Chapter 86: Successfully Defended

Chapter 86: Successfully DefendedThe fires had been extinguished. The rubble cleared from the main roads. The blood washed away with enchanted rain summoned by the city’s archdruids. What remained was not silence—but song. Victory, after all, was rare. The city of Elandra had stood. Barely. And though the scars still smoked and the scent of death lingered faintly in the stone, the people rejoiced. Banners once sagging with ash now flew proudly again. Children danced barefoot in the plaza, weaving between rows of broken statues. Merchants reopened their stalls, giving out warm loaves and skewers of spiced meat for free. The Temple Bells rang overhead, slow and solemn, but with a rhythm of triumph. And the name on everyone’s lips—was Inigo. "The gunslinger?" one soldier asked. "Inigo Velasquez, Gold-ranked adventurer," laughed another. "He tore through a full platoon of nightcrawlers with that spinning beast of his. Never seen anything like it!" "It’s not magic, I swear. Just pure iron and death," muttered a shaken archer. "Whatever it was... it sounded like thunder and made the demons run." Stories spread quickly. Inigo’s minigun became the stuff of legend before the battle was even a full day past. Children drew crude sketches of it in chalk on the stone roads. Tavern songs were already being composed—ballads where Inigo leapt from rooftop to rooftop, a flaming death machine in hand, while the gods themselves watched in awe. In truth, the man himself sat quietly in the shade of the Guild’s north tower, sipping water from a wooden canteen. His coat had been cleaned, but the dark stains of soot and blood refused to leave. His weapons were stacked neatly beside him—minigun unloaded, pistols recharged with clean rune-cartridges, and a new dagger sheathed at his belt. Lyra approached with two mugs of mead. "You are already drinking?" Inigo said. "It is a celebration Inigo,," she replied, handing him one. "We all deserved a good mead for this day." He accepted it, clinking the rim of his mug lightly against hers. "To not dying," he said. "To thinning mist," Lyra added with a tired smile. They drank. Around them, the plaza brimmed with life. Survivors moved through the market, their steps light despite the lingering pain. Clerics healed the wounded in white tents by the eastern wall. Children asked passing warriors if they’d seen the man who was told to have saved the city. "They are already looking for me?" Inigo asked, raising a brow. Lyra simply nodded. "They do, and most of the answers was they don’t know where you are, even though you are apparently mingling yourself here." He snorted. "Hmm, I don’t deserve such praise as I am not the only one who fought in the battlefield. The soldiers, healers, mages, literally everyone in the battlefield deserved some credit too." "You really are such a humble man. This is the reason why I have become fond of you." Inigo’s cheek blushed. "You have your way of words, Lyra. I didn’t expect it. It’s too smooth." "Really? You are moved by that so easily?" "You have no idea how powerful your words are to a man like me," Inigo said, smiling. The mood was cut by the sudden arrival of a familiar voice—booming, gravel-throated. "There you two are," said Guildmaster Thorne, striding forward with his hammer slung across his back. His armor was dented but freshly polished. He wore a dark red sash now—signifying command over the city’s joint defense council. "We’re holding a public address at sunset," he said. "Need you both on the stage." Inigo frowned. "I don’t do speeches." "You don’t have to. Just stand there and look threatening. The crowd will love it." He clapped Inigo on the back, nearly knocking the man forward. "You helped save this city. Don’t argue." Lyra grinned. "Come on. You stood in front of a demon lord and didn’t blink. You can survive applause." Reluctantly, Inigo nodded. Later that evening, as the sky turned a soft lavender and the bells rang again to mark the hour, the city gathered. The stage was built on the stone platform where the demon commander had once stood. It had been cleared and sanctified by high priests. Lanterns hung from the ruined pillars, and soft music played from crystal chimes enchanted by sound mages. Thorne stood in front of a crowd thousands strong. He raised his hand. The noise dimmed. "People of Elandra," he began, voice rolling like thunder, "you stood where others would have fled. You fought when the sky broke. And today, we do not mourn—we celebrate." Cheers erupted. He gestured to the defenders behind him. "Your soldiers. Your mages. Your guildmates. They gave everything—and Elandra stands because of them." More applause. Then he turned to Inigo and Lyra. Sёarch* The Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And these two? They didn’t just survive. They turned the tide. The demons themselves descended upon us—and failed." The crowd erupted into a chant: "Inigo! Inigo! Inigo!" Inigo stared straight ahead, jaw clenched. He didn’t enjoy the attention—but he didn’t shy away from it either. Thorne stepped back, and to Inigo’s surprise, offered the speaking crystal to him. He took it. He cleared his throat. "I’m not from here," he said plainly. Silence. "Good day, everyone. Uhm...this is my first time standing in front of you. To those who don’t know, I’m Inigo Velasquez, a gold-ranked adventurer in this city. Just like others I answered the call for the city’s defense and I believe that those who fought in the battlefield deserve also what I am experiencing right now. That’s all. I may not be duty bound to save this city but I will not let those demons trample us!" He lowered the crystal. That was enough. The plaza roared with approval. After the address, the crowd dispersed into celebration. Music flowed freely. Dancers took to the cobblestones. Old hymns were sung with fresh lyrics. The taverns served until their barrels ran dry. Back near the guildhall, Thorne clapped Inigo on the shoulder again. "The Royal Family would want to see you tomorrow for this," he said. "The royal family?," Inigo replied. Thorne nodded. "This feat deserves an audience with the royal family." Inigo smiled at the thought. This was going to be the first time of him seeing the royal family since his reincarnation in this world. It’s going to be exciting.