The Author's POV

Standing behind a line of orcs on the tower's ground floor, I turned towards Leopold, who was next to me.

I then pointed at the gun in his hand.

"How's it going with that thing?"

Playing with the gun, Leopold flashed a satisfied smile.

"It's not bad, not bad."

Ci Chik—!

Taking the bullets out of the gun, Leopold tossed the gun in my direction.

"Here, have a look at it yourself."

Catching the gun with one hand, I took a good look at the gun.

The design of the gun was, how should I say, crude? Not sure if that was the right word.

It looked a bit like some of the older guns that existed back in the past. Of course, that was only aesthetically. In reality, the gun was far more advanced than any gun that had ever existed.

More powerful as well as each bullet could penetrate the skin of a demon.

Tossing the gun back to Leopold, I curiously asked.

"Have you found a solution for the recoil issue?"

"Sort of."

"Oh? Do tell me, I'm genuinely curious."

Kind of wanted a gun myself, if I had to be honest. However, I wasn't sure just how useful it would be to me. Most probably, it wouldn't, but it looked nice.

Unaware of what I was thinking, Leopold, pointed at the dwarves behind him.

"I talked to them and they told me that there are things we can buy to increase the weight of the gun and reduce the recoil; the only problem is that it cost a lot of money."

"That isn't that much of a problem. I think I have enough—"

Before I could finish, Leopold cut me off.

"I also thought about asking you for money, but then it suddenly hit me."

"What?"

Out of nowhere, taking out a cigarette from his dimensional space, Leopold lit it.

Cik. Cik.

*Puff*

Taking a small puff, the smoke slowly diffused in the air.

"Sorry, bit stressed."

Saying that he proceeded to take his sword out. He then waved it at me.

"Since I can also use the sword, as soon as I use the gun, I'll store it in my dimensional space. Then, I can just take the gun back after things calm down."

Leopold's response was out of my expectations.

Alternating my gaze between his ring and the gun, my head tilted in confusion.

"…that works?"

"Yup. I've tried. It's one of the tips that the dwarves have given me. The only problem is the reloading which takes time..."

"Okay…"

If the dwarves said that it worked then it probably did. However, I'd assume this strategy only works for people like Leopold, who could use two weapons.

WIIIIIIIIM—!

It was then that suddenly a strange noise enveloped the battlefield.

*Puff*

Leopold, who was next to me, took another puff of his cigarette. He didn't even need to look to understand what was happening.

we're about

barrier in the distance slowly started to disappear. What lay behind it were over thousands and upon thousands of

air instantly became tense, and the mana in the air started

second wave was just about to

***

an unknown room in the

tha barriers, tha weather

red-haired dwarf walked towards the beacon and

[92%]

in the middle of the beacon, signifying how

Kru Kuk—!

the red-haired dwarf's hand touched the beacon, the beacon let out a strange noise, and

the hole where the beam shot out, the red-haired

tha energy this early

now. What's really important be that we withstand tha

another dwarf with black

"Ye think so?"

"Yeah."

as they did not suffer substantial losses in the second wave, and they didn't

arms and sitting on a stool, the

more waves do you

Tap.Tap.Tap.

table, the braided-haired dwarf thought

nae sure but I do believe that tha

elves too. Each side had sent some people to help out, but

this magnitude, it would take at least a year

do our best ta nae use tha

they used the barrier the more impact it would have

the energy now, the shield might fail when it

This was undesirable.

beacon,

"I agree."

***

Northern tower control room.

ready, tha real

"Yes."

Ryan quickly went to their

their station was a lot more spacious, and the map they were working with was a

behind them with

seen your skills, I'm going ta give ye two a

map in front of them, Bemus

tha strategy tha enemy be using. If ye can find anything

by no means an easy

did this require extreme concentration, but also good spatial awareness and good analytical and

strategy, you had to look at the bigger

that

that both o' ye

proof that he

unique to them, but this was him telling Smallsnake and Ryan that he regarded

taking out a small card from his pocket, Bemus handed

give ye access ta tha map o' tha other towers including tha northern one. If everything looks regular in tha northern tower, do check other towers as well. We're

looking at one section wasn't enough

mapping of the walls, he was helping them

"Understood."

Smallsnake fully understood this.

card, he

"I'll do my best."

enough o' your time. I'll be

satisfaction, Bemus turned around and headed towards the other areas to give out similar instructions

"Ryan, help me out."

his attention back towards the control panel, Smallsnake

analyzing the details of the map in

this was

***

—BOOOOOM!

city's outer walls as both sides

bottom level of the tower, I gazed into the

to me, were Hein, Ava,

in her ring form, and she couldn't quite show herself just yet. Furthermore, even if she did show herself, she'd be pretty useless since it took a lot of time for her to regain her

to make herself appear as an ordinary ring,

practically zero demonic energy in her. Not exactly that, but close to it. In

be less nervous

was a

at my sword, my