The first thing that the invader had to overcome in order to win in a siege warfare was obviously the rampart that shot up high.

Because of that, on the side of the Empire’s Allied Forces, they had proper siege weapons prepared in order to attack the steadfast rampart of the Pyro Domain.

It was a completely different image from the attack of the DarkRuna Guild, who looked down on the Lotus Guild.

“Stone-throwing battalion, be on standby to attack!”

Clu-clunk- Clu-clunk-.

As the wheels made of wood let out a noisy sound, the giant catapults moved towards the front as they stood in a line.

“Load them up!”

Creak- Creaaak-!

As the sound of the wood bending backwards and the sound of the string being pulled taut rang out, large boulders were placed on top of the catapult.

“Fire!”

As the signal to fire went off, the soldiers holding swords cut the taut ropes simultaneously.

Shyook- Shyoo-shyook-!

The giant boulders cut through the air as it flew towards the fortress rampart.

Bang- Baaang-!

“Ground-type Magicians, concentrate on filling the trenches with dirt!”

Different from the attack of the DarkRuna Guild, who were engrossed in blindly climbing up the rampart, the empire army moved quickly and accurately depending on the commander’s direction.

While containing the defending army that was on top of the rampart mainly with long-ranged attacks, they were steadily proceeding with the preparational operation to climb the rampart.

The Magicians began to form a team with the soldiers as they began to carry over bags of dirt. They blocked off the long-ranged attacks with shield magic as they protected the soldiers, and the trench in front of the Pyro fortress that was dug deeply began to fill up little by little.

Ian, who watched that form while on top of his Griffin, quickly let out a command.

• Carwin, after you count to five starting now, open the canal!

• Okay, got it!

And Ian turned back the long-ranged firepower that was pouring towards the trench back to the rear side of their opponents.

• Soon, as the floodgates open up, the trench will become flooded. Just leave the soldiers that get close. Since they need to get doused with water after as many troops go into the trench.

As it hadn’t been long since the siege warfare started, it wasn’t directed into a greatly urgent situation yet.

Because that was the case, Ian elaborated on his explanations with as much detail as possible as he gave out his commands.

• There is still no movement of them climbing up the rampart. Please cut down as much of the Vitality of the enemies that are approaching from the rear side as possible!

Above the rampart of the Pyro Domain, an endless arrow baptism was being shot out.

That number was surprisingly a lot compared to the size of the defensive troops that defended the Pyro Domain, but this was also thanks to Ian’s meticulous prearranged plan.

As Ian had amply prepared extra bows and arrows in the fortress beforehand, he made it so that even users, who weren’t Archers, could all have bows.

Before their enemies got over the fortress gate, there was not much that troops who used close-combat weapons could do.

The loss of damage that forms through this is bigger than expected, and in order to minimize this, it was Ian’s thought that they needed to use bows even if they weren’t an Archer-class.

‘Since they can just switch to close-combat weapons again once they start climbing over the rampart.’

However, just then, a couple arrows flew towards Ian.

Clang- Cla-clang-!

However, because the location where Ian was in-flight was a spot outside of the range of a normal Archer, the arrows had lost their strength, and Ian was able to parry them away easily.

‘I thought I was outside of their range, but they still fly all the way here, huh?’

After Ian parried a couple more arrows that flew towards him, he flew even higher up.

And shortly after, a loud voice began to ring out.

Kwaaah-!

The streams of water that poured out from within the fortress flooded towards the trench.

“Euaak, dodge it!”

“The trench is being flooded with water! Escape to the back!”

However, as their numbers didn’t consist of just one or two, there was no way that the advance and retreat of the troops would proceed that smoothly, and most of the soldiers were submerged into the water.

“Cough, Co-cough-!”

The soldiers of the Kaimon Empire, who were submerged in the water, were tormented as they flailed about.

The Magicians who were inside the Pyro Domain cast ice magic towards them.

“Glacial Spike!”

“Frozen Hell!”

The levels of the ones that had participated in the war were at a level where they were at least over 130, regardless of whether they were an NPC or a user.

Because that was the case, they couldn’t easily kill them with just dropping them in water, but if it was connected with ice magic, it became a different story.

Crack- Cra-cra-crack-!

The sound of water freezing up and the sound of ice cracking rang out from here and there.

• Rockslide attack, commence!

The attack team that was already on standby on top of the rampart rolled down large boulders over top of them.

Bang- Ba-bang-!

In an instant, the surroundings of the fortress with the trench as the pivot became a madhouse.

As the amount of water that was poured towards the trench was so large, the surface of the water began to freeze first and before most of the soldiers that were inside of the trench could escape the water, they became entrapped within the ice.

Soldiers tried to escape through the couple parts that were cracked because of the rockslide, but the boulders that continuously dropped gruesomely squashed them.

Bang-!

The world message window that popped up above the battleground was being renewed without rest.

• The Kaimon Empire Soldier has died from the rockslide.

• The Kaimon Empire Soldier has died from continuous damage occurring from lack of oxygen.

• The rampart of the Pyro Domain at the southeast point (255, 304) has received a large amount of damage.

And Ian began to pour out his AoE skill towards the isolated enemies as well.

As summoning his other Familiars, who couldn’t fly yet, would be straining, Pin’s Crush skill became the main point.

Kwaaah-!

Like a heavy rain, the DoT damage of the ‘Crush’ skill poured out.

The Vitality of the opponents that were inflicted with multiple status conditions while being submerged underwater dropped down in an instant.

• As you have killed the Kaimon Empire Soldier, you have obtained 658,909 EXP.

• As you have killed Kaimon Empire-affiliated user ‘Orian’, you have obtained 1,028,789 EXP.

• You have obtained 1200 Fame.

‘Alright!’

Not even having the time to check the system messages that popped up, Ian quickly surged upwards towards the air again.

It was because as Ian came down close to the ground in order to use Pin’s Crush skill, the bombardment of long-ranged attacks poured out towards him like rain.

Shyoo-shyoo-shyook-!

The black arrows that poured out was a definite.

Pung- Pu-pung-!

Even the elemental magic that the Magicians shot out burst out from here and there.

“Pin, that way!”

Ian, who discovered a fire sphere in front of him that was rushing towards him as if he was being sucked in, hurriedly pulled one of Pin’s shoulders.

Baaang-!

Pin quickly turned laterally in a circle, and the two, who narrowly dodged the fire magic, avoided the long-ranged attacks as if they were doing acrobatics and went to the top of the rampart again.

Plop-

Ian, who had gotten down from Pin’s back, pulled out his longbow from his inventory and hung it on his back.

Ian’s eyes scanned the great army of Kaimon, who were drawing near.

‘Now they’ll probably get over the trench that’s frozen solid to get close and begin to climb the rampart.’

Ian hurriedly activated the Dignity of the Commander effect and opened his mouth.

• The enemies will start climbing the rampart now. Close-combat class users, please re-equip your original weapon, and Magicians, please prepare to cast your AoE magic.

Ian, who busily let out commands here and there, grabbed the longbow that hung on his back before he slowly pulled his bowstring.

‘Shall I demonstrate my sniping abilities for the first time in a while?’

With a careful expression, Ian took aim towards the enemy camp.

If he still possessed the skills of his past Archer class, he would have been able to hit the enemies from an even further distance than now, but right now, he needed to shoot with his bow using just his basic stats.

Ian waited for the opponents that he had targeted to come within his range before carefully letting go of his bowstring.

Piiing-!

The arrow that left Ian’s bowstring cut through the air as it quickly shot towards the enemy camp.

* * *

There were two fortress gates in the Pyro Domain.

One was the southeast fortress gate where Ian and most of the troops were engaging in a defensive war, and the other was the small northwest back gate, which the entryway for was narrow as it was surrounded by rugged mountainous areas.

And within this back gate, a group of troops were lined up evenly.

“Kaizar, are you ready?”

At Herz’s question, Kaizar slowly nodded his head.

“I’m done preparing. Open the fortress gate now.”

Kaizar was Ian’s retainer, but nobody treated him with contempt.

Although, to be honest, it would be more accurate to say that it wasn’t that they ‘didn’t’ but that they ‘couldn’t’.

Herz lifted his head towards the air as he opened his mouth.

“Roy Chen, would it be alright now?”

At Herz’s question, Roy Chen, who was in the middle of diligently commanding the defensive troops on top of the rampart, raised one hand instead of giving a response.

“All Magicians, fire your AoE magic!”

Bang- Ba-ba-bang-!

It was a command to force the Kaimon Empire Army, who were approaching the fortress gate, to back off and secure the space.

Herz, who recognized Roy Chen’s intentions, spread his hand out towards the fortress gate.

“Fortress gate, open!”

“Yes, master!”

Creaaak-!

Along with Herz’s command, the fortress gate that was firmly shut began to slowly open, and Kaizar pulled out the greatsword that was hanging on his back.

Seu-reu-reung-!

Kaizar had on shining equipment, including his Ferghana horse, which was purchased with all of Ian’s fortunes.

As about half the fortress gate opened, Kaizar let out a command with a resonant voice.

“Everybody, advance!”

Thud- Thud- Thud-!

Along with the sound of the war drum ringing out, the cavalrymen, who held their reigns taut, began to run out simultaneously.

Du-du-du-du-.

There wasn’t anything like a loud cry, but 5 hundred cavalrymen ran out of the fortress gate along with the clean sound of hoofbeats.

Roy Chen, who checked that image from on top of the rampart, asked Herz.

“Herz, isn’t this a bit irrational?”

At Roy Chen’s question, Herz asked back with a puzzled expression.

“Sorry?”

“No, I just think in a battle like this where we’re inferior in numbers, this situation of opening up the fortress gate and sending out troops seems a little ironic in itself, that is. Of course, this side isn’t an open space like the southeast side, but…”

As Roy Chen spoke with a worried expression while slightly glancing at the cavalrymen, who went out with a fierce spirit, Herz smirked.

“There’s nothing to worry about, Roy Chen. They’re going to return after digging them up enough.”

“Even if they’re the highest-ranking cavalrymen over lv 170, numerically, there’s almost ten times the difference…”

Herz, who had climbed up to the top of the rampart, pointed to the head of the mounted troops as he opened his mouth.

“We just need to believe in Kaizar.”

“What…? I did hear that Kaizar’s level was high, but even considering that, isn’t he just an NPC?”

Roy Chen knew that Kaizar was an NPC whose level was a little higher, but he didn’t know about the specific details.

As that was the case, he didn’t understand Herz’s words.

This was because even if the level of an NPC was high, there were a lot of cases where they were weaker than users that were 10-20 levels lower than them.

‘No matter how high the level of an NPC that is a retainer has, would their level be over 200? Assuming it is as high at about 190, he won’t be able to have a huge influence on the general trend.’

However, shortly after, Roy Chen had to modify his overall decision.

“Keuhaaa!”

Kaizar, who had let out a cry, had begun to stir up the battleground.

Bang- Ba-bang-!

While swinging the Greatsword of the Dark Fenrir, which was the first item he had stolen from Ian, here and there, Kaizar burst out black energy.

Roy Chen’s two eyes rounded.

“Tha, that…?”

This was because whenever Kaizar’s sword was swung, five to six empire soldiers turned into black ash before they crumbled down.

While looking at Roy Chen, who was surprised, Herz burst out laughing.

“Didn’t I say that there was no need to worry? Don’t worry about there, we just need to defend the rampart diligently.”

Herz moved again and began to swing his sword towards the opponents that climbed the rampart and were getting over it.

However, for a while, Roy Chen’s gaze was fixated on Kaizar’s backside.

‘It’s not just his Offensive Power that’s exceptional, but his Unit Leadership is incredible as well. Where exactly did Ian obtain an NPC like that?’

Kaizar’s mounted troops whisked around the camp of the Kaimon Empire’s Allied Forces, which was crowded with a ton of troops to the point it was black, like it was left for taking.

No matter how many enemies surrounded them, with Kaizar at the head, the speed of the mounted troops, who created a triangle-formation as they violently rushed forward, did not slow down.

This was because Kaizar, who was the vertex of the triangle-formation, just shred through the defensive line instead.

On top of that, as it was a situation where they had charged into the middle of the enemy camp with a small-scale of troops, the Magicians couldn’t even use their AoE magic hastily.

If they used it incorrectly even with the slightest slip, the Kaimon troops would receive more damage instead.

“You pest-like Kaimon dudes, I will turn you all into dust!”

As his rage towards the Kaimon Empire, who locked him up for ten years, was added onto his divine, monster-like abilities, Kaizar stirred up the battleground as if he had been possessed by a War God.

He was uprooting the base of the column of Ian’s game life, but Kaizar definitely earned his keep.