50. Defense Battles Are All About Endurance, Isn’t It?

 

There, on the north side of town, was the right-wing unit.

 

“Alphard-san, how are we supposed to defend with such a small group?”

 

One adventurer turned a worried look to Alphard.

 

Alphard replied casually.

 

“Basically, I’ll handle the enemies alone. You guys just need to take down any Cockatrices I miss.”

 

“Huh? Well, it’s better than being told to step forward, but Alphard-san alone?”

 

“Yeah. My fighting style is a bit unique.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Plus, the majority of Cockatrices are handled by the central unit. Not many come our way.”

 

“That’s good to hear, but…”

 

“Just right, some Cockatrices spilled along the wall are coming.”

 

Alphard pointed his spear.

 

It was an extremely long cavalry spear, shining silver. Reminiscent of an artwork rather than a weapon.

 

The frenzied Cockatrices, blocked by the wall, seemed to gather more anger.

 

Whether they realized there was an opening to the north of the town or they were attacking because the adventurers were gathered, Alphard and the others were defending an unfinished section of the wall where the Cockatrices were now attacking.

 

Their numbers were still scattered, but beyond the horizon lay a large Cockatrice army.

 

They needed to get used to the tactics early on.

 

“The key is coordination…”

 

Alphard muttered to himself.

 

“Listen! You haven’t taken the petrification prevention potion. Don’t step forward! Focus on taking down the ones I miss with all your might!”

 

“That’s fine, but won’t we be vulnerable if we do that?”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll thoroughly defeat them!”

 

“O-Okay.”

 

The adventurers didn’t know Alphard’s strength well. They hadn’t adventured with him nor heard rumors about him.

 

Veteran adventurers seemed to know somewhat, but they were all dispatched to the central unit.

 

In other words, no one on the right wing knew Alphard’s true strength.

 

“Let’s go, Red Flame!”

 

“Grr!”

 

Alphard rode not a horse but a huge bipedal lizard with a reddish-brown body.

 

This lizard mount, the Red Flame, was among the strongest land weapons used by some military units.

 

Only top-tier fighters could belong to the lizard cavalry.

 

Originally a member of the Holy Knights, Alphard had no affiliation with them, but he bought it personally, thinking it might be necessary in this frontier village.

 

He acquired it shortly after moving to New Golden Dawn and nurtured it with Craft’s legendary stamina potion.

 

Thanks to Alphard’s rigorous training, it had quickly developed into an impressive physique.

 

Thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!

 

As the Red Flame surged forward, the ground shook.

 

The Cockatrices noticed and, with drool flying, charged at Alphard on the Red Flame.

 

Alphard charged back at them with tremendous speed.

 

“Spiral Thorn Breaker!!!”

 

He combined the weight and speed of the bipedal lizard with the spear’s technique to crush the huge Cockatrice in a single blow, reducing it to tiny pieces.

 

“Next one! Move!”

 

Alphard pulled the reins, redirecting the Red Flame.

 

His tactics were the opposite of the central unit’s Degard.

 

Alphard led a solo strike unit while the other adventurers formed another strike unit, eliminating the approaching enemies with two strike units.

 

Three reasons made this possible:

 

The enemy numbers weren’t overwhelming.

 

Alphard was formidable alone.

 

The Red Flame excelled in both speed and endurance.

 

However, if these conditions changed, the frontline would collapse.

 

“For now, it’s okay. But if more Cockatrices spill from the center…”

 

It would be the worst-case scenario if unmanageable Cockatrices poured into the town.

 

Alphard gripped his spear tightly.

 

“I’m counting on you, Craft.”

 

◆

 

“Alright! Everyone, get ready!”

 

A familiar female voice rang out in the left-wing unit.

 

Riding a bipedal giant bird were Kyle and Myrna’s bodyguards, Persia.

 

Thanks to Craft’s special stamina potion, their bird, Tebasaki, gained incredible strength, becoming a yellow lightning bolt when it ran.

 

While bipedal birds were known for speed and long-distance travel, Persia’s Tebasaki surpassed even the best military birds in this village.

 

When Persia’s sword flashed, adventurers responded with arrows, magic, and sword skills, taking down the gathered Cockatrices.

 

“Alright! Let’s go again! Don’t forget the rhythm now! I’ll disturb the Cockatrices, gather them, and then it’s an all-out attack!”

 

“”””Woahhh!”””

 

Persia’s left-wing unit had a different strategy from Degard and Alphard’s.

 

Persia, having taken the scarce petrification prevention potion, and Tebasaki, disrupted the Cockatrices while adventurers used all their projectiles to kill them.

 

Of course, Persia also killed many Cockatrices herself.

 

This tactic was only possible due to the Craft-branded legendary stamina potion, which they could use endlessly.

 

“We’ll hold out for a while…”

 

Persia frowned at the increasing number of Cockatrices pouring from the center.

 

“It won’t last long, Craft.”

 

Everything seemed to depend on Craft.

 

However, the story was progressing unexpectedly elsewhere.

 

◆

 

“Prepare tea for those evacuating, Ed and Wamika.”

 

“Ah, okay.”

 

“Y-Yes.”

 

Even the church, one of the largest buildings in Golden Dawn Town, had become a battlefield in its own way.

 

Azure, a fox beastman and a priest, worked tirelessly at the church turned refuge.

 

She guided many residents into the spacious church, serving tea to calm them, and soothing those in conflict; there was no time to rest.

 

In the chaos, four orphans who had come to Golden Dawn had disappeared. Azure found them spectating the western adventurers, seemingly about to start a fight and brought them back.

 

In such circumstances, even Azure, the beastman priest, failed to notice that something was off with the four orphaned children.

 

“Kai and Saika, boil water and check for injuries.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

Before Azure’s instructions finished, she was called away by someone else and hurried off.

 

Left behind were the four.

 

Normally, quick to follow Azure’s orders, they all stood pale-faced, hesitant.

 

“What should we do, Ed?”

 

“What do you mean? What should we do?”

 

The wolf beastman Ed, questioned by the lesser panda beastman Kai, was clearly flustered.

 

They were hiding a secret they couldn’t tell anyone right now.

 

“If we return the Cockatrice eggs, will they leave us alone?”

 

“I doubt it.”

 

The cat beastman Wamika weakly denied the rabbit beastman Saika’s suggestion. The usual relaxed atmosphere had dissipated.

 

“Consult Az-nee…”

 

“It’s impossible right now.”

 

“Then, what should we do…”

 

“We don’t know… We don’t know at all.”

 

Their solution lay right beside them, hidden from everyone’s eyes in an inconspicuous place.

 

The EdSaikaKaiWamika Adventurer Team’s glorious prize from their first major adventure.

 

Craft-oniichan had told them it was valuable.

 

Though warned not to take it, their curiosity got the better of them.

 

It was a Cockatrice egg.