I am guessing that the trap will spring as we enter the city center, at least that would make sense. However, I don't want the driders to stop me from reaching the column. So after checking that everyone is ready I lead them straight towards the column.

We have only gone a dozen steps or so when driders and undead start pouring out of the surrounding buildings. There are hundreds coming out of each of the city buildings, about what I expected. Once they reach us I start swinging Blitz and cutting them down as fast as I can.

With each swing I step forward, Bones is next to me with Asuna and Kechara behind us. As we get closer to the column I can see steps carved into the side of it in a spiral around the column. Faintly I can see a shimmer in the air around the column which I am hoping is the barrier.

By the time we get to about fifty yards from the stairs the area is completely packed with enemies. Every step we take is over the corpses of those we have cut down. So far it is just the undead and the melee type that are coming at us, the casters are staying back.

60 Skeletons defeated! 2000 Exp gained!

100 Zombies defeated! 2000 Exp gained!

54 Driders defeated! 5400 Exp gained!

When we finally make it to the stairs my hopes are proven correct, the barrier blocks access. Kechara and I are able to pass through but we have to quickly pull Bones and Asuna through. The driders and undead can't cross the barrier giving us a chance to catch our breath.

After catching my breath I take a look at my experience, it seems I was wrong about it taking a while to hit level nine. In fact I could level up right now, I just need twenty more kills or so. Having the barrier to hide behind we could easily wipe out the driders, it would just take some time.

We can't just attack through the barrier, that damages the barrier itself and is a bad idea. What we can do is go through the barrier, kill a bunch, and then retreat. There is a plaza all the way around the column, and it is completely packed with enemies.

At a guess there are at least two thousand driders in the plaza, with more undead mixed in. The street we came up is also packed with enemies and I'm guessing so are all the other streets. The driders aren't just sitting waiting for us, those near enough are attacking the barrier non-stop.

The barrier seems fine, I don't sense it weakening at all, so far at least. Of course with Kechara right here it should be recharging constantly. I just need to keep an eye on her to make sure it doesn't weaken her by draining her energy.

So far she seems fine, if anything she is more energetic than usual. She even seems disappointed that we are not killing more driders, she is acting more like Bones. I am inclined to give her what she wants, I want to level up again if I can.

Whatever is waiting inside the column can wait just a little bit longer I am sure. So I tell the others to get ready, then Bones and I push through the barrier forcing the driders back. Once we are across the barrier we start cutting down enemies to create space.

We kill a dozen driders and undead before there is enough room for Kechara and Asuna to join us. After creating a pocket for us to fight in we stop advancing and just focus on killing. Soon there is a half circle wall of corpses for us to fight behind.

21 Skeletons defeated! 525 Exp gained!

13 Zombies defeated! 260 Exp gained!

27 Driders defeated! 2700 Exp gained!

Congratulations! You have gained a level!

Level 9: HP +200, DP +100, Stat Points +5!

Spells: Holy Word level 5, Holy Light level 5, Bless Weapon level 4, Repel Undead level 3, Holy Armor level 2, Cure Poison level 2!

Abilities: Holy Aura level 4!

New ability: Aura of Health level 1!

'Yes! Level 9! And I got a new ability! Aura of Health!'

Aura of Health

Level: 1

Heals all allies within 5 feet.

Healing: Wisdom x .25 Frequency: Every 30 seconds.

'Wow! I have AoE regen now?!?'

My being distracted by the level up costs me a few hits from the driders. Not that it does all that much to me when they manage to hit me and it heals quickly. Despite my intention of becoming a damage dealer I have turned into a pretty sturdy tank.

With my high hit points, fortitude stat, and my regen, I am really hard to hurt. That isn't even counting my healing spells, of which I now have two. The feeling of getting stronger in real time is absolutely intoxicating.

I am really tempted to just stay here slaughtering the driders and their undead. Who knows how many levels I would earn if we actually killed all of these enemies. I am starting to think that maybe it would be worth the delay in returning to Illium.

The girls are already worrying about me by now, if they didn't start the minute I left. Nived has Yui to talk to so a few extra days alone shouldn't hurt too much. The more I think about it the more excuses I can come up with to stay here and grind some levels.

Even as I am thinking of excuses to stay I am cutting down the enemies trying to get over the wall. Now that we can kill them as they are trying to climb over it is even easier. I had planned to retreat after leveling up, but now I don't see the harm in getting just one more level.

Despite how easy they are to kill, we are still burning quite a bit of energy to do so. When I notice Asuna and Kechara showing signs of getting tired I tell them to retreat. Kechara helps Asuna get through the barrier and I grab Bones when I follow them.

113 Skeletons defeated! 2825 Exp gained!

138 Zombies defeated! 2760 Exp gained!

244 Driders defeated! 24400 Exp gained!

Congratulations! You have gained a level!

Level 10: HP +1000, DP +500, Stat Points +100!

'Woah!! What a huge boost! Must be a special bonus for level 10!'

After passing through the barrier we move to the stairs to sit down and catch our breaths. Well, except for Bones, he is standing by the barrier waiting for the order to attack again. While the three of us eat a cold lunch I check on the barrier, it still seems fine.

Other than being a little winded Kechara also seems to be doing just fine. We could sit here killing for days from the looks of things and we wouldn't run out of enemies. Even with how many we have killed, their numbers don't seem to have decreased much.

The only evidence of them taking losses is the pile of corpses we were fighting behind. As soon as we retreated the driders stopped trying to climb over, that section of the barrier is now quiet. Even after we are done eating I don't want to get up, killing all those enemies left me tired.