Chapter 167 - The Strategic Turnaround (1)
And a month passed.
'……'
Early in the evening, my group and I were gathered in the first-floor plaza.
From my right field of vision, Anything was busy with adjustments, distributing consumables like potions and checking the group's status.
"Haah." Jenna nervously breathed in.
Her small lips moved slightly.
"We can do this. Yes, we can. Let's go, let's go, cheer up!" Jenna, fists clenched, looked at all of us.
"We can do it, right? We've worked hard up to now! Let's overcome this last time without any problems."
"Well, in the end, however it goes, this is the last attempt. If we fail, we all die together." Belkist smiled wickedly.
Jenna puffed her cheeks.
"No one said to cheer up."
"If you want that kind of atmosphere, why don't you join them? I think you'd fit right in." Belkist's gaze shifted backward.
There, the members of Group 2 were gathered.
Edith was smiling brightly, patting the shoulders of her group members.
And behind the second group, many heroes stood shoulder to shoulder.
[Formation of the First Attack Squadron (small).]
[Team Composition - Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4, Group 5]
[Total heroes - 25]
[Attack squadron leader - Edith (★★★)]
Anything completed the attack squadron formation and accessed the mission tab.
The mission will start soon.
A month has passed since the second attempt.
We were given five chances, and after that, we failed two more times.
So, this is the last one.
'…But.'
It's not like we haven't gained anything from the failures.
We've already completed the strategy for this mission. We've identified all the points and variables of the field, and we've already planned how to handle them. The only thing left is whether we can execute the plan correctly or not.
'It all depends on you.'
I looked up.
The plan to overcome floor 40 had been transmitted through simulations.
If Anything makes a mistake, we'll end up buried here.
[Attention!]
[This mission requires five groups and is a medium-sized mission. If there are missing members in the groups, use paid or free summoning to replenish heroes.]
[This mission has defined vanguard and rearguard teams. If certain conditions are met, the rearguard can participate.]
Anything pressed to start the floor 40 challenge, and mission precautions appeared.
It was similar to floor 20. The vanguard enters first, followed by the rearguard. However, the difference is that you can't change the vanguard. Like it or not, Group 1 must go.
That makes sense.
Group 1 was the one who discovered the Loop.
Until the mission is completed or everyone dies, the objective won't change.
[Attention!]
[This is your last chance.]
[If you fail this time, all heroes of Group 1 will be eliminated, and you will have to start again from floor 31.]
"Will we be able to overcome it?" Katio looked at me with an anxious expression.
"If I thought we couldn't, we wouldn't have come. Just do what we've planned."
"Somewhat, I feel like I came here just to suffer."
"It's better than where you were before."
"Well, that's true." Katio sighed deeply.
I checked if my dagger sheath was securely fastened and if the end of my bag was tightly tied.
Anything's work was almost done.
Bang!
Finally, the door opened with a bang.
Iselle flapped her wings beside the door.
[Come on, the door is open! Group 1 can enter.]
I was the first to step into the Space-Time Crevice.
The central mirror was already glowing. The group members followed me, entering one after another.
The rearguard groups, including Group 2, remained waiting in the plaza. I exchanged glances with Edith.
"……"
Edith nodded in understanding.
Our conversation had concluded the previous day. There were no words left to exchange.
Now, only the battle remained.
‘Maybe we won't return.’
The mission promised to be extremely arduous.
Any deviation from the plan could be fatal for everyone.
[Main dungeon, current challenge floor - 40.]
[In 10 seconds, the door will open. Prepare yourselves!]
[The mission is being recorded. Your gameplay history will be preserved.]
[Tactical center is operational. The tactics tab is available for use.]
The countdown began.
I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes.
"……Han."
In the midst of silence, Kishasha's whispering voice reached my ears.
Opening my eyes, I saw Kishasha leaning towards me, whispering near my ear.
"If I die fighting, don't leave me behind. I don't want to be alone anymore… Ouch!"
I flicked Kishasha's cheek.
"Is it your species' specialty to talk nonsense? Say something sensible."
"But……"
"I have no intention of dying. We will all come back alive."
"But, but…!"
"Of course. We will come back alive." Jenna smiled faintly.
Belkist also smiled coldly.
"When it's time to fight to the death, you're ready, but now you're acting like a child. Aren't you ashamed to be a warrior? I hope you don't disappoint me or Group 1."
Kishasha smiled bitterly.
"Understood. I won't say nonsense."
"That's all you need to know."
Belkist turned his head.
At that moment, a dazzling light enveloped me.
The summoning flash. When the light faded, the mission began.
I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and said.
"I talked until I was tired yesterday. Is there anyone who still doesn't understand?"
"It seems I've heard that story more than ten times."
"I've memorized it perfectly."
"So have I."
That's how it should be.
After completing the fourth Loop, I explained the plan to the members several times.
There can be no deviations. The plan must fit together like gears to finish correctly.
"There's no room for failure."
I lightly drew my sword from its sheath.
[Floor 40.]
[Mission type - Unknown]
[Objective - Unknown.]
The wind laden with the scent of grass brushed against my cheek.
The fifth flat field we faced. The last Loop had begun.
3 seconds after the mission started.
Thud! A thunderous noise filled the air as the sky was colored with fireworks.
It was magical bombardment.
"Move!"
I immediately ran through the meadow.
The members began their actions.
"Roar!"
Kishasha roared loudly.
[Unique ability, Transformation activated!]
[Kishasha (★★★★) transforms!]
Transformed into a giant tiger, Kishasha bared her fangs and ran towards the east of the field.
‘The other four.’
Heading west.
Right on time, a convoy was heading towards the battlefield.
We boldly launched ourselves into the midst of a wagon.
"You! I, the Silver Paladin, agent of the goddess's wrath, Kyle Von Strauss…!"
How tedious.
I swiftly severed the head of the one striking poses.
After quickly dealing with some key knights.
"Belkist, can you handle it alone?"
"Don't worry."
"Go for it!"
The key to this mission is how much time we can save.
We can't waste a single moment. We must achieve maximum efficiency with the minimum personnel.
We left Belkist alone and ran again.
[Swipe the screen!]
[Give wings to your master's hero!]
[Ding!]
[You summon Gandalf (★) to the battlefield!]
[You summon Radagast (★) to the battlefield!]
Anything called for his mount.
I mounted the horse running alongside me.
Jenna quickly mounted the horse, pulled Katio up, and sat him behind her.
'Second section.'
Where we failed in the second Loop.
The cliff where the cursed archer appears. A course that blocks access with all sorts of strange archery.
"Are you ready?"
I firmly grasped the reins and said.
Katio nodded silently.
"Don't hesitate for a second. Let's go now."
"I trust you, brother."
"As long as you guys do it right, it's enough."
Katio pulled out a magic crystal and handed it to Jenna.
Jenna placed the magic crystal on the tip of her arrow and nocked it on her longbow. Even as she rode, her shooting posture did not waver. Jenna's arrow was already aimed at the approaching cliff on the other side.
[Danger!]
[Cursed Archer Lv.?]
On the other side of the stone bridge.
The archer, who was sitting calmly, stood up.
His dark bow was charged with a black light.
Thump.
A light sound.
I drew Bifröst in an instant and swung it.
"…Ugh!"
Bang!
The joint of my right arm creaked.
The first shot had come from behind.
'That annoying bastard.'
At first, I couldn't properly see the arrow he shot.
The direction was random. Even though he clearly shot from the front, it appeared from the side or behind. The direction changed capriciously, and sometimes it sprouted from the ground without warning.
'I can withstand up to five shots.'
With each shot, the power increases and strange effects mix in.
About 50 meters on the other side of the cliff. The enemy's second shot continued. I know this pattern too well. I released the reins and drew a dagger.
Clang!
Right in the forehead.
Right under the left rib.
The distance shortened to about 30 meters.
I looked at Jenna. As she rode, she stared fixedly at the other side of the cliff with her bow ready.
"The arrows don't reach him." Jenna tried with arrows, but they simply didn't work.
We tried magical defenses, but they were easily penetrated. We all knew that from experience.
So...
"Here I go!" Jenna let out a cheerful cry along with her bow.
The arrow released from the bow shot off at a dizzying speed.
The cursed archer's next shot was after that.
"Heeheeheehee!"
[Gandalf (★) has been re-summoned!]
A hole appeared in the horse's forehead.
Jenna's arrow flew like lightning and lodged itself under the cliff where the guy was peeking out.
"Keep going!" Katio shouted with a voice full of magical power.
Just before the horse fell with a scream, and before my body crashed to the ground.
"An opportunity."
I clenched my hand around the sword hilt.
A vigorous energy seemed to envelop my entire body.
"Teleportation!"
Flash!
My vision changed in an instant.
Below, endless darkness. Above, the blue sky and a startled figure looked at me in surprise. Despite his confusion, the guy prepared to shoot.
"Do you think you can make it?"
I surged up the cliff on impulse.
I struck the guy right in the face before he could release the bowstring.
The guy staggered.
"…!"
Plack!
With a quick move, I made him stumble and tossed him.
The guy slid over the edge of the cliff, his clothes fluttering, and fell downward.
End. I said, bringing my hand to my ear.
"Belkist, are you finished?"
<The cleanup is complete. We are on our way now.>
"We're good over here too. Join me and two others to deal with the archers unit."
<Understood.>
Jenna's words were transmitted across the stone bridge.
When I gestured with my eyes, Katio responded with a hand signal.
'...Not by the normal route.'
Time is limited.
No matter how much we plan, we don't reach the cleanup time.
So, we can only use alternative methods.
Teleportation magic compresses space. In this way, we can overcome distance limitations without straining our resources too much.
"Keep moving forward!"
Katio cast the second teleportation spell.
When I regained consciousness.
<Have you arrived?>
I was on Kishasha's back.
"Keep going."
In the eastern field, there are three fortresses.
The ultimate goal is to capture all the fortresses...
"But there are priorities."
There is a fortress with an object that summons reinforcements.
For a quick cleanup, it's obvious we must summon reinforcements first.
The problem is that the object randomly appears in one of the three fortresses.
Of course, I can't know which one is the correct answer.
[Riiing!]
[Tactical tab opens!]
'Yes, that's it.'
Anything selected the instruction tool and pointed it toward the screen.
Zzzing!
A red arrow drew in the sky.
The arrow pointed northeast.
"Let's go."
Kishasha rounded the corner and ran toward the meadow.
Twice the speed of a horse. In an instant, the fortress landscape was near.
A black wall about ten meters high appeared.
[Order Archer Lv.36] X 15
Piiing!
Kishasha, skillfully avoiding enemy fire, approached the wall and leaped vertically.
Kraah!
With Kishasha's fangs, one of the archers turned into a heap of debris.
After landing on the wall, Kishasha swept away three men with her front paws and jumped directly into the fortress. A goddess statue made of bright white marble shone with a blue light.
[Danger!]
[Chief Inquisitor]
[Ludwig the Mighty Lv.46]
As expected, he appeared.
A giant three meters tall in iron armor wielded a mace.
A deep and ominous voice came from his demonic helmet.
"For the heretics... Death...!"
The guy raised his mace like a pillar.
In the third Loop, we got stuck here for a long time.
I smiled ironically and gripped my sword.
'Exceed'
[Han (★★★) has activated the Exceed ability.]
I clashed my sword against the mace coming toward my head.
And then...
Crack!
With a bang, the guy's right hand holding the mace flew off.
"Uwaaa!"
Kishasha struck him in the chest with her front paw.
The iron bent as the giant fell to the ground.
"Go to hell."
I pushed my sword through the slit in his helmet.
