Chapter 212: Choosing Party Members
Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7583de/
Author: Hirukuma
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
“This has to be the work of the Ruler of the Netherworld, right?” said Ramis.
“Got to be. They must not want us to head down to the Everlasting Floor,” said Hyurumi.
As the girls chatted, more monsters began to appear over the [1] horizon just beyond the [1a] wall surrounding the village. Though I must say, with the sudden population boom, Clearflow Lake’s residential area was more like a town or a small city now.
Neither Ramis nor Hyurumi appeared overly tense as they studied the large numbers of monsters. The same could not be said for a lot of the so-called experience hunters. The sight of so many mid and high-level monsters must have been quite scary for those who were not used to seeing so many of them together.
As the monsters marched forward, I thought they would gather speed and charge at the wall. However, once the monsters reached a certain distance, they suddenly stopped moving.
“That’s at least a kilometre away, isn’t it?” Hyurumi murmured as she stared through the glass eyes of my binocular form.
It was still daylight; were the monsters waiting for nightfall?
I did hear that Frog-Man, Twin Snakes and Crocodile-Man demons were all nocturnal creatures. [1] So, it was entirely possible that the monsters were just waiting for the best time to attack.
Everyone remained on high alert all night. However, even as the sky began to brighten [1], the monsters remained in place.
“Hm, still no movement from them.”
“Maybe they’re buying time or gathering forces to wipe us all out at once. Or, yawn… both. Ugh, I’m so sleepy…” Hyurumi muttered as she rubbed her eyes.
[1] When it was obvious that the monsters were not moving any time soon, the hunters had organised themselves into shifts. Ramis and the rest of the night shift people would be returning to their tents to rest and recover.
“Don’t push yourself, ‘kay, Hakkon.”
“Yawn… ugh, sorry about that. I’ll be going to rest first.”
“Ye-es”
Replacing them were Pitee and Mishael. Both looked bright and alert, their short nap having done them a world of good.
“We’ll be… together until… night…” Pitee said in her halting way.
“Master Hakkon, do feel free to rest when you’re tired.”
“Thank you”
After handing out their breakfast set, I had Pitee lift me on her back so that I could distribute food and drinks to the other hunters who had just arrived.
Mishael accompanied us, ostensibly as a guard, but I had a feeling that he was following us mostly because he felt uneasy about being alone. Still, it was not something that one should bring up carelessly.
After distributing supplies to the hunters situated on the wall, I considered making my way down to the plaza to do the same. In the end, I decided to hold back since merchants had set up small tents and stalls to do their business there.
From the top of the wall, I could see that the refugees taken in by the Hunter’s Association looked to be in good spirits, with the children running around energetically instead of crying on street corners.
Even though it was not the first time these people had suffered enemy attacks, their adaptability was still quite incredible. Was it because these people had already resolved themselves to great danger by choosing to live inside a dungeon?
From what I had seen, hardly anyone panicked when a major crisis happened; everyone diligently followed directions and made it to safety quickly. Even when casualties happened, they went on with their life once the crisis was resolved. It was a trait worth emulating.
“When will the enemy make their move?”
“Will things just… stay like this?”
It would be unwise to let the monsters gather too much strength [2] during this waiting period since it would mean a large-scale attack from the enemy. Considering the thickness and height of the newly strengthened walls, as well as ample food supplies, it was a good idea to maintain a siege defence.
While it would be a good idea to weaken the enemy, initiating a half-hearted move may provoke the monsters into an all-out attack, which could complicate matters.
Even as I mull over various ideas and strategies, I know that group battle strategies will ultimately be decided by the Directors. All I have to do is follow orders. Still, it is impossible to [2] stand on the walls overlooking such a massive army without feeling afraid.
Despite my worries, there was no movement from the enemy today or the day after.
As the number of monsters continued to grow, the increasingly anxious Directors convened for a strategy meeting. I was included in this meeting and was in charge of dispensing drinks to everyone within the conference room.
“Now that everyone’s here, it’s time to discuss what we should do about those monsters. Should we continue the siege or launch an attack? If anyone has a different plan, I want your opinions.”
After Director Bear opened up the discussion, the Scorching Sand Director’s hand went up.
“Hm, in that case, I shall speak my mind. I believe we should attack as soon as possible. Immediately. If we leave them alone, the monster horde would just grow, making things that much worse than now.”
Several people nodded at that. I was also concerned about the same thing.
“Still, if we do decide to attack, we must be prepared for many casualties,” said the Director of Beginner’s Floor.
It was clear that although she supported the Scorching Sand Director’s opinion, she was also concerned about the repercussions. These were the two main problems at hand.
“Um, what if we whittle down the enemy’s numbers through small but powerful parties?” Ramis suggested.
“I second that. However, it’s probably better to use long-range attacks for that,” Hyurumi chimed in.
At that, everyone turned towards the person with the most powerful long-range attack. The person in question removed a fan from his pocket, unfurled it and started fanning himself.
“Fumu, so it’s my turn to shine, eh? Well, if it’s a widespread area-of-effect magic you need, I can fire as many as you like.”
“Don’t get too carried away, Grandpa.”
Looks like we could only rely on Grandpa Shimerai’s magic once more. With so many enemies in the field, we should refrain from close-range battles as much as possible.
“Hakkon and… Pitee could… launch an attack from… the sky…” [3] Pitee said timidly with a raised hand.
Ramis puffed up her cheeks at this suggestion, but I’ll just pretend not to see it.
“It’s a good option, but with flying monsters in the sky, it’s best to avoid airborne attacks,” [3] said Director Bear.
That’s right, the Flying Fish would be a nuisance. Although I could protect myself with <Barrier>, those creatures could still make things difficult.
“The best tactic would be to get just close enough for a range attack and fire into the monster horde. If the enemy retaliates, retreat immediately. Naturally, we should prepare carts and guards for a swift defensive retreat.”
There was no objection to that suggestion. The next part of the meeting involved selecting members of the attack team. Once that was finalised, the meeting was concluded.
Preparations were expected to be completed by noon, and chosen members would meet the cart at the gate.
The attack team included: Grandpa Shimerai, of course. Shui and the Principal of the Orphanage were chosen as long-range backups to stall the enemy. Mishael and Grandma Yumite were chosen due to their high-level close combat power. It can’t hurt to have strong people to protect our long-range attackers.
Pitee was chosen for her high defensive ability as well as her ability to reduce the weight of the cart during the inevitable retreat.
Speaking of which, the Scorching Sand Director [1] demanded to be included in the team, and was almost [4] rejected for being too noisy and reckless despite his high combat power.
Director Bear and Ramis were also included in the team; their main role was cart pullers…
I was chosen too. In case of an emergency, I could deploy my <Barrier> in defence. I could also generate balloons and, with Pitee to lighten everything, float everyone out of the horde. While this was all happening, I was refining an idea I had in my mind… Hopefully, it would eventually work itself out into a viable attack.
As a precaution, I left a week’s worth of food and drinks at the square, just in case something happened to me and I ended up unable to return…
“Listen here, the moment you sense danger, you must rush back immediately, Ramis. Don’t do anything reckless,” Hyurumi had been lecturing and advising Ramis since earlier.
She had wanted to come, but knew that she would only be a burden. I could see the frustration she was feeling from her clenched fists.
“Lea-ve to me” I stated firmly.
Hyurumi looked at me with surprise and grinned as she lightly tapped her fist against my body.
When Director Bear arrived with the cart in tow, we all climbed on board. The village gate swung open, and our party set out with Director Bear pulling the cart and Ramis pushing from behind.
“If it looks too impossible, just come back right away!”
“Safety is the most important!”
Various people waved us off from the gate and on the walls as we left for battle.
In order to maximise the effectiveness of the area-of-effect magic, we would need to get within at least 500 meters of the enemies. If the monsters did not attack us, our plan could proceed smoothly. Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant and prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
The lives of our comrades come first; therefore, it would be best to avoid any unnecessary risks. However, I trust Director Bear’s strategy. Everything should be fine.
[Gumihou: Oooh, flag…]
[1] Adjusted description of the monster army for clarity and dramatic presence
[2] Added details for clarity
[3] Reduce clunky details
[4] Continuity issue: The Scorching Sand Director was ‘rejected’ in this chapter, but he was busy burning enemies to a crisp in the next one, so….
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