Clang!
The former servant forcefully clashed her halberd against Djhotti's own, which looked hundred times sturdier and more magnificent.
Fangli and Haoban quickly launched their own assaults on top of Quinda's.
But the 4-star dwarf easily parried the three raiders' attacks with one swift motion of his dwarven-made halberd.
Clang!
Djhotti's weapon was truly a masterpiece.
It seemed like even the strongest steel would break upon clashing with it.
I would even dare say that Ulrica's artifact might snap in half before it could scratch a surface on the Keeper's halberd.
That just showed how well the dwarven weapon was crafted.
And I was even more impressed by how easily Djhotti wielded the huge halberd.
The strength the dwarf had to muster to swing the majestic weapon around like a twig.
I could see why many records told that dwarves were a one-man army.
Imagine how unstoppable a dwarf would be if they also had reliable comrades at their side.
Crash!
Vallerynne sent forth a couple of man-sized golems to aid the dwarf.
Two of the elderly men in Party 4 rushed forward to muster some support as well.
With four members of Party 4 fighting against the three members of Party 6, one would expect the latter would falter.
But apparently they did not.
With tremendous synchronicity, Fangli and Haoban fought off the golems that Vallerynne sent as well as Party 4's secondary vanguards, on top of launching assaults toward the dwarf.
[There is a strong connection between the two individuals.]
[A bond called the 'Brothers of the Shining Boar' has been formed!]
The Tchakran martial artists had been fighting together even before they came to the forged land.
They were disciples of the Shining Boar sect back in Tchakra. The two had been training there ever since they were just little boys, which explained why they arrived here as 3-star heroes.
Added with the fact that each of them had properly developed by climbing the tower, the Tchakran pair was actually on par with my comrades in Party 1.
Suffice to say that Fangli and Haoban were currently the best pair of heroes in the entire Reserve Forces.
Other than the advanced heroes, Quinda herself managed to stand her ground against the 4-star dwarf.
She was one of the few 2-star heroes in the Reserve Forces that managed to reach level 7 in weapon skill.
The former servant kept to her dedication toward the Raid Team and it showed.
Quinda and the Tchakran martial artists engaged the bulk of Party 4 with great synergy and force.
The three of them seemed to be able to hold their own against Djhotti's group.
But there was more to Party 6.
Swoosh!
"Here they come!"
Vallerynne alerted her comrades as she parried an arrow with a magic shield.
A pair of silver-haired elderly folks emerged from Party 6's rear.
A skinny old man carrying a long black double-sword and a muscular bow-wielding old woman.
Halim and Ashni. Retired mercenaries from Tsahanam. Both were 2-star at summoning.
I remembered them as they were summoned on the same day as the Tchakran martial artists and the three 4-stars.
Not only that, the Tsahanam pair knew each other before coming here just like Fangli and Haoban.
[There is a strong connection between the two individuals.]
[A bond called the 'Silvergray Mercenary Corps' has been formed!]
Bonded Heroes as we called them.
Heroes with pre-existing relations with one another. Typically performed better when paired together.
Adding Giacomo and Linnie, we only had three cases of bonded heroes in the forged land so far.
So we knew their occurrences were very rare in the heroes' summoning.
And what a good reason for their rarity.
Halim and Ashni swiftly rushed to the backline of Party 4, ignoring the fierce battle happening in the center.
Vallerynne and her comrade at the rear tried to intercept them with a golem and arrows.
Ashni immediately sent a barrage of her own.
Ping! Ping! Ping!
All the arrows coming their way bounced off course as her projectiles accurately blocked them.
Halim then spun his black double-sword and swung the dark whirlwind toward Vallerynne's golem.
Crash!
The moving statue shattered to pieces upon contact with Halim's sophisticated weapon.
The Tsahanam pair rushed on.
Party 4's secondary vanguards immediately withdrew to the rear to guard their mage, leaving Djhotti in the front alone.
Undeterred, Ashni unsheathed two curved daggers from her belt as Halim snapped his double-sword into two and turned them into twin-blades.
The bonded heroes proceeded to engage Party 4's rear guards in a fierce close-ranged combat.
Though outnumbered, Halim and Ashni were able to stand against three of their 2-star peers and a 3-star mage all at once.
Their impeccable teamwork and talent made this possible.
I believed that had Halim and Ashni not retired back in Tsahanam and continued working as mercenaries, they would be summoned as 3-stars.
Party 6 had implemented a clear strategy for this match.
Quinda as a vanguard was tasked to keep Djhotti occupied.
Fangli and Haoban would aid her by fighting off Vallerynne's golems and the other members of Party 4.
With most of their opponents distracted by the vanguards, Halim and Ashni would charge at Party 4's weak spot to weaken their formation.
So far Party 6 was the only Reserve party that managed to put up a good fight against a group from the Main Forces.
Would they be able to prevail?
['Vallerynne (★★★)' is casting a temporary enchantment.]
[Enchantment casted!]
[Party 4's strength, agility, and stamina have increased by 5 for the next 8 minutes.]
Members of Party 4 began to fight with increased power.
At the same time, Vallerynne manifested four other golems on top of the two she already deployed.
Party 6 still put up a solid resistance. They did not falter upon the mage's stunt.
But I could see them starting to get pushed back by Djhotti's group.
It all depended on whether Party 6 could finish off Party 4 before the opposite happened.
But dwarves were known for their resilience.
I was certain Djhotti had made his comrades obtain the same trait as well.
[Serafina!]
The fairy suddenly appeared before me.
She looked a tad uneasy.
"What's the matter, Alam?"
[Master just gave new orders. You'll want to see these.]
I nodded to her.
"Let's move to my office."
I immediately teleported myself to my private study in the new wing of the magic hall.
Alam, naturally, easily followed me there as she could appear wherever she wanted in the forged land.
"Show me the log."
I told the fairy as I settled on my office chair.
Alam proceeded to wave her hand and manifested a hovering window before me.
[Item Distribution Order 1:]
[Recipient: All members of the First Advanced Scouts]
[Item (each recipient): 'Advanced Health Potion (A)' x3, 'Antidote (B+)' x2]
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[Item Distribution Order 2:]
[Recipient: All bow-users of the First Advanced Scouts]
[Item (each recipient): 'Reinforced Longbow (B+)', 'Enhanced Short Bow (B)', 'Exploding Arrow (B)' x20, 'Wind Arrow (B-)' x30, ....]
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[Item Distribution Order 3:]
[Recipient: All sword-users of the First Advanced Scouts]
[Item (each recipient): 'Reinforced Blade (B)' x1, 'Reinforced Shield (B)' x1, 'Reinforced Breastplate (B)' x1, .....]
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[Item Distribution Order 4:]
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