The Last Legendary Weapons Master: Rise of the strongest player

Chapter 143: No Longer Worthy (1)

Moon spoke as she took Ethan’s side, then slowly turned her gaze toward the others, studying each of their faces in silence.

"What about the rest of you?"

Her question was met with silence, causing her to continue.

"I may be your leader, but I won’t force any of you to come with us... whether you fight, or stay here and hide, the choice is entirely yours."

"But understand something clearly..."

She pointed toward Jackson’s unconscious body, giving weight to her words.

"Staying here will change nothing. That monster lying over there spent hundreds of years doing exactly that... and it led nowhere."

Silence filled the bonfire once more.

Then, before anyone else could speak, Raiden opened his mouth first.

"I’m going."

"I didn’t come all this way just to hide now."

Moon nodded lightly before shifting her eyes toward her sister, who flinched slightly the moment their gazes met.

Luna let out a quiet sigh while adjusting her staff.

"There’s no need to look at me like that. Me joining is inevitable... did you all forget I’m the only one capable of sealing his curse?"

A faint smile appeared on Moon’s face, pleased by her sister’s answer.

Now only two people remained.

Alicia...

The talented yet cowardly girl who had barely survived until now thanks to her swordsmanship.

And the young boy, Chai, whose arrows and telepathic blessing had helped them greatly throughout the battle.

Ethan stared at them silently, waiting for their response.

’Regardless of Chai... I doubt Alicia wants to keep fighting.’

’Our squad is the only one where every member survived. Even the First Squad lost two people...’

’It’s almost like we’re being protected by some invisible shield or something.’

Ethan did not know whether the survival of the entire Third Squad was skill...

Or simply luck.

But if it truly was luck—

Then sooner or later, it would inevitably run out.

Returning to the depths and risking another encounter with a monster like the Iron Demon required both courage and madness.

Unexpectedly...

Alicia was the first to speak.

She stuttered slightly as she raised her head and faced Moon’s unwavering gaze.

"I... don’t want to die."

The way she said it made it sound as though she intended to refuse.

But then she continued.

"I don’t want to die ... inside this city. And I have no desire to spend hundreds of years hiding like that man did."

Alicia clenched her fists tightly, gathering every ounce of courage and determination she possessed.

"I have a little brother waiting for me outside... I’m the only family he has."

"And he won’t survive without me."

"I may be a coward who hates fighting... but I won’t hide in the back and wait helplessly for nothing."

"If moving forward increases our chances of escaping this prison, then I’ll go with you all..."

"Even if our chances of survival are slim."

"At the very least... it’s better than rotting away here."

Alicia joined them.

And similarly, young Chai did the same.

Despite not even being older than fourteen, the boy possessed resolve no weaker than any of theirs.

"I think the same applies to me... just like big sister Alicia."

"My mother is waiting for me outside this prison all alone."

"And I have no intention of dying and leaving her behind."

With that...

The participation of the entire Third Squad had been confirmed.

Moon looked at them all before nodding slowly.

"Then let’s survive this prison together."

From their expressions...

Their voices...

The atmosphere between them...

Ethan could feel how close they all were to one another.

He stared at them quietly, somewhat stiff after several of them had shattered his expectations.

Especially Alicia.

’So even a coward... can become the bravest person imaginable when it comes to someone they love.’

’This is the power of bonds...’

Ethan felt as though he had just learned something important.

Something he had never fully understood before, largely because he himself had never possessed relationships of that kind.

He had always fought for himself alone.

’These kinds of emotions are impossible to predict.’

’And they can completely change a person’s decisions...’

’I should keep that in mind from now on.’

He thought silently before turning his head toward the remaining Hunters.

"Now..."

"The difficult part begins."

The Third Squad, alongside Jackson, had already decided to return to the depths and continue fighting.

All to keep the fire burning.

To preserve the hope that help from the outside world might still arrive.

But what about the others?

Three members of the First Squad remained alive.

Along with six additional Hunters from scattered squads.

Moon rose from her place and walked toward Gustav, the captain of the First Squad, who sat silently with his head lowered and his arms resting atop his knees.

He slowly raised his head when he noticed her standing before him.

"Get up, Captain of the First Squad."

"This isn’t the time to sit around with folded hands."

She spoke with firm resolve.

Gustav raised one hand toward her face dismissively.

"Not now... this isn’t the time for this. We’ll talk later."

He tried pushing her away, still drowning in grief and defeat.

But Moon did not move from her spot.

Instead, she stood her ground.

"No. We need to talk now, and you need to make your decision now."

"We don’t have the luxury of waiting whenever we please."

Her voice rose deliberately loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You are the highest-ranking leader of this hunting expedition."

"The responsibility of keeping it together belongs to you."

"What exactly do you want me to do then?!" Gustav exploded as he shot to his feet and shouted directly at her.

"We followed the plan you all brought here!"

"And where did it lead us?!"

"We lost countless comrades, and we nearly died because a single monster from the Cathedral appeared!"

"No." Moon stepped forward until she stood face-to-face with him, refusing to back down.

"We succeeded in exactly what we intended to do."

"We pushed them far enough that they were forced to send one of their strongest monsters after us because they realized how dangerous our actions had become."

"Remember who we are, Gustav."

"Remember what Hunters are."

"When our comrades die..."

"We keep moving forward."

"And we never stop."

Gustav’s eyes reddened as he clenched his fist tightly, instability and frustration written all over his face.

"If we return there... we’ll all die."

Moon answered him immediately.

"That is still better than waiting here for nothing."

The captains of the First and Third Squads stood against one another without either side retreating, and at that moment, the Hunters found themselves standing at a decisive crossroads.

Moon turned toward the remaining Hunters after realizing Gustav would never yield.

"Choose your side."

"Either fight... or stay behind."

The atmosphere tensed rapidly.

What began as disagreement quickly escalated into complete division.

Moon no longer wished to waste time.

They had already been trapped inside Old Ashvarn for months, completely severed from the outside world.

"Think carefully about what you choose," she said while slowly stepping away from Gustav.

"And understand that this decision will determine your fate."

The Hunters soon split into two groups.

Moon and the Third Squad on one side.

Gustav and the remnants of the First Squad on the other.