Chapter 319
Ahead lay countless level-four Witch Beasts. They were weak, and they swarmed around in a chaotic mass, easily mowing down the player. But they were just cannon fodder, draining the player's stamina.
Behind the light infantry, thousands of monsters resembling black iron statues surged forward in a dense formation, clearly aware that these tower intruders lacked the ability to inflict massive damage. Meanwhile, Transcendental Grade- level steel rhinos patrolled the area, waiting to deliver the fatal blow.
"Scattering and breaking out is suicide, while holding the line is a slow death." Bradley was somewhat troubled. He had commanded many wars, and he had studied even harder in the Reincarnation Game. He had experience in everything from leading primitive people in brawls to commanding interstellar warships in assaults.
Because of his extensive experience, he understood that tactics must be based on strength.
Boom!!
The sudden explosions on both sides of the mountain peaks sent the tree-like Witch Beasts flying, finally pausing the rain of spears and improving the situation somewhat.
Bradley paused, not understanding why the hilltop had exploded, and turned to look at Shiina Hiyori, who was constantly feeding the mercenaries 'Comfort Pills'.
"Miss Hiyori, have you found the core Witch Beasts?"
The girl was weak, but ever since she used the 'Sacrificial Chain' to block a fatal blow for him, His Excellency the President has had high hopes for her.
"Find one, snipe it immediately, but just like before, you'll most likely only be able to wound it."
Hiyori spoke urgently, explaining that the task for this square was to kill the core Witch Beasts, otherwise the enemies would keep coming. However, the Witch Beasts in the War Tower were very cunning and would never show themselves. If you dared to launch a surprise attack to decapitate them, they would dare to ambush you from all sides.
It was precisely to kill it that the group rushed into the valley, only to find themselves unable to advance or retreat.
"We can't worry about that now. Let Kaguya take action immediately and fill the hole left by the Alliance first."
Without Bradley needing to say a word, Kaguya Shinomiya, positioned in the center of the formation, had already drawn her bow and arrow. She was like Lighthouse on the battlefield, having drawn a great deal of hatred ever since that Witch Beasts had taken an arrow.
A priest, wielding two swords and chanting "Amen," slays the horde of Witch Beasts that surge forward; a beautiful blonde girl, riding a halberd, weaves through the beasts like a sword immortal; even the stragglers are entangled by Hayasaka Ai's Gun-Kata, their revolvers and machetes creating a magnificent waltz.
Kaguya Shinomiya was single-minded; the senior had found her target and guided the Void Puppet closer, then shared the vision through Hiyori's special ability.
"I can see it."
More than ten kilometers away, on the other side of the valley, a Steel Centaur was surrounded by Witch Beasts. The Witch Beasts held up large shields all around, creating an impenetrable barrier, while the Witch Beasts with ram horns on their heads and holding staffs released various witch spells.
Gale-force winds, fog, and phantoms—this is the maximum level of defense available.
Scatterlight Arrow.
Psychic Reshaping.
Frost Enchantment.
Kaguya drew her longbow to its full extent, as effortlessly as if she had practiced shooting countless times.
True Shot, Sure Hit.
Call out--
A streak of purple light shot into the sky, like a missile. Kaguya Shinomiya did not stop; the second, third, and fourth arrows followed in quick succession. The sound of the arrows cutting through the air still echoed in her ears as the purple light arrows approached their targets.
Through the Shared Reading, Kaguya saw the arrow find its only path, striking the centaur through the gap. The protective magic was completely useless; Kaguya aimed directly at it, and it was bound to hit.
Bite--
The arrow exploded on its body, and the spreading frost froze its hands. Somewhat surprised and uncertain, the Witch Beasts galloped wildly, its hooves breaking free, and its sprint speed approached the speed of sound.
It's fast and its path is irregular, but the arrows coming from behind will hit you no matter how you dodge.
Ding, ding, ding.
Except for one arrow that was severed by the shattered ice Witch Beasts as it turned around, the other two pierced its back and lodged in the back of its head, causing it to sway and fall to the ground, splashing up a large amount of dirt.
Is he dead?
Kaguya's eyes widened, and then she saw the Witch Beasts desperately clinging to the centaurs, forming a mountain of flesh, and she couldn't help but feel powerless.
"No, its Soul Crystal isn't in its head or its left chest. It will be repaired soon. It's really cunning."
Snipers fear these unkillable monsters most. Fortunately, the target was severely damaged, causing the approaching Witch Beasts to lose their command and freeze in place.
"We have no choice but to break through." Bradley was also helpless, wishing he could take this opportunity to Piercer the army's formation and tear them to pieces.
But he only has Monster II, and he'll probably be surrounded by the regenerated Witch Beasts halfway through his charge, eventually dying from exhaustion.
Or should we abandon them and cover our retreat?
The president had this thought in mind, but quickly abandoned it. Not to mention that the two sides were inseparable, the 'War Orphans' also had their own rules.
Those who fight side by side are comrades-in-arms and should be treated equally. Anyone who dares to desert in the face of battle must be executed on the spot.
"Father Andrew, open a retreat route. Violet and Hayasaka will cover the rear. I'll protect the rest." He spoke firmly and quickly, looking at Hiyori before him:
"Please find the weak point, form a wedge formation, and get out of this valley first."
It Yuki- san vibe.
Hiyori was flawless; having fought side-by-side for seven Hiyori, they were already very familiar with each other, and she had even become friends with Violet.
Players who War Orphans are not necessarily good people, but they are all reliable.
The downside is that it's a bit old-fashioned; I had already suggested putting control of the coffin in the players' hands.
She longed to continue her strategy to the end of the game, but she also knew when to stop, as survival was the most important thing.
"Huh, where did those Alliance tower explorers go?"
Bradley looked over at the sound and saw that while they were drawing fire, the deserters had already approached the valley entrance. How could they have all disappeared without him noticing?
There were no signs of battle, but he knew very well the purpose of those coffins: they could achieve invisibility under certain circumstances, and he had commanded them to capture enemy generals and flags on several occasions.
No, they are dead.
A chill ran through the president's heart. Before becoming a player, he was the ruler of a country and had seen all kinds of situations. But when a person stepped out of the void, his single eye narrowed slightly.
The player is very skilled; is it Monster III or Monster IV?
He was wary, but Shiina Hiyori next to him almost couldn't suppress her delight.
Mr. Yuki arrived!
In an instant, she was almost completely drained of her strength and collapsed to the ground.
Oh, everyone's here.
Yuki also breathed a sigh of relief. He saw that the valley was filled with corpses, and a small wedge formation was breaking through towards him, consisting of about a hundred people, including mercenaries.
The mercenary, having taken the Comfort Pills, was rather dull, while the players all turned their gazes toward him.
Fear, suspicion, and of course, jubilation were all present. If the War Orphans hadn't been so focused, the relationship between the two sides would have been exposed.
It really is President Bradley. I just don't know if it's the FA or the 2003 version, but he does things quite decently.
As an expert, Yuki immediately saw that the opponent's breakout plan was reasonable and fair, which was extremely rare in the Reincarnation Game, where players would rather drag others down with them.
"Mr. Yuki, you've finally arrived."
Shared Reading established a chat room, which, as a feature, was much more covert than the Spirit Particle Communicator.
"At the critical moment, the hero arrived. Isn't that touching?"
"Stop being so sarcastic and hurry up and help. That centaur is about to recover." The senior student, who had also been pulled into the 'chat room,' rolled her eyes at him, a smile on her face.
"My special ability is about to end; my life or death depends on you."
It sounded like they were on the verge of defeat, but her tone was actually relaxed. Mai Sakurajima knew very well who the player who had conquered the Tower of Asura was.
"Understood, senior."
Yuki grinned, a rather cruel smile on his face, and with a loud bang, the comet streaked across the sky.
A palpable sense of oppression emanated from the sky. The recovered Witch Beasts were no fools; they quickly changed formation, unleashing a barrage of javelins and a curtain of magic. Yuki's response was simple and brutal.
Blood-Burning Mantle.
Insect Demon Exoskeleton.
After activating his bloodline skill, he transformed into a true demon, with crimson flames blooming around him and black scales covering his body, further enhanced by Concept Enhancement.
This is a turtle, a turtle that charges at supersonic speeds, its twin blades like a chain.
Ding ding ding--
Sparks erupted from his body as he surged into the enemy formation from behind within seconds. Those left behind were all ranged Witch Beasts, who only had time to launch a single volley before being pierced through.
Whether you're extraordinary or Transcendental Grade, no matter how powerful your spear is, it'll all be cut in two. This sight made Bradley's eyes twitch.
Monster IV, it's definitely Monster IV! What are we going to do?
The newcomers were surprisingly strong, and he didn't know whether they were friend or foe. He was unsure whether to take advantage of the chaos to break through.
"Mr. Bradley, should we test the waters?"
How do we test it?
"Let Kaguya-chan shoot an arrow. If she follows the arrow, then the target definitely isn't us."
That makes sense.
Bradley's eyes lit up as he saw the beast getting closer and closer. He quickly waved his hand, while Kaguya Shinomiya, who was already prepared, activated her special ability again, sending a bright purple light soaring into the sky.
Call out--
Yuki indeed stopped and turned, following the arrow, proving that he had been secretly observing and knew that the arrow could catch up with the core Witch Beasts.
The speed was astonishing; not only the players, but even the Witch Beasts were caught off guard.
The Steel Centaur were caught off guard. They were shocked by the strength of the newcomers and thought that Yuki was going to help them break through. So they placed their main force in the middle, but then the newcomers changed direction and attacked them. They hurriedly and frantically mobilized their troops to protect themselves.
Speed is the best tactic. How could those low-level Witch Beasts possibly catch up with Yuki? In the ensuing chaos, their formation crumbled. The shield beasts that should have been in the front row didn't know where to go, while the Witch Beasts that could only attack from a distance were blocked by their own kind.
"A great opportunity!" Bradley was overjoyed and was about to break through in the chaos when Hiyori grabbed his hand again.
"Let's go help him."
"Reason."
"First, we're so close to the finish line, it would be a shame to give up now; second, I don't think a player of this caliber would help for nothing, he's waiting to see our response." Hiyori had prepared her answer perfectly.
The War Orphans were all somewhat puzzled, wondering if the two sides knew each other. But that was impossible; the difference in strength between the two sides was too great. Even the strongest, Hayasaka Ai, was only Monster I, and relatively weak in the dungeon faction.
If they knew each other, why would they suffer? With a powerful warrior who could sweep through armies, they would have already taken the War Tower.
"Miss Hiyori, you want to take a risk? Know when to quit while you're ahead, don't be too greedy." Violet gently stroked her bangs and warned, "Judging by the difficulty of the dungeon, players like this are usually lone wolves, and they're difficult to deal with."
"No, this is reasoning about the 'future.' Precisely because he's difficult to deal with, what if we use him to escape and then face retribution?"
Everyone knows that Shiina Hiyori has a kind of 'Future Sight' based on clues, and what she said makes sense. A player who suddenly joins the battle must have something to ask for. What if you take advantage of the situation without any decorum and then settle scores later?
He might not be able to conquer this tower by himself, but neither could the Witch Beasts stop him. As for why it wasn't explicitly stated, it was more like the arrogance of a strong person, a kind of test.
"I'm sure he wants to talk and isn't hostile. Otherwise, he could have wiped us out in a flash if he had been guarding the valley entrance." Bradley also had his own judgment: the reason why those Alliance Tower Explorers disappeared silently was probably due to their spatial abilities.
"Go after them to help, but only use 80% of your strength. Who knows what will happen when you make contact?"
Bradley was decisive and cunning. With two player squads at his disposal, he wasn't afraid of the opponent. Besides, all the Witch Beasts had been recalled to protect him, allowing him to easily reap the benefits.
Thump--
A loud explosion made everyone's ears ring, and then they saw a cloud of Blood Mist burst out of the valley. The Witch Beasts had sent out Steel Rhinoceroses to intercept the players, and then Yuki, without slowing down at all, charged head-on with the Heavy Knight.
Clang!
The spear Piercer the Blood-Burning Mantle, only to be deflected by the insect armor. Occasionally, it would pierce through, but the Regenerative Tail would quickly repair it.
Yuki focused solely on accelerating and swinging his sword, crushing anything in his path. Even the dozen or so Transcendental Grade- level Witch Beasts couldn't buy him any time.
One person can form an army? What kind of monster is this?
Bradley swallowed hard and raised his voice. "Everyone, use half your strength to cover his back!"
"At least they have some semblance of decorum; they know to keep up."
Yuki also noticed the commotion behind him. The player wasn't using his full strength; he was only helping him delay the surging army of Witch Beasts.
This is normal. Everyone is afraid of being a madman who kills everyone indiscriminately. In fact, the president is overthinking it. There are no two player teams. All his ideas were directly relayed to Hiyori Yuki.
"Are you trying to scare them?" The senior student was also in the 'chat room,' watching the show like a bystander.
"Yes, cooperation requires taking the initiative. I don't have time to outwit them. I'll just do them a favor and then use my absolute strength to suppress them."
"You might as well act it out more difficultly; War Orphans really value camaraderie."
"What chess player acts with the chess pieces?" Yuki smiled, standing on the top of the valley, where he could see a military formation several kilometers away.
Hundreds of Witch Beasts surrounded a Steel Centaur, a beam of light piercing its left chest, their panic visibly palpable. All the centaur's features were described by Hiyori.