Chapter 595 - 363: The Impregnable Fortress (2)

Chapter 595: Chapter 363: The Impregnable Fortress (2)

Therefore, Delong Castle’s Defense Array was composed of two parts: a Protective Shield and the Stone Statue Guards.

Upon activation, one thousand two hundred enormous Stone Statue Guards would protect the city. They could only operate within the range of the Defense Array, relying on the Magic Power it provided. However, this also granted them strength far surpassing that of Golems of the same level.

Since its construction, the Delong Castle Defense Array had never been breached.

When Sutton founded the kingdom, he had forced the defenders of Delong Castle to surrender by besieging the city and cutting off their food and water supplies.

Now, however, Count Medellin feared the Northern Legion wouldn’t bother with a drawn-out siege.

If he could just stall for time, the city’s resources were sufficient to last for several months. Reinforcements would surely have arrived by then.

If they didn’t, and Delong Castle was once again besieged until its fall, then he could only conclude that Sutton VII deserved to lose his throne.

"How confident are you in this new Magic Array?" Count Medellin asked.

"Very confident. We’ve gone over every detail of the entire design multiple times..."

The middle-aged Mage rambled on, his words tumbling out so quickly that it ironically made him sound completely unconfident.

"I don’t want explanations. I want data."

"Um, data... data... We... we haven’t run a full, city-wide, continuous stress test. We can’t... can’t provide data," the middle-aged Mage said, his voice trailing off with uncertainty.

"A full, city-wide, continuous stress test..."

Count Medellin gave a bitter laugh, wondering if there was any way to simulate the Northern Legion’s assault from outside the city walls.

Just then, a guard burst in.

"Report! My Lord, the scouts have spotted the Northern Legion! They’re only fifteen kilometers from Delong Castle."

"Alright," Medellin said, turning to the Mage. "There’s no time for a test. The lives of everyone in this city are in your hands. How long will it take to deploy and integrate the new Magic Array?"

"Very quickly," the middle-aged Mage replied, still sounding utterly unconvinced.

’He’d never been given such an absurd task. A new research project based on the hazy memories of two routed soldiers, a deadline so tight it felt like a death sentence, and now it was being deployed without a single test.’

"Then get to it!" Count Medellin yelled. "As fast as you can! Move, everyone, move! Entire city garrison to your battle stations! All cavalry squadrons, on standby! If necessary, you’ll ride out to buy the Mages more time!"

He rattled off orders at a rapid pace.

Normally, the cavalry squadrons were his most precious resource, a force that had been difficult to build up. Now, he had no choice but to treat them as expendable.

The tactic he devised for the cavalry was to execute swift flanking maneuvers, avoiding a direct confrontation with the Northern Legion.

According to the memories he’d obtained, the Alliance Army’s cavalry had been nearly annihilated in a frontal charge.

He had no idea if that weapon could adjust its angle of attack, but he had to send his cavalry to find out.

If the cavalry couldn’t succeed, the infantry stood no chance at all.

「Two hours later.」

From the city walls, Count Medellin saw the banners of the Northern Legion appear on the distant plains.

He appeared calm, but in reality, his heart was already pounding at around one hundred and twenty beats per minute.

’The moment of life and death was at hand. Who could possibly remain completely calm?’

But as the Lord, he had to set an example.

If he panicked, the entire city would panic. Defending it then would be impossible.

He watched as the Northern Legion, still far out of range, rapidly deployed.

’What in the world is this army?’

Their efficiency and speed of movement were unlike anything he had ever witnessed.

Fifteen kilometers, fully loaded, across open terrain—and they weren’t cavalry or Transcendents. They had arrived in just two hours.

That was more than twice the speed of the Alliance Army.

’If he had a choice, he would never want to face an enemy like this. He’d rather face an army of powerful Transcendents.’

At least Transcendents were a familiar foe. These soldiers in the distance were clearly Human, yet they gave him the unsettling feeling that they weren’t the same species. It was indescribably strange.

The only piece of good news was that the Mages had successfully integrated the new Magic Array into the City Guard Array. The cavalry wouldn’t have to be sent on a suicide mission.

"Activate the City Guard Array," Count Medellin commanded.

A grayish-white light, the color of limestone, began to glow along the city walls.

The light rose, coalescing into a translucent Protective Shield.

One by one, the towering stone figures, once mere statues, seemed to spring to life. They thudded heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust several meters high.

A similar light emanated from the statues—this was the fruit of the Mages’ research.

’It seems to be working. At least, it looks like it’s working.’

’It had better be truly useful,’ Count Medellin prayed.

「Meanwhile, outside Delong Castle.」

Figxin raised a pair of binoculars, observing the massive Magic Array as it activated.

"You know, it’s actually pretty spectacular," Figxin said with a relaxed tone. "I’d heard Delong Castle’s City Guard Array was impressive, and it certainly looks the part. So this is how the stone statues mobilize. Don’t worry, though. Their operational range can’t reach us."

"The stone statues mobilize?" his adjutant asked, confused.

"Oh, it’s a spell from Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter? You mean the novel?"

"That’s the one. It’s a great read. I even bought a physical copy. I can lend it to you if you want."

"Sir, you’re thinking about novels right now?" the adjutant asked, shocked. "How are we supposed to break through these statues? We can’t afford a drawn-out siege."

"I know. Let’s test them with a few bursts," Figxin ordered.

Heavy machine-gun fire rained down, striking the statues.

However, the Elemental Stream, which had been unstoppable until now, merely sent a shower of brilliant sparks off the statues without causing any substantial damage.

"Damn it! If only we had the howitzers," the adjutant spat. "The City Guard Array is powered by a central Magic core. One good shot could take the whole thing out."

The siege detachment hadn’t brought any artillery. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to; they simply didn’t have any.

"In that case, we’ll have to go with the backup plan. You don’t necessarily need artillery to fire a Magic Grenade, do you?"

As he spoke, Figxin took out a phone and dialed Zog’s number.

「Nightfall.」

Inside Delong Castle, Count Medellin stood before a crowd, delivering a speech to rally their spirits.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I’m sure you’ve all seen that the attacks from the Northern Domain traitors are utterly incapable of breaching Delong Castle’s glorious Stone Statue Guards! We are safe!"

Prompted by the plants arranged in the crowd, the people erupted in cheers.

"They have ceased their assault and chosen to make camp outside our walls! They want to lay siege to us! But do we, the brave citizens of Delong Castle, fear a siege?"

"No!"

The plants, ever professional, couldn’t let their Lord’s call go unanswered.

"That’s right, we do not fear it! The city’s reserves are enough to keep us fed and supplied for months! The Royal City has already sent word—reinforcements will arrive any day now! Victory will be ours!"

Medellin proclaimed in a booming voice. In truth, he had no idea when the reinforcements would arrive. Sutton VII’s reply hadn’t specified a date. Nevertheless, he raised his goblet.

"Let us toast to our coming victory! Cheers!"

Before the word had even left his lips, a scream erupted from the crowd.

"Aaaah! There’s a Dragon in the sky!"

’A Dragon?’

Count Medellin snapped his head up. Sure enough, there was a small shadow high in the sky, recognizable as the shape of a Dragon.

’Why is it flying so high?’

He had no time to ponder it. "Quick! The Dragon-Defeating Crossbows!" he demanded of his adjutant.

"My Lord, the crossbows can’t reach that altitude."

"Why not? If a Dragon-Defeating Crossbow can’t hit a Dragon, how in the world can it be called ’Dragon-Defeating’?"

"Normally, a Dragon wouldn’t fly that high. The Dragon-Defeating Crossbow was designed based on a Dragon’s typical attack range."

"Then why is this one...?"

He didn’t get to finish his question. He saw the Dragon release something small—a tiny black dot that began to fall from the sky.

As it neared the Protective Shield, it suddenly expanded, and a massive Magic Array materialized out of thin air.

Before Count Medellin could even react, Magic Power surged within the array, and a blinding bolt of lightning struck the shield.

He was forced to turn away from the glare.

"It’s nothing! Hahaha, it’s nothing! That thing is useless against our shield, too!"

Only when he heard the excited shouts from those around him did he turn back to look at the sky.

’What’s happening?’

’Why would a Magic Array of that magnitude just appear out of nowhere? It defied all logic.’

’Don’t tell me they have more...?’

Just as he feared, another Magic Grenade was soon dropped, unfurling against the Protective Shield.

Ineffective. Next.

Medellin watched, numb, as one Magic Array after another bloomed across the sky.

’He didn’t understand. A Magic of this caliber... did it have no cost?’

’And what were they even trying to accomplish?’

An absurd thought popped into the Count’s head. ’Are they just testing to see which type of Magic works?’