The mission was set. No time to wallow in self-pity.
I descended from the bell tower and rejoined the waiting members.
Combining Party 1 and Party 2, a total of 10 members. Adding the 350 allied NPCs, our force of roughly 360 had to repel thousands of goblins.
My expression tightened, but I hid it somehow. As long as this was a game, even seemingly impossible missions had a solution. That was the rule of Pick Me Up.
"Everyone's gathered. Party 1 and Party 2," I began, looking over the members. All eyes were on me. "Next, let's pool our information, then discuss detailed objectives and roles. Starting from the left, tell me what you saw."
"Uh, well, I..." Jenna started. She reported trying to talk to the people in the city, but no one responded. Meaning, we could see and touch them, but they couldn't see or hear us. Extremely one-sided communication.
'Using the NPCs won't be easy, then.'
Next was Aaron. He reported that streams of refugees were gathering in the city center. From what he overheard, there were no gates on the south and west sides, meaning no escape route out of the city in those directions. The north and east gates were being assaulted by goblins. Aaron finished his report with a grim expression. "If the city falls, everyone here will be massacred..."
The reports continued. Seeing thousands of goblins swarming outside from the ramparts. The defense force numbers being absurdly low. People trembling in fear. The defenders' morale plummeting, etc. Nothing particularly noteworthy; I had grasped most of the situation from the top of the bell tower already.
After going around the circle, it was my turn. I stated bluntly, "This mission is Defense."
"Defense?" Edith echoed.
"Yes, Edith. Our job this time is to protect this city from the enemy invasion. It's different from the 5th floor. Back then, we could just hole up in one spot and endure, but not this time. We need to take the initiative and move proactively."
"But this is strange," Iolka interjected. "Goblins never usually invade human territory. And siege weapons?"
"Strange or not, save the questions for later. If we fail this mission..." I recalled what happened to heroes when they failed their objective. "...we all die."
"Even if we flee the city?" Roderick asked.
"Yes. No matter where you are, the moment the mission fails, you die. No exceptions," Aaron confirmed gravely.
"Harsh," Roderick muttered, his face hardening.
"My guess for the success condition is the annihilation of the invading army. On the other hand, the failure condition... look beside the bell tower."
Next to the bell tower stood a small chapel. In its yard was a plaster statue. A red light swirled around it.
"What's that glowing statue?" Jenna asked.
Two winged girls embracing each other, gazing skyward. It was the Twin Goddess Statue, an object I'd often seen in special missions back when I was a Master.
I said, "If that statue is destroyed, we fail."
"That's ridiculous..." Dika started.
"Ridiculous or not, if you don't want to die, you have to do it," I cut him off.
"But, how do you know all this?" Roderick asked me directly.
"Just understand that I have far more mission experience. Explaining it would take all night."
"...I see."
"Next."
I drew a large circle on the dirt floor with my scabbard. Inside the large circle, I drew a smaller one, and inside that, a dot.
"The large circle is the outer wall. The small circle is the inner wall. The dot is the Goddess Statue." The allied NPC numbers were low, but the defensive structures were solid. The walls were sturdy, the gates properly locked. That was a positive point.
I drew circles north and east of the city sketch with my scabbard, indicating the advancing goblin forces. Inside the northern circle, I drew a ladder shape.
"From what I saw atop the bell tower, the goblins are numerous, but their only siege equipment are ladders. And only the northern force has them. Meaning, if we can neutralize the ladders in the north, we have a good chance of buying time."
"Oppa, didn't you say it's different from the 5th floor? That just buying time isn't enough?" Jenna pointed out.
"Correct. Just stalling won't win us this."
'A solution exists. As long as it's a game.'
"We split into teams. Coincidentally, we already have two parties. One team goes to the northern outer wall and helps defend. Prioritize destroying or pulling down any ladders placed against the wall."
I looked at Edith. "You mean our party takes that role?"
"If you have any other suggestions, let's hear them."
"Even with us, it's only five people. Adding five of us to 300 doesn't seem like it'll make defending the city possible," Edith argued.
"Probably not," I conceded. Objectively comparing, heroes were generally much stronger than allied NPCs, even low-level 1-stars, due to the difference in stats and skills. But stronger didn't mean one could take on hundreds or thousands. At best, Edith's party joining the defense would be equivalent to adding maybe 50 human soldiers. Of course, taking on hundreds or thousands wasn't impossible, but that was late-game territory.
I continued, "Ladders are their only means of breaching the walls. And the walls are high and narrow. If your party takes control of the most critical points on the wall and holds, the defensive efficiency will improve significantly."
"That's not what I mean."
"You mean we can buy time, but we can't win?"
Edith didn't answer, but her silence was an answer.
"I know." Even if both parties committed fully to the defense, it would be the same. We could hold out longer, yes. But eventually, we'd be overrun. That was the extent of the disparity in forces.
"Therefore," I said, "buy as much time as possible. If the outer wall falls, retreat to the inner wall. Lock the gates and hold. If necessary, use soldiers and refugees as bait. Until we return."
"Return?" Edith questioned.
"Yes, return."
"...I see." Edith nodded. "Alright. We'll hold out as long as we can."
Edith gathered her five members and headed off towards the northern main road of the square. She understood my meaning even without detailed instructions. Smart.
"Huh? Wasn't that a bit rushed? What are we doing?" Jenna asked.
"Grab your weapons. We're going out the East Gate."
"Boss, why are we going out? There are thousands of goblins out there. It's too dangerous!" Aaron protested.
"You think a solution will just appear if we stay cooped up here?"
I looked up. The sky was filled with dark clouds. A single drop of rain landed on my cheek.
"We'll be wiped out if we stay here anyway."
The force difference was over 10 to 1. Even with us, maybe 10 to 2. Remembering how frantically they charged on the 5th floor, they wouldn't retreat just because they took some damage. Logically, this was an unwinnable battle.
But there were hints.
"There's a river east of the city. Remember the 7th floor."
"You mean the river from the 7th floor is to the east?" Aaron asked.
"Correct." From the 5th to the 9th floor, all the fields encountered so far had merged into one on the 10th floor. "Just before we left the 7th floor, you probably heard a sound. Jenna. Try to remember."
Jenna crossed her arms, lost in thought. Then her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. "Come to think of it!"
"Now you get it?"
"I get it! I get it!"
"Get what?" Aaron asked, confused.
"The sound of horse hooves! I heard horses running on the other side of the river!" Jenna explained excitedly.
The 7th floor, where it poured rain. The river was flooding because the dam had broken.
"Our job is simple," I declared. "Go out the East Gate, break through the goblins, and stop the river's dam from collapsing."
"Then..." Aaron started.
"We call for reinforcements."
I drew my sword from its scabbard and looped the shield strap onto my left arm.
"What did you just say? I don't get it," Iolka confessed.
"I'll explain," Jenna offered. "What we need to do is..."
Turning onto the main road on the right side of the square, the inner wall and its open gate soon came into view. A long line of refugees stretched outside the inner wall, their faces uniformly dark. A soldier controlling the crowd yelled, "Stay in line! No cutting! One person at a time!" But control was breaking down. People clamored at the gate, pushing to get in.
'Annoying.' I frowned and started pushing through from the side of the gate.
"Oof!" A middle-aged woman was pushed aside and fell.
Ignoring her, I pushed forward, moving against the flow of refugees, shouting, "Make way, follow me!"
"Yes!" A reply came from far behind.
After breaking through the inner wall's crowd, I headed straight for the outer gate. The faces of countless people I passed were stained with despair. Among them were soldiers huddled in corners of alleys, trembling.
Iolka muttered, "This feels strange."
"Get used to it. You'll feel this way plenty more times."
Soon, the outer wall and gate appeared. Next to the gate was the large windlass used to open and close it.
"Jenna, climb the wall and check the situation outside."
"Yes sir!"
"Aaron, get ready to turn the windlass."
"Yes!"
"Iolka, you start casting. As soon as the gate opens, immediately blast the area outside with Tier 2 fire."
"Incinerate, you mean? Got it."
'Right, he's here too.' Shurnn watched me, neck craned nervously.
Jenna, looking out from the wall, yelled down, "Oppa, there's a ton of goblins gathered right outside the gate! If this gate opens, they'll pour in all at once!"
"Figured as much. Come back down!"
"Yes sir!"
"Aaron, turn the windlass!"
Aaron approached the windlass and pulled the rope.
Creak... creak...
The gate began to slowly part outwards.
A soldier standing guard on the wall shouted, "What the hell is this?! The gate's opening!"
"What? Did goblins break in?" another yelled back.
"No! It's opening on its own! It's just turning by itself!"
"What?! Stop it immediately!"
Soldiers on the wall scrambled towards the stairs.
"Don't let them down," I ordered Jenna.
"Yah!" Jenna tripped a soldier just as he was about to descend the stairs.
"Ugh!"
"Waaaah!"
The soldier tumbled down, taking others with him in a tangled heap.
A man in ornate armor, seemingly an officer, screamed, "What is happening?! Have evil spirits invaded?! Stop it! Stop it even if it costs you your lives!"
"Kee, keeee!" Goblin cries leaked through the opening gate.
"Iolka!"
"Got it!"
[La Gran Integio.]
Iolka closed her eyes and began chanting. Flames coiled around her from her feet upwards.
Ping!
A crossbow poked through the gate gap, and a bolt shot towards Iolka.
I caught the bolt barehanded and threw it back.
"Oppa, the soldiers are coming!" Jenna warned.
I kicked a soldier rushing towards the windlass in the stomach.
"A ghost! Is it a ghost?! Where are you, demon?! I won't let you have your way!" Another soldier screamed, swinging his sword wildly.
I sidestepped the blade and struck the back of his head with my shield, knocking him out cold.
"Are the Goddesses abandoning us?!"
Just as the officer, finally losing his nerve, was about to jump down—
"Hi-yah!" Jenna delivered a sharp chop to the back of the officer's neck. He collapsed, joining the others on the ground.
"Kyaru, kyararara!" Hundreds of pairs of red eyes glinted outside the gate. As Aaron turned the windlass, their glares intensified.
'Rain.' Finally, raindrops began to fall.
"Your fire won't go out in this rain, right?" I asked Iolka. She didn't reply verbally but smiled, tilting the corners of her mouth up.
And then.
The gate opened completely.
Simultaneously, dozens of goblins surged forward.
"Blast them!" I roared.
[Ignite!]
A pillar of fire several meters in diameter erupted, sweeping over the goblins.
"Gueeeeh!"
"Don't blow up the gate! Trigger the explosion outside!"
Fwoooosh!
The flames undulated like a living thing, surging out through the gate. Only blackened goblin corpses remained in its wake.
[Incinerate!]
KA-KWAKWAKWANG!
"KIIAAAAAAAH!"
A powerful shockwave washed over us. Agonized screams echoed from outside the gate. Goblin corpses caught directly in the explosion were flung dozens of meters into the air above the walls. Beside me, Aaron muttered, "Every time I see it... the power of magic is incredible."
The area near the gate had become a fiery hell. The rainfall grew heavier, but the flames showed no sign of dying down.
"Save the admiration for later. This is just the beginning," I said.
"Right," Aaron agreed. Hundreds of goblins would be waiting outside, ready for a welcoming party.
"Jenna, Aaron!"
"Yes sir! Going first!" Jenna drew her dagger and plunged out through the flaming gateway. Aaron gripped his spear tightly and followed her.
Iolka was catching her breath. "Huu..."
"It's not over yet. Can you handle it?"
"I can! What do you take me for?!" Iolka pulled the mana potion from her clothes and took a gulp. "I can fire a hundred more times!"
"Good. Go ahead."
Iolka disappeared through the gate as well.
Only I remained. And the young man standing in the corner, watching us.
"Thinking of following?" I gestured towards the flaming gateway.
['Shurnn (★)' feels Fear! All stats decreased by 30%.]
Shurnn could only tremble silently.
I grinned fiercely. "Go to Edith. She'll tell you what to do. If you're still alive after this battle is over, then I'll work on you a bit."
"Y-Yes sir! Yes sirrr!" Shurnn shrieked and ran off.
"KIYAAAAAA!" Goblin screams echoed from outside.
"I'll kill you all."
I twirled my sword once and threw myself into the flames.