Reborn: Apocalypse Ready. War Goddess by My Side novel Chapter 237

Chapter 237 A New Mission

Finished

“Villeurfort was larger than Rowenville in population and ranked just slightly higher in overall classification.

“For something of that magnitude, a hundred–million reward is actually on the conservative side.”

A collective, sharp intake of breath ran around the fire as the full weight of that settled in.

Peter leaned forward with immediate interest. “If we get our hands on the Celestial Core, do we get access to the combat art archive inside?”

Olivia gave a slow nod. “There’s a real chance, yes.”

Every breath around the fire hitched.

Level 6 combat arts.

Olivia kept going. “For us specifically, the combat arts aren’t even the most valuable thing in there. What really matters is the weapons and equipment schematics.

“If we can access that data, we can use it to upgrade and reinforce our own systems. We could potentially build advanced origin energy cannons and other high–tier gear without spending a single crystal to do it.

“That’s the real prize for a team like ours.”

Words were no longer adequate to describe what everyone was feeling.

Every person around that fire wanted to move on the target immediately.

Then Olivia doused their enthusiasm without flinching.

“The problem is actually getting there. Something this valuable will draw every powerful force in the region. Hanford’s Awakened Squads are stronger than ours on average.

“And it won’t just be the Hanford squads. Powerful families and independent factions from Hanford will mobilize too. Rowenville’s own major families will probably send their best people as well.

r

Steven’s brow creased with a puzzled look. “If this thing is this important, why isn’t the military sending a Divine King directly?”

Olivia glanced toward Alan.

Alan answered the question. “The military can’t confirm whether this is genuine or a carefully laid trap. If they commit a Divine King and it turns out to be bait, losing one would destabilize the entire city. Divine Kings aren’t permitted to operate freely outside their assigned city under uncertain conditions.”

Steven’s expression twitched slightly. So they’re using the squads as the canaries in the mine.

Olivia brought it back to the immediate decision. “That’s the full picture. What happens next is up to us. “We can hold position and wait for the beast encirclement around Rowenville to break up on its own, then

12:28 pm Pp.

Chapter 237 A New Mission

look for an opening to return when the pressure eases.

Finished

“Or we keep pushing the mission. The reward would be significant, but the risk ahead of us is genuinely unpredictable. None of us can say what’s waiting on the other side of this.”

The fire crackled into the silence that followed.

Every person around it understood what the situation was really saying.

Moving forward meant walking into something that could get more of them killed.

But they didn’t have a way back.

Louie was the first one to move. He got to his feet and dropped the piece of flavorless meat he’d been holding straight onto the ground.

“This doesn’t taste anything like what Caleb used to make. Let’s go avenge him and wipe out every last one of those things.”

A few small, tired smiles made their way around the fire.

Peter exhaled a string of colorful commentary under his breath, which amounted to wholehearted

agreement.

Uriah looked perfectly calm. “I’ve lived long enough. I’ve got nothing to regret.”

Going back in there without knowing whether this would be the last time?

No. Not happening.

12:28 pm

1. pp.

Refilling everything the Scorchblood Ignition burned through cost roughly two thousand level 1 beast crystals.

On top of the regular Beast Energy Conversion draws from the past several days, his personal supply was completely empty.

The only crystals he had left were the ones collected from kills since leaving Rowenville, and those were meant to be split equally among the squad.

If he used those and ran dry, he’d have nothing, and that would raise uncomfortable questions.

Steven sat with the mildly awkward realization that he’d just encountered the real cost of what he was capable of.

Every time Scorchblood Ignition activated from this point forward, it would take thousands of beast crystals just to fill the hole it left behind.

Steven laughed quietly to himself, a small rueful sound. The power Scorchblood Ignition delivered was extraordinary.

But the toll it extracted was something an ordinary person couldn’t sustain.

This was going to be a recurring problem.

Steven tracked down Alan as quietly as he could manage

“Captain, I need a level 4 beast crystal. Can you front me one for now?”

Alan looked at him without expression.

“Just take it out of my share when we settle up,” Steven added.

Alan didn’t ask a single question about it.

He reached into his spatial converter, pulled out a level 4 beast crystal, and handed it over without a word.

Steven felt the tension ease out of his shoulders.

He deliberately didn’t ask for level 1 beast crystals at all.

12:28 pm