CHAPTER 23
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John POV
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“Shit. I am going to kill you later!” the vampire cursed. The vampire didn’t die, though. His shield was fast and managed to block most of the damage. But he seemed pretty ragged as he ran back to their camp.
“Damn. That didn’t kill him?” Will said, looking surprised. “It was a combination of physical and magical attacks, right?”
“Yeah. That vampire didn’t even look that injured to me. That was a nasty opponent.” I replied.
“Okay… good job, everyone. I guess our night raid is going to be postponed for now. Let’s bring Richard and Bane to the clinic. Maybe Nita can do something about it.” Fay said while she and Und gave their shoulders to Richard and Bane. We walked back into the tent while feeling tired. They looked exhausted, and I could also see some injuries on Und.
“Richard! Bane!” Nita came forward from the clinic.
“Nita. Hurry up! Richard is in critical condition!”
“Eh… but” she looked back at the wounded soldier behind her.
“Nita, hurry up. Gladiators are a priority in this case!” Fay said while raising her tone. The bleeding was awful, and Bane was also in bad shape. There were several cuts on her body and a lot of nasty bruises on him.
” o-okay.” Nita quickly sat beside Richards, and Fay followed suit as a glowing light came out from her hands. Together with that, several medics tried to bandage their wounds. The wound immediately stopped bleeding, but it hadn’t healed yet. And it looked like it turned worse as it quickly blackened.
“Nita?” Und said.
“Um… I don’t know. It is not working. This is not how it was supposed to be….” Nita panicked.
“That sword is poisonous. We need to find the antidote first before we continue. John! Ask Alan where the supplies for the antidote are for festering swords! We should still have a lot of them.” Fay replied.
With that as a cue, I immediately ran from the clinic and went straight to the clerk that held the supply tent to ask about the festering poison. He questioned how many patients required it, and after he got the answer, he immediately handed me 2 boxes filled with random round leaves with a 4 cm diameter each.
I hurried back towards the tent and handed Fay the leaves to her.” Here are the leaves.”
“Okay, Nita, crush these leaves with your hands until you feel them wet. Then, while applying the regen 2, apply this to the blackened wound.” Fay instructed, “Remember not to apply this to non-blackened wounds as these leaves are actually another poison. Apply no more than a leaf for each wound except the big ones, which need to be applied accordingly to the rate of the blackened skin.”
” Okay. Got it.” Nita said while quickly smashing leaves and putting them into the wound. Her moves are honestly quite used to it. Unlike her usual stammering speech, her hands didn’t tremble, and she looked focused.
“Excellent!” Fay praised. “John, you can aid by applying regen to other less wounded soldiers. We got this.”
Fay instructed me to apply regen to other soldiers. I can use healing magic, but only the most basic ones. Fay knew this. That’s why she instructed me to tend to other soldiers. I felt so helpless. Even when I am supposed to be a hero, all I can do is hide behind others’ backs. The retreat, the fight, and now the healing. It reminds me that I was never the best at anything. Even back on earth, I was only promoted because my superiors felt pity, and I have worked there for over 10 years. It was so hard to be the best at anything.
Several hours later, after the hell at the clinic, Alan gathered us again and gave his usual daily report.
“Okay. Yesterday was quite terrible with Richard and Bane. They are going to need about a week of recuperation. But good job to all of you for driving away that vampire. It was no small feat to be able to drive away a vampire and not only their spawn.” Alan said.
“There were more than 100 dead. At the tent alone,” I said,
“a sacrifice is needed. But it is a shame we can no longer conduct a night raid, as Bane and Richard were out of commission for several days.” Alan said.
“How are they?” Chloe asked
“The poison used is the festering poison. When in contact with skin or flesh, the poison makes the flesh rot, then spreads to the whole body, eventually killing the person. We have already applied the cure, but it will still take time for the cure to neutralize the poison. After that, we also still need to regenerate the dead tissue.” Fay explained.
“How are we going to progress now, Alan?”
“Well, we have no choice but to plan the ambush in the day just like yesterday and try to escape to Alpas at night. And also, we will try to delay them as long as possible. I have already sent words to Steven, and he said he can take down Randell by tomorrow. After that, they will come here. With Stella and Parker, we can surely stave off the assault.” Alan said while looking down. Clearly, he didn’t fully believe his own word. It was just wishful thinking. But there is nothing else we can do.
At noon the ambush worked. All the heroes also worked together to delay the enemies. The vampire we saw yesterday was nowhere to be seen. Even though we were vastly outnumbered, we managed to hold them off for a day, but our army was basically annihilated. With more than 15 thousand wounded, we were left with less than 10 thousand left.
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We have no choice but to pull back to Alpas at twilight. After the sun sets, we hurriedly packed up. Many soldiers tried to carry their comrades by pulling wagons filled with soldiers missing their legs or unconscious. It was a nightmare for us that never go to the battlefield.
Despite all of this, most of us seemed okay psychologically. Even Nita seemed unperturbed. It must be because of the VRMMO back on earth. This kind of scene was quite common in games back on earth. So I guess they are already used to it.
At dawn, all of us were back in Alpas. We again organize an ambush several km in front of the city. But with so few soldiers, we could not delay the enemy any further, and they managed to station themselves in front of the city at night.
“If we managed to hold on just tonight, We will survive. Parker and Stella are on their way and will arrive at dusk tomorrow. Or even sooner. Please try to hold out.” Alan said. “Right now, we have about 40 thousand fresh troops in Alpas. But since a vampire is the enemy this time, I expect they will conduct a night raid. Please hold on just like before and delay him until dawn. Vampires are known to be weaker when there is sunlight above them.”
“Okay!” Riki and Riko said confidently.
“The plan is like this. All the heroes will focus on the vampire, and the rest of us will hold them at the walls. “Alan said
“This was a little bit different than the game…” the twins replied. “Can they even hold out against a million troops?”
“Yes. There will be a lot of casualties, but I have analyzed several choke-point in the walls. The enemy also didn’t bring any siege weapons. Anything that they constructed overnight must be of lower quality. I am confident our troops will be able to hold out for at least 2 or 3 days.” Alan said with a smile. “We only need the vampire not to take hold or destroy those choke points. Of course, we have also assigned several hundred meat shields to help you heroes hinder it. Use them as you see fit.”
The night soon came. And I can see thousands of moving torches across the field, picturing a beautiful light flickering across the battlefield. If only it was not accompanied by the terror of thousands of orcs, beasts, and ghouls, I would like to take pictures and make them my desktop wallpaper.
“Richard, Bane. Are you okay?” I asked. Both of them came to me.
“Not really. But we have to do it, I guess.” Richard said.
“I ain’t gonna let those assholes retake Alpas! Even if it kills me!” Bane replied enthusiastically, but with a sling on his hand, I was unsure if he was healthy. I am not a hero who will persuade them to rest and let me take care of everything. To be honest, I am actually glad that they are going to be participating in this battle. I am not confident that we will be able to win this one, even if Parker and Stella arrive.
“The vampire is taking the lead.” The twins said. Chloe immediately readied her arrow together with Und. But even though we tried to shoot them, it was useless, and the vampire kept dodging or breaking it with his sword. And with a swing of his sword, he slashed at the gate. The gate gave a loud boom but still stood. After a few more slashes, the gate finally cracked and was thrown open.
“Stand your ground! We must hold them here!” Richard and Bane gave orders while Riki and Riko dashed toward the vampire. “Will! You need to go to the wall and slow the army with your spells. You are useless against a fast foe like him. Do your worst on the rest of the army. We will handle the vampire! You too, Fay and Und. Someone must lead the army and hold out against a higher-ranked foe that managed to enter the wall and the city.”
“Oh, the pair wanted to play. I will not be stalled like before anymore. Your little trick ends now!” the vampire said haughtily.
The twins maintained perfect cooperation with Chloe. I also gave several small balls of fire as a distraction, but this vampire was focused on Riko. But just as Riki tried to slash from his blind spot like they usually do, the vampire suddenly blocked that slash and grabbed his arms while suddenly pulling away before Riko could catch up and countered back
As he spread his dark wings, he smashed Riki into the ground. While Riko chased him, he made several small indentations on the floor with his magic, causing him to trip and slash his arm as he fell. The battle was over in an instant.
“No! Riki! Riko!” Chloe said while shooting her arrows. She ran towards the vampire before he made the kill. as Chloe threw her knives, she pulled two short swords from her waist and attacked him. she tried to distance the vampire and the twins.
“Shit. This is bad!” I also tried to reposition myself and flank the vampire while shooting some ice spears and fireballs. But the vampire didn’t even need to look into me before dodging all of my spells. Damn, I am entirely useless here!
“Bane!” Richard shouted.
“On it!” Bane replied, and together as an experienced duo gladiator, they surrounded the vampire. But their wounds hadn’t healed yet, and even before the battle started, their breathing was already ragged.
“Fuck off!” the vampire gave a diagonal slash toward Chloe, and while she dodged that, he gave her a kick in the stomach. She then immediately flew and crashed into the wall. Now only Bane, Richard, and me, the weakest hero, are left to fight him.
I tried to summon 10 fireballs to engulf him. But he immediately countered them with ice walls. I quickly tried to reposition by running while preparing another spell. As he came near, Richard and Bane attempted to intercept him.
As soon as the first exchange of slashes was done, I used an ice spear to his head, but it was easily dodged. While Bane came at the perfect time to his back, the bloodsucker immediately gave a roundhouse kick and threw them away. The usual Bane and Richard should be able to hold these attacks. But with them so weakened, the vampire managed to make some distance, and he quickly dashed chasing Richard.
Richard desperately parried the slashes. I had already prepared spells, but I couldn’t do anything with them being so close to each other. I looked at them, waiting for an opening, but it never came. Then he pierced him in the stomach with his sword.
“Richard!!” Bane quickly came behind him and tried to slash him, but the vampire managed to capture his axe with his gauntlet. If it was the usual Bane, he should be able to cut that arm, but he now has no power to do anything. After the fangman pulled his sword back from Richard’s stomach, The vampire slashed Bane in the torso. He flew several meters back and groaned on the floor.
“Now!” I cast my spells. Thunder struck directly above the vampire, and a loud boom cracked the floor he was standing on. There the vampire’s image came. Unharmed.
“That hurt quite a bit. You should be proud to manage to hurt a vampire with a spell. “The vampire came to me. My legs are shaking. I have no frontliners left.
“Go help the heroes!”
“Shut up.” the vampire shot black arrows from his hands. When it touched the ground, several disgusting zombies spawned out, effectively stopping the meatshield that Alan gave us.
“So, are you the last one?” the vampire came down with a smug on his face.
“Why are you attacking us?” I asked him while holding my staff shakily.
“Hahaha!! Why not? You guys are just food for me! This is war!! Are you stupid? “He said with arrogance as he laughed. He was so annoying, but I am currently helpless against him. Fear engulfed me as I tried to prepare another thunder spell. He immediately noticed and cast several ice bullets at me.
I dodged with my life on the line. The spell that I prepared dissipates. He laughed and mocked me for my incompetence. A sudden burst of anger pulsed through me as he reminded me of my old evil boss.
” Damn it! I really hate people like you!” I said as I hurled fireballs toward his face. He didn’t dodge this time, and the spell hit him, but he didn’t even budge.
“I see. So you hate me, huh? Well, I admit that I find pleasure in stepping down pushover people like you. I can see it in your eyes. The oldest between the new heroes yet the weakest. You are just like my pet slave in my house. I ordered him to kneel, and he kneeled! Hehehe! How about it? Want to switch sides? Why don’t you become my kin?” The vampire said as he walked towards me.
At his words, a memory of my life on earth flashes back. He is right that sometimes I have to beg my superior for a project. Not counting a lot of times, I have to try to lure in several clients, kneel, and ask for forgiveness for every defect the product has. I am over 35 years old now, yet many of my new coworkers who just graduated from college for a year already received a promotion. I thought that being the hero here meant that even though I was not number one, I could at least grab some success. Everyone admired us. They placed hopes and expectations on me. But no, everyone put their hopes only on Parker and Stella. We are nothing. I am nothing.
“Damn you!” I smack him with my staff. The staff unsurprisingly broke, and to add salt to injury, the vampire didn’t even flinch or get wounded. He even laughed at my ridiculous action.
“Okay. That was fine humor. Time to end this. I have a city to capture.” He lazily raised his sword, and as he swung down, flashes of light appeared in front of me.
BOOM!
Enormous thunder fell down on him with a loud boom. The thunder created a crater with such surgical precision that the spell didn’t even harm me, even though I was just a few meters beside him. He quickly got up and eyed his surrounding. Calmness and arrogance were wiped out from his face.
“Who is it!?” both of us looked around. Will couldn’t possibly cast such precise magic. Could it be her?
I quickly scanned the trace of mana with my occupation as a magician and found the spell’s origin. It suddenly came from the sky and flowed from the direction outside the city. The vampire, also a capable mage, quickly flew toward the top of the wall and killed any soldiers he encountered. I also ran towards the wall and looked at the source of mana.
“Damn. She really is a monster.” at a distance, I could see a whirling storm of mana. It quickly formed into another thunder. Even though the vampire flies at high speed towards her, she still manages to hit him from above with another thunder. This time it was more significant than the last, and the bloodsucker was again slammed to the ground leaving a smoked crater.