Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ]

Chapter 211 – Summoner Siege.

The howls in the forest grew louder and closer. The clash between the summoned beasts from both classes sounded ferocious. Even from a distance, Rusty could see trees shaking and collapsing as they were slashed or smashed by something with incredible strength.

Rusty tightened his grip on the bow and drew his first arrow. His life detection skill could not reach the edges of the forest, so he had to rely on his mana perception and sight instead. The moment he saw ripples forming, he took aim and fired his first shot just as a strange mantis-like monster emerged from within.

It was not a normal mantis, as its size was comparable to that of a person. It was also not alone. Several others like it came crawling out of the brush. The moment they laid their insectoid eyes on the small stronghold, they let out a strange, piercing shriek before charging forward.

His arrow collided with one of the monster’s heads, turning it into particles of mana almost instantly. Yet as soon as it fell, another took its place. The siege had begun, and soon more monsters poured out of the forest. Their summoners appeared as well, but they concealed themselves behind groups of creatures, rocks, and their own spells.

Just like in the previous test, if a summoner was defeated, their creature would vanish. Everyone here only had one life, and if they suffered sufficient damage, they would be forced out by the teachers. This was one of the reasons defending was easier. It was far better to focus on the summoners, but the attackers needed to expose themselves if they wanted to capture the flag.

‘That pesky range we need to maintain around our summoners comes in handy at times like this. They won’t be able to stay behind those trees and rocks if they want this flag.’

His plan was simple. He would target the summoners and take them out. If they defeated enough of them, the other group would be forced to ask for reinforcements from their stronghold. However, this required the cooperation of the entire class, and when it came to teamwork, the opposing class seemed to be superior.

“Why do I have to order my orcs to use bows? They are much better in close combat than this. This is a waste of my skills.”

“Just be quiet and shoot. They are coming!”

“Fine…”

Some of the students manning the walls and ordering their monsters to fire arrows were already complaining. These mages carried a great deal of pride. Most of them seemed to be nobility or descendants of wealthy merchants who disliked being told what to do. Only when a high noble was present would they truly listen. Gwen, who came from a fallen noble house, did not seem to command that level of prestige yet.

“They are advancing, shoot!”

A swarm of arrows flew through the air and embedded themselves in the insectoid monsters. They were not alone, as other creatures such as snakes, salamanders, and, as always, orcs advanced with them. Some held shields as they slowly moved toward the moat area. The bridge leading in could not be pulled up and it created a death zone through which they needed to funnel if they wanted to get inside. To make things more interesting, a few flying creatures appeared as well.

‘Never seen that one…’

Classification:

Brown Feather Harpy [ E ]

Type:

Humanoid/Beast

Description:

Fusions of bird and human that possess crooked talons and ragged wings. They usually appear in groups and lure their prey with a sweet melody.

Their main attack consists of dragging the victim into the air and letting them drop to their doom.

“Flying units, left side!”

One of the students shouted as a group of harpies attacked. Two of them were shot down, but another duo managed to lift one of the kobold archers high into the air. Once they were high enough, they let go, and the poor summoned beast crashed into the ground below, turning into mana particles in an instant.

Rusty’s eyes locked onto the incoming harpies as they swooped overhead, their wings beating in a strange rhythm. He instantly let one of his arrows fly, and it connected with the monster’s head. For him, who was a D rank monster, it only took one shot to make the creatures dissolve into mana, but for the E rank monsters, it was not as easy. Even after multiple arrows were lodged in the harpy’s body, they managed to persist and pull some of their creatures off the walls.

‘This battle looks strange…’

For a moment, Rusty stopped attacking as he watched the fight unfold. Monsters were dying left and right. It felt like a real battle, but the number of attackers was not dwindling. Even when an orc or a kobold died, it was replaced by another. The summoners within the stronghold continued to pull back the spent mana or drink mana potions to restore it. Some even stood in strange formations that seemed to lessen the strain on their casting, and the other group was doing the same.

Even after defeating multiple of those insectoid foes, some that could also fly, there seemed to be no end to them. It was a stalemate. The monsters could not really get through the walls, but even after defeating tens of enemies, they only needed to spend some mana to restore themselves.
‘They are slowly moving forward, getting closer and closer while using their monsters as meat shields.’

More and more summoners appeared from within the forest. Some large rocks and slopes could be used as cover, and with every passing minute, they were moving to take the main gate.

‘Wait, what is that sound? Something big is coming…’

The ground trembled. At first, it was subtle, more a vibration than a true quake, but within seconds, the tremor grew into something heavy. Even the golems that stood around their Flag started shaking, and in the distance, trees started being pushed apart as something emerged.

It then came into view, a colossal beast burst from the treeline, scattering mantis creatures and orcs alike as if they were nothing more than leaves in its path. It had the head of a wolf but was built like a massive armored bear. It was a strange fusion of a monster much bigger than a grizzly, its frame wider than a carriage and taller than even a horse. To make things even more interesting, it had someone riding on its back.

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“What’s taking you so long? You people are useless!”

The man on its back was the bearish, large framed youth who had proclaimed B2 class victory before the competition even started. He sat upon its back, which had an especially made saddle and harness. He even had reins similar to those of a horse, but adjusted for the monster’s head. It looked more like a mount than a summon and radiated power that was on par with Aranea’s summon.

Classification:

Armored Bear-Wolf [ D- ]

Type:

Beast

Description:

An apex predator created through forced fusion magic. Possesses immense physical strength, heightened regenerative capabilities, and is capable of sustained berserk states when commanded by a bonded summoner.

Armor covers most of its body, and its bite and claws can shred through hardened steel.

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