Manman moved to the frontline and saw a chaotic scene filled with boars, wolves, serpents, lizards, and bears. Among them was a creature with the head of a lion and the body of a goat. He also noticed an increased number of Fays in the area. Without hesitation, he scanned for a target and spotted his friend, James, fighting a two-and-a-half-meter tall bear alongside two other Fays. Manman ran to join them, making it a four-on-one battle.
The bear's body was covered in thick, rugged gray fur that was as tough as granite, with patches appearing almost plated with mineral-like growths that added to its natural armor. Its massive claws were as sharp and strong as obsidian blades, capable of tearing through tree trunks and armor. The bear's eyes glowed an unsettling amber, full of primal intelligence and aggression. Its deep, resonant growls echoed like distant thunder.
Manman felt a sense of familiarity with the creature—it was a Stoneclaw Bear, the same type they had fought the previous night. All the beasts attacking them today were the same as those from the night before. The main difference was that the beasts now came all at once, instead of in waves. Manman tried to strike the bear, knowing it was futile. Their objective was not to kill the bear but to buy time until a more powerful Fay, with a skill capable of penetrating the bear's thick hide, could arrive and kill it.
There was a Blue Grade Fay among them, but his skill was not suited for combat, only able to slightly adjust the temperature around them, providing a cool breeze for comfort during the exhausting battle. It wasn't enough to freeze or burn the bear. They kept pushing the bear into a corner, holding on until reinforcements could come.
Sensing that it had been forced too far and knowing its attackers couldn't harm it, the bear let out a fierce growl and charged at the Fays with its sharp claws, slashing relentlessly until it broke free from the encirclement. Manman and the others had no choice but to back off. The situation reversed; now, they were the ones trapped. The bear lunged at the nearest Fay, who barely managed to dodge its gaping jaws. However, he didn't anticipate the follow-up strike—the bear's claws tore into his stomach, and he screamed in agony.
Manman wanted desperately to help, to drag his comrade out of harm's way, but he felt powerless and could only shout and hurl his spear at the bear to draw its attention. Thankfully, it worked, and the bear turned its fury on him. Manman had to run and dodge the bear's relentless attacks. Suddenly, a thick vine burst from the ground, coiling around the bear and binding it tightly. An arm-thick vine wrapped around its jaws and forcefully wrenched them open. The bear struggled, growling ferociously, but soon succumbed as the vines tightened, squeezing the life out of it.
It was only a brief relief when a Bristleback Boar locked eyes with him, and Manman cursed under his breath. The best he could do was run and keep it occupied until someone else could take it down. Five exhausting minutes of dodging and running came to an end when an ice spike impaled the boar, killing it. The same scenario repeated over and over until the night deepened, and the number of beasts not only failed to diminish but seemed to grow as time passed.
Everyone around him was panting, most of them injured or hurt. Manman's hands turned cold as he grasped the gravity of the situation. If things continued this way, they would be overwhelmed by the relentless assault. Yet, he noticed that his hardening skill was becoming stronger as the battle dragged on, offering a small, temporary comfort. However, the exhaustion from the prolonged fighting soon had him panting for breath. The thought of giving up crossed his mind more than once, but he pushed through, motivated by the sight of everyone else fighting with unwavering determination.
Around midnight, as the number of beasts continued to swell, a powerful roar echoed across the night sky. Manman looked up and saw a massive red dragon circling above. Instead of fear, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride and couldn't help but stare in awe. The dragon released a thick red flame from its mouth, setting the forest ablaze. The fire spread rapidly, illuminating the area as if it were daytime. The heat was oddly comforting on his skin. The dragon continued to fly, blanketing the forest in flames. A cacophony of noises rose from the forest, gradually dying down as the inferno consumed it.
After about thirty minutes, the dragon descended in front of Manman and transformed into a woman. Her black hair fluttered in the hot air, and her red dress, like lava, draped over the ground as if scorching it, much like the forest before her. Manman immediately bowed his head and dared not look at her for a full ten seconds. When he finally raised his gaze, he saw her punching the remaining beasts. One punch each that sent them flying into the air, lifeless by the time they hit the ground.
Morning arrived, and Richard was immediately overwhelmed by the system's notification regarding the night's battle. The defense had been successful, and the loot collected was twice as much as the previous day. This time, there were two Skill Gems: Earthen Bulwark and Frost Lance. The former granted the ability to summon a protective stone barrier, while the latter bestowed the skill to conjure and launch an ice projectile capable of piercing through enemy defenses. Both defensive and offensive skills were a valuable addition. Richard now had three skill gems in his inventory, including Shadow Veil, which had been dropped by the pack of Bloodhowl wolves on the first day. For now, he decided to keep them in his inventory.
He then turned his attention to the newly summoned Fays for the day. A total of 67 Fays had been summoned, comprising 55 males and 12 females, with no children this time. Among them, 45 were Green Grade, 19 were Blue Grade, 2 were Yellow Grade, and 1 was an Orange Grade. The sight of the Orange Grade Fay made Richard's sleepy eyes widen in shock, even more so when he realized he finally had a blacksmith, albeit a Yellow Grade one. The other profession was an alchemist at Blue Grade. Excitement filled him as he stood up from his bed.
Richard calmed himself as he stepped out of his wooden bed. It was a promising day, and he felt relieved to have a proper bedroom now. Though still empty and unfinished, it was better than the previous night when he had slept on the floor. Stepping outside, he found no one nearby and proceeded to the dining room, where he saw Zalis preparing the usual food. Richard picked up a red, round fruit that looked like an apple but tasted like a mango. In his good mood, he grabbed two more unfamiliar fruits. After finishing them, he made his way to the village square, noting that Gartha was not with him, which piqued his curiosity.
On the way to the square, Richard saw damaged structures, particularly in the residential area. Many houses facing the forest had been destroyed, and the sight of the charred, blackened forest shocked him. Only scorched tree trunks remained, and some still smoldered. He quickened his pace and arrived at the village square, where he found over fifty Fays lying on the ground, wounded to varying degrees. Most of the injured were Green Grade Fays, with some missing limbs and one Fay's stomach torn open, being treated urgently by two others.
Some Fays managed to greet him before returning to treat the wounded. Richard checked the stats of a few Fays and was relieved to see their loyalty remained unchanged. All of them had leveled up by two. He understood now just how fierce the battle had been. Unlike the previous day's wave-by-wave attack, this had been a relentless multi-wave assault. He hadn't anticipated the extent of the devastation.
He proceeded to find Vara and saw her a minute after, surrounded by Toren and Eryndor.
"How are you?" he asked, his eyes scanning her closely, looking for any sign of injury.
"I'm okay. The beast attack was overwhelming, and I had to use my Dragon Form. I'm sorry for not asking for the Master's permission first," Vara replied, a hint of guilt in her voice.
"The safety of the Nest comes first. You did what was necessary for everyone's protection," Richard assured her.
Vara nodded in affirmation and fell silent.
"Master," Eryndor spoke up. "I have prioritized rebuilding the walls. They will enclose the 0.69 square kilometers of the village's area, standing five meters tall and two meters thick as we planned. We are focusing on the western phase first, as that's the residential sector of the village. It should be completed by tomorrow."
Richard nodded, showing his support. "Do you have enough builders?" he asked.
"Of the fifty Fays who were wounded, ten are builders. Nonetheless, I have requested 60 builders for the task, and those positions have been filled," Eryndor replied confidently.
Richard turned to Toren. "Have you recruited the soldiers you needed?"
"Yes, Master. However, out of the 40 recruits I requested, 30 are injured," Toren reported, his expression grim.
Richard nodded thoughtfully. "Let them rest and recover first. It's fortunate that we didn't lose anyone in this attack, but we can't count on that luck holding. The beast assaults are becoming stronger and more frequent," he said, concern lacing his voice.
"I've sent scouts to the south, east, and west," Toren added. "We should receive their reports by this afternoon."
"Please inform me of their findings, Toren," Richard said and Toren nodded.
"Toren," Richard prompted, noticing the tension in the Fay's demeanor. "Speak your mind."
"Master, the shortage of weapons was a major setback during last night's attack. If we had enough weapons to arm our soldiers, it would have made a significant difference," Toren admitted, his deep voice filled with frustration.
Richard exhaled a long, weary sigh. "I understand, Toren. It's fortunate that we finally have a blacksmith now," he added, more to reassure himself than the three Fays surrounding him.
Richard's eyes swept over the damaged village. His heart ached at the sight of his wounded and exhausted subjects. Toren's words rang true—if only they had secured a blacksmith earlier. But Richard knew he could only work with what he had. That would change starting today, and that thought brought him some relief. He needed to ensure the village's safety and continued growth before returning to the real world.
Pushing aside his thoughts, Richard addressed the group. "I need to take my leave now. Please excuse me." Eryndor and Toren bowed and departed, resuming their duties, while Vara headed toward the castle.
Richard sought out Wendel and Faith and found them distributing potions to the injured Fays. They noticed him approaching and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Master," Wendel greeted, with Faith echoing his words.
"Do we have enough potions for everyone?" Richard inquired.
"Our potions are sufficient to treat all wounds and injuries. Most of the Fays have minor injuries and should fully recover by this afternoon. Those with severe injuries will need anywhere from one to three days for complete recovery," Faith reported in detail.
Richard sighed, relieved to hear the prognosis. "We should set up a small recovery center for those with severe injuries, located next to the alchemy shop," he suggested, hoping to improve their care.
Wendel and Faith expressed their gratitude, and the nearby Fays who overheard their Master's promise felt their loyalty deepen. Richard gathered more details about their needs and assured everyone that such scenes would not be repeated. He was determined to prevent his subjects from enduring such hardships in the future, especially not having to lie wounded on the ground.
Richard then walked among the injured, speaking to them individually and gathering their perspectives on the battle. Many recounted how the lack of weapons and the unrelenting wave of beasts had taken a toll on them. What surprised Richard most was learning that the attack hadn't been mindless. The beasts had concentrated their initial assault on the south, then briefly on the east. When the strongest Fays were drawn to those areas, the beasts launched a massive offensive in the west, overwhelming the lower-level defenders. The battle reached a climax when attacks came from every direction except the north, where the volcano provided a natural barrier. Just when hope was almost lost, the Fay Queen transformed into her dragon form, burning the forest and brought peace to the village.