Heavy Metal

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…'