906: Blocking the Breach
Ignoring the submaster’s shouts, Fran ran toward the breach in the walls. As we got closer, we found that the battle had yet to begin.
Still, it’s only a matter of time. Antidemons don’t think as logically as humans, but they are at least intelligent enough to jump on such an obvious weakpoint.
『We need to hurry. I’m worried about how the city’s defenses will function with the Adventurers Guild and the Sanatorium both paralyzed.』
「Nn!」
Upon arrival, we saw a black wave approaching from the distance. No doubt, the antidemons out for our blood.
『There’s only a few adventurers and guards in the vicinity.』
Maybe others were still on their way, but I doubt we even have 200 people here. They won’t be able to take out the antidemon army before they breach the walls. Fine, I’ll just have to seal it up.
We told the adventurers outside the walls to move back in, since we couldn’t leave them stranded out there.
I expected some resistance, but they readily obeyed. I guess they didn’t care who was in charge as long as they were capable enough to handle the antidemons.
After confirming everyone’s safe return, we activated our spells.
「Great Wall!」
『Great Wall!』
The rubble underneath Fran’s feet suddenly expanded, rising up with great force. When everything was over, the gap in the wall was completely filled up.
If this made the antidemons rethink their advance, we could buy some time to settle the chaos in the city.
But the horde refused to stop, continuing toward us at the exact same pace.
It seems they realized our makes.h.i.+ft earth wall was more fragile than the rest of the wall.
After all, it’s just made of somewhat hardened earth. The antidemons knew they could break through it with a little effort.
「「「Gyuooooooh!」」」
「Mrgh!」
『Such a barrage!』
The antidemon horde launched an endless rain of magic. They must have more archer-types than I thought.
We tried to intercept the shower with barriers and spells, but there’s no way we could block everything.
The rain of magic blasts landed directly on our wall. Seconds later, the wall we had just repaired turned into swiss cheese and crumbled down.
Trying to rebuild it again would just be a waste of mana.
『Fran, what’s the plan?』
「We have to fight.」
Fran landed on the plains, holding me at the ready.
「We can’t let them through here. I’ll buy time until help arrives.」
『But can we even be sure anyone’ll send us backup? It’s more likely they’ll divide their forces among all the gates. Might be a better idea to ask the dragonkin and beastmen for help directly.』
「But if they get into the city, a lot of people will die.」
『That’s true, but……』
「It’s okay. Sophie will come, and I’m sure everyone else will too. I’ll protect this place until then. Master and Urus.h.i.+, you guys help me too.」
『Come on, I’m your Master and your sword. You don’t even have to ask.』
「Woof!」
「I’ll protect the town Sophie cares so much about.」
『Alright! Then let’s make the first move!』
We fired our ranged spells into the approaching horde of antidemons. The flames and lightning scattered over a wide area, annihilating more than 100 of them.
The gap we opened in the horde was quickly filled by antidemons pus.h.i.+ng in from behind, but that’s all part of the plan.
Those flashy spells served the purpose of informing the entire city that the battle had begun.
All that remains now is to hold out until help arrives.
「Raaah!」
「Grrrrr!」
Fran and Urus.h.i.+ leapt into the middle of the antidemon horde and rampaged to their heart’s content. With no allies around us, we didn’t have to worry about friendly fire. Maybe the two found it easier to fight without reinforcements.
But that wouldn’t last. Just like back at Castel, we would simply lose without anyone to support us.
There’s a limit to how long we could hold ourselves against an entire army.
In the first place, the antidemons had yet to consider Fran a big obstacle. The entire horde was currently focused on eliminating us, but they always had the option of splitting up to attack the city directly.
We learned about part of antidemon nature at Castel.
Still, Fran continued fighting on. All to protect the happiness of her friend that loved this city so much.
If the antidemons try to invade the city first, we’ll have to rethink our strategy then.
「Gshaaaa!」
「Teya!」
「Giss.h.i.+!」
「Grrrr!」
『You’re not getting past us!』
From this point on, we have to minimize our use of magic and focus on pure swordplay. We prepared ourselves for an extended battle by draining the antidemons’ energy with Magic Plunder.
Urus.h.i.+ also refrained from flashy moves and teleportation, instead using his claws and fangs.
Naturally, that meant taking on more injuries. To combat that, he seemed to be absorbing mana from devoured antidemons, which he used for regeneration. Antidemons disappear on death, but I guess Urus.h.i.+’s Predatory Recovery skill could absorb a small portion of the antidemon’s mana before they fully disappear.
We continued to fend off the seemingly endless waves of antidemons, but our exhaustion only kept building up.
No reinforcements yet?
I focused my senses to eavesdrop on the adventurers conversing atop the walls. They should know if reinforcements were on the way.
「Anyone coming from the guild?」
「No. They said everyone already got sent to the gates, and that they can’t leave the guild empty with the dragonkin moving so suspiciously!」
「Tch! The dragonkin and beastmen aren’t coming either! What the f.u.c.k’s going on!」
It seems the schemes of Filuria and the Dragon King had great effect. Due to the dragonkin raid and such making everyone suspicious of each other, they’ve greatly reduced the number of forces being sent to combat the antidemons.
People were still gathering little by little, but not nearly enough to defend the collapsed walls.
『Dammit!』