Chapter 56: Fourteenth Floor, Drina River Defense Operation (1)

“The reinforcements sent by the gods have arrived! In five hours, the 588th Bombing Squadron, the Night Witches, will be here! Hold the line until then! Everyone, prepare for battle!”

“Prepare for battle!”

“Prepare for battle!”

Hearing the thunderous command and its resounding echoes, I turned my head instinctively. I wasn’t alone. Every climber assembled by the river reacted similarly, turning in unison to look behind us.

Before us stood a colossal army, numbering roughly a hundred thousand soldiers. At the head of this formidable force, a commanding figure rode a majestic white steed.

[Kartrey Monaca]

- General of the Deiorne Empire’s Western Legion and the supreme commander of the Drina River defense.

Kartrey was clad in gleaming silver armor. Her golden hair was tied in a flowing ponytail that shimmered in the light as it cascaded down her back. In her hand, she wielded a lance that spanned nearly three meters.

Every climber’s eyes were drawn to her, but Kartrey Monaca appeared utterly unaffected by the multitude of gazes fixed upon her, as if accustomed to such attention.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her voice once more.

“May the Shadow of the End shield us, and may glory be granted to the Deiorne Empire and His Majesty, the Emperor, our sovereign father! For the Shadow and the Emperor!"

“For the Shadow and the Emperor!"

“For the Shadow and the Emperor!"

“All forces, advance to the Drina River!"

Her command ended and the imperial army immediately surged into motion. The soldiers paid no mind to our arrival, as if impervious to the sudden presence of the climbers summoned before them.

They weren’t startled in the least by our abrupt appearance.

Well, they did mention we were reinforcements sent by the gods...

After all, this was a trial within the tower. The tower had likely adjusted reality or created the scenario such that our appearance was to be expected. Or perhaps a summoning such as this wasn’t an unusual occurrence on this planet.

Still, the discrepancy between the armies is alarming.

The Empire’s forces numbered around one hundred thousand, a massive collection of individuals. However, even a quick glance across the river showed that the enemy legion vastly outnumbered the Empire’s forces. Even a rough estimate of their forces placed it at over seven times the size of the Empire’s.

The enemy forces completely obscured the land and sky beyond the river, an overwhelming display that made an accurate estimation impossible.

But... that was before taking into account the climbers.

That must be why the Tower of Ordeal assigned us this challenge.

The climbers numbered about three hundred thousand, three times the size of the Empire’s army. Seeing such vast numbers stirred a sense of melancholy within me.

Three hundred thousand was no small figure, but comparing it to the initial number of climbers saddened me. Over seventy percent of the original one million climbers had perished just trying to reach the fourteenth floor.

Sigh, this isn’t the time to lose myself in sentimentality.

To the right of us, the Empire’s troops shifted, forming their battle lines.

Shouldn’t they at least brief us on how we’re supposed to fight?

They hadn’t even exchanged a single word with us. As if it were second nature, the soldiers marched behind their commander without hesitation. Caught off guard by the sudden changes, the climbers began to murmur in frustration.

“What the hell is this? Are they just throwing us into battle without a word?"

“Shouldn’t the leader explain the battle strategy, at the very least?"

“How are we supposed to know what to do?"

“Teiborn! Party leader! Where are you?”

Thousands of climbers stood bewildered, feeling abandoned and unsure of what do to in the chaos. We had barely set foot on the fourteenth floor, yet we had been thrust immediately onto a battlefield. If Ha Hee-Jeong hadn’t warned me ahead of time, I would have been just as lost in the confusion.

Even knowing what was coming, I was briefly paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of it all.

This is no time to be frozen in place.

This was a battleground of massive proportions. Although the warzone originally belonged solely to the Sobornese, it was now the Earthlings’ battlefield. This climbers needed to snap out of their stupor.

I imbued my throat with mana.

“Climbers! This is Kwon Su-Hyeok! Do not panic, and get into formation! Though this may be a trial, it is war! Stay sharp, survive, and climb to the fifteenth floor! Prepare for battle!"

My magically amplified voice rolled across the plains like a raging storm. Though it wasn’t a speech filled with eloquence or grandeur—I never had a knack for that—it was the truth. We needed to keep our wits about us and survive.

From what Ha Hee-Jeong had foretold, the trials from the fourteenth floor to the nineteenth would be merciless.

According to her, the fourteenth and sixteenth floors are especially difficult...

In her previous life, those two floors had the highest number of fatalities among the climbers from Earth. Everyone needed to remain on high alert.

“Who is that guy? What’s he doing?"

“Did he say his name is Kwon Su-Hyeok?"

“What? Kwon Su-Hyeok? The climber in first place?"

“Fuck! I don’t know what’s going on, but he’s right. We need to get our heads on straight and prepare for battle!"

Amid the murmurs, someone yelled their frustration, “Damn it! After surviving this far, I’m not about to die here. Everyone, grab your weapons!"

The shout ignited the others, and climbers began gripping their weapons more firmly. At last, the confusion began to dissipate.

Once again, I poured mana into my throat.

“Warriors to the front! If you are a mage, archer, or priest who can fight in close quarters, step forward! The rest, fall back!"

“Close-combat fighters, to the front! Everyone else, retreat!"

“Close-combat fighters, step forward!"

My command echoed out, and similar shouts soon spread across the battlefield, rippling through the three hundred thousand climbers. Once the climbers had shaken off their confusion, they moved swiftly and efficiently. The formation wasn’t perfect, but given the circumstances, it couldn’t be helped.

I dispatched Doppy to find Ha Hee-Jeong while I rushed to the front to direct the warriors. Warriors wielding spears or shields took their place in the vanguard, while the swordsmen positioned themselves in the back, preparing for the ensuing chaos.

As the formation neared completion, a familiar voice rose from the rear.

“Priests and archers spread out! We need to cover the entire front line! Mages, group together in small clusters! Select your targets together!"

It was Ha Hee-Jeong. She was full of vigor as she moved and the mages followed her every instruction with near-reverence. The Community was filled with Ha Hee-Jeong’s magic tutorials, and she had almost become an icon among the mages.

I turned my gaze back toward the river.

The enemy forces were still some distance away but approaching steadily. With how quickly we had assembled our formation, we gained a small window of respite, albeit tense.

.

... I suppose we should be grateful for that.

The entire river wasn’t the battlefield.

Under the moon’s luminous glow, the distant Drina River stretched out, a vast body of water over a kilometer and a half wide.

That wasn’t the case for the section we were defending, however. It was much narrower, about six hundred meters wide. The climbers and the Sobornese forces could maybe hold the line.

The Empire’s forces have destroyed the bridges.

Along the river, I could see the remains of collapsed bridges, their wreckage strewn across the water.

The approaching enemies didn’t appear to have any boats, although a notification window soon appeared, explaining why.

[Lizardman Soldier]

- Possess powerful physiques that can endure long marches and battles without faltering.

- Can move freely underwater.

- They secrete a mild toxin from their skin.

Lizardmen.

I had faced one on the eleventh floor, in the boss room.

While these lizardmen likely weren’t as formidable as the one I had faced then, their sheer numbers made them a significant threat.

The enemy force was composed entirely of lizardmen, and it seemed their plan was simple—swim across the river.

The Empire seemingly anticipated this as they had positioned spearmen at the front. Holding massive spears over four meters long, they were prepared to impale the lizardmen the moment they emerged from the water.

“The Ruler of the Nine Heavens Kal-Lain stands with us! For the Silent Depths of the Black Well, Luk-Tor! For Kal-Lain!"

“For Luk-Tor! For Kal-Lain!"

The lizardmen had reached the river. Hearing their leader’s signal, they plunged into the water without any prelude.

Splash— Splash—

The splashes echoed, signaling the start of combat.

Well, they certainly don't hold back.

I didn’t expect them to charge without a second thought the moment they arrived.

Of course, Ha Hee-Jeong and I had thoroughly discussed this scenario in advance and had prepared a countermeasure.

Not yet. It isn’t time yet. We need to hold out a little longer.

“Fire!"

“Loose your arrows!"

In unison, archers on both sides released a rain of arrows.

Two seconds. That was all it took for the sky, illuminated by the unusually bright moon, to become completely obscured by the sheer volume of projectiles. Our forces were clearly at a disadvantage when it came to the number of archers since few climbers had chosen that path.

Thankfully, this gap was quickly compensated by the mages.

“Raise a barrier, fifty meters above us!"

“Shield at fifty meters!"

Thud, thud—

The incoming arrows collided with the magical barrier, releasing a series of relentless thuds.

Relieved, I turned my attention back to the river. By now, the lizardmen had already reached the midway point. They were swimming faster than they had run on land, proving their reputation for moving effortlessly through water was no idle claim.

The wyverns are still hovering overhead.

Thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of wyverns circled in the skies, waiting patiently in a predatory manner for the opportune moment to strike. They likely intended to dive in for the attack when the lizardmen reached our banks.

However, the wyverns were gravely mistaken if they thought it would be that simple. Their descent would be futile against the overwhelming barrage our forces could launch.

Twenty meters until the lizardmen reach the shore.

Just as predicted, the wyverns began to stir. Their anticipatory movements were growing more frantic.

I chose that moment and consumed a third of my remaining mana, drawing upon Lightning Essence.

Crackle, crackle—

Lightning crackled fiercely in my hands, illuminating the darkened plains as if the sun had risen. With a sharp, deliberate gesture, I unleashed the lightning bolt toward the Drina River.

“

Screeech!

"

“

Kiee-eee...

"

“

Kieee...

"

The lightning spread out, arcing deep through the water.

Unlike my normal lightning strikes, I guided this one, sinking it beneath the water’s surface and striking the lizardmen lurking below. I had funneled a third of my mana into this attack to ensure it would hit every submerged enemy.

Unbelievable... the speed at which my mana is regenerating is absurd.

The number of enemies I had slain was so vast that my mana replenished faster than I expended it. This was a completely different situation from what I had encountered on the thirteenth floor, and far beyond what I had anticipated.

Originally, I had planned to hold off summoning lightning until my mana was nearly exhausted. However, with the sheer amount of mana I was accumulating, my gauntlet was already absorbing excess mana.

Perhaps lizardmen generate more mana than insects?

At this rate, I could likely hold the river by myself until the time limit expired.

Things were progressing far more smoothly than I had anticipated. The 70,000-point gauntlet was indeed worth every single point...

“What... what just happened?"

“W... what was that?"

“The gods are helping us!"

The climbers and even the Sobornese stared at me in awe and disbelief. Those nearest to me knew I was the source of the lightning, but those farther away had only seen the sudden flash of light and were left stunned.

But this wasn’t the time for them to stand around in amazement.

For a third time, I infused my throat with mana and shouted.

“Wyverns! Target the wyverns!"

The wyverns were caught off guard and had delayed their descent, unsure whether to press forward or retreat. Some began to wheel back toward the sky, while others blindly continued their dive.

Those who persisted became easy prey.

“Shoot the wyverns!"

“Bring down the wyverns!"

Arrows and magic missiles rained upon the descending wyverns, hitting them with deadly precision. One after another, they plummeted from the sky.

A mist began to rise over the Drina River, a side effect of the immense lightning strike. Within the mist, the dark, lifeless bodies of the lizardmen floated downstream, carried by the current.

The river was secured. Now, we only had to control the skies.

Still, just like Ha Hee-Jeong had warned, we couldn’t predict what might come next.

***

[Hold the Drina River defense line. If the line is breached, survive. Time remaining: 8 hours 0 minutes.]

Four hours had passed since the beginning of the floor, during which the enemy launched three attempts to cross the river.

Immediately after I unleashed the lightning, they launched consecutive assaults. They must have assumed I couldn’t fire sequential lightning strikes.

However, they were very wrong. Every time they tried to cross, I summoned lightning into the river and wreaked havoc. After the third attempt, the lizardmen gave up on trying to cross.

From that point onward, silence settled over the battlefield. Occasionally, a futile volley of arrows flew through the air, but the barrier easily intercepted them.

This set the stage as the countdown reached eight hours, and a dragon appeared precisely as Ha Hee-Jeong had anticipated.

“

Roooooar!"

The dragon’s ferocious roar echoed over the Drina River, shaking the very ground. It was massive, so large that it seemingly blotted out the moon.

[Four hours have passed since the start of the Drina River defense. The Black Dragon Sarkeiz has appeared.]

[Black Dragon Sarkeiz]

- An ancient dragon, has lived for thousands of years.

- Its scales are harder than the rarest metals in the universe.

- Unbelievably strong.

- A master of magic.

- Has unlocked the Venomous Breath racial ability.

Its sheer size was staggering... It appeared at least three times larger than Herkest. Even though I had known it was coming, the sight still left me momentarily speechless.

However, the dragon didn’t immediately attack us. After letting out a resounding roar, it ascended further upriver.

Moments later, I noticed the water level dropping, and the river’s once-strong current gradually slowed to a trickle. At that moment, my belief that I had successfully blocked the river was shattered.

“For Luk-Tor and Kal-Lain! All forces, charge!"

Once again, the enemy launched their assault.

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has accumulated and incorporated lighting within himself. His stats have risen and his skills have leveled up. Mana increased by 3. Lightning Essence is now lvl 9.」