"So, this is what he's become?"
Knov's thick black hair had grown back, even shinier than before.
He gently adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses with his fingers and lowered his head to observe the man lying on the bed.
Admiral Mike's face was as pale as a corpse. The dark crown still hovered over his head like an unshakable nightmare.
His eyes were half-open, empty and lifeless, staring blankly at the smooth ceiling of the "Four-Dimensional Apartment."
Several doctors and nurses in white coats stood around the hospital bed.
Some were watching the fluctuating numbers on the electronic monitors, while others injected liquids into Admiral Mike's veins.
Germain stood nearby, watching coldly. He had just spent some time recounting the events that led to Admiral Mike's rescue.
Listening quietly were the squad members Germain had brought along—Knov, Palm, Melody, and a full medical team.
Of course, most of the medical staff were focused on their work, doing everything they could to help Admiral Mike recover.
However, despite the treatment, the Admiral's deteriorated complexion showed no signs of improvement.
"I'll help him," Melody said gently, her voice like that of a kind older sister from next door. "You brought me here knowing this might happen, didn't you?"
Germain nodded.
This time, when selecting his squad, Germain had prioritized their functions over sheer strength.
For example, Knov's "Four-Dimensional Apartment" could provide shelter for medical staff and survivors, while Palm's "Merman Clairvoyance" was crucial for quickly locating Admiral Mike.
Melody's role, naturally, was to soothe survivors who had been terrified and mentally shattered by the monsters.
But no one expected that the one who would push Admiral Mike to the brink of exhaustion was Germain himself.
Seeing Germain nod, Melody took out her flute and raised it to her lips.
Despite being short and stout, she played a heavenly melody so beautiful that from the very first note resonating in the "Fourth Dimension Apartment," everyone was instantly immersed.
Soon, the medical staff were astonished to notice that Admiral Mike's condition seemed to stabilize.
His eyelids fluttered and finally closed, and a faint flush returned to his face as he slowly drifted into sleep.
Knov looked at Admiral Mike's now haggard appearance and couldn't help but feel a hint of sympathy, for this was much like how he had been nearly two years ago.
It was only a few months prior that he had overcome his inner demons and rediscovered himself.
But when he thought of Admiral Mike's reckless ambition, which had cost countless soldiers their lives and left behind deep hatred with the natives, a wave of frustration welled up inside him.
Now, the Hunter Association and the reinforcements freshly arrived on the New Continent had to fix the huge mess Admiral Mike had created, avoiding being swallowed by an endless whirlpool of war.
"Chairman Netero and the others are almost here," Palm said suddenly, covering one eye while observing the distance with the other.
"The reinforcement troops are about three kilometers away from us."
"In which direction?" Knov asked his disciple.
Palm gave him coordinates.
She knew them so clearly because Chairman Netero had once again employed his usual trick — updating his location in real time on his white coat.
The old man knew that Palm was monitoring him, which was why he did this.
Knov spread out a full map and studied it for a moment.
Then he said to Germain, "I've set an entry and exit point less than one kilometer from there. We can go directly."
"Then let's go," Germain replied.
"Our mission is complete."
Their temporary team's tasks were to subdue or eliminate the magical beasts that emitted the "curse" and to rescue Admiral Mike.
They had completed their mission.
Now, the larger issue of how to deal with the aftermath of this chaotic situation was a matter for Chairman Netero and his team.
Germain and Knov used one of the exits from the "Four-Dimensional Apartment" and soon appeared together in the wild hills less than a kilometer from the human army camp.
They quickly found a nearby reconnaissance unit.
After confirming their identities, they were escorted toward the military camp.
Not long after, Germain and Knov met Chairman Netero and the highest-ranking officer of BW2, Vice Admiral Pier, inside the camp.
Knov opened the gate of the "Four-Dimensional Apartment" in front of them, and the remaining members walked out in single file.
The dark crown of Admiral Mike finally disappeared thanks to the persistent efforts of Melody and the medical staff, though Mike himself remained unconscious.
When Chairman Netero and Vice Admiral Pier saw Admiral Mike still asleep on the hospital bed, both frowned and spoke quietly for a while.
Finally, Chairman Netero said to Germain and the others, "You did well. Now, I have a new task for you."
"There are several airships docked at our camp. You will take one and escort Admiral Mike back to the coastal fortress in the rear, ensuring his safety."
"As for us..." Netero scratched his white beard, "we have to stay here, gather the remnants of our forces, and find a way to negotiate a ceasefire... We need to see how many are still alive."
He didn't hold much hope.
This defeat at the front line, and the resulting devastation, was probably no less terrible than the chaos on the night they first arrived at the New Continent.
Germain's team had no reason to refuse.
They set off immediately, boarding an airship and flying toward the coastal fortress.
There were times when flying beasts disturbed them, but with Germain around, these were not much of a problem.
After Germain and the others returned to the coastal fortress, Admiral Mike was moved to the intensive care unit in Zone V6.
Cheadle, Gel, and Sanbica took over his follow-up treatment.
After that, Germain lived a relatively peaceful married life with Shizuku at the coastal fortress.
However, he still had to go to the frontline from time to time.
Chairman Netero and Vice Admiral Pier were working hard to clean up the mess.
Their main focus was on finding soldiers who were either dead or injured.
Naturally, this kind of work did not require Germain's intervention.
Only when there were troublesome beasts that needed quick resolution would Chairman Netero make a call, summoning Germain from the rear to the frontline.
In the following month, "Rabbit" Pyon finally managed to decipher the languages of many new beast species on the continent.
This greatly reduced the cost of communication between humans and beasts.
So, during the time when Admiral Mike was unable to take charge, Chairman Netero and Vice Admiral Pier discussed and entrusted Pyon to convey their intentions to the beasts.
Humans wanted to end the war, to give up the lands Admiral Mike had seized through battle, and retreat near the human settlements.
However, they needed all injured or dead human comrades to be rescued.
The beasts could not stop this and had to offer help.
In fact, the beasts no longer wished to fight either.
They had thoroughly avenged and punished Admiral Mike, but the next humans in power were even more terrifying than him.
Not to mention the members of the Hunter Association, just the elusive Germain alone had left many terrifying legends among the beasts.
Since both sides no longer wanted to fight, the remaining issue was further negotiation to truly end the war.
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