Chapter 397 – Railed.

“Shit… This is a bad idea…”

“But if I don’t do something…”

The ceiling above rumbled as the frantic Bernir searched for a suitable weapon for the occasion. The testing facility housed numerous runic devices capable of harming even the most formidable monsters and causing significant damage to city blocks. However, amidst the current chaos, he found it challenging to make a choice.

“I don’t think this will be much help…”

Bernir raised a substantial object known as the runic rifle, a creation of his boss. He was uncertain about how it worked but understood that it could be used to fend off monsters or intruders. The device featured a trigger button that required no mana usage, and a replaceable battery cartridge could be inserted into its center, eliminating the need for the bulky battery backpack he typically wore. This innovative design reduced the weight and enhanced mobility, though it came at the cost of a more limited charge.

Under normal circumstances, this equipment might have sufficed against typical intruders. However, they now faced a formidable challenge in the form of abyssal cultists and undead monsters. Bernir could envision himself managing to eliminate a few undead or regular cultists before needing to rely on assistance from Roland. As he sifted through the array of cutting-edge weapons, he couldn’t help but curse his role as a non-combatant. He recognized his limited utility, and even if these weapons were potent, he understood that the moment he was spotted by a capable combatant, he would become a burden.

“Maybe I should just leave…”

Bernir’s thoughts wavered as he considered the people he had ushered through the escape tunnels. They had loaded the sleeping guests onto a cart, which safely transported them to their refuge. The exit presented fewer complications than the entrance, and it could be unlocked using a runic card that Roland had given him. So, when his assistance was no longer required below, he made the decision to slip away and offer his help above.

“Bernir, what are you doing here?”

“W-what!?”

While he contemplated the viability of his plan, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and a voice called out to him. Startled, he accidentally fired the weapon he was holding and tumbled to the ground. As he spun around, the person behind him leaped back in terror, letting out a scream as she made her presence known.

“Misus? W-what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? I should ask you the same question…”

Before him stood Elodia, who had recently become Roland’s wife. Her clothes looked different and she was wearing a backpack that was similar to the ones used for runic batteries. Her wedding gown had been replaced by a sturdy leather armor adorned with metallic components and inscribed with runes. It was evident that this suit had been crafted by Roland, although Bernir was unaware of its specific purpose.

“I just wanted to help… but what about you? This is not the way to the escape tunnel.”

“I uh…’

She averted her gaze, and Bernir narrowed his eyes. It was immediately apparent to him that she likely had the exact same idea. This palace served as the storage and testing ground for the multitude of runic weapons and was the best area to gear up before ascending the elevator.

“Haha, I see we both had the same silly plan…”

“What do you mean silly?”

“Well…”

Before Bernir could respond to the question, the entire place began to tremble. The reinforced ceiling, which had been meticulously prepared for such situations, started to crack, and even sizable boulders began to fall. The two hurriedly moved about, attempting to evade the collapsing surroundings.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know, we should check.”

“Aye! I almost forgot.”

Fortunately, they didn’t need to speculate about the situation. Golemic eyes, functioning much like modern-day cameras, were strategically positioned throughout the entire compound. Roland had set up multiple stations from which a person could view real-time feeds from these runic cameras. One of these stations was nearby, and the two hurriedly made their way there to check on their allies.

“T-this doesn’t look good…”

Although it took them about half a minute to locate a functioning golemic camera, they eventually unveiled the truth. They observed a grotesque, otherworldly creature swatting everyone aside, and even Roland in his formidable armor was no match for it. As they watched the battle unfold, they quickly realized that the situation above ground was dire, and the group was likely facing a losing battle.

“I… I think we’ll need something bigger than these…”

Bernir glanced at the small magical gun he had initially chosen and tossed it aside. It was evident that if even a group of tier 3 class holders couldn’t handle a creature of that magnitude, then the two of them would only be a hindrance.

“Can we really do nothing but wait here? Where are those soldiers?”

Elodia frowned, as she had fulfilled her role by summoning the knights. Afterward, she gathered a few items from the panic room and made her way to this location. She understood that it went against Roland’s wishes, but she couldn’t simply stay there. If there was anything she could do to assist, she was willing, but at the moment, it seemed like there was nothing she could do besides running.

“Is there really nothing, Bernir?”

“Uh…”

Her gaze met Bernir’s as he struggled to find a solution. There were numerous items in this testing facility, but none of them appeared powerful enough to be of any assistance. They could attempt to gather all the magical explosives to create a smoke screen, but that seemed limited in effectiveness. However, as he surveyed the area, his eyes fell upon the large exoskeleton he had been learning to operate recently.

“Wait… there might be something… with that thing, it might be possible…”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there was one experimental weapon the boss created but he said it was too dangerous to test here so we never went through it…”

Bernir knew that it wasn’t the greatest idea but the weapon in question was the best bet. How Roland explained it to him and how he treated it, gave the idea some merit. If it was something that could destroy the whole testing facility, then perhaps it would be powerful enough to destroy that strange horror above ground. Soon he sprinted over to the specific item that was covered with a gray piece of cloth, with one strong yank it was revealed to them.

“This is it?”

“Yes.”

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“But isn’t it too big, how will we get it outside?”