Chapter 322: Fearless Orcs
Sensing danger, Matthew gestured to Beelzebub beside him.
Beelzebub drew his double axes, a red glow flickering in his eyes.
Angela continued commanding crossbow shots at the chimeras, even as they fled the range of the bolts.
With only simple siege equipment, the orcs struggled to pose any real threat to the towering, sturdy walls.
The Shadow Wolves leapt directly onto the walls, the vertical surface offering them no obstacle as they charged forward.
Their target was Matthew and Angela!
Despite Matthew's warning, Beelzebub only sensed a vague danger, unaware of the wolves' exact position, a testament to the threat posed by these high-level magical creatures.
As they vaulted over the walls, Matthew raised his staff.
Two webs shot forth in quick succession!
Matthew's level 5 quick-cast ability, combined with his mastery of spellcasting, allowed him to cast nearly instantaneously!
Most of the Shadow Wolves, unable to evade, were ensnared by the webs.
Angela, prepared for this, immediately ordered:
"Shoot the webs!"
More than 50 hidden heavy crossbows fired in unison.
The powerful bolts struck the entangled, invisible Shadow Wolves.
Soon, splatters of blood appeared where the bolts had landed.
"Awooo…!"
Harrowing screams echoed from the Shadow Wolves on the walls.
Crossbowmen, confused but obedient, watched the blood appear and quickly reloaded for another round of shots.
"Ma Dao Squad, move in!"
"Slash!!"
The booming shout resonated across the walls, drowning out the Shadow Wolves' pained howls.
A flash of steel followed as heavily-armored infantry brought down their massive blades.
Crack!
With nowhere to dodge, the Shadow Wolves took the brunt of the blow.
The armored wolves couldn't withstand the finely crafted weapons, with over a dozen gravely injured.
The remaining wolves frantically tore free from the webs, fleeing desperately.
Even in retreat, they hadn't given up on their target.
The injured wolves drew the soldiers' attention while the rest charged toward Matthew and Angela.
Against an average opponent, their ruthless tactics might have achieved a swift decapitation.
Only experienced knights or nobles surrounded by heavily-armed guards could withstand such attacks.
Sensing the impending danger, Angela tightened her grip on her sword, yet calmly issued more orders:
"Crossbow team three, target the chimeras; teams one and two, focus on the siege engines."
Spotting the five unscathed Shadow Wolves, Matthew raised his staff.
A protective shield enveloped Beelzebub.
Alongside it, he cast Speed, Strength, and Smite!
Beelzebub's combat power surged by at least 30%!
Five scorching rays struck the approaching wolves with precision.
Though not fatally wounded, the smell of burnt flesh alerted Beelzebub instantly.
Wielding an ice-laden axe, he swung at an oncoming wolf.
A spray of blood followed as two wolves were cleaved in half before they could struggle.
The bodies fell, no longer invisible, reeking of blood.
The three remaining wolves, taking advantage of Beelzebub's swing, rushed past him toward Matthew.
Beelzebub smirked, frost forming on his axes.
With a flick of his wrists, he hurled both axes backward in a spinning arc.
Two wolves, unable to dodge, were hit; frost spread across their bodies, revealing their forms as they collapsed with pained howls.
The last wolf lunged at Matthew, but Angela instinctively drew her sword, positioning herself in front and thrusting forward.
The wolf opened its maw, dodging Angela's strike with vengeful eyes fixed on her neck, lunging to bite.
Thud!
Angela's sharp sword pierced through the wolf's mouth and out the back of its head.
The stunned wolf, jolted from a sleep spell, was incapacitated, unable to resist, and convulsed twice before collapsing.
Angela calmly withdrew her sword, savoring the teamwork with her lord, her heart brimming with joy, and resumed commanding the troops to slaughter the injured wolves.
Against such vicious foes, there was no mercy, casting sleep spells repeatedly to turn them into easy targets.
These deadly Shadow Wolves were swiftly eliminated before they could cause any harm.
At that moment, orcs began clambering up with crude siege tools, struggling under falling stones above.
The first to engage were the activated guardian golems.
With spiked fists, they easily swept the orcs off.
Agonizing screams filled the air.
Blood wafted heavily as orcs displayed their fearless determination.
They pressed forward under crossbow fire, swarming the walls like ants.
Seeing more orcs reaching the walls, Angela directed the siege engines:
"Release the stones!"
Hundreds of fist-sized rocks rained down from the machines.
With gravity's force, the rocks inflicted deadly blows, killing or severely injuring the orcs below.
Larger stones targeted orcs on the ladders.
The topmost orcs fell, crushing those below with their cries.
The soldiers, initially tense, grew confident as they assessed the orcs' strength.
"They're big but not as dangerous as trolls."
"Their gear is even worse than trolls'; they can barely scratch us!"
"Ha! Killing orcs is more profitable than trolls!"
"Exactly! Ten gold coins per orc; let's get to it!"
"This is a golden opportunity to earn for better gear or new skills."
"Let's stay sharp; living is most important. I don't want to attend anyone's funeral."
"…"
Despite the relentless orc assault, Misty Fortress's defenses held firm.