"Uh, ughhhh!"
"How can we topple such a gargantuan beast...!"
The ergence of the boss monster plunged the soldiers on the ramparts into disarray.
The once relentless fire of the cannons and ballistae halted, and the once imperable wall of fla quivered and broke.
-Roaarrr!
-Roaarrr-!
Living Armors that penetrated the weakening wall of fla sward from the front and sides of the wooden fortifications.
These monstrous brutes lunged toward the nearest human.
Toward Jupiter, who lay unconscious after a devastating fall from her horse.
"Damn it! We need to form a shield!"
"Protect the mage!"
Four mbers of Jupiters party sprinted to her side, forming a protective barrier in front of her.
However, they too were roughed up from their respective falls from their steeds. Furthermore, the horses they had been riding had scattered in every direction.
The final stand of a cavalry unit that had lost its mobility was as predictable as fire consuming dry wood.
Shes going to die!
I gritted my teeth.
We couldnt afford to lose Jupiter and the hero party here!
"Damien!"
Damien turned to . I quickly gestured towards Jupiters party.
"Pick off the Living Armors heading for Jupiters party!"
"Yes!"
Without missing a beat, Damien swiftly redirected his crossbow.
-Whizz! Whizz! Whizz-!
Snipe shots whistled through the air in quick succession.
-Thud! Thuuud!
The lethal arrows accurately impaled the Living Armors.
The only snag... while Damien was the most accurate sniper in the world, his rate of fire wasnt particularly fast.
-Roaarrr-!
The influx of Living Armors breaking through the faltering kill zone was overwhelming. Damiens sniping alone couldnt halt them all.
Lucas called out to .
"My Lord! We must adjust the cannon fire to support Jupiters party!"
"No!"
I dismissed his plea with a swift rebuttal.
"We must sustain the fla wall as it is! If we lose the kill zone, the escapees will multiply!"
"But!"
"Concentrate on reestablishing the fla wall first! The soldiers are losing their heads!"
I dashed over to a soldier who was standing stupefied by the cannon on the wall and slapped him on the back.
"Pull yourself together, you fool! Dont cower just because that monster is a tad larger!"
With that, the soldier jolted back to his senses.
"Huh?! S-sorry, my Lord!"
"Eh?"
I was taken aback, sowhat surprised. Really? Was my slap that impactful?
Glancing at my hand, the reason dawned on .
My passive skill, [Unyielding Commander]!
Soldiers within 10m of recover from ntal status abnormalities.
I surveyed the trembling soldiers on the ramparts.
Could it be that recovery from ntal status abnormalities not only counters debuff spells but also bolsters shaken morale?
So, if I dash around the battlefield in this state of panic, can I restore the soldiers spirits?
As soon as the thought struck , I made a snap decision. I quickly pivoted to Lucas.
"Lucas!"
"Awaiting your orders."
"Ill handle the task of soothing the soldiers and reestablishing the kill zone! Lucas, you!"
I faltered for a mont, then finally spat it out.
"Youll lead the rescue team."
"...!"
"Open the fortress gates, venture out, and rescue Jupiters party."
We couldnt risk losing an SR-grade wizard in this chaos. Not at any price!
And the only one who could brave the monster-infested battlefield to rescue Jupiter was, unavoidably, our protagonist, Lucas.
Lucas swiftly scanned the battleground.
Even now, the Living Armors that had broken free from the kill zone were surging forward with a formidable montum.
The armored creatures bellowed nacingly, barreling toward Jupiters party.
His task was to dive into this onslaught and retrieve our comrades.
A seemingly foolhardy order, to put it mildly.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
But Lucas gazed back at , his face set in determination, and nodded.
"I shall return posthaste."
"....Im relying on you, Lucas."
This was a decision that could potentially cost an SR-grade wizard and even an SSR-grade knight.
But I chose to trust Lucas. I chose to wager on this protagonists inherent luck.
Lucas bounded down the fortress wall via the stairs, resembling a blur. Im banking on you, protagonist!
I hastily jogged around the fortress wall, thumping the backs of the soldiers.
"Shake it off, wake up, you imbeciles! Are you prepared to die just like that!"
-Zap! Zap!
The soldiers, jolted by my stern thumps, all snapped to attention.
"Argh?!"
"That stings!"
"Your Highness? What...."
"Regain your composure and fire the cannons! Cant you maintain the kill zone?!"
As I ran atop the fortress wall, I slapped soldiers backs, cheeks, shoulders - anything within reach, and bellowed at the top of my voice.
"Are you frightened of those monsters? Seriously?!"
The soldiers were all fixated on the colossal specter looming in the sky, fear etched on their faces.
So, I told them the hard truth.
"Im scared too, damn it!"
"Huh?"
"Of course its terrifying, wouldnt it be? If you arent scared of that monstrosity, you arent human!"
Monsters are larger than humans.
Monsters are stronger than humans.
Feeling a raw fear is only natural. Theres no dishonor in being scared.
But!
"But think about the common folk who would be even more terrified than us, the trained ones, when facing these monsters!"
As I sprinted along the fortress wall, I thumped each soldiers back. They all ca back to their senses.
But knowing they had regained their senses, I ran in the opposite direction once more, thumping each ones back again.
"Think of your mother! Your wife! Your sibling! Your child! Imagine the terror they would feel gazing at those monsters!"
A fresh wave of fear, tinged with bewildernt, dawned on the faces of the soldiers receiving my back-thumps.
"Envision the scene when these monsters break through and invade the city!"
"...!"
"Imagine the defenseless civilians being slaughtered by these monsters! Visualize the countless children who could be sacrificed because you are paralyzed by fear!"
Gulping, huffing, I felt like I was on the verge of retching, having made a full lap around the ramparts.
"We must hold them back here."
Even though I was panting heavily, I continued to bellow.
"Its us! Were the ones to stop the monsters and shield the people! This is our final stand!"
The soldiers were still rooted in terror, but with trembling hands, they clasped the cannons and ballistae once more.
"If youve co back to your senses, fire quickly! Unleash every bit of ammunition you have!"
"Yes, yes sir!"
"Fire! Fire--!"
-Boom! Boom! Bang-!
The cannons belched flas, and the ballistae resud firing. I too roared fiercely.
"Fire, fire! Burn all those monsters to the ground--!"
The kill zone was just about restored.
The core of the wooden outer wall was once again bathed in crossfire, and the living armors began to disintegrate in vast numbers.
Yet, a significant number of monsters had already breached the outer wall during the temporary cease in kill zones operation.
"Open the gate!"
And towards the monster-ridden battlefield, Lucas charged out in a swift sprint.
"Charge, charge--!"
Lucas on horseback vanished like a launched arrow. I clenched my fists tightly.
Please, Lucas!
The destiny of this level, no......
The entire fate of this ga hinged on Lucass hands.
***
"Huh?!"
Jupiters eyes widened.
Where am I?
Jupiter frantically scanned her surroundings.
She was in the plain before the southern wall of Crossroad. She found herself sprawled there.
I rember being hurled off when my horse unexpectedly went wild.
What transpired after that?
Whats happening?
"Lady Jupiter! Have you regained consciousness?!"
A desperate cry ca. Jupiter painstakingly propped up her upper body.
She felt her forehead damp. When she touched it, blood stained her hand. It seed she had wounded her head when she toppled from her horse.
Her waist also felt sprained, as every movent elicited severe pain.
"Oh, such trials at this age..."
"Lady Jupiter! Were running out of ti! Lady Jupiter!"
Looking towards the source of the voice, she saw her party mbers huddled around her, safeguarding her.
-Roaaaaaaar-!
And charging towards her party mbers were the living armors, howling.
"...?!"
Her spinning head abruptly cleared. Jupiter regained her senses and sized up the current predicant.
Jupiters party was stranded.
Everyone had been injured when they were thrown from their horses onto the plain, and Jupiter had lost consciousness.
Before they could even attempt to return to the city, they were ambushed by the living armors.
"Backup will arrive soon! We need to hold on until then...!"
The rcenary briefing Jupiter about the situation swung his held hamr in desperation.
-Thump!
The helt of a charging living armor caved in from his hamr.
-Roar, grrr-!
Yet, the living armor hesitated only for a mont before fiercely thrusting its spear once more.
"Madness! How you endure that hit?!"
The rcenary spat out an expletive.
His fellow party mbers shared his sentints.
They clashed against the living armors that sward them like a torrent, but regular attacks didnt faze the armors.
Magic attacks might stun them, but unless the entire armor was shattered with physical blows, theyd continue their assault.
This was the challenge of confronting living armors.
Jupiters party was composed of N-grade heroes.
Theyd battled quite a few monsters before, but the sheer number and prowess of the living armors were proving a tough match.
Inevitably...
"Ugh?!"
There were casualties.
It was the rcenary who had been updating Jupiter on the situation.
Hed managed to crush the fourth living armor with his warhamr, but his leg was impaled by a spear swung by a living armor, now only half its forr size.
Reeling in pain, he was besieged by several more living armors.
He swung his warhamr ferociously and smashed the leading living armor, but...
-Thunk! Thunk-thunk!
His chest and abdon were skewered by the spears of other living armors.
"Ugh... damn it..."
He writhed in agony, attempting to swing his warhamr once more, but the monsters were quicker.
-Thunk! Thunk-!
They chanically withdrew their spears and thrust again.
The monsters moved devoid of any emotion, only following the most efficient trajectory to take down a human.
Jupiter watched one of her party mbers be ruthlessly slaughtered, her eyes wide with horror.
"These goddamn monster bastards...!"
Jupiter hurriedly tried to harness magic to sweep away the nearby living armors, but her magical energy wouldnt gather properly in her hand.
Due to the blow to her head when she was thrown off her horse, her magical control was off.
Jupiter clutched her forehead, struggling to amass her magical energy.
"Damn it...! Hurry...!"
Thunk! Thunk-thunk!
"Ah, ahhhh!"
In the anti, a second party mber fell.
A rcenary whod been warding off attacks with his shield.
But under the relentless assault of the living armors, his shield shattered, and his body suffered grave wounds.
"Ugh, ugh-ugh! Fuck, fuck!"
The third party mber battling alongside him spun around and bolted. No, he tried to bolt.
But as soon as he turned his back, the living armors launched their spears at him.
-Swish! Swoosh-!
-Thunk-thunk!
The third party mber, instantly impaled by a spear, crumpled to the ground without even a cry.
He convulsed in a pool of his own blood and soon drew his last breath.
The fragile defense line held by a re few was obliterated in a flash.
Jupiter found herself close enough to the living armors to sll their stench.
The scent of rusty armor and stagnant water.
The scent of impending doom.
"You shouldve remained subrged in the lake..."
Finally, a modest amount of magic energy accumulated at her fingertips. Jupiter extended her hand forward, shrieking.
"Do you truly believe that this old woman will retire in tranquility?!"
-Crack-!
A vivid blue bolt of lightning cut across the sky, illuminating the entire battlefield.
The Living Armors positioned at the front line were instantly incinerated, crumbling to the ground.
It was a successful strike, but it was just a fraction of her usual power. Instead of the usual shower of bolts, only a single arc of lightning was discharged.
This isnt good...
Jupiter mused.
Surveying the Living Armors that surged forward again from behind their scorched companions, Jupiter clicked her tongue.
She then called out to the last remaining mber of her party.
"Run for your life, youre the last one left!"
"Eh, what?!"
The final party mber was a youthful rcenary, still wet behind the ears. Jupiter hollered again, her voice resonating across the field.
"Better one lives to tell the tale than all perish! Run, kid!"
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