Counterattack
* * *
Jacob's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction as he surveyed the chaos unfolding before him. The barricade at the top of the stairs was already groaning under the relentless assault of his soldiers. He chuckled to himself, feeling a surge of triumph.
"Hahaha, the second floor is so weak," Jacob muttered under his breath, barely containing his smug grin. "We overestimated them. I bet their king got strong by luck or some fluke."
Aiden, standing beside him, shifted uneasily, his eyes darting nervously from the barricade to Jacob. "Are you sure about this, Jacob? I mean, what if there's something we didn't account for?"
Jacob waved a dismissive hand, his confidence unwavering. "Cut the crap, Aiden. We have them cornered. They're clearly outnumbered. This barricade will fall soon enough, and once it does, they're all dead."
Aiden bit his lip, his eyes still flickering with apprehension. "I just hope you're right."
Jacob's lips curled into a cruel smile as he watched the barricade shudder. "Hahahaha! Look at them struggling. They're done for. Once this breaks, we'll take control, and this place will be ours."
As he spoke, a sudden, loud crash echoed through the corridor. The barricade gave way, splintering into pieces as Jacob's soldiers surged forward with renewed vigor. The barricade had fallen. However, Jacob's laughter was cut short by a flash of red light emanating from beyond the rubble.
"What the hell is that?" Jacob exclaimed, his eyes widening in confusion.
As he spoke, a sudden loud noise, like a balloon popping, echoed through the corridor. There were a series of rapid, sharp bursts of sound. He blinked in confusion, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise.
His smile faltered as he saw his soldiers dropping to the ground, bloodied and confused.
"What the hell is that sound?" Jacob shouted, his voice rising with alarm. He squinted through the chaos and realized, with a sinking feeling, that the popping sound was the sharp, deadly reports of gunfire.
"Shit! Its a gun!" Jacob roared, his eyes wide with panic as he saw more of his men fall. The once orderly assault had turned into a chaotic scramble as soldiers scrambled for cover, some rushing back toward the stairs in a desperate bid to escape the onslaught.
Jacob's gaze was filled with disbelief and frustration as he watched his men being cut down. "What the fuck is happening?" he shouted, his voice filled with both fury and confusion. "Why is there a GUN!!"
He saw his soldiers falling one by one, their bodies collapsing in the dim light of the corridor. The gunfire continued, a relentless barrage that shattered the illusion of their overwhelming victory. Jacob's anger and confusion grew as he struggled to make sense of the situation.
"Get back here!" Jacob ordered, trying to regain control of the situation. "Fight back, damn it! Don't let them push us out!"
But his orders were drowned out by the continued gunfire and the frantic cries of his soldiers. The once confident assault had turned into a disorganized rout, and Jacob could only watch as his carefully laid plans disintegrated in the face of the unexpected and brutal counterattack.
* * *
I was running on empty. My mana was nearly depleted, leaving me barely able to hold up the barrier. The red glow of the shield flickered, its intensity waning as I struggled to maintain it. Each breath felt like a labor, and the weight of exhaustion was pressing heavily on my shoulders.
I glanced outside through the transparent barrier, and the scene beyond was a disordered mess. The once organized assault had turned into a chaotic scramble.
Some of Jacob's soldiers were frantically running away, their faces twisted in panic. Others, however, were still determinedly pounding against the barrier, their frenzied attacks growing more desperate.
I watched in dread as cracks began to appear in the barrier, spreading like dark veins across its surface. My mana was running out too quickly, and I knew I couldn't keep this up much longer.
I had killed off a couple dozen soldiers, but there were still way too many left. My strength was failing, and the tide of battle was shifting once again.
The soldiers on the other side, noticing the abrupt stop in gunfire and the cracks spreading across the barrier, began to charge again. Their renewed determination was evident as they pressed forward, their shouts of triumph mingling with the clamor of their advance.
"Fuck," I muttered under my breath, the weight of my fatigue and frustration crashing down on me. My mana was depleted, and I was too exhausted to continue fighting.
The enemy was pressing forward relentlessly, and I was powerless to stop them.
"Erebus!!"
Just as the situation seemed to reach its breaking point, I heard someone call my name. I turned my head weakly, barely able to focus on the figure approaching through the haze of exhaustion.
It was Jake, flanked by the combat team. They moved with a sense of urgency, their faces set in determined expressions.
"Stay back!" Jake shouted, his voice filled with urgency. "You can't die! You're the king! We'll handle this."
Jake and the combat team positioned themselves in front of me, forming a protective line. Their resolve was palpable, and I could see the determination in their eyes. "Get to class 2-4 with the non-combat members," Jake instructed, his voice firm and commanding.
"You have to go!" another combat member yelled, trying to rally the others as they formed a defensive line. "We'll hold them off!"
The barrier shattered suddenly, and the soldiers began pouring through, their presence a tidal wave of aggression. Jake's words were a distant echo as the combat team braced themselves for the incoming onslaught.
"We'll take care of this," Jake said again, his voice resolute.
Exhausted and barely able to move, I stumbled toward class 2-4, my legs feeling like lead. The fight had drained me, and I was powerless to contribute any further.
'I should have invested more in fucking vitality', I thought bitterly. My vision was blurring, and the world around me seemed to waver and fade.
I tripped and fell, my body collapsing to the floor. My vision darkened, and the sounds of the battle became distant and muffled.
"Erebus!!"
I caught a glimpse of Yunji's worried face as she rushed toward me.
"Yunji…" I thought, my consciousness slipping away. The darkness enveloped me, and I succumbed to the exhaustion, my vision going completely dark.