Becoming The Strongest Using My Would-You-Rather System!-Chapter 27 - Beast Tide

Theo, Iris, and even all the soldiers around them completely froze as the siren echoed through the air.

Only a second later, vivid yellow flares shot up into the air, lighting up the dark sky.

"Level four alert?" Iris whispered, her eyes wide.

Theo looked at the sky in a daze, his mind racing, knowing full well what this meant.

’This...’ he thought. ’A beast tide?’

The soldiers finally sprung into action, running across the yard while orders were shouted out all around him.

Just before Theo could fully recover from his shock, a transparent yellow beam shot up in the center of the city.

It stopped in the middle of the sky before slowly spreading outward in a dome-like shape to cover the entire city.

"The barrier has been activated!" a nearby soldier shouted as he ran past with a comrade. "We need to hurry to the mana cannons!"

Just then, the jeep’s door swung open.

"Young miss, come on!" a soldier shouted, waving his arm urgently.

Iris snapped out of her daze and immediately grabbed Theo’s arm.

"Move!"

Before he could react, she pulled him along and climbed into the jeep with him right behind her.

The soldier immediately slammed the door shut and jumped into the front seat as the engine roared to life.

As the vehicle sped through the base, the night sky suddenly lit up.

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion rang out, the ground trembling beneath them as a bright beam of light shot across the sky toward the distant shoreline.

Then another streak of light joined it.

And another.

Theo turned his head toward the beach, his eyes wide.

A dozen massive grey metal turrets had risen along the defensive barrier, each one several meters tall.

Teams of soldiers surrounded them, rapidly feeding glowing mana cores into large metal chambers built into their sides.

’Mana cannons...’ he thought, his heart pounding. ’It truly is a level four beast tide.’

Beast tides were ranked from level five to level one.

A level five tide was already powerful enough to destroy an entire town, while a level three tide posed a serious threat to major cities. A level one beast tide could even wipe out a capital city.

’A level four beast tide can affect entire regions of towns and has thousands of creatures.’

Theo tightened his grip on the spear as he glanced out the window.

’’The last time something like this happened to Santa Barbara was five years ago.’

Another beam of light flashed across the horizon, briefly lighting up the ocean as it exploded. The first signs of battle had also started as all kinds of spells flashed across the beach from soldiers and hunters alike.

Theo watched the battlefield for a moment.

’Do I... need to go out there too?’ he thought.

Even though just a little over a week had gone by since he’d passed the hunter exam, he was an official hunter now.

And hunters...

They were required to protect any city they were in if they were under attack by a beast tide, regardless of rank.

Theo slapped his face with both hands, clearing his mind instantly.

’I said it myself,’ he thought, clenching his fist. ’I am a hunter now.’

’And hunters go out there to fight.’

Just then, a soft vibrating noise rang out from Iris’s pocket.

She quickly pulled out a phone, glancing at the screen for a split second before her expression turned serious.

"...Father," she murmured.

Theo immediately turned his head toward her.

Iris raised her phone to her ear. "Yes."

A deep voice came from the other end of the line, the sound just loud enough for Theo to listen in.

"I take it you’ve seen the level four beast tide outside," the man said. "I’m heading to the center of the battlefield now."

Theo noticed Iris subconsciously straighten her back.

"All intermediate ranks and above are forming a defensive circle at the shoreline, while low-ranking personnel hold the backline."

"Understood," she said.

There was a brief pause before the voice continued.

"Iris."

"Yes, father."

"I want you to report to the battlefield as well."

Theo’s eyes widened hearing that as he slowly turned to her.

"Remain behind the defensive line. Eliminate any creatures that break through and assist the injured returning from the frontlines."

For a moment, the jeep fell deathly quiet.

Then Iris nodded.

"Understood," she said, her voice steady.

"Good," her father’s voice came through. "Be safe."

With that, the phone beeped once as the call disconnected.

Theo stared at her for a moment.

’He sent his own daughter into the battlefield? Isn’t that the last thing a parent should do?’

Iris, however, didn’t seem bothered by it at all.

"I’ll get out first," she said, a faint smile growing on her face as she turned to Theo. "The driver will bring you outside the military zone so you can go to your family."

Theo frowned immediately.

"Wait," he said, locking eyes with her. "I’m not leaving."

Iris looked at him for a moment, clearly hesitating.

"I’m a hunter," he continued, tightening his grip on the spear resting against his shoulder. "And there’s no way I’m passing up the chance to test this."

A small breath left Iris’s mouth as a genuine warm smile grew on her face.

"Alright," she said. "We’ll stay behind the defensive line together and kill them just like we usually do."

Theo nodded once, feeling his heart pound heavily in his chest.

The jeep slowed down as the barrier walls came into sight in the distance.

Bright flashes continued to streak across the sky from the mana cannons stationed just outside the barrier.

Finally, the driver pulled to a stop near a reinforced gate where several soldiers and hunters were already gathering.

"You ready?" Iris asked, glancing at Theo.

"As much as I can be," he responded, nodding once.

Hearing that, Iris pushed open her door and stepped outside.

Theo followed right behind her, resting the spear against his shoulder.

Once outside, the sound of battle immediately grew louder. The same went for the vibrations running through the ground, which were now strong enough to make someone lose their balance.

Several hunters and soldiers continued to rush past them, some grouping up while others ran through the barrier right away.

’That’s the barrier, huh,’ Theo thought, glancing at the transparent yellow wall. ’Once we go through that, our lives will be in danger.’

At the same time, Iris grabbed a spear out of the back of the jeep.

After swinging it around once, she nodded in Theo’s direction.

Theo lowered the forked spear from his shoulder, narrowing his eyes as he felt the adrenaline run through his body.

"Let’s go," he said, heading for the barrier.