Upon hearing the report, Rei and his companions rushed to the dungeon entrance. There, they found groups of adventurers working in tandem to repel the ongoing assault.
"Push them back!"
"Urgh... Help! We need more hands here!"
"Send in the reserves! Just hold on a little longer!"
For the moment, they seemed to be holding their own. Relieved that the defensive line wasn't on the verge of immediate collapse, Rei let out a steadying breath.
However, the situation was far from stable. Unlike previous raids, the adventurers were clearly being pushed back. Rei had already been briefed on the cause.
"Is that it? It’s certainly different from the previous ones."
The enemy's form was clearly visible even from a distance. A massive Silver Mass sat anchored before the entrance. It didn't appear to be attacking directly, its body merely quivering, but it was far from harmless. It was spawning and unleashing a relentless tide of minions.
"Don't the Magic Tools work?" Rei asked the guard standing beside him—the same man who had brought word of the attack to the command tent.
"No, sir. That Silver Mass produces Earth Clod Beasts. Unlike our previous enemies, they cannot be purified."
Repeatedly repelled, the enemy had adapted their tactics. Instead of monsters subject to Silver Parasitization, they had shifted their focus to pseudo-lifeforms made of soil—beings akin to golems. Fortunately, these Earth Beasts were fragile. They would crumble back into mere dirt the moment they were struck, meaning they weren't much of a threat individually. The problem was their sheer numbers. They were being produced so rapidly that the adventurers couldn't kill them fast enough.
"Is it no use to burn them away with Area Magic?" Gald asked.
The guard turned toward him and shook his head slightly. "It’s possible to incinerate them, yes. However, there is a risk."
"A risk?"
"The risk of being left vulnerable."
The guard explained the danger of Silver Parasitization.
While the Silver Mass currently did little more than quiver, it occasionally lashed out with tentacles to seize adventurers. That was the trap. Large-scale Area Magic would obscure everyone's vision for a moment after casting, and the Silver Mass would exploit that blind spot to strike.
In fact, a mage had already been pounced upon immediately after casting a spell, nearly leading to a disaster. Thanks to quick-thinking party members, they were able to purify the victim immediately, but had things gone differently, a powerful Area Magic spell might have been turned against their own allies. Because of that, the current strategy was to avoid magic as much as possible.
"I see," Gald said, nodding.
Rei spoke up next. "What about purifying the enemy's main body?"
"We believe it has some effect, sir. However, it’s not enough to fully purify it. It seems to be drawing energy from within the dungeon, allowing it to regenerate almost instantly."
Though the Silver Mass appeared to be stationed outside, it was effectively an extension of something still inside the dungeon. Because there was no spatial link between the dungeon's interior and exterior, the Power of Purification couldn't reach deep enough to be effective.
They had considered using Magic Tools in rapid succession to force a purification, but the lead adventurers had decided against it. The risk was too high if the brute-force attempt failed; if an adventurer's mana was depleted and they suffered Silver Parasitization, there would be no way to save them.
"Even so, we can't just stay on the defensive forever. Tell them to attempt a series of purifications, but make sure they save at least half of their mana. And get those Mana Recovery Potions distributed."
"Understood!"
The guard ran off to deliver Rei's orders. A short while later, Gald muttered under his breath.
"This is bad."
Before Rei could ask what he meant, he saw it for himself. The number of Silver Masses looming before the entrance had grown. It hadn't split; a new one had slithered out from the dungeon's depths.
"...They’re increasing their numbers!"
Hearing the desperate cries of the adventurers, Rei realized the severity of the situation. With more masses present, the spawning rate of the Earth Clod Beasts would accelerate. The adventurers, already stretched thin, were being pushed to their absolute limits.
Then, it got worse.
"There’s another one!" Sally screamed.
Just as she said, a third mass oozed into view. With that, the adventurers' defense reached its breaking point. While a few individuals were tapping into desperate reserves of strength to hold the line, it was a temporary fix. Total collapse was imminent.
"Mil, Sally, Gald... let's go!"
Despite his status as the second son of the local lord, Rei chose to stand on the front lines. Though he was technically retired, his heart remained that of an adventurer. He couldn't simply watch this crisis unfold and walk away.
"Got it!" Mil chirped.
"Right!" Sally added.
"Good grief. You never could stay out of trouble, could you, Young Master?" Gald gave a wry smile, but he didn't try to stop him. If the line broke, the silver forces would overrun everything, and escape would become impossible anyway. Their only choice was to hold the ground.
"This is the critical moment! We protect Cygnil with our own hands!"
"Yeah!"
Rei and his team joined the fray. It was only four more people, but seeing the lord's son join the battle restored the fighting spirit of the wavering adventurers.
"Commander! Order the mages to use Area Magic! If we follow up with immediate purification, the risk of parasitization is minimal!" Rei shouted as he cut down an Earth Clod Beast. He directed the order through the established commander to maintain the chain of command. It was a bit roundabout, but a unified command was essential to prevent chaos.
His instructions were carried out, and sporadic area attacks began to clear the field. They weren't pushing the enemy back yet, but they were finally maintaining the line.
However—
"Dammit... not again!"
As if to deliver a final, crushing blow, a fourth and then a fifth mass emerged. The exhausted adventurers had nothing left to give.
Despair took hold of the line. Rei was no exception.
(Is this it? Is this the end?)
Facing death, memories of his adventuring days flashed through his mind. There had been plenty of danger, but he’d never felt more alive than during those years. In a way, it wasn't a bad end. He could go out as an adventurer.
The Earth Beasts surged forward as silver tentacles slithered toward them. Rei steeled himself. He wouldn't make it easy for them. He would fight to the last breath and show them the true spirit of an adventurer.
Just as he prepared for the end—
"It’s okay now, Rei! We’re here to help!"
A familiar, nostalgic voice rang out from behind him.