The short break, which served to rejuvenate stamina, preventing survivors from collapsing, ended when Cedric finished his military meeting.

Everything seems rushed, even from Baston’s perspective. But time is not on our side.

While a 30-minute break may be enough for soldiers, the civilians are just not trained for this much physical and mental burden called for in a war.

Even Baston, who usually doesn’t want to trouble other people with his problems, is also seen struggling.

It’s to the point where his mother has to support his body in order to walk properly.

‘I’m exhausted…’

No matter how much experience Baston had, the pressure is definitely still getting to him like it always did.

Echoing screams from people who lost their minds

Fear of the tunnel collapsing, crushing them to death

Explosions shaking the structure

Smelly sewage clogging my nose

Almost pitch black scene blocking my sight

Corpses flowing down the sewer

Exhaustion from the walking nearly nonstop

And so on…

The hopeless situations is contributing to the deteriorating conditions among the survivors.

Like others, Baston’s mental health is also at its worst.

The only thing keeping him from going insane is that “Temporis”, his soul-bound pocket watch, has a function preventing him from going nuts.

Just the accumulated mental fatigue from being in a solitary-confinement-like space continuously for more than a week would have already made an ordinary person lose his mind.

But after that, Baston ran into all sorts of unexpected variables in his plan, which ultimately got fumbled, making him stressed out.

On the bright side, Baston is having an opportunity he never received before as he managed(?) to somewhat influence the attackers’ plans, albeit for worse.

“Mom, I feel like I’m gonna pass out anytime soon.” 

Knowing her son’s stubbornness, this sentence means that he is really about to break. It also means that it’s time for her to step in.

“[Diagnosis]” Serafina casts her priestess’s spell, just for her expression to turn dark.

Without wasting a moment, she runs to the nearest officers and, dropping me to the ground in the process.

“Officer… Officer, we are under attack.”

“Slow down, priestess, what do you mean by that?” The officer questions her.

“I don’t know since when, but we are being put under very strong cursing spells.” 

Just like Serafina’s initial reaction, Baston, the officer, and the survivors’ expressions followed suit.

“Please follow me, priestess. I’ll take you to the commander.” Officer rushes her.

“Priestess, wait for me!” The survivor calls out.

“Priestess, help us!”

“Lift the curses, please, priestess!”

While others run after my mother to ask for help from her, one of the only priestesses stationed in the rear area.

Baston didn’t bother to follow her as he decided to conserve his dwindling stamina. But that doesn’t mean that he is not scared.

To him, a person who cannot perceived curses, his mother’s words are a signal…

A signal that “Stage Two” of “The Capitol Fall” has begun. 

If what started “Stage One” were assassinations, hostage taking, and monster bombardment, “Stage Two” begins with wide-area curses, psychological attacks, airborne diseases, and chemical gas warfare in an attempt to undermine the resistance.

The main culprit, [Mind Corruption], is a spell that slowly corrupts one’s mind to the point of madness.

‘Direct psychological attacks using [Mind Corruption] should begin any minute now.’

Like usual, fates play a twist on his plans as contrary to Baston’s expectations, the curse spells and [Mind Corruption] were already casted from when they were taking a break. And that’s the reason everyone is feeling abnormally tired, mentally unstable, and lethargic.

And not long after, a fight breaks out. Not between the survivors and the cultists, but among themselves.

Gunshots rang out. Spells were shot. Metal clanging sound reverberated. Blood splashed. People fell down.

Any order left among the men had already gone down the drain.

“[Shield]” Baston reflexively casts a defensive spell to block the incoming arrows.

The bunker sewage has become a lawless pandemonium.