Chapter 639: Aurora Becomes A Tank
’Total protection doesn’t seem very feasible.’
Looking up to the monstrous half-dragons that were about to land in front of her, Aurora quickly analyzed the situation.
The increased overall strength of the Dragonoids still wasn’t enough to faze her. However, the circumstances limited her ability to achieve what she desired.
Unlike last time, when the Dragonoids’ aim was her very own destruction, these superior Dragonoids weren’t exactly interested in her.
With herself as the target, she could have easily fought a war of attrition as she whittled down the Dragonoids’ numbers.
Now, however, unless she could explode her future potential once again to annihilate the entire group on first contact, the most she could do was occupy the attention of a dozen or two, allowing the rest to unabatedly rush onward to the castle.
’It’s not like I can do that on command either.’
Keeping them all in place was simply impossible.
As for repeating what she did when facing the Thorn Trio, putting possible side effects aside, even if she wanted to do it, Aurora was never in control of its initiation.
’Is betting everything the only option?’
It wasn’t like Aurora was incapable of trusting Leo and Kara to hold them back, but they were only one group out of three that they had to stop.
If her two sole companions ended up having their hands full handling the remainder of the Dragonoids, then there would be no one left to stop the Vampires and the Hellhounds from having their way with the castle.
The Dragonoids were the most dangerous, but the Vampires and the Hellhounds weren’t a joke either, especially when the numerical advantage was theirs!
At this point, Aurora could only resort to unleashing everything she had to stop as many Dragonoids as possible.
At the same time, however, knowing that even this unsettling third wave was unlikely to be the last, such a course of action would be simply unwise.
Even if going all out was really enough to annihilate the third wave without any major losses, Aurora knew that her resulting incapacitation would make their overall situation even more vulnerable.
’Think... Think! I need to make a decision!’
In the bigger scheme of things, Aurora didn’t really understand what the Encroachment Rate actually meant, but something in her mind was flaring with alarm signals.
For some reason, a part of her was telling her that she couldn’t let it get any higher!
’If this is another ’Prediction’, then I simply cannot mess this up...’
As Aurora’s brain went into overload, time seemed to infinitely slow down as the Dragonoids inched their way closer to landing. However...
"Don’t burn yourself out so soon; you still need to help with the last wave."
As if a temporal storm had hit Aurora’s mind, the words that resounded throughout the battlefield broke her out of her time-freezing moment.
"We will take care of the rest, I promise."
The last word that reached her ears kept resounding in Aurora’s head.
’I promise.’
’I promise.’
’I promise.’
Surprisingly enough, the one speaking wasn’t someone she trusted like Kara, but was actually Leo!
’I promise...’
Yet, as she heard the same word in her head for who knows how many times, Aurora felt a foreign but deep instinct to just believe in it.
Thud!
In fact, given that she still didn’t find the answer to what degree of action she should take, Aurora found herself compelled to follow his words!
Swish!
Without any more hesitation, sparks of light flashed out of Aurora’s eyes as a storm of light blades exploded out of her body.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The blades weren’t lethal enough to take out any of the Dragonoids on the spot, but they were successful in keeping two dozen, exactly half of the Dragonoid Battalion, in place.
’Moderately!’
This was far from the extent of her ability, but Aurora no longer questioned her decision.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
With very fine control, 23 blades of light were once again unleashed to hit every single Dragonoid around her... Aside from the one she stepped to confront!
Bang!
With light concentrating around her fist, Aurora took a proper stance before attacking the Dragonoid’s belly.
Bang! bang! Bang...
The Dragonoid’s angry eyes showed their intent to retaliate. However, the flurry of heavy and explosive fists left him no respite as his internal organs proceeded to be crushed under the external pressure within seconds.
Bang!
Before long, let alone the rage, even the light of life vanished from the Dragonoid’s eyes as they breathed their last.
In the end, the tactic that Aurora followed was the one she had decided on from the start, but had believed to be inadequate for the situation.
Being reassured once again by Leo, however, she decided to act on it since it was the most reasonable course of action.
She was going to keep dragging these Dragonoids around until the last of them was dead, all while keeping most of her Enigma around in preparation to deal with the last wave.
As for why she was convinced that the next wave would be the last one, just because Leo had said so? Aurora had no idea.
Once again, it was her instincts that made that decision for her.
Whether she just wanted to believe the better-case scenario or she could really predict the near future, it didn’t really matter, Aurora had already decided to roll with it!
’She was already a great DPS, yet she is perfectly playing the role of a Tank.’
Looking at Aurora masterfully maintaining the aggro of so many Dragonoids, Leo’s eyes were full of praise.
Compared to the panicked protagonist from the last Encroachment Gate, the current Aurora was quick to pick herself up and keep her act together.
Undeniably, just by taking away half of the Dragonoid Army, she was already being far more helpful than Leo had expected.
’Great!’
Having been prepared for a dozen worst-case scenarios, Leo’s elation with Aurora’s miraculous compliance was apparent.
As depressing as the Main Quest presented by the City of Villains was, Aurora was, with time, becoming a greater person compared to her novel counterpart... In a positive manner, at that!
’Now then, shall we return to the board?’
With the one variant he couldn’t completely account for, almost perfectly falling into place, then as long as he played the remainder of his role all according to his plan...
Then this Trial of Defense was basically a wrap!