"We can’t fight them head-on, Hulim! Stay close behind me—don’t fall behind! We’re almost there; let’s pick up speed and charge through!"
"Got it!"
"Let’s go!"
Charkin and Hulim urged their Shieldhorn Beasts forward at the same time.
Spotting their attempt to escape, the Wyverns in the sky immediately dove down to give chase.
"Get lost——!"
Boom!
Charkin swung his warhammer backward, sending one Wyvern crashing away.
The few following closely behind it were startled and quickly came to a halt mid-air.
Seizing the opportunity, Hulim and Charkin accelerated out of the encirclement.
"Roar!!!"
Realizing Charkin’s strength, the Wyverns dared not get too close—but they wouldn’t give up easily. They continued circling nearby, clinging tightly to their trail.
"Luckily, Wyverns are only drakes—they can’t breathe fire. Otherwise, with such numbers, we’d be in real trouble......"
Hulim let out a slight sigh of relief.
"You’re letting your guard down too soon. These aren’t the fools you find outside—they’re much smarter!"
"Huh? But if they don’t dare approach and have no long-range attacks, how could they......"
Hulim’s words trailed off, catching in her throat.
For she saw several Wyverns ahead carrying large boulders in their claws......
"No way? These guys can even do this trick!"
"Watch out! I’ll shoot down these rocks—don’t get hit by the shrapnel!"
Charkin gripped his warhammer tightly, his expression serious.
He could have charged out to fight the Wyverns head-on, but with their cunning, the moment he strayed from Hulim and their mounts, the Wyverns would pounce on the gap.
So he could only defend while staying close to Hulim.
Boom! Boom! Boom......
The sound of shattering boulders echoed constantly through the mountains.
Even though Charkin smashed every falling boulder, the Wyverns kept bringing more, launching an aerial assault on the two.
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This cat-and-mouse chase went on for nearly an hour.
Suddenly, the barren, rocky mountain landscape gave way to an open plain ahead.
On that plain, the ruins of an ancient city stood tall.
"We’re here!!!"
Charkin shouted loudly.
"Hulim! Remember—no matter what happens next, don’t stop! Keep running until you’re completely past the outer ruins, through a wooded area, and into the inner city! Only then can you halt!"
"I understand!"
Hulim shouted back, tightening her grip on the reins and urging the Shieldhorn Beast to its maximum speed.
At that moment, the leading Wyvern seemed to sense something was wrong.
It opened its jaws and let out a thunderous roar at the swarm.
"Roar——!!!"
But its warning came too late.
The swarm had chased so closely—some even flying ahead to drop rocks—that several Wyverns had unknowingly crossed a certain warning line, drawing the hostility of something.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh......
Suddenly, beams of light shot out from the outer ruins of the ancient city, striking the leading Wyverns.
The hit Wyverns let out shrill cries and plummeted to the ground.
"Those beams!"
Hulim recognized them immediately—she had seen them more than once lately.
They were attacks from High-Rank Combat Golems!
The leader’s order and the sudden assault from ahead threw the Wyvern swarm into chaos.
They dared not chase further, instead flying backward in unison, desperate to put distance between themselves and the dangerous area.
Whoosh——!
As soon as Hulim and Charkin stepped into the ruins, the same beams that had attacked the Wyverns suddenly appeared ahead, targeting Charkin at the front.
"Hmph!"
Charkin raised his warhammer and slammed it forward with all his strength.
Boom——!
A column of fire erupted, instantly engulfing the incoming attack—and the attacker itself, reducing it to shards.
Clink! Clink! Clink......
The sound of metal scraping closed in on them rapidly from all directions.
"Wait, Charkin! Isn’t this number a bit too dangerous?!"
Hulim panicked.
Glancing around, she saw at least a hundred Golems closing in fast!
Moreover, the number of High-Rank Combat Golems among them had reached double digits!
"Don’t talk—keep charging inward! I’ll hold them off! Once you pass the open wooded area ahead and enter the inner city, you’ll be safe—these guys will never set foot there!"
"I...... I understand!"
Hulim pressed herself tightly against the Shieldhorn Beast’s back and raced forward without looking back.
Charkin fell behind, covering her retreat.
Explosions continued to ring out from behind her......
She didn’t know how long it took.
Eventually, Hulim successfully crossed the wooded area.
She entered a region where the ruin buildings were sparse but impressively grand in appearance.
Shortly after she stepped into this area, the constant explosions behind her fell silent.
Hulim turned around.
She saw Charkin strolling casually toward her.
As for the Golems, they had stopped at the edge of the wooded area, no longer chasing. Even the endless intrusion alarm had ceased.
"Thank goodness—we made it through safely!"
Hulim looked at Charkin and asked: "Charkin, what’s going on here?"
"Huh? Oh, you mean these guys."
Charkin replied:
"I’m not sure of the exact reason, but it seems the inner area has higher authority. The Golems outside have no right to interfere with what happens here. So once you step inside, they won’t attack you—let alone chase you in."
"Normally, there should be even stronger guardians inside than the ones outside. But for some reason, there’s actually nothing here at all."
"I see......"
Hulim finally understood why Charkin had called this a safe zone.
There were no enemies inside, and the outer perimeter was guarded by countless powerful Golems. Ordinary monsters wouldn’t dare approach—naturally making this a safe haven.
"Come on, let’s head deeper. This safe zone is actually quite large—we’ll find a place to settle down."
"Alright."
The two continued toward the depths of the ruins.
As for the Golems gathered outside, they gradually dispersed, returning to their patrol areas.
......
