69. The Great Wave (3)
Lop Standem Marquis bit his lip.
"Ahem! I was quite rude last time."
He had just bowed his head slightly toward Wayne, who was young enough to be his grandson, and offered a polite apology. His pride stung, but his opponent was the man whom the lords responsible for the grand territories' fortresses had sent as their representative.
"Whew! If I'd believed you back then, the Emperor's knights would already be here by now, and then..."
He wouldn't have suffered this humiliation. Lop Standem swallowed those bitter words. He already knew why they had sent a separate representative instead of deferring to him, the Emperor's close aide and fortress commander. Everyone knew Wayne had strongly warned him about the monster wave and the Great Wave.
Yet he had dismissed the boy without verification, calling him too young. If he had stepped up to take command, they would have abandoned the fortress and fallen back. After all, they all owed Wayne a debt of gratitude.
Wayne bowed his head slightly in return.
"No, sir. If I'd given you a more precise timeline for the monster wave, you might have believed me. I lacked the information back then, too."
"I'm grateful for those words."
What was done was done, and Lop Standem Marquis had to make the best of it. This wasn't just about his own neck—it was the fate of Westline Fortress and his house's survival on the line. The Empress who had placed him in this command post would also see her position shaken badly.
"For now, as you suggested, I've blocked the escape of the minor territory armies and mercenaries, and issued a total mobilization order including merchants, commoners, and slaves."
"Well done, sir. We'll assign them to rear support."
Moreover, Wayne was already commanding the forward defense line in front of the fortress.
"So, when do you think it'll start?"
"If you're talking about the ant legion's attack, it's already begun."
"What? Already?"
"Let's head up to the fortress wall. I'll show you."
Atop the colossal fortress, thirty stories high. Through the telescope, a pitch-black shadow blanketed the barren yellowish-brown earth ahead.
"Y-You're saying that's all ant monsters?!"
Lop Standem gasped in shock.
"That's just the first wave."
"What? The first?!"
"Fortunately, they'll only send forces toward this 3km stretch of wall we're defending. If we hold here, we can stop the monster legion. But the battle will drag on endlessly, day and night for days."
In other words, they could buy time—as long as the defense line didn't break.
"What's the maximum range of the fortress cannons?"
"Hold on a moment."
Lop Standem Marquis called over Baron Cain, the artillery commander.
"Cain, this is Sir Wayne, in charge of the lower defense line. Tell him everything you know and support him with firepower."
"Yes, sir."
Lop Standem subtly shifted responsibility to Wayne and stepped back. If the fortress seemed about to fall, he planned to slip away quietly and pin all the blame on Wayne.
Wayne first asked about the range of the Peacemaker, the massive cannon designed for hunting monsters.
"Maximum range is about 5km."
"And maximum destructive power?"
"Up to 2.5km. Beyond that, it becomes indirect fire, arcing in a parabola and losing punch at impact."
"Minimum range?"
"Lowering the barrel fully gets us about 1km."
"Good. When I signal from below, concentrate fire 1km ahead. Otherwise, always target the 2km mark."
"Yes, sir! Understood."
No need for precise aiming—just blast the black masses, swarming with ant monsters.
"One more thing—plenty of powder and shells?"
"Of course. This is the final defense line against the Great Forest!"
Supplies were ample, enough for five or six hours of cannon support per day. More than that risked overheating the guns.
"Ah, the first wave hits in two hours. Fire when they enter range."
"Got it. Um..."
"Yes?"
"Can we really hold them?"
Wayne chuckled softly.
"Of course. Westline's history will continue unbroken."
Wayne gathered his squad members to prepare for the monsters.
"Monsters!"
"Ant monsters incoming!"
The black shadow advanced, bathed in the evening glow. To the soldiers today, the setting sun felt blood-red.
"First Squad advances first!"
Squad Leader Curtis stood. His squadmates rose with him. Sara, Glen, Mark, Nancy, and Loren made up First Squad; Bastian and seven Gigant pilots formed Second Squad. First Squad had the edge in combat endurance thanks to their Odd Holes, so they had six members to Second Squad's eight.
"Squad Leader, wanna bet on who kills more?"
Curtis smirked at Nancy's words.
"This time, pure numbers—no monster grades."
"Deal."
Sara shook her head.
"I bet five gold on Nancy."
"Me too, on Nancy..."
"Same!"
"What? If everyone's betting on Nancy, the bet's pointless!"
Sara snapped in annoyance. Wayne stepped in.
"Then I'll bet on Curtis."
"Only the boss gets it."
"A hundred gold says Curtis wins."
"Ugh! Talk about jinxing me."
Curtis shook his head.
"Alright! First Squad, move out!"
As First Squad advanced, Wayne turned to the others.
"Squad Leader Bastian, keep two on standby for rotation at midnight. The rest, eat well and rest up. This battle's gonna be a marathon."
"Yes, sir! We know."
Wayne moved next to where the dwarves were gathered.
"Wayne! It begins at last?"
Yulih boomed.
"Yeah! It'll be a long fight. Steel Golems in groups of five, rotating. Dwarf warriors—stay behind the Gigants. Only handle stragglers that slip past."
"Got it, Wayne!"
"And thanks. This isn't your fight, but you're stepping up."
The dwarf trio stepped forward.
"Wayne! You carry our ancestors' legacy! Your foes are ours!"
"Right! Let's crush these ant monsters!"
"Fight! For Valhalla!"
"Waaaaah! Valhalla!"
As the trio rallied, the other dwarves raised axes and spears, roaring.
"Yulih! I'll lead first."
"Go, Brock!"
Great Warrior Brock led the trio and Steel Golems forward. Yulih wasn't thrilled. Wayne had given them ten Steel Golems—ancestral relics, true—but held back on the King's Hammer usage, Valhalla Gate activation, and golem core finalization. And taking orders from Wayne chafed.
"Kuok! Orcs fight!"
Bardetu brimmed with newfound confidence.
"No! Orcs don't fight. Keep up the breathing exercises I taught and train your stamina."
"Orcs can fight!"
"I know. Orcs have a crucial mission coming. Save your strength. Ah, if our line buckles, sortie once then."
"Bardetu understands!"
"Kuoook!"
As Wayne issued final orders and headed to his Gigant, a voice called.
"Sir Wayne, when do I fight?"
Sabina waited. She wasn't assigned to any squad yet.
"I brought plenty of arrows. Let me fight too."
Wayne eyed her thoughtfully.
"Lady Sabina, from the rear, snipe large ants over six meters with your bow. Aim for the antennae—their weak point."
"Yes, sir! I'll do my best."
"And always keep half your stamina and Odd in reserve."
"Pardon?"
"Something big's coming—unknown timing. You'll join me on a vital mission. Need your archery skills."
"Ah! Special mission?"
"And extremely dangerous."
"Doesn't matter. I'll make myself useful."
Wayne hadn't planned to bring her at first, but seeing her, he realized bow support against the queen ant would help.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
Boom! Boom-boom! Boom!
The massive Peacemaker cannons atop the fortress walls spat fire. The roar was like thunder itself.
Kaboom! Kwa-kwang! Kaboom!
"Kwek!"
"Kieeeek!"
Sixty-four-pound shells the size of a man's head crushed two worker ants on impact, sweeping three more behind them. The anti-monster cannons packed devastating power.
Kwaaang! Kwa-kwa-kwang!
"Whoa! Incredible!"
"Sweep 'em away!"
"Waaaaah!"
The forward defense line soldiers cheered wildly. Each barrage wiped out hundreds of ant monsters in an instant. But the ant legion's advance was just beginning.
Boom! Boom!
Shells poured down deafeningly, yet the ants surged relentlessly, cresting the hill.
The 300-meter hillside. At its peak waited the humans' Gigants.
"Kikigik!"
"Keeeek!"
As monsters closed in, Wayne amplified his voice across the battlefield with aura.
[If we fall back, the Empire falls!]
[If we fall back, our territories fall!]
[And our families die! So never retreat!]"
Wayne's Predator raised its flail high.
[Death to the monsters!]"
"Waaaaaaaah!"
"Waaaah! Valhalla!"
Whoosh! Splaaat!
Wayne's flail smashed a worker ant's head, igniting the grueling battle. He sent red Odd afar.
'Find the queen nearby!'
Eleven, 10km left of the line, bolted forward like an arrow.
A fierce wave crashed, but the line held firm. Amid battle, Wayne scanned with red and yellow Odd, never forgetting.
His body brimmed with vast quantities of various Odds.
"Charge! For Valhalla!"
Five hundred dwarf warriors dashed right. Worker ants had pierced the lead Gigants there. Two-meter E-rank monsters, but terrifying to humans.
Thud! Thud-thud!
Dwarf spearmen pinned them first with long spears, then axemen finished them. Having fought big beasts before, dwarves handled two-meter ants easily.
With rear secured by dwarves, front Gigants focused solely ahead.
Curtis checked his squad.
"Yes, sir!"
He sent energetic Nancy and fresh Glen Jacob. Lorenne's faltering Gigants stabilized with their arrival.
But ants kept coming endlessly. Soon, the entire front began yielding ground bit by bit.
Piiiing! Boom!
Baron Cain atop the fortress spotted Sabina's flare.
"Urgent! Lower barrels to minimum!"
"Lower the barrels!"
The Peacemaker targeted 1km ahead of the fortress.