Black hounds

Goredolf has never liked snow-capped mountains. To him, there might be some kind of fate-related discord between him and the mountains; whenever he comes to this place, nothing good ever comes of it.

However, that was indeed the case. Chaldea, which he bought with his last remaining fortune, was seen as his family's last lifeline for turning things around. Not long after, it turned into Bleaching.

Ever since Chaldeas and her group decided to surface from the Imaginary Number Dive, they haven't had a single good day. Their fuel and supplies were almost gone, and upon surfacing, they were immediately surrounded and attacked by these Murderous Hunters.

Looking at those guys surging with strange power, wielding crossbows that could pierce through alloy steel plates and axes that could split steel like a cream cake, he couldn't even imagine what would happen if those things fell on him.

The ever-flashing fuel gauge seemed like a death knell. Unfortunately, his fighting force was too small: a girl who could only serve as a human shield, and a detective who was not good at combat.

There was a Magecraft in Chaldea before, but she disappeared at some point, leaving behind ample magical resources, this vehicle capable of Imaginary Number Dive, and enough magical energy to supply a Heroic Spirit.

On the distant mountain range, a black flame, like a serpent, swept across the mountainside. Then, the snow that had accumulated for who knows how long collapsed with a roar, turning into a pale tsunami.

Goredolf roared to life with a sharp screech, his foot pressed firmly on the accelerator, experiencing the life-or-death speed and feeling the thrill of speed and passion.

"Is this your plan? It's far too reckless! If we get buried, we'll be dead without those guys even lifting a finger, Earl!"

A figure appeared in the driver's seat like a ghost. The man called the Earl did not offer any explanation, but instead turned his gaze to the back of the car:

"These measures can only delay things a little, and although it doesn't sound pleasant, a choice must be made."

On the radar, the red dot symbolizing the pursuers was still there, but it had slowed down, and the fuel was almost gone. Inside the cockpit, the atmosphere was so heavy that it felt as if a thick, damp cloth had been placed over everyone's mouth and nose.

"I'll go and buy time for the enemy!"

A girl with orange-red hair turned and walked away without looking back.

"No!"

Turning back, Dr. Roman and Goredolf unanimously rejected the proposal, with the latter sighing deeply and saying:

"This is a pointless sacrifice, Earl. You can take her away."

The Avenger nodded slightly. Once Fujimaru, as the Master, died in battle, everything would be over. Besides, once the fuel ran out, the snowstorm alone would be enough to kill everyone in the truck, without the enemy even needing to lift a finger.

"This won't do!!"

"This is the only option, Fujimaru. Sacrificing the pawn to save the king is the only choice now. There's no time to hesitate, Earl. I beg you, if possible, could you also take Mash..."

Following Dr. Roman's decision, the girl lowered her head, biting her lip until it bled, and clenched her fists, showing no intention of leaving.

Finally, the Earl seized the two men and, through a combination of force and coercion, vanished as a shadow.

As he departed, he left with these words: "A wise decision. Don't worry about them; I'm quite good at escaping from lockdowns. As for you all, it's not time to despair yet."

Keep going, keep struggling, wait, and hold onto hope.

Recalling the Earl's last words, Goredolf sighed deeply.

Now, no matter how hard he pressed the accelerator, the engine remained silent, and the car slowly came to a stop. Goredolf looked at the stopped mountain range, his heart filled with despair.

Am I going to die? Is this where I, Goredolf, will be buried? A hillside shrouded in thunderclouds... it seems this is the Phoenix Slope of my immortal Musik.

Seeing the red dot approaching on the radar, Goredolf roared:

"Everyone, duck down! Watch out for stray arrows!"

In the end, as the director of New Chaldea, he could only issue a correct order that could only delay the deaths of these people.

They could only wait.

Everyone crouched down, experiencing for the first time the feelings of prisoners being slowly led to the execution platform. However, the Murderous Hunters were supposed to break down the door never arrived; only the wind and snow whispered through the cracks in the door.

The deathly silence was like the deep sea, making it hard to breathe. After an unknown amount of time, a soft knock came from the car door.

"How is the situation? Is anyone injured?"

Upon hearing this sound, everyone seemed to surface like people on the verge of suffocation, taking their last breath. Goredolf and Roman exchanged a glance, and then the car door slowly opened.

A man stepped into the car; his shoes were spotless, and strangely enough, when the door opened, the temperature inside the car not only didn't drop, but actually rose slightly.

Goredolf belatedly glanced at the radar behind him; those death knell-like red dots had completely disappeared.

Bai Mo stepped into the vehicle. There was a faint smell of blood inside, and many of the people inside had been injured. Cellular Regeneration power surged from beneath Bai Mo's feet, seeping into the bodies of the wounded, and in an instant, the wounds they had sustained from the Murderous Hunters were completely healed.

"I'm a friend of Da Vinci, consider it your support. You can call me Bai Mo. Has anyone died?"

Upon hearing the name Da Vinci, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. After being chased for so long, they had finally received reinforcements. They were like a besieged unit, and even the slightest bit of support brought tears to their eyes.

"Hello, I am Goredolf Musik, from the Department of Law and Politics of the Mage's Association. As the new director of Chaldea, thank you for your help. Although there were some wounded, fortunately no one was killed."

Goredolf grasped Bai Mo's hand warmly, thinking to himself:

I'm so sorry, Da Vinci Consultant, I misunderstood you. Next time we meet, I'll apologize for speaking ill of you behind your back because you left without saying goodbye.

Meanwhile, in the system space, Director Olga Marie, upon seeing Goredolf, erupted in a frantic howl.

"Wait, wait, wait! Who is the new director of Chaldea? I've only been gone for a short time, and you've already betrayed me? Roman, you should at least put up a fight!"

However, Dr. Roman in the video did not object; he even nodded slightly. Although it was only a short time, Goredolf's performance as director was acceptable.

"Relax, Little Marie. After all, from Chaldea's perspective, you've been dead for so long. Even a widower would have remarried long ago. There's nothing we can do about it."

"Ugh... That makes sense, but how can I accept being banned like this! I have nothing left but Chaldea. Banning me shouldn't happen until at least ten years after I die."

"Da Vinci, you still acknowledge me as your director, right?"

Looking at Olga Marie clinging to him as if she were a lifeline, Da Vinci gave a playful smile and teased:

"That depends on which side pays more; artists need to eat too."

Salary? Olga Marie wondered how much wealth the Animusphere family still had.

It seems like he can't come up with a single penny. Marisbury caused this mess, and being held accountable to the point of bankruptcy would be the least of his worries.

Olga Marie huddled in the corner, hugging her knees, tears welling in her stubborn eyes, putting on a pitiful expression as if everyone was bullying her.