"Theo, cover us."
Tess took point and began sweeping away the daemons, with Erin at his side.
From behind them, I began picking off the daemons rushing at us from afar.
I had ordered the Armiger-class Knights to assist the Guardsmen, so only the three of us stood on the front line.
Of course, given the difference in weight class, the three of us were more than enough to halt the enemy's advance.
After we swept away one wave of enemies and no more appeared, we were finally able to assess the situation.
"My lord, Lion's Gate is reportedly under a massive daemon assault. The Knights of House Barbab have been ordered to proceed to Lion's Gate at once and provide support!"
"We leave immediately. All units! Advance on Lion's Gate!"
"How are we supposed to know where Lion's Gate is when the buildings have collapsed and the roads are destroyed?"
"..."
We had encountered the gravest crisis of our lives. None of us knew the way.
"Wouldn't Lion's Gate be wherever the daemons are gathering?"
"Hmm... We could find it that way, but if we do..."
I looked toward the Armiger-class Knights, smaller than us. If we were to swim through the tide of daemons...
We were large enough to endure it to some extent, but the moment they were surrounded by the enemy, they would be overwhelmed.
"Can we not find a guide?"
"How about looking for a relatively intact route instead? It may take longer, but it would be safer."
"That sounds best."
We left the hangar and began clearing the surrounding area, opening up routes wherever we could.
In the process, we purged so many daemons that we found ourselves forced to return to the hangar for resupply. We had no choice but to leave several Armigers behind to guard it.
We did not know how long we would have to remain outside, and if our supplies were cut off, the situation would become hopeless.
Rat-a-tat!!
After finishing our resupply and venturing somewhat farther out this time, we finally heard gunfire that was not our own.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
We rushed toward the sound and began purging every daemon there.
"Knights! Take heart, everyone!! Salvation has come!"
"Waaah!! For the Emperor!!!"
There were two Space Marines and a platoon of Guardsmen there.
At our appearance, one of the Space Marines shouted loudly to raise their morale, and the Guardsmen, seeing the hope that had come for them, fired upon the enemy with even greater fervor.
Several minutes later, once every daemon had been purged, we were able to join them.
"Do you have enough supplies?"
"No, we were just about to run out. We survived thanks to you arriving."
"Is that so? Then follow us. We will lead you somewhere you can hold out."
Tess intended to take them to the hangar. But Erin questioned his decision.
"Wait. Isn't there something more urgent?"
"Reaching Lion's Gate is important, but should we not save these people first? Besides, it is not as though they know the route to Lion's Gate."
"Well... that is true. I am sorry, Brother."
Erin apologized to Tess, then unleashed a barrage upon the daemons rushing toward us from afar.
"Hurry and follow us. The daemons will not wait for you."
We brought them back to the hangar.
"There is one thing I would like to ask."
"Ask anything you wish."
"Do you know which way we must go to reach Lion's Gate?"
"Hmm... I do not know. Deus! Do you know?"
"No, I do not. And these Guardsmen say they do not know either."
"It cannot be helped. From now on, protect this place. It is a hangar, but it is also the only place nearby where we can resupply."
"Leave it to us."
We left the hangar to the Space Marines and Guardsmen, then returned to the streets.
"Hah... I do not know how many more times we will have to repeat this. Even now, the Imperial Palace must be under attack."
"It cannot be helped. In chaos this severe, there will be few who know the route to Lion's Gate."
Countless servants of Chaos had turned the roads into a mess, and collapsing buildings had tangled the routes together.
And clearing the collapsed roads would take too much time...
"In the end, all we can do is what we are doing now—open up the best-preserved routes we can find."
"Well, I only hope the war does not end while we are doing this, and leave us branded heretics."
"Indeed."
After that, we endlessly repeated the same cycle: searching for routes, purging daemons, and bringing survivors back to the hangar.
After repeating it several times, those above must have run out of patience, because an airship flew to the hangar.
The person who emerged from it was a soldier, seemingly the representative of someone with an extremely high rank.
"How long must we wait for you? Lion's Gate is in crisis now that daemons as large as you have appeared!"
Nonsense. The so-called giant daemons could only be Bloodthirsters. And they were smaller than Imperial Knights.
Still, the appearance of Bloodthirsters was certainly not something we could ignore.
"We are doing everything we can here as well. But the collapsed roads are delaying us."
"Understood. Then I shall report your circumstances again."
"We will get there as quickly as possible."
The soldier departed. Those of us remaining had to find the fastest possible way to Lion's Gate in light of the worsening situation...
"The three of us have decided to head for Lion's Gate alone. Guard the hangar until we return."
"...Please return safely, my lord, young master, my lady."
"Do not worry about us. You all need to hold on as well. We need somewhere to return to, too."
With that, we left the hangar and decided to follow the method Erin had proposed.
"We go against the tide of daemons until we reach Lion's Gate. No matter how I think about it, this is madness."
"But it is the surest way, is it not?"
"...Prepare yourselves. I can see those daemons heading somewhere."
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