Overwhelming Firepower

A day before the Styrhord, both sides were eager to start the battle. While everyone was making their final preparations, something unexpected happened.

Vardon, who was discussing a few things with his eldest son Lucen, received a report that a massive monster wave, unlike any other, was spotted in the Northwest Mount range.

The monsters the scouts spotted were completely different from any known monster that has been recorded. There was also this filthy mana surrounding them; it was darker and felt like it wanted to devour everything in sight.

The monsters were said to be in an enraged state. The scouts were unable to get close enough to identify their exact numbers.

Several had withdrawn early, reporting headaches and nausea after prolonged observation. Still, the main problem was that they came from the Northwest Mountain Range.

Due to the height and steepness of that mountain range, no one ever expected anything to pass through there except for something like a dragon.

The Northwest Mountain Range had always been treated as a natural barrier, something to be monitored rather than defended. Fortress placement in the north had never accounted for a threat coming from that direction.

That means they had bypassed the first fortress and were now heading to a nearby village in Stellhart that was already evacuated. The next place they would arrive in would be here in Ironhold.

Based on their speed, the monster wave would arrive in Ironhold tomorrow.

Even though this was an unexpected situation, under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been that much of a problem, but due to the Styrhord, which will not stop no matter the circumstance, things were much more complicated.

Now they had to divide their forces, which was already small compared to Marquis Valeire’s twenty-thousand-strong army.

Vardon went silent after hearing the report. This was happening right before the Styrhord, and in such a way was suspicious, but was there even a way to make a monster wave happen?

On the other hand, Lucen already anticipated something like this happening. In the original game timeline, a similar event happens later in the future.

’Back then, many players speculated that the monster wave that helped destroy the north was not natural. The only things that I can think of that fit the description of filthy mana, which many would think seeing for the first time is demonic mana... Does that mean that Valeire has made contact with demons this early on?’

Lucen felt a tightness settle in his chest. He had expected a monster wave at this time, but if that monster wave has something to do with demons, then it’s much worse than he ever imagined.

Monsters and animals influenced by demonic mana become something else entirely. They become something grotesque.

Limbs twisted beyond natural limits, movements became erratic, hunger and pain no longer slowed them.

In terms of the game, they gain numerous buffs, one of which is a passive skill that will induce madness the longer you are in contact with them.

Lucen understood that he could not allow the monster wave to get near Ironhold. Once those monsters emitting the wild demonic mana stay in one area for too long, they will corrupt the area, making the people go mad.

At first, it was irritability and paranoia. Later came hallucinations and violent outbursts.

Those with powerful willpower, or those who possess aura and mana, can counteract the madness for a period, but even they, in prolonged contact, have a chance to go mad.

This was one of the reasons for the difficulty spikes when demons appear in the game. Many players get a game over due to forgetting about the madness debuff.

Later in the game, it becomes weaker due to the increase in one’s immunity, but this was the first time demonic mana had appeared in a long time.

Vardon dismissed the scout with a wave of his hand. Once the man had left, only the father and son remained, and the room fell into a tense silence.

”... Father, I think I know what’s happening to those monsters.” Lucen then started to explain what he knew about demonic mana.

When Vardon heard what his son had said, he did not question how he knew all this, but instead said.

”Then we must deal with the monster wave before it arrives in Ironhold.” Vardon fully believed everything Lucen said.

”Still, we also need to deal with the Styrhord. We must divide our forces. I will let you choose which one you would want ot deal with, the Marquis Valeire’s army or the monster wave?”

The second Vardon said those words, Lucen felt his head aching a little as a memory he had forgotten came to him.

These events were aligning perfectly with that dream he once had. Lucen was once again reminded of the dream he had seen that felt so real.

All of them did their best to stop the monster wave, but they could not do it. Everyone had died in that dream.

Lucen let the memory hang for a single long breath, the image of blood and silence still hot behind his eyes.

Of course, he didn’t want the events in that dream to be a reality. If he could, he would have chosen to face Marquis Valeire’s army, but reports said that the Marquis was able to hire a person who was a sixth mantle aura user similar to his Father.

That means only his Father would be able to fight against that person head-on. So the best option right now for Thornefang, alongside the barbarians, is to face the monster wave since they were better at monster slaying.

”Thornefang and I, alongside the barbarians, shall face the monster wave. But we will face it away from the city. We cannot allow monsters with demonic mana near such a populated area.”

”Very well, then I shall face Valeire’s army... It’s not much, but I shall also leave a few knights to help you.”

”Thank you, Father. I will need to leave as fast as possible and at least form some sort of barricade farther away from the city.”

There was a fortress Lucen made to the North of Ironhold, but that was still too close to the city, and he could not take that risk against monsters with demonic mana.

Lucen’s gaze shifted to the map spread across the table. There was no good terrain to face the monster wave, as everything was just an open field from here to the Northwest mountain range.

No natural chokepoints, no elevated ground, and no cover. Any retreat would quickly turn into a rout. So it was either they’ll be able to defeat the enemy, or they die trying.

”... I guess, there’s no other way. We must meet the monster wave head-on. I will take my leave now, Father. I must hurry.”

”May we meet again, son, with victory in our hands.” Vardon gave a knight’s salute to Lucen, who responded in kind.

The father and son no longer said anything as Lucen left; the next time they saw each other would either be back here in Ironhold or in Varkun’s hall of heroes.

It didn’t take too long for all of Thornefang, some knights of Stellhart, the barbarians, a few dwarves, Robert, and some mages to gather at the Northern Gates of Ironhold.

Thornefang, which used to be less than a hundred, was now at five hundred. The knights and a few Thornefang aura users were wearing the new armor while carrying the modified Gatling Gun.

Each of those aura users carried a large metal box strapped securely to their backs. At a glance, it looked too small to hold the amount of ammunition required for the Gatling Guns they wielded, but the runes engraved across its surface told a different story.

Those boxes were spatial containers. The result was a rune-engraved ammunition box that was far larger on the inside than it appeared from the outside.

Inside each container were tightly packed belts of bullets, stacked in quantities no ordinary soldier could ever carry.

A thick, reinforced mechanical feed line ran from the box to the side of the Gatling Gun. Gears, springs, and a rotating feed drum handled the transfer, pulling ammunition forward purely through motion.

As the barrel assembly spun, it drove the mechanism, each rotation dragging the next belt segment into place.

Lucen wanted to bring a few roaring thunders, but their weight and size proved to be too difficult to make it happen.

If they were able to place tracks for the train towards the area they were going to, they could have brought it.

So for now, they settled for bringing the inferior Thunderspears. They also brought a few Gatling guns, the ones that were created for the normal soldiers’ use.

Of course, they also got as many supplies as they were allowed to bring. The Northern Gates opened.

Steel creaked, chains rattled, and the massive doors slowly parted as the combined force began to move out of Ironhold.

Lucen, who was riding a horse, looked at his army of five hundred, equipped with weapons you would not see in a fantasy setting.

Still, despite all the preparations he had made to strengthen them, he could not help but remember the dream he had. Lucen shook his head as he stopped letting those negative thoughts fill his mind.

’No, unlike that dream, I have so much more firepower now. I’m certain that with this much firepower, I can change even this fate.’

As Lucen thought that and strengthened his resolve, he did not notice that the ring on his finger subtly glowed for a second.