Chapter 121

The vibrations and rumbling from the ground were growing stronger and stronger. The monsters would soon reach the surface.

Although the reports that the residents had been evacuated had already been received, it would still take time for them to reach the safety zone at the foot of the mountain. If the monsters were allowed to roam freely here, there would be a risk of being overtaken in the mountains.

That is why Harold stayed here according to the plan, to delay their progress.

In the central square of the town, several dozen barrels were placed. Harold stands before them, wielding two swords and smashing the barrels one after another in a chaotic manner.

As a result, vivid purplish-red liquid spills out from the broken parts, quickly staining the stone ground.

The liquid was called ‘Red Bottle,’ an item that has the opposite effect of the ‘White Bottle,’ which repels monsters and reduces encounter rates. It attracts monsters instead. In the original story, it was mainly used to efficiently hunt down monsters that yield experience points and rare items.

The surrounding monsters were drawn to the scent, gathering in the area. All the barrels prepared are filled with Red Bottle. Harold destroyed every single one of them.

Naturally, a large number of monsters will rush to this square.

Harold must defeat as many as possible and buy time for as long as he can. Though it is easier said than done.

Taking a small breath, Harold looks up at the setting sun. Once night falls, the speed of the evacuees traveling through the mountains will slow down. Therefore, he must keep the monsters occupied for a longer period.

Looking at the situation again, it could only be described as hopeless. And that’s why Harold laughs.

The cold, ruthless smile that he has shown countless times since becoming Harold.

It becomes the signal for the beginning of the battle.

The ground tremors grew louder, and destructive sounds and dust rose from the direction where the entrance to the tunnel was located.

Presumably, monsters that had emerged from the tunnel were advancing while demolishing buildings.

However, the creatures that emerged were not just ma.s.sive beings with the power to destroy buildings as they moved forward. The first monster that caught Harold’s sight was a quadrupedal creature.

With its supple form reminiscent of a leopard, it measured about three meters in length and possessed vicious, giant fangs and claws.

Black Saber. It was a monster that appeared in the game from mid-game onwards, known for its agility and high attacking power.

【”But that’s it.”】

Harold coldly uttered those words and effortlessly evaded the attacks of the three approaching Black Sabers, which lunged at him with their exposed fangs and claws. With minimal movements, he swiftly decapitated their heads.

To anyone witnessing the scene, it would have appeared as if the three heads were severed in an instant. Blood sprayed from the severed necks as the Black Sabers fell to the ground. This blood scent was meant to attract more monsters to Harold’s location.

As planned, right after defeating the Black Sabers, various monsters surged forward.

There were dozens of the recently dispatched Black Sabers, and at a glance, hundreds of humanoid monsters like Goblins and Trolls seemed insignificant. There were also several Hornheads, creatures Harold had fought in past extermination expeditions.

The group of monsters filled the street, approaching Harold like a tidal wave, threatening to engulf him.

【”Bolt Lance.”】

In response to these creatures, Harold first unleashed his magic. With a distance of still several dozen meters between them and the monsters lined up in a dense straight line, they presented an excellent target.

He pierced multiple creatures with Bolt Lance, destabilized their footing with Grand Punisher, disrupting their formation, and burned down the fallen monsters with Flame Column, causing damage to the surrounding area as well.

In a battle of endurance, he refrained from using incredibly powerful magic straight from the beginning, but still, he managed to steadily reduce their numbers.

By starting off by defeating dozens of monsters, he was able to make progress. However, that alone would not lead to their complete annihilation. After unleashing several spells, he finally engaged in close combat.

(If I stop moving, I’m done for. Evade and attack simultaneously. Ensure a certain kill with a single strike.)

Nevertheless, Harold remained extremely calm in dealing with the situation.

If he were to stop moving, he would be surrounded by overwhelming numbers and meet his end. To avoid that, he focused on evading rather than directly confronting attacks. To enable this movement, he chose an open s.p.a.ce that forced the monsters to disperse. Furthermore, to enhance his maneuverability, he unleashed a series of spells to reduce the density of the leading group.

However, merely evading would not be enough in the long run. Therefore, his evasive actions became attacking movements toward the monsters he evaded, and even in challenging moments, evading served as a preparatory action for the next attack as he continuously a.s.sessed the positions of the surrounding monsters.

He evaded the biting attack and pouncing strike from the Black Saber by moving to the left, then swiftly swung his club, severing the arm of the Goblin that was about to launch an attack, along with its head. As a charging Hornhead attempted to strike from behind, Harold avoided it with a backflip and used the giant rock pa.s.sing beneath his feet as a foothold for a leap.

In addition, he impaled the mouth of the Griffon, which was preparing to unleash magic from above, with his black sword, causing it to meet its demise.

Kicking away the Griffin’s body as it fell helplessly, Harold withdrew his sword.

Descending according to gravity, Harold observed the monsters that were still alive and waiting below him.

If he could perform an aerial dash, he could avoid them, but it would be difficult to execute such a technique without sufficient speed.

Nevertheless, there was no trace of panic on Harold’s face as he coldly overlooked the monsters.

Harold tightened his right arm. The sword gripped in his right hand crackled and emitted a dim glow, charged with heightened magical power.

Without hesitation, Harold hurled the sword. It was propelled with such force that it could be called a shot rather than a throw, piercing the head of the Hornhead.

At that moment, Harold shouted,

【”Raijin!”】

There was a dazzling flash that seemed to repaint the twilight with a thunderous clap that roared a few moments later.

After it had pa.s.sed, amidst the flames and black smoke, Harold stood alone. Many of the monsters struck by the attack that surpa.s.sed even a lightning strike had their bodies burned and life extinguished.

The copious amount of blood that stained the plaza floor evaporated, and the suffocating scent of blood was gradually concealed by the rising smell of charred remains.

When he first used it, Raijin was only capable of attacking within a range of a few meters with its four lightning strikes.

Eight years have pa.s.sed since then. Now, Harold, with a well-trained and talented physique, has honed Raijin, which was once a mediocre skill in the game, into a technique that can obliterate dozens of monsters with a single blow.

A stone shatters and explodes as it is struck with lightning, Harold then picks up his sword that falls from the severed head of the Hornhead monster, setting his sights on the next enemy.

Although the monsters that had been gathered in the plaza have been cleared, there are still remnants constantly surging forward. Moreover, reflected in his crimson eyes are the figures of large monsters that easily exceed five meters in length. Accompanied by small and medium-sized monsters, they approach Harold.

If what he is currently facing is the enemy’s vanguard, then that must be their main force. Their numbers and strength are undoubtedly on a completely different level.

Still, his objective remains unchanged. He will simply kill as many as possible.

【”I will make this town your grave. Be grateful as you die.”】

◇

【”Amazing…”】

One of the Frieri members inadvertently muttered those words from within the tower perched atop the stone walls surrounding the town of Baston.

Due to the distance between the stone walls and the town center, it was impossible to ignore the sight of the ongoing battle. Nevertheless, the frequent flashes of lightning and rising pillars of fire accompanied by thunderous roars told the tale of Harold, the young man’s master, engaged in a fierce fight.

To face hordes of monsters alone, how much fear would one feel? How much determination would be necessary?

Harold Stokes, a young man who had not yet reached twenty, suppressed such fears to save the people of this town, risking his life in battle.

【”Hey, you there?”】

【”K-Keith-san? Why are you here?”】

Turning around when unexpectedly called out from the entrance of the ladder leading to the tower, there stood Keith, who was supposed to have headed to the foot of the tower as an escort for the refugees. Perhaps due to being too focused on the battle situation, he had not noticed Keith’s presence.

Keith was breathing heavily, sweat streaming down his face, indicating that he had run quite a distance.

【”I left the protection of the residents to the remaining personnel and the knights. More importantly, how the h.e.l.l is the situation?”】

【”So far, as planned. The battle is taking place near the central square.”】

When Keith first heard the plan, he thought it was too reckless. However, Harold’s combat abilities seem to far surpa.s.s the imagination of an ordinary person, as he has been holding back a large horde of monsters in the square for over fifteen minutes since the battle began.

【”It don’t seem like it’s turned into that ‘worst-case scenario’ the Boss antic.i.p.ated.”】

Keith said with a slightly relieved voice.

The worst-case scenario that Harold had antic.i.p.ated when the plan was conveyed to the Frieri members was that the Red Bottles would not lure the monsters.

a.s.suming that the monsters of different races were kept quiet underground due to some means of control, there was a possibility that their behavioral principles differed from traditional monsters.

If that were the case, the monsters might chase after the evacuating residents, disregarding Harold completely. That was the worst-case scenario he had envisioned.

【”Well, that’s right. Far from a worst-case scenario, there hasn’t even been a single report of a leak.”】

【”…Wait. There ain’t a single one?”】

【”Huh? Um, yes, that’s correct.”】

【”No matter how ya look at it, that’s too strange.”】

【”That’s true now that you say it. It’s odd enough to be fighting on par or even better against such a large number of monsters… Well, I suppose you’re right.”】

Even if one could single-handedly defeat a horde of monsters, the number exceeds several thousand. It seems physically impossible to completely avoid any leaks.

However, there have been no reports from the scouts hiding in the town. They communicate regularly with various locations through light signals, which only members of Frieri are informed about, so there should not be any mistakes.

【”There’s somethin’ botherin’ me.”】

Uttering those words in a grumbling voice, Keith expresses a sense of unease that the man also feels but cannot quite put into words.

Could it be that they are overlooking something?

But worrying about it here would not help identify the cause of this unease.

【”Tch, well, for now, it’s fine. Are y’all prepared, though?”】

【”We’re ready without any delays. We can leave whenever necessary.”】

If Harold were to die or fail to hold back the monsters, preparations have been made to detonate the tower on top of the southern gate, which serves as the entrance and exit of the town, to block the door.

For that reason, scouts have been hidden throughout the town, carefully monitoring the situation’s developments.

However, this is a desperate measure. There is no guarantee that the collapsed tower will effectively block the door, and if the monsters become more aggressive, there is a risk of them breaking through the stone walls. As a precaution, defense lines have been set up near the gate and additional explosives have been installed, along with combustible materials, in an attempt to either incinerate the monsters that break through or inflict damage and buy time.

【”If possible, I hope we can avoid doin’ this.”】

【”In that case, it means we cannot guarantee Harold-sama’s safety…”】

Being in a position of defending against thousands of monsters alone is akin to suicide, and if it reaches a critical state, blocking the entrance and setting it on fire is far from a sane idea.

As an emergency meeting point, the western tower has been designated, and in case of an emergency, there is also the option to seek refuge in the upper part of the northern gate tower. However, since there is a tunnel where monsters are emerging nearby, it is questionable whether one could reach there in a state of necessary evacuation.

【”Why would Harold-sama go this far?”】

【”Who knows? But for the Boss, it must be somethin’ worth staking his life on.”】

【”Is it a matter of that so-called “n.o.ble pride”?”】

【”I’ve seen ‘n heard of n.o.bles who live accordingly, but I’ve never seen a single one go to such lengths for the sake of their people, despite it ain’t even bein’ his own territory.”】

Keith’s words were accurate. Certainly, Harold’s actions are meant to save people’s lives, and in that sense, they should be praised. However, there is no trace of the n.o.bility with which he was familiar. Moreover, his combat methods deviated far from common sense.

Harold risks his life as if it were nothing. At first, Keith thought it was a manifestation of his absolute confidence in his own strength. But now, things are different.

No matter how great the danger, he never flees or hesitates, rather, he charges in willingly. His behavior seemed more like he was searching for a place to die, rather than attempting to save someone else.

【”Hey! It’s a signal!”】

In the midst of suppressing bitter thoughts, Keith’s voice brought the man back to reality.

To make absolutely sure, he used binoculars to confirm the contents of the signal. Upon seeing the message, the man was speechless.

【”No, no way…”】

【”What’s wrong!?”】

In response to Keith’s question, the man remained in a state of shock.

【” ‘figure‘, ‘child‘, ‘alone‘…”】

【”It couldn’t be…!”】

【”Whether it’s a straggler or an intruder… either way, there’s still a child inside this town.”】

That was the moment when the a.s.sumption of the “worst-case scenario” that Harold had envisioned was shattered.