Dungeon of Niflheim

476 Chapter 476: New enemy commander (2)

Time slowly dragged on and Furano’s situation continued to worsen. The new enemy commander launched wave after wave of monsters into the frontlines while protecting them from the assaults of Furano’s ranger and mage corps, slowly but surely eating away at their forces.

The new commander sported a calm expression as he ordered swaths of lesser monsters to their deaths. The eldest rindar, the poison herald and the other B-rank monsters that Frost and the others had been struggling against were nervously keeping silent at his side, their hearts filled with instinctual fear towards him.

The eldest rindar in particular was feeling the pressure as it was clear that the new commander was dissatisfied with his performance over the past few days. The loathing and mocking could be clearly felt whenever his gaze drifted over him and his many injuries causing the eldest rindar to seethe in anger but outwardly show subservience. This new commander was far beyond him even if he was in prime condition. He himself was at best at the peak of entry B-rank, half a step from entering the mid-level whereas this new commander was solidly in the mid-levels and not the early stages either. Plus, species wise they were not a very good match up.

“Send in the next group.” The new commander spoke while leaning back against a throne made of ice mana.

“Yes, your lordship.” Another new entry in the monster line-up, an upper C-rank monster that arrived with the new commander responded respectfully before passing the order down.

A cruel smile grew on the commander’s face when he was addressed as lordship and his gaze once again drifted over the eldest rindar. He clicked his tongue and shook his head subconsciously before speaking out.

“So disappointing. You were given one job and that was to weaken the enemy before our arrival yet what do I find when I arrive?” Bloodlust and aura were smoothly emitted from the new commander’s body and attacked the eldest rindar causing his body to feel incredibly heavy. He visibly trembled and had to strongly resist falling to his knees in prostration.

Annoyed that the worm didn’t fall to his knees the commander increased the weight.

“Perhaps my meaning wasn’t clear, you have failed in your task so shouldn’t you be sincere in asking for forgiveness!” The pressure rose and rose causing the ground beneath the eldest rindar to crack yet still the rindar struggled, refusing to fall to his knees. His pride would not allow it regardless of the difference in strength between them.

.....

The new commander swiftly rose from his ice throne, appearing in front of the eldest rindar in a flash before placing his right foot upon his head.

“KNEEL!” With a loud shout the new commander forced the eldest rindar’s head to the ground, crushing the back of his skull under his foot before returning to his throne. The eldest rindar remained with his head partially buried in the ground, a cold sweat flowing down his neck from fear.

“Not a single B-rank level fighter on their side has died and their frontline forces are still dense enough to stop our charges which I could accept however, why is that on top of these issues our B-rank line-up is in complete disarray. More than a few dead while the rest sport numerable injuries hell even the so-called commander is missing not one but two arms. If this isn’t a complete failure, then I don’t know what is.” The new commander’s words cut deep as did his condemning gaze that passed over each and every one of the B-ranks present causing them to fearfully tremble.

The new commander fully expected to arrive in a grandiose manner and see the high walls of Furano severally damaged and their forces in tatters thus allowing for a swift and easy victory but what he got was practically the opposite, his disappointment was off the scale.

“From this point on you’re going to follow my orders to the letter and finally show some decent results before the rest of us arrive.” His words sent another chill through the present B-ranks, the new commander was not the only powerhouse on their way to the battlefield. Soon they would be nothing but weaklings to be used at the upper ranks will, a position they had recently enjoyed.

On Furano’s side Douglas’s eyes were scanning the battlefield with a frown. None of their magic attacks or ranged attacks managed to deal much damage to the endless horde that continued to charge from the treeline, almost instantly replenishing the forces his soldiers managed to cull. Exhaustion was quickly building up even with the aid of the elites and a few Majors and once it sets in losses would be inevitable.

Douglas understood the new commander’s strategy, he was slowly whittling away their forces with expendable monsters. Himself and the other B-ranks didn’t even show themselves, remaining hidden behind the treeline. A strategy that Douglas was powerless to counter as the moment he tried to the defence line would swiftly collapse, all they could do was endure and hope that their tactics would see them through until their reinforcements arrive. Something that the enemy was in the dark about or at least unaware of when they would arrive.

The minutes gradually turned into a couple hours yet still the B-ranks refused to show themselves, sending only their replenishable monsters. Not being able to witness a triumphant victory over an enemy leader and to be subjected to an endless horde of multiple species without break did serious damage to moral. And along with the build up of exhaustion, injuries and deaths started cropping up all over the defensive line. Kiba was run ragged to and fro, swooping in with fierce aggression before swiftly flying back into Furano with the injured soldiers on his back but he was just one tiger.

Douglas enlisted elites and Majors that were held back for the B-ranks to reinforce the soon to crumble areas, but it was a losing battle. Every minute ground was lost, and the horde encroached closer and closer to the wall. A few even reached Douglas and attempted to take a bite out of the old man but were met with the razor-sharp edge of his sword and killed instantly.

After another hour the death toll was in the dozens, almost twice as much as the previous dawn wave but this time not a single victory was made by them. No B-rank monsters showed themselves throughout the entire wave and now the drums of retreat sounded from within the treeline.

Blood and flesh littered the battlefield, and a sense of despair filled each and every solider as they looked left and right noticing the many gaps in their formations. So much death without a single thing to show for it.

“Bastard!” Douglas cursed through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot from fury and his nails threatening to pierce his palm. This was a tough loss and one that would seriously affect the following waves. For the first time in the late stages the moral of the frontline forces took a big hit, their collective strengths would see a drop come the next wave.

Douglas stared into the dense treeline trying to find the visage of the new commander, he could feel his eyes on him, full of triumph.

Maggie who was by Douglas’s side had blood dripping from her pawlike hands due to her overly clenched fists, she was just as if not more furious than Douglas. She’d been part of the military for a long time and had seen her fair share of stratagems so she knew how devasting this wave could be for their forces.

Halgrave released a sigh before he gave the order to sound the retreat, his expression being rather dark as he did.

Trumpets sounded and bells were rung signalling the end of the wave. The forces beyond the wall all relaxed slightly but not a single one of them sported a smile, even Frost who was usually rather upbeat and optimistic about the situation stared into the forest with a pained expression.

The battle he just took part in was not enjoyable in the slightest as though it was hollow and pointless, a situation that irked him greatly. He stared hard at the treeline before eventually spitting and turning around to head behind the wall.

However, the moment he did he felt a chill down his back and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, danger was coming.

Suddenly as everyone let down their guards and started heading through the gate a massive magic crest appeared above the treeline summoning what looked like a giant ice serpent.

This spell was a 4th circle ice spell called [wrath of the ice serpent] and it summoned a massive ice borne serpent that would devour and freeze the intended targets.

The casting was so sudden that Ryuu and Jessie couldn’t react, out of the entire forces they were the only people who could cast 4th circle magic and effectively counter such an attack. Hamon was still injured and Douglas, Halgrave and Maggie were on the wall and not the most agile, their attacks even if on time would likely miss.

“Fuck!” Halgrave loudly cursed before without hesitation leaped from the wall to try and block the high-ranking spell. Maggie was hot on his trail, but the giant ice serpent was already flying through the air and would be on their retreating forces in but a single second.

Its intended targets being the exhausted soldiers and if possible, even a weakened Major who had been fighting non-stop for the past three hours just like Frost.