All along, Aider had been monitoring the five members of Aegis Special Forces Team 8, in case of any emergencies.
There was the matter of Lilly, and I couldn't help but be a little anxious.
However, nothing particularly suspicious was found. They just chattered among themselves, like kids their age.
"Regardless of what thoughts they harbor, we do need their power. Deploy them in this defense battle."
Lucas agreed, and Lilly, in the end, consented to participate in this defense battle.
Their deployment in this defense battle as a sub-party was now confirmed.
So, three days before the defense battle, in the afternoon, we were in the room where Aegis Special Forces Team 8 was staying.
"Bring them in, Lucas."
"Yes, my Lord."
Following my order, Lucas brought in five new sets of clothes and placed them in the room.
"My Lord, these are...?"
I nodded at the Special Forces members, who were looking puzzled.
"From now on, all five of you will wear these."
Godhand cautiously picked up the clothing.
A coat and a jacket, a shirt and trousers, a tie, and leather boots.
It was the typical composition of an Empire uniform, but the design was different.
While the Empire uniforms were made exclusively in black, these clothes had vivid splashes of red all over.
"It's an outfit!"
"You really prepared everything for the ceremony?!"
With the exception of Godhand, the other agents immediately donned the coats, their eyes sparkling.
Godhand was torn between reining in her subordinates or donning the uniform herself.
I explained with a chuckle.
"These are the prototype uniforms to be distributed to the soldiers at the monster front line."
How could one foster a sense of belonging among a group's members?
There are many ways, but the easiest is to have them wear the same clothes.
'When we hired several mercenaries, they struggled to form a single organization... they lacked a unified sense of belonging.'
The situation was the same on the monster front line here.
Since we were employing mercenaries from all over the world, they all acted independently, struggling to integrate into a single organization.
Therefore, one of the ways to increase this sense of belonging in the game was to 'create uniforms'.
It costs a bit because they had to be distributed to the entire army, but the effects were quite satisfactory.
So, I had been creating separate uniforms for the soldiers to wear at the monster front line.
And above all, this was my personal belief.
'Uniforms should be cool.'
They should be fantastic fashion items. They should be so stylish that one could wear them proudly in any setting.
That way, everyone would feel proud to wear them, and some would even join the army just to wear them.
The Empire's uniforms had a good design originally. But they were a bit outdated.
However, the newly created uniforms for the monster front line were quite sophisticated and cool.
From my perspective, and Aider agreed, even Evangeline who was sipping water complimented on its beauty.
By this standard, it should be good enough.
"I made this as a prototype, but it turned out a bit small. I thought it would fit you guys."
I said, pointing to the fabric attached to the coat.
"And, you guys will need to hide your identities more... so, I attached a hood and a veil."
The agents all donned their hoods and covered their eyes with the veils.
Flap-
Godhand also wore the coat, his face concealed by the hood and veil.
"From now on, you're no longer Aegis Special Forces Team 8. That team of yours is dead."
I nodded toward the five agents standing in front of me.
"From this moment on, you are the special task force directly under the Third Prince Ash 'Born Hater' Everblack. You are the 'Shadow Squadron'."
These agents were condemned.
Officially, they were to be executed at this monster frontline.
Regardless of their impending identity erasure, it would be problematic to continue treating them as the Aegis Special Forces.
Though it might seem to be a game of pretend, I decided to change their names at least.
"Now, members of the Shadow Squadron."
The five agents, who were now called by a new name, looked at me, their eyes shining.
I gave them a slight smile.
"Let's go hunt some monsters."
***
"I will explain the basic strategy of this defense battle."
In the mansion's reception room.
Lucas, Evangeline, Damien, Lilly. The main party members were gathered.
"...Before the introduction of the strategy, firstly."
I gestured towards the door.
"Let me introduce the newly formed sub-party."
The sub-party of five, who had been waiting, orderly walked into the reception room.
Lucas and Evangeline, already knowing, were calm, and Lilly looked at them with a complicated gaze.
Only Damien seemed surprised and opened his eyes wide.
"These guys have just been assigned under me. For certain reasons, their faces are hidden. They are called the 'Shadow Squadron'."
Chuk!
The five members of the Shadow Squadron bowed their heads in unison.
"Oh."
Considering their discipline compared to the laid-back atmosphere of the main party, Damien expressed admiration.
"The main party and the sub-party will cooperate, but given that the defense battle is in three days, it's too much to expect perfect harmony. We'll assign separate tasks."
After seating everyone, I raised my voice.
"First, let me explain the grand tactic for this defense battle."
Aider brought the briefing materials he had prepared. It was an overview of the defense battle, written in chalk on a blackboard.
I stood in front of the blackboard and wrote 'Killzone' with the chalk.
"What we have to do is the same as always. Set up a killzone."
Lucas made a puzzled face.
"But, my lord. Aren't our enemies this time the Gargoyle Legion? If so, they will fly through the sky, won't they?"
"Indeed."
"Then, a kill zone... namely, tactics that limit their approach using walls and barricades would be impossible, wouldn't they?"
I nodded in affirmation.
"Lucas is right. Obstacles like walls or barricades would be ineffective against them. We cannot form a kill zone on the ground."
Subsequently, I let out a smirk and rapped on the blackboard.
"Therefore, we will establish a kill zone... in the sky."
On the blackboard were calculations of the number of cannons and ballistae Crossroad had, and the number of ammunition that would be expended if they were continuously fired during the defense battle.
"We will form a net of fire by incessantly firing cannons and ballistae, creating a 'wall' of shells and arrows."
"...?!"
To the surprised party members, I continued my explanation.
"Of course, the Gargoyle bastards are magical creatures made of things like rocks and steel. Naturally, they boast a formidable physical defense."
They have high physical defense and low magic defense.
This could be similar to Stage 1's Living Armor.
"No matter how much we spread the fire net, it will be difficult to kill them with this. But we can force them to take a certain path."
I pointed to the center part of the defense line map drawn on the blackboard.
"In the center of the defense line. We will 'deliberately' keep the fire net thin here."
"Deliberately?"
"Yes. The Gargoyle bastards are monsters that use their high defense to engage in close quarters combat. If we provide a path, they will flock to it."
I drew a long line across the top of the wall depicted on the blackboard.
"And then, we turn this place into a graveyard of their corpses... into a kill zone."
If the basic kill zone strategy is to force a path with obstacles and deliver crossfire to those gathered in a confined space,
For the Gargoyle Legion, it's the opposite.
Force a path with barrages, and take out the ones crowded in a narrow place by other means.
"I understand that you deliberately lure them here."
Lucas asked cautiously.
"But how will you kill them once you've lured them in? Jupiter will not be able to participate in this battle... Do you have a way to damage the ones gathered, my lord?"
Right.
The biggest problem with this strategy is the absence of a way to damage those who have been gathered.
Now that Jupiter, the Thunder Magician, is out due to injury, is there a way to kill them all at once?
"There is a way."
That's why I am insisting on this strategy!
"However, it is incomplete."
But it's not as easy and convenient as Jupiter.
"Wait a moment. Do you all know how the Gargoyle bastards fly?"
As I suddenly changed the topic, everyone was taken aback. Among them, Damien cautiously answered.
"Do they not use their wings to fly?"
"There's no way that heavy body could fly just by the power of wings."
"So... it's magic?"
"Correct, Damien."
I pulled a candy out of my pocket and tossed it to Damien.
Catching it clumsily, Damien didn't know what to do for a moment, then opened the wrapper and popped it into his mouth. Good.
"That's right. There's wind magic cast on their wings. Now, here's the next question."
Realizing that answering the questions correctly meant receiving candy, the eyes of the Shadow Troop members shone fiercely. Their appetite for treats was a little scary.
"If two magic spells of the same attribute collide, what happens?"
Lilly and Godhand raised their hands simultaneously. They locked eyes for a moment, then I pointed at Lilly.
"Senior Mage. Go ahead."
"The one with the higher level absorbs the one with the lower level."
"That's exactly right. Here, take a candy."
I pulled another candy from my pocket and tossed it to Lilly.
Receiving it, Lilly awkwardly put the candy in her pocket.
I looked at the Shadow Troop members and grinned.
"Final question. So, if we cast a wind spell of a higher level at those gargoyle bastards, what would happen?"
The Shadow Troop members all raised their hands and shouted in unison.
"They fall!"
"Exactly. Now, everyone take one."
I tossed candies to each member of the Shadow Troop, and to Lucas and Evangeline as well.
Seeing everyone happily munching on their candy, I nodded.
"If we force their course and gather them in one place, then use a wind spell of a higher level there..."
We'd gather them in the center of the fortress, then shoot a wind spell there...
"The wind magic on their wings would be swallowed, and their wings would lose lift."
In other words-- they'd fall.
"We'll make them fall before they can land on the fortress walls."
Only then did the party members who understood my plan let out small gasps of understanding.
"They're made of rocks or steel, heavy buddies. They wouldn't survive unscathed falling from the sky to the ground."
This was the difference between gargoyles and living armors.
Living armors were specters attached to an armor. Even if the armor was somewhat damaged, the specter remained unharmed and continued to move.
Even when we knocked them down from the fortress walls, they'd climb right back up, completely unscathed.
On the other hand, gargoyles had higher physical endurance, but if their bodies broke, they died.
'There are always wings for a fall.'
If there was an enemy above my head, the first step in the strategy was to bring them down to my eye level.
My player thinking started from devising ways to steal their wings.
"But we don't have anyone who can use wind magic among us, do we?"
"That's why I ordered the repair in advance. We have wind magic artifacts."
As I looked at Lilly, Lilly nodded.
"Yes, Your Highness. All the artifacts you ordered to be repaired are ready."
"Good. We have three Whirlwind Projector artifacts to be placed on the walls this time. However, there is a problem. Lilly, what are the operational and charging times for the artifacts?"
"Each artifact can operate for 5 minutes. And they take 15 minutes to recharge."
That was the problem.
And it was the incomplete part of the operation.
"Right. There's a gap in between."
The artifact begins charging after use.
The first artifact provides anti-aircraft cover for 5 minutes and then goes into recharge. This process takes 15 minutes.
Two other artifacts take turns providing anti-aircraft cover, and by the time the third artifact stops operating.
There are 5 minutes left until the first artifact recharges.
5 minutes.
For 5 minutes, the sky is left exposed.
"The enemies will swarm during this gap."
Eventually, those who pass through the wind's kill zone during these 5 minutes... We have no choice but to confront and eliminate them physically.
"We have no choice but to face them directly. Everyone at Crossroad will be mobilized for the creation of the fire net.
It is the heroes' party gathered here that must repel those who land on the wall through hand-to-hand combat.
"Lucas. Evangeline. Damien. Lilly. And me. We, the main party, will handle the front line on the wall."
I surveyed my familiar main party members.
My trusty members who fought beside me returned my gaze with smiles. Such cute ones.
Next, I looked at the Shadow Squad.
"And those who break through us will be handled by the sub-party, the Shadow Squad. You will alternate with us and fight in case of necessity."
The five elves... rolled a piece of candy in their mouths and nodded at me with serious faces.
'The treatment you will receive from now on will be determined by this battle.'
They must feel it, even if I don't say it.
It's their time to show their abilities. The Shadow Squad will do their best.
"Finally, those gargoyle bastards who break through the Shadow Squad and penetrate inside the wall will be handled by the third sub-party."
I had arranged a sub-party of N-grade heroes recruited over time.
I had previously assembled and explained the operation to them.
They will hold the last line of defense inside the wall.
In the worst case, they are the last reserve to block the monsters while evacuating the citizens. I even handed out candies to them in advance.
"It's going to be a fierce melee. And unexpected situations will keep arising."
I added the next words reluctantly.
"There will be more casualties than in the previous stage."
Many will be hurt. Some might even die.
Among the heroes here, we might lose someone.
"Stage 2, we avoided losing any party members due to Margrave's sacrifice, and in Stage 3, through a mix of miracles and fortune, no one perished. But this time, it's different."
We would do our utmost to lose no one.
But at the same time, we had to brace ourselves for the possibility of loss.
That was the nature of this monster front line, and as its commander, I had to bear it.
"I pray for your valiant fight."
The members of both parties, rising from their seats, bowed their heads towards me in unison.
Knowing how hackneyed it sounded, I still felt compelled to utter the next words.
"Survive. All of you."
***
Three days later.
The morning of the defense day had dawned.
And, as it painted the sky in black-
The monsters swooped in.