GILF Hunter

’Right side!’

’They’re up!’

The surroundings were covered with countless monsters, and battles were breaking out all over the walls.

’The sun is setting soon!’

’Light the flares!’

As the battle that began in the late afternoon stretched on, the sun gradually started to dip below the horizon.

It was the exact situation Rebecca had feared.

The battle wasn’t over yet, but as the walls and plains were bathed in the crimson light of the setting sun, the sky began to darken rapidly.

- Flash!

At that moment, large light sources flared up from various points along the wall.

These were large light-generation orbs that had been pre-positioned on the walls in preparation for a night battle like this.

Although they didn’t last as long as torches and their cost-efficiency was terrible, meaning they weren’t used often except in limited situations.

Still, their performance was undeniable.

The surroundings, which had begun to be shrouded in darkness, instantly became as bright as day.

’Squad 2, cover the mages!’

’Target eliminated!’

Attacks continued to rain down outside the walls.

The carcasses of countless monsters were strewn about, and the remains of new monsters continued to pile up on top of them.

Visibility was a bit poor, but the task remained unchanged. It was what they always did. Everyone atop the wall swung their weapons at the monsters.

Eventually, the seemingly endless offensive reached its limit, and its momentum gradually weakened as time passed.

In parts of the northern wall, where the battle had continued without a moment’s rest since the attack began, the fighting started to cease.

It was a sign that the number of monsters emerging from the Labyrinth was decreasing.

’The attack is thinning out!’

Before long, the monsters outside the wall, which had been so thick the plains couldn’t be seen, dwindled to a countable number.

Rebecca, who was roughly gauging the scale of the remaining monsters, gave an order.

’Squads 1 through 10, go down and engage. Be careful not to let any monsters slip away.’

Orders were issued to each wall section to attack the monsters directly. As if waiting for that signal, several groups of mercenaries descended below the wall.

The knights atop the wall noticed this and turned their gaze.

’Ah, what’s happening?’

’It’s the attack signal. Since the sun has set.’

Some mercenaries were personally going down the wall to attack the monsters. At the knights’ question upon seeing this, Ian, who had been surveying the area below the wall, replied.

’Normally, we wouldn’t bother pushing out like this, but... keeping these lights burning is a big burden, so it’s better to finish it as quickly as possible. Especially at night, monsters often try to escape using the darkness as cover.’

’Then should we go down as well?’

’Hmm.’

After pondering for a moment at the knights’ question... Ian nodded.

The Knights weren’t part of the pursuit squads, but Rebecca had left this section to him anyway. Ian could shift their deployment that much.

The monster offensive was already nearly over, and they were at the stage of chasing down the remainders. From this point on, it could be said it was actually the knights’ specialty.

Having received Ian’s permission, they all immediately headed down toward the base of the wall.

When the sudden support of the knights was added, the mercenaries’ reaction was heated.

’Whoa... the knights came down!’

’Finish them off quickly! They’re going to take everything!’

With the knights joining the fray, the movements of the other mercenaries became even more urgent.

Before long, the battle ceased on all walls.

It was because there were no longer any monsters approaching the walls. It meant the offensive had completely ended.

’Uwaaa....’

Frenda let out such a groan as she peeked down from the wall.

A staggering number of monsters, the likes of which she had never seen in her life, were piled up beneath the walls.

’It’s incredible.... Is the invasion always this much?’

’It’s a bit on the small side this time. There were fewer large monsters.’

Though she hadn’t participated directly in the battle, Frenda, who had been out at the forward relief station, had come up to the wall slightly after hearing the news that the battle was wrapping up.

She had heard stories from people around her but thought they might be exaggerations; if anything, it seemed the descriptions she’d heard failed to fully capture this sight.

A moment later, the lookout stationed on the northern watchtower closest to the Labyrinth signaled. Since it was a dark night, this was a person specially selected from among the mercenaries with the highest night vision traits.

It was the signal that the monsters emerging from the Labyrinth had completely stopped.

’It’s over.’

’Don’t send the end signal yet, wait until the search of the surrounding area below is finished.’

Rebecca looked up at the sky with a troubled face.

Aerial monsters that might have slipped away using the darkness... there didn’t seem to be any for now. Next was the turn to check near the walls.

Monsters with low aggression often hid among the carcasses or in the blind spots below the walls. During the day, such things would be easy to find, but at this hour, they were easy to miss if not searched for thoroughly.

Soon, reports from the mercenary groups circling near the wall came in.

’No hidden monsters found. Doesn’t look like anything slipped away either.’

Rebecca nodded for now.

...The report said as much, but she’d have to send out idle mercenary groups to search the area steadily for a while.

It was a chore, but it was better than having a problem suddenly explode somewhere else.

Fortunately, the invasion seemed to have concluded without any major accidents. Rebecca sighed belatedly.

’Is it over? It’s my first time being glad for an ordinary invasion.’

’Didn’t I say we went all the way to the deep floors on purpose this time to make it so?’

’I suppose so. After making such a fuss, it wouldn’t do for a problem to arise after all that.’

Thinking back to the events during the invasions last year and the year before... she couldn’t even imagine what might have happened this time.

Rebecca turned her head and looked toward where the Labyrinth was located.

The plains where the light source’s duration had ended and deep darkness had settled again. The form wasn’t visible because it was dark, but beyond that darkness, an ominous and unpleasant sensation pierced through the veil and was transmitted clearly.

Was it because the image of Ian staring at that place came to mind? Rebecca also found herself unnecessarily concerned about the Labyrinth’s entrance.

Recently, as the seal inside the Labyrinth gradually weakened, threatening monsters never seen before had continuously struck the city.

If that was the case... then what was in the deeper places?

In the... deepest part of the Labyrinth, what exactly was there?

That thought suddenly crossed her mind.

’What should we do? Should we check the vicinity more?’

’No. Send the signal now. If we’ve searched this much, anything that was going to come out has already come out.’

Rebecca’s report was delivered to the central command post, and soon the invasion termination signal began to echo through the city.

Even though it was late, the residents must have been waiting without being able to sleep. Now everyone would be able to sleep with peace of mind.

Perhaps due to the incident where monsters had intruded into the inner city last time, a peculiar tension had hung in the air while the monster invasion was underway.

Hearing the invasion termination signal finally ring out, Rin, who was standing on the wall, stretched broadly.

’Ugh.... Is it all finished? I thought something would happen this time too, but nothing much did.’

Rin looked quite bored.

Well, since the role she was assigned this time was simple wall defense. It was a completely different situation from the invasions until now, where she’d had a somewhat significant role.

Furthermore, since the Knights were crowded near the Ian Mercenary Group, there was no reason to step out to face the monsters.

In the end, without even getting to swing her sword once, the invasion had finished while she just watched the battle the whole time.

’Our rank went up, but it feels like we have less to do.’

Rin muttered so. She thought they would gradually take on more important roles, but the reality was the opposite.

’By the way, where are other A-rank mercenary groups usually located?’

’Most of them take charge of defending the inner fortress.’

’That inner fortress near the City Hall? Then there’d be even less to do.... That’s a place where you can’t even see a monster’s face.’

Frenda, who was listening beside Ian, asked him with a slightly puzzled expression.

’Um.... Wouldn’t there be less damage if high-grade mercenaries were at the front...?’

’That’s true, but.’

Of course, that statement was the standard theory. However, there was one very big problem with Frenda’s logic.

’Having A-rank mercenaries personally step out is expensive.’

’Be... because of money?’

’Isn’t this the city of mercenaries? Using people is all about money.’

Deploying A-rank mercenary groups to the idle inner fortress was a sign of preferential treatment for high-grade mercenary groups, but...

The biggest reason was that the hiring cost of putting A-ranks into combat was too high.

Rather than deploying an A-rank mercenary group on the walls, it was much better in terms of stability to spread C-rank mercenary groups without gaps for the same cost.

The A-ranks would also find it more comfortable to just wait at the inner fortress rather than preparing supplies and going to the front lines just to snag small spoils of war.

Even when Ian played the game himself, he rarely deployed A-ranks—who were excess power but consumed a huge budget—directly to the defensive lines.

’Next, Area 3, please return! In order from the right!’

’Ah. It’s our turn. Let’s head down now.’

A soldier signaled to return while passing along the wall. The mercenaries waiting on the wall filed down the stairs into the inner side of the wall.

Before following the members down the wall, Ian looked back for a moment and thought.

Is there not much left...?

Beyond the darkness, the form of the Labyrinth was shimmering faintly.

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