Athena in Tower Defense Game! [LitRPG]

Chapter 128: The Old And The New

Panic spread like wildfire. People screamed for help, their voices trembling with fear as they ran in every direction, yet no matter how they struggled, escape from the relentless pursuit of the rat beasts was impossible.

Fear gripped them tightly.

The more these frightened souls fled, the more arrogant the rat beasts became. Their shrill cries seemed to mock their prey, taunting them with their inevitable doom.

Some tried to hide, seeking refuge in the shadows, but the rat beasts’ keen senses left no corner unsearched. Despite the valiant efforts of the city’s guards and the Eagle Claw Agency, they could only manage to protect a fraction of the city. Small as they were, these rat beasts had driven the defenders to the brink of despair.

Though exhausted, the defenders held onto a sliver of hope. The rat beasts, after all, were limited in strength. With enough force, they could be exterminated. It was only a matter of time.

But time, it seemed, was no longer on their side.

From the depths of the sewers emerged new foes. Cloaked in black hoods, their faces varied but their presence was anything but subtle. Compared to these rat beasts, these new enemies were true demons—each one so powerful that it took several men just to hold one at bay.

Their arrival drained what little strength remained in the defenders. The situation, already dire, now grew even more desperate. And as if summoned by their presence, the rat beasts, previously on the verge of being wiped out, surged in numbers once again.

Among these new terrors was a hooded rat-man, from whose robe an endless stream of rats poured forth. Though smaller than the elite rat beasts, these lesser vermin still posed a considerable threat.

The situation grew increasingly dire, and as time passed, everyone began to sense that something was terribly wrong. They had believed that they only needed to hold out until the defense towers were activated, but as the silence stretched on, a shadow of doubt crept into their hearts.

Had the palace also been attacked? The Eagle Claw Agency's director had been gone for so long—why was there no word from her?

Ilinaya was among them, blending into the chaos. Her song, which had no effect on Athena before, now held an immense power. Under the spell of her voice, civilians who had been fleeing suddenly stopped, turning back to willingly walk toward their deaths, obstructing the paths of the city guards and the Eagle Claw Agency.

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The confidence they had lost earlier suddenly returned. Humans were indeed fragile.

Mikmik emerged from the chaos, but Athena was nowhere to be found. What he did smell, however, was a very familiar scent of fish.

Mikmik’s nose was not particularly sharp, but he would never forget this scent. He had once bitten into a sea dolphin, and the taste had nearly knocked him unconscious. Ilinaya, with the same scent as that dolphin, had been burned into his memory. He followed the trail.

And there she was, Ilinaya, unleashing her power. Unlike the last time they met, when she had been in the ocean, now she stood amidst a sea of blood.

They were responsible for causing chaos in the city center, while another group of monsters outside the city created a pincer movement, cutting off reinforcements from the outside.

As people screamed, died, and buildings crumbled, tiny, transparent white specks of light began to spill into the air. There were only a few, but Ilinaya noticed them immediately.

The world’s energy had no effect on her, but she had signed a contract with Athena.

With a transparent crystal bottle in hand, she collected these lights, her actions drawing curious glances from the other monsters as she observed her surroundings.

One thing puzzled her—why was Athena, with all strength, so silent in this chaos? Even if Athena intended to remain hidden, Athena shouldn’t be so completely inactive in the face of the city’s turmoil.

She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of expression Athena would have when Athena discovered that the world’s energy could only be collected under these dire conditions.

Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that Athena had already transformed into a native.

Mikmik, having wandered around, quickly grew bored. On his way out, he casually killed a few rats to scratch an itch in his claws.

As another rat blocked his path, Mikmik ended it with a single swipe.

A human child, holding his sister tightly, sobbed as he watched a cat flash past. The rat that had threatened them was suddenly gone.

“Thank you, big kitty! Hoo-hoo...”

Human children were so troublesome, always crying at the slightest provocation. Mikmik needed to get back to the Eagle Claw Agency quickly. What if Athena returned and couldn’t find him?

Meanwhile, Athena had arrived at the entrance of the Eagle Claw Agency, only to be met by a figure she never expected to see.

It was none other than Babron. He leaned on a jet-black cane, yet his back was perfectly straight, making it seem like he didn’t need the cane at all.

As Athena spotted him, Babron noticed her as well. The small detachment of soldiers he had brought with him was already sweeping through the area, clearing out rat beasts and protecting the civilians.

“Looks like you youngsters still aren’t up to the task,” Babron said, lighting a cigar and placing it between his lips. His tone was one of melancholy, though his expression betrayed nothing of the sort.

With the addition of this small army, the situation began to improve. Babron had even brought out those who usually protected him in the shadows, revealing them in the open.

“Went to the palace, did you? What did you think? Have you gained any new insights about our dear Emperor?” he asked, slowly exhaling a ring of smoke.

The cigar didn’t seem to taste very good; after a single puff, he discarded it, crushing the expensive cigar underfoot.

“To be honest, after knowing him for so long, it feels like I’m only now truly seeing him for the first time. Our old comrade... has grown senile.”

“Look at this hellish scene! The empire is falling apart. The new generation is so weak and incompetent, and we old-timers are on our way out.”

To be honest, Athena hadn’t expected Babron to be the only one standing up at this crucial moment.

“The defense towers aren’t broken. The Emperor has taken control of them. I tried, but I couldn’t get anywhere near his chamber,” Athena reported. The palace maids and guards were no ordinary people; they hadn’t disappeared but were all stationed outside the Emperor’s chamber.

Athena had no way of storming in alone, so she had returned to send Mikmik instead, only to unexpectedly run into Babron.

Babron looked at her in surprise, as if seeing her in a new light.

“Hahaha, I thought you were the Emperor’s loyal hound, but it turns out you’re a wolf!”

In her words, Babron detected not a hint of loyalty or respect toward their Emperor.