Doomsday Pillars

This challenge was actually impossible to be won by only 150 people. Each of those orcs possessed the same strength as fighters at the intermediate level of the Earth Realm. Each of those Uruks was at the same level as fighters at the intermediate level and the berserker Uruks had at least the same strength as fighters at the peak level. This horde of a combination of 2,000 orcs had a very terrifying amount of combat power.

In Alex's previous life, to complete this challenge, a country had to gather all of its best fighters for one pillar. Generally, it took about 500 fighters at the peak of the Earth Realm to complete this challenge. But that number could only get very few points. It was the minimum amount.

Achieving the minimum amount of points meant that they managed to eliminate half of the enemy's forces. Meanwhile, the points they get would be higher if there were still fighters who were still alive at the end of the seventh day. Of course, the amount of points they would get would be the maximum amount if they manage to completely eliminate the entire horde. But on average, the fighters weren't even able to withstand the siege on the fortress for more than a day.

The fire attack that had separated the hundreds of orc troops had been extinguished.

At least the fighters of the Star Army were able to eliminate more than 300 orcs and injure tens of others in the first 3 hours. Every now and then, the orc shaman would throw an attack of a purple ball akin to the previous ones, and the ice elemental fighters would use their Ice Wall skill to block the attack from the orc shaman every time. Alex had to rotate all 10 ice elemental fighters to continue using the skill. Meanwhile, the orc shaman didn't lack any injured orcs to continue to serve as his attack ammunition.

GRAHH!! GRAHHH!!!

This time, dozens of berserkers were deployed to break down the northern gate of the fort. With them were several orcs carrying large chunks of wood, ready to break down the gates.

Alex saw that the fighters were already starting to get overwhelmed. Most of the long sharp spears had been destroyed by the attack of the orcs that had jumped over the wall. Alex noticed that dozens of his fighters were already seriously injured and were being healed by the medic.

Alex was ready to move on to the next strategy. He gave a signal, and when the berserkers were busy breaking down the gate, out of nowhere, a beautiful woman jumped on top of the chunk of wood and immediately beheaded several orcs simultaneously.

At the same time, the gate opened, and Alex and 10 fighters wielding spears and shields charged out.

A fierce battle immediately broke out at the north gate. With the gate of this area now opened, the attacking horde of orcs soon began to move toward the main gate.

Splat!

GRAHHH!!

It was now time for Alex to release his skill. Alex regulated his breathing and took out two swords of different lengths from his storage ring.

[Short sword - Tier 2]

[90 centimeters long, weighs 4 kilograms]

[Increases speed]

[Long sword - Tier 2]

[130 centimeters long, weighs 7 kilograms]

[Increased sharpness]

These two swords were swords from the collection of artifacts around the continent of Australia. With these Tier 2 swords, Alex didn't have to worry about fighting these orcs. As for the mysterious wooden sword, it remained on Alex's back.

[Dual sword technique - High level]

[Hexagram technique - Stage 4]

[Increases speed]

[Increases power]

Alex might not have the kind of talent Aria had, but he had the skills he had mastered in his previous life. When he got access to the Doomsday Pillar, the pillar analyzed that Alex already has the sword skill and the Hexagram technique. It seemed that his training during the previous 10 years had not been in vain.

The Hexagram technique was a special technique that didn't only increase its wielder's speed and power, but it also had unique moves that could confuse opponents and maybe even cause them to fall into disarray.

Whoosh!

Splat! Splat!

One by one, every orc that tried to get through the open gate fell victim to Alex and Aria's deft attacks.

Every now and then, Alex and Aria were bound to be hindered by the berserkers' attacks that were able to rival them with physical power, which was why the 10 fighters with shields behind them were ready to guard against the orcs who managed to get past the two of them.

Not long after, a fighter informed him that the same attack had taken place at the southern gate. 

"Aria! Go help Raufgar!" Alex was parrying an orc's attack, but right after he heard the fighter, he immediately exclaimed toward Aria for her to help Raufgar at the southern gate.

"But what about you?" A few orcs still managed to get past even though there were two of them guarding at the front, how would things go if only Alex attacked at the front? She was worried.

"Hey, could it be that you think I'm not any stronger than him, now..? Just go and help him, I'll be fine on my own," Alex tried to reassure her.

Aria hesitated to leave Alex, but she still obeyed his command in the end. She had to believe in him.

With Aria leaving for the southern gate, Alex guarded the northern gate on his own against dozens of orcs twice as big as he was. Those orcs charged toward him, seemingly impatient to finish him off.

Seeing the orcs charging violently yet orderly at him,m, Alex didn't back down. On the contrary, he even decided to take a few steps out of the fortress gate.

[Hexagram Steps]

This was a part of the Hexagram technique that he had studied over the years. The skill was best suited to resist a siege. And the wider the area of ​​motion was, the easier it would be for Alex to maximize the use of this skill.

This skill wasn't just for him to move at a fast speed. However, the Hexagram Steps was a skill of steps that followed the formation of the Hexagram, a complex formation step that these orcs couldn't follow.

The battle continued until it got dark. With Alex and Aria guarding the northern and southern gates, the attacks of the orcs who kept trying to climb the wall decreased. At this time, it was clear that the orcs who could still fight were running low. No more than 200 orcs were left on their side. However, the Uruks still hadn't moved at all.

500 Uruks were at least two times stronger than 800 orcs. When they began to make their move, the battle would reach its climax.

Suddenly, a piece of information popped up from the bracelet on the wrist of Alex and every other participating fighter.

[You have eliminated half of the horde.]

[Objective one completed.]

With this information, even if Alex and the others were to die right now, they would still have completed the challenge and could access the next floor. But of course, Alex wouldn't be satisfied with the result.

With the orc army dwindling, Alex began to retreat back and into the ranks of the 10 spear and shield fighters.

Alex sighed, sweating all over. He began to feel heavy. He could only use his stage 4 Hexagram technique for about 2 hours. In the last hour, his technique stage has dropped back to stage 2.

A blonde-haired woman walked up to Alex.

"Ah, Cindy, you're still alive..." Alex weakly said with a smile

"Seeing your current condition, it seems that our end isn't that far in the future... Is it time for us to use that weapon?"

"No... soon... Trust me... Be patient..."

"Uhh, I can't wait!!" Cindy impatiently said. It seemed that she really couldn't wait to use it.

"How many of our members are dead?" Alex inquired.

"Hahaha, guess how many! Zero! Isn't it great? There are some who are dying… They're being treated, but it seems that the medical team can't do it anymore, they are at their limit..."

"It's fine, I hope that we'll be able to carry out our next strategy soon."

"Yeah... or who knows? Maybe they'll withdraw first and come back to attack tomorrow!" Cindy optimistically said.p

"Hahaha, that would really be favorable for us… But that won't happen. Hundreds of these orcs were sent to weaken us. The orc shaman isn't that stupid to withdraw the orc horde when they've gone this far and allow us to recover."

Suddenly, the war drums sounded again...

Dum dum dum dum dum.

"Well! They're here, all according to plan. Let's get ready," he calmly said to Cindy.

"Ready!!" The more tense the battle was, the more excited Cindy became. Alex was still amazed by this woman. 'Are all American women like her?'

The 500 Uruks began to move. The crossbowmen also advanced and got ready to adjust to the small machetes on their shoulders.

GAAAAHHHH!!! The black orc war chief screamed at the very front, and promptly, the fighting prowess of the Uruks increased.

[Battle Fury activated.]

500 troops consisting of Uruks and berserkers were ready to charge in. The rest remained on guard with the orc shaman to see the changes.

The line of black-armored soldiers fully armed with weapons made the fighters on top of the fortress worry.

Alex finally gave the signal to move to their next strategy.