Rushing toward the northern wall, I continually berated myself internally.
I had played this game up to the 742nd round.
The experience accumulated then had become a formidable asset, helping me manage the hellish front lines of this place all this time.
But what about now?
'Blinded by the game's rule that monsters always attack humans on the shortest route, therefore fighting only at the southern wall, I failed to consider other possibilities.'
My experience in the game, played 742 times, had rigidified my thinking.
I had thought the battlefield of this fortress was only the southern wall because that was the rule in the game.
However, the werewolves had circumvented it.
Not only the wall but they also went around the game's rule. And it worked wonders.
'I should do the same!'
Biting my lip lightly, I urged myself on.
'Don't be trapped within the rules, Ash! Think above them!'
This place was already beyond a game—it was reality.
There were numerous ways to bypass the rules of the game. Everything depended on my actions.
One shouldn't be ruled by the rules.
One should rule the rules.
"...!"
In that moment, a vague realization brushed past my mind.
The question that had tormented me in recent weeks.
And the key to leading this defense to success.
The answer that ties everything together shimmered before my eyes, as elusive as a mirage.
Struggling to organize my thoughts, gritting my teeth, I dashed towards the northern gate with Junior.
***
At the northern gate.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
True to its name, the Shield Turret had a cannon gate.
Although it didn't deal significant damage, the cannon fired bullets that applied a taunting effect to the hit opponents.
Thump! Thump! Boom-boom!
The Shield Turret faithfully executed its role, firing taunting bullets in all directions, drawing the werewolves to itself.
The problem was,
Crack! Creak!
Creak!
The hastily constructed Shield Turret's armor was too thin to withstand the powerful attacks of the werewolves.
Kaboom!
The turret's armor shattered, bursting in all directions.
Half-destroyed, werewolves clinging to the turret all howled in unison.
Awooo!
Awoooo-!
Then, to these werewolves,
Whizz-!
A magic bullet flew in like a ray of light.
It was a magic bullet shot by Damien from the southern wall, a brutal snipe that effortlessly took down three at a shot.
However,
Clang!
It was deflected.
Lunared, entering the bullet's trajectory, blocked the magic bullet with all his might.
A satisfied smile graced the face of the Nightmare Legion Commander.
"Well done, sniper!"
Every time the Wolf King's claw-like nails, reflecting the moonlight, swung around, Damien's magic bullets disintegrated, scattering like stardust.
"But this won't penetrate my claws! Bring something stronger! Come on, hurry!"
Responding to that, a more potent snipe came flying in.
Zing-!
[Ruin Magibullet].
It was a powerful magic bullet shot by Damien with his 2nd skill.
Recognizing the immense power of the magic bullet, glowing red like a malevolent star, Lunared immediately sensed its threat.
So, he didn't block it.
Thunk! Thud! Whack!
Twisting his body, he narrowly avoided the demonic bullet. The heads of the three werewolf minions exploded into fragments. Lunared laughed softly.
"Ah, so that's its power."
He had gauged the might of the demonic bullet by sacrificing the lives of his three minions.
Screeeee-!
As the next [Ruin Magibullet] approached, Lunared readied himself, intertwining his ten claws, as if casting a net in front of him.
"Now, try and pierce through!"
Clangggg-!
The meshed ten claws collided with the bullet mid-air. Intense sparks scattered in all directions.
The [Ruin Magibullet] managed to break five of Lunared's claws and crack the other five. Yet, it halted just in front of Lunared's face.
"Damaging my claws like this, impressive."
Lunared, looking satisfied, flicked his massive hand downwards.
As the broken and cracked claws shattered onto the ground, new, sharp claws, gleaming with a metallic sheen, sprouted from his fingertips almost instantaneously.
It was as if he was unsheathing freshly forged blades.
"But that won't be enough to touch the heart of this Wolf King."
Lunared laughed gleefully as he countered every incoming missile with his claws.
"This won't stop my advance!"
While Lunared deflected Damien's bullets, the other werewolves completely destroyed the shield turret. Smoke billowed from the turret, its magic core utterly obliterated.
After ripping out the remnants of the magic core and tossing them aside, the werewolves, with their eyes gleaming with bloodlust, turned their gaze to the northern gate of Crossroad.
"Move out, my wolf pack."
Leading his minions, Lunared began to advance.
"Let's indulge in a night of slaughter."
Lunared, at the forefront, brushed off Damien's bullets as he charged forward, and the rest of the werewolves followed in a rush.
Meanwhile, the northern gate of Crossroad was still a chaotic mess.
"Please let us in!"
"We need to get inside! The monsters are coming!"
"Ah! Ahhhhh!"
The evacuating citizens were packed together, unable to enter the gate, screaming in terror as they looked over their shoulders at the approaching monsters.
Then it happened.
Thudding footsteps!
"Chargeeee-ahhhhh!"
A girl in armor leaped from the city walls, her platinum hair fluttering as she landed gracefully.
"How dare you make a fuss in my Crossroad territory-"
Her emerald eyes shone with a sharp flash.
"Clear the path!"
From the southern walls to the northern ones, without stopping even once, Evangeline Cross arrived faster than anyone else.
From atop the wall, she launched herself, her enormous shield aimed straight at Lunared.
"Too slow, shield knight."
Lunared easily dodged the shield charge, smirking. But...
"I'm a lance knight, you fluffy puppy-!"
"...!"
Evangeline swung the lance hidden behind her shield.
Bam!
The power behind Evangeline's lunge, backed by all her momentum, was immense.
Lunared, attempting to stop the lunge with his hand, was met with an explosion of sparks and blood from within his grasp.
Yet, in the end, Evangeline's charge halted. Lunared, holding her lance in his hand, chuckled.
"You did well, but is that all?"
"Is that all you got, you little pup?"
THWACK!
Following closely was Damien's sniper shot that struck Lunared's hand, who was holding the tip of the spear.
Lunared instinctively dodged, releasing his grip on Evangeline's spear. Once free, Evangeline got up close to Lunared, alternating between smacking him with her shield and spear.
The spear knight and the sniper were working together, cornering the nightmare legion leader.
Blocking both the shield and the spear, as well as evading the sniper shots, Lunared laughed in satisfaction.
"You've coordinated quite well, humans!"
Evangeline and Damien's duo was successfully holding Lunared off.
However...
SWOOSH-!
The remaining werewolves lunged, aiming to kill the citizens of the North Gate.
About a dozen werewolves remained. Against hundreds of defenseless citizens, this number could slaughter them as swiftly as a herd of sheep.
"Block them!"
Shooting fireballs, Lilly shouted.
Lilly's party of five and the North Gate guards stood in front of the werewolves, but couldn't hold out for long.
The wolves knew very well that the human soldiers were trying to protect the civilians. So, they bypassed the soldiers and charged at the civilians.
As the startled soldiers threw themselves in front of the civilians, the wolves turned their claws and teeth against the disoriented soldiers.
"Ghah!"
"Aargh!"
"Stand your ground! Maintain the formation!"
Lilly's party and the soldiers were quickly killed or injured, but they couldn't retreat.
Margarita desperately threw up shields and healing spells, and Lilly, gritting her teeth, summoned her magic to fire off fireballs. But their limits were clear.
"Heh, heh..."
"No more... magic..."
As the shield magic faded and the fireballs ceased, there was no more strength left to hold the wolves back. The werewolves shifted their attention to easier prey.
Unable to enter the castle gate, two children, a boy and a girl, who were conspicuously protruding outwards, were crying in each other's embrace.
As the wolves lunged at the two tasty-looking lives, swiping with their claws.
"Eeek!"
Lilly threw herself between the wolves and the children, taking the brunt of the wolves' attack on her back.
CRUNCH! CLANG!
The wolves' claws tore Lilly's wheelchair to shreds.
However, having taken the attacks on her back, Lilly was unharmed. The children she shielded, and the wolves that had slashed with their claws, all looked bewildered.
Holding the children close and protecting them, Lilly gave a weak smile.
[Flame Skin].
Her unique ability allowed her to evade all physical attacks at the cost of consuming magic.
The problem? She was now truly out of magic.
The werewolves surrounding Lilly slashed relentlessly. Holding the children close, Lilly clenched her eyes shut.
Since her first day at the monster front, she had always anticipated this end.
But these innocent children in her embrace, how could they...
In a matter of moments, her magic drained. Lilly whispered softly to the sobbing children.
"It's okay, it'll be over soon. Close your eyes."
The children, shivering, closed their eyes.
But Lilly didn't. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the wolves slashing at her.
'By any means, if I could muster up enough magic power, maybe I could take down at least one of them...!'
In that moment.
Whoosh! Whoosh-!
Arrows rained down from the side.
Giant arrows shot from a great bow pierced through the throats of werewolves that were heading towards the other citizens.
The wolves tumbled to the ground, letting out grotesque sounds.
Simultaneously,
Thunk! Th-th-th-thunk!
Sturdy spear-like projectiles flew in, piercing through the bodies of the werewolves.
The werewolves surrounding Lilly retreated rapidly, gnashing their teeth in desperation.
"Huh?"
A flustered Lilly opened her mouth slightly.
This familiar combat style, could it be...?
Just then, one stubborn werewolf, refusing to give up, lunged at Lilly with its claws bared once more.
Faster than that swipe, a man wearing a hood and cape charged forward, spear in hand.
Whoosh-!
The spear cleanly impaled the werewolf's chest.
"Phew."
The man expertly kicked the werewolf's chest to retrieve his spear and then, exhaling a sigh of relief, turned to Lilly.
"I apologize. I was a bit late in coming back."
Lilly's eyes widened in recognition.
"Could it be..."
Upon removing his hood, the man's familiar face was revealed.
"Godhand...!"
Brushing back his distinct elvish teal hair, he shot Lilly a sly grin.
The captain of the firepower team from Shadow Squad under Monster Frontline, Godhand, twirled his spear and took a stance.
"Shadow Squad Trio, reporting back to Monster Frontline as of now."
Similarly removing their hoods, Bodybag and Burnout stood to Godhand's left and right.
Bodybag, using telekinesis, retrieved the thrown spears and levitated them in mid-air, while Burnout readied another arrow on his great bow, enchanting it with explosive properties.
With eyes as cold as metal directed at the growling monsters in front of him, Godhand declared without hesitation.
"We're here to expel the monsters."