Chapter 305: The Unwinnable Battle

Chapter 305

The Unwinnable Battle

".......I do have trump cards, but none above level 5. Those things are level 5 killing machines. Even if I use my rake on them, I can’t eliminate them," Ellie shrugged nonchalantly. She was just trying to argue with Aman. However, her words were overheard by one of the elders standing nearby.

"Just now...what did you say?" Hearing this question, Ellie didn’t respond immediately. She merely raised her eyebrows at him, indicating she didn’t understand what he was referring to.

Well...what was she supposed to say to this man? All she had done was argue with Aman.

"Just now, you...no. Just now, what did you say about those golems, my lady? Can you repeat it?" The middle-aged man urged again. Ellie didn’t get it at first, but after reflecting on her thoughts, she seemed to understand something.

"I said...they are level 5 killing machines. So, the weapons needed to harm them should be level 5 or higher."

"Ha!! They are level 5 killing machines? Level 5 killing machines. Haha. I see now! The first stage must be a test of trap knowledge, and this second stage is likely a test of readiness, right? Then...Everyone, fall back. Those with weapons below level 5, don’t engage. Those with level 6 weapons, prepare yourselves."

Although there were very few with level 6 weapons, and Ellie herself didn’t possess one, a few trusted high-level individuals did have them.

Everyone quickly followed the orders, leaving only 8 people with the family’s high-level weapons. Though they didn’t fully understand, they all brought out their trump cards.

"I’ll go first." A large man wielding an axe charged forward. He gathered all his strength, swung the axe back, and then flung himself into a powerful attack. He braced for the recoil as he had with his previous weapons, as the enemy’s body was incredibly tough. Each attack resulted in a retaliatory force, so it was not surprising that their energy was drained because they were not only striking but also absorbing the counterforce with all their strength.

However, this time, after the axe swung forward, it felt like slicing through tofu.

Boom!!

"Ha!! Finally...they can be defeated!!" Seeing this, the crowd cheered joyously.

Just knowing that they weren’t invincible, even if there were 1,000 more, they wouldn’t lose!!

After enduring frustration for so long, they finally knew how to handle the enemies before them. Although only 8 people were left to close the deal, these 8 were enough to handle the 1,000 slow-moving golems.

“This battle will be divided into 4 groups. The first group will distract them. From the previous skirmish, you should know that attacking their heads grabs their attention more than hitting other parts. This first group should consist of those who can create barriers to protect themselves or hunters who can use their strength to attack the enemy.”

“The second group will be the vanguard, leading the 6 people with level 6 weapons to deal with the enemies as quickly as possible. Remember, there are over 1,000 of them, and if we delay, it will just waste our energy.”

“The third group will assist in immobilizing these stone golems. Even if you can’t hold them off for long, stopping their movements will make everyone’s work more efficient. The last group will keep watch, creating opportunities for the 8 and those supporters should be in this group.”

The important leader detailed the battle strategy in one breath, and the hunters, who had trained together for a long time, upon hearing the command, their random movements immediately turned systematic.

Those following the 8 weapon bearers divided into 8 units, surrounding and shielding them to advance smoothly. Some even braced themselves for impacts to protect these key fighters from getting injured.

With professional coordination, within half an hour, more than half of the stone golems, which had taken a long time to fight, were eliminated. This significantly eased the Setter family hunters.

However, Ellie was always cautious. As she dispersed spores around, her vision expanded, allowing her to notice some mechanisms starting to move irregularly.

“Eldest Young Lord!”

“Mmm,” Owen also noticed the change. Initially, he wasn’t supposed to intervene in these early battles because the family had agreed that everyone should participate as much as possible. Otherwise, during the reward distribution for completing the challenge, some might receive nothing.

Indeed! Rewards were based on individual contributions. Those who didn’t work and hid behind others would get almost nothing. This was why the Setter family elders pushed their hunters to actively participate. However, participation didn’t mean letting them die.

In this challenge, Owen and those he trained were still the strongest. They remained vigilant, ready to act if there was a life-threatening danger, even in these early stages.

Owen sent his hand signal to his team. Everyone immediately understood that it was time to protect everyone. Seeing the powerful group move into action, the fighting hunters were both surprised and some were even ready to protest. They knew that once the eldest young lord’s team stepped in, there would be nothing left for them to do. If that happened...risking their lives here would be for nothing, and in the end, they would return empty-handed.

However, before they could question the eldest young lord’s decision of letting his team act, the reason became evident...

Boom!!!

A loud explosion echoed. Some of the Setter family hunters, who received help a bit slower than others, were severely injured. Fortunately, the eldest young lord’s team arrived just in time; otherwise, they might have lost their lives in the attack.

“W-What is that?!”

“What happened?!!” They cried out in shock. Suddenly, the stone golems were moving erratically. Previously slow and having a lot of strength as their advantage, but their attacks could be avoided if one was careful. They believed defeating 1,000 golems would be easy once they discovered their weak points. However, the situation had changed drastically.

As soon as more than half of the stone golems were destroyed, new mechanisms activated. The golems, previously attacking only with their limbs, began to shoot powerful magic power from their eyes. This magic power was so strong that a single hit could mean certain death.

“Tend to the wounded and...study their movements carefully again,” Owen, holding the little girl in his arms while floating in the air, spoke with a resonant voice. The Masqueraded Steed he had been using was now just scraps of flesh. Others also had to abandon their mounts due to the powerful eye blasts from the golems. They had no other choices, staying in their previous positions would have turned them into scraps like the Masqueraded Steed.

Hearing the eldest young lord’s voice, still indifferent, and seeing his team retreat to their positions, the Setter family hunters gulped.

They now realized the vast difference in strength between themselves and the eldest young lord’s team. While they internally protested why the eldest young lord interfered in their fight, it turned out that...their lives had already been ruined. However, thanks to his intervention, everyone was still alive, though many had to drink high-level restorative potions...

The stark difference in their abilities was evident not only in sensing danger but also in being able to provide help within a split second. This realization made them feel truly ashamed.

How could they have thought that the eldest young lord was trying to steal their benefits? Did they think that small worker ants like them could fight against a giant? The gap between them and the eldest young lord was like that of a cliff that considered itself already high compared to the sky—no matter how it thought, it would never reach the sky!

Whee!! Boom!! Boom!!!

Only 4 seconds had passed since they received help. The eldest young lord’s team stayed behind and didn’t intervene further. The stone golems gathered magic power and attacked the hunters again. Fortunately, they were already on guard this time, so they managed to evade the attack.

However...every evasion felt like a retreat. As they fell back, with every step that the stone golems took through the rectangular spaces, more golems began to reappear in place of those that had been destroyed.

“W-What is that?!! Are they increasing in number?”

“Damn it!! No! We can’t retreat, or it’ll all start over again!”

“This is an unwinnable test! If we don’t retreat, we’ll be reduced to dust. The level of magic power they’re firing is no joke.”

“Look! They’re about to attack again!” Before they could finish complaining, the enemies gathered magic power, making a “whee” sound again. The Setter family hunters jumped back to escape for lives, but they felt like death was waiting for them anyway. That’s because each retreat brought more enemies.

“Won’t you help them?” Ellie raised her eyebrows at the person holding her. He didn’t seem too concerned, so Ellie was confident that if he acted, the 1,000 enemies wouldn’t be too hard to handle. Perhaps his team alone would be enough without him intervening.

“The enemies aren’t too difficult to handle; they’re just unfamiliar,” Owen explained his reason, afraid Ellie might think him cruel. He thought about more explanation and continued,

“If I help them too much now, they might get used to it and it might cause problems as soon as they are on the 7th floor. These tests are warnings from the tower. If they’re not truly prepared, they shouldn’t challenge it. When I decided to take on this challenge, the Setter family thought they were capable. After this, they’ll realize they’re not ready yet.”

Owen used this opportunity to teach them a lesson. Not all his actions could be replicated by everyone in the Setter family. If they stubbornly persisted without recognizing their own strength, the family’s growth might be halted once he was no longer around.

The Setter family had always performed their duties well. However, it was like someone who suddenly received a million dollars from winning the lottery but lacked the knowledge to manage the money. Inevitably, they would lose it all, or worse, end up in debt because they couldn’t return to their original financial state.

Ellie understood his explanation, but still...when she looked at Aman, who was fighting with all his might, she thought that someone putting in such effort deserved a bit of guidance, didn’t they?

Some people, no matter how hard they tried to figure things out on their own, just couldn’t do it. It’s like trying to solve a problem that’s beyond them—not because they lacked intelligence, but simply because they didn’t know the solution. Moreover...Ellie didn’t think everyone in the Setter family believed they could do what the eldest young lord could. If they did, they wouldn’t have asked Owen and his team to hold back until they could no longer handle the situation. They only wanted to gain a bit of strength.

"In that case...if you won’t step in, may I help with the fight? After all, I’m just like them. Perhaps a little assistance could also be considered part of the training."

Ellie looked at the person who protected her as if she were a precious gem. Even though she could help them immediately, she still felt some hesitation because of Owen.

For the Setter family, no one had their best interests at heart more than the eldest young lord. Even though he often seemed indifferent, it was like parents who wanted their children to develop independently. In the end, he was the big wall behind them, absorbing all the impacts and extending a helping hand when they could no longer fight. So, if it involved cooperating with the Setter family, Ellie felt she needed to discuss it with Owen first.Owen raised his eyebrows slightly but understood what Ellie wanted. Moreover...having her train in such a situation would benefit her greatly. Whether it was earning the respect of the Setter family after this ordeal or receiving the rewards from the tower, he had no reason to stop her.