"The penetration power is insufficient..."
Glenn muttered softly. Mile was aware of this as well. The monsters continued to spurt out from the dimensional rift with great force. And although Mile and her group at the front edge of the first layer were doing their best, they were gradually being pushed back by the monsters' force, and the number of unharmed C-rank monsters being pushed to the rear gradually increased, and even B-rank monsters that had not been sufficiently weakened were being pushed to the rear. And the front line itself was gradually moving back.
After all, no matter how many times they tried to counter them, it was impossible. Physical strength. Toughness. The ferocity to keep on fighting, even when seriously injured. The initial battle was still okay, but as the battle dragged on, the difference in endurance between our two sides became evident.
"Damn, we don't have enough tanks. If this keeps up, we'll be in a tight spot..."
Of course, there were quite a few Hunters who acted as tanks. However, that was only if the opponent was a human or a monster below B-rank. There were very few people who could act as a tank against monsters of A-rank or above. There was no one who could withstand a blow from such a monster, so this was only natural and there was nothing that could be done—However, right now, the lack of a tank to protect those who specialized in offensive power was becoming a major weakness that was driving the humans into a corner.
Even though Mile and her party had high offensive power, their defensive power was weak when they received a direct hit. Although Mile only received little damage, her light weight caused her to be blown far away in one hit. In that case, no matter how safe she was, she wouldn't be able to fulfill her duties as a "tank". "It has offensive power. If only there was a tank, if only there was a tank..." (Glenn)
When Glenn repeated lines like wishing for something they didn't have and complaining about things that would never come to fruition—
Boom!
Behind them, the monster was blown away.
"Wh-what!" (Glenn)
"Ah, that is..." (Mile)
When Glenn and Mile looked back, what they saw was...
Huge size, sturdy body. A powerful force that could firmly block and repel monster attacks. That was……. A swarm of strange creatures suddenly surged forward from behind. A body of earth. A body of rock—And a body of iron.
"A big, reliable guy! G-Gouda... No, no, no, no, Golem!!" (Mile)
Yes, it was a group of Golems who were supposed to be defending the base. Clay Golems, Rock Golems, and Iron Golems, along with a small number of Scavengers accompanying them—It was likely that only a few of the Scavengers were participating in order to direct the Golems. The Scavengers were primarily there to maintain the base and repair and produce Golem, and were not combat personnel. However, since Golem's abilities were not enough to respond flexibly, they were forced to travel to take command.
"Have you abandoned the basic policy of defending the base and your area of responsibility? Golem and Scavenger have made such a decision... Ah, this must be an order from the Slow Walker!" (Mile)
Yes, the Slow Walker would be able to make such judgments and give such instructions. They should have restored the means of communication by now—Mile seemed to notice this.
The Golems were allies. The human warriors, who had heard about this through Mile's broadcast to the entire continent, began to advance alongside the Golems—Their appearance reminded Mile of tanks and accompanying infantry.
"Okay, let's do it! We can make a comeback!"
"Ooohhh!!" (Everyone)
Although they were getting quite tired, their companions still had spirited voices. Lobreth flew in the sky, performing ultrasonic attacks (Stomach Flute Technique) on dangerous areas.
"...Huh?" (Mile)
When Mile glanced up at the sky, something seemed strange about Lobreth.
If you took a closer look around Lobreth—
"Ah! When did that happen..." (Mile)
It seemed that from the dimensional rift, something that resembled the original species of wyvern—not the current species that had become weak over the generations in this world, but ones that had survived in a harsh environment and grown large and muscular—had suddenly emerged.
And Lobreth, who was fighting against the monsters, was surrounded by flying dragons with Chelsea riding on his back. They were outnumbered. Even though they could use ultrasonic attacks, it was not an invincible special move. At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before the wyverns' claws on their wings and sharp talons tore both him and Chelsea to shreds—And the humans did not have any weapons or arms capable of reaching that high into the sky. There wasn't enough time to prepare a ballista...
Screeeech...!
Lobreth launched an ultrasonic attack, but it was extremely difficult to hit it as they were both flying freely through the air. So, although they couldn't breathe anything, the invading wyverns were able to corner Lobreth by using the difference in size and numbers. And with Chelsea on his back, Lobreth couldn't make any risky maneuvers, so they had no chance of winning. If he could shake Chelsea off and become lighter, he might be able to escape if he ran as fast as he could, but it seemed that Lobreth had no intention of doing that at all. And then, with Lobreth finally cornered, Mile was thinking that she had to do something...
Woooo!
Bang!
A fireball came flying from the thick clouds covering the sky and hit one of the wyverns approaching Lobreth, causing it to crash. Then—
"Even though he's only a sub-dragon, he doesn't betray the person he's carrying and is determined to fight to the end. It's amazing!"
"Ancient Dragon Warriors, with the Ancient Dragon Corps..." (Mile)
Yes, what appeared, parting the clouds, was a group of the ancient dragons. If it's an ancient dragon, it can fight against monsters well, whether it's a child or an elder. Therefore, it wasn't just the warriors who participated, most of the clan members also participated. With their long life spans, the ancient dragons would have no choice but to take part in this major event, something that would become a source of bragging rights for hundreds, even thousands, of years to come. Moreover, if this was a wish entrusted to them by their ancestors or the gods, something that relates to the meaning of their existence...
"...Huh? All of them, on their backs..." (Mile)
When Mile looked closely, it seemed like the ancient dragons were carrying something on their backs—Then, the group of ancient dragons that had driven away the flying dragons landed next to Mile and her group. From behind...
"I knew about your exploits. I'm here to help, human Sacred Maiden!"
"Sacred Maiden-chan! ...and all the demons!" (Mile)
On the ancient dragon's back were the demons, including the Sacred Maiden.
"We had intended to come at just the right time, but these guys said, 'Please come to the Demon Village and carry us,' so we were a little late. ...But I guess the real deal usually comes late, right? ...Warrior corps, commence attack!"
The ancient dragons let the demons off their backs and began their attack.
Buwahaa!
Instead of fire bullets, the ancient dragon warriors spat out continuous flames all at once. And since they were not trained like the warrior troops, the other ordinary ancient dragons each breathed separately.
"The extermination in the East wasn't very exciting. Here, I'll do it for real..."
In the east, the absolute defense of Aubram Kingdom's capital had ended with an incredibly easy victory for the humans, despite the heavy losses they suffered. But it seems that an ancient dragon had also made an appearance over there. And if it's an ancient dragon, after finishing a job, it's not unusual for it to quickly return to the Ancient Dragon Village to relax and wait for the next turn. And then, they were probably desperately asked by the demon who usually did the chores for them, so they had no choice but to carry them in a hurry. Although the Ancient Dragons were an arrogant race, they could be gentle towards lower creatures (pets) that had become attached to them.
The demons would not have been able to make it in time if they had moved on their own, so they likely had no other option. If they were unable to make it in time for this battle, it would be a huge embarrassment that would affect their very existence. And they would no doubt be laughed at by other races for hundreds of years to come.
"Well, I'm counting on you desperately..." (Mile)
Mile let out a cry of approval...