Chapter 51

After escaping from the Mountain Golem and rejoining the army that had retreated earlier, we set up camp at a location far from the Mountain Golem. Although we managed to minimize the damage, the result was essentially a defeat, and the morale of our allies was not good.

"Sir, what is the current situation with the giant golem?"

"The giant golem is slowly moving south with other golems. It seems to be as slow as the other golems. It is estimated that it will take about a week to reach the nearby towns."

Lady Alexia received a report from the scout who had been monitoring the Mountain Golem. With a week to prepare, we could take our time to devise a strategy, but it was still a struggle to figure out what to do.

No matter how slow the Mountain Golem was, we couldn't stop its advance. The fact that the three of us, Lady Alexia, Oliver, and I, who were called heroes, couldn't defeat it was having a negative psychological impact on the soldiers.

I had underestimated the concept of heroes. For them, heroes were a pillar of support.

If the heroes they believed in were defeated by the Mountain Golem, it would make everyone think that the Mountain Golem was invincible.

Reflecting on it now, the emperor of the Vaisel Empire might have tried to hide the battle between Lady Alexia and me for more than just political reasons.

The soldiers were still relatively calm because none of the heroes had died or been injured.

If the heroes were still alive, there was a chance for a rematch with the Mountain Golem. They were clinging to that hope. What they needed now was a hero who could turn the tide of this situation.

However, it was uncertain whether that could be achieved. We had been thinking of strategies to defeat the Mountain Golem, but no concrete plans had emerged.

I hadn't expected that a minor change in a monster, just by making it larger, would be so troublesome. In other games, such large enemies appeared, and they were easily defeated. How did the protagonists in those games manage to defeat such creatures?

Another source of frustration was the lack of information on the Mountain Golem, which didn't exist in games. If there had been information on how to defeat the Mountain Golem, the battle would have been much easier.

I realized how much I had relied on such information. In the past, I had known all the action patterns and weaknesses of monsters from strategy sites, which had been very helpful. Without that information, it would have been much harder. That information alone had given me a significant advantage.

Without that, we had to come up with a strategy to defeat the Mountain Golem on our own.

Fortunately, the Mountain Golem was a type of golem, and its weaknesses and attack patterns were similar, so we could make some inferences.

However, it was uncertain whether the Mountain Golem had the same weaknesses, and its enormous size was a major obstacle. There were still many uncertainties.

"Lady Alexia, will the reinforcements from the Vaisel Empire arrive in time?"

"We have already sent messengers, but it will be difficult. It is possible to gather nearby troops, and we have made the necessary arrangements. However, reinforcements from the mainland will not arrive in time. We have also requested assistance from the Commune, but it will take time to gather the scattered troops for reconstruction support. If we wait for reinforcements, we will have to abandon several towns and villages and retreat."

Lady Alexia, feeling the frustration of her own powerlessness against the Mountain Golem, spoke in a heavy tone.

"If we have to abandon the towns, we will need to guide the evacuees. The question is how far we will retreat."

"Considering the arrival of reinforcements, we should retreat quite a distance. Probably to this area."

Lady Alexia pointed to a spot on the map. It was a town where we had previously received relief supplies. However, it was located in the central part of the northwest of the Commune. Therefore, all the towns and villages to the north of it would have to be abandoned, including the town we had recently helped with reconstruction.

Oliver's expression was distorted. He didn't object because he understood that Lady Alexia had made a difficult decision. Her pained expression made everyone feel a heavy heart.

I wanted to do something, but I couldn't come up with a good idea.

"Teacher."

Lady Alexia looked at me intently.

"Can you do something with your power? Can you destroy the giant golem's torso and expose its core?"

I understood what Lady Alexia was asking. She was asking if I could use the powerful ultimate magic, 'Thunderstorm,' which I had shown her before.

However, I couldn't use 'Thunderstorm' at the moment. It was a skill that required a job change to 'Wizard,' and I had been reset to level 1 when the official service started, reverting my job to 'Magician.'

To change jobs, I needed to reach a certain level. With the help of paid items to increase experience, I could level up quickly within the time frame.

However, I lacked a specific item from a certain monster, which was necessary for the job change. While the monster existed in the Commune, it would be difficult to gather all the necessary items and visit the church within the time limit.

There was another issue.

'Thunderstorm' was a wind-element ultimate magic. It might not be effective against golems. If the Mountain Golem had the same resistance as other golems, the magic's power could be halved.

"I'm sorry, Lady Alexia. I can't use it yet. To use it, I need to change jobs again. Also, golems are not very vulnerable to wind attributes, and the giant golem might be the same. A different attribute ultimate magic might be effective, but I can't use it without changing jobs."

Lady Alexia's disappointment was evident. It was clear she had been hoping for a solution.

However, it would be meaningless to give false hope.

"Mr. Chaos, would changing jobs allow you to defeat the giant golem? Can you do it within a week?"

Oliver's question was difficult to answer. I summarized the situation briefly.

"I'm not sure if it will work, but I can use powerful magic. However, I need a specific item from a monster to change jobs. I don't have the time to gather it. I also need to level up, which will take time. If I had the item, I think I could make it in time."

"Do you need something special? I might be able to provide it."

"Blood Skeleton bones and a Werewolf's mane. I need these, but I doubt you have them."

"I do have them."

"Really? Wait, what?"

Why did Oliver have such items?

Were they common in this world?

"I collect such rare items as a hobby. I keep them in my room, but others often see them as trash and think I live in a messy room. I often get treated as a weirdo. Ah, I'm getting off-topic. I love such stories and tend to talk a lot. Sorry, sorry. I carry my favorites with me. I don't want to part with them, but in an emergency, I have no choice."

So that's why he was treated as a weirdo. It was similar to a figure collector or a taxidermy enthusiast.

In this world, where enemies regularly attack humans, it was understandable that few people would understand Oliver's hobby.

Hmm, wait. No, but could it be?

I asked Oliver a question that came to mind.

"Oliver, have you ever offered the items you collected at the church's altar?"

Oliver had mentioned praying at the church daily. Could it be that...

"Yes, I offer them as a thanksgiving to the gods. Come to think of it, there was one strange incident. When I placed the offering on the altar, it was bathed in a mysterious light. After that, I was able to come up with new techniques. Perhaps the gods blessed me, just as they did Lady Alexia."

Could he have accidentally changed jobs? Is that even possible? The odds must be astronomical!

However, Oliver didn't seem to be the culprit. Considering his character, it was hard to imagine him plotting something evil.

His testimony was the only evidence, but for now, we needed to focus on the Mountain Golem.

"However, if Mr. Chaos's magic works on the Mountain Golem, it would be good to have a backup plan in case it doesn't."

Irene was right. Her and Oliver's attacks had been powerful, but they didn't seem to have much effect on the Mountain Golem.

I suspected the Mountain Golem had resistance to physical attacks. Despite Irene's superior skills as a 'Wizard,' my magic seemed to deal slightly more damage.

However, there was a possibility that ultimate magic wouldn't work. We needed to consider other options.

"In that case, we should also consider attacking the Mountain Golem's core through its gaps. If we can stop its movement, it might be possible."

"Jumping from the city walls to the Mountain Golem's gaps... No, that's impossible. The city walls can't stop the Mountain Golem's movement. Even if we tried to jump from the walls, the distance to the gaps would be too great. Climbing the moving body of the Mountain Golem would be extremely difficult. We need to find a way to stop it, even temporarily."

"Even if we set a trap, it would need to be large enough to catch the Mountain Golem. A pit trap would be impossible to create."

Indeed, without stopping the Mountain Golem's movement, there seemed to be no solution.

Wait, what about using the terrain?

"Is there any place we can use for a trap, like a river or a cliff?"

Previously, I had destroyed a bridge to drop a vampire into a gorge. Could we do something similar?

"I checked, but the river beds are not deep enough. This area is mostly flat. There are no suitable places for a trap nearby."

That's a dead end. The map doesn't show any such places. There doesn't seem to be much elevation. We might find suitable terrain further south, but we can't allow the Mountain Golem to advance that far.

"Hmm, I can't think of anything. However, as long as the Mountain Golem keeps advancing, we can't just sit and wait. We should intercept it with the gathered troops in a week. If we can't defeat it, we will have to retreat to the location Lady Alexia designated and face the Mountain Golem with the reinforcements. Mr. Chaos, you must learn that magic in the meantime."

It wasn't a solid plan, but the expectations were clear. There were no other effective countermeasures. It wasn't unnatural for everyone to place their hopes on me.

If we let the Mountain Golem continue, the town we helped rebuild, Clermont, and the elf village would be destroyed.

It was unjust.

Why should they suffer? If I had to express the emotions swirling in my chest, anger would be the closest.

It might be arrogant and selfish, but I wanted to defeat the monster attacking us.

So, let's fight. Together with these people.

First, I need to level up. I have plenty of 'Books of Blessing' that double experience points, which will significantly reduce the time needed to level up.

Next, I need a place with many monsters. The army's presence seems to keep monsters away. So, I need to find another location. Where should I go?

"Chaos, do you have a plan for the giant golem?"

Liam asked.

"I have a plan."

"How are you going to defeat the giant golem?"

"We will intercept the giant golem. I will use the ultimate magic, the most powerful magic I know, to defeat it. I need to train for a while to learn it."

"Chaos, are you serious?"

Havoc raised a skeptical voice.

"Irene, the maid, was the strongest opponent I've ever faced. Even with her holding back, it took all of us working together to win. She was a monster. But even her attacks didn't seem to affect the Mountain Golem. Oliver is probably as strong as Irene. But even they couldn't hurt it much. We would just be a hindrance. I know your strength, but can you really defeat it?"

Havoc's question was serious. Liam and the others probably felt the same. They didn't interrupt, and their faces were serious. It was hard to tell if they felt resigned or frustrated.

"To be honest, I don't know. It's an unknown monster, and even ultimate magic might not work."

Based on my observations, the Mountain Golem might have resistance to physical attacks. Given that Irene's attacks didn't seem to affect it, the Mountain Golem must have strong defenses. My own power might not be enough.

"Still, I can't stop fighting."

If I stopped, the people I knew would be hurt. The country that Raul tried to protect and Rozeline is trying to protect would be devastated. I couldn't let this country, which was finally finding peace, be destroyed again.

So, I need to fight with my staff.

Havoc stared at me silently for a while. I regretted being a loner and poor at expressing myself. How much of my feelings had gotten through to him?

Would this be the last time I saw Havoc and the others? It would be sad if they didn't understand my resolve, but I didn't intend to change it now.

The silence was broken by Liam, who had been looking down.

"Chaos, you're an idiot sometimes. I thought you were more level-headed. You always seem to do reckless things."

I chuckled at Liam's exasperated tone. He was right. A calm person wouldn't even think about fighting a Mountain Golem, knowing the risks.

"But somehow, I don't think being called a hero is just about strength. Alright, I'll help you!"

"Liam..."

"Men are simple, really."

Nell sighed in exasperation.

"But if we don't defeat that giant golem, my hometown might be destroyed. This isn't a joke. I refuse to let that happen. So, I'll bet on you."

"Chaos, your training will probably involve injuries. Someone needs to heal them."

"Nell, Emilia..."

Four pairs of eyes turned to Havoc. He shrugged and replied.

"Alright, I get it. This is a lousy draw. But to survive, we have to fight with all we've got. I guess I need to learn that from you."

"No, it's not that. Havoc, this is something I learned from all of you."

When I almost gave up during the fight with Irene, you all fought bravely. That inspired me. It was a difficult situation, but we managed to resolve it.

This time is the same. We suffered a defeat, but we still have a chance to fight back. It's too early to give up.

"We're in this with you. Let's go all the way!"

Havoc slapped his hand and got motivated.

Training in a party would be more efficient for leveling up. They were close to my level, and with the experience point distribution system, their levels would also rise quickly. If they could change jobs, it would be an advantage in the fight against the Mountain Golem.

I asked Oliver if he had the necessary items for job changes. I would check later.

"Hey, you're being quiet all of a sudden."

"You look like you're up to something."

Everyone was saying things that sounded bad. I was just thinking of a plan to defeat the Mountain Golem.

I told Lady Alexia and the others that we would be training separately from the army for a while. They would continue preparing for the Mountain Golem's interception. I would level up to change jobs within a week.

"So, Chaos, what exactly are you going to do for training?"

"Irene's pitying look as we left is still bothering me."

Liam asked me a question, and Emilia was still shaken by Irene's last expression.

Ah, right. I hadn't told them about the leveling up. I needed to explain clearly to avoid misunderstandings.

"First, we'll form a party and fight monsters non-stop."

As soon as I said that, a panel appeared in front of me.

'Havoc, Emilia, Cornelia, and Liam have joined the party.'

This message appeared when forming a party. Without a party, experience points wouldn't be distributed to them. Fortunately, our levels were close, and forming a party would distribute experience points. Leveling up required forming a party.

"That's it? I thought you had something more impressive planned."

"Will that really be enough to defeat the giant golem?"

Havoc was surprised, and Nell looked a bit anxious. Given that the concept of levels didn't exist in this world, their anxiety was understandable. Explaining it was difficult, so they would have to experience it firsthand.

We found a monster and attacked.

"Chaos?"

Nell called out as I hesitated for a moment. I was hesitant to start, but I shook my head slightly and continued the attack. The monster was easily defeated.

A thick, black feeling flowed through my chest. The disgust couldn't be erased.

But if I hesitated, the damage from the Mountain Golem would increase. I had to level up to change jobs.

I think at that moment, a mental barrier formed in my mind. When I fought other monsters, the disgust wasn't as strong.

We spent four days fighting monsters non-stop. Finally, everyone's level exceeded 50. The moment we finished leveling up, Liam and the others collapsed. They looked like a pile of dead bodies.

"Liam, are you alive?"

"…Somehow. Now I understand why Irene pitied us so much."

Nell asked without looking at Liam, who answered with his face turned to the side.

Emilia sat on the ground. Although she didn't fight directly, as the only healer in the group, she must have been exhausted from healing everyone. She didn't have the energy to speak.

Even Havoc, who held out the longest, was on his knees, muttering.

"I knew we would fight monsters non-stop, but fighting all day is impossible!"

"I thought I was going to die. But the power increase is noticeable. It's really unfair."

"True, why is that? Is it because of the strange items Chaos gave us?"

Everyone had been given paid items to increase experience points, and we fought almost non-stop except for sleeping. Everyone was exhausted.

"Is fighting this many monsters so rare?"

"Of course. What do you think we are?"

"Usually, one quest is enough to last for days