Last Gun Alchemist-Chapter 79: Fifth Trial—Tower Defense Part Three

Veda, Nickolas, and Bobby stood near the edge of the castle wall as they watched Ezra climb the rope back up from the ground.

Ezra moved smoothly.

His hands shifted along the rope with steady rhythm while his legs pushed against the stone wall to gain height. His body moved like someone who had climbed walls and cliffs many times before.

It didn’t look forced.

It looked natural.

Nickolas narrowed his eyes.

Ezra wasn’t just getting stronger in ability. Something deeper had changed.

Ever since the memories of his past life began unlocking, pieces of knowledge and skill seemed to surface along with them. They didn’t come as thoughts alone. They appeared inside his muscles and reflexes.

His body reacted to situations before his mind even finished thinking.

With Ezra’s fast mind, the two things worked together perfectly.

He could process the reflexes immediately and use them without hesitation.

Soon Ezra pulled himself over the wall and stepped onto the stone floor.

The three of them waited as he disappeared into the tent he had set up earlier.

For a moment there was only silence and the crackling sound of the nearby campfire.

Then Ezra came out again.

He lifted the pot of boiling water that rested above the fire and carried it back into the tent.

More minutes passed.

Finally, Ezra stepped out again.

His hair was damp, and the dust that covered his coat earlier had been washed away. His face looked cleaner now. He spread the coat and other clothes on the barricade to dry.

"You guys really just stood there waiting for me?"

Ezra narrowed his eyes slightly.

Nickolas coughed awkwardly.

"Cough... cough."

He quickly looked away.

"I was just following Veda."

He tapped Veda’s shoulder.

"Alright, let’s go join the others."

Veda smiled and nodded.

Bobby glanced nervously at Ezra several times before suddenly jogging ahead of them.

Ezra didn’t react.

He simply followed behind the three of them.

Soon they reached the large campfire set up near the center of the castle courtyard.

The fire burned brightly.

Its orange light spread across the stone walls and tents, making the whole place glow warmly.

The atmosphere there was completely different from the tension earlier.

People were laughing.

Some boys praised the girls who had prepared the food, joking that they would make great wives one day.

Other people teased the boys who helped cook, saying they would become good house husbands.

The mood felt relaxed.

For a moment, it almost didn’t feel like they were inside a deadly trial.

Veda walked down the stone steps first.

People greeted him as he passed.

Nickolas followed.

Ezra came last.

This time the looks directed at him were different.

Not everyone glared at him anymore.

The anger hadn’t cooled down, but at that moment the air was relaxing so no one paid attention to him, but Linda was another story.

Bobby had already joined the group earlier and was sitting near the food.

Veda reached the serving area where people lined up for their meal.

Linda stood there supervising.

She handed Veda his portion.

Then Nickolas.

When Ezra stepped forward...

Her eyes sharpened.

"You know," she said coldly, handing him the plate, "I should just poison you."

Her words carried real hostility.

Ezra didn’t react, he simply took the plate.

"Thank you."

He glanced at the food.

"But could you please reduce it a bit? I don’t eat much."

Linda froze.

She had served Ezra the same amount she gave everyone else so no one could accuse her of bullying him, but his sudden request removed that concern entirely.

"Oh."

Her smile slowly twisted.

"That’s fine."

She grabbed another wooden plate.

Then she dumped most of the food onto it, leaving only a small portion on Ezra’s original plate.

"Here."

She handed the small plate back to him.

Still smiling, still angry.

Ezra looked at the small portion.

"Thank you, that’s exactly what I wanted."

A faint smug expression flashed across his face for a split second.

Only Linda saw it.

Her face almost twisted in rage, but she forced herself to stay calm.

Everyone ate.

Afterward, people relaxed near the fire.

Some played small games, others talked about random things. Several girls chatted while laughing softly.

Meanwhile, the people assigned to night watch quietly moved to their positions.

Ezra watched everything silently for a while.

Then he stood up.

Without making a sound, he walked away toward his tent.

No one noticed when he left.

Soon the castle grew quiet.

One by one, people fell asleep inside their tents.

Only the watch team remained awake.

They would switch shifts later during the night.

Eventually...Morning arrived.

Ezra woke up earlier than everyone else.

He immediately climbed down the wall again and continued setting up his traps across the field.

Three locations he had marked earlier were prepared for explosive traps.

He finished installing them.

Then...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions echoed across the field.

The sound shook the castle walls.

Inside the courtyard, people jumped awake.

"What was that?!" a girl shouted as she rushed out of her tent.

"It’s Ezra, something about testing traps" a boy replied lazily while dragging a heavy log of wood across the ground.

"Don’t mind him."

Several people groaned, but the noise had already awakened everyone.

Soon the group resumed their preparations.

Up in the tower room where the crystal and flag stood...

Veda and Nickolas were watching the field through the windows.

A girl assigned to monitor the crystal stood nearby.

"Veda," Nickolas said, squinting into the distance.

"Do you think the first wave will start now?"

Veda crossed his arms.

"Honestly, I don’t know."

"That’s why I didn’t send the scouts out today."

"We’re focusing on cutting trees and storing logs."

"But..."

He frowned slightly.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if the first wave suddenly begins."

Nickolas nodded.

"We should call the outside teams back soon."

Down below, the shooters assigned to the AK-47 positions stood ready.

Others moved around setting up defensive logs.

Hours passed.

Eventually the signal was given to return inside.

People outside quickly carried the remaining logs toward the entrance.

Some workers planted wooden torches across the field so the battlefield could be lit during the night.

"Hey, hurry up!" a girl shouted.

"They’re calling everyone back!"

Her voice carried worry.

"Yeah, yeah."

The boy beside her waved his hand.

"I’m almost done."

Inside the castle, a boy looked through binoculars.

"I don’t see anything, Sir Veda."

He turned left and right.

"You sure?" Linda asked.

Veda didn’t answer immediately. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

His eyes sharpened.

He was using Cognis to strengthen his vision.

"Wait...!"

The boy suddenly lowered the binoculars.

"We need to call everyone back! Now!"

"Nickolas!"

Veda turned immediately.

Nickolas was already running.

Meanwhile Veda pointed at another boy.

"You!"

"Go alert Ezra and the team assigned to him!"

"The first wave is here!"

The boy nodded and ran.

Nickolas raised the warning horn.

BWOOOOOO!

The deep sound echoed across the field.

Then...

Other horns blew simultaneously, from the forest in multiple directions.

The first wave had begun.

Outside, two workers placing torches felt the ground shaking beneath their feet.

The vibration grew stronger.

Then...

A long, chilling howl echoed through the forest.

HOWLLLLLLLLL!!!

The sound froze their blood.

Up in the tower, the boy watching through the binoculars finally saw them clearly.

His face turned pale.

"It’s Silverback Dire Wolves!"

He swallowed.

"A whole colony!"

He looked at Veda.

"We’re starting hard." Veda forced a smile.

"Everyone to your positions!"

A girl from the shooting squad shouted.

"Sir Veda! Two people are still outside!"

Veda turned.

He saw them running toward the castle.

Behind them...

Six enormous wolves chased them; their bodies were huge, grey fur rippled across their muscles, their silver backs shone under the sunlight, their paws slammed the ground like hammers.

Veda gritted his teeth.

"Linda!"

She instantly tossed him a Kalthoff Repeater.

"What are you doing?!" Tracy grabbed his arm.

"It’s just the start of the wave!"

Veda looked at her calmly.

"I’m not losing anyone this early."

He pulled free.

Then jumped down from the wall.

"Nickolas!" Veda shouted while still falling from the castle wall.

"Make sure everyone is ready to close the door and fire the moment I get inside with the rest!"

His body hit the ground hard.

Both feet landed first, knees bending slightly as he absorbed the impact. Small cracks spread across the dirt beneath him.

Then...

He moved.

His body burst forward with sudden speed.

The air behind him shifted as he dashed across the field.

At the back of the castle, Ezra had just climbed up the rope when the boy Veda sent came rushing toward him. Five others followed close behind.

The boy was breathing hard.

"The... first wave..." he gasped.

His legs nearly gave out.

A boy beside him quickly grabbed his arm before he collapsed.

"What happened to the first wave?" the boy asked urgently.

Ezra looked at the exhausted messenger calmly.

"It has started."

The boy nodded quickly.

Ezra turned his head and glanced toward the open field behind the castle.

The grass moved gently with the wind.

Nothing was there.

For now.

"Well..." Ezra said slowly, narrowing his eyes.

"I don’t see any monsters coming from this side yet."

He shifted his gaze toward the tower blocking his view of the front battlefield.

"That means the first wave is coming from the front."

His voice remained calm, but his eyes sharpened slightly.

Meanwhile...At the front of the castle, chaos had already begun.

Veda sprinted across the field.

Ahead of him, the two group members ran desperately toward the castle entrance.

Behind them...

The ground trembled.

The pounding footsteps of massive wolves shook the earth.

A chaser was already closing in.

Its body was huge although not as huge as the scouter or flankers, its muscles moving under thick silver-gray fur. Its jaws opened wide as it lunged forward.

"GET DOWN!"

Veda shouted.

The two instantly dropped to the ground without hesitation.

Veda raised the Kalthoff Repeater.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Three shots exploded from the barrel.

The chaser had already leapt into the air.

The bullets slammed into its body mid-jump, three bloody holes burst open in its chest.

The wolf spun violently and crashed into the ground with a heavy thud.

"Run!"

Veda waved them forward.

The two scrambled back to their feet and ran again, but another chaser rushed in.

Its claws tore across the dirt as it launched toward Veda.

Veda fired once.

BANG!

The shot hit the wolf’s shoulder.

It staggered but didn’t die.

The beast slammed into him with its weight.

Veda twisted his body sideways at the last moment.

The wolf passed him by inches. In the same motion...Veda swung the repeater.

CRACK!

The heavy metal butt smashed against the wolf’s skull.

The beast yelped as it collapsed sideways.

Veda didn’t stop.

He turned sharply and aimed behind him.

Two chasers had already slipped past him and were chasing the runners.

BANG!

BANG!

Two quick shots.

Both bullets struck their hind legs.

The wolves tumbled violently across the ground, rolling through the grass and dirt, but more wolves were coming.

A flanker leapt from the side.

Its body rose high into the air.

For a moment its shadow swallowed Veda completely.

"ROARRRR!"

Veda rolled backward instantly.

The wolf slammed down where he had been standing.

Dust burst upward.

Veda sprang back onto his feet in one smooth motion.

BANG!

His shot struck the flanker.

The wolf staggered backward, snarling. More chasers rushed past him.

Another flanker joined the first one, circling to cut off his escape.

Veda’s eyes flicked backward quickly.

The two runners were almost at the gate.

Good.

"HEY! HEY! HEY!"

A boy standing near the castle entrance shouted.

"The chasers are getting close to the gate!"

"Everyone wait!" Nickolas ordered loudly.

All the shooters held their positions.

Their fingers tightened around their weapons.

Behind them, people watched nervously.

No one fired.

They were waiting for Veda.

On the battlefield...

Two flankers lunged at the same time, Veda’s feet dug into the ground, his Cognis surged through his legs, the dirt beneath him cracked under the sudden force.

Then...

He launched forward.

The burst of speed made his body blur across the field.

The two wolves collided with empty air.

As Veda ran, he fired.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Each shot found a target.

One wolf collapsed instantly, another rolled across the ground, a third staggered before dropping.

Veda ran straight through the pack like a storm.

Some wolves tried to intercept him.

He slipped past them.

Others lunged.

He blasted them aside.

In seconds he reached the two exhausted runners.

They were just about to enter the castle.

Veda shoved them forward.

"GO!"

They stumbled through the gate.

Behind him, a flanker leapt again.

Veda turned while still moving.

BANG!

The bullet struck the beast mid-air.

It crashed down violently.

Then Veda dashed through the entrance.

"CLOSE THE DOOR!" Nickolas roared. "AND FIRE!"

His voice exploded across the castle walls.

The order echoed so loudly...Even Ezra at the back of the castle heard it clearly.

The first battle of the Fifth Trial had begun.