Chapter 68

Waking up in the morning, I proceed with the preparations together with Liz. It’s just like any other day. The weather is clear. I’m relieved.

I try to check the status of my final skill by displaying the screen.

◇Skill Information◇

‘Scholar’

‘Recognition’

‘Acquisition’

‘Stealth’ 0.52

‘Bravery’ 1.01

‘Common Language of the Fuar Continent (Conversation)’ 0.46

‘Common Language of the Fuar Continent (Reading)’ 0.10

‘Common Language of the Fuar Continent (Writing)’ 0.01

‘Spear Mastery’ 0.38

‘Vigilance’ 0.72

‘Prayer’ 1.82

‘Ritual Control’ 1.36

‘Attribute Control (Wind)’ 1.45

‘Attribute Control (Water)’ 0.56

‘Attribute Control (Divine)’ 1.07

This is all the preparation I can do. I have to fight with this as my weapon.

I close the screen.

After having breakfast and completing the preparations, two people see me off at the front door. They are probably going to evacuate to the church.

At this point, there’s no need to say anything. We nod at each other, wishing each other safety.

“I’m off. I’ll return safely.”

With that, I head towards the guild. Fia is waiting as usual.

“Good morning, Fia. Is everything okay at home?”

“Hmm. I’m finishing up the remaining work and then evacuating. We’ve talked about it many times, so it’s fine.”

She’s as casual as usual. Is she just brave, or am I just a coward? I think the same when talking to Liz—girls are so tough.

“Well, it’s a bit different from usual, but let’s be careful and do our best as usual.”

With that, we head to the designated battlefield under the guidance of the guild staff.

The adventurers around us are still acting as if it’s a normal day. They are a bit tense, but that’s about it.

Once we reach our assigned positions, we sit down. The final location is determined based on information from the guild scouts and messengers.

Until then, we have to wait. I chat with the two of them while waiting.

The guild scouts are guiding the group in the front.

Goblins often attack aggressively when their numbers are small. A few scouts are using horses as bait to lure the group to the designated location.

According to the guild staff, the guidance is going smoothly so far. The intervals between the messengers are also getting closer.

“The enemy group is coming into view.”

In the distance, I can see what looks like goblins. I can also see the scouts leading them.

As the group gets closer, their shapes become clearer. They seem to be moving in clusters. There is some space between the clusters.

However, the center is densely packed with command units and their followers. If viewed from above, it would look like a distorted and sparse circle.

Looking at this, I feel that while it’s possible to take them down one by one at first, it will get harder as they get closer.

As the group gets closer, more and more clusters follow. Even though they are not densely packed, the sheer number is overwhelming.

Imagine a large-scale scramble intersection in Japan where everyone is armed. That’s how it feels to face an enemy group. It’s a primal fear.

Looking around, many people are starting to turn pale, overwhelmed by the number of enemies. This scale is unimaginable. Even I, who am used to crowds, feel scared.

If this continues, morale will not hold. That’s the biggest problem right now. I ask the staff to report a change in the initial strategy.

If we don’t do something, people will lose their nerve before the battle even starts.

The enemy group seems to have noticed us, and their movement speed is increasing.

When the distance to the front of the group is about 200 to 300 meters, the staff gives the go-ahead to execute the strategy change.

The group is already in my line of sight, and the atmosphere around us is almost panic-stricken.

“I’m going to go a bit forward. I’ll be back soon, so wait here.”

I tell the two of them.

I’m not a hero or anything, but with a slight sense of resignation, I use magic to levitate and rush forward. I adjust my speed in front of the group, raise my spear, and charge at the stomach of the leading goblin.

“First one!!”

I shout loudly, hoping my voice will carry across the battlefield. At the same time, I aim at the thighs of four nearby goblins and cast a small-scale wind spell.

If I can just cripple their legs, they won’t be able to move. They will be out of this battle and will be dealt with during the final sweep.

It’s more cost-effective than using a spell powerful enough to blow apart their heads or stomachs. I need to consider how long I can maintain this without overexerting myself.

“Second one!!”

The goblins seem to have noticed me and are rushing at me in a cluster. I’m scared...

However, I gather my courage and aim at the thighs of the leading five goblins and cast the spell.

“Tenth one!!”

I shout and quickly retreat to my original position.

I pass between the two of them and shout loudly.

“You guys!! I’ve already taken down 10! If you keep this up, I’ll take them all down myself!!”

My shout spreads around.

The people who were tense with fear a moment ago start to laugh and gradually raise their battle cries.

Good. The morale has improved.

Ancient warriors must have done this while fighting with just their bodies and a single weapon to maintain morale. I’m genuinely impressed.

Amidst the battle cries, the enemy group is almost upon us, running and almost making contact.

The parties on the left and right move forward slightly to guide the enemy group to the center.

The rear archers and some of the mages start to take down a few of the goblins. The group rushes forward, trampling the dead bodies.

“Prioritize defense when they make contact. Don’t let the momentum overwhelm you.”

I shout and provide cover from between the two of them.

The group makes contact with a thud.

For a moment, the two groups are evenly matched, and then our side starts to fight.

The key is to prevent them from flanking us. I provide cover while supporting the front.

Liz and Fia, as usual, focus on defense and attack when the opportunity arises. The priority is to reduce their numbers without getting injured. I continue this mindlessly.

After about 30 minutes, the pressure suddenly weakens. We must have entered a gap between the clusters. I look around. So far, no one has been seriously injured. That’s a success.

I can’t see the ground clearly, but there are about 40 dead goblins scattered around. The footing is getting bad, and the signal to retreat is given.

We retreat together, and I talk to the two of them.

“How are you doing?”

“It’s good for now, but it might get a bit dangerous if this continues,” Fia says.

The physical exertion and fear of the group are draining their stamina. It’s not possible to keep this up for a long time. Can we last two hours?

“Considering the sides, it’s hard to attack from the front or back. I trust Hiro, so I’ll ask to pull back to the rear.”

I understand Liz’s response. If it’s just us, we can focus on eliminating the group. However, the group that breaks off can attack the parties on the sides, and that needs to be managed.

“Understood. I’m sorry, but the cover will decrease. Please endure.”

At that moment, a report comes from the messenger in the rear.

“Currently, there are about 300 in the center and about 200 in the surrounding clusters.”

I don’t feel despair, but the numbers are much higher than expected. In the forest, the group wouldn’t have grown this large.

I feel a bit of futility for the daily delay tactics. However, if we hadn’t done that, the total number could have exceeded 600. So, it still had meaning.

As soon as we retreat to the designated position, the next cluster rushes forward. This time, the numbers are much larger, about twice as many as before.

The two of them move forward and strike. Then they retreat. If there’s a gap, they rush forward again. The usual pattern is established.

However, a significant number are slipping through from the sides. I use magic to cripple their legs. The priority is to stop their movement. We can deal with the rest later.

However, there’s no time to mark them. This is tough.

I continue to intercept while desperately keeping track of the surroundings. As the numbers increase, it takes longer to take them down. During this time, the gaps close, and the spaces disappear. It’s a vicious cycle.

As expected, some members of the 9th-tier party start to drop out. There are no deaths, but there are some serious injuries. The reserve forces desperately pull them back and replace them.

This continues, maintaining a long stalemate. People are constantly being replaced.

Enemies also start to flank from behind. The rear reserve forces intercept and eliminate them.

The front-line forces are also quite exhausted. Some of the rear mages are turning pale, possibly due to overexertion.

The situation is bad. The best strategy would be to move the line, surround the group, and peel them off from the outside like peeling an onion.

However, the group’s combat training is too low to execute this. It’s pointless to complain about something we can’t do.

After about an hour of back-and-forth, the pressure slightly weakens. A messenger runs up.

“On the signal, push back and then retreat four units. The main force will come next. Please hold out until the knights charge.”

After a short while, the signal to advance is given, and we push back. However, the enemy also attacks, causing some injuries.

Once we push them back to a certain extent, the signal to retreat is given, and we retreat with full force. While retreating, I look at the battlefield and see about twice as many dead goblins as before.

More than 100... The casualties are high, but we’ve only reduced their numbers by a fifth. And the main force is coming next.

From here on, there will be no breaks. It will be difficult to attack. The premise is to endure.

We reach the retreat position and replenish our water. The surroundings are also taking a brief break and replenishing.

“Are you both okay?”

“Thirsty, as expected,” Fia says.

Liz nods without a word and takes a drink.

This retreat buys us a few minutes. If we can hold out for another 30 minutes, the knights will charge.

The main force and the remaining followers, who have been held in reserve, are merging and gradually increasing their speed as they charge.

Now, the real battle begins.