The Last Monarch : Unlimited Regeneration
Chapter 42: The Assault

Chapter 42: The Assault

Lyrith walked through the narrow alleys of Chillg City. A rough headscarf covered part of her face, something she had stolen just moments ago. Although the fabric was itchy and reeked with an unpleasant smell, she didn’t complain. To her, it was a small price to pay for entering demi-human territory.

It was incredibly risky—if she were discovered, she could very well be attacked—but Lyrith took that risk.

"I must find an antidote for Alvaric."

The glow of the city lanterns cast wild shadows along the walls of the buildings. Lyrith stood still for several minutes, unmoving, mesmerized by the beautiful lights of Chillg.

She remained there until someone tapped her shoulder. Instantly, she moved away from the spot, hurrying with long strides. Truthfully, Lyrith had no idea where to go—she knew nothing about Chillg.

But she believed she could find the antidote here.

She kept walking. So many demi-humans filled the streets. They wore clothes, traded goods, chatted, bargained, argued, and more. Yet nothing caught Lyrith’s attention—until she saw a brightly lit building ahead.

It was still daylight, but the place was made to stand out. Outside, several men and women were chatting. Some were touching each other’s sensitive parts. A few were even kissing without a shred of shame.

Lyrith, however, didn’t care about any of that. She stepped inside, and immediately, she saw many men and women gathered. The smell of alcohol and perfume mixed thickly in the air, making her nose itch.

"Miss, can I help you?" a demi-human woman asked.

Lyrith turned, but before she could speak, the woman was shoved aside by two men. A moment later, Lyrith was surrounded by several men. Although her upper body was covered, her waist and legs were still visible. Her figure was striking.

It was almost impossible for any man not to be attracted to her. And that was exactly what happened. She had drawn their lustful attention. The five men smiled wickedly.

"Do any of you know where I can find an antidote?" Lyrith asked innocently.

She thought the men approached her to help. She was terribly mistaken. The men exchanged glances and nodded. One of them stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her.

"Ah, you’re looking for an antidote? I know just the place," said one of them.

"That’s right. We know where it is. Just come with us!" another man added.

Lyrith nodded. "Thank you."

She felt so relieved—finally, she might be able to save Alvaric. Her heart eased. She followed the men willingly.

At the same time, those men grinned widely. They were thrilled.

"This one’s a real catch," one of them said.

***

The royal army was fully prepared for battle. They had been on the move since early morning. Now, they stood before the gates of Chillg City, waiting for the order from their general. This time, two generals had been dispatched, but the main commander remained Clard.

He was a Bird Sky-type demi-human. Tall-bodied, feathered, with a pair of wings on his back. His main weapon was a long spear.

TAAARAAAA!!

A loud blast pierced the morning sky. The wind carried its echo far in all directions. The royal soldiers brimmed with morale. They gripped their weapons tightly. This was a battle against monsters—a task they were used to.

Dum! Dum! Dum!

War drums began to beat. Their heavy rhythm made the ground tremble. It was the sign that the troops could begin moving. Their synchronized footsteps echoed as they marched toward the forest near the desert border. Their goal: the Ant Bee nest.

What made this different was the presence of a special monster—the so-called Prince of Ant Bee, said to be powerful.

"Sir, the troops from Chillg City haven’t joined yet. Should we wait for them?" a soldier asked.

Bramn turned. "Let them be. They’ll catch up."

The soldier nodded and returned to formation. Bramn was the backup general assigned alongside Clard. He was an excellent close-combat fighter, which placed him at the very front. However, decisions still fell to Clard, the lead commander.

Bramn looked up. "He’s already here."

High in the sky, Clard flapped his wings. Wind swirled rapidly around his body. He held a spear in his right hand, his gaze serious—he never took missions lightly. He was one of the strongest among the Ten Reserve Generals.

In fact, he had already been recommended for promotion to Main General. But he had to compete with two other reserve generals. The king had promised that if he succeeded in this mission, he would become the top candidate. This made Clard extremely focused.

Still, something felt off. Their mission was only to wipe out the Ant Bee colony. Sure, there was the Prince of Ant Bee, but just one. Clard was confident in his combat abilities. He believed he could match the Prince—or even defeat him.

"I must complete this mission perfectly," Clard said.

Seconds later, his eyes narrowed at the forest. He saw black creatures moving within. They moved fast—some even climbed trees. But when Clard looked again, they vanished.

"What was that?" he muttered.

They were small, multi-legged, and fast.

"Was that Ant Bee?"

He shook his head. No, he was sure they weren’t Ant Bees. The way those creatures moved seemed organized. Intelligent. Something Ant Bees were not. Stupid monsters like them didn’t move like that.

"Or... is this the work of the Prince of Ant Bee? If so, they already know we’re coming. I need to be careful."

***

Inside the nest, Niva was tending to Alvaric. She tried mixing medicinal plants and tested them on herself before giving them to him. What she was doing was incredibly difficult. The chance of success was only 0.10%. Nearly impossible—unless a miracle occurred. And that was what Niva hoped for.

"Come on! Just give me a miracle," she pleaded.

As she worked, an Ant Bee landed on her shoulder and began whispering.

Her eyes widened. Shock filled her expression.

"Damn. This is really insane," she muttered.