Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: The Walking Citadel
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The white spider Hilrob could overwhelm the Rakshasas simply by walking.
No matter how seasoned a Rakshasa warrior approached Hilrob, it could dodge the attack merely by raising one of its eight legs to head height.
The warrior lunging for the leg would then stand there dumbfounded, sword raised overhead, only to have its brow pierced and die on the spot.
But the Rakshasas didn't believe they could keep attacking Hilrob up close forever.
With physical abilities superior to Sapiens, the Rakshasas could deliver lethal blows using nothing more than stone-throwing and slings.
Of course, it didn't amount to much.
Hilrob's tough exoskeleton was far thicker than that of ordinary Pangolins, making it difficult for Rakshasa ranged attacks to inflict any real damage.
However, Hilrob despised the very fact that a mere mortal unbeliever—a lowly creature—was daring to attack it. So it danced lightly, folding and unfolding its long legs to evade the assaults, slipped silently behind buildings, then appeared like a ghost at the enemies' backs to strike.
Gordius, by contrast, differed from Hilrob, who spread death like a fever through the civilian homes.
Gordius targeted the Rakshasas lurking among them, hunting Basen and the Pangolins. He smashed them, stomped them down, or kicked them away with his hind legs in a single motion.
The Rakshasas flew dozens of meters out of the temple without understanding what hit them—believing their guardian Koprik had gone mad—or were reduced to pulp. Occasionally, they were torn apart by sharp claws.
However, Akulda had regained his senses and belatedly issued proper orders, so they now had to be more cautious.
"Koprik's gone mad! I don't know why, but this must all be the scheme of that Pangolin and the outsider! Half the warriors buy time—the rest descend the temple and kill them!"
But just as Gordius had experienced in mock battles, no Rakshasas climbed over the pyramid temple—built of stacked stones—to approach Basen and the Pangolins.
When Gordius first seized Koprik's body, he had struggled to adapt.
His original form was little more than an earthworm, so controlling a body with eyes, jaws, four legs, and a tail had been difficult.
But now, Gordius wielded it as skillfully as the real Koprik—no, perhaps even more adeptly than the old Koprik ever had.
He bounded leisurely across the temple's high steps and devoured Rakshasas whole.
Akulda, terrified as Gordius drove the Rakshasas out of the temple and drew closer step by step, began to retreat.
'At this rate, even exhausting every warrior won't stop him. I have to escape!'
Unfortunately, Akulda was mistaken about one crucial thing.
He didn't know Koprik had long been possessed by Gordius, and that all of this was merely part of a scripted plan.
Even his own retreat fell squarely within that plan.
Basen Rak Orzan, Mago, and the Pangolins sliced down the charging Rakshasas with their blades from atop the dais.
Though larger in bulk, the Rakshasas were armed with mere clubs, while Basen and the Pangolins wielded small but razor-sharp daggers and sickles.
And that was far from all.
Exploiting the warriors' weakened defenses, the Pangolin assault on the city pressed onward.
-Kaboom!
The volley of matchlock fire was now a nightmare for the Rakshasas.
The elite squad led by Tione Itimo crossed Siol's main gate and handed weapons to Basen and the Pangolins who had held the line until now.
"Thanks, Captain."
"Don't mention it."
"The temple's on high ground—should be advantageous for defense."
Tione glanced back sharply.
"Well, the Pangolins look set to seize the city any moment... but duly noted, Commander."
Basen watched 3,000 armed Pangolin troops flood into the city.
Only some carried matchlocks, but the defending Rakshasas were few in number and gripped by panic.
Basen smirked, then led Mago and the Pangolin elites charging up the temple.
His target was Governor Akulda.
More precisely, to assist so the Pangolins could capture him themselves.
If the Pangolins took Akulda, it would become a symbolic triumph—Rakshasas would never dare look down on them again.
'But... Akulda's more craven than I imagined.'
As Basen and the Pangolins raced to the temple's far side, Akulda came into view, already fleeing down below.
To Basen's eyes, the Pangolins' short legs made pursuit seem unlikely.
Fortunately, Hilrob and Gordius held the line fiercely, leaving no Rakshasa warriors to block the path between the Pangolins and Akulda. But if Akulda mounted one of the rhinoceroses the Rakshasas used as mounts and bolted, they might lose him.
'Letting him escape would be disastrous. At that distance, even sprinting full-out, I couldn't catch him. If the Pangolins can't... request Hilrob's aid...'
As Basen mulled this, Pangolin Mago belatedly spotted Akulda and pointed.
"Ah, there's Akulda!"
Mago shouted.
"Roll!"
Basen beheld a bizarre spectacle.
Without a moment's hesitation, the Pangolins barreled down the stairs, curling into tight balls.
Using their matchlocks as makeshift axles, they began rolling down the steps.
"...What?"
When Basen first encountered Pangolins, he'd assumed their ability to curl up was solely for fleeing.
But it had other uses.
Mago, accelerating fiercely down the incline, hit the ground first.
But Mago didn't stop—kept rolling.
The slope's momentum granted speed beyond any race's sprint.
"Akulda! Vengeance for all Pangolins!"
Mago uncurled, snapping seamlessly into a standing firing stance.
Its body, evolutionarily perfected for rolling via a wondrous semicircular canal, kept the gun barrel rock-steady.
Akulda whipped around in shock upon hearing his name from behind.
"This is Katyuru's retribution!"
Mago's muzzle belched fire.
The battle ended in victory.
The Pangolins had conquered a Rakshasa city twice their size.
Basen ordered the civilians driven out and the warriors taken prisoner.
Some Pangolins pitied the destitute Rakshasas and argued for sharing food and water; others claimed holding the warriors served no purpose. Basen sighed but felt relieved to be in command.
He explained that the jungle teemed with food anyway, their next village was just two days away—so it was their problem—and that warrior POWs could be traded later to free Pangolins captured elsewhere.
Mago had already become a Pangolin hero.
Pangolins had lived in tribal societies until now, but with Rakshasa-like kingdoms in mind, Mago was likely to be crowned king. All thanks to that legendary roll in Pangolin history.
For reference, Basen ranked second in likelihood, Fesa third. Pangolins admired Fesa's size and strength.
Basen naturally declined, but Tione had to deliver a lengthy explanation to Fesa on why he couldn't become Pangolin king.
The city gradually stabilized, with festival-like nights passing several times.
Basen and Mago were compiling intelligence from interrogating Rakshasa POWs.
"Did you know about this, Mago?"
Basen Rak Orzan asked.
Pangolin Mago replied.
"Gosh, I'd heard rumors... but never dreamed it was literal."
Basen frowned briefly, then nodded.
"Fair enough. Even I'd dismiss 'a walking castle' as metaphor rather than take it at face value."
The 'castle' Basen referred to was the mobility of the Ashurada Rakshasas' supreme ruler—the so-called Great Ashurada.
This intelligence reached the players simultaneously.
Runda clapped her hands.
"No way—a mobile fortress? That means we secure two of the top ten ancient ruins now?"
Krampus said.
"No, we don't have it yet."
Seong-un pondered the ten great ancient sites.
Lost World held countless ancient ruins, but unlike fixed features like continents, mountains, or rivers, their locations constantly shifted.
Predicting exact positions was impossible this time too.
These ruins likely concealed resources, items, and technologies beneficial to players.
Among them, the ten great ancient sites were the best known to players.
'Four towers, three citadels, two walls, one path.'
In Seong-un's view, not all ten were truly useful—others existed that were—but their fame stemmed from genuine utility.
Of these, one from the three citadels had already surfaced on the Third Continent: Autonomy.
'Fine so far, but as tech and magic advance, its value will naturally soar. A solid ancient site.'
Others were strongly suspected to exist elsewhere.
The Third Continent was ripe for discoveries, so the unexplored northern peninsula, eastern mountains, or harsh regional wilds likely hid the Swallowed Tower or Last Path.
Though locations randomized, each site's attributes allowed educated guesses.
'Like the Great Wall, definitively spawning on the Second Continent.'
Securing Mobility before other players discovered it was sheer luck.
Unlike sites hard to exploit immediately upon discovery, Mobility was instantly usable.
'Because... it walks.'
Quite literally.
Mobility consisted of towering walls enclosing a vast garden and a crumbling citadel—complete with several enormous metal legs protruding outward.
A control room allowed joystick operation in any direction.
'Perfect for mass troop transport, a temporary capital, or even a siege engine in a pinch.'
It had movement limits and could be countered by destroyer-class creations, so not the absolute best ancient site—but possession would tilt situations favorably.
At that moment, Jangwan strode into Conference Room 1.
"Not sure if this is bad news or good."
"What is it?"
"Learned what the Great Ashurada is, through my creation."
Seong-un asked.
"News that's both bad and good? Spill it."
Jangwan said.
"The Great Ashurada is a dragon."
Seong-un realized it was indeed both bad news... and good.