-Aaaargh!
The Living Armors had reached the moat.
Their advance slowed as they negotiated the water-filled moat, all the while enduring a relentless hail of our arrows.
Still, they proved hardy.
Brushing off the arrow impacts across their armored forms, they crossed the moat and arrived at the base of the castle walls.
-Thump! Thump! Thump!
The leading Living Armors comnced their assault, hamring brusquely on the castle gate.
But the gate, thick and securely fastened, stood firm.
Even these monstrous beings couldnt breach it without proper siege equipnt.
Finding their siege of the gate futile, the Living Armors pivoted to an audacious tacticthey began to scale the castle wall.
-Scraaatch! Scraaatch! Scraaatch!
The spectacle of these armored behemoths clawing their way up the wall was chilling, like sothing pulled straight from a horror film.
-Gulp. Gulp.
Watching from their perch on the castle wall, the soldiers fear was palpable as they swallowed nervously.
"Hold."
I, too, gulped hard at the sight below, but strove to project a calm facade.
"Hold!"
Wed readied various improvised weapons atop the castle wallremnants of stones and scrap tal from the fortification work.
The soldiers were poised to unleash this debris on the climbing Living Armors.
The Living Armors had almost reached the castle walls apex.
Close enough now, we could glimpse the eerie gleam in their eyes through the helt slits.
With a deep breath, I issued my command.
"Now! Throw them!"
"Throw them!"
"Throw them-!"
In unison, the soldiers heaved all the odds and ends over the castle wall.
-Wooshhh....
-Crash! Bang!
The Living Armors struck by the heavy barrage tumbled back to the ground.
While a good number shattered upon impact, the rest were eerily undeterred, rising once again. I clicked my tongue.
"Damned resilient!"
We had exhausted all the odds and ends amassed on the castle wall. Yet these relentless adversaries began to climb the wall once more despite our onslaught.
Out of options, I rallied my troops.
"Prepare for hand-to-hand combat!"
"Yes! Prepare for hand-to-hand combat-!"
"Hand-to-hand combat units, to the front!"
A little over a hundred soldiers from the lee unit, who had been waiting in reserve, unsheathed their weapons.
The soldiers who had been manning the cannons and ballistae, and those hurling debris, pulled back for a brief respite.
After a short recovery, they would join the lee unit.
As the lee units took their places, I navigated to the system window.
Reorganize party.
Jupiters party had been wiped out, leaving only four mbers in the main party. It was ti for a reshuffle.
I navigated to the party window and shifted Jupiter, currently in the sub-party, into the main group.
[Main Party (5/5)]
- Lv.5 Ash(EX)
- Lv.27 Lucas(SSR)
- Lv.15 Damien(N)
- Lv.17 Lilly(R)
- Lv.35 Jupiter(SR)
The main party was now filled, and with a ding! The party synergy activated.
[Active Party Synergy]
> (Commander1) Vanguard of the Battlefield: This partys morale doesnt falter.
> (Mage2) Double Mage: The magical assault power of all party mbers surges by 20 percent.
Two synergies sprang into action.
Absolutely splendid!
I couldnt resist exclaiming in sheer delight.
Especially the Double Mage, such a spectacular synergy. A boost in magical attack power by a full 20 percent!
Theres no synergy more suited to our current predicant, where our hope lies in Jupiters lightning magic once she recuperates.
Yet, for the mont.
I spotted the Living Armors clinging and scaling our fortress walls.
Lucas, with his longsword drawn at his chest, and the trembling soldiers clutching their maces in white-knuckled grips.
We must stand firm, bodies our only bulwark.
Until now, the soldiers had capably managed our defenses, terror etched on their faces.
Their success owed largely to the fact the battles unfolded at a distance.
Now, they must confront their enemies up close, bearing the brunt of their assault with their bodies.
Will they hold their ground?
I was concerned for the anxious soldiers, but swiftly dismissed the thought.
No, they must.
Even the most battle-hardened soldier was once a green recruit.
This battle wont be the last. The monster invasions wont relent.
For survivals sake, every soldier must toughen up.
They must et the onslaught and prevail.
"Theyre scaling the wall-!"
When the Living Armors scrabbled to the top of the fortress wall, the soldiers thrust at them with their spears or whatever they had on hand.
-Thump! Thump!
Yet the Living Armors snatched the proffered weapons and snapped them.
"Woah?!"
"What the hell!"
In surprise, the soldiers stumbled back as one.
With their final defense casually brushed aside, the Living Armors erged, one by one, onto the fortress wall.
-Grrrrr......
-Grrrraaah!
The first one to hoist itself onto the wall released a bone-chilling roar, sending a wave of unease through the soldiers ranks.
Then...
-Flash!
Lucass sword split the monsters helt clean in two.
A shower of crimson sparks accompanied the staggering Living Armor as Lucas forcefully kicked it off the wall.
"Ive got these fiends!"
Lucas bellowed at the dumbstruck soldiers.
"Just hold your line and keep them from advancing!"
"Y-yes, sir...!"
Lucas zipped along the wall, slicing through the climbing Living Armors as if carving through soft butter.
-Tssk! Tssk!
With every sweep of Lucass sword, vivid red sparks flew. His blade seed to bloom with fiery blossoms.
Transfixed by the dazzling prowess of the SSR-ranked knight, I jolted back to reality. I had my part to play!
"Lilly, ready the next artifact!"
"On it!"
In response to my directive, Lilly promptly prepared the artifact.
The second artifact had been fixed.
A novice-tier Haste artifact.
This was an artifact that provided a burst of speed enhancent magic to allies within a certain range. As to be expected from a novice tier, its impact and duration were rather short-lived.
Both movent and attack speed got a bump of 5 percent, lasting rely for 5 minutes.
But 5 percent was sufficient. 5 minutes was adequate.
Applying this boost right at the onset of our engagent, the most crucial mont, lifted the soldiers spirits.
Feeling energized, the soldiers swung their maces and brandished their shields with renewed vigor.
Drive the monsters back!
Force them off-!
The soldiers clashed with the Living Armors who had scaled the wall.
The standby infantry, previously allowed a respite, held their own surprisingly well.
They couldnt topple the Living Armors, but they did manage to stand their ground and form a defensive line.
The traits I had readied for this battle were [Main Order], [Attack Totem], and [Defense Totem].
These would provide a modest boost to the infantry.
As the soldiers held fast without giving an inch, Lucas was in a flurry, brandishing his sword left and right.
-Flash! Flash!
Each ti his sword danced, the Living Armors dropped like stalks before a scythe.
A unique light, the sign of skill usage, sparkled from Lucas sword. It was Lucass initial skill, [Soul Strike].
[Soul Strike] is a cumulative skill that intensifies with each enemy slain.
I would have preferred to feed Lucas all the remaining Living Armors, but there simply wasnt ti.
Were losing ground.
Lucas was soloing nearly half of the wall, yet he couldnt cover the entire stretch.
The number of enemies vaulting the wall was swelling. Our casualty count was mounting too.
Damn it!
Argh!
If youre injured, fall back imdiately! Sub out!
As each wounded soldier erged, I sent in the original defenders who had been waiting in reserve.
However, even these initial defenders were fatigued from their previous stand.
While the fatalities were few, injuries skyrocketed in no ti. I found myself biting my lower lip in frustration.
Prince, I should return to the front line...
Damien, who had been resting upon my command, had once again ard his crossbow, but I waved him off.
This guy needed to conserve his energy for the boss fight. Jupiter was in the sa boat.
What to do?
Was there no way to curb our soldier casualties and wipe out the remaining Living Armors...?
Just then.
-Woosh!
Suddenly, a blaze erupted, reducing the Living Armors, which had been scaling the wall, to cinders.
Startled, I spun towards the source. Lilly, seated in her wheelchair, had her hands extended, her face ashen.
Right, you can wield magic?!
Taken aback by my outburst, Lilly bore an expression of disbelief.
No, Im originally a pyromancer!
Im sorry. I only saw you as a shield ally.
Isnt that a bit harsh?!
Living Armors kept pouring over the wall. Lilly, in a panic, let loose a barrage of fire.
Roar!
Roaa...
The Living Armors advancing towards Lillys section of the wall disintegrated in an instant.
They boasted formidable physical resistance, but their defense against magic was weak, making fire magic highly effective.
"Heuk, heuk...."
Lilly, her Magic Power quickly depleted, was gasping for breath. She found the significant Magic Power expenditure that fire magicians were known for hard to bear.
I raced to Lillys side, clutching the handles of her wheelchair.
"Brilliant work, Lilly! Youre in for a promotion!"
"No, please let retire...."
"Ill throw in a substantial bonus! Now, lets produce so more fire!"
"I told you, I want to retire! Plus, Ive nearly exhausted all my Magic Power!"
"You can do it one more ti! Lets go, hoorah!"
"Uwaaaaaaang!"
I wheeled Lilly around, encouraging her to conjure up more flas. The effect was trendous!
20 percent from party synergy, and another 5 percent from my [Attack Totem] trait.
All in all, a boost of 25 percent. Lillys fire magic splendidly held back the invaders at half of the fortress.
I quickly administered a mana potion to the whimpering Lilly.
"Hold on, Flathrower! One more round!"
"I implore you, treat like a person!"
And so, this cycle repeated - soldiers valiantly standing their ground, Lucas carving through enemies with his sword, Lilly raining down fire.
[Enemy Info - STAGE 1]
- Lv.25 Spectral Knight : 1
- Lv.5 Living Armor Assault Soldiers : 3 (Kill Counts: 1449)
Victory was within our grasp.
"Die, vile creature!"
"Leave this castle, now!"
The soldiers circled the Living Armor, relentlessly beating it with their maces,
"I really... cant take any more...."
"This is it, the final one. Co on. Down the hatch, and into the fray!"
Lilly just about managed to incinerate one, as Magic Power potion trickled down her chin.
-Flash!
The last enemy was neatly bisected by Lucass sword strike.
"...Its over."
No more Living Armors moved. The overwheld soldiers all erupted into cheers simultaneously.
"Weve done it! Victory is ours!"
"We did it! We did it!"
I had to dampen their jubilation.
"The battle isnt over yet!"
"Eh, what?"
"Stay alert! The final adversary is coming!"
I fixed my gaze on the empty air. The soldiers followed suit.
-Grrrrrr....
A gargantuan spectral figure hovered in the air. Fragnts of the defeated Living Armors from around the battlefield converged.
-Clank! Clank!
Countless pieces of armor assembled to create an imnse figure, seemingly in a crouch.
From the gauntlets on its fingertips to the pauldrons on its shoulders. The chest plate. The leg armor shaping its thighs and calves, down to the boots encasing its feet.
And finally, the helt.
-Clank-!
The now complete armored titan emitted a foreboding groan.
-Grrrrrr....!
Phantom Knight.
The eyes of this stages boss monster flickered with blue fla.
-Thud-!
As it descended to the ground from the air, the surrounding area shook as if rocked by an earthquake. We all staggered in unison.
As I gripped the nearby wall for support, I bit back a curse.
How could this be just a Stage 1 boss!
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