Rhythm of the Assault
Mu-hyuk kicked off his charge, and the Armor Cavalry flanking him immediately accelerated to match.
The Armor Cavalry surged even faster, enveloping the NPC cavalry ahead like a protective shield.
In that formation, they plunged straight into the horde of Paradox Guild summons, as if intent on shredding them apart.
Acceleration Pierce!
Acceleration Pierce!
Acceleration...
The Paradox summons colliding with lance tips and spearheads crumpled into dust.
Those trampled under skeletal hooves were hurled aside, clearing space.
Hiiing!
Thanks to that, both the NPCs and Mu-hyuk could ramp up their speed.
Mu-hyuk flinched.
Attacks rained down from the wall that instant.
Armor Cavalry, full defense!
To save the NPCs, he decided to sacrifice the Armor Cavalry.
Thoom, thoom!
Drumbeats echoed right then.
Two beats—split left and right. The wall attacks must have focused on one spot.
They scattered as ordered, and the biggest explosion erupted right where they'd stood.
The rest of the area saw only scattered, minor hits.
They could shrug those off easily.
Alright, now...
Mu-hyuk whipped his head around.
His eyes met the cavalry captain's, and he nodded.
"Wheel around!"
The NPC cavalry looped behind the Paradox summons, unleashing a barrage.
Mu-hyuk pressed forward without pause, eyes locked on the wall to track their next moves.
Personnel change.
They unleashed skills again.
Defense!
He raised shields, ducking behind the Armor Cavalry to bide time.
Armor Cavalry 5 reverse summoned.
Armor Cavalry 8 reverse summoned...
Some frontline Armor Cavalry melted away.
Mid- and rear-guard took hits too, but they could hold for now.
Charge ahead!
He ignored the crumbling summons. Figuring out something more crucial came first.
The wall figures vanished again, new ones popping up to spam skills.
He hurriedly spread the Armor Cavalry left and right.
Kwaaang!
Dodging the strikes, Mu-hyuk pondered.
Three swaps already.
He blasted dust to obscure vision, then refocused on the wall.
Zeroing in on the center figure let him spot the change instantly.
Another swap.
Four total now.
Meaning four teams in rotation.
Any more?
Another shift, but back to the originals.
Mu-hyuk raised his hand.
Four fingers spread. The archer read it perfectly and approached Ye-rin.
"Four fingers."
"Four teams rotating attacks, then."
"Yes."
Ye-rin's eyes gleamed.
She beat the drum once.
Three seconds later.
Three beats.
Thoom, thoom, thooom.
Leaving some to handle Paradox summons, she sent the rest to the main gate.
Skeletons split into two teams.
Team 1 would bullet-sponge en route to the gate.
Team 2 drew wall fire and attention while rushing to back Mu-hyuk.
*
Rose bellowed.
"Group 2! Everyone to the north side gate! Block anyone approaching!"
"Yes!"
"Group 1, keep circling and hitting them!"
"Got it!"
A huge chunk of Group 2 bolted north, flinging open the side gate.
"Hurry, out!"
"Move it!"
They filed out four abreast.
With numbers like that, it'd take time just to exit.
Mu-hyuk spotted it, eyes flashing as he veered toward the side gate.
Once close enough, he drew his longsword and morphed it into a bow.
Storm, Multishot.
A volley hammered the lead users.
Storm, Powerful Shot.
If they all poured out, Mu-hyuk and his skeletons couldn't hold alone.
They'd swarm the approaching First Guild members, linking with wall attacks for massive casualties.
NPCs got death protection here, sure—but Mu-hyuk wanted victory with minimal losses anyway.
He aimed to crush their spirits, make them taste utter despair from the power gap.
How? Slow their exit to a crawl.
Kwaaang!
The blast scattered Paradox users, already gumming up the side gate exodus.
Inside, Rose yelled in frustration.
"You idiots, if it's jammed, use another side gate!"
"Ah, right!"
They finally scattered to all four side gates.
Mu-hyuk had anticipated it.
He'd known about the four gates from the start.
He split arriving skeletons to cover the others.
Watching, Rose scowled and stepped forward.
"Tch, annoying bastard. Everyone, move!"
She shoved guildmates aside, raised her hand.
A spear materialized in midair, gripped and hurled like a javelin.
Fire Spear rocketed at Mu-hyuk with terrifying speed—but
Kwaaang!
Too straight-line; he blocked easily with his shield.
You take 385 damage.
Bigger hit than expected; he marveled inwardly.
385...!
Without the shield, over 3,000 HP gone in one shot.
Qualified top ranker, no doubt.
But no AoE spells, probably.
That'd hit her own side.
Single-target only, then—blockable with shield or evadable with Wind Step.
"Idiots, get out now!"
"Yes!"
Of course Rose knew. Her strikes just bought her guild time to slip out.
He tried blocking, but her barrage hampered him.
Still, plenty escaped in short order. Mu-hyuk didn't retreat.
"Fuck, finally out!"
"Let's fight for real!"
"Die, skull fucker!"
Paradox users charged out with feral momentum.
Krunch.
Skeletons shattered too easily.
Mu-hyuk risked encirclement in the enemy ranks, but his face stayed calm.
He'd positioned Burtan right behind via line-of-sight command.
A faint smile, then backflip.
Burtan exposed.
------------!
Ki blast erupted.
"M-my body won't move!"
"Ugh, uuaaah..."
Then the Giant Cyclops infiltrated too.
Kuuung!
Mu-hyuk advanced anew, striking a staggering foe.
Morale stacked on Red Dagger transfers to character.
+6 enhancement dagger—plenty of punch.
One more...!
Giant Cyclops drawing aggro gave him breathing room.
He could solo dozens now.
Thought became action; Mu-hyuk moved without hesitation.
Meanwhile.
As Mu-hyuk and skeletons stalled Paradox rush from the four side gates, First Guild advanced steadily, using skeletons as shields toward the main gate.
Distance to gate already quartered.
Thoom, thoom!
Two beats—scatter left and right.
Krang! Kwarung!
Barrage hit their old spot.
Thanks to Mu-hyuk's intel on the four wall teams, Ye-rin controlled perfectly, keeping casualties negligible.
She watched the wall, drumming at every shift.
Thoom!
One beat—skeletons and guildies moved swift. Surged forward, converging like a spearhead. Ye-rin smiled at the seamless coordination.
Thoom!
Frontal push, then another.
Accelerate.
"Speed up!"
Exploit personnel swap gaps to close distance.
Paradox wouldn't sit idle.
Wall users appeared, skills flying—Ye-rin drummed.
Thoom! Thoom!
Scatter, evade.
Without drums, such organic moves impossible amid allies and foes blurring vision.
But focused solely on beats, they synced perfectly.
En route.
A rear archer rode up beside the knight captain.
"In range!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
Captain raised sword.
Ye-rin hammered the drum vigorously.
Thoom-thoom! Thoom-thoom!
Archers, mages, and ranged Team 1 skeletons unleashed on the wall.
Downward shots fly farther; upward ones lose range.
Only now, close enough, could they strike up.
Kwarung!
Wall users panicked amid the sudden volley.
Thoom!
Ye-rin beat once—accelerate.
Rear held fire on wall, giving front breathing room.
Easier gate approach.
Thoom! Thoom!
Instant scatter.
Precise command chain.
Skeletons tanking hits.
Synergy beyond imagination.
Moments later.
As side-gate blocking skeletons mostly fell.
"Hoo."
Mu-hyuk pulled back.
"Made it?"
Sung Min-woo greeted him.
"Yeah, tougher than expected."
"But we're way closer to the gate now."
Closer than Mu-hyuk had planned.
"True."
"Think we got this?"
Mu-hyuk grinned at the question.
"More than—this seals it."
Mop up incoming, push a bit more—gate.
Breach and enter? Victory odds skyrocket.
Mu-hyuk raised hand.
Thoom-thoom, thoom-thoom, thoom-thoom!
All-out assault signal.
"Let's go."
"Roger!"
Time for full melee chaos.