I unlocked Villager Boost after the level-up I gained when we surpassed ten thousand people. To put it simply, it temporarily boosted the stats of all villagers, and the duration changed depending on the multiplier used.
For example, at 2x strength, the effect only lasted five minutes. But I could stretch it to about ten minutes if I reduced the multiplier to 1.5x.
The drawback was that there was a one-hour cooldown before someone could receive the enhancement after the effects wore off. However, there was no limit on how many villagers I could boost at once, so I could power up all three hundred villagers at once if I needed to.
“Get out of my way! I’ll cut down both you and that ridiculous shield with one swing of my sword!” Raoul shouted, charging.
“No, I will protect our mayor!” Noel roared back.
Villager Boost Noel!
I figured 1.2x would be enough, seeing as Noel already had Shield Mastery.
“Shield Bash!”
“Arghh!”
Noel sent Raoul flying with a tremendous swing of his shield.
The enemy troops froze in shock at the sight of their commander, whom they’d considered invincible given his Sword Mastery Gift, thrown back like a rag doll.
I didn’t waste one moment.
“Everyone ready? Chaaaarge!”
Villager Boost all villagers!
“Raaaaah!” the defenders shouted, bolstered by a 1.5x multiplier, as they charged.
Sure, the enemy soldiers were veterans, but they must’ve been running on fumes by now. Meanwhile, the villagers had a full tank of stamina, were outfitted in powerful dwarven gear, and were now nearly twice as powerful as usual.
Naturally, we steamrolled them.
“There’s no way!” Raoul yelled in disbelief. “What the hell is going on?! A town in the middle of nowhere couldn’t possibly have warriors like this!”
“Raoul, you’ve already lost. Any further fighting would be pointless. Surrender now,” Seren said.
“You! Seren! I knew it! You’re on Luke’s side after all!” Raoul shouted. “Shut up! I haven’t lost yet!”
“You seriously believe that? Look around, Raoul.”
Even as they argued, Raoul’s elite force was falling one by one. It was obvious to anyone watching that Raoul had lost the battle.
“S-So strong...”
“They’re not just ordinary villagers... Argh...”
“Forgive us, Lord Raoul...”
While Raoul’s troops were groaning in pain, barely any of our villagers had even gotten injured. Each time someone had gotten hurt, the elves treated them promptly with healing magic. In the end, Raoul’s army was the only one with casualties.
“Thanks, Treety!” Nerulu called out. She’d gotten the tree dragon to charge through the enemy’s rear lines. “We’re good now! I really appreciate everything you did!”
“♪”
The tree dragon calmly rumbled back toward the fields, satisfied. It had successfully taken out more than half of the soldiers who’d made it past the moat.
Raoul’s army was approaching the verge of total collapse.
“Do you realize how many of your five thousand troops you have left? Anyone with eyes can see the writing on the wall,” Seren said.
“Sh-Shut up! I can’t lose! Not to him!”
Suddenly, Raoul’s body began to glow with a strange light.
“Luke! This fight isn’t over yet! I can still win...as long as I kill you!”
✦ ✦ ✦
His bloodshot eyes locked onto me, and he charged at incredible speed, his body still glowing.
“His bloodlust is dangerous, Lord Luke! Get out of there!” Philia shouted, firing her bow—but the arrow shattered on impact.
What the hell?! Did his aura destroy the arrow?!
“Mr. Mayor!” Noel stepped in front of me just like before, using his shield in an attempt to knock back Raoul.
“Shield Bash!”
“Like I’d fall for that twice!”
They collided with a loud crash, but this time Raoul didn’t budge. Were they evenly matched this time? No—Raoul was winning?!
I panicked and tried to raise Noel’s multiplier, but it was too late.
“Noel!”
This time, it was Noel who got thrown back.
Raoul was moving a little slower now, but still had enough momentum to keep charging straight toward me. There was no one left to stop him, and I was completely vulnerable.
But that didn’t mean I was done for.
Rrrruuummbbbllleee!
A massive wall appeared out of nowhere in front of me. An instant later, it shook violently with impact. Raoul must’ve slammed into it at full speed from the other side.
Holy crap, that sound was insane!
If I’d taken that hit head-on, I’d be a smear. But not even Raoul could punch through a wall that thick.
I checked the map. He’d stopped halfway through the wall, so he was literally embedded in it.
“D-Damn it... I haven’t lost...yet...”
Uh-oh, he’s moving again.
Unfortunately, Raoul still hadn’t given up. How the hell was he able to keep going? I didn’t know, but I wasn’t planning on letting him win either.
Rrrruuummbbbllleee!
I activated Facility Customization on the wall I’d just built and transformed it into a giant golem.
“Huh?!”
The massive humanoid golem materialized right in front of him, and Raoul just stood there, stunned. The glowing light surrounding him already started to fade, and his movements became sluggish.
“Sorry, Raoul, but you’ve lost.”
The golem raised its fist and swung. Raoul blocked it with his sword, but it didn’t matter—the force of the blow threw him at least ten meters backward. He tumbled across the ground until he came to a stop. He was battered, several bones seemed broken, and he was barely breathing.
“N-No, I can’t lose... Not to you...”
He tried desperately to get back up on his feet, reaching a trembling hand toward me, but that was the end of it.
He fell unconscious before he could say another word.