The following evening.
All members of Party 1 and Party 2 were gathered in the square.
Me, Jenna, Aaron, Iolka, and the last to join, Shurnn.
Edith, Roderick, Dika, Asher, and one unknown person.
"You," I addressed the unknown newcomer.
"Yes!" A young man with short-cropped hair replied.
He looked early twenties at best. Tall, but skinny as a rail—a typical 'anchovy' build.
"When the battle starts, find a suitable spot and hole up there."
"Sir?"
"You can follow us if you want to die."
"B-But..."
He was Level 3. His only skill was Low-Grade Swordsmanship Lv.1. Having him around would clearly just be a hindrance.
"I can fight too!" he protested.
"Oh, really?" I replied noncommittally.
"Why are you picking on him like this? We're comrades," Jenna chimed in.
"I'm not picking on him." He just joined too late. If he'd had even a week, I could have somehow made him capable of handling one role. Just filling the numbers isn't good enough. The issue is whether or not they can pull their own weight in the party. If not, they're worse than useless.
"So, what exactly are we doing here?" Iolka asked. "That little fairy didn't summon us, did she?"
"She will soon, so don't worry about it," I replied.
"You again! Always acting like you know everything from start to finish," she huffed.
I looked up at the sky. It shimmered with a white light. Amkena, who had logged in about 30 minutes ago, hadn't issued any commands and was just observing the Waiting Room.
'She's contemplating.' Whether to challenge the 10th floor or wait a bit longer.
There were certainly aspects of imperfection. The last member hadn't adapted to the party, and although I was at Level 10, the limit for a 1-star, I hadn't achieved promotion.
It would be good if my prediction was wrong. If Amkena completely abandoned the idea, it would cause some problems, but if she left us alone for about a week, I could upgrade my skills to the 1-star limit. Completing at least one research project before going would also be beneficial. We could challenge the 10th floor in a better condition than now.
However, judging by Amkena's tendencies so far, that wasn't likely. Whether we were wiped out or crushed, she might get angry, but to the Master, it's ultimately just a game. Heroes can be summoned again, trained again.
It's reality for us, but not for the Master.
Finally, Amkena's interface moved.
Isele appeared, spinning around the square once.
[Oho! Everyone's gathered! This makes things easier for me, don't have to raise my voice. Party 1!]
"Yeah," I answered.
[Party 2!]
"Here," Edith responded.
[Open, Dimensional Riiiiiift!]
Clunk.
The large gate at the front of the square swung wide open.
Tension flickered in people's eyes. Although I hadn't broadcasted it, rumors about what happened on the 5th floor had spread clandestinely.
"Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Don't be nervous. We can do this," Jenna muttered, hand on her chest, trying to calm herself. It was because of her.
[※Warning!]
[This mission is a medium-scale mission requiring two parties. If party members are insufficient, please recruit heroes using Paid or Free Summons!]
[Tips: Using the 'Tactics Room', an annex building of the Dimensional Rift, you can issue tactical instructions to the heroes participating in the mission.]
'Tactics Room, huh.' She probably doesn't even know how to use it. It's a rather complicated system for beginners.
"Wait a minute before that. Isele!"
[Yeah!]
"Tell her to grab the items I made in the warehouse."
Isele nodded and vanished with a poof.
Soon, a message popped up.
[Master, there are unused consumables in the warehouse. Equip them to the heroes. Consumables will be used automatically by the hero at the appropriate time.]
[Tips: Consumables can be crafted at the Alchemy Workshop or the Hall of Magic. Materials can be gathered from Daily Dungeons. One shortcut to victory, consumables! The shortcut to becoming a Pick Me Up pro, perhaps?]
[Ughmph!]
Isele reappeared, dragging a cart from the warehouse. It contained the potions and various items I had recently crafted.
['Minor Health Potion' equipped to 'Han (★)'!]
Isele tossed me a vial filled with red liquid. I caught it and clipped it to my belt loop.
['Minor Health Potion' equipped to 'Jenna (★)'!]
['Minor Health Potion' equipped to 'Aaron (★)'...]
['Minor Health Potion' equipped to 'Edith (★★★)'...]
There were 6 health potions in total. Dividing three per party was a perfect fit. The mana potions were exclusively for Iolka. Iolka swished the vial filled with shimmering blue liquid.
"This looks expensive. Where did you get it?"
"Don't ask. You'll get hurt."
Iolka clicked her tongue and tucked the mana potion somewhere inside her clothes. Apparently, she had storage space somehow.
I asked Edith, "Ready?"
"Finished."
"Last words?"
"If that's a joke, it's a poor one." Edith smiled and walked towards the dimensional rift. Dika and Asher bowed their heads to me, then followed Edith. Roderick and the remaining member went inside.
The dimensional rift did not close. It was waiting for us to enter.
"The time has come, Boss," Aaron said solemnly.
"Time for what? Time to crush them all, more like," I retorted.
"I'm counting on you, Oppa. Just like on the 5th floor!" Jenna declared.
"Don't put pressure on me."
Checking that the potion on my belt was secure, I walked into the dimensional rift. The other four followed, each wearing a different expression.
The mirror on the left side of the rift caught my eye.
[Ascend the Tower, Save the World!]
[Main Dungeon: Current Ascent Floor - 9]
After confirming all ten of us were inside, I spoke.
"Edith."
"Yeah."
"We might be separated when we arrive. If that happens, we need to regroup as quickly as possible."
"Regroup... how?"
"Head straight for the center, no matter what. If you don't know where that is, climb somewhere high and look around."
Edith nodded.
Finally, Isele flew in with a buzz, and the dimensional rift closed. Isele puffed out her chest proudly, placing her hands on her hips.
[You lot! Don't get in Han's way. I'll be watching closely!]
"Don't watch," I said flatly.
[R-Really?]
"Really."
[But...]
Isele's utterly baffled expression made me burst out laughing.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get to climb the tower."
[O-Okay. Fighting! Don't you dare die without my permission!]
Isele pumped her fist in front of me and vanished in a flash of light.
"Who on earth are you that that cheeky fairy follows you so well? Is that a secret too this time?" Iolka demanded.
"So what if it is?"
"Tsk!"
I lowered my voice and said to Edith, "Edith. Regrouping comes first. Whatever the map, head to the center."
"Got it."
"As for us... we'll talk once we're inside," I said to my own party.
The mirror on the left began to glow brighter. The light undulated slowly, swallowing the entire dimensional rift. Letting the light take me, I closed my eyes.
I opened my eyes. The light gradually receded, revealing the surrounding scenery. Amidst it, a sobbing voice could be heard.
"We're all going to die. We're all going to die."
Right in front of me, a man was crouched down, muttering.
"We can't win. We'll all die. The children, the women! Everyone, without exception! We're going to... here..."
I kicked the man in the back. He grunted and tumbled to the ground. Scrambling up, he looked towards me.
"Wh-Who's there?! Is someone there? A ghost? Is it a ghost?!"
I was right in front of him, but the man fumbled blindly at the air before him.
Jenna approached. "Huh, this guy..."
"It seems he can't see us," I observed.
I recalled the tutorial stage. The people fleeing outside the field. I had tried talking to them, but they ignored me as if I weren't there, passing right by.
"Excuse me, can't you see us? Mister, Mister?" Jenna waved her hand in front of the man's face, but he only panicked further.
'NPCs, huh.'
I surveyed the surroundings. Lined streets and brick houses. People huddled together, faces stricken with terror. Soldiers clad in armor and bearing weapons hurried across the streets. They paid no attention to us, who had suddenly appeared in their city.
'...Strange.' NPCs appearing in missions happened quite often. So this was why cooperation often failed.
"Focus! Gather up!"
At my command, the party members who had been observing the area assembled.
I smiled faintly. "This city... looks familiar, doesn't it?"
Iolka and Shurnn looked bewildered, but Jenna and Aaron's expressions hardened. Understandable, since the former two weren't present on the 5th floor.
"Come to think of it, Boss, I have seen this place before," Aaron said. "It feels different somehow, but it's familiar."
"It would be. We've been here before. This is the ruined city that was the stage for the 5th floor. The difference is..." I briefly scanned the vicinity before continuing, "...it hasn't fallen yet."
"Wait a minute, Oppa," Jenna interjected. "Then the timeline is weird. Isn't it all jumbled up?"
"Hasn't it been jumbled more than once or twice? Think about the small details later. What's important is that we've been summoned here, and we need to succeed in the mission to survive."
"The mission..." Iolka muttered.
"The mission hasn't started yet. Seems like we have some time. Best to gather information while we can. Everyone, listen up! I'll give you five minutes. Scout the immediate area as much as possible and return. Everyone absolutely must regroup at this spot in five minutes. If you're late, we leave without you, so don't be late."
"Yes!" the others responded.
"Iolka, you stay here."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Don't waste your energy unnecessarily. You'll likely be the main player in this mission."
"Ah, alright," Iolka nodded, looking perplexed.
The four of us, including me, scattered in different directions.
We needed to ascertain the enemy's location and numbers, the status of our allies, the state of the battlefield, and the mission objective.
Coincidentally, there was a bell tower nearby—the exact place Jenna climbed in the 5th floor to spot the goblins.
I went up via the stairs at the entrance.
We had been summoned right into the city center. Edith's Party 2 was nowhere to be seen, wherever they'd landed, but they should regroup here soon.
At the top of the bell tower, a soldier groaned, clutching his head. "Ugh, ughhh..."
First, I scanned the sky. Thick, dark clouds hung gloomily overhead. The air was heavy with moisture, looking like it could unleash a downpour at any moment.
Slowly lowering my gaze from the sky, I looked towards the vast forest north of the city.
There, thousands of green dots wriggled.
[Goblin Lv.??? X 2213]
Too far to see clearly, but it looked like they were dragging dozens of siege ladders.
'Siege equipment.'
This time, I looked east. The river we saw on the 7th floor was flowing there.
[Goblin Lv.??? X 899]
Hundreds more goblins were advancing towards the city from there as well. However, they lacked siege equipment. It seemed they intended to link up with the northern force at the North Gate.
Next, I surveyed the city itself. Armed soldiers were stationed along the outer walls surrounding the city.
[Human Soldier Lv.??? X 353]
'Force ratio 10 to 1. No, maybe even higher.' Looking closely at the northern forest, it seemed more forces were lying in wait within.
"..."
I had expected this. A situation like this. But the headache was unavoidable.
'Still, if it's a survival mission.' The mission type wasn't set in stone yet. If another Survival mission triggered, where we just had to hold out for a certain time, it could actually be cleared much more easily than the 5th floor. There were plenty of NPCs to use as bait, and most importantly, we had a magician, the cornerstone of area defense.
I adjusted the scabbard hanging from my belt.
Below the bell tower, the party members who had finished scouting were gathering.
In the distance, I could also see Edith's party advancing to join us.
And then, the wheel of fate began to turn.
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
The triple warning message indicated a high-difficulty mission.
Seeing the mission details that appeared below it, I let out a deep sigh.
[Floor 10.]
[Mission Type - Defense]
[Objective - Prevent the fall of the city!]