The thing that made preparing for this wave interesting was the difference in power level between defenders and attackers. On paper, their forces seemed equal. Tanuki measured himself to be worth about two soulless husks. There were also three of those defending the backline, or rather, waiting for shit to hit the fan.

What confused him was the lack of shit. He had not thought about this wave’s units too much because he believed the game would do another rug pull and reveal in the middle of the attack that yes, it hid a nuclear bomb in one of the corpses. Perhaps not to that extreme, as Tanuki believed the game was careful about the land, prioritising the garden over the gardener.

In any case, the incoming attack bore three enemies.

[ 2x Soulless Husk ]

[ 1x Deadweight Husk ]

In most tower-defense games, the first two waves were crucial in teaching new players about opponent types.

“Usually there are four types of enemies. The weakest are minions, cannon fodder sent to take fire away from the second type, juggernauts. These are the big guys with more health and damage. Third is the specialist type, which is rare and usually introduced later. The fourth are bosses, enemies that possess the strength of an entire army. Despite that, I do not fear the deadweight husk being one, as there is a zero-percent chance a boss would show up before the last wave.”

“Deadweight Husk… whatever it is, it must be a juggernaut type. The question is, should I focus on him and ignore the minions until it’s dead, or should I kill the little ones first before tackling Mr. Bigshot?”

Had it been a video game, he would have taken care of the minions first. However, with the life-and-death type deal, would it really be a good idea to leave the strongest live the longest?

His time to meditate ran out as the clock struck six and a bell rang out. It sounded three times, echoing off into the void.

Tanuki stood behind the small barricade, three husks fast behind him. In his time of fear, he found respite in the presence of his minions. Though weak, if he ordered them to carry an axe their damage and range improved significantly.

“That’s also what the game wants,” he thought, “To be as resourceful as possible. For some reason, it seems to benefit off my struggle. What a confusing situation thing it is…”

A portal opened on the fine line separating land from void. From its white spirals, a head emerged wearing a thick veil, the kind brides when getting married.

Her head was way too big to be human. Was it a giant? Further concerns were raised once he saw the exposed spine rotting under the veil. It was either a husk or something undead, but certainly not human.

The monster spoke and her voice crawled forth like a frostbit claw.

“Interesting. The curse finds young flesh,” she said, and Tanuki felt the hair on the back of his neck stand.

He refused to give in to fear. Even though his hands trembled, he confronted the creature.

“Who are you?”

“Save your strength little one, for your marriage with the soil awaits.”

“What are you talking about?” He grew violent. “Answer me! Who are you?”

“The question is not who I am, but for who I am. Love is a beautiful thing, my dear. Love that lasts eternal triumphs over the void. I bring the ring that binds together two and say a prayer over the kiss of death. You are just another to feel its frozen warmth.”

Tanuki was at a loss for words.

Like a little child that peaked into an ant nest and achieved satisfaction, the monster pulled back and disappeared. Immediately after, the wave initiated.

Two husks emerged from the portal, the same as of the first wave. But following them came a creature twice Tanuki’s size. A corrupt orgy of twigs and rot mended one by a sickly ritual. A dark square burnt into its face served permanent reminder of its dark origin. It crawled forth with arms twice the size of its legs, the large weight pushing it forth to move like a gorilla.

All the confidence Tanuki had shot away in a second.

His barricade could not hold this strong of an opponent.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Line up!” He yelled and spread the husks evenly around him.

His plans crumbled like dominos, and all reasonable thought to focus the minions turned into concentration sent straight into the acid spit aimed at the monstrous giant. He shot the spell, draining half his mana in an instant for a less-than-satisfactory effect, as the acid hit the monster and tore a wound, but left no puddle.

[ Deadweight Husk (LvL. 2)]

[ HP: 18/20 ]

The creature’s health was four times that of the small husks. Its strength was greater too, given as it stomped closer, the ground trembled beneath its girthy fists.

Tanuki’s face grew pale and mind turned blank. He did not want to fight that creature. How could he? It would rip him in half! He wanted to die, die before it got to him.

For a second, he considered taking the axe from one of his husks. Even if he could not be brave enough to end it himself… he wanted to have it, in case he were forced into a corner.

“That thing could tear me apart.” He nearly threw up just thinking about it. He wanted to die before it could mutilate him. Was there any other way to spare himself from fighting that thing? If not, should his last moments be hell?

While staring at the enemy, he noticed something.

The only saving grace of this wave presented itself in the monsters’ speed. Although the minions cut the distance between the portal and the barricade in just a few seconds, the monstrosity was only a third of their speed. Adding to that, the minions got through the portal first and the giant came a few seconds late.

Tanuki measured their distance and speed with his basic high school physics knowledge and determined,

“I have ten seconds to fight the minions before the juggernaut catches up to them.”

Ten seconds. If he could deal with the weaker opponents in that time, he could focus all his remaining resources on battling the giant. Should he act any slower, the barricade gets broken and the line separating opponents from the Gaia Core dissipates.

That could not be allowed, no matter the cost.

“Prepare your axes! Aim for the head!”

While the minions crept closer, Tanuki spent his remaining mana to launch another acid spit at the deadweight husk. The green bubbling liquid hit the monster’s shoulder and tore another notable wound. The creature seemed incapable of pain, a would-be positive attribute for any force of nature, had it not been attacked with something so acidic that if left unchecked, its remains in the wound would burn their way deeper into the victim’s core. And so it happened, the twigs crackled violently, and the monster’s posture worsened as more and more of its foundation gave away.

[ Deadweight Husk (LvL. 2)]

[ HP: 13/20 ]

Meanwhile, the enemy minions reached the barricade.

“Ready your weapons!” Tanuki held in for a moment. “Attack!”

When the enemies got in range, they were greeted with a barrage of weaponry. They tried to retaliate with whatever little power they had. One of them successfully climbed atop the barricade, but Tanuki bashed its knee with the staff and the monster fell back to the other side.

Tanuki saw its health finally drop to one when it hit the ground. In that moment though, its demeanour changed and Tanuki felt a bad omen.

He remembered the first wave and its husk.

Quickly, he hopped the barricade, and before the other one could react, he stomped on the husk’s head. Just in time, as it had already raised its fist, ready to end itself.

The head cracked apart like a dry spiderweb under Tanuki’s feet. He panted heavily while looking down at the corpse. Acting so swiftly and violently was unlike him, but what surprised him the most was the reason for this decision.

It was a tiny subconscious thought that clawed at him.

“Why…”

But before he could ponder, a loud crack rang out next to him. He turned to see the other husk also reached its last remaining health point, but this one managed to take its own life. The creature pulled out the fist impaled into its own head, then promptly collapsed.

Tanuki watched on in horror as the corpse’s aura changed and suddenly, something was emerging from the hole in its face.

Something so disgusting, just the thought of it alone was enough to make him nauseous.

It was a fly, the size of a dog, buzzing as loud as a motorbike.

For a moment it stood still, observing its surroundings. Then it turned to face Tanuki. Its many eyes were starving for flesh. Black tar oozed out of its baggy mouth salivating before the feast.

Then it jumped forth with incredible speed.

It happened so fast that Tanuki almost had no time to defend. However, he put the staff between himself and the fly just in time to avoid the blow shattering his ribs. Nonetheless, the attack fractured his forearm bones. The pain did not even register to him at first, but when the fly pulled away, it all came crashing down like lightning.

He could not even curse, only howl in pain like some wild beast.

For the first time in his life, he was seriously hurt.

The creature tried to fly away but could not. Its wings were not strong enough to carry its huge body as it tried to flee. It appeared as though the Moon’s gravity was affecting it. It jumped high, then fell much slower. Had it been any other creature, it would have been considered cute, but this was moreso insulting.

Tanuki caught a glimpse of it through his tears. The way it moved made him furious. He grew angry, angry at the game for the obvious betrayal, angry at the fly for being the first to hurt him, and angry he had let himself be damaged by such a lowly lifeform.

Are you just gonna’ let this pass? Is it seriously gonna’ get away? Are you even a man or just a pussy?

His time was running short. The deadweight husk was mere seconds away from him and the fly was about to make enough distance to recover for another attack.

You’re not a man. You’re just a coward. Lie down, eat shit, and die!

All logic dictated he should run back into safety and tend his wounds, yet he felt a stubborn rage building in his heart. How shameful was it to be so badly hurt by a mere insect? None other than a fly?

No. He would not allow that worthless creature to live another second. He could not. Not if he was a man.

Tanuki raised his staff into the air and sternly commanded the husks.

“Everyone! Charge after that piece of shit!”

And alas, the husks followed Tanuki like a pack of wolves covering the alpha. Only, there was no honour to leading this charge. No righteous goal, no necessity to hunt prey, nor the right mindset for self-defence.

This was an act fuelled by a wound left not on the mortal body, but the ego of the mind.