It’s been a week since. The defense line has broken down so many times, it’s a miracle that we’re still standing. In that week alone, we’ve had to fix it twelve times and reorganize our troops after each attack.

At this point, I’m not even sure if we’re the one doing the siege.

Bastroll, that bastard, he keeps sending out a slew of chimeric beasts at random intervals and with random numbers. Our already small number is turning even smaller, and what’s keeping everyone fighting for so long was the sizable cash reward the longer we stay.

Thankfully, with the defense set up and regular scouting and routine shifting, our losses were still barely acceptable. Still, we wouldn’t last, both physically and emotionally. No matter how high the reward is, there was no way they could put their life on the line.

It’s a great thing that Slavos was the one heading the operation.

The monsters, while numerous, are erratic and lacking any form when it came to battles. They merely rush into the fortifications. That means they were easy to exploit with strategy. He created a small, elite force of platinum-ranked adventurers including himself and I.

While gold-ranks held them in place, we would sortie out into the field and strike them from the flanks.

It was simple, but quite effective strategy. Still, it wasn’t going to stop the inevitable, merely delay, and so a meeting was held by the end of the week. Adantel was among them.

“Many of our mithrils and orichalcums are subjugating a massive tide of feral drakes. Many of them say that they cannot move until the tide subsides, which is reported to take a week later from now.” Adantel sighed and held his head. “Our adamantiums are currently busy, and those that can join are in distant lands that they’ll take at least a month of sea faring... in other words, no one can join the defense until a week later.”

Several groans filled the tent, and there far less people in the meeting.

“This is the worst case scenario.”

“What the hell are we going to do?”

“Damn it, can I cancel on this quest?”

“Can’t we just, pull back the defense line behind the city walls?”

One of them asked, to which many more agreed. It was a solid idea, and would provide less casualties, but there was a glaring problem with it.

“A very poor plan. Once we do so, many of the crop fields will be left undefended, and we’ll have a problem with food for a few months if we decide to collapse our defense.” I started to explain.

“Better than losing our lives, right?” One of them asked, irritated.

“Not... necessarily. Blaine is a large city, if we decide to bunker down behind the walls, we will survive a day or two tops. Of course, my point is nil if you flee.”

“What was that?! I’ve got my pride on the line, damn it, I won’t flee from a quest I’ve taken.”

“Good, then shut up and listen. As I said, Blaine is big, far too big. We’re already having problems protecting a small, defensible point with the number of experienced adventurers... are you seeing my point?”

“We’ll be spread too thin. The city guard is there, sure, but can we rely on them?” Kyle sighed and continued where I left, then turning to Adantel with a sour expression.

“As much as I’d like to say yes... truth is, no, not at all. They are only for appearances and public order. They fail even against an iron-ranked.” Adantel slumped with a wry smile.

“... And we only have less than a hundred adventurers with proper experience. One way or another, a wall will fall due to the lack of manpower, and we’ll be destroyed from the inside. Just like poison squirming in our innards.” I tapped on the table to take their attention. “We need to defend this place.”

“Sed explained it correctly. We have no choice but to endure.” Slavos returned the reports back on the table and looked at each of the members of the meeting. “But, that doesn’t mean that’s our only choice. I’m willing to listen to your suggestions. If you have thoughts on how to improve our survival, speak freely.”

As soon as he said this, more people suggested ideas. Some spoke of increasing rest hours for better combat effectiveness, others suggested otherwise for a solid defense. One even suggested the use of common poison, and someone suggested to coat our traps and arrows with our own feces.

Now then, what to do? It’s a situation that only deteriorates by the passing day. I think we can survive 4-5 more days tops before our defense line breaks. It’s not a whole lot of time saved, and we’re just barely a few days away from reinforcements.

If only we could proceed with our siege... siege?

Right... yeah, that’s the thing. We were so preoccupied with defending this point that we lost sight of our original goal, and that was the clearing of the crypt of Bastroll.

That’s it! Such a simple idea could be the answer we were looking for to save ourselves from the depressing eventuality.

I coughed and rapped on the table with my fingers, eventually gaining everyone’s attention.

“Slavos, I think I have a simple solution to this. We strike at them when they least expect it.”

Slavos raised an eyebrow. “A bold suggestion. Dismissed.”

“Don’t disregard it so easily. Look, if we keep at this defense battle, we will lose. That is, unless we take a proactive approach.”

Listening to my words, he could only furrow his brows. “Might I remind you, a group of a hundred fifty plus platinums lost their lives as they attempted the crypt. What makes you sure that we are to succeed with even less than that. Not to mention, should we fail, we will bring about the end of this operation. I can see nothing but problems with your suggestion.”

I shook my head. “No, we don’t need to send in our entire elite force. I only need to bring one person with me. I’m positive I can succeed.” I stared back at Slavos.

He could only rub the bridge of his nose and gestured for me to continue.

“I only need to bring you with me, Slavos. Together, with a bit of ingenuity, we can strike down Bastroll easy.”

“Let’s say I agree to your suggestion, who would oversee the camp?”

I smiled. “Nis has a gift for this kind of thing.” I looked to the rest of the people in the tent. “I’m sure some of you can attest to her commanding ability.”

At my words, they all nodded.

In the past week, the one who worked the hardest was probably Nis. Whenever she had the time, she would take to battle with her four demonspawns and lead them flawlessly. It was at such a proficiency that she was the only person of the force that hasn’t visited the infirmary, all thanks to expert leadership of her demonspawns.

“If it’s her... then maybe. However, I shall postpone my decision. It’s a big responsibility, let me weigh our options for the battles to come.”

“Then that’s enough for me. Call me first thing in the morning, we can’t dilly dally with this, I’m sure you know.” I said and stood from my seat, bowed my head and left the tent. “I have my preparations to complete, do excuse me.”

Even if he shot down my suggestion, I would still do it regardless of his help. For that, I needed to prepare.

Immediately as I went into our tent, I started organizing my equipment. Forevermore and my standard loadout was good for general purpose, but I needed something that would work well for sneaking around. For that, I took out a more body-fitted armor set enchanted with the ‘Misty Steps’ and ‘Obfuscated Presence’ enchants.

I had already tested them and knew how they worked. Generally, it muffled my movements and made my presence thin. I could still be detected if they saw me directly, but otherwise they would ignore most things.

I also set aside a necklace of Aazlrin. It was a quest item artifact for a main quest story that required the player to go incognito and interrogate a certain person. It basically changed the way people perceive them from a distance. The moment they get too close however, and the magic of Aazlrin loses potency.

I only had one set of the ninja infiltrator armor. The Aazlrin necklace was for when Slavos agreed to join me.

The rest of the items were consumables such as hi-potions and crane familiars, an item a few steps above a paper familiar. Talismans, noise makers, and several pocket bombs for emergency escapes.

By the time night had fallen, a bell rang across the camp.

Aaah, I guess it was getting a bit too peaceful.

I took out my spear from the bag of wonders and left the tent. It was time to expend some energy.

~ - ~

The next morning, I got called into the commander’s tent. There, Slavos was reading through another slew of reports and paperwork with creased scales. As I entered, he relaxed and set them aside.

“Sed, for your suggestion, it is decisive, but far too risky. I’m afraid I have to reject that suggestion.”

“I expected that. I already have my preparations, you can’t stop me.”

Slavos shrugged. “I should have known that moment you left early. Fine, do as you will, but you will not bring anyone else for your suicide mission.”

“You were the only one strong enough anyway. It’ll be a bit harder, but I can pull through.”

Suddenly, as I was about to leave the tent, someone entered.

“Sed, might I join you?”

He panted for air, as if he ran. His clothes were a disheveled mess, but it was fuller than I’d ever seen it. His hair was longer than I remember, and his features were even softer. Wait, what?

“Madriel, is that you?”

“Ah, yes.” She nodded, her golden hair swaying with the movement.

“Sorry, but I’m not bringing deadweight.”

Madriel seemed to snap at those words, and she took me by the collar of my clothes. I could have dodged that, but I didn’t expect her to do so. Even more, she was fast, nothing I couldn’t handle, of course, but it compounded into an inescapable grip.

“Is this enough of a demonstration, sir Sed? I might not look it, but I was an accomplished adventurer before I was a guilder.”

“Ah, is that right? Please let go of my neck. This is uncomfortable.”

Madriel let go and sighed. She put a hand on her hip and started speaking.

“I was an orichalchum, but due to a certain... health problem, I had to retire. Still, my combat effectiveness should be about as good as mithril.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Then why didn’t you help the defense? More people could have been saved if you had.”

Madriel shook her head. “I can’t tell you the specifics, just know that I can’t exhibit my full power at the moment. Merely half of it.”

I had half the mind to reject her, but she insisted to join. Not to mention, she would at least be stronger than a platinum. With Slavos out of the picture, she might just be the only one capable of keeping up with me.

“I just have to ask, for me to know of your competency. How many years have you adventured?”

A coy smile. “I’ve been at it at least as far back as the trovian revolution.”

Yeah, I’m not even going to open that can of worms.

I took out the necklace of Aazlrin and passed it over. “Wear that on your neck, it’ll make the monsters dumb. Get your preparations going, we need to enter the moment they send out another wave. That’ll be the moment they least expect it.”