Rayven stood at the edge of the plaza, watching the transformation unfold.

The streets of Hesa City, once filled with activity due to the various trades, had shifted into a state of urgency.

City guards moved in coordinated squads, reinforcing barricades at key intersections. He saw how militia units hauled crates of arrows, spears, and mana flasks toward the northern wall. Mages from the local academy stood in clusters, as they were being assigned to the posts that they had to take…

Just like that, the sound of armor and the various yelling officers could be heard…

It was the sound of a city bracing for war.

Rayven wasn't sure how strong these Golems are, but he knew that the guards weren't just preparing for a skirmish, they were preparing for a siege.

Ballistae were being mounted on rooftops... Even the merchant guild had begun distributing emergency supplies to designated shelters.

'Alright… The shop is well protected…' Rayven mused as he looked at Miki and Nara…

He then turned on his heel and moved quickly through the side streets, bypassing the growing crowds. He passed shuttered shops, locked taverns, and families rushing toward the inner districts.

Soon, he reached his estate… Several people greeted him and told him about Albert's instructions to him…

After thanking them, he stepped inside his room…

His Adept Robe hung on its rack, freshly cleaned. He slipped it on, the fabric settling over his shoulders with familiar weight. The robe was designed for mobility and defense, ideal for mid-range combat and spellcasting.

Next, he retrieved his Adept Staff inside his Coinbound Vault…

Well, the Adept Robe had to be cleaned after the matter with the Glimmermucks had ended. It became filthy, filled with blood, and smelled really bad.

'It's fragrant now…' Rayven mused.

He then strapped a pouch of mana recovery flasks to his belt, checked the bindings on his boots, and stepped out…

The sky had begun to darken.

'Hmm… It's not easy to defend during the night… I hope the mages from the Guild could give better lighting.'

***

It didn't take that long, before Rayven arrived at the Adventurers Guild Hall. He arrived as the final wave of adventurers filtered in.

The hall was packed.

Gold Rank teams stood near the central table, reviewing maps and deployment orders. Silver Rank squads clustered around their captains, checking gear and confirming assignments. Iron Rank adventurers were being directed toward support roles… evacuation, supply lines, and fallback coordination.

The Guildmaster stood at the front, flanked by officers from the city guard and a representative from the Mage Guild.

Rayven moved toward Arial's team, nodding as he joined them.

At this point, they may not be friends, but they had fought together against the Glimmermucks. Furthermore, Rayven was a Silver Rank Adventurer who was as strong as a Golden Rank… Even if Arial was prideful, he wouldn't think lightly of Rayven after seeing him in action.

"You're geared…" Torren said, glancing at the robe and staff. "Good. We'll need you, young mage. If you don't have a team. You can come with us."

Rayven nodded. "What's the situation?"

Jiya gestured to the map. "The golems are still advancing. The trench slowed them, but didn't stop them. Scouts confirmed multiple Silver Golems… more than seven now."

Edward added, "They're not spreading. They're heading straight for the northern wall."

Rayven's eyes flicked to the map.

The Guildmaster then raised his voice, commanding the room's attention.

"Listen up! The city's outer defenses are in place. Cannons are loaded. Catapults are aligned. But we cannot rely on walls alone. Once the melee battle starts, we will rely on the Knights from the Magicblade Order to lead us… The soldiers will also be there… Then, the adventurers will be deployed in waves. Gold Rank teams will reinforce the knights. Silver Rank squads will hold the barricade with the city guards. IronRank will assist with logistics and fallback coordination. You won't be able to do anything against Iron Golems."

He paused and scanned the crowd for a moment…

"This is not a standard outbreak. The Silver Golems are not behaving like typical dungeon constructs. They are coordinated… And we do not yet know their target."

***

Kristian stood atop the northern wall, his hands trembledslightly as he adjusted the leather straps on his gauntlets.

The wind was cold up here, colder than it had been during the Glimmermuck assault a couple of days ago. Back then, he had been terrified… He was just a new recruit thrown into the chaos of a surprise attack. He'd barely known how to hold his spear properly.

But he had survived.

He had fought alongside veterans, helped drag wounded back behind the lines, and even landed a killing blow on one of the Glimmermucks when it tried to scale the barricade.

After that, the older soldiers had clapped him on the back and called him "lucky." Some even called him "Kristian the Quick."

Now, just a couple of days later, he was back on the wall.

And this time, it wasn't Glimmermucks.

It was golems.

Iron Golems.

He had seen them through the spyglass earlier… They were towering constructs of steel and mana, marching in perfect formation.

They looked unstoppable… and now they were coming.

Kristian's breath caught in his throat as he spotted them…

The trench had slowed them, but not for long.

As they got closer, he could now feel the changes in the air… They were oozing an aura of suppression…

"This…"

He froze. His legs locked in place, and his fingers went numb.

He had thought he was ready… He had thought he was a veteran now.

But the sight of those Iron Golems shattered that illusion.

"Everyone!!"

The shout snapped him back.

It was Sergeant Darnel, his commanding officer…

"Get your head on straight! You're on catapult duty, not sightseeing!"

"Yes, sir!" Kristian answered, forcing himself to move.

He turned and sprinted toward the nearest catapult platform, where a team of soldiers was already loading the next round. The city had eight functioning catapults positioned along the northern wall, each manned by a crew of five.

They had ten stone shells per launcher… They were massive, rune-etched boulders designed to break armor and scatter formations.

Kristian joined this crew just yesterday, and now, he was helping to crank the pulley and secure the projectile into place.

"Ready!" someone called.

"Target... Front line, center mass!" the officer shouted.

"Fire!"

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