Chapter 45 – Monster Horde Part 1
"What?"
Mirian's sudden entry made Argo retract his bestial pressure. I, however, remained vigilant while slowly moving towards the exit.
"We just received a report saying that more than 2,000 lizard monsters all over level 20 have flooded out of the Dark Swamp and are now heading towards the eastern part of Lam City. Estimated time of arrival is one hour!" Mirian said in a panicked state.
"?! Get Eduardo or Alfonso to activate the emergency defense system! Tell them to notify their father to use the broadcasting magic circle to rally all the Adventurers nearby to head over to the east gate!"
Argo started giving out orders. He's quick to take action and quite the decisive decision maker.
One of the duties of Adventurers is to help out any highly populated areas when a threat that can endanger many lives appears. It might make me sound like a bad person, but it was partially because of this responsibility that I did not want to become an Adventurer any more. I prioritize my life over anybody else's.
However, if I have enough strength and capability to help, I would do so as long as I can ensure my safety.
I started to head towards the exit without caring about what the other two would think.
"Rim. I would like to re-"
"Don't call me by my nickname. We're not close enough for you to do so." Argo called out to me but I brushed him off and continued to leave.
"Please wait! We need your help to-"
"I'm not an Adventurer so I'm not obliged to help. I'd rather make preparations to leave the city." I said interrupting Argo.
"This is a state of emergency and you are planning on running away?! You coward!" Mirian yelled.
Lam City was her home and where her family resides. It makes sense for her to be so agitated so I didn't get mad.
"I'm sure that the high level Adventurers like your Guild Master can deal with it. Mere words can't make me risk my life for others."
I feel bad for saying this to her but I wasn't going to risk my life for free. I know I can handle a few level 20 Lizardman easily, but I'm not the hero type. I didn't even want to help Fran, my own classmate, when she was being chased by the mud monster before. Look how well that turned out for me.
"I'm planning to make a group composed of elite Adventurers and personally leading them to deal with the boss. Dungeons always release one or more when they mutate along with the monster horde." Argo said.
"And why are you telling me this?" I asked.
"I hope that you can join the other Adventurers to fend off the horde while we take out the boss. I'll personally issue a bounty for this request and will make it worth your while."
Finally, just what I was waiting to hear. I made it seem like I didn't care about this city precisely to lead the conversation to this. In actuality, I wanted to help. My classmates and the people I've gotten close to reside here after all. I wouldn't sit idly by and do nothing. I just wanted to make use of the opportunity to earn more travel funds. Hehehehe…
"Hmm. If it's just dealing with the mobs, alright then. I trust that a Guild Master won't go back on his words?"
"Of course. Get ready and head on over to the east gate. Since you are a self-proclaimed Earth Magician, I presume you should be able to set up some formidable defenses."
"Heh. Who the hell do you think I am?"
I left the guild and headed towards the east gate almost skipping while I made my preparations.
###
"Spread."
I sent out my mud scouts while keeping them hidden from the other people with my [Stealth] skill. Because I was with the Guild Master when the report came in, I was one of the first people who arrived to prepare for the incoming monster horde at the east gate.
Along the way, I heard an announcement from the city lord that spread across the entire city.
---
[Attention all residents and citizens of Lam City. A monster horde from a mutated dungeon is heading towards us coming from the east. This is not a joke. As the City Lord of Lam City I, Haim Elric, am giving out an emergency request to all available Adventurers, fighters, and able-bodied persons. Defend Lam City and subjugate the incoming horde. An appropriate reward will be given based on contribution.]
---
Those mage brothers were the sons of the City Lord huh. It's great that I can earn more money from the request and Argo's bounty.
Adventurers started to gather around the gate. I stayed a bit further ahead closer to the forested area. After scouting out the incoming horde with [Cloning], I confirming that they were heading straight for this gate. There were also four Steel Turtles mixed in with the various Lizardmen.
I guess Argo and his group won't be having an easy time.
I finally finished dissolving enough magic crystals to overload my mana way past my limit but still keep it within my control. I bent down and placed a hand on the ground.
"EARTH FORTRESS!"
I shouted loud enough for everyone around to hear me. A pillar made of my mud raised me up to around half the height of the city walls. More pillars rose up one by one to my left and right. After some time, a spiked outer wall completely surrounded the east gate. I left a gap between where my mud wall connected with the city wall so that others can still exit. The gap will also help to avoid damaging the wall in case I have to detonate my wall. I also made some stairs so that those with long ranged attacks can shoot from on top of my wall.
""Woooooo!""
"As expected of the Earth Ranger!"
"No! She's an Earth Magician!"
"Wasn't she a Swordsman?"
Praises came from the people that had gathered here. My actions had made the morale of everyone rise. Nobody seemed to have noticed that my robe disappeared since I used it to form the mud fortress.
Argo arrived with a group of Adventurers who were decked out in all kinds of armor and weapons. He had a look of shock when he saw my handiwork but then he immediately started barking out orders which everyone followed. They separated into groups and got into positions.
"You really must be an Earth Magician If you could create a wall this big in a short amount of time."
Sorry but I'm actually jobless. I have a feeling that he'll treat it as a joke if I told him that though.
"That's what I've been saying ever since I got here. Why is it so hard to believe?"
"Haa… In this region of the Cloud Kingdom, the number of people who have reached the third job up like Earth Magician can be counted on one hand. It was only just recently that Nat had joined that list."
"!"
That means that only less than five people have reached level 50 and then broke through to the third job around these parts. In a way, I guess that is understandable since this is a low level area. But that also means that Argo must be a beast being an over level 50 third job.
"If someone as young as you said that they had already reached the third job, everyone would think that you were a monster." Argo explained.
"What? How old do I look like to you?"
"12 or 13."
I see now. In this area, people with my appearance look like they just reached the age of puberty. No wonder there were so many tall people here.
"Thank you. I'll consider that as a compliment."
"What is your real age anyway?" He asked.
"Tsk tsk. Don't you know that it's rude to ask a lady for her age?"
Girls prefer it when others think that they look younger than they really are. Personally, I don't care.
"The monsters have been spotted!" A Scout Adventurer who was on top of my wall yelled.
*Thump thump*
The ground started to rumble from the approach of the monsters. This caused people to tense up.
"Everyone get ready! If you have any long range skills, prepare and wait for my signal!" Argo looked down from atop my wall.
In the forest, the noise of rustling leaves and trees being felled could be heard. Soon, the Lizardman horde made their appearance. Besides the normal Lizardmen, Lizard Swordsmen, Lizard Spearmen, and Lizard Shaman that I fought before, there were a few other monsters that I haven't seen. Lizard Berserkers, Armored Lizardmen, Magic Lizard Swordsmen, and Lizard Snipers were spread out across the horde.
"Wait for them to get closer!"
As soon as the monsters saw us, they started charging towards the Adventurers that were on the ground at the base of my wall.
"Ready… FIRE!" Argo ordered.
""[Piercing Shot]!""
"[Knife Throw]!"
"[Javelin Throw]!"
"[Spread Shot]!"
"[Arrow Rain]!"
"[Beast Fang]!"
"Earth Spear!"
A rain of attacks came down onto the incoming enemies. Surprisingly, none of our attacks collided due to the positioning that Argo had given to everyone. He really is quite the capable commander.
Unfortunately, these monsters were all over level 20. The average level of the Adventurers and people gathered here were second job level 18 or 19. Most of the attacks were blocked by the tough scales of the Lizardmen.
Unlike with people, monsters don't have job ups. They evolve at certain levels. They also don't reset levels when they evolve so this meant that a normal level 20 monster has an advantage over level 20 second job people. A level 20 third job can easily beat a level 20 monster though.
Argo's attack had killed a few of the monsters and my spear had pierced through one lizardman and fatally injured another. Only about twenty-five percent of the enemies that rushed forward died while the rest were either injured or unaffected.
"One more volley!"
At the order, another set of attacks rained down but this time only ten percent were killed.
"Melee units… CHARGE!"
""RAAAAAAAAAH!""
And so the battle of Lam City against the monster horde began.
CHAPTER END.
Name: Ruby Sen Lv. 15
Age: 17
Race: Half-Human?
Class: Half-Magical Creature
Job: - Lv. 15
HP: 15 [84%] (+10)
MP: 16 [80%] (+10)
STR: 14 (+15)
DEF: 13 (+35)
INT: 21 (+10)
WILL: 17 (+10)
SPD: 13 (+10)
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Assimilate
Mana Manipulation
Physical Resistance
Foresight
Shapeshift
Mana Absorption
Novice Magic Caster
Poison Resistance
Sleep Resistance
Novice Weapon Master
Regeneration
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Dissolve
Sensing
Sculpting
Detonate
Appraisal Analysis
Cloning
Mana Designing
Mana Disturb
Heal
Boost (Active)
Stealth
Engraving
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Tongue Enhancement