The Fourth Wave (1)

A little over an hour remained until the fourth wave began.

Lee Si-hyun and I were making our combat preparations ahead of the final wave.

I swept the scattered rocks and broken branches off to one side. Trip over something mid-fight and you could end up paying the King of Hell a personal visit — so this kind of groundwork was worth doing thoroughly.

Lee Si-hyun moved along the perimeter as well, slicing away the low-hanging branches that would have blocked our line of sight with blades of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠water. A sharp cut rang out, and the severed limbs dropped to the forest floor.

"That enough?"

"Yeah. At least we won't be tripping over anything in the middle of a fight."

Even if the monsters came charging from the front, there was enough space for Lee Si-hyun to cast, and two possible escape routes if things went south. I pointed toward the path I'd already scouted.

"If it gets dangerous, we fall back that way."

"The right?"

"Yeah. The trees are too dense on the left — we'd get surrounded."

"Got it."

Lee Si-hyun checked the direction I'd indicated one more time, then nodded.

"And this time, don't attack right away."

"Why not?"

"We don't know what kind of monsters are going to show up."

The monsters from the previous waves had been straightforward, for the most part. Goblins and orcs charging head-on, goblin archers loosing arrows from behind them. That was about it. But this was the final wave. There was no guarantee they would come at us the same way.

In the original novel, the last wave was far harder than anything that came before it.

Of course, with fewer people here, the difficulty had been scaled down from the original. Even so, the final wave was nothing we could afford to take lightly.

"Confirm their numbers and positions first, then we move."

"And after that?"

"Same as before — you take the front."

I scanned the gaps between the surrounding trees as I went on.

"If anything's attacking from range or using magic, I'll call it out first."

"Then I take them out?"

"Yeah. If the ones up front get in your way, I'll open a gap for you."

Lee Si-hyun seemed to think it over for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright."

That settled our roles, simple as they were. The battlefield was cleared. Escape routes confirmed. Responsibilities assigned. Everything we could prepare was done.

I drew a slow breath and looked out over the cleared grove.

"...Think we can get through this in one piece?"

"Hmm?"

The moment the worry slipped out of me, a teasing voice came from beside me. I turned my head to find Lee Si-hyun leaning in slightly, peering straight at my face.

"What."

"Yesterday you said we'd get through it just fine."

The corner of her mouth tugged upward.

"And now you're nervous?"

"It'd be weirder if I wasn't."

"Well, that's true."

She straightened up with a small laugh.

"But like you said — we've done alright so far."

"......"

"So let's do the last one right, too."

I looked at her for a moment, then let out a short laugh.

"Obviously."

I wasn't sure how much time had passed. I stood in the center of the clearing and stared at the system window hovering in front of me.

Before I knew it, less than ten seconds remained. Beside me, Lee Si-hyun gathered mana at her fingertips and watched the depths of the forest. The girl who had been laughing and teasing me only minutes ago was gone. In her place stood someone locked entirely on the fight ahead. I steadied my own breathing.

Five seconds. Four. Three.

The forest had gone unnaturally still. Not even the rustle of leaves in the wind reached us.

And then, at last—

The numbers on the system window froze.

A deep rumble tore through the earth. The ground beneath our feet began to shake violently, the surrounding trees shuddering under the vibration as leaves rained down in a rustling cascade.

The moment I read the list of monsters floating in front of me, my mouth fell open on its own.

Hold on.

A single C-rank ogre. That alone was dangerous enough — and mixed in with it were orcs to hold the front, plus shamans and goblin archers to support from the rear.

And we're supposed to kill all of this with two people?

A heavy impact thudded from deep in the forest, something slamming into the ground. Another thud. Then another. The massive footsteps drew steadily closer, and at last a colossal shadow emerged between the trees.

It stood well over twice the height of a grown man. In one thick arm it carried a wooden club large enough to pulp a person in a single swing.

"Grrrrr..."

The ogre let out a low rumble as it looked down at us. Behind it, two orcs and a cluster of goblins stepped into view one by one.

Lee Si-hyun's face had gone rigid.

"...This is the last wave?"

"Looks like it."

I drew up my mana as I took in the monsters arrayed before us.

"There's a few more than I expected."

The ogre raised its club.

"GRAAAAAH!!!"

It slammed the weapon into the earth. Dirt and shards of stone exploded in every direction.

"They're coming!"

The monsters surged forward the instant I shouted. The goblin archers moved first, fanning out to the left and right behind the ogre and drawing their bowstrings as one. The taut creak of wood sang out from every corner of the forest.

"Si-hyun."

"I know."

Lee Si-hyun thrust both hands forward. The water droplets hovering around her rushed together into a single point.

"Water Barrier."

A roaring column ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of water surged upward and unfurled across our front. A heartbeat later, the goblins loosed as one. Twang after twang cracked through the air, and the arrows slammed into the water wall, their force dying almost instantly. They pattered to the ground in a harmless rain.

That was when another heavy footfall rolled through the clearing. The ogre was walking toward us, each step sending a low tremor through the earth.

"Should we stop that thing first?"

Lee Si-hyun was staring at the ogre as she spoke.

"No."

I shook my head.

"Don't touch the ogre yet."

"Then what?"

"We cut down the ones in the back first."

The oldest rule in combat: kill the dealers and supports in the rear before anything else. If we try to fight the ogre while the archers and shamans keep hitting us, we won't last. The nuisances had to go first.

I gathered mana at my fingertips and mapped the goblins' positions. Six archers. A little farther back, two shamans with staves.

"Si-hyun — back left."

I pointed at a shaman, and she locked onto it immediately.

"The one with the staff?"

"Yeah. I'll clear the one in front."

"Got it."

I stretched a hand toward the nearest goblin archer. A bolt of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blue light took shape in an instant and tore through the air. The goblin hurled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠itself sideways — but I had already predicted which way it would dodge. The bolt's trajectory bent, just slightly.

It punched into the center of the goblin's chest. The creature shrieked and toppled backward, and Lee Si-hyun's hand was already out.

"Water Spear."

With the archer no longer in the way, the spear of water flew straight through to the rear. The shaman noticed the attack a beat too late and started to raise its staff. Far too late. The spear punched through its gut. The goblin shaman dropped its staff and collapsed where it stood.

"Nice."

One archer. One shaman. Two pieces of their backline gone in a blink.

That was when the ogre bellowed and came charging at us with its massive club raised high. On either side of it, the two orcs closed the distance with their weapons lifted.

"I'll hold them!"

Lee Si-hyun stepped forward and spread both hands.

"Water Barrier!"

The water scattered across the ground surged upward all at once, a roaring wall throwing itself between us and the ogre and orcs. The ogre swung its club and forced the torrent apart, but the effort stopped it in its tracks.

"I can't hold this for long!"

"I know!"

I broke right immediately. While the ogre and orcs had their eyes locked on Lee Si-hyun, I closed the distance on the remaining archers and shamans.

A goblin archer loosed a shot straight at me.

"Not a chance."

I twisted my body aside, let the arrow hiss past, and fired a magic bolt in the same motion. It took the goblin archer in the head. The creature was still falling when I formed a second bolt.

Faster and cleaner than the last one.

The second bolt buried itself dead-center in another goblin's forehead. The archer's body crumpled bonelessly to the ground.

Two.

I didn't stop. I was already looking for the next target. The remaining archers drew on me, and two arrows came in from different angles. I ducked under the first, then kicked off the ground the instant the second one passed and drove forward. The range was more than enough. Another bolt punched through a goblin's chest.

The archer on the far side spun and tried to run.

You think I'm letting you go?

I had already aimed where it was heading. Blue light flared at my fingertips, and the goblin pitched forward as the bolt hit home.

A roar erupted behind me. I turned my head and saw Lee Si-hyun being driven back step by step, still holding the water wall. Every swing of the ogre's club sent a violent shudder through the barrier. The orcs on either side were hammering it with their weapons as well, but it hadn't broken yet.

Just a little longer.

Two archers left. One shaman. Once those are gone, we can put everything into the ogre and the orcs.

I gathered mana at my fingertips again. The bolt I sent out punched through a goblin archer's leg, and the creature shrieked as it lost its balance and tumbled across the ground. The next bolt struck the last archer's bow-hand. The goblin dropped its weapon and rolled. I didn't waste the opening — a second bolt was already flying at the fallen goblin's head. The blue round hit its forehead dead-on. A short scream, and then it went still.

Done.

Now only the shaman remained. No matter how strong the ogre and orcs were, if they had to charge us from the front with no ranged support, we had options. Lee Si-hyun would pin them down. I would find the openings and hit them. It might take a little time, but the angle to bring them down was there.

Okay. We can clear this.

The corner of my mouth started to lift.

That was when it happened.

"Kiiiieeeehh..."

The last goblin shaman let out a grotesque sound. It didn't attack me. Instead, it raised its staff toward the ogre in the distance.

"What are you—"

The shaman slammed the tip of its staff into the ground. A red magic circle unfurled beneath its feet in an instant, and dozens of crimson lines slithered across the earth like living snakes. A low hum filled the air as those lines began to coil around the bodies of the ogre and the orcs.

"Grrrrr..."

The ogre's low growl rolled through the forest. Thick veins bulged one after another across its body. The blood leaking from the open wounds on its forearm stopped, and its already brutal muscles swelled visibly larger. The orcs' eyes flushed a deep, burning red.

The ogre tore through the water wall with its bare hands. The massive barrier collapsed in a spray of helpless water.

"What...?"

Lee Si-hyun's face went rigid. I stared at the scene unfolding in front of me, just as stunned.

"GRAAAAAAAAH!!!"

The ogre threw its head back and roared, a sound loud enough to shake the entire forest. Behind it, the orcs rose slowly to their feet, red eyes gleaming.

In that same instant, the orc on the right kicked off the ground and launched itself at Lee Si-hyun. She spun around, but the enhanced orc was far faster than she had expected.

"Water Barrier!"

The wall of water hadn't even finished forming. The orc's shoulder smashed straight through it and slammed into Lee Si-hyun's body.

"Ah—!"

Her body lifted into the air. She crashed hard into the tree behind her and crumpled to the ground.

"Si-hyun!"

I spun toward her in a panic — and the other orc stepped directly into my path. Behind it, the ogre, wreathed in a red aura, was slowly raising its club.

"Grrrrr..."

The fight I had thought we could handle just moments ago had flipped completely on its head. I looked up at them, my face set.

"...Enhancement magic is cheating."