[Nightmare]

"Welcome home!" Marie called out.

"I'm grateful to have you here." Riley affirmed.

"Welcome home!" Sarah called out.

"Welcome home, Maze!" Leo followed.

—

"GOOOOOOOOOOORRRRN!"

"W-What the fuck is that thing!?" Maze yelled.

BOOOOOOOM!<strong></strong>

"Gahhhhhh!"

Dust hit Maze and Leo in the eyes.

Many of the otakus and weebs were too terrified to watch.

They were on the perimeter of the castle's walls.

However, the attack still sent dirt into their eyes.

"That thing is nothing like what we've fought before!"

—

Light tears streamed down Maze's eyes when he saw how much love and support he was getting.

Sarah turned to Leo.

"Welcome home, Leo!"

—

"Sarah! Stay back. Please!" Leo yelled.

"W-What's going on?" Sarah stuttered.

"Whatever that thing is…. Don't get near it. We'll handle it."

"No! I'm not letting you go alone!" She screamed.

"Sarah… please! I can't let you fight; I don't think I can watch you get hurt." Leo pleaded.

"Sarah!"

Sarah walked to the top of the guard wall.

"W-What the h-hell is that!?" She screamed.

"I… I don't know."

"GOOOOOOOOOOORRRRN!"

—

"Welcome home, Miskie!" Maze announced playfully.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, kid." Miskie replied.

—

"Miskie! What are you doing?" Maze yelled.

"What the hell do you think I'm doin'?" Miskie scoffed.

"I can't run a fuckin' business if there's no clients."

She was grinning fearlessly.

BOOOOOOOM!

Dust hit the group again, and the wall started shaking.

"Haaaaaah. That's gonna be one fucked up thing to fight." Miskie said with a grin.

—

"Welcome home, Kyle!" Lily announced with a cute expression.

They had bonded over their favorite characters, and now they were smiling at each other.

"Welcome home, Lily." He replied with a bright smile.

"Welcome home, Samuel."

Samuel's face lit up.

"Welcome home to you two, as well." He said with a warm gaze.

—

"Kyle, stay back! We're formulating a strategy with the military!" Macron roared.

Kyle planned to jump over the wall and charge, but Macron stopped him.

"Macron is right, Samuel!" Lamath yelled.

"Why? Fighting monsters is what we've been training for!" Samuel yelled.

"If you all start shooting off powerful Nightmares, you'll kill the fucking troops, that's why!" Macron roared.

The otakus and weebs stared at Macron with wide eyes.

"Didn't any of you learn from Helix?" Macron asked.

"He had to work with the Kozen General to prevent his men from being torn apart by earthquakes and tornados!"

Everyone gave Macron a wry smile.

They already missed Helix.

"We don't have influence, though!" Lily cried.

"Yeah… that's a major problem." Maze commented with a sad expression.

"I wish those fucking idiots didn't chase Helix away!" Kyle yelled while gritting his teeth.

"Yeah. Now that this thing is here, I bet those idiots are feeling seriously fucking stupid." Tanya laughed.

"Look, kids! You haven't been training with him for long." Lamath called out.

"So you're not Helix yet! However, you can still work with us to bring this son of a bitch down."

The otakus and weebs groaned with mixed emotions.

"Lamath. Establish a line of communication with Masov." Macron ordered.

"I'll hold the kids back; they're not ready.

If we don't get our shit together, these kids will start going nuclear."

Lamath gave Macron a wry smile, knowing that he was taking orders from his rival.

"Look, Lamath. If you think you can wrangle these kids, I'll do it." Macron barked with murderous eyes.

"If you can't, get your ass out there, or I'll get Helix back here to rip out your femur and club you to death with it."

Lamath chuckled in bewilderment.

"It's not fair anymore. Fine, I'll get everything situated." He laughed.

"Our competition is put on hold."

Macron chuckled with a murderous gaze.

Lamath started sweating but moved forward.

—

"Welcome home, Mary." Tammy said with a warm smile.

"Happy to be here. Welcome home, Tammy." Mary said.

"Let's kick some monsters' asses and make Macron's threats a reality!" Tanya yelled.

—

"That's right! Listen up, Knights!" Macron roared.

"You can still become Cheat Knights or whatever the fuck they're called.

But you have to survive! You also have to shine as a group like Helix and his girlfriends do by keeping others safe.

So hold back for now.

Once we have a strategy, we'll grind this monster's bones to dust and season our food with it!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Tanya yelled.

"Haaaaaah. I'm down with that." Miskie said with a grin.

—

"Haaaaaah. With Helix's support, we'll be able to do anything." Mary giggled.

"Yeah. Soon, all of Alzeria will know that too." Tanya said with an evil grin.

"I'm sure the princess will love it." Tammy giggled.

"Hah. And those stupid nobles too." Lily added.

—

"General Masov!" A soldier yelled out.

"What is it, Major Oakley?" The man gruffed.

"We need to establish a line of communication with Macron immediately." Oakley replied with a calm tone.

General Masov narrowed his eyes.

"Why is it so urgent? Speak!"

Oakley didn't tremble; adrenaline was pumping through his veins.

"The Earthian Knights don't have battle training yet, sir." Oakley explained.

"They know how to destroy things but not how to work with us.

As a result, unless we want to send them to the front lines, we can't use them as support without solid communication.

Masov groaned and put a fist against his chin in thought.

After thinking about the situation for thirty seconds, he gave up.

"Son of bitch. Those stupid kids have been a liability from the beginning." Masov scoffed.

"But that thing is a fourth-evolution monster, and we need them now."

Masov chuckled with madness in his eyes.

"At the least, we should've supported that boy harder to keep them in check." He continued with a bitter expression.

"With everything that's happened, I didn't see the problem he solved."

He looked at the beast with narrowed eyes.

"Bring the person sent here to discuss strategy immediately." Masov ordered.

"We'll need to know as much about those kids and their practical strengths now!"

"Yes, sir!" Oakley replied with a salute before rushing off to get Lamath.

—

"W-Welcome home, Peter." David said nervously.

"Hah. Welcome home to you too, dude." Peter chuckled.

"You gotta help me get some ladies with your looks."

David turned bright red.

"I-I'm not good with people." David replied.

"Heh. Like that matters when your looks are a cheat!" Peter roared, "So just embrace it and stop complaining!"

Many men cackled.

"Hey, Peter. Do you think we should thank Master Helix for the advice?" A super-otaku asked.

"Haaaaah. Say hi first, Chad.

Also, he's stupid and kind, but don't call him Master.

I think he'll get super creeped out if you say that."

Chad gave Peter a wry smile.

"At least get to know him a bit, guys." Peter chuckled.

"Chad, Halbert, Mason… look, guys.

He'll be cool with you if he's being nice to me after telling him I was part of the jealous crowd.

He doesn't turn anyone away. So just be cool."

The three super-otakus look at each other for confirmation.

They nodded in agreement.

"So, what should we do?" Mason asked.

"Hah. Go tell Helix [welcome home], like the rest of the otakus, dude." Peter laughed.

"Wait, you're right!" Halbert exclaimed with a nod.

The three got up and walked over to Helix.

Helix looked at them nervously and sighed inwardly.

He knew these were the guys that Peter had warned him about.

"H-Hey M-Mas… Helix. Welcome home." Chad stuttered.

Helix suppressed a wry smile when he caught the intended meaning.

If Marie, Charlotte, and Riley could handle War Goddess, he could handle [War Commander].

However, Helix the Harem Master was a no-go.

"Welcome home, Chad." Helix said with a slight smile.

"W-Wait, you remember who I am?" Chad asked.

"I remember everyone here." Helix said with a warm smile.

He wanted to say, [for better or worse, I remember everyone here], but he suppressed the urge.

Researching his enemies was something he did immediately.

Helix knew more about their servants than they did.

Emelia's gossip espionage was gold.

"Welcome home, Halbert." He continued.

Then he looked at Mason.

"Welcome home, Mason."

"Welcome home, Mas-Helix!" Halbert said nervously.

"Welcome home, Helix!" Mason followed after preparing himself.

"Hah. Happy to be here."

—

"GOOOOOOOOOOORRRRN!"

"Do we seriously believe that we can fight this thing without Helix?" David cried.

BOOOOOOOM!

"Hah. I don't care if Helix is here.

The next time I see him, I'll be a broken cheat!" Petra laughed.

"I-I see! I just don't see how." David replied nervously.

"I hate to admit this, but we don't have the monster-fighting training Helix does!" Peter yelled.

"So let's listen to Macron and Lamath!"

"Yeah, I agree! That's what Master Helix told us to do!" Mason roared.

"Yeah!" Chad followed up.

"I'm abiding by the master's words!" Halbert yelled.

—

"Welcome~home, Master Helix." Charlotte said while licking her lips.