Chapter 120: Striving Insignificantly
"Rumble..."
Dark Clouds covered the sun, and Lightning struck rapidly. The gloomy Sky was occasionally streaked by flashes of Lightning. The shocking White Light seemed as if it would fall directly onto one's Head. The gloomy Sky was instantly torn apart like a piece of gray soft paper.
The grotesque and ugly, green-faced, fanged faces of the Fallen were clearly visible under the illumination of the Lightning Glow. The pervasive rustling sound of rain could not conceal their roars of thirst for Blood. The Distance of less than five kilometers was rapidly closing under the swift charge of the Fallen. The Battle had not yet begun, but the grim Presence of both sides had already begun to mix and intertwine.
Standing on a Hillside at the side of the Battlefield, the entire Battlefield was clearly visible in my eyes. I watched the Fallen gradually approaching the Village, feeling somewhat at a loss. From the perspective of an observer, I experienced the grandeur of War for the first time. The massive Monster Army, like a sharp knife, plunged straight in. Their fearless, death-defying Presence could make even the most valiant Warrior tremble. Meanwhile, the solemn and stern Vita Village stood firm in the swaying darkness of wind and rain, like a heavily armored Spearman wearing iron armor and holding a Spear and sturdy shield. The sharp eyes, the only part exposed beneath the composite Helmet, stared intently at the Enemy who dared to trespass. The tip of the Spear, gleaming with cold light, awaited the nourishment of Blood.
The strongest spear, the sturdiest shield. Who was stronger, who was weaker, would be revealed in the next moment.
"Fire...!!!"
A thunderous electric serpent tore through the Sky. The distorted face of the Soldier in the Watchtower flashed by. A fierce, tearing Roar covered the rumble of thunder and the Fanaticism Shout of the Fallen, spreading across the gloomy Sky.
"Swish... swish... swish..."
Countless Arrows, raising splashing water, poured towards the opposite side. The Sorceresses manipulated the dazzling Ice Bolts, like diamond-shaped drill blades. They whistled as they flew towards the Enemy, but not a single one landed on the Enemy's Heads. Was it a mistake?
No, hundreds of Ice Bolts landed on the Grassland In Front of the Enemy, emitting a "karakara" freezing sound. In a short while, they froze the accumulated Rainwater on the Ground, forming a smooth ice surface several hundred meters wide.
"Whoosh..."
The first Fallen stepped onto it. It stumbled, nearly slipping to the Ground. Falling at this moment was definitely not a pleasant Matter. Just as it was secretly feeling fortunate, the Fallen behind it unexpectedly surged forward. Before it could stand firm, it was pushed to the Ground and instantly buried beneath the surging Footsteps of the Fallen.
"Ah... ah..."
Screams came one after another. The Fallen charging at the very front slipped and fell onto the ice one after another. Before they could get up, they were trampled into paste by their companions following closely behind, becoming stepping stones for the Army's advance.
This wasn't seen in Druv's Operation Plan. It was probably a Strategy decided temporarily after today's rain. Who said people from the Other World were all fools?
However, the Fallen were not so easy to deal with. A few Fallen Shamans hidden within the Army jumped out at the critical moment. They shook their Ghost Head Staffs a few times, and with a few whooshing sounds, they Resurrected most of the Fallen who had been trampled to death.
"Swish... swish..."
Another volley of Arrows shot out from the direction of the Village. This time, the Arrows were more scattered. Upon closer inspection, most of them were shot towards the hundreds of Fallen Shamans who had just appeared. However, due to the obstruction of sight and Arrows by the Rainwater, the Attack Rating showed a relatively large deviation. It seemed this rain had both advantages and disadvantages.
Tens of thousands of Fallen had all charged out. Next, the Zombies and Hungry Dead should have appeared. However, they had all been wiped out halfway. Therefore, following closely behind the Fallen were thousands of Quill Rats and thousands of Dark Hunters and Dark Spearmen.
From this, it could also be seen that the reason for this large gathering of Monsters and their attack on the Village, although not fully understood, was at least based on their Instincts in terms of Combat Style. There was no intelligent Commander manipulating them from behind. Otherwise, it would definitely not have put Ranged Attack Monsters like Quill Rats and Dark Hunters in the same attack group.
As soon as the Quill Rats entered the Battlefield, they immediately became the main Attack Target of the Village. Apart from suppressing the Fallen Shamans, almost all the remaining Arrows were directed towards the Quill Rats behind. In just a short moment, the sharp Screams of the Quill Rats echoed through the rainy day.
At this moment, the Fallen finally charged past the Distance of five kilometers, which was neither far nor near. The Warriors standing opposite the Village could even see their perfectly clear, hideous smiles amidst the intersecting Lightning.
However, no one was nervous, because In Front of them, there was also a Ditch more than ten meters deep. Furthermore, the walls of the Ditch had been Frozen into a smooth ice surface by the Sorceresses beforehand, making it impossible to climb out. To enter the Village, besides filling the entire Ditch, even if there were other Methods, they were not something this group of foolish Monsters could come up with.
"Ah... ah... ah..."
The foremost Fallen saw the impassable Ditch In Front and quickly stopped. However, the companions pushing from behind mercilessly shoved it into the Ditch. The blind advance caused these Fallen to "jump" into the Ditch one after another, like lemmings committing mass suicide, emitting screams of fear.
Meanwhile, the Warriors directly opposite didn't even spare a glance, as if these Fallen did not Exist. They continued to keep their bowstrings taut, because today's Main Course had finally arrived...
Several thousand Skeleton Archers and Dark Wanderers, following closely behind the Quill Rats, came forward. Accompanying them were a considerable Quantity of Skulls and Giant Beasts. This wave of Attack was the Main Course of this War. Eliminating them meant Victory.
The Atmosphere of the entire Battlefield suddenly became heavy. The continuous rain of Arrows also paused for a moment. After the Baptism of more than a dozen rounds of arrow volleys, there were only a few hundred Quill Rats left. The Dark Hunters and Spearmen also suffered heavy Casualties, with less than a thousand remaining at this time, continuing to approach behind the Fallen.
Facing this kind of Battle involving thousands at every turn, I finally realized the powerlessness of a Single Point. In Front of a massive Army, without Strategies as vast as the sea or the Strength/Power to face ten thousand alone, wanting to single-handedly defy fate and change the Battle situation was absolutely a huge joke.
But even so, I had to do something. Even if I couldn't change the Battle situation, I had to keep striving. Doing nothing and doing something, even if it achieved nothing, were two completely different Matters. This was a Battle between myself and myself, a clash between conscience and cowardice.
"Swish..."
In the almost solidified Atmosphere, a crooked Arrow shot out. Amidst the rain of thousands of Arrows that had just occurred, this Arrow seemed so pale and weak, even laughable. However, no one laughed. Their Gaze gathered on a Hillside. There, a thin Figure was diligently shooting out Arrows, one by one, one, two...
Amidst the impact of wind and rain, these Arrows, with their swaying bodies, splashed water as they flew. They landed weakly among the Monster crowd, like feathers, not even stirring a ripple.
Across the gloomy Sky, that Figure, not tall but firm and powerful, and that clumsy Archery, in an instant, a Figure flashed through everyone's minds.
"Not enough. Not enough. I can do more..."
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the Dark Wanderers who were Attacking and being Attracted by me at the same time. The Bow and Arrow in my hand performed extraordinarily, sending Arrows into the Monster crowd repeatedly. Not enough, not enough, I can still, I can still persevere a little longer, I can still Attract more.
I ran around, closely followed by a large group of Dark Wanderers. Hundreds of Arrows, like a splash of ink, pressed down on me. Dense Arrowheads struck my Body, raising small Blood Splatters. The Wounds hadn't closed yet and were replaced by new Arrows. That Feeling, as if being constantly gnawed by hundreds of Ants, was so painful that I almost bit through my lips. If my Defense were a bit higher, it wouldn't hurt so much. As long as I gave up shooting, switched to that Scepter, or immediately used Werebear Form, it would be better.
No!! I gritted my teeth, forcefully suppressing that tempting thought. I looked at my Life, it was okay, I could still withstand another round. The Long Bow in my hand didn't stop at all, one by one, the weak Arrows continued to shoot towards the Monster Army.
"Swish... swish... swish..."
More Dark Wanderers pressing forward launched their second Attack. The sharp Arrowheads, like locusts, slowly magnified in my eyes. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to evade. For the first time, I felt a sense of powerlessness.
Facing the overwhelming rain of Arrows, I subconsciously closed my eyes, preparing to welcome the Pain like being gnawed by ten thousand Ants.
"Awoo..."
The expected Pain did not come. I only heard a mournful cry of Pain. I quickly opened my eyes to look, and the scene that met my eyes instantly made them burn.
Light Snow was standing sideways, firmly In Front of me. Her massive Body completely and securely shielded me. On the other side, she was already a bloody mess. More than a hundred Arrows, not a single one missing, were embedded in her Body.
" Light Snow , fall back..."
For the first time, I used the mandatory Command attached to a Summoning Skill to make Light Snow retreat. A blood-red fierce light flashed in my eyes, but the Bow and Arrow in my hand did not stop. I continued to shoot into the Monster crowd, luring out group after group of Dark Wanderers.
"Swish swish swish..."
In just a few breaths, the third round of Arrows poured over, carrying a more dense and fierce Offensive than the previous two rounds.
"Ah..."
I finally couldn't help but let out a painful Scream, almost dropping the Bow and Arrow in my hand. Even in the most Dangerous moments, I had never experienced this kind of Pain and Torment, like being pierced by ten thousand arrows, as if my Body was being gnawed away bit by bit.
Forcing back the Pain, I quickly glanced at my Life, and couldn't help but gasp. It was already less than one-eighth, even less than I expected. It seemed that among the Dark Wanderers I had Attracted, there must be quite a few Elites and Chieftains.
A wave of fear washed over me. After all, I lacked Experience. I only calculated the Attack Power of Normal Monsters but didn't pay attention to Elites and Chieftains. If there were a few more of them here, I might lose my Life here today.
Thinking of this, I didn't hesitate to shoot the last Arrow already nocked in my hand. Then, I took out the Scepter with one hand and pulled out a Potion of Full Rejuvenation with the other, drinking it down. My Life immediately recovered by one-third. That sense of security after replenishment made me feel at ease.
With the Scepter providing a +2 Resistance Aura, my Defense and Light Snow 's immediately increased significantly. However, this was all I could do. Leading the hundreds of Dark Wanderers I had Attracted, I looked back at Vita Village swaying in the wind and rain. I didn't hesitate to ride on Light Snow , maintaining the Speed just right, slowly dragging the hundreds of Dark Wanderers towards the depths of the Plains.
In Vitrus Village several kilometers away, the thrilling scene on the Hillside was completely witnessed by thousands of people. That thin Figure struggled desperately amidst hundreds of Arrows. The Strength/Power of one person was insignificant to the entire Battle situation, but at this moment, there was one person silently, without regard for Sacrifice, standing at the very front, enduring the terrifying rain of Arrows alone, silently contributing their small Effort, luring the Enemy away one by one.
What is a Hero? What is a Champion? It doesn't require Wisdom that surpasses others in Strategy, nor is it merely the Strength/Power to face ten thousand foes. A true Hero must possess a determination to do their utmost, to press forward bravely, and to persevere until death!
Many Adventurers' eyes were Moist/Teary. They wiped their cheeks mixed with Rainwater. The Long Bows in their hands creaked as they were drawn. A feeling pent up in their chests burst forth as if finding an outlet.
"Can we let Lord's Effort be in vain?"
In the Crowd, someone shouted first.
"No!!"
A thunderous Roar suppressed the roars of tens of thousands of Fallen. The rumbling thunder also seemed so gentle.
"Can we lose?"
"No!!"
"Anyone who takes a step back was born from a Mule-Beast's Buttocks!!"
"Awoo... awoo... awoo...!!!"
The entire Vita Village erupted with the most massive Presence it had ever had. It was as if even the lingering drizzle was boiling and evaporating.
"Brothers, grip your bows tightly!!"
The Guard in the Watchtower. Seeing the Dark Wanderers and Skeleton Archers gradually approaching, shouted at a record-breaking high decibel volume. The Voices quieted down, but the Presence grew stronger and stronger. Everyone who had a bow in hand raised their Long Bows, and the taut bowstrings twanged "deng deng". The most brutal Battle was about to descend. Enduring this trial meant the moment of Victory was not far off.
"Right side, kill them...!!!"
Time seemed to stop. Thousands of people seemed frozen, motionless. The next moment, countless volleys of Arrows, like locusts filling the Sky, poured towards the Army on the right side. And the Sorceresses who had already stored up Mana continued to cast their Magic, Freezing the Ground In Front. Standing on the ice surface lacking friction, the Accuracy of those Monster Archers would be greatly reduced.
"Right side, 30 degrees to the left, continue..."
The first round had just finished shooting, followed immediately by another round. The Archery of the Adventurers was originally superior to that of the Dark Wanderers and Skeleton Archers. Standing on the Platform at this time, they also had the Advantage of looking down, truly occupying all the Geographical Advantage and human factors.
"Ah..."
Hundreds of Screams came from that side. After two rounds of Attack, under the dense Offensive of nearly ten thousand Arrows and Magic, hundreds of Dark Wanderers let out a Scream and fell to the Ground. Unfortunately, affected by the rainy weather, many Arrows were not accurate enough and were blocked by Giant Beasts and Skulls.
The third round... the fourth round...
Hundreds more Dark Wanderers fell. However, Vita Village's Advantage was also nearly exhausted. After the dense Baptism of arrows, these Dark Wanderers and Skeleton Archers had entered their range.
"Splish... splish..."
Many Monsters stepped onto the ice surface and slipped. Some even fell to the Ground, like the Fallen before them, and were trampled into a pulp by the surging Monsters behind. However, more Monsters continued to advance with unsteady Paces.
"Protect the Sorceresses..."
With a few swishing sounds, the Archers standing In Front of the Sorceresses immediately blocked them. Their Bodies were not necessarily stronger than the Sorceresses'.
"Swish... swish..."
The Monster Army's first wave of Offensive was upon them. After the fifth round of Attack, thousands of Arrows retaliated, pouring into the Village.
"Ah..."
Dozens of Screams came from the Crowd. Although these Monsters lacked Command and their Attack Targets were very scattered, with thousands of Arrows present, there were always a few areas that were hit particularly hard. Especially the weakest Low-level Soldiers among them, who couldn't withstand many Arrows. Under the Monster's first counter-Attack, Vita Village suffered Casualties for the first time.
However, the ice surface created by the Sorceresses still played a role. Approximately a hundred Arrows, completely off Target, shot towards the Sky, flying crookedly to who knows where. Some even landed on their own people's Heads.
"Brothers, don't look back, keep shooting..."
This was a moment to seize every second. One more second of action could mean a few less Brothers sacrificed. Therefore, everyone suppressed the grief of wanting to turn back and check, and the Bow and Arrows in their hands were continuously unleashed. Blood stained the entire Plains and also dyed Vita Village red. Death and injury were happening almost every second.
However, a brutal Battle always wears down with Time. After more than ten rounds of fierce Attack and stubborn Defense through continuous shooting, the Quantity of Dark Wanderers and Skeleton Archers on the opposite side had decreased by more than one-third. Although the fierce rain of Arrows was still terrifying, its density had significantly decreased. Therefore, the death rate on Vita Village's side had gradually begun to decrease. More injured Warriors were promptly dragged back to receive medical treatment. On the Monster side, under targeted dense strikes, the death rate remained high. The horn of Victory seemed to be blowing towards Vita Village.