In the mining city of Illeves. Originally, the fortress built to the northwest of the city was not garrisoned by a significant number of soldiers. There were several mining tunnels surrounding the city where ore could be mined, but the north side was the domain of monsters. Therefore, the soldiers’ primary mission was to eliminate and monitor the surrounding monsters to protect the tunnels situated toward the north.
However, the task of monster elimination was rarely carried out. This was because the wildlife in the forest knew that approaching the fortress would likely lead to attacks from humans, so they seldom ventured close. As a result, the soldiers in the fortress considered battling monsters as “searching for and defeating them”.
“How did it turn out like this…”
And now, this rare occurrence was unfolding. In fact, Illeves faced a crisis of survival.
In recent months, the guards had noticed an increase in monsters approaching the fortress. They had initially dismissed it, thinking it was probably a territorial dispute among the monsters themselves. However, things took a sudden turn when a priest from the city’s temple received an oracle. It revealed that a massive horde of monsters was encroaching from deep within the forest.
“Don’t say that. We’ve just had a shift change on watch. It’s suffocating if we start with a gloomy atmosphere.”
“We might die, you know?”
“Well, that’s why maybe the goddess has shown us her mercy.”
However, the goddesses had not forsaken humanity. That’s because these deities had sent travelers from another world known as the Wanderers as reinforcements.
“Mercy, you say? Sure, there are a lot of them, but they’re not all that much stronger than us, are they?”
Here in the Kingdom of Lichtenburg, the path for lower-ranked soldiers was nearly identical. They underwent training as apprentices, and once they reached level 20, they were considered full-fledged soldiers. Then, in this fortress-like frontier, they gradually raised their levels while eliminating the surrounding monsters, aiming to become veterans when they reached level 50. At that point, they would step back from the front lines and serve as guards in the various cities of the kingdom, protecting peace and order in those cities.
While there were exceptions for those with special talents, connections, or outstanding military achievements who could follow a different career path, these were few and far between. Most of the people who enlisted in the military did so seeking a stable income, and they were just ordinary soldiers. They had never considered deviating from the typical soldier’s path.
As a result, their levels typically ranged from the 30s to the 40s, with only the fortress’s garrison commander and a few of his close aides surpassing this range. The Wanderers sent by the goddesses, however… had levels that had not even reached a maximum of 50. Some who had arrived more recently hadn’t even reached level 20. This meant that they were on par with apprentice soldiers, or in some cases, potentially even inferior.
“Don’t raise your voice. You never know who might be listening. There seem to be some oddly prideful folks among them.”
“Aren’t they now even more troublesome?”
“Calm down. Remember what the commander said.”
“Oh, you mean that talk?”
When the goddess sent the Wanderers and imparted her oracle, the goddess stated, “As the Wanderers are compelled to obey the on-site commanders, they should be treated as extensions of the soldiers.”
The priest who received the oracle didn’t understand why this was emphasized, but they dutifully conveyed the content of the oracle to the lord of Illeves. Hearing this, the secular authorities immediately interpreted its meaning as “Feel free to use them and wear them out as you see fit”.
The Wanderers were characters with the premise of people from another world inhabiting temporary bodies. They were considered guests in the world, and even if they died, they would respawn with certain penalties. In contrast, the inhabitants, or NPCs, were permanent residents of the world, and when they died, that was the end. In other words, there was a clear difference in their value of life.
“But, you know, will everything really go smoothly? Just because they can respawn, making them the scapegoat if things go south…”
The goddess had spoken, and the lord and commanders were inclined to follow her decree. However, the majority of the soldiers on the frontlines couldn’t quite believe her words. They couldn’t fathom that these wanderers, who hailed from beyond this country, let alone Illevus, and had no behind-the-lines families or loved ones worth dying for, would willingly take on the role of defenders, assuming death as their fate.
“Well, you know, there are quite a few eccentric wanderers, they say. They’d gladly challenge monsters stronger than themselves, and even if they die, they’ll turn it into a funny tale after their resurrection.”
“What’s that? They seem creepier than the undead.”
“Totally, you’re right.”
“”!?””
As the two soldiers chatted on the watchtower of the fortress, they were suddenly interrupted by a third voice from behind. Startled, they turned around, but before they could react, a dagger was swiftly thrust into their throats.
“Because they can resurrect. It’s a game for them. Many of these wanderers readily give up without struggling, hiding behind those words. It’s truly lamentable.”
The person who said this while twisting a dagger was a slender man dressed in all-black clothing. His face was hidden behind a clown mask, concealing it from view.
“I prefer battles with more tension. Oh, in that regard, the fight with Isam-san was quite exhilarating.”
As the fallen soldiers lay motionless on the ground, much like puppets with severed strings, Usuba, the leader of the “Persona” guild looked down on them with a hint of nostalgia while reminiscing about his recent battle. Even with his trump cards hidden, there were very few players who could corner him. Nevertheless, Isam had managed to inflict damage upon him. Moreover, it appeared that Isam, like Usuba, had hidden his own trump cards.
This fact delighted Usuba beyond measure.
“It seems there are some skilled individuals even in this fortress… Not as much as I’d like, but it’s still fun. So, Akane, how are things going?”
Without turning around, Usuba inquired. In response, a small figure appeared from the staircase leading to the lower floor without making a sound.
“…The preparations are complete. Now, we just wait.”
“Is that so?”
The preparations had been made. So far, everything was proceeding according to plan. Usuba contemplated the fate of this fortress, how it would play out, and what impact it would have on the upcoming event. He did so in silence behind his mask, with a subtle smirk hidden from view.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“Advaaaance! Kill theeeeem!”
“””””Guoooooo!”””””
“It has begun, huh?”
I whispered quietly to myself. The horde of monsters had erupted into loud, barbaric yells and charged forward upon sighting the fortress. It was quite the impressive sight.
However, they seemed to lack any semblance of a plan. It appeared as though they believed sheer force would be enough. A monster, considerably larger than a regular troll, seemed to be leading them, but its commands were limited to charging. After all, they were monsters, and it seemed they had no strategic intelligence.
By the way, why did the voices of normal trolls only sound like beastly growls to me, but that huge troll’s words were comprehensible? My level in [Linguistics] hasn’t increased since then…
“Uwaa~, it’s quite the intense battle, isn’t it?”
Wool appeared nonchalant as if this were someone else’s concern. He watched the events unfold with me from a spot slightly away from the fortress. A huge monster was attempting to breach the gates. To prevent this, a barrage of arrows and spells rained down from the fortress walls. In retaliation, the monsters responded with arrows and thrown stones, prompting a concentrated counterattack from the defenders on the wall.
Amidst the uproar of shouts and screams, the cacophony of explosions and the clattering of something collapsing reached us from this distance. It looked like a fierce battle was taking place.
“So, how much longer will it take?” Wool asked.
“Just a bit more. They won’t last long anyway. That’s why Usuba and others are on the move right now.”
I smiled as I pictured the members of the “Persona” guild who were likely working behind the scenes within the fortress.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“What’s going on? What were the sentries doing?”
Sir Otto Baccheshof bellowed in a state of fury. He was a stern, self-made military man who took his duty as the fortress’s commander seriously. Therefore, ever since the reports of monsters from the north moving south had come in, he had been meticulous about the patrols and night watch around the fortress.
Nevertheless, this surprise attack had occurred. Orders had been clear, and yet, how had the situation escalated to this point without any reports reaching him?
“That’s…”
“Spit it out!”
“Yes, sir! When we sent someone to check, all the sentries had been slain!”
“Wha…”
Sir Baccheshof trembled in astonishment. It wasn’t the fact that the monsters had breached their defenses before the attack that surprised him. Of course, that was a significant issue in itself, but what was even more crucial was the presence of individuals among the monsters who possessed the intelligence to conceive a strategy like “killing the sentries”.
Operations such as infiltration, espionage, and sabotage were thought to be the exclusive domain of humanity. While it was known that some monsters exhibited intelligence, they typically didn’t actively engage in acts of hostility against humanity. This was because humans would study such species, devise strategies, and march toward victory.
The smarter they were, the less likely they were to engage in open conflict with humans. This was the common understanding among people.
What did it mean when this common understanding was shattered? There was only one answer.
“Are you saying that there is a monster beyond our imagination…!”
There were exceptions where this common understanding didn’t apply: species that resided far beyond the reach of human capabilities. For example, the dragon race. Even a freshly hatched dragon was said to be a tough opponent that couldn’t be defeated unless it was surrounded by several veteran soldiers.
It was said that a fully grown dragon could easily reduce an entire city to ashes. Moreover, with enough experience, they could take on countries, and the legendary Dragon Lord or Dragon Emperor were rumored to have the power to take on entire continents.
It would be the worst situation if there was a monster comparable to such titans amidst the attacking horde. They not only possessed the strength to overwhelm humanity but also the cunning for acts of sabotage. Furthermore, there was a high likelihood that they had the means to carry out such destructive acts. If the enemy was on that level, there seemed to be little hope for a fortress of this size.
“Commander! Currently, soldiers and wanderers are trying to fend them off from the castle walls, but they won’t last much longer!”
“Ah, I’m well aware of that! Do we have an approximate count of the enemy forces?”
“Yes! An estimated two thousand or so…”
Upon hearing this, Sir Baccheshof wanted to hold his head in worry. If this were the entirety of the enemy forces, it would be easy to stop it with the defensive capabilities of Illeves. However, that would mean all the wanderers should gather in the same place. Yet, it could be surmised that an equal or greater number of monsters were likely besieging all the other fortresses. It might be just him overthinking it, but it was wise to prepare for the worst.
“…The fortress will be abandoned. As originally planned, we’ll leave the defense to the wanderers, and we’ll make our escape through the underground passage.”
“What about the regular soldiers?”
“It’s impossible to take everyone. Priorities have been established for emergencies. Make your selections based on that.”
“…Understood.”
The adjutant faltered for a moment at Sir Baccheshof’s cold command, but he quickly got to work. Time was of the essence, and even in the face of harsh decisions, the most rational actions were necessary.
Gokyabakii!!!
However, the situation was rapidly deteriorating. What reached their ears was the sound of something breaking. Everyone gathered there had an intuitive understanding that the gate protecting the fortress had been breached.
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