Ednfelt Wall (1)
I opened my eyes. Once again, I was atop a familiar medieval-style wall.
This time, everything seems intact.
I glanced around, spotting soldiers lined up in neat formation behind the wall. Their ranks were straight, their gear in top condition. Here and there, I saw soldiers in different armor, probably rare-grade units they had trained themselves. Positioned between squads, they must be acting as squad leaders. The preparations were thorough. Sure, most walls were like that, but the tension in the air felt excessive.
Top-tier readiness, over-the-top tension, and a 2,000 Cron mercenary. Nine times out of ten, it meant one thing.
Boss wave.
A boss, huh... If it came to that someday, I had some tests I wanted to run. Would a boss count as an elite monster? Would my 1,000% damage bonus apply to bosses? The answer would change the strategy entirely—and my value as a unit.
Well... I'm not the commander anymore anyway.
Plus, this sudden summon had interrupted me right after activating First Kiss Addict, so I hadn't checked my other skills. Embarrassing as it was, I muttered status window! Status window! under my breath, but nothing happened. Looked like pop-ups only worked in the Waiting Room.
"Greetings. Berga, sir. I am Lena Kraus, supreme commander of Ednfelt Wall."
"Got it, confirmed."
I responded reflexively to the voice from behind. It was just like replying to my professor's KakaoTalk messages—habits die hard. Especially when he was the only one who ever messaged me.
I turned to see the commander named Lena.
Blonde hair, blue eyes. A girl with straight locks reaching her waist, fluttering in the wind—out of place on a battlefield. Her youthful face matched the brand-new armor she wore. Seeing her in similar medieval gear reminded me of Casey.
Why are they all women? Coincidence?
As my mind wandered, Lena continued.
"The reason I summoned you ahead of time is..."
She trailed off, as expected. No matter how this world worked, a rookie commander facing a boss wave—probably her first? It'd be weirder if she wasn't worried. That's why she'd called in this expensive merc.
"It's the boss wave, right?"
"Yes... that's correct."
Lena bit her lip and looked away.
Doesn't like asking for help?
I almost said something about appropriate investment being a hallmark of a great commander... but stopped myself. No point guessing wrong and embarrassing myself. Besides, I was more like a dispatched contractor. What if there was some review system and she docked my stars? Better keep unnecessary chatter to a minimum.
"Don't worry, Commander. I'll make sure I'm worth more than the resources you've invested."
Perfect. It eased her anxiety, acknowledged the huge sum she'd spent on me, respected her position, and showed proper deference as a mere unit. Even I thought it was gold. That'd be my opening line for future sales pitches. Years as my professor's slave were finally paying off.
Or maybe not. Either way, Lena's expression softened, so it landed well.
"Yes. I trust you... Do you need any specific support?"
This was the key moment. No greed here. Acting like I knew the business inside out would get me sent packing. What mattered was defining territories—for the clear and contributions.
"I'm good. I know it might not sit well with you as the one in command, but I'm used to solo ops. Here's the plan: I'll focus on the boss. While you're holding the wave, you won't have to worry about it at all."
I'd elegantly declared I'd take the cherry on top of the cake. Boss kill was mine, and if I cleaned up fast, I'd snag plenty of excess contributions from the regulars too.
That's what you paid for, right?
"Yes... Understood."
She had no idea about my wave-stealing scheme, and relief washed over her face. I extended my right hand in a show of good faith.
Lena tilted her head, puzzled. She looked at my hand, my face, then back at my hand.
Ignoring a handshake like that is harsh...
This world probably didn't have handshakes. It had to be that. I smoothly redirected my outstretched arm to point beyond the wall.
Did she read my embarrassment as a dispatch worker? The portal at the end of my awkward gesture pulsed larger and smaller. The signal for the wave's start.
"Here it comes."
No sooner had I spoken than the ground rumbled. Lena's expression hardened. Monsters poured from the distant portal. True to a boss wave, they had a unified composition—same type marching in formation like an army.
Familiar sight. Squinting through Berga's sharp eyes, I made out the shapes in the dust cloud: goblins mounted on wolves. Small spears in hand, hunched low on the wolves' backs.
Goblin riders? Damn it. Of all things, goblin riders.
"Goblin... riders, huh."
"Ah! Really? Then the stakes will work great!"
Lena's face brightened a bit. No, Commander, that's not the issue...
Goblin riders come with three bosses...
I'm a one-shot glass cannon...
I squeezed my eyes shut. No helping it—the wave had started.
Lena, gauging my reaction, asked cautiously.
"Are you... worried?"
Yeah. Hell yeah. Even if I slice one wolf-goblin combo, what if the other two gang up?
But a 2,000 Cron merc couldn't whine. One line was all I needed.
"Not at all. We'll win."
I leaped lightly from the wall.
I landed lightly before the gate. Looking around, I saw it was the center of the stake field.
Hmm... kill zone, huh.
Lena seemed like a solid commander. Slanted stakes funneled the monsters' path. Then archers and ballistae on the wall would rain arrows. The frontline troops meeting my gaze were light infantry, as expected—mobile enough to retreat anytime. Five-man squads armed with round shields, short swords—probably herders. Using the wall as an anvil and a high-spec merc as the hammer.
I couldn't help but smile.
She's got skills.
I liked her approach to preserving troops. Unlike Casey, who just trusted the wall and arrows until collapse, then charged. Brute-forcing it was suicide, not strategy. At least Lena had the tactician's mindset.
Just do my part. That's all.
But it might not be easy. Stealth-ambush glass cannon build. Wolves had keen senses, paired perfectly with goblins. Solid backup. And three bosses. Kill one wolf intact, the other two would tag-team me. Berga's specs were great, but First Kiss Addict cooldown was once per fight. Re-stealth while surrounded and backstab again? Unrealistic.
A tanky hero could've held all three while troops whittled them. Hmm... can I pull this off?
I had to. To survive. And it wasn't impossible.
Troop waves approached. The ground shook. I jumped onto the first stake.
Pure Step. The agile footwork made it less a jump, more levitation. Next stake. Then the next. Hopping between them, I activated Shadow Step and overlooked the field.
Below, goblin riders thundered past. Not too many. Smart ones. They'd send regular riders first to crash the line. Stakes wouldn't hold forever. Trading vanguard for kill zone.
Even losing the front, they'd think they had the edge. Disperse the fire, and scaling the wall was nothing for the bosses.
Smarter than they looked. From the outermost stake, I tensed my legs. Something unlike blood filled my thighs, surged down calves to soles.
Skill activation feel?
I soared. Pure Step wasn't normal, but this all-out leap felt like running across the sky. Wind brushed my cheeks.
Shadow Step still active, right...!
At the apex, I plummeted like a meteor toward the bosses' rear.
Landing skill? Shadow Step effect? Whatever—silent, traceless touchdown right beside them.
The three bosses were wrapped in double layers of guards. Dense formation; airborne strike on one would trigger instant surround. Not yet.
That guard line would loosen. I'd played Fortress of End long enough. Goblin on wolf or cart, their sly habits never changed. When odds favored, they'd charge without hesitation.
So I waited. Shadow Step holding, until they mistook it for victory.
A roar echoed—probably vanguard riders smashing stakes through arrow fire. Groans, screams. Mid-grind, the bosses chuckled among themselves. What's so funny?
Cheers and impacts intensified. Archers steadily thinning the front. Good flow. Hope those herders pulled their weight without dying.
Another roar, but different. Instinct screamed: stakes broken. Wolves slamming the wall now.
Wall commanders, make the right calls. Arrows hit climbing goblins true.
I held my breath, praying. Minutes passed? The three bosses shifted heavy haunches. Sly grins, guttural grunts, then waved off guards.
Guards—elite?—moved way faster than regulars.
Finally, just three. Six? Whatever. Wall at 12 o'clock from bosses, me at 6. Watched only the massive wolves' heels from behind.
The moment those thighs tensed...
Pure Step. Dagger slash from mid-air.