Athena in Tower Defense Game! [LitRPG]

Chapter 162: Journey to the Frontlines

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Chapter 162: Journey to the Frontlines

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Naturally, each city within the White Grand Empire possesses a teleportation array. However, there are no teleportation arrays set up between the imperial capital and the other cities. This precaution is in place to prevent monsters from exploiting these arrays to launch direct attacks on the capital, as well as to thwart any ill-intentioned individuals with ulterior motives.

The only teleportation arrays available are those under the sole control of the royal family, and of course, such resources are not something someone like Athena would ever be permitted to use.

The good news, however, is that the nearest town is only a day’s journey away. If they travel quickly, they should reach it within a day. From there, they can pass through multiple teleportation points to reach the frontlines.

Athena’s group consists of two guards from Babron, one from Carter, and the rest are major criminals on death row.

“Aaaah! Why aren’t we moving faster?” one large man shouted. Clad in a prisoner's garb, he was a hulking figure, his strength unmistakable. His hands gripped a massive hammer.

His face twisted with anger as he shot an irritated glance at Athena.

“A woman who’s wounded? Ha! I could turn you into pulp with one swing of my hammer! Hahahaha!” The bald, muscular man burst into laughter, as though he had already imagined the scene in his head.

The others remained still, seemingly unfazed by the situation. They had spent years confined to a dungeon and were curious to see what exactly made Athena worthy of leading them.

They had three days to reach the war zone, and the less time they spent on the road, the better. These men were trouble, otherwise, she would not have been assigned to handle them.

Not only were they criminals, but this assignment also entangled them in the interests of the major families, making the situation even more complicated and difficult to handle.

But Athena had no intention of indulging them. She had been instructed to take them to the frontlines- not to babysit them until they arrived.

Suddenly, the man’s boisterous laughter cut off abruptly, as though someone had choked him. His face contorted with disbelief as Athena, like a phantom, appeared in front of him, her speed so swift that he had no time to react.

In the blink of an eye, Athena struck. With precise, calculated movements, she seized the man’s hands, which were still gripping the hammer.

With a sharp crack, his wrist joint was easily dislocated, and the massive hammer slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground with a loud thud, sending up a cloud of dust. The man groaned in pain, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He stared at Athena, his eyes wide with fear. His heart raced with terror. This was no mere opponent- Athena could kill him in the blink of an eye if she so desired.

An old man with a head full of grey hair and a hunched back stepped forward. His teeth had long since fallen out, and his voice was weak, almost breathless.

“Captain, this big fellow might still be useful. Don’t kill him.”

Athena had no intention of killing him. It was merely a lesson, a show of force.

The bald, muscle-bound man trembled, his body shaking in fear. He tried to move his arms, but there was no sensation. He was completely powerless.

The rest of the prisoners stood frozen, shocked by the suddenness of Athena’s actions. Without a word, she picked up the fallen hammer, stowed it in her spatial bag, and continued walking.

It was no different from snatching something from under someone’s nose, yet no one dared to speak up.

“Move quickly,” she commanded coldly, glancing back at the others, signaling them to hurry up.

The men had been sent to accompany her, but curiously, no horses or means of transportation had been provided for their journey.

They hurriedly caught up, the disarmed bald man trailing behind. With Athena’s approval, the old man began to heal the man’s wrists, using a gentle green light to restore them.

The bald man, still wincing, watched in disbelief as the old man’s healing powers took effect. He had not expected to encounter a healer here.

Once healed, the muscular man silently walked at the rear, no longer daring to ask Athena for his hammer back.

As they traversed the vast forest, they noticed something odd: there were no wild beasts in sight, no attacks, despite the fact that they had been traveling for hours. It was as though the creatures deliberately avoided them, which naturally raised suspicions.

Could it be that their numbers alone were enough to ward off danger?

While the others may not have known the reason, Athena was well aware. The truth was, the small creature, Witty, had been following them for some time.

Witty, too cautious to approach, had remained hidden until it saw Athena deal with the muscular man. Only then did the little creature feel assured that its leader was not in danger.

Witty emerged from the grass, its white fur gleaming in the sunlight. The group was initially startled, but when they realized it was just a rabbit, they relaxed, lowering their guard.

To their amazement, the rabbit hopped towards Athena, leaping into her arms as she embraced it affectionately. Witty, content in her embrace, nestled against her, its soft fur comforting as they continued their journey.

As they pressed on, Witty led Athena to the others- Mikmik and Paopao. And so, a rather unsettling scene unfolded. The infamous ‘demon’ was surrounded by animals, unknowingly drawing the attention of those nearby.

...

[ Regional Chat Channel ]

“The people are all dead? No? At least make some noise then.”
“We’re not dead yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”
“Even if we survive, most of us are now wandering players, so we won’t be able to access some features.”
“Have you all accepted the quest?”
“I knew it. Not all of us are on the same quest, are we?”

In almost thirty regions, disasters struck simultaneously. Half of the players became wandering players, while a select few- around a thousand- had taken on quests related to the war zone.

Each quest was different, each teleportation point unique, yet all of them inevitably led to the frontlines.

A man with long hair and a black-clad companion were back to back, having been teleported here a day ago.

While confined to their room, they counted the misfortunes that had befallen them these past days.

“Wow, can those monsters even be dealt with by mere humans?”

“Although the shelter mysteriously disappeared, at least we survived.”

“Yeah, it’s a fortunate misfortune. We almost became wandering players.”

“Ah, I wonder if we’ll encounter any other players. What is this absurd quest, anyway? Do we have to fight for a mountain top?”

Ebony Veil grumbled, still irritated by the ordeal. He had barely escaped Athena’s wrath, and just when he thought they could wait out the night and survive until morning, they were inexplicably dragged into an illusion.

When they opened their eyes again, the shelter, once thousands of kilometers away, was gone- destroyed by the system. They were now on the brink of becoming wandering players.

The twists of fate led them here, and now they were nothing but expendable pawns in the system’s grand scheme. Forced into the role of meat shields, they had no choice but to follow the quest.

With no shelter left, they were stranded, vulnerable, and bound to a dangerous mission- becoming little more than cannon fodder for the system.

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