Chapter 21.4
A gun loaded with magic bullets. The weapon Arvan had made, modeled after the firework-shooting cannon, fires bullets made of mana stones to stop the monsters’ movements.
‘It’s unsettling that it’s similar to what those headquarters bastards made, flying towards monsters and exploding.’
At least it was fortunate that it didn’t have the effect of creating monster aggregates. Durak told Hoson to hide and climbed up the pile of debris.
Arvan was already so far away that he looked smaller than a fingernail. His skill in shooting magic bullets at the monsters’ legs or heads to slow their movements was one thing, but his ability to jump onto the bodies of still-living monsters and dig out their core stones with a dagger was extraordinary. Is he good at dissection because he’s a doctor?
“Kieeek!”
Taking his eyes off for a moment was a mistake. A pale monster that had crawled out from between collapsed buildings spotted Durak and leaped up.
“Kugh, damn it!”
Durak aimed his gun at the monster.
‘But if I shoot this, won’t I die if it crushes me with its body?’
Durak felt his body hair stand on end as a huge shadow loomed over his head.
It was then that the monster’s body, falling from above,e was suddenly pushed sideways with a thud.
“Huh?”
The monster’s body toppled sideways. Even after toppling, it continued to be pushed sideways. It looked as if an invisible giant wall was pushing only the monster.
‘What’s going on?’
Durak and Arvan had the same thought simultaneously.
‘What’s going on?’
Arvan spotted two monsters trying to cross a stream. They were approaching people beyond a collapsed bridge.
He blew off one arm each with magic bullets to attract the monsters’ attention, intending to deal with them on a wider road to prevent people from getting involved.
But in an instant, the two monsters approaching Arvan were suddenly pushed sideways and crashed into a building. While the collapsed building settled in place, the monsters’ bodies kept being pushed sideways.
It wasn’t just these two being pushed; screams of monsters could be heard from all around.
‘Could it be.’
Arvan looked in the opposite direction from where the monsters were being pushed. The bell tower located in the southeast of the central square. A woman and a man were standing on top of it.
Although they looked so small that even their silhouettes were barely discernible, Arvan recognized the woman standing on the bell tower at a glance.
It was Ju-in.
***
I took a deep breath and grabbed the railing of the bell tower. Wearing Dienes’ shirt, the wind coming through the loose folds made it quite cold.
With no clothes and no time, I had to wear what was given to me, but honestly, it wasn’t a presentable appearance. It’s fortunate that this is a high bell tower out of people’s sight; if it were in front of citizens, I would have been treated like a flasher without a doubt.
The strange thing is, I came out without even buttoning up the shirt completely, but Dienes had managed to put on his full uniform in that short time. He was holding my waist to prevent me from falling in the wind.
“Dienes. Is it okay for the commander to be slacking off with me like this instead of commanding?”
“It was you, Ju-in, who said that an ally should be by your side.”
“I meant that any soldier would do!”
“That’s not possible.”
I pouted my lips. Given my state of dress that was neither fully on nor off, I didn’t really want to be with another soldier either.
But Dienes is the commander, isn’t he? Shouldn’t he be ordering soldiers to evacuate citizens and deal with the monsters?
“Dealing with the monsters is the job of the summoned monster hunters.”
“What about evacuating the citizens?”
“That’s for them to figure out on their own.”
“Wow, how irresponsible!”
Dienes smirked at my reaction. I hope he doesn’t misunderstand that it’s praise, because it’s sarcasm.
“So, Ju-in. What is your reason for bringing me here?”
To use the Fortification Construction skill, there must be at least one ally nearby. Despite having over 500 party members including the central palace soldiers and invited monster hunters, only Dienes knows my identity, so there was no choice.
“Doesn’t the lord have a duty to protect the people inside the castle?”
“There’s no such duty, particularly.”
I was taken aback by this unexpected common sense. A lord with no duties and only rights, don’t these people need the flames of revolution rather than the castle’s dominion?
“Anyway, I’ve decided to protect the people inside the castle. I’m going to save people from the monsters.”
I opened the skill window. Shimmering white letters appeared on the translucent hologram.
Charm Lv.7
Position Reversal Lv.4
Screaming Lv.2
Virtue of the Victim: Healing Lv.2
Fortification Construction Lv.1
Insight Lv.1
(Currently available skill points: 5)
Among the skills with similar levels, only Charm is running solo. I remember it reaching level 4, but when did it become level 7?
‘And there are 5 skill points accumulated.’
The bonus points gained through low and certain probabilities seemed to reveal what I had been doing with Dienes day and night, making my face hot.
Suppressing a strong urge to leave this world, I poured all the skill points into Fortification Construction.
Do you want to distribute skill points to [Fortification Construction]? Current: Lv.1 After distribution: Lv.6
When I pressed confirm, the skill level increased, and the description window was quickly updated along with a loading bar.
[Fortification Construction Lv.2] Monsters cannot enter within 100m in all directions from the fortification.
[Fortification Construction Lv.3] Monsters cannot enter within 500m in all directions from the fortification.
[Fortification Construction Lv.4] You can create a shelter that is not attacked by monsters at a specific location.
Until now, shelters were created near my location. Specific location means I can designate where to create the shelter. This was a perfect change for saving people.
[Fortification Construction Lv.5] You can construct a defensive fortification that is not attacked by monsters, or an offensive fortification that attacks enemies.
‘Oh? Offensive fortification?’
Just as I was surprised by the newly added function, a ding sound signaled the completion of the update.
[Fortification Construction Lv.6] You can construct a defensive fortification that is not attacked by monsters, or an offensive fortification that attacks enemies.
Condition 1. Absence of monsters within 10m in all directions
Condition 2. At least one ally on standby within 10m in all directions
Condition 3. Only one of the defensive or offensive can be constructed
If all of the above conditions are not met, the skill will be canceled.
- Defensive Fortification: You can create a shelter that is not attacked by monsters at a specific location. Monsters cannot enter within 500m in all directions from the fortification. The defense power of the fortification is determined in proportion to your and your allies’ life force. A maximum of 6 fortifications can be formed, and each fortification is created at a scale of base value × (skill level-1). (Currently 50m)
- Offensive Fortification: You can create attack cannons that incapacitate monsters at specific locations. (Maximum: 6) The attack power of the cannons is determined in proportion to your and your allies’ life force. Once set, the position of the attack cannons cannot be moved until the skill is deactivated.
The fortification was divided into two types. Offensive and defensive. I thought the attack ability might appear as the level increased, but I didn’t expect it to be an either-or choice.
“I heard there were fourteen monsters, but it seems like there are fewer than that.”
“There are two in the eastern sector 4, and one each in sectors 8, 11, 15, and 16. The rest seem to have been dealt with already.”
“Eh? Already?”
To think they’ve already caught more than half, the response was faster than I expected.
‘Could it be Arvan and Callion who stepped up?’
I didn’t know my companions could accomplish this much in just this short time. I can’t lose either!
There are six monsters. And six locations where shelters can be created. The numbers match perfectly; it couldn’t be better.
‘The attack cannons can’t be moved, so it would be troublesome if the monsters run away. Let’s test that next time.’
For now, helping people evacuate comes first. I activated the defensive fortification. Six green dots were glowing as if asking for the locations to create shelters.
“Dienes. Your eyesight seems good, so I’ll ask you. Can you tell me the exact locations of the monsters?”
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