A massive explosion could be heard within the downpour. The Magic Cannon was blasted backward as it fired out Mana Shells that fell down like meteors. Dozens of these shells were shot into the sky and many of them collided and exploded against the siege towers. These massive towers burned and collapsed, causing those within―the soldiers of the Holy Kingdom―to scatter and scream in terror.
"Magicians! Maintain fire!"
The Magicians gathered and began casting. Runes formed in the air, which suddenly summoned forth a pillar of fire. The flurry of flames burnt away the attacking soldiers who tried to approach the outer wall.
Halsem covered his ears. The sounds of all the explosions coming from every direction made it feel as though his eardrums might burst.
"Shit! Shit!"
Halsem continued shouting profanities. Many of the other refugees were doing the same. Most really didn't want to fight and were making no attempt to do so. Seeing the fact that they were dragging their feet, the soldiers felt the need to kick them into action.
"Hurry up and get ready! The bastards are coming!"
The Holy Kingdom's soldiers charged with their shields raised to block from the various rocks, arrows, and spears that were being hurled down at them, and placed ladders on the outer wall. Under the hail of projectiles from the Aylan soldiers, they did their best to climb up.
"Get off!"
"Don't let them climb up!"
Despite the resistance of the Aylans Kingdom, many of the Holy Kingdom's soldiers climbed all the way to the top of the wall―some with arrows and spears skewering their bodies.
As a soldier climbed to the top of the ladder in front of him, Halsem thrust forward with his spear instinctively. He yelled as he felt the sensation of flesh giving way. He could feel the worn blade of the knife tearing through the man, and it felt sickening.
"Uwaaaack!"
Halsem screamed and accidentally let go of the handle of his spear as the stabbed soldier fell off from the outer wall. Halsem trembled and stared at his hands. He realized almost immediately what a grave mistake he had just made. He realized that he had just lost the weapon that was supposed to protect him and became pale.
"W-weapon… the weapon…!"
"Die!"
A soldier who had just managed to climb to the top of the ladder rushed toward Halsem, who clearly looked to be the most vulnerable target in his reach. When Halsem recoiled in surprise, Ellin rushed over in a hurry and swiped at the spear-wielding Holy Kingdom soldier, causing him to fall over the wall as well.
"…?!"
"If you're going to be scared like that, just go down!"
When Ellin complained, Halsem grit his teeth.
"I want to as well, but the soldiers won't let us down!"
Halsem clung to Ellin. Ellin shoved him away and swung her spear. She tried to swing at the Holy Kingdom soldiers that managed to climb over, but the weapon couldn't endure her monstrous strength and broke apart.
"What…? Why is this so weak?"
As far as she was concerned it was a decorative weapon with a kitchen knife attached to the end, so Ellin didn't have much faith in it. She suddenly abandoned what was left of it and started swinging her fists toward the invaders instead.
For every strike that landed, blood would spew from her targets' mouths. The soldiers of Aylans were in awe at her monstrous strength, having been looking down on her before due to her gender.
Ellin looked at Tom unhappily. He had been watching the formation of the Holy Kingdom with his arms crossed, appearing to be deep in thought.
"Aren't you going to help?!"
"I guess I probably should, shouldn't, I?"
Tom nodded as he replied affirmatively, but he still simply rubbed his chin.
The opponent's manpower was sitting at around fifty-thousand, but the soldiers available to the Demon Kingdom didn't even reach four-thousand. Even if they arrived for a frontal assault against the Holy Kingdom, the damage to the demon's forces would be significant.
'If so, that means we'll have to keep Canibar territory from completely collapsing…'
This meant that he would have to push the army of the Holy Kingdom to near collapse.
Tom pulled out his holy sword.
'… Then I'll have to stop them to the best of my abilities. It'll take at least a week for the Demon Kingdom's soldiers to arrive, after all.'
A siege tower arrived at the outer wall. The sealed entrance to the siege tower opened and soldiers poured out. Tom smiled as he saw this.
'This feels like the appropriate amount.'
"Die!"
Soldiers of the Holy Kingdom rushed forward. The refugee soldiers of the Aylans Kingdom became frightened and tried to run away.
"Ey! Don't retreat!"
"Stop them!"
As the knights pulled out their swords and tried to step in, Tom threw himself forward. The traveling robe he was wearing fluttered as he appeared in the middle of the Holy Kingdom's soldiers.
"What…?"
When they finally managed to notice his movements, a flash of light passed through them. Unable to react to this sudden flash of light, the Holy Kingdom's soldiers suddenly found themselves floating, the sky filling their vision. Their torsos were flying through the air as their lower halves were spraying blood all over the floor; they had been cleaved in two. Seeing five men felled in a single slash, the other Holy Kingdom soldiers coming out of the siege tower froze in disbelief. Watching blood and viscera pour out from their bisected bodies, the soldiers froze in fear.
"…M-monster."
"A monster you say? You're not wrong, but I'm hurt."
Tom's holy sword poured out light and he glared at the soldiers.
"Just one week. Please hold out until then."
***