"The monsters are here?"
Shaka gazed into the distance, where dark shadows swarmed through the mountains and forests dense like an organized army.
Shiro calculated precisely: "1562 meters away."
The surrounding mountains slowed the horde's advance, but beyond a kilometer lay open plains. Once the monsters reached that point, they'd reach the walls in minutes.
Sora grabbed a guard and issued an order: "Recall the men digging traps outside the walls!"
"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted solemnly before hurrying off.
Shaka's expression was grim this was his first time witnessing a battle of such scale. The number of monsters was staggering, and Swordsmith City was no fortress. As a commercial hub for weapons trading, its walls were low and defenses weak.
The good news: the city was full of blacksmiths and stockpiled more equipment than could ever be used.
The bad news: their strongest fighter was Lulune the [Mud Dog], and everyone else was Level 1 there wasn't a single high-ranked (Level 2+) adventurer among them.
The thousand-meter distance closed quickly. Shaka could see over a dozen Minotaurs charging toward the walls, each carrying massive logs.
"They're using siege equipment?"
The absurd sight sent waves of panic through the soldiers. How could they defend against monsters that followed orders? With their bare hands?
Sora frowned plummeting morale right at the start was not part of his plan.
"What's happening here?"
Shaka quickly explained: "Most monsters have no intelligence. They can barely wield found weapons, let alone cut trees to make tools. This completely shatters everything we thought we knew about them."
"Using trees as weapons is one thing but organizing a siege changes everything."
Sora swallowed his frustration and roared: "Soldiers! Execute the plan! Archers front and center!"
At his command, the troops fell into formation despite their panic, proving their training hadn't been for nothing.
"Bows drawn! Arrows nocked!"
A commander drew his sword and pointed toward the battlefield: "Release!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Hundreds of arrows rained down, drawing blood from the Minotaurs but barely slowed them. Unlike human soldiers, one arrow wouldn't bring down a monster.
As the beasts closed in, thud after thud shook the walls, sending clods of earth scattering. The giant logs were rammed into the stone, forming makeshift ladders. Cerberi, earth spirits, and goblins swarmed up toward the battlements.
One fast-climbing beast lunged and bit deep into a guard's shoulder.
Sora remained calm as he issued commands: "Dwarf unit advance and throw! Medical corps tend to the wounded!"
Behind the archers, thirty-odd dwarven blacksmiths rolled up their sleeves to reveal bulging muscles, grinning as they hauled massive battle axes from chests.
"Alright brothers let's show these beasts what swordsmiths can do!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
The dwarves hurled the weapons with devastating force. These weren't small throwing axes they were full-sized battle axes with meter-long blades.
Shaka stared in shock. That's top-tier equipment being treated like disposable tools?! Even if they could retrieve them later, wasn't this reckless?
Without hesitation, he grabbed a valuable weapon he'd never have dared to use normally and hurled it at the monsters below.
This feeling of throwing money around is incredible!
Beneath the walls, the monster army pressed forward relentlessly. Some fell into hidden pits, impaled on sharpened stakes. Most of the frontline beasts were cut down by arrows and flying axes. Even a few magic-infused swords—usually sold as luxury goods—were deployed, unleashing bursts of flame and lightning.
The battle settled into a brutal stalemate that dragged on for an hour.
As the weaker "cannon fodder" monsters fell, more elites emerged. These beasts had potential abilities averaging B-rank simple bows and crossbows could no longer harm them; only ballistae could deal real damage.
A massive black saber-toothed tiger burst from the rear ranks, its scales glinting with dark light. In a few bounds, it leaped up the log ladders onto the wall.
"Enhanced species Shadowfang Tiger!"
"I've got it!" Ouka held his giant shield, slamming it into the pouncing beast. A companion struck from the side with a poisoned katana, leaving a three-finger gash that immediately began oozing black pus. The tiger roared and swatted Ouka away with one claw.
"Rotate positions!" Ouka shouted as he tumbled backward.
Yuuki charged forward with a rapier. Her thrust was simple, but her [Swordsman] ability created twin blade shadows that struck the tiger directly in its eyes. Three arrows then pierced its skull, fired by Chigusa and her team from behind cover.
Yuuki retreated immediately after her attack. Her movements were clumsy without her development ability, she'd never have been able to fight effectively.
Small-scale skirmishes like this erupted across the entire wall as Sora's battle plan unfolded in full force.
Elsewhere, Kanade Tachibana and Yui worked with the rear guard and residents to support the front lines.
Yui's [Full of Energy] skill kept her tireless as she darted around: "Wow you're amazing, auntie! Faster, faster!"
"Haha, keep cheering us on!" The woman smiled as she helped carry buckets of kerosene up to the wall, where soldiers poured it down onto the monsters below.
Kanade moved quietly and efficiently, doing her part without complaint.
Then cries rang out from above. Five harpy-like creatures descended from the sky, their claws tearing through the old woman's back. Blood splattered everywhere as the kerosene she carried spilled across the ground.
"Auntie!"
Yui's eyes widened in horror. She grabbed the woman her face twisted in pain, covered in cold sweat and dragged her toward a nearby room.
"Flying monsters! They've breached the walls!"
Panic spread through the support ranks as people pulled injured companions to safety.
Thump thump thump
Kanade stood frozen in place. She pressed her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound violently blood rushed to her head, sharpening her senses to an incredible degree. For the first time, she truly felt the strength of her own body but there was no joy in it.
"Kanade! Get inside!" Yui shouted.
One harpy completed a mid-air spin and dove toward her, its claws gleaming darkly.
In her eyes, the beast's crimson gaze and ferocious grin filled the world. Around her were cries of grief and worried faces watching out for her.
I'm really alive right now.
She whispered: "This isn't a game."
And in her heart: But I'm not afraid.
Just as the claws were about to strike, she shouted the words she'd memorized: "Guard skill activated!"
Buzz————
Kanade spread her arms wide. From her wrists burst white light blades that vibrated at high speed.
"Sonic Hand Blade!"
Swish swish swish
She swung her arms wildly, the blades moving in unpredictable patterns through the air.
Pfft! Pfft!
The harpy flapped its wings to retreat at the last second but even at 50 centimeters away, the intense vibrations shattered its magic core.
In this world, magic was as devastating as a Gatling gun in an age of cold steel. Most ordinary monsters would die instantly if they touched it. But Kanade's combat experience was limited taking down even one was all she could manage.
The remaining four harpies circled overhead, launching feather-blades at her. Kanade crossed her arms to form a shield of vibrating light; any feather that touched it dissolved instantly.
"Kanade! You're so cool!" Yui cheered from inside the room.
But the magic's duration was limited. The shield flickered and weakened Kanade could barely maintain it.
We're done for. I didn't leave myself time to escape. She looked up at the sky with resolve.
The harpies shrieked and dove as one.
Then—
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh
Four crimson-glowing spheres shot from the direction of the city gate. A voice roared from the battlements: "Don't think you're tough just because you can fly, you overgrown crows!"
Boom boom boom boom
Flames erupted into the sky in a deafening explosion. On the wall, Shaka lowered his custom-made projectile launcher and turned back to face the monsters swarming him. The heat wave behind him sent his red hair billowing.
His gaze then shifted to the rear of the monster army, where a peculiar pure-white goblin wearing a small dragon skull as a helmet wielded a strange weapon and shouted commands.
A moment later, pale lightning struck the walls, blanketing everything in a blinding flash of white.