HPDBC Chapter 54 - 54
Chapter 54 - 54
Chapter 54: Chapter 54
Chapter: Preparing for the Siege
The ruins had become their temporary fortress. The stone walls, cracked and weathered with age, provided some protection, but against an endless monster horde, they wouldn't hold forever.
Alden sat on a fallen pillar, absentmindedly twirling a mana core between his fingers. The faint glow inside the crystal flickered as he focused on it, trying something new.
He had already tested his Mark of Connection on weapons, and it worked flawlessly. But could he extend that same connection to an external mana source?
If I can draw mana from cores... my biggest limitation disappears.
---
Testing the Mana Core Connection
Alden pressed his palm against the small, cracked mana core of a defeated beast. It was weak—barely useful to most—but that made it perfect for testing.
He activated his Mark of Connection.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a thin thread of energy linked him to the core. He exhaled slowly, pulling at it, trying to draw mana into his circuits.
A faint trickle of energy flowed into him.
It wasn't much, but it worked.
I can use this in battle. If he could mark multiple cores, he could pull mana mid-fight, extending his stamina and reducing his reliance on potions.
It wasn't unlimited, but it was an advantage no one else had.
---
Planning the Defense
The others were discussing strategy. Leonhardt, as the strongest, took a natural leadership role.
"We should fortify the entrance," Leon said. "If we let them surround us, we're finished."
Alicia crossed her arms. "That's obvious, but how?"
Seraphina leaned against a stone pillar. "I can create ice walls to slow them."
Sylvara nodded. "I'll reinforce the structure with vines. The ruins will hold longer that way."
Alden, still testing his mana core experiment, glanced up. "If we funnel them through a narrow corridor, it'll be easier to handle them in waves."
Reynard smirked. "Tch. Sounds like a lot of effort. Can't we just run?"
Luca let out a bark of laughter. "Run where? We're stuck here until this event ends."
Elena, ever the voice of reason, sighed. "We should conserve stamina, too. This could last weeks."
Alden nodded, pocketing the mana core he'd been experimenting with. "In that case, we should gather resources now while we can."
Leonhardt clapped his hands together. "Alright. Let's move."
--
Each of them took up a role:
Seraphina and Sylvara reinforced the ruins.
Leonhardt, Alicia, and Luca hunted for food and additional mana cores.
Reynard scouted for possible ambushes.
Elena checked their supplies and rationed healing potions.
Alden worked on refining his Mark of Connection.
---
From the depths of the forest, figures emerged.
Dark shapes, low-tier monsters, but numbering in the hundreds.
Goblins, large wolves with glowing red eyes, and a few hulking ogre-like creatures stomped toward them.
Leonhardt took the lead. "Formation! Seraphina, ice walls now!"
Seraphina stepped forward, slamming her hand against the ground. A barrier of ice erupted in front of them, creating a chokepoint.
Alden narrowed his eyes. Good. That'll funnel them.
The goblins rushed forward, snarling and screeching, clambering over each other to reach them.
Leonhardt's spear pierced through two goblins at once, his aura-enhanced strike ripping through their weak bodies.
Alicia's sword ignited in flames, her fire-infused slashes cutting down enemies in waves.
Sylvara whispered an incantation, and roots erupted from the ground, grabbing several monsters and crushing them.
Luca dashed forward, his claws glowing with earth mana, raking through a wolf's throat.
Reynard disappeared into the shadows, only to reappear behind a goblin commander, slitting its throat.
Alden watched them work together seamlessly. They've already improved.
A group of goblins broke through the ice wall, charging toward Alden.
He raised his hand.
A dagger floated into the air, controlled by his Telekinesis.
It shot forward like a bullet, impaling the first goblin's skull.
Without stopping, Alden marked a nearby fallen mana core and drew energy from it, refueling himself as he maneuvered through the battlefield.
One goblin lunged at him. He sidestepped, slashing downward with Kurenai. The blade glowed red, cutting through the goblin's chest like butter.
I can use my Mark of Connection on weapons too.
He threw a second dagger—this one already marked—and remotely coated it in mana mid-air. It struck a wolf's eye, making it collapse in pain.
Shiranui, his nine-tailed fox, leaped beside him, its white fur glowing faintly.
After half hour.
As the last monster fell, silence returned.
Alicia wiped sweat from her forehead. "That was... exhausting."
Leonhardt nodded. "And that was only the first wave."
Seraphina exhaled, her ice walls melting. "We need to recover before the next one."
Alden glanced at the fallen monsters. His Mark of Connection had drained a few cores dry, leaving them cracked and useless.
I need stronger sources.
But he didn't say anything. No need to explain what they wouldn't understand.
For now, they had survived.
The next wave would be worse.
And Alden would be ready.
---
End of Chapter.