Chương 246: Chapter 244 – Elven Siege.

"W-wait, we sur… Gah." A man cried out as an arrow pierced his neck, shot by an enraged elven warrior with scars across his forehead.

"You did not give us a chance to surrender. Why should we?" He shouted in fury as the other humans looked on in horror. More arrows flew from the forest, accompanied by living suits of armor advancing under Rusty's massive form. The knights' longswords bounced off his body, and even the D-ranked knight lieutenant could do little more than dodge a few strikes before a heavy blow struck him, denting his armor inward and dropping him to his knees.

"I… impossible…" The lieutenant's voice faltered as blood seeped from beneath his helmet. His sword slipped from his grasp and clattered uselessly onto the forest floor. Around him, the rest of the patrol had already fallen or were in the process of falling.

"That should be all of them." After finishing off the group leader, he turned back. There, he saw the wood elves overwhelming their enemies. Even though they were only E-rank, their combat skill surpassed those of humans at the same level. It made sense. With fewer numbers, their kind had long relied on individual strength to survive.

"Push forward. Do not stop." Teral was becoming a leader before his eyes. The number of armor constructs he could summon while still maintaining enough mana to sustain Rusty's abilities was staggering. Compared to Gwen, he was superior in almost every way, and his thirst for vengeance seemed to be driving his rapid growth.

'They are showing no mercy, but I wonder what will happen after this is over.' Rusty knew these people carried deep anger within them, but he also understood how unpredictable humanoid emotions could be. It was easy to strike down those who meant you harm. It was far harder when innocents were involved. The humans had their cities, their noncombatants, and people who had nothing to do with the conflict. Would Teral spare them, or would he seek to eradicate them all?

'There is not much time left, but I should finish this mission before the clock runs out.' For the past several days, they had moved through the forest, eliminating smaller patrols sent to investigate. Their tactics steadily weakened the Baron's forces, yet they were still outnumbered two to one. The elves numbered close to eighty, while nearly two hundred soldiers remained within the Baron's stronghold.

"It's almost time to strike. It's best if you let everyone rest for the day, Teral. Tonight we will strike and end this." Rusty placed a hand on Teral's shoulder to calm him. The young elf had not been able to rest for several nights, and before the final fight, he could not risk him collapsing from exhaustion.

"…Alright." His voice was steady, but tension and hesitation lay beneath it. This would finally be the last battle before true vengeance was achieved.

"We'll make camp here. Rotate watches and…" Before Teral could continue, Rusty interrupted.

"Don't worry. I'll watch over all of you. Sleep and leave it to me."

"That sounds good. Let's go. The Great Spirit has spoken." Lethira saw the exhaustion in Teral's eyes and stepped in before he could argue further. She gently pulled him toward one of the human tents that had survived, while the other elves settled in as well. Some slept in the branches above, others took shelter in tents, and a few lay on the grass under thin blankets. The forest sank into an uneasy silence.

Bodies lay scattered among the trees, some half-covered by fallen leaves, others still clutching weapons they never had the chance to use. The scent of blood lingered in the air, and some of the elves struggled to fall asleep, knowing what awaited them. Yet with Rusty there, they felt safe enough to rest and wait for the night that would end it all.

"Do you think we can do this… win?"

"Yes. Their outer defenses have been thinned enough. Now go to sleep. We need our young leader well rested." As the others turned in for the night, Teral still found himself unable to sleep. Rusty said nothing and simply listened as his summoner spoke with Lethira.

"You're right… Thank you for everything."

"I should be the one thanking you, Teral. Without you, none of this would be possible."

"If something happens to me…"

"Don't finish that sentence. You'll be fine, and every one of us will come back alive."

"…" The two remained quiet before finally settling in. Rusty spread out his magic. Even though he was not as skilled as Gleam, he could still project a field of silence around them. Hours passed, and night drew close once more. It was time to move.

"Everyone ready?" Rusty's voice was calm and steady. The sky was covered by a blanket of clouds that kept the moonlight at bay, making it much easier to move through the darkness.

"Good, then let's head out." A chorus of murmurs followed, joined by the sound of bows being strung and blades checked. Some of the elves whispered prayers to their trees while others remained silent as they marched forward. Rusty led at the front, his form nearly blending with the shadows. The living armored constructs moved beside him as Toral summoned as many as he could. After a few hours, they reached the Baron's stronghold. Once they stepped out from the treeline, they would likely be seen.

'If I had all my capabilities, this would be easier…' Rusty lacked his Wraith form, and without Gleam, he could not move through the air. At full strength, sneaking in and eliminating the sentries would have been simple. They might have even reached the walls unseen. That was not an option now, and he did not want to endanger Teral, who needed to stay close for him to move at all. Instead, they would rely on what the wood elves were known for: archery to bring them victory.

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"Get ready and wait for the signal." Rusty crouched low behind thick undergrowth as he switched to his largest loadout. The elves spread along the forest's edge, each readying their bows, quivers heavy with arrows. Teral knelt beside him, his hands trembling slightly as he adjusted the light armor on his forearms.

"This is it. Are you ready?"

"Yes. Give the signal." A sharp whistle cut through the forest, and the attack began. From the shadows, a storm of arrows burst forth and streaked toward the outer walls. The humans scrambled, their shouts piercing the night as arrows struck armor, shields, and flesh. Patrol formations broke apart at once, leaving gaps wide enough for Rusty and the others to advance. Rusty sprinted forward with a massive shield in hand. Beside him, several elves carried ladders, with Teral among them.

The living armored constructs surged alongside, their light steps blending with the rush.

"Stay behind me." The moment he shouted, crossbow bolts rained toward them. His shield and broad frame took the hits, but as expected, the iron tips could not pierce his body. The elven warriors formed ranks behind him, using his size as a moving barrier as they pushed ahead. His strides were long, and he had to make sure he did not get his summoner killed in the rain of crossbow bolts. Luckily, there were no siege defenses like ballistas to make things worse, but the enemy still had a trump card: mages.

Balls of flame flew toward him, and he could not simply block them with his body. Instead, he relied on the mana shield enchantment placed on his tower shield. The flames crashed into him, erupting into magical explosions that made some of the elves beside him falter, but they did not stop. They had trained for this. Even as the heat rose and smoke filled the air, their hatred for the humans drove them forward.

Balls of water struck the flames, filling the battlefield with thick steam as the elven mages launched their counterattack. Under its cover, they pressed forward, and within moments, they reached the wall and set their ladders in place. The humans above would not allow them to climb and open the massive gate, and everyone knew it. To prevent the ladders from being pushed down, the living armors summoned by Teral were already waiting at the top.

As the ladders slammed into position, the constructs surged forward, driving the human guards back and sowing chaos. That opening was enough for the elves and Rusty to begin their ascent.

"Monsters! These elves are using monsters!" Some of the guards shouted as the living armors pressed in, but it was already too late. The slaughter had begun. Once Rusty reached the top, the humans stood no chance. He shifted into his smaller form, trading power for speed. With a sword in one hand and a mace in the other, he pushed forward, cutting down guards as he forced his way toward the gate mechanism. The humans were clearly unprepared. Some guards were drunk, others were missing pieces of their armor.

Confusion spread through their ranks, though a few threats remained. As he activated the mechanism to open the gate, he spotted the Knight Captain nearby. The man barked orders while several knights moved to shield their leader. This was his target. If he did not deal with them, they would cut through the elven militia.

"Teral, stay safe and leave the knights to me. Do not try to help. Keep your distance."

"I know. I will not hold you back, Rusty. And do not forget, I have learned a few things too." The gate finally slammed open, and the elven archers waiting in the forest charged in. Teral continued restoring the damaged living armors under his control, reinforcing the assault as the humans were steadily pushed back.

"Do not let those elves in! Kill them all!" The knight captain shouted as he saw the gate slam open. He charged forward with five armored men, each holding a longsword of enchanted steel. Before he could reach the breach, something heavy dropped from the wall above and struck the ground in front of him with a loud thud.

"Your opponent is me!" Rusty shouted, though the humans could not hear him. For this fight, he had forsaken his possession skill and the voice he once spoke through so he could focus entirely on battle. He rushed them at once, giving the knights no time to grasp his strength. These were D-ranked combatants, and he had to defeat them all, or their siege would likely fail. His body surged with twilight energy, enhanced by multiple skills, as he advanced with sword and shield in hand.

The knights were caught off guard. One failed to react to the sudden burst of speed and power, and Rusty's blade slipped through a gap in his armor, tearing into his side.

"Gahh!"

"Kill this thing! Do not let them through!" The knight captain barked the order, immediately recognizing Rusty as the true threat. Their clash began at once, each strike of their blades sending out a sharp gust of wind. Steel rang across the courtyard, echoing against the stone walls as sparks burst where Rusty's sword met the captain's enchanted weapon. Every swing carried force beyond human limits, and the ground beneath them seemed to tremble with each impact.

Rusty's armor shimmered faintly with twilight energy, shifting with his movements as if alive. In contrast, the captain's blade burned with a deep red glow, flames coiling around it.

"You are no mere monster, but you will not win!" Though one knight had fallen, the others remained and rushed forward to support their leader. This was exactly what Rusty had anticipated. As they closed in, a cloud of darkness erupted from his body.

"What is this… argh!" One knight cried out as a blade drove through his skull, while another was crushed by Rusty's shield. Just as in his own world, humans proved vulnerable to darkness energy. It remained his most reliable advantage against foes like these. Now weakened and blinded, they stood no chance as he cut them down.

"Y-you monster…" It was not quite over as the knight captain gathered all his strength and unleashed a massive surge of flame through his blade. The burst of fire tore away the darkness. What remained was a sight no warrior could bear. His men lay dead, and Rusty was gone, and in the next instant, Rusty appeared behind him.

"You will not win, foul creature. I will do my duty and protect…" The man kept talking as Rusty traded blows with him, but it soon became clear who held the advantage. Within moments, the knight was forced down to one knee as a blade slipped through a gap in his leg armor.

"Your duty ends here… but before that." Rusty raised his weapon to deliver the final strike, then suddenly stopped. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the other fallen knights and activated his puppeteering skill. The armors moved, rising like puppets on unseen strings. They were not driven by hunger or instinct. They simply threw themselves at the wounded knight, pinning him to the ground.

"Let's see… anything useful this time?" To an outside observer, the scene would have been baffling. Rusty, however, had no intention of passing up the chance to absorb a new skill. As the helmet settled onto the man's head, anticipation flickered for a moment before fading. Skill Absorption has failed to activate, the cooldown period has not ended yet. Please wait until the cooldown period has ended. Amid the chaos, he had forgotten that his absorption ability had not yet refreshed.

If he had a tongue, he would have clicked it in irritation.

"Well… he didn't look that tough, so it's probably fine." Rusty retrieved his helmet and surveyed the battlefield. Things were progressing even better than he had expected, reinforcing his earlier assumption that this mission would not be particularly difficult. Had he stormed the place with Teral alone, he likely would have prevailed eventually, but this approach ensured his summoner's safety far more effectively. Humans were falling one after another as the elven fighters overwhelmed them.

The growing number of living armors, now mostly made of iron and steel, proved highly effective as well. Though some of the elves had fallen, the outcome was no longer in doubt.

'Well, best finish this… and get to that noble before he does something dumb like escaping.'

"Rusty!"

"I know. That baron should be in there. Why don't we say hello?" Rusty drove his blade into the Knight Captain's body, then lifted it and pointed toward the tower rising over the inner courtyard. Its highest windows glowed faintly with candlelight, and a figure could be seen peering out from within. The man looked rotund and deeply distressed. The human baron. The moment Teral spotted him, he quickly retreated back inside.

It was time to complete this mission and see how many rewards he received for overstaying his welcome.