Journey to Become the Zenith

The Adventurers’ Counteroffensive

Without another word, Clara lowered her battle helmet.

The massive gates were now fully opened.

Drawing a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her weapon before charging out of the gates with her group of adventurers, leading them straight toward the undead mages.

The thunder of boots shook the ground as nearly a hundred adventurers poured out of Fantom City’s gates behind Clara. Dust billowed beneath their feet while the bitter scent of blood, smoke, and corrupted mana filled the air.

No one spoke.

There was no need.

Every person running beside Clara understood exactly what their mission was.

Destroy the undead mages.

They all knew that if the enemy spellcasters were left alone, the city walls would eventually crumble beneath the endless bombardment.

Even though fear lingered in their hearts, none of them turned back.

These were not inexperienced recruits.

The adventurers who had remained inside Fantom City were all veterans.

Some had hunted monsters deep within the Mystery Woodland.

Others had survived expeditions across the Red Cliff Mountain Range.

Many bore old scars earned from battles that should have claimed their lives.

Death was an old acquaintance.

It simply wore a different face today.

Clara silently glanced around as they ran.

Good...

Only adventurers ranked C and above had remained.

Anyone weaker would have only become another corpse for Alibaba’s necromancers to raise.

A single mistake would strengthen the enemy instead of the defenders.

Ahead of them, dozens of undead mages noticed the approaching force.

Their glowing eyes shifted away from the city walls.

Black staffs rose together.

Dark circles formed beneath their feet.

The air grew colder.

”They’ve noticed us,” one adventurer muttered.

Clara didn’t hesitate.

”TURTLE FORMATION!”

Instantly, the front-line shield bearers slammed together.

Heavy shields overlapped one another, forming a moving fortress of steel.

The second rank crouched low, covering every opening.

Behind them, the party mages stretched out their staffs.

Layers of translucent mana barriers blossomed over the formation like overlapping crystal shells.

The first volley arrived.

Fireballs.

Ice Spears.

Shadow Bolts.

Stone Spears.

The spells exploded against the barriers with deafening force.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The ground trembled.

Flames splashed across the shields.

Ice burst into countless frozen fragments.

Several barriers cracked.

None shattered.

”Advance!” Clara roared.

The living fortress continued marching.

Every step was steady.

Every heartbeat brought them closer.

Once they closed the distance, Clara immediately changed tactics.

”IRON SPEAR FORMATION!”

The shield wall split apart.

Spearmen surged through the openings like striking vipers.

Their enchanted spears pierced directly through the fragile bodies of the undead mages before the creatures could complete another chant.

Clara herself rushed forward.

Her sword flashed once.

An undead mage lost its head.

A second slash split another apart from shoulder to waist.

”Burn the remains!”

Flames erupted from the supporting mages.

Holy fire consumed shattered bones before cemetery-cold mana could gather around them.

No bones.

No revival.

That was the only way to permanently remove the necromancers’ support.

More skeletal warriors rushed toward them.

”ARROWHEAD FORMATION!”

The adventurers instantly rearranged.

Clara stood at the tip.

Two heavily armored warriors guarded each side while the faster fighters followed behind in a narrow wedge.

Like an arrow piercing cloth, they smashed through the skeletal ranks.

Swords flashed.

Axes roared.

Hammers crushed skulls into powder.

The formation burst straight through the undead before immediately changing again.

”CRESCENT FANG FORMATION!”

The front split apart into two sweeping wings.

The skeletal warriors instinctively followed.

That was exactly what Clara wanted.

”Now!”

Hidden mages unleashed a concentrated barrage into the exposed center.

Lightning ripped across dozens of skeletons.

Exploding fire engulfed another cluster.

The battlefield shook beneath the combined assault.

One veteran laughed despite blood running down his arm.

”This is more like it!”

Another answered while smashing a skeleton’s shield apart.

”Save the celebrating until we’re alive!”

More undead flooded toward them.

”TWIN SHIELD FORMATION!”

Pairs of shield bearers locked together while swordsmen fought safely between them.

Whenever one defender tired, the other stepped forward.

The rhythm remained unbroken.

It was like watching a perfectly rehearsed dance performed amidst death itself.

The undead continued pressing forward.

Clara’s eyes darted across the battlefield.

Left flank.

Open.

”PHOENIX WING FORMATION!”

Half the adventurers peeled away before sweeping around the enemy’s side.

Caught between two attacks, the skeletal warriors lost their orderly ranks.

Several undead mages tried retreating.

Too late.

Arrows found their targets.

Holy flames finished the rest.

The smell of burning bone drifted across the battlefield.

Then another wave arrived.

Hundreds of skeletal warriors.

”ROTATING WHEEL FORMATION!”

The front rank withdrew while the fresh fighters replaced them without slowing.

Exhausted warriors immediately received healing from the rear before rejoining moments later.

The formation turned continuously like a giant wheel, never allowing the enemy to exploit fatigue.

Even Clara couldn’t help but smile beneath her helmet.

This...

This was why experienced adventurers were invaluable.

They adapted.

They trusted one another.

They fought as one.

Whenever they were about to be surrounded Brinda would provide support from the wall.

Purple magic circles appeared high above Fantom City.

A heartbeat later...

Hundreds of shimmering mana spears descended from the heavens.

The deadly rain crashed directly into the encircling undead.

Skeletons shattered beneath the bombardment.

Several undead mages attempting to flank Clara were instantly destroyed.

”Lady Brinda cleared the east side!”

”Push through!”

The adventurers surged forward again.

...

While Clara and her group of adventurers were destroying the undead mages, Ruby and Natalia were going around destroying the fortified scaling towers.

Unlike the skeletons, the Ogre Kings ignored pain.

Each giant dragged an enormous enchanted ladder wrapped in dark runes.

The ladders were the true threat.

If even one reached Fantom City’s walls, countless undead would begin climbing.

At first, Ruby charged directly toward an Ogre King.

Her halberd blazed with brilliant holy light.

She leaped high before bringing the weapon crashing onto the giant’s shoulder.

The impact cracked its enchanted armor.

The Ogre King staggered but refused to fall.

It answered with a colossal iron club.

Ruby twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow.

Natalia’s silver chains wrapped around the giant’s wrist, slowing the second attack just enough for Ruby to escape.

”Too tough!” Ruby shouted.

”And too slow to kill efficiently!” Natalia replied.

They immediately understood.

Killing the Ogre Kings one by one would waste precious time.

Another ladder would reach the walls before the first giant died.

Ruby pointed her halberd toward the nearest siege ladder.

”The ladders first!”

Natalia nodded.

”I’ll create an opening!”

Her chains shot forward, binding the ladder instead of the Ogre King.

With a violent pull, the enchanted structure tilted sideways.

The runes flashed desperately.

Ruby dashed forward.

Holy mana surged around her weapon.

”Break!”

Her halberd struck the center of the ladder.

The first hit cracked the magical reinforcement.

The second shattered several runes.

The third exploded with radiant light.

The entire ladder burst apart into burning fragments.

The Ogre King roared in fury.

Ignoring it completely, the two women sprinted toward the next siege ladder.

Taking down one Ogre King required too much time, which gave the other Ogre Kings a chance to reach the walls. So the best strategy, for now, was to destroy the fortified scaling towers while ignoring the Ogre Kings.