"Bomb!" Tundra warned so the defenders could brace for the impact....

Soon, the defenders watched as he hurled the charged stone into the thickest cluster of zombies.

Indeed, the bomb was just a stone thanks to Tundra’s Talent...

Whom~

Suddenly, the air warped.

A sudden gravitational pull dragged the creatures inward... The Jumpers who were about to leap, the Spitters spewing acid, even Thralls clawing at the walls, were affected!

They could only briefly shriek as their bodies were yanked together! It happened so fast!

Their limbs were tangled against one another. For a moment, one area in the battlefield seemed to collapse into a single point.

Then... CRACK!

The implosion detonated.

Bones shattered, bodies crumpled, acid sacs burst in grotesque sprays. When the dust cleared, dozens of enemies lay mangled in a crater, their momentum broken.

The ramparts erupted in cheers.

"By the gods..." Nika whispered. "He just erased half the wave."

Caesar grinned as he saw this happen. His shield was still dripping with acid when the implosion occurred. It saved him a lot of energy.

"Hoho... That’s the kind of ally we needed."

But the tide didn’t stop.

More thralls came forward with their large, outrageous mouths open. At the same time, more Spitters from behind continued to lob acid.

"Don’t stop!" Tris shouted from the tower. "Phase One isn’t over yet!"

Still, Tundra wasn’t finished. He picked up another stone, with a Cryo‑Stasis Charge, and threw it into a cluster of thralls climbing the walls.

SHHHHH!

A burst of freezing mist engulfed them. Of course, Tundra did this a few more times, affecting a large area outside the gate!

Their movements slowed, their limbs started stiffening, and those who were directly hit were frozen solid while climbing.

At this time, the Fort’s enhanced warriors seized the chance, hacking them apart before they could defrost.

"Frozen vampires... now that’s more like it!" Garron laughed, cleaving one in two.

Though they also had a method to freeze someone, that was a single-target skill by one of their Survivors. This wide-range ability was very welcome to them!

"We’re going in!" Asta, the leader of the Super Soldiers, called out.

Soon, they also leapt from the ramparts, their enhanced bodies, armor, tokens, and weapons made them brave enough to face the charging enemies head-on, and help the Warden Units!

They landed amidst the frozen enemies... With their blades and fists, they easily tore through the slowed thralls and zombies!

"Push them back!" one shouted, driving his sword into a Crusher’s chest.

The Warden Units advanced in formation...

Their blades also easily cut down anything that reached the gates...

Acid splashed against their mechanical bodies. It was sizzling their bodies, but it was leaving no mark. Even the Super Soldiers got hit, but their armors and Aura Sentinel Tokens allowed them to ignore the hit.

Soon, even the enhanced warriors of the fort were itching to go down and fight!

However, they were ordered to stay at the ramparts and deal with the Jumper Zombies and some fast-moving Thralls who were trying to climb up the walls.

Nonetheless, because of the Warden Units and Super Soldiers, they no longer had to raise their shields to block the acid spit; most of the Spitter Zombies were busy dealing with the army on the ground.

Then, at this point, Shane also decided to join in... Unlike Tris and the many commanders of the Fort, he didn’t have to worry about the Spirit Points expenditure or tiring his body.

At this point, even if the event lasted for a week, he wouldn’t get tired of all the drugs or potions he had taken.

"Let me join!" Shane said as he activated his own Survivor Skill.

[ Lightning Surge Lv5: Channels raw electricity through the body, releasing a concentrated blast forward...

This Skill that he obtained from Hendryx after killing him was really strong... Against the Thralls, it really showed!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Shane was only targeting the Thralls at this point!

Just like that, with his addition, the battlefield became a symphony of destruction.

Tundra threw bomb after bomb, and each detonation was reshaping the battlefield.

Super Soldiers maintained their control on the ground to ensure that the Zombies wouldn’t be able to climb anymore.

Warden Units also fought without taking a break as their blades cut down zombies rushing at the gate.

While the forst’s enhanced warriors fought atop the walls with their weapons.

Boom!

Soon, Tundra’s Corrosive Venom Bomb exploded into a mist that ate through the armor and flesh of the Zombies at the back lines...

The Zombies behind couldn’t do anything as their bodies melted, leaving gaps in the horde.

"Keep it up!" Tris shouted from the tower, his voice carrying hope now. "We can hold them!"

At the same time, the other sides of the walls were also facing the attacks of enemies...

Although the intensity wasn’t as strong as the attack in front, it was still quite terrifying. Thankfully, the Elves, Shinja, Chaloem, and others were there to help the Fort’s defenders.

Hours passed, and the waves were unending.

Three hours into Phase One, the defenders were already bloodied, but none of them had turned into a zombie or even become a Vampire yet.

Though it was still exhausting... Even the Super Soldiers had to retreat with their backs against the wall as their position was replaced by the Enhanced Warriors and Warden Units.

Still, thanks to Tundra and Shane’s support, none of them had to worry at all. They just had to rest and drink their healing potions when needed.

The only concern was the ramparts and their walls.

"It’s damaged..." Caesar muttered as he looked at it... They were already scarred, dented, and if stronger zombies and vampires came, they might have to be worried.

However, he couldn’t deal with it at this moment...

More and more Zombies were coming.

There was no break at all!

Caesar stood firm, intercepting acid with his shield.

"Don’t waste your energy! There’s no break in this! Use your skills if your Spirit Points recovered!"

Nika wiped blood from her cheek and nodded.

"If this is only Phase One, I can’t wait to see what Phase Two throws at us."

"Don’t jinx it," Hannah muttered, loosing another arrow into a thrall’s skull.

Tundra, however, was unworried about this siege...

He had a few sacks of bombs with him!

He was only throwing a few of them at a time, or if the defenders were getting overwhelmed. This was to save for the Dragonoids that would come soon.

After all, according to Caesar’s statements, the Dragonoids seemed to be capable of surviving his Explosive Fire Bombs...

***

Meanwhile, far above the battlefield, unnoticed by the defenders, a lone figure seemed to be floating in the darkened sky.

His long robe rippled in the wind, but his body was unmoving...

He had red eyes beneath the hood, and he could observe the chaos below.

As he watched the battle unfold, he was soon stunned. The thralls were doing their best, the zombies were charging fearlessly, and acid kept raining down on the enemies, and yet, the fortress held.

For five persistent hours, he watched.

The defenders of Draconic Fort were stronger than expected. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The enhanced warriors fought tirelessly, the Warden Units ignored fatigue and minor damages, and all the Foreign Survivors were doing their part...

The robed figure’s lips curled into a smile.

"Impressive. They endure longer than I expected. This Shelter must have tasty blood."

At the seventh hour, the waves finally ceased.

A silence fell across the battlefield, broken only by the groans of the wounded...

Survivors drooped against the ramparts, drinking potions, patching wounds, and repairing shields.

They had to hurry since Phase Two would come soon.

Then, he also saw that even the tireless humanoid robots retreated!

The mysterious figure couldn’t help but laugh...

"Ah... so the machines can’t function for a long time. This is the moment."

Indeed, the Warden Units uses Power Cores after all. Once the energy was depleted, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Their energy source must be replaced...

Still, the mysterious figure raised his pale hand, and soon, the System’s voice echoed once more...

[ Phase Two Begins! ]

The ground quaked as new horrors emerged from the horizon.

First came the High‑Tier Zombies. They were the Tyrants with bulging muscles, Hunters with elongated claws, Lickers crawling on all fours with two whip-like tongues, and Juggernauts whose armored bodies could ignore even an RPG!

Behind them marched Low‑Tier Vampires! They were no longer thralls but true blood‑born creatures. Their eyes glowed red, and their hands dripped with crimson energy.

This time, these Vampires wielded strong blood skills!

With a wave of their hands, spears formed from coagulated blood essence! They could even create whips or shields that were made of blood!

And then, the sky itself darkened further.

In just a few moments, wyverns descended with their wings beating like thunder!

Screech!

Their screeches disoriented the weaker survivors as the Wyverns circled above the fortress! They were threatening to dive upon the defenders at any moment!