Season 3: Chapter 96: Joseon’s Secret Weapon (3)
"Let's go. Run!"
The ten archers began running with the long ladders on their heads.
Tatatatat—
By now, it would be too late even if the Roman commander saw them. They could only hope that he wouldn't pay attention to this area for a moment.
"There!"
"On three, flip the ladder up!"
"One, two... three!"
The archers at the front simultaneously pushed the ladder up with a swing. Those holding the top followed by those in the middle released their hands from the ladder.
Whoosh—
Only those holding the bottom rushed forward and immediately propped the ladder against the wall.
Thump!
"Go up! Get up!"
Those holding the bottom shouted as they clung to the ladder. If they could hold the ladder for more than ten seconds, it would be considered secured and they wouldn't need to hold it any longer. Until then, they had to keep it in place.
Almond grabbed the ladder first to climb up.
"Almond! Why are you going up?"
"?"
Pang pulled him back.
"Latte, you go first!"
"Yes, eh!? Why?"
"Just do as you're told!"
Pang kicked Latte's behind, sending him up the ladder.
"Sigh... Are you trying to get me killed?"
The first to go up the ladder had a high chance of being killed.
"Next, Spam!"
Spam, being the second to climb up because of his size, was a noticeable target. It meant he could die instead of Almond.
"Now go, Almond!"
Pang wanted Almond to survive since he was the best shot among them.
"Next is me. Everyone else, just follow."
After Almond, it was Pang's turn. It wasn't that he believed Almond would clear all the dangers, but he lied to himself that he was there to coach the ace as a leader. �
— The rest is up to you, haha.
— So no orders from now on, huh?
— Pang's blatant favoritism somehow makes him more likable.
— I'm just trying to survive.
All ten archers began climbing the ladder. Fortunately, it seemed they had not been noticed yet as no one hindered their ascent.
"Whew."
Eventually, the last of the archers successfully made it over the wall. They found the internal staircase leading down and began descending.
"Is there nobody here? Guess they didn't see us."
Latte excitedly took the lead down the stairs, murmuring to himself.
"Even Anto can't be watching everywhere at once."
Pang agreed. It seemed Anto had not anticipated that Joseon would mount a counterattack.
The broadcasters had been focusing on the main six o'clock Roman base situation and finally turned their attention back to this area.
“Ah, all ten of them have now crossed the wall?! Did Anto not see them?”
“It seems like Cookie's ambush was so unexpected that they had no idea!”
“If this works out, Joseon might just pull this off if they can neutralize and take over the twelve o'clock position!”
“Of course, Rome is also expanding their nine o'clock base, but... still, it’s good news!”
“They're almost down the stairs?!”
Almond’s group nearly reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I'll go down first~!"
Latte quickly sprinted down the remaining steps.
Thwack!
"!?"
Suddenly, a spear flew from a dark corner behind the stairs. Archers typically wore light armor, so the spear pierced through his armor and came out the other side.
At that moment, a tremendous roar erupted from the Roman spectators.
"Waaaaaaaaaaah!"
“What, what?!”
“Was there an ambush!?”
“No, we couldn't see it from above either!!!”
Since the ambushers hid below the stairs, even the broadcasters hadn't seen them.
“Observer! Go down, go down!”
Following the broadcasters' instructions, the observer switched from an overhead view and went closer to the action. The camera now followed the Joseon soldiers descending the stairs.
"There, the enemy!" Spam shouted robustly in the second row, "I'm going first!"
He dashed down the stairs and immediately shot an arrow after turning around.
Whooosh!
“Wow! It looked like he disappeared for a second while shooting!”
“Spam! Despite his size, he is very agile…!”
Spam quickly turned and shot an arrow. Regrettably, it was blocked by Latte.
“?”
Thud!
“Ugh… ugh!”
The enemy deliberately used Latte as a meat shield to block the arrow.
"Damn it, Latte ham?!"
"I thought I was going to die first... damn…"
Thud.
Latte had already died.
— lololol
— Latte…
— Wow lol
“Regrettably, it was Latte who got hit! The enemy used Latte as a shield!”
“No, it wasn’t friendly fire. That's not allowed! Latte just died from excessive bleeding!”
Pang leaned out from the stairs and shouted, “Damn, what the hell!? What's below, Spam!?”
Spam couldn’t hear Pang. In such a critical situation, no one could hear anything.
Bang!
Spam shot another arrow past Latte’s corpse and struck the Roman soldier's head.
“Keuk!”
The Roman soldier's head snapped back, but—
“Ahhh! Did he survive!?”
The enemy’s head only tilted slightly.
Then, other enemy soldiers hidden in the shadows appeared.
Spam's eyes widened.
'How many are there?'
Below the stairs in the shadows, nearly twenty Roman soldiers had been waiting. They held Roman javelins called the pilum and also carried large legionnaire shields covering their entire bodies. This was the third era Roman force.
The pilum, though less durable at the tip, was extremely sharp and could pierce nearly all armor. It was already flying directly toward Spam.
'When? How!?'
Whoosh—
Spam couldn't react in time. He had shot at the enemy’s head, but the enemy survived and a javelin came flying at him within seconds. It would fatally pierce him at this angle had another projectile not suddenly changed the javelin’s path.
Crash!
“!?”
The javelin suddenly fell to the ground.
Thud.
A dark shadow dropped in front of Spam.
“Ah, Almond!! He finally made an entrance!!!”
It was Almond.
— lolol
— What an ear killer lol
— Wow, crazy
— That was a freakin entrance lol
— Insane
“Heavy infantry! Twenty!”
After landing from above, Almond immediately relayed the information to Pang. Then, he quickly drew another arrow and shot at the opponent.
It ended in the blink of an eye.
Boom!
The leading heavy infantry soldier's head bent far back just like when Spam had shot earlier, but the outcome was different this time.
Thud...!
This time, the Roman soldier fell dead with an arrow in his eye.
“!?”
The other heavy infantrymen behind hesitated.
'This guy... just shot at a flying javelin.'
'He shot him in the eye so quickly?'
Boom!
The ground near the Roman infantry caved in.
The leading heavy infantry charged forward.
"Charge! Settle it in close combat!"
It was best to resolve the situation in close combat against archers. Unfortunately, they walked right into their doom.
"Engage!!!"
Only a few more steps and a sword would reach.
“Ah! They’re getting too close!”
— gasp
— The archers shouldn't have gone down!!
— Ah
— Nooo!
Both the audience and the commentators became restless, but Almond felt different.
"Spam."
"Yes. Ham!"
"You can do it."
"Yes!"
Spam didn’t have much between drawing and releasing an arrow. While shooting from a distance could reduce accuracy...
'It's different at close range.'
Almond immediately flattened his upper body.
Whoosh!
A sword barely grazed his back.
The enemy who swung the sword had wide eyes.
“!?”
Spam appeared behind the stooped Almond.
Squeal!
He had fully charged the focus trait. A crossbow fully charged with focus could pierce heavy armor, especially at such close range.
Swish—
Spam released the arrow.
Boom!
The heavy infantryman’s head flew off, spraying blood.
“The charging infantryman died instead!?:
— gasp
— wow
— omg
— awesome
— !?
“But there are still more soldiers!”
“Now it's a full-frontal battle! Is this how archers fight in a melee!?”
It wasn't just one who had charged. The next soldier immediately raised a hammer toward Spam.
'Focus…'
This time, Almond sidestepped and pulled his bowstring.
Pop!
An arrow with smoldering white light struck the enemy’s temple.
Thud!
The opponent fell, still holding the hammer toward Spam.
“That one first!”
The next soldier charged at Almond.
Whoosh!
A mace swung around.
'I need to focus.'
Almond drew his bow while stepping back.
Thump!
The mace struck the ground, cracking it. Simultaneously, an arrow burning with white light deeply pierced the Roman soldier's head.
Boom!
This time, it was Spam's arrow. While Almond charged his focus, Spam had resolved the situation.
“There are more over here!”
A soldier in heavy armor collapsed pointlessly, but another soldier emerged behind him.
“Huaaaah!”
A mace swung horizontally.
'Huh?'
It was too close to back off and dodge.
'Then.'
Almond moved closer instead.
Whoosh—
Following the arc of the mace, his foot crossed and his body spun.
Click!
Suddenly, Almond appeared behind the enemy.
“What!?”
The moment the opponent turned around in surprise, what awaited him was a burning white arrowhead.
“!”
The enemy’s pupils dilated in horror as an arrow pierced him.
Boom!
“Again, Almond killed another one!?”
“How can he fight like that with a bow in the range of a sword duel!?”
“Behind! Behind you, Almond! Behind!”
— Will he hear that? lol
— OrangeKing what are you doing? lol
— Why so pitiful? lol
A Roman soldier thrust a sword from behind Almond. However—
Swoosh!
An arrow shot by Spam grazed Almond's shoulder.
Boom!
“An enemy came from behind... but Spammmm!”
An arrow pierced the Roman soldier's head and he sprawled back.
— can't breathe lol
— what teamwork lol
— Is this the third era of Joseon!? Is this the third era?!
— That crossbow is crazy for real
— wow
— lol
By this point, the charging heavy infantrymen started hesitating.
“… What, what?”
“What's this?”
Hesitating against archers did them no good. Instead, an opportunity opened up for the archers.
“Now's the time! Shoot!”
From the stairs, the Joseon archers released their fully charged arrows.
Papapapabang!
Streams of white light poured down at the Roman soldiers.
Boom!
Boom…
“Now from the stairs too! The Roman soldiers are almost annihilated!”
Those who couldn't raise their shields in time all died with their heads pierced. Those who raised their shields fell to arrows shot by Almond and Spam.
The spectators held their breath and erupted in cheers.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Although the battle started with a surprise enemy attack, it ended in a complete victory for Joseon.
“In the end, Joseon completely dominated!”
Joseon emerged victorious in the first direct confrontation against Rome. It was a small, but significant victory.
The excited OrangeKing thrust his face at the camera and shouted, “What!? The archers won at close range!? This isn't MapleStory!!!”
— MapleStory lol
— OrangeKing's head is really big for real
— lol
— lolololol
— If you get close, suddenly you get hit with an arrow lol
The counterattack was just beginning.