“It’s not known who built the Ancient Tower, but its purpose is fairly well understood.”
“I’ve heard about it. Isn’t it the place with trials meant to nurture heroes?”
“That’s right. That’s why each floor contains battles against various large-scale monsters.”
However, the Ancient Tower had a limit on how many people could enter at once.
“Fortunately, it allows up to five people. But we’ll be going in with just four.”
“How about bringing Joseph? That soldier guy.”
Eleanor’s suggestion wasn’t bad, but Jun shook his head and explained his reasoning.
“The number of mercenary groups under our corps will keep increasing. We already have Colton. There’s no need to cause any stir about favoritism.”
Besides, Joseph had been busy lately bringing over some of his former colleagues to Blackout.
“Then, since we’ll be fighting large monsters, I guess there’s a lot we need to prepare.”
“Right. I plan to bring various poisons I’ve concocted. I also intend to run a few training sessions in the meantime.”
“Training, huh?”
Aiden and Maya looked at each other.
After all, those two had done the most training up to now.
“What do we need to do?”
“Your roles are important, of course, but Eleanor and I need to build better coordination between us.”
“Ah… That makes sense. Against large monsters, that’d be necessary.”
Eleanor also nodded readily at Jun’s reasoning.
At that, Aiden tilted his head slightly.
He could hardly recall seeing the two of them training together before.
“Large monsters are naturally good at breaking up formations. No matter how hard you two try to protect us, there will always be limits.”
If they had a Paladin like Bern to tank, that would be one thing. But Jun’s mercenary corps didn’t currently have a dedicated tank.
“So what kind of training are you planning?”
“It’ll take some time, but we need to be thorough. We’ll be working on the fourth level.”
“If it’s large monsters on the fourth level… the Ervantos Contamination Zone?”
“Oh, nailed it.”
Aiden’s eyes sparkled at Eleanor’s words.
“The Ervantos Contamination Zone. That’s the territory currently held by the Hertex Adventurer Party, right? I read about it in Hermetes magazine, issue 138.”
“You really are serious about adventuring, huh…”
Eleanor suddenly found herself wondering. Why had Aiden become a mercenary instead of an adventurer?
“Haha… Back then, the adventurer parties didn’t accept me.”
“Ah, I see.”
Well, with his current skills, anyone would take him in, but back in the day, Aiden didn’t have any connections, so it made sense.
“Anyway, we’ll be able to gather some materials there, and since there are plenty of mid-to-large monsters, it’s the perfect place for us to coordinate our teamwork in advance.”
Also, since it was still early in the season, the Hertex Adventurer Party probably hadn’t fully solidified its territory yet.
And sure enough, there was already a bounty posted for monster subjugation in the area.
“Let’s stock up on supplies and head out right away.”
***
About half a month later—
Jun and his companions arrived at the Ervantos Contamination Zone on the fourth level field.
“The defining feature of this field would definitely be that fog.”
“I heard that’s a field effect.”
“That’s right.”
Just like the alchemist city that had been covered in purple mist, this area was a space filled with thick white fog.
“As Aiden just mentioned, that fog itself is the field effect here. It causes monsters’ bodies to grow abnormally large.”
A field effect that applies solely to monsters, not to humans.
Because of that, powerful monsters appeared in great numbers, and since they yielded a lot of valuable byproducts, the area was quite popular.
“There’s already a party over there.”
A mercenary group could be seen not far away.
They moved around a heavily armored tank carrying a large shield.
“Seems like you see a lot of shield warriors around when it comes to large monsters.”
“Yeah. When you’re fighting big monsters, nothing’s more reassuring than a solid tank.”
But Jun’s party didn’t have a shield warrior.
It was simply too hard to find someone skilled enough to join them at this point.
“So we’ll have to handle the hunt our own way.”
With that, Jun led his companions deeper into the field.
Before long, a huge hyena the size of a house came into view.
“A giant hyena.”
“But hyenas usually travel in packs, don’t they?”
“They do. But because of their size, these ones carve out a personal territory and hunt mainly within it.”
They were the kind of monsters that would call in backup with a howl if they started to feel the fight turning against them. This was a style that led to chaotic, multi-front battles.
“Aiden, Maya. You two try attacking first. I’m planning to support from the back in this fight.”
If Jun stepped in with his full firepower, the fight wouldn’t serve much as training, so Aiden and Maya nodded and drew their weapons.
“Eleanor, I want you to stay by my side and assist me.”
“How exactly?”
“Use End of Sorrow to help reinforce my nearby spells.”
“Got it.”
Jun cast a wide-area protection spell around them.
The [Shield], reinforced through ancient magic by layering spells, floated gently in the air.
“In battles like this, I usually prepare high-circle magic. But during that process, I can be vulnerable to attacks from large monsters.”
Sometimes, he had to either interrupt the spell mid-cast or dodge incoming attacks, which would prolong the fight.
“In those moments, your job is to maintain my spell for me. That’s the goal of this training.”
“I understand what you mean.”
As a high-ranking priestess, Eleanor possessed a vast amount of divine power.
Her task was to convert that divine power into mana and use it to keep Jun’s [Shield] active and strong.
“All right, battle starts now.”
As soon as he said that, Aiden and Maya charged at the giant hyena, which was glaring in their direction with full alertness.
The distance between them closed in an instant.
In response, the giant hyena took a small step back, then suddenly sprang forward, pushing off the ground with force.
Using its innate skill, [Stride of the Earth], it kicked up the ground with its massive hind legs, sending dirt flying to obscure Maya’s view, then lunged toward Aiden with its snout.
“Ghk!”
For a beast-type monster, it fought with surprising strategy.
Aiden blocked the creature’s huge snout with his sword.
He enhanced his body with mana and engaged in a brief clash of strength, but the giant hyena had no intention of continuing the struggle for long.
[Spirit Dash]
Maya had already broken through the cloud of dust and was aiming for its rear.
Realizing it was up against humans, the beast shifted its tactics.
With a powerful slam of its huge paw, it struck the ground, sending fist-sized stones flying at terrifying speed.
Clang! Thud!
“Urgh…!”
Aiden managed to deflect several of them, but one struck him directly in the shin.
Of course, the giant hyena didn’t come out unscathed either.
Maya had delivered a deep slash to its thigh.
On top of that, Eleanor quickly healed Aiden with holy magic. Sensing the divine power, the giant hyena’s gaze shifted toward Jun and Eleanor.
Jun, in turn, released his mana, exerting pressure on the creature.
“I’ll take the front!”
Sensing danger, Aiden immediately widened the distance between himself and the monster, blocking its path toward Jun and Eleanor. Seeing this, Maya also moved to cut off the left side.
Aiden who had once learned the tactics of Colton’s Blade Eagle mercenaries was putting that experience to good use.
And it worked.
Grrr…!
The giant hyena, having taken a hit from Maya, realized that recklessly charging in would only get it hurt.
Awooooo!!!
It let out a sudden howl.
Awooooooo—!
Almost instantly, cries echoed from all directions in response. Meanwhile, the hyena that had howled began to retreat.
It had clearly decided to buy time.
Just like in the game. Nothing’s changed here either.
Back then, players who had just reached the fourth level would curse loudly over this exact pattern.
Only attacking when it had the advantage and retreating the moment the fight turned unfavorable….everyone hated that playstyle.
“They’re coming!”
Sure enough, after a short delay, multiple presences began to close in from all sides.
“Coming in from four o’clock, one o’clock, and ten o’clock!”
“Also approaching from behind you, senior!”
“We’ll handle them. Focus over there!”
Giant hyenas charged in from every direction.
Including the one already there, five of them were now on the attack.
Aiden and Maya managed to draw the attention of three, but the remaining two were heading straight for Jun and Eleanor.
Grrrrrr!
The first to strike came from the six o’clock direction, aiming for Jun and Eleanor from behind.
Just as it raised its large paw to launch a rear attack—
[Iron Rampart]
A towering wall of solid steel rose, cutting off its path.
Meanwhile, the hyena that Maya had slashed earlier slipped past Aiden and Maya, charging toward the front line.
But standing in its way was Jun’s magically reinforced [Shield].
However, unlike the [Iron Rampart] that blocked the rear, the [Shield] was relatively small in size.
Perhaps that made it seem like an easy target.
Roaaaar!
Its large jaws clamped down on the [Shield] without hesitation.
As its overwhelming bite force began to crack the [Shield]—
“Now!”
At Jun’s shout, Eleanor tried to use [Transformation] using End of Sorrow.
But—
“Huh…?!”
Contrary to Eleanor’s assumption that it would only require supplying mana, Jun’s magic was intricately constructed, so much so that it made her dizzy just trying to follow it.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank.
“Wh-Where… where should I send the mana…?”
For now, she poured mana into the most unstable-looking part of the [Shield] at random. For a brief moment, the cracks on the [Shield] began to mend.
Crack-crack-creaaak!
But it didn’t last.
The [Shield] shattered in an instant, allowing the giant hyena’s attack to go through.
At that moment—
“Devour.”
As the huge front paw came crashing toward them, Jun blocked it with the hand wearing the “Predator” glove.
Fwwwoooosh!!
Perhaps it was hungry from going unfed for so long, Predator devoured the raw power behind the giant hyena’s monstrous strength in an instant. Startled, the beast quickly tried to retreat.
[Pierce of Light]
A holy spear summoned by Eleanor soared forward, piercing through the airborne giant hyena’s exposed belly.
Meanwhile, Aiden and Maya each succeeded in taking down one more of the giant hyenas they were facing.
The remaining ones had sustained various injuries, some minor, some serious.
Haaawoooooo—!!!
Sensing the shift, the hyenas began to slowly retreat.
True to their cunning nature, the moment the tide turned against them, they decided to fall back.
But it wasn’t a full retreat. They began circling the perimeter, clearly waiting for another opportunity to strike.
Anyway—
With the battle temporarily over, Jun called out to the others.
“So? Now that you’ve fought them yourselves….it’s not so easy, is it?”
At Jun’s question, Aiden, Maya, and even Eleanor nodded their heads.
Having survived the fifth level, they underestimated the fourth level a little. This battle had clearly served as a harsh lesson for them.
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