth saying is that we are saved!! ”
"W-We're saved!!!"
Finally… finally the citadel walls that concealed the hill were clearly visible to everyone! People's spirits and energy at the sight of these seem to return, and everyone's feet move even faster!
I was also quite happy about this… this meant that soon we had finished our work and could rest a bit! We really needed it... although not so much because of physical fatigue, but because of mental stress!!
Not long after, the first person passes through the gate of the wall through which we had arrived… and, in the following seconds, one after another continues to advance into the citadel. Meanwhile, the ones in charge of dealing with the titans continue to protect the people… but, knowing that they had a safe place where they could be soon, all of them were also motivated this time.
And since the number of people in the group was rapidly disappearing on the other side of the walls, things became much easier… almost only with Horo's help we could keep an area outside the gate safe.
“ Close the door!!”
"Y-Yes!!"
With the great wolf Horo being the last to pass through the door, I give instructions for the door to be locked. Some titans try to fight their way through this one, but it seems that Shigure and I had done a good job on this one. Although it shakes a little, it stands firm and prevents the passage of those giants.
[ Boom !!] [ Boom !!] [ Boom !!]
"W-Will those walls hold up?"
“I-I hope they are as strong as the walls Maria and Rose...”
"There's no need to worry about that... They're probably even stronger."
Yes, there was no need to worry about that. Unfortunately, although I was totally sure of my words, not much believed them and they continued to look at the walls as if they expected a hole to appear at any moment...
"W-We're safe... We're safe!!"
“I-I thought we would all die, b-but… we managed to survive! Thank you, thank you… truly thank you!! ”
“ Yes, we are alive!! ”
It's not until the sound of the titans' blows stops that everyone can breathe a sigh of relief, cry with joy, or celebrate having survived this... some even seem to forget Horo's presence by my side and come over to thank me.
"Why?! Why you couldn't protect us better… I-If you had, then she'd be alive now! ”
“ Noooo!! Why did my father have to die?!! ”
“G-Give me back my brother!!”
…well, not everyone could act cheerful right now. It's a shame, but it was impossible that there were no casualties in this big group of people surrounded by many titans.
Also, not all of these were due to the titans… many died being trampled by the crowd! To anyone who stumbled along the way only such fate awaited him! Unfortunately, there was no time to stop even a little.
And even some died due to poor health… the shock and fear of having the titans just a few meters away from them was too much! Or simply their bodies could not withstand the demands and pressure of this short journey.
Yes… in this group there were many elderly people who should have spent their remaining days quietly. That they should be here really is a pity.
"All those who are part of the military or... were before, meet me at that temple."
Either way, I couldn't waste my time just lamenting about it. There were a lot of things that needed to be done right now, and I think that these people would be the most helpful for now. After all, in any military, the first thing they are taught is to follow orders without asking.
Without waiting for an answer, I walk with the girls towards the temple. Even though the titans didn't attack the walls for a long time, I had to see that it didn't need more crystals… this could be said to be the single most serious weakness of those walls. Without the energy of the crystals, these would probably collapse quickly!
“ Haaa~ That was more tiring than I expected”
“Yes, but thanks to you, I think there were far fewer casualties than I had anticipated before. Thank you, Horo-san.”
“ Hmp~ At least you know that. Also, if you want to thank me, you'd better do it in the form of some food like before~! ”
"…it's fine. Later I'll let you eat until you can't see the food anymore."
"It's a promise~!"
When we get near the temple, Horo returns to her human form and as she puts her clothes back on, she complains a bit about the hard work she had to do. It was more than clear that she was MVP this time!
…and yes, she certainly had a gluttonous trait about her!
Not that I cared much about that, though. It was a very cheap price to pay to have her help!! In fact, instead of worrying about that, there was something else that interested me much more...
“ By the way, Horo-san… did you eat all the crystals of those giants? ”
"…why?"
“…”
Horo's joy fades as she listens to me and then looks at me with narrowed eyes… it seemed that perhaps she misunderstood my words a bit... as if I was telling her that since she had eaten so many crystals, then why was she so hungry now?
But, as I said before, I couldn't care less about that! The reason for my questioning was due to another reason!!