Chapter 61

As the Tereopes and Brakuls did not make any move to chase the fleeing young people, they stared at the drawbridge, which served as both the entrance and exit of the town, and the defensive positions in front of it, emitting cries as if reporting to each other. The unpleasant cries, which sounded like the grating of metal, had a strange intonation and seemed to follow a certain pattern.

"…Words?"

"It sounds like it."

Agreeing with Shiraha's murmur, Rio looked at the old man.

"The old man is taking command of the adventurers. Let's wish each other luck. Rio, Shiraha, do as you please."

After calling out to the defense captain, who had started to take command of the defense, the old man ran towards the drawbridge. It seemed he intended to command from atop the defensive wall. Shiraha took Rio's hand.

"Shall we guide the evacuation?"

Adventurers have predetermined roles in emergencies based on their ranks. For Rio and Shiraha's rank, their job was to guide the evacuation of the town's residents, not to engage in direct combat. However, the evacuation had already started and was halfway completed during the dissection of the Brakul. Rather, it would be a better judgment to join the defense, which was short of manpower.

"We'll join the defense. What about you, Shiraha?"

"It would be more dangerous inside the town if the defensive positions collapse. Let's fight together."

As Shiraha said, it would be easier to make a retreat decision at the drawbridge, which is the entrance and exit of the town, rather than in the chaotic town. Rio and Shiraha nodded to each other and ran towards the adventurer's position.

While running through the position, they observed the surroundings. Despite the Tereopes, who had once created a nightmare for Rihelan, and the unknown creatures, the Brakuls, clearly working together, the morale of the defensive position was high. The defense team seemed to be organized into groups based on their schools, and each group appeared to have a strength comparable to Karyll.

Adventurers usually defend their positions in parties that act together regularly. Since parties also come from outside, it is difficult to achieve high coordination. However, the overall strength of the adventurers is high. Among the adventurers trained by Galdrat, there are even those with the strength of elite knights, and they have repeatedly engaged in actual combat in the forest, making their party coordination skillful.

Rio and Shiraha stopped at the back of the adventurer's position.

"From what I can see, if we join the formation now, we'll just get in the way. Let's act as guerrillas."

"Support the weak points?"

"Exactly. I also want to observe the Tereopes' fighting style."

While talking, Shiraha suddenly looked into the depths of the forest. Rio followed her gaze, but the Tereopes with Brakuls on their backs blocked the view.

"Is something wrong?"

"I feel like I'm being watched."

"With so many Tereopes, it's natural to feel watched. By the way, how many are there?"

There must be about 250 visible. More are continuously appearing from the depths of the forest, so the total number is unknown. The total number of forces gathered in the defensive position is about 700. If the adventurers guiding the evacuation in the town join, it might double.

The numbers and the terrain are advantageous. The only uncertain factor is the existence of the Brakuls, but their weaknesses have already been identified through dissection.

"If we can hold the exit of the drawbridge and deploy reserve forces from inside the town, we can win."

While talking, reinforcements of adventurers and the defense team were crossing the drawbridge. It was already night, but the full moon made it bright. The defensive position, illuminated by torches, and even the shallow part of the forest were visible. As the numbers of both sides gathered, the tension in the air increased. Among the adventurers, who were waiting for the start of the battle, Rio felt a sense of unease.

"Why are they waiting?"

The Tereopes and Brakuls are intelligent. They use tactics such as ambushes and surprise attacks. It doesn't make sense to wait for the defensive position to be fully prepared. Since the attack was initiated by the Tereopes, it's strange that the gathering and deployment of forces are slow.

Rio put himself in the Tereopes' position and thought about how he would take this town.

"…A decoy?"

Tereopes use decoys to hunt. If the Tereopes in front of them are decoys, they would concentrate the human forces here and attack the town from another direction. However, the town of Rihelan is surrounded by a defensive wall and a moat. Archers and mages are stationed on the wall, making a surprise attack difficult. It should be impossible to enter the town except through the drawbridge.

Rio sighed and shook his head.

The enemy is an unknown creature. It's not good to rule out what is impossible.

It's better to think about what is possible.

Rio placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and looked up at the wall.

Even with body enhancement, humans can't reach halfway up. With the moat, body enhancement alone is not enough. It would be possible with tools, but Tereopes' hooves cannot handle tools, unlike the Brakuls with their ten tentacles.

"…This might be bad."

A hypothesis formed in Rio's mind, and he murmured.

It's unclear whether it's possible, but if it is, it could cause chaos in the town.

"Did you think of something?"

When asked by Shiraha, Rio nodded and organized his thoughts.

"Let's go back into the town. I'll explain on the way."

While heading towards the drawbridge at a quick pace, Rio explained loudly enough for others to hear.

"Just a hypothesis, but if the reason the front group isn't attacking is because they are decoys, there might be a way for a separate force to attack the town."

"Cross the moat and the wall?"

"Yeah. The Brakuls' wax. The procedure would be for the Brakuls to connect their tentacles like ropes, and the Tereopes to swing the Brakul ropes to reach the wall. Then, by secreting black wax to increase the strength, the Tereopes can climb the wall."

"…It's an interesting idea, but it seems impossible."

"I also think it's impossible. But if it happens, it would be bad."

With the forces concentrated at the drawbridge, if they can cross the wall from the opposite direction, it would lead to almost defenseless combat inside the town.

"We might get in the way of the coordination here. It might be better to act individually and prepare for the worst."

Originally, Rio and Shiraha were supposed to guide the evacuation inside the town. If chaos breaks out inside the town and they are not there, it would be considered dereliction of duty.

"Besides, I know my idea is far-fetched."

He observed the reactions of the surrounding adventurers, but those who had overheard Rio's prediction had indescribable expressions. Since the ecology of the Brakuls is not well understood, it cannot be said that it is impossible. However, even if it is possible, they cannot leave the defensive position unattended. In the end, they just watched Rio and Shiraha leave without saying anything.

As they passed by the people joining the defense by crossing the drawbridge, Rio and Shiraha returned to the town. Shiraha looked at the sign and asked Rio.

"Where do you think they'll come from?"

"Probably the guild."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because there are Brakul corpses, and if they can follow the smell, they would come from the wall near the guild. Also, the area around the guild is the weakest in terms of defense because people have left."

Without objecting to Rio's prediction, Shiraha ran towards the guild. Rio used body enhancement to sprint down the street, heading for the guild. The streets were already largely evacuated, and there were no signs of people.

As the guild building came into view in the distance, the bells on the wall, spaced at regular intervals, rang several times. The sound came from the drawbridge they had left and from the front.

On the wall, several hunters were nocking arrows to their bows. A young messenger ran to the left and right of the wall. Realizing his prediction was correct, Rio increased his speed.

"…What?"

Hunters descended from the wall and were thrown onto the roofs of the houses below, falling onto the road. It was clear at a glance that they were already dead. However, the cause of death was not from the fall. There were large holes in their chests.

Rio looked up at the wall.

Among the Tereopes covered in black fur, a large white Tereope stood out and looked down at Rio and Shiraha. Yes, it should be white.

"…Sinister."

As Shiraha murmured, the white Tereope, with its overwhelmingly sinister aura, appeared dark, gloomy, and murky. Tereopes continued to climb the wall, and bells were ringing all over the town. The white Tereope narrowed its eyes at Shiraha, then suddenly turned its gaze away. Realizing what was in the direction of its gaze, Rio shuddered.

"We're going to be caught in a pincer attack!"

Rio turned around and ran back the way he came. As the white Tereope let out a cry, the Tereopes on the wall started running towards the drawbridge.