Alchemy cannons?
On the city wall, Raymond narrowed his eyes, his gaze falling on the dozens of metallic constructs being slowly pushed forward in front of the Restoration Army's formation.
The cannon bodies, forged from a mixture of black iron and mithril, reflected a cold, hard luster under the sunlight. The magical runes etched onto the barrels faintly glowed, emanating a dangerous aura completely different from conventional ballistae.
They were indeed alchemy cannons... Judging by their shape, they seemed to be modified heavy siege models, Raymond quickly assessed in his mind.
The power of these weapons was indeed astonishing, enough to cause serious damage to city walls without magical formation protection. But as far as he knew, their effective range was usually inferior to arrows enhanced by multiple enchantments. Moreover, they were slow to reload and their accuracy was average...
His brow furrowed slightly.
Strange... They've pushed these cumbersome things to the front lines, but stopped outside the range of our ballistae. What are they trying to do? Intimidate us? Or do they have some other plan?
Several military mages on the wall also began whispering, rapidly analyzing and speculating about the model and potential power of those alchemy cannons.
Right at that moment, the Restoration Army's formation changed again. The soldier ranks directly facing the alchemy cannons parted to both sides, clearing a path.
It was a Slime with a body of dark gold.
Its size wasn't particularly large, about the size a typical Metal Slime could hold with both hands. Its body surface flowed with dazzling golden light under the sun, looking like a walking lump of gold, making anyone who saw it feel a surge of greed.
A golden Slime?
This was definitely no ordinary Slime.
What does the Restoration Army intend to do?
Raymond fell into thought.
The defenders on the wall, whether soldiers, officers, or mages, all found their gazes firmly locked onto this suddenly appearing strange creature.
In the rear of the Restoration Army, several orc overseers also saw this dark golden Slime. They exchanged glances, speaking in low tones in the orc language, their faces also showing surprise.
They too seemed not to have expected such a special Slime to be hidden within the Restoration Army.
It appears these humans and their slimy allies can't hold back any longer and are finally revealing some of their hidden strength.
And just as Louisa had anticipated, the Orc Royal Court indeed hadn't sent a single reinforcement. The orders the overseers received were still to "urge the Restoration Army to achieve a breakthrough as soon as possible."
Thus, they hadn't participated in this assault tactic discussion at all and naturally didn't know about Big Brother Slime's existence.
But this was only the beginning.
To capture this fortress stronghold with minimal casualties, Louisa had made quite a few preparations.
At the front, Louisa said to Big Brother Slime, who sat majestically on the beetle, "Mr. Kim, I leave the next part to you."
Big Brother Slime gave its most resolute answer with its dark golden body.
The steelback beetle beneath it let out a low hiss, began moving its heavy segmented legs, accelerating, and launched a charge towards the direction of Chester Stronghold.
At this moment, Big Brother Slime was like a fearless knight, charging alone towards the enemy lines.
It's charging over.
Raymond had no time to think deeply. Regardless of the opponent's intent, he couldn't let this strange Slime easily approach the wall.
He abruptly waved his hand. "Ballistae! Target, that golden Slime!"
The ballista operators on the wall immediately executed the command.
Mechanisms tightened, and with the muffled sound of release, three steel bolts shimmering with Armor-Piercing enchantment shot towards the charging Kim with shrill whistles through the air.
Yet, just as those three bolts, capable of piercing heavy armor, flew to within about ten meters behind Kim, they seemed to suddenly crash into an invisible wall, or as if pressed downward by an invisible giant hand.
The arrows' flight trajectories abruptly changed. No longer a flat parabola, they plunged into the hard ground at an almost vertical angle.
The bolts were pressed down?!
What kind of power is this?
A Magic Shield? No, it's more like gravity magic.
Raymond's heart sank slightly.
The ability to manipulate gravity so effortlessly was a power that at least a Gold-Rank Magical Creature Lord might possess.
This was absolutely a Gold-Rank Slime.
"Concentrated fire! Magic towers, alchemy cannons, all long-range firepower, aim at that golden Slime!"
Atop the magic towers on the wall, the embedded magic crystals began flashing violently, elemental energy rapidly gathering.
The defensive alchemy cannons mounted at various points on the wall adjusted their barrels. Archers shot enchanted arrows. Mages chanted incantations, conjuring fireballs, ice spikes, wind blades, and various other spells.
For a moment, multicolored magical lights poured down like a torrential rain towards the charging Kim.
Yet, the terrifying thing was, whether it was the scorching fireballs, sharp ice spikes, howling wind blades, or the trailing enchanted arrows... upon entering the area about ten meters around Kim, they all seemed to sink into an invisible quagmire.
Their speeds drastically slowed, trajectories became distorted, gradually descending, descending, until without exception, they all crashed heavily onto the ground as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Fireballs exploded prematurely, ice spikes shattered into icy debris, wind blades dissipated into nothingness... An invisible domain had formed around Big Brother Slime. Any long-range attack found it difficult to penetrate this domain.
Its dark golden body, amidst the sky full of falling "fireworks" and rising dust, continued its charge steadfastly forward, its speed not slowing in the slightest.
A Gold-Rank Slime? And it actually has this ability?
But soon, they thought, this was just a Gold Slime. No matter how strange its abilities, could it possibly withstand the iron-hoofed charge of the elite legions of the Kargaron Royal Court?
Raymond, however, was currently anxious and uneasy inside.
Ordinary attacks were completely ineffective. He watched helplessly as that Gold Slime drew closer and closer, having already charged to within less than three hundred meters of the wall.
If it continued to get closer, no one knew what kind of serious damage it could inflict upon the wall.
After entering a certain distance, the steelback beetle ridden by Big Brother Slime ran faster and faster, actually faintly generating an upward buoyant force.
The beetle's long-atrophied small wing cases opened, vibrating at high frequency. Although this force was very weak, under the effect of Big Brother Slime's gravity domain, this heavy beetle actually wobbled and lifted off the ground, flying low. Though not fast, it was indeed flying towards the wall.
"It's going to directly impact the Magic Shield!" a mage on the wall cried out in alarm.
Before the words fully faded, the low-flying steelback beetle, under Big Brother Slime's control, slammed fiercely into the Magic Shield enveloping Chester Stronghold's walls.
"Boom——!!!"
The moment Big Brother Slime impacted the shield, the gravity domain condensed in some highly concentrated manner, then released violently upon impact.
The Magic Shield, capable of withstanding continuous bombardment from heavy ballistae, visibly caved inward at the point of impact, forming a visible distorted ripple.
The shield's light flickered violently, brightening and dimming erratically. Fine, spiderweb-like cracks actually appeared at the center of the indentation.
Although the cracks were quickly repaired by flowing magical energy, the shield's strength had clearly dropped a notch, its light dimming considerably.
A single strike had nearly shaken the city wall's Magic Shield.
This was the power a Gold Lord should possess.
Raymond and the other three Extraordinary Professionals' expressions were not good.
Can't wait any longer, Raymond instantly made a decision.
This Gold Slime's gravity ability was too bizarre. Conventional city defense methods were almost useless against it.
An Extraordinary Professional must personally intervene, intercepting it before it caused greater damage.
Generally, in siege battles where two large armies faced off, Extraordinary Professionals rarely personally charged the front lines. Because stray arrows and wide-area magic on the battlefield could injure even Extraordinary Professionals, lowering their condition and allowing enemies to find an opening.
Currently, this Gold Slime dared to come forward alone. This was clearly forcing the defenders to abandon their traditional defensive advantage and engage in a high-level confrontation prematurely.
Just as Raymond prepared to personally lead two Extraordinary warriors to act, the "Roy Envoy" who had been standing silently behind and to his side suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice, "Lord Sterling, the drainage outlet direction on the eastern wall seems to have abnormal shadows. Something is approaching."
Almost as soon as his words fell, a scout knight riding a flying lizard hurriedly flew from the direction of the eastern wall, landing before Raymond.
"Commander, traces of a small orc squad have been discovered in the river valley outside the eastern drainage outlet. About ten people, moving stealthily. The two leading orcs... the number of beast teeth decorating their helmets seems, seems to be the attire of Extraordinary Professionals."
Although Raymond had been wary of the orcs, he hadn't expected the orcs could actually spare the resources to secretly send two Extraordinary Professionals south to cooperate with the Restoration Army's actions.
He felt both shock and anger in his heart, urgently pressing, "Confirmed as Extraordinary Professionals? Saw clearly?"
Under the commander's stern gaze, the scout knight broke out in a sweat on his forehead, hesitating, "The distance was considerable, and the other side was also very alert. I... I dare not be completely certain, but the number and style of the beast teeth... very similar..."
Right then, Leon, cloaked in black robes, spoke up opportunely, fanning the flames, "Commander Sterling, the threat on the eastern side needs to be dealt with."
"If orc Extraordinary Professionals launch a flank assault, coordinating with the Slime on the front, the situation will become even more troublesome. Perhaps you should send someone to investigate. With us and the Sacred Artifact here, we are sufficient to handle all threats."
Hearing the words "Sacred Artifact," Raymond's tense shoulders relaxed.
Right, he still had the Sacred Artifact. This was the biggest trump card in this defensive battle.
This gave him some peace of mind.
Time was pressing. The frontal assault by the Gold Slime made the Magic Shield sway precariously, and a threat from orc Extraordinary Professionals might emerge from the side.
Raymond had no time for deep thought, quickly making a decision. "Alright! Hans, Leonard, you two immediately lead a team of elites, ride griffons to the eastern river valley to investigate."
"Confirm the situation at all costs. If they are orc Extraordinary Professionals, spare no effort to prevent them from approaching the wall."
The two named heavy-armored swordsman and ranger nodded, leading a team of soldiers down the wall, mounting griffons and flying towards the east.
On the wall, only Raymond himself and a Grand Mage remained.
Watching this scene, Alice's lips curled up slightly. Through the gel communicator, she reported to Louisa, "Your Highness, just as you predicted, two Extraordinary Professionals have been lured away by the news of the orc squad."
"They probably can't imagine, no matter how hard they think, that those orcs in the eastern river valley are actually Mimic Slimes in disguise."
Louisa's voice came back calmly, "They don't know the specific movements of the orc army and cannot confirm whether the orcs will truly come south to support. This information gap is our best weapon."
Seeing that Raymond and that Grand Mage seemed prepared to personally deal with Big Brother Slime, Louisa immediately ordered, "Alice, stay alert, ready to launch the general assault at any moment."
"Celeste!"
The giant eagle circling in the sky let out a cry, folded its wings, and dove down like an arrow. As it neared the ground, its form rapidly shrank within the light, transforming into a human shape, landing lightly beside Louisa.
Louisa dismounted her horse and, with Celeste's help, quickly mounted the giant eagle that Celeste had transformed back into.
"It's time for us to fight side by side again, Celeste. Sorry to trouble you once more," Louisa said softly.
"My Princess, why so sentimental all of a sudden," Celeste teased, then carried Louisa as she soared out, quickly gaining altitude.
On the wall, seeing the giant eagle flying out from the Restoration Army and the faint human figure on its back, Raymond no longer hesitated. He mounted his own griffon mount, saying gravely to the "Roy Envoy" beside him, "Envoy, please be ready to deploy the Sacred Artifact at any time, to assist us in eliminating them."
Max, beneath the black robe, responded confidently, "Rest assured, my lord. The Sacred Artifact can be activated at any moment."
Hearing this confident assurance, Raymond felt somewhat relieved.
He took a deep breath, power surging, his gray cloak flapping behind him. Guiding his griffon, he leaped down from the wall, heading straight for Big Brother Slime, which was still impacting the Magic Shield.
Simultaneously, he roared towards the Grand Mage on the wall, "Grand Mage Lawrence, disrupt it!"
Grand Mage Lawrence on the wall had long been prepared. Hearing this, he immediately waved his staff, chanting a long and complex incantation. The gem at the staff's tip erupted with dazzling magical Spiritual Glow.
[Disruptive Ripples]
A peculiar magic blasted towards Big Brother Slime, unaffected by gravity, directly acting on its mind, causing the steelback beetle beneath it to wobble and descend towards the ground.
Beneath the black robe, Elara excitedly whispered through the Gel Network, "Hehe, finally lured away all these troublesome guys. Next, it's our turn to perform. Guaranteed to give them a big, big surprise."
Leon was much more cautious, also confirming through the Gel Network, "Max, have you confirmed on your side that the family elders are in position?"
Max responded steadily, "Relax. The elders have already infiltrated the designated positions and can launch the assault at any moment."
"Now we just need to wait for the right moment to arrive."