The next day, I still followed my usual morning routine, though this time I made sure not to exhaust myself before the upcoming battle. A monster stampede was not something I could face carelessly, especially when thousands of lives inside this town depended on today's defense.
"Speaking of the stampede…"
I immediately opened my Mission Tab and checked the remaining time.
"Time until the stampede: 4:12:56"
Four hours left.
"So it'll begin around noon."
A heavy silence settled in my chest for a moment, but I quickly shook it off and tightened my grip.
"I should head to the Adventurer's Guild for the briefing."
The moment I arrived near the guild, I was greeted by a sea of adventurers gathered outside the building. Hundreds of people from nearby towns had answered the request for aid, and because of their numbers, the briefing was being held in the open plaza instead of inside the guild itself.
The atmosphere felt tense, yet strangely united.
Knights inspected weapons nearby while mages adjusted staffs and prepared potions. Some adventurers laughed loudly to calm themselves while others silently sharpened blades with serious expressions.
Then, the murmurs gradually died down.
A large man stepped onto the makeshift wooden stage.
He was a middle-aged man with broad shoulders, scarred arms, and a powerful presence that immediately commanded attention. Even from a distance, I could feel the pressure coming from him.
Romanoff.
The Guild Master of Roste Town.
"So that's the Guild Master…"
"You can immediately tell he is experienced," Travy calmly remarked inside my mind. "A veteran who survived countless battles naturally becomes reassuring to others."
I silently nodded.
Just standing there alone was enough to stabilize the morale of the adventurers.
Romanoff crossed his arms before speaking in a deep, firm voice.
"To every adventurer who answered Roste Town's call, you have my gratitude. I am Romanoff, the Guild Master of this branch."
His voice carried clearly throughout the plaza.
"As many of you already know, the forest south of this town has become the source of an incoming monster stampede. According to the Mage's Guild specialists, the monsters will arrive within four hours. Because of that, the Adventurer's Guild, the Mage's Guild, and the knights under Lord Ameth will cooperate for this town's defense."
I listened carefully while observing the reactions around me.
Unlike the fantasy stories I used to read back on Trest, this world handled disasters in a far more organized way. The guilds were not acting independently. Even the local lord mobilized knights and resources immediately once the danger was confirmed.
It honestly made the situation feel more realistic.
Romanoff continued.
"All adventurers specialized in melee combat who are at least E-rank will defend the gates alongside the knights. Ranged fighters, archers, and mages will provide support from the walls. F-rank adventurers may participate if they possess ranged combat capabilities."
Most adventurers nodded in agreement.
The strategy itself was simple, but simplicity was often the best option during large-scale battles.
"That concludes the briefing. Head toward the southern gate and prepare yourselves."
Soon, groups of adventurers began moving toward the defensive positions.
I followed along while quietly observing the town's preparations.
Barricades had already been reinforced, spare weapons were lined neatly near supply stations, and civilians were nowhere near the outer district anymore. The evacuation had clearly succeeded.
"They prepared well," I muttered.
"Preparation often determines survival long before the battle itself begins," Travy replied.
As we approached the southern wall, I suddenly noticed a familiar figure carrying several wooden crates.
"Miss Nadia?"
Nadia was transporting boxes filled with potions alongside a few Mage's Guild staff members.
Without hesitation, I walked over.
"Miss Nadia, let me help."
She looked surprised for a brief moment before smiling softly.
"Oh, Art. Thank you. These are heavier than they look."
I immediately carried two large crates with ease and brought them toward the knight station nearby.
One of the knights accepted them with a grateful nod.
"Appreciate the help, young man."
"It's nothing serious, sir."
The knight smiled briefly before returning to work.
For the next two hours, I helped transport supplies between the guild carts and the defensive stations. Potions, bandages, arrows, spare shields, food supplies—everything was being moved nonstop.
Even though it was exhausting work, I strangely enjoyed helping.
"The satisfaction of supporting others through simple actions," Travy quietly said.
"…Yeah."
He always somehow understood exactly what I was feeling.
Eventually, I decided to rest before the battle started.
The adventurers soon began lining up for lunch prepared by the guild and the town.
I checked the timer again.
"Time until the stampede: 44:12"
Forty-four minutes left.
"That should still be enough time to eat."
"You would perform terribly on an empty stomach," Travy said. "Even armies from your old world understood that."
I lightly chuckled.
"That's true."
I joined the line and eventually received my meal.
The food was simple yet balanced. A warm vegetable and meat soup accompanied by hard bread meant for long storage.
The bread itself was dry, but after dipping it into the soup, it softened immediately while absorbing the rich broth.
Simple, practical, and efficient.
Exactly the kind of meal suitable before battle.
After finishing my food, I checked the timer once more.
"Time until the stampede: 5:12"
Only five minutes left.
Then—
"Signal smoke detected! The monsters have begun moving!"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Every adventurer immediately stood up.
The relaxed atmosphere from earlier completely disappeared as tension spread across the walls like wildfire.
I immediately rushed toward the top of the southern wall.
From there, I could already see birds fleeing wildly from the forest in massive numbers. Moments later, a gigantic cloud of dust began rising beyond the plains.
The monsters were coming.
Even from two kilometers away, the sheer scale of the movement was horrifying.
I narrowed my eyes while analyzing the battlefield.
"Chain Lightning will be the most effective opening spell," I muttered. "The paralysis effect can disrupt their momentum."
"A wise choice," Travy replied. "A charging army becomes far less dangerous once its movement is interrupted."
"One kilometer remaining! Goblin riders confirmed!"
The shout from the watchtower echoed loudly.
The monsters finally became visible.
Wolves.
Hundreds of wolves charging forward with goblins mounted on their backs.
And among them were hobgoblins.
My grip tightened around my staff.
"Five hundred meters remaining! Archers and mages, commence the opening volley!"
Without hesitation, arrows and spells filled the sky.
"Chain Lightning!"
I poured additional mana into the spell before launching it toward the center of the charging formation.
BOOM!
Lightning exploded upon impact.
Electricity spread violently across the battlefield as dozens upon dozens of monsters convulsed from the shock. The chain effect rapidly spread through nearby enemies, instantly disrupting the center of their formation.
The momentum of the entire wave collapsed.
"All ranged units! Prioritize enemies that are still moving!"
The knight commander's voice thundered across the walls.
Archers immediately adjusted their aim while mages continued bombarding the immobilized monsters.
The casualties rapidly climbed into the hundreds.
I continued casting support spells from the wall.
"Flare Bomb!"
A massive explosion of fire erupted among the wolves, engulfing multiple riders at once.
The battlefield quickly descended into chaos.
Yet despite the scale of the fighting, the defenders remained organized.
The frontliners rotated efficiently whenever someone became injured, allowing exhausted adventurers to retreat briefly for potions before returning to battle again.
"It's coordinated," I muttered while firing another spell.
"Experienced leadership," Travy answered. "That alone saves countless lives."
Then another shout came from the watchtower.
"Second wave exiting the forest! Estimated numbers exceed one thousand!"
The second wave was already approaching.
Meanwhile, the first wave was being rapidly thinned out by the experienced adventurers defending the gate.
The knight commander suddenly tapped my shoulder.
"Prepare that lightning spell again, young man."
I immediately nodded.
While resting briefly, I activated Mana Absorption to replenish my mana as quickly as possible.
Soon, the second wave came into view.
"Five hundred meters remaining! Fire!"
Another storm of arrows and magic descended upon the battlefield.
The moment the monsters got close enough—
"Chain Lightning!"
I launched three consecutive casts.
One toward the center.
One toward the left flank.
One toward the right.
Massive arcs of lightning exploded across the battlefield as monsters collapsed one after another.
The paralysis spread rapidly, slowing their advance dramatically.
"Same tactics as before! Eliminate the slowed enemies first!"
The defenders followed the command immediately.
By the time the second wave reached the frontlines, their numbers had already been cut nearly in half.
Still, the battle remained intense.
I continuously supported the frontline by alternating between wide-area spells and low-cost precision attacks in order to preserve mana efficiently.
Then—
"Third wave incoming!"
The watchtower guard's voice sounded far more tense this time.
"Two massive monsters sighted!"
I looked toward the forest entrance.
Two enormous figures slowly emerged from the trees.
One was a gigantic wolf large enough to dwarf ordinary monsters.
The other was a towering goblin carrying an enormous wooden club.
Even from this distance, their overwhelming size made the surrounding monsters look tiny in comparison.
"The numbers are estimated at over two to three thousand!"
A heavy silence spread across the walls.
Three thousand.
Even hearing the number alone made the atmosphere feel heavier.
I immediately drank several mana potions before returning to my position atop the wall.
The monsters moved slowly this time, almost as if they were marching alongside their kings.
"So those are the Forest Wolf King and the Goblin King…"
I inhaled deeply before steadying myself.
Fear existed.
But so did resolve.
Around me, adventurers tightened their grips on weapons while knights prepared their shields.
Nobody ran.
Nobody retreated.
And as the enormous monsters drew closer beneath the darkening cloud of dust, I prepared myself for the true beginning of the battle.