145 The Prowess Of Rank 1 Cultivators Part 1

The concern Tusk had was because of how clearly coordinated all of the magical beasts were. At first glance, it would seem to anyone that the attack was just a simple straight forward charge. Until you looked again and noticed how spread out all the creatures were from each other and how each volley of attacks came within a 1 to 3 second difference of the other. Meaning that the beasts were coordinating their attacks to allow the shields as little time as possible to reform.

This was especially bad because Captain Tusk clearly knew where the city officials' priorities lied in situations like this. Since this is a war of attrition to safeguard the city, the city officials won't use 100 percent of the city's defense capabilities. At maximum power, the shield surrounding Delmar City fully has the capability to completely defend against all attacks that the city is currently facing.

But, no one will fully activate the city's defense system because that will quickly drain the central energy core of which without the city will become essentially defenseless. To make sure that doesn't happen Delmar City would rather sacrifice the safety and lives of a few low grade soldiers rather than guarantee the safety of all their soldiers. It's a cruel fact that Captain Tusk doesn't like, but also has no say in. So, he can only buckle down and be the best leader for the brave soldiers who would dare brave the cruelty of war and risk their lives under him.

In the midst of the siege Captain Tusk couldn't remove an uneasy feeling that he had. So, he called on the aid of a trusted subordinate.

"Trevor get overhear".

Trevor with a stern face approached Captain Tusk the moment he was called. The long scar on the side of his face made him look quite domineering wherever he went. Once Trevor arrived in front of Captain Tusk he asked Trevor a question.

"Where's Derek he should have been here a while ago?".

Without needing to think much about it Trevor replied, "Captain, Derek was recently put on a separate mission issued by General Emma. I don't know when he will be back but it won't be any time soon".

"Geez, no one even bothered to tell me. Even after they took one of the best archers in the city from me. Whatever since he's gone you'll have to do. So tell me how far can you see?".

"That range is stupidly huge, you archers always did have a grotesque sense of range".

"Ya, but it's not like I can attack that far. I'm not Derek, so my attack range is only about 2-3 miles".

"Either way it's way better than any average person at the same rank as use which makes you perfect for locating those rank 3 magical beasts. There's not a single one attacking the wall which is to strange for it to be a coincidence.

"I actually already have sir, before you called me I found them gathering together at the edge of the battlefield. They are all out of range of our mounted weapons on the wall. To hit them we would have to use the missiles".

Captain Tusk shook his head as he replied, "Their's no need to stirrup that mess of trouble this early on. I just wanted to keep tabs on all of them because once the rank 3 magical beasts join the fight the difficulty we'll face when defending the city will rise exponentially. Right now all those beasts are outputting as much damage as a being at the beginner stage of rank 4, but once all those rank 3 beasts join in their joint attacks might reach the intermediate stage of rank 4. The difference between the two stages is bigger than just their titles".

As Captain Tusk worried about the future he heard something a bit strange happen behind him. It was the clearly distinct sound of something hitting the shields by what he could only described at the time as a wet bag. Once Captain Tusk turned to look he witnessed a scene that could be described as both brave and foolish.

With complete disregard for their lives, dozens of the flying magical beasts started to dive bomb the city. Which only ended up with them turning into splatter stains.

Captain Tusk watched what was happening with an intrigued look on his face, "how in the world did those bastards cause them to do this".

As Captain Tusk watched on he saw the dozens of strange and terrible magical beasts that were dive bombing the city increase from dozens to hundreds and hundreds to thousands. The wild creature and insects both big and small spiraled down like a tornado. The uneasy feeling and pressure all those beasts brought down on all the soldiers on top of the wall was immense.

With little time left Captain Tusk could only act, "archers at the ready, reserve unit redirect all weapons up above".

Captain Tusk had over 100 rank, 1 combatants, under him excluding the surplus of troops under him from the reserve unit. Once Captain Tusk gave the order all 50 of the people under him who specialized in archery drew their weapons and aimed towards the sky. Similarly, other squadrons stationed on top of the wall did something similar.

After the order left Captain Tusk's lips the tornado formed from all sorts of creatures splashed full force onto the shield above them. The coalition almost completely encased the soldiers in darkness, yet that was only for a brief moment.

"FIRE!!!"

*BOOM*, *BOOM*,*BOOM*.

A single order shouted similarly from captains all over changed that in an instant. A wide scale flurry of attack made even more beautiful and oppressive in the darkness launched out ceaselessly. The archer arrows that glowed all sorts of colors shot out like laser beams at a disco. Their hands moved at inhuman speeds as they struck down one fowl creature after another.

The disgusting stench that those beasts brought with them filled the soldier's noses. As each fiendish creature continued to trickle down like rain, so to did their blood. Though their brethren fell dead beside them those mindless beasts consumed by their own rage and hunger blinded them from making a wise retreat. As they continued to relentlessly attack the shields regardless of life or limb their goal soon became clear to all those around.

"Damn, their trying to enter the city through the temporary gaps in the shields that the beasts on the ground created'.

Everyone in the vicinity had similar thoughts as Captain Tusk and was just as anxious once they realized the truth.

"Archers focus your fire at any gaps in the shields, reserve unit use a rapid barrage of artillery fire to disperse this swarm of magical beasts".

Captain Tusk's commands were implemented as swiftly as every soldier could. The rank 1 practitioners and mages kept the beast from entering as best as they could with all sorts of powerful attacks that dwarfed any spell Desmond had ever mustered to use. The reserve units' rapid shell barrage did lessen the strain on everyone else, but it still wasn't enough.

While not many some creatures got through by utilizing the bodies of their own kind as shields were able to slip through the force field and attack the wall directly. Forcing a few of the soldiers to face off against them directly before they caused a catastrophe.

A large green mantis like insectoid creature that slipped through spared no time releasing its fury out on the soldiers. Despite its large size, the mantis blitzed around at such incredible speeds that it briefly disappears from sight leaving only a blurry trail in its path.

That mantis entered through a hole in the shields a little further down from the top of the wall. Once inside it rushed to the top of the wall while avoiding being shot down from the other soldiers inside the lower section of the wall. As the vicious mantis neared the top it readied its large mandibles that gleamed in the flickering lights with a metallic shine for a feast.

As Desmond and his friends were about to fire the canon they operated together a green blur came out of nowhere and chopped it clean in half with its serrated tibia (tibia is the front claw part of a mantis). Desmond and the others saw the monstrosity large creature and were briefly Petrified stiff for a moment. The insectoid had a strong presence it was, so strong in fact intelligible words did not need to be conveyed, yet those bellow it could clearly understand its desire to feed.

With such a strong predator looming over them everyone's survival instincts kicked in. They withdrew a step and pulled out their guns issued by the city and started firing at it. The guns and ammo supplied by the city is superior to what people can normally buy in the stores. The ammo fired alone is 40% stronger than any of the enchanted bullets Desmond has. Not to mention the guns that are more durable then anything Desmond has seen before.

As everyone fired their weapons at the insectoid the bullets bashed against its carapace with a similar tone to colliding steel. Small cracks formed on the creatures shell even after over a dozen each bullet struck it with the force of a cannon from earth. Each shot forced the creature back towards the edge a bit, but why would it stay there to be assaulted?

The insectoid seeing its prey continuously pester it, it didn't bother playing with its meal and struck to kill. In an intimidating display, the mantis unfurled its wings and dashed away from everyone's view easily even though it was under heavy gunfire.

As for where the creature went Roy could easily confirm that. The mantis flashed beside Roy as quick and silently as a ghost and brought down one of its serrated limbs towards Roy's neck. In response to this Roy's body went into overdrive. Just like how master swordsmen have their senses heightened to the extreme when confronting someone at an equal level. Everything in Roy's vision slowed down to the extreme. He didn't know the cause of that happening until he glanced to his left and saw the sickle of death bearing down at him. There was nothing Roy could do except watch as death claimed him.

*BOOM*

In a sudden upset just as Roy was about to have his head chopped off a large custom made war axe. The ax's edge was light blue while the head of the weapon to the handle was almost entirely white. That elegant yet beastly weapon was wielded by Captain Tusk who kept the shocked and stuttering Roy alive but only by a hair's width because the mantis's serrated forelimb was currently caressing Roy's tender neck drawing a few droplets of blood in the process.