Just as Roland was getting into the flow of discussing how to establish a fair market, the distant sound of a horn's wail suddenly cut through the air!
The all-out alert is only sounded if the patrol team is unable to cope.
Roland and Carter exchanged a glance before hurrying out of the castle's backyard. The personal guard had already prepared the horses. He mounted his steed and rode off toward the city walls with Carter and his men.
As the group ascended the city wall, the militia had already taken their positions, and a line of guns was positioned atop the wall—a sight that brought Roland a slight sense of relief: so many eggs had finally not been wasted.
He scanned the northwest, where a group of black figures were approaching Border Town at the horizon. Prince estimated their number to be about twenty.
The Iron Axe trotted from his defensive post, bowed, and reported: "Your Highness, these demonic beasts have shown unusual behavior." "Unusual? You mean they don't usually act in groups?" "That's not the case," the Iron Axe explained. "If they were pack animals before their descent into corruption, they'd retain this behavior as demonic beasts—like wolf species. But these aren't of the same kind, so they shouldn't form groups. Hunters have even observed them fighting each other." These demonic beasts are fundamentally corrupted wild creatures, retaining most of their primal instincts while exhibiting intensified predatory urges. In a way, their intelligence is actually lower than wild beasts, as their frenzied nature has made them forget even the basic principle of seeking benefits and avoiding harm.
Roland observed the group closely for a moment and noticed that the individuals varied in size, at least distinguishing between wolf-type and bison-type members. However, this could not be taken as evidence that they had suddenly developed intelligence or understood the importance of group cohesion.
Because they were still guided by the obstacles and traps set by the iron axes, they gradually concentrated in front of the city wall.
Vanne felt his palms damp, and the grip on the gun barrel was slightly slippery. Seizing the moment when no one was watching, he discreetly wiped the sweat from his clothes.
The hunter assigned to watch kept repeating the same mantra: "Relax, take a deep breath." Fan Na repeated it countless times, yet his racing heart refused to stop. Having lived in the Western Frontier for over a decade, he had heard nothing but tales of the demonic beasts' ferocity. Since the month of the Evil Demon, the occasional sight of hunters eliminating these creatures one by one beneath the city walls had eased his fears. He had long considered himself a seasoned warrior, but now, facing so many monsters for the first time, his legs still trembled.
As he contemplated being chosen by Your Highness as the deputy of the Long Gun Squad, Vanna strained to maintain a composed demeanor while keeping his gun in a defensive stance.
The pack of monsters drew nearer, and he could now recognize their forms. Leading the charge was a bison, its two jet-black horns as thick as his own arms. The fur on its back clung like a cloak, covering every inch of its body. When it was just thirty feet from the city wall, Vanna felt the ground tremble. He licked his parched lips, waiting for the hunter to give the command to strike.
Then came a loud bang.
The ferocious beast charged straight into the city wall at full speed, its head shattered instantly, black blood splattering the entire surface.
Before Fan Na could catch his breath, two wolf pack members had already pounced on the bison's back.
"Stab!" The hunter's roar rang out in his ears. Fan Na instinctively thrust his spear forward—though the wolf species wasn't charging toward him. This coordinated attack clearly fell short of their training. Rows of spears on the wall began to thrust out in succession. Some had already thrust their spears when they saw the wolf species leap, while others remained unresponsive even after hearing the shouts.
Only one wolf was driven back, while the other leapt out of the gunfire and landed on the wall.
"Keep the formation!" the hunter bellowed.
Though Fan Na was eager to turn and see which direction the demonic beast would attack, the iron axe's repeated training warnings had taken effect: when attention was diverted by the commotion behind, the front became the most perilous zone. His eyes remained fixed on the next wave of approaching demons, his long spear clenched tightly in his grip.
The experience of Orion is obviously much more abundant than that of Long Gun.
Before the wolf pup even touched the ground, the hunters 'curved blades were already drawn. The iron axe wielded with lightning speed, lunging two steps toward the monstrous beast. It raised the axe handle upward and struck the creature's waist with a forceful blow, sending it tumbling through the air several times.
The transformed beast's physical strength and defense had been dramatically enhanced, making such attacks ineffective against it. Upon landing, it immediately flipped over and rose, baring its sharp fangs.
Unfortunately, the gun barrel of the iron axe was already pressed against its forehead.
A gunshot— the head of the evil beast flew off, the brainless body took two backward steps, convulsing and collapsing to the ground.
"This beast is dead, keep your positions!" "Ah! My stomach—" someone screamed in agony.
Vanne glanced sideways and saw a team member leaning against the barrier wall, clutching his stomach tightly, his hands already covered in blood.
"He's bleeding from his gut." "That's the wolf breed's claws that tore him apart!" "Save me..." "Damn it, get some cloth to bandage him!" The scene descended into chaos, but fortunately, the next pack of beasts charging down the wall were wild boar breed. Though tough as leather, they were all turned into hedgehogs by the hunters' crossbows at close range.
"Everyone, stay calm!" Roland, who had been held up by the Nightingale earlier and had just arrived, shouted. "Do you forget how to handle injuries during training? Follow the protocol!" Prince's words instantly jolted Vannara awake. He remembered his duty as deputy commander of the defensive team for that section of the wall—to organize rescue operations when someone was injured.
He called out two teammates, "Carry him to the hospital, now!" Based on his past experience, this man was unlikely to survive. But Your Highness had said that doing or not doing something was one thing, succeeding was another. As a militia member, he had to prioritize following orders and regulations.
After the wounded were evacuated, order was finally restored on the city walls. This wave of demonic beasts appeared numerous, yet only a few posed a threat to those above the walls.
The Hunters took down the remaining monsters one by one, and Fan Na breathed a sigh of relief. The battle had lasted no more than half an hour, yet he felt his strength drained completely.
Just then, the hunter on the watchtower of the city wall, who was on guard duty, shouted again, "Good heavens, what is that..." Vanne also spotted the target.
Though it was still a long way from the city walls, the creature's massive silhouette alone made it unmistakable. Vanna swore that even ten cows stacked together couldn't match the sheer size of this monster.
Only the experienced iron axe immediately identified the visitor.
He gasped. There was no doubt it was a hybrid—they were in trouble.