Chapter 62: Dungeon Outbreak (part 2)

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Dungeon Outbreak (part 2)

A veteran swordsman standing near the front line rolled his shoulders and tightened the straps around his armor. He had a long scar running across his cheek, but his expression remained calm.

"First outbreak?"

The young adventurer beside him nodded nervously.

"Yes."

The veteran chuckled.

"Then don’t try to be a hero. Stay behind the shield line, attack when you have an opening, and don’t chase anything that runs away."

The young man swallowed.

"How many times have you fought one?"

"Four."

The veteran looked toward the approaching horde.

"And every time, I’ve learned the same lesson."

"What lesson?"

"Monsters don’t care how brave you are."

The young adventurer fell silent.

A deep roar suddenly rolled across the battlefield.

The veteran’s expression became serious.

"They’re here."

Beyond the walls, the approaching monsters finally became clearly visible.

The first creatures emerged from the mist and dust covering the battlefield. They were a mixture of different monster species, some resembling the ordinary creatures commonly found inside low-level dungeons, while others were much larger and more dangerous.

Goblin-like creatures carried crude weapons, wolves moved in packs between them, and several beast-type monsters charged at the front with their heads lowered.

But those ordinary monsters were not what made the soldiers tense.

Three enormous figures walked among the horde.

The first was the ogre, carrying a massive stone club in one hand. Every step it took shook the ground beneath its feet.

The second was a four-armed monster with dark skin and long claws. Unlike the lesser monsters surrounding it, it moved slowly, its eyes constantly scanning the battlefield.

The third was a huge spider-like creature whose body was covered in thick armor. Its eight legs dug deep into the earth with every step, while strands of webbing trailed behind it. Even from the city walls, the adventurers could feel the pressure coming from the three mini bosses. These were not ordinary dungeon monsters.

And then everyone saw what was walking behind them.

A massive creature emerged from the center of the horde.

It was easily twice the size of the ogre, with a body covered in dark scales and two enormous horns protruding from its head. Thick muscles covered its arms and chest, while a pair of claws scraped against the ground as it walked. Its eyes glowed with a savage red light, and every breath it released sounded like the growl of a beast preparing to devour its prey.

The moment the creature appeared, the atmosphere on the walls changed.

"That’s the boss!"

Someone shouted.

The soldiers immediately tightened their grips around their weapons.

The veteran swordsman who had been speaking with the young adventurer narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t look at it for too long."

The young adventurer swallowed.

"What is that?"

"A dungeon boss."

The veteran’s voice was unusually serious.

"And if you’re smart, you’ll stay far away from it."

The young adventurer nodded quickly.

There were more than a hundred monsters approaching the city.

Three mini bosses, and one boss monster.

This was already a serious outbreak. But nobody on the wall panicked.

This was not Lufast City’s first dungeon outbreak.

They had experienced them before.

The city had survived several outbreaks over the years, and each time, the defenders had learned something new. The soldiers knew where to stand.

The archers knew when to fire. The mages understood that wasting mana during the opening stages could be fatal. Even the adventurers who had never personally fought an outbreak had been taught the basic rules.

Most importantly, everyone knew that they had to work together.

A dungeon outbreak was not a normal monster hunt.

There was no glory in fighting alone. There was only survival.

"Archers!"

The commander shouted.

Hundreds of bowstrings were pulled tight.

"Wait for my command!"

The monsters continued approaching, the distance continued shrinking.

Eight hundred meters.

Seven hundred.

Six hundred.

The monsters were now close enough for the soldiers to clearly see their individual movements.

Some of the goblins were carrying spears, the wolves were moving in packs.

Several large beast monsters were already sprinting ahead of the main group.

The ogre lifted its stone club.

The four-armed mini boss suddenly released a roar.

The spider mini boss climbed over a large boulder and began moving toward the city.

Behind them, the boss monster continued walking.

Its mere presence was enough to make the surrounding monsters more aggressive.

"Five hundred meters!"

A scout shouted.

The commander raised his hand.

"Hold!"

The archers remained motionless. The mages behind the wall began gathering mana.

Most of them only knew one spell, that was normal. But one skill used properly could still make a difference.

And those who were stronger usually had two.

The veteran swordsman beside the young adventurer lowered his body slightly.

His hand rested on his sword, he had two skills. But neither was particularly spectacular.

But after years of training, he knew exactly when to use them.

"Three hundred meters!"

The commander finally lowered his hand.

"Archers!"

The bows were released.

A storm of arrows filled the sky.

Hundreds of arrows flew toward the approaching monsters, darkening the air before descending upon the horde.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The front ranks of monsters collapsed. Goblin bodies were pierced through. Wolves were struck in their shoulders and necks.

Several beast monsters stumbled and fell after multiple arrows buried themselves into their bodies.

The horde slowed for only a moment.

Then it continued.

"Again!"

Another volley was fired.

This time, the monsters were closer.

The arrows struck with greater accuracy.

Some monsters attempted to dodge, while others raised their weapons to protect themselves.

The three mini bosses barely reacted.

Arrows struck the ogre’s thick body and bounced away.

Several hit the four-armed monster, but it simply pulled them out and continued forward.

The spider’s armored body deflected most of the arrows.

The boss monster did not even slow down.

"Prepare the mages!"

The commander shouted. The mages moved forward.

"Fireball!"

"Wind Cutter!"

"Ice Spear!"

"Lightning Bolt!"

Dozens of spells flew from the wall.

Fireballs exploded among the monsters.

Blades of compressed wind tore through the front ranks.

Ice spears pierced bodies.

Lightning struck the ground and spread between several monsters.

The battlefield erupted into explosions and flashes of magic.

The monsters screamed.

More fell, but the horde kept advancing.

The mage standing near the center of the defensive line raised his staff.

"Fireball!"