PICK ME UP, ANOTHER LOBBY!

The gates to the garrison was open. Though from the dents on the gates, they were forcibly made that way.

Sounds of swords clanging and flesh squelching resounded from within the garrison.

They were mixed up with human screams, goblin's screeches, and a great roar of something large.

My party and I made haste into the structure and found a scene we had expected.

Armored soldiers, about 20 or so.

The attires were similar to the ones we saw worn on the skeletons found on the ninth floor. Their uniforms matched the human army fighting beyond the city.

These particular soldiers of Loro were in fierce battle inside the garrison against goblins more than triple their number.

Rampaging all across the garrison was an ogre. No doubt the one that sounded the roar earlier.

There was another ogre just on the far side of the garrison.

But that one had fallen dead on the ground amongst the corpses of dozens of Loro soldiers, certainly the ones that tried to stop it and succeeded with the cost of their lives.

The still-living ogre, however, seemed desperate to reach the platform overlooking the grand valley below.

More specifically, the ogre was targeting the catapults and ballistae placed on the platform.

Some of the soldiers were trying to distract the giant away while fighting off the goblins.

[Human Soldier Lv.??? x22]

[Goblin Lv.9 x76]

[Ogre Lv.17 x1]

I immediately turned to my comrades who were ready with their weapons.

"Help the soldiers! Darius, blast that ogre's head away before it destroys the heavy equipment!"

"Yes!"

With a unison shout, my comrades spread across the garrison and fought the goblins scattered about.

Darius reached for another red-streaked arrow and launched it straight to the ogre.

Boom!

The blast turned the ogre's head into unrecognizable round flesh framed with protruding bones here and there.

Misshapen, hollow, and oozing with dark blood, the ogre stopped advancing, its limbs turned limp.

Within seconds the giant fell to its knees and dropped heavily to the ground motionless.

After what happened in the previous Quintal Trial, I would not allow an ogre become another great obstacle to us.

The soldiers shouted in surprise to the ogre's death.

Seeing their searching looks despite my comrades were fighting right beside them, these soldiers could not see us as well.

I could not cast my spells as freely as before since the soldiers could not detect them unlike my comrades.

I would end up hurting them if I just struck my spell wherever there were enemies.

Hence I observed the battlefield carefully. Looking to see where the goblins were grouped together while away from the soldiers.

There were not as many as I would like, but I found five crossbow goblins positioning themselves at the back of the garrison, providing support for their green-colored comrades from the rear.

[Maha Vayu]

I chose wind magic for this skirmish.

Definitely would not want the garrison to burn to the ground.

[Roar]

A hissing gust of air shot out from my palms and tore through the five goblins I was aiming.

As soon as the monsters had been reduced to dismembered corpses, I immediately dispelled the wind to ensure it did not cause further damage to the garrison.

Kekeke!

Three goblins rushed straight at me. They were all eager to plant their blood-drenched swords across my entire body.

Undeterred by their advance, I raised my palm against them.

[Mana Shockwave]

A tiny ball of light sped out from my palm, unto the goblins.

The ball burst into colorless powerful ripple which sent the monsters flying high to the air.

Kreee!

The three goblins went over the platform and plunged to their deaths over the steep slopes below.

A glint of light manifested on the corner of my eye.

I shifted my gaze slightly and found a goblin pointing its crossbow at me.

Ping!

As soon as the bolt flew, I flicked my wrist toward the projectile.

[Davah Shashanam]

The bolt stopped at its trajectory. Frozen midair as if time had halted around it.

I twirled my index finger and, at the same time, the bolt rotated back toward its archer. The goblin was just staring in great confusion.

I flicked my wrist again and caused the bolt to dart speedily through the goblin's skull and another one behind it.

As I was searching for more opponent, my eyes laid on Trudy plunging her blade to a goblin's throat.

Her goblin's gurgled scream was the only monster voice filling the garrison.

The rest of the monsters had been defeated. My comrades were now returning back to me from various corner of the military structure.

I expected no less from them given how much they had been training to not rely on my spells in battle.

Plus, there were also the soldiers inside the garrison which expedited our victory.

"Man the equipment! Hurry! The army is counting on us!"

A better-armored soldier shouted to his comrades. I assumed the captain of the lot.

The soldiers immediately rushed to the ballistae and catapults on the platform.

They loaded the sky-facing ballistae with bolts twice the length of Jonah's main spear and as thick as a pillar beam.

Dark oiled boulders rolled into the catapults' buckets. The soldiers lit the huge rocks with torches set aside the siege equipment.

The captain stood ready at the platform watching the grand battlefield below.

As soon as his subordinates finished setting up the siege equipment, the captain shouted a clear order.

"Launch!"

The ballistae and catapults loosed and launched their projectiles. The bolts and the fiery boulders flew to the sky.

As they neared the clouds, their trajectories dipped.

The bolts and boulders descended fast to the army of goblins beyond Loro's eastern walls.

Dozens of goblins were wiped out in a single rain.

They could not reach the southern battlefield, but that side had fewer enemies so it was acceptable.

As soon as the projectiles landed, the captain immediately ordered his men to load the equipment again.

Judging from the giant bolts and boulders left in the garrison, the ones not wrecked by the ogre and goblins, I suspected they could only launch less than fifteen more rounds.

At most they could wipe out barely a thousand goblins, not enough to help in my opinion.

But one monster killed would be one less monster trying to reach the statue. So I welcomed the effort all the same.

"Rest here for a few minutes. Once we move again, it'll be full sprint to the dam."

I told my comrades as I strode closer to the edge of the platform.

[Magnifying Lens]

I used my spell to observe the situations on the outer walls.

Ogres were pushing siege towers closer to the walls, but some of them were destroyed by fiery explosion on their way.

Tarran and Ashta no doubt were using their enchanted arrows to inflict those damages.

They could hardly use the exploding arrows on the battlement itself, after all.

Despite their efforts and the soldiers fighting outside, though, two siege towers had reached the walls on the eastern side. While one on the south.

Monsters had started climbing the towers and poured into the battlements. Fights broken out around where the towers ported themselves.

I focused my gaze to the eastern side first.

Even with my spell, I could only make out dozens of tiny figurines trying to ward off the monsters atop the walls.

But I could still spot five dots that did not have the same silver hue as the ones representing the soldiers.

"How're you holding on, Zecht?"

I called as I put my fingers behind my ear.

[The goblins have begun…climbing the walls!]

Zecht replied in intervals and shouting voice.

He was in the middle of a battle.

[But don't worry! We can definitely handle this much! Tarran is doing his best to keep most of the towers away! You guys keep on going to the valley!]

"Understood. Don't forget to use the health potions if any of you are injured. Save the advanced vials for the worst kind."

[You got it!]

Having learned Party 2 got their side under control, I turned to the south.

I traced my gaze through the southern battlements and counted the running dots which were not silver and not green.

1.

2.

3.

4.

….

4.

There were only four non-silver dots.

It could not be. There was not any notification saying one of us had died.

I waved my hand and caused the magic lens shined with brighter glow.

I now could see the figurines more clearly.

I performed another headcount of Party 3.

Tamo.

Rhyss.

Ashta.

Kori.

That was it.

"Damn it!"

I returned my fingers to my ear and snapped.

"Jyrgil, where the hell are you?!"