ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!-Chapter 187: Panic in Macia ( )

Ridan smirked as the clouds above began to churn like a beast awakening from a deep sleep.

"Hazuki!"

"Huh? What now?" Hazuki asked while slicing a goblin general cleanly in half, his movements sharp and smooth—yet strained from exhaustion.

"Let me take over," Ridan said calmly.

"Wha—HEY! Not again!" Hazuki grunted, stumbling slightly as his body responded suddenly to a surge of mana. His mind stayed alert, but his actions were now controlled by Ridan.

Their thoughts overlapped.

"What are you planning this time!?"

"The most powerful area-of-effect spell I know," Ridan’s voice practically sang inside his head.

"You better not blow me up!"

"No promises."

Hazuki’s palm shot upward, fingers spread wide. Mana erupted from his core like a geyser, making the air around him crackle and hum with static. The temperature plummeted sharply, and the forest air felt alive with energy.

The clouds—calm mere seconds ago—began to twist and swirl violently.

The sky groaned.

CRACKLE.

A streak of blue lightning split the dark clouds above.

"Seriously?" Hazuki muttered, eyes narrowing.

"Yes," Ridan replied cheerfully. "Activate: Lightning Storm!"

The sky responded.

Bolts of brilliant blue lightning rained down like divine punishment. Not just a few—dozens, hundreds—each strike illuminating the forest below with blinding, jagged arcs. Creatures howled, shrieked, and were scorched to ash, collapsing into twitching heaps of charred flesh.

Trees burst into flames beneath the fury.

The ground trembled violently.

And in the midst of it all, Hazuki stood wide-eyed, lips parted in awe.

"...Okay. That was kinda cool," he muttered softly.

Elvia, hiding behind a fallen log just a few meters away, watched the storm unfold with a mixture of awe and fear.

He summoned the wrath of the heavens themselves.

Her heart pounded again—this was his true power.

The night was usually quiet, with only distant howls—yet tonight, that silence was shattered.

BOOOOOOM!!!

Beyond the treeline, the clouds darkened and lightning struck relentlessly, thunder roaring like the anger of some forgotten god. Blue bolts flashed in rapid succession, followed by a chorus of monstrous roars that shook the very ground beneath their feet.

The beastkin guards at the gate froze.

One of them gripped his spear tighter. "That came from the western forest... right?"

Another, younger guard gulped nervously. "Yeah... and those weren’t just normal roars. That was a whole damned horde."

They exchanged nervous glances. Five beastkin, all wearing light armor—experienced but clearly uneasy.

"That sound... it was like a meteor storm crashing down from the sky," one whispered.

"Or divine judgment," muttered an older guard, wide-eyed, staring at the unnatural clouds pulsing with fading sparks and residual storm energy.

The youngest finally broke out of his trance. "W-We can’t ignore that, right? Should we check it out?"

The tallest shook his head firmly. "No. Not with just five of us. We’re not stupid enough to chase after a monster ambush zone at night."

"Then... what’s the plan?"

The leader of the guard exhaled sharply, flicking his tail in tension.

"Wake the captain. Now."

The town of Macia was no longer asleep.

Doors swung open, windows groaned, and torches flickered to life one after another, casting a wavering glow over a sea of anxious faces. From the poorest peasants to the wealthiest merchants, everyone spilled into the streets, their eyes fixed on the ominous darkness looming on the horizon beyond the town walls.

"The sky... it’s cracked..." someone whispered.

"Was it a demon?" another asked fearfully.

"No... it felt like the world itself was screaming," an elder muttered, trembling.

Children clung tightly to their parents, eyes wide with terror. Vendors, who had been sleeping behind their carts, peeked out cautiously. Even the taverns—usually alive with raucous drunken laughter in the early hours—had fallen utterly silent.

Suddenly, a voice rang out sharply.

"Where are the guards?! Why hasn’t the bell rung?!"

An alarmed citizen shouted, frustration tinged with panic.

"They say this isn’t an attack on the town, but no one knows what caused that darkness!"

"Shouldn’t someone wake the lord? Send a scout? Do something! What if it’s the dark monsters from the eastern valleys again?!"

Another voice snapped back hurriedly.

"The eastern valleys are leagues away! It’s not those old monsters!"

In front of the adventurer guild, a small crowd gathered, growing more tense by the second. Many stared anxiously at the guild building, desperate for leadership.

"Go call the guild master!" someone begged.

"Summon the elite party! They need to investigate!"

"No, we should close the gates first! What if the monsters come here next?!"

A few others shouted, "We need to reinforce the defenses! Go tell the guards to block every road and watch the walls!"

More voices joined, shouting over one another as panic spread.

"Someone go to the lord’s manor! He has to send his personal guard!"

"No, no, call the city overseer! If he doesn’t act, we’re doomed!"

The crowd’s words tangled into a chaos of fear and selfishness. Shouts turned into frantic commands, and the once orderly gathering became a surge of desperate urgency, all demanding action—any action—to stop what loomed on the horizon.

The houses near the city wall burst open as the residents panicked, rushing out in a desperate attempt to flee or find safety. They hurried toward the town, some stumbling, others crying out in fear, all seeking refuge within the walls.

Kisha awoke to the commotion, her eyes darting to the windows. Her heart pounding, she quickly roused the children sleeping nearby and hurried outside with them, moving as fast as she could.

When they finally reached the gates and stepped inside, a terrible realization struck her—Elvia was not with them.

Her eyes frantically searched the crowd, counting heads again and again. But the elven girl was nowhere in sight.

Kisha’s chest grew tight, fear creeping into her voice.

"Elvia...?!" she whispered, horror thickening her throat.

She spun around, pushing past frightened children, urgently ordered, "Stay here!" then charged back toward the gate.

But just as she reached it—

She was stopped.

A guard raised his halberd, blocking her path.

"No! Don’t come outside until the lord’s personal knights arrive!" he commanded.

"But"

"No ’but’!!" another barked, voice sharp with authority. "Gates are sealed until further notice. Stand back, ma’am!"

Kisha’s face twisted with desperation.

"I left a child outside!" she shouted, voice trembling. "Please, she’s just a girl—!"

The guards, unyielding, shook their heads.

"Orders are orders," one said grimly. "We don’t know what’s happening out there."

( End Of Chapter )