Seronia says "The other lifeforms are spread out between just below the city down to where it is. There are some in the city as well but they seem to be insects."

"That would be the beetles, and the life forms below the city are probably the living driders. Which means the big nasty you are sensing is probably what I have been calling the controller."

Seronia says "I can't tell you whether it is or not. I can sense that it is hostile but nothing more than that at this distance."

"Well, maybe I can learn more from the lifeform you sense within the column."

Seronia says "It may be possible. I can sense that it is not hostile at least. It is probably worth a try."

"Then that is what I will do. I will go meet the lifeform and see what happens from there."

Seronia says "Alright, call on me if there is anything I can do to help. Good luck, Ash."

"Thank you."

With our conversation over I turn my attention to the city, there are two options now. Either we rush past the buildings and head straight for the center of town, or we attack. If we clear the buildings one by one there will be less of them later to surround us.

However, that might wake all of them up early and make it impossible to reach the column. On the other hand, if we attack then I will be at a higher level by the time they surround us. While I want to wipe them all out, I don't think it is something I can do all at once.

Even with how much stronger we all are, they will be able to overwhelm us with sheer numbers. We would kill hundreds, maybe even a thousand, but that still wouldn't be enough. Krenocia said she sensed thousands of undead, and that is before the casters even summon their pets.

The best plan for this situation would be to use hit and run tactics to wear down their numbers. But that would take weeks at least, maybe even months and I just don't have that kind of time. I only have a few days, a week at most, to spend here if I want to arrive in Illium when I planned to.

I have already been gone far longer than I told the girls I would, not to mention I promised Nived. So I really don't have time to wipe out the driders, I need to get in and out quickly. The question is going to be if the driders will attack if I provoke them, or if they will stay quiet.

Because, while I want to get to the column and get some answers, I still need to level up some more. Deciding the only way to find out is to give it a try I pick up Asuna and fly down inside the wall. Once Kechara joins me I summon Bones and then lead everyone into the nearest house.

Inside the house we find a half a dozen driders, they look like they were waiting to rush out. The casters don't even get a chance to summon their pets, we are on them before they can react. In fact they barely manage to put up a fight, it seems they don't react well to surprises.

6 Driders defeated! 600 Exp gained!

Heading back outside I look around but find nothing moving, just to be sure I wait a few minutes. Either the controller hasn't noticed or is willing to sacrifice some driders to let me walk deeper into the trap. So I pick the next house in the direction of the column and we attack it.

4 Skeletons defeated! 100 Exp gained!

4 Driders defeated! 400 Exp gained!

Congratulations! You have gained a level!

Level 6: HP +200, DP +100, Stat points +10!

Again I wait a few minutes to see if the driders are going to react but nothing happens. The only difference in the second house is the casters had their pets summoned already. That is fine by me, it just means I get more experience!

Since the driders aren't attacking we move on to the next house in line and attack. If the controller isn't going to respond I am more than willing to clear the city house by house.

5 Driders defeated! 500 Exp gained!

4 Driders defeated! 400 Exp gained!

8 Zombies defeated! 160 Exp gained!

10 Driders defeated! 1000 Exp gained!

Still no movement from the driders hiding in the other houses, that last fight was noisy. Even if they didn't get orders to move, the driders in the surrounding houses have to have heard the fighting. Which means they must be under orders not to move no matter what.

To test my theory, when we enter the next house we don't attack right away. The driders sit there and do nothing, they don't react to anything we do. That is until we make a hostile action, then they react and fight back, not that it does them any good.

4 Skeletons defeated! 100 Exp gained!

6 Driders defeated! 600 Exp gained!

They are definitely under orders not to do anything unless attacked. Which means the controller wants me to reach the center of the city at the very least. Maybe it thinks if it has me trapped and surrounded it can kill me this time.

I am half tempted to just go house to house killing all the driders and see how long I can get away with it. The problem is I don't know if changing directions will trigger a response. I really want to get to the column and see if I can get some answers.

If I can talk to the lifeform that is at the center of the barrier I might be able to get a lot of the questions I have answered. At this point that is more important to me than leveling up. So after thinking it through I continue towards the center of the city, clearing each house along the way.

4 Skeletons defeated! 100 Exp gained!

4 Zombies defeated! 80 Exp gained!

8 Driders defeated! 800 Exp gained!

Congratulations! You have gained a level!

Level 7: HP +200, DP +100, Stat points +5!

Spells: Holy Word Level 4, Holy Light Level 4, Bless Weapon Level 3, Repel Undead Level 2!

New Spells: Holy Armor Level 1, Cure Poison Level 1!

The closer we get to the city center the bigger the houses and the more driders inside. Although, that also means more experience each time we clear a house. Looking around it would seem we have three houses left to clear before we reach the center.