Chapter 139: How a Veteran Shakes the Battlefront (2)


    About 3 hours had passed since the Frost de Tribe and I had agreed to a temporary alliance.


    Yu Yeonhwa and Lee Taemin had rejoined us a little while ago after reconnoitering.


    Jinhyuk had also parted ways with Karakal and positioned himself with our group.


    [Lee Taemin activates the military fortress skill Sedes.]


    An ability tomand all summoned creatures collectively.


    Hundreds of mechanized troops were deployed within the forest.


    Vroom Vroom!


    Fully-charged mana shells emitted a bizarre resonance.


    Huuuu


    Yu Yeonhwa checked her knuckles, steadied her breathing.


    Her mana, refined through the Taeching Hwarang Heart Technique, seeped into every corner of her body.


    Indeed, both have experienced impressive growth.


    Jinhyuk softly uttered a sigh of admiration.


    I had not realized it due to our separate actions, but watching their skill handling and mana maniption, I could see why veterans are truly veterans.


    Compared to them, Jang Eunseok, whom we had met recently, was akin to a flustered deer.


    This is why past experience matters.


    We waited for the enemy, fully prepared


    But untilte into the night, there was no significant movement from the enemys formation.


    Its strange. Its too quiet.


    Lee Taeminmented through the [Machine Lord] ability as he monitored the forest.


    There were as many as 30 drones floating in the sky.


    They maintained a delicate bnce to maximize their operational range without getting discovered by the enemy.


    It meant that we hadplete control over this area.


    However, the ufortable silence made Lee Taemin uneasy.


    Yu Yeonhwa felt the same sense of foreboding.


    Brother, didnt you say that theres someone more troublesome than the two vampires?


    Thats right.


    Jinhyuk nodded.


    Certainly, Karakal had mentioned that a vampire stronger than Bertillon and Ophelia from the Decasus Household had arrived. If it had power even Karakal feared, then there was no reason for our forces to be overwhelmed


    It was at this moment.


    Rumble Rumble!


    An enormous tremor shook the ground, and an overwhelmingly strong mana was felt, difficult toprehend.


    Brother!


    Lee Taemin shouted.


    The drones quickly flew toward a certain direction.


    Could it be


    Trolls! Itsing from the direction where the Ice Trolls are!


    Yu Yeonhwa pointed in a particr direction.


    Simultaneously.


    A mana storm, created by the crimson sparks, fell from the sky right where the freshwaterke was.


    Boom! Crash! Bang!


    Like a meteor shower, lightning began transforming the ground into a field of devastation.


    The sight was cataclysmic.


    Lee Taemin and Yu Yeonhwas faces twisted in horror.


    The situation became clear.


    The enemy had predicted that we would join forces with the Frost de Tribe.


    And on the contrary, they had neutralized our hidden card.


    We were caughtpletely off-guard.


    And all of this.


    It turns out exactly as I expected.


    Jinhyuks prediction had been urate.


    ***


    The formation at theke hadpletely changed.


    Decorated with newly formed craters, theke served as a testament to the mercilessness of the recent bombardment.


    This is checkmate.


    Ophelia smiled, satisfied, as she gazed at the rising smoke.


    In the midst of the explosion, no creature could have survived.


    The attack had been prepared wlessly.


    It was a perfect surprise attack that hit its mark.


    But.


    No, this cant be! Theres not a single one not even one in sight.


    A vampire minion shouted in disbelief.


    It was inevitable.


    The trolls that should have been charred were nowhere to be found.


    Quit your nonsense! This ce is supposed to be the Frost de Tribes headquarters. Look carefully, now!


    Ophelias voice became sharp.


    I have the same result over here!


    And here as well!


    Damn it, itspletely empty.


    No amount of firepower could exin theplete evaporation of bodies and debris.


    But denial wouldnt change reality.


    The Frost de Tribe was not here.


    And only one thing could be inferred from that.


    Dont tell me it was empty to begin with?


    Yes.


    This could only mean that we had anticipated the ambush.


    In a moment of shock, just as if hit on the head with a hammer, Ophelias face blushed with anger.


    It was an unbearable humiliation to have been outwitted by mere humans in this game of strategy.


    Clench!


    Her fangs grinded audibly.


    Then, someone was waiting for us to exhaust our mana.


    A murmur as if talking to oneself


    Yes. Weve been waiting for just the right moment.


    Someone responded.


    [The three-star barrier Dimension Severance is deactivated.]


    The air, once void of anything, cracked open.


    Thendscape shattered.


    And then.


    Step.


    A figure in white armor, a saint named Teresa, appeared with light steps.


    The legion of knights behind her, fully d in armor and shields, had assumed formation.


    They were all yers of the Zion Guild who hadpleted their ss change to Priests or Pdins.


    Everything was as Mr. Jinhyuk said.


    From deliberately showing Lee Taemins drone to awaken the alertness of Michael.


    To making the enemy notice the betrayal of the Ice Trolls.


    Every step was a hint from Jinhyuk.


    Theres no yer surpassing Mr. Jinhyuk.


    Frankly, it was chilling.


    He had designed the intricate situation and factored in all the variables, leading to this moment.


    With an arrogance only the worlds strongest could hold, therge guilds were on apletely different level.


    That is why Teresa was more convinced by this event.


    If there was one person to trust and follow, it was just him.


    Swoosh! nk!


    All the minions simultaneously drew their weapons.


    The filthy Pdins


    Darn it! Werepletely surrounded!


    Ophelia! Orders!


    Surroundings became chaotic instantly.


    The formation gathered to maximize mana was unwittingly perfect for the Zion Guilds encirclement.


    [Teresa activates her unique ability Stars Blessing!]


    Whooosh!


    The sword red with a shining radiance.


    Surrender andy down your arms now, and well spare your lives.


    There was no way for Ophelia and the minions to turn the situation around after having spent over half their mana.


    It seems were truly at a disadvantage this time.


    Ophelia exhaled softly.


    They needed time to recover mana, but the enemy wouldnt provide that luxury.


    In other words, this battle was essentially over.


    Now the focus was solely on retreating and minimizing damage as much as possible.


    We will not allow you to escape.


    Teresas de surged even more fiercely.


    Lets see Can you really catch me?


    Thats something to be seen.


    If you want to try, go ahead. But let me tell you one thing before ying hide-and-seek.


    Ophelia hesitated, about to turn away.


    Then, her lips twisted subtly.


    Michael also foresaw that such a situation could arise.


    This wasnt ament or a desperate struggle.


    At this moment.


    The sky began to darken ominously.


    ***


    [The 7th Tier activates the Weather Transmutation.]


    As the status window turned red, the once clear sky distorted into ck.


    Rumble Rumble!


    A fierce blizzard limited visibility to an extreme.


    Naturally, the drones that had been surveying everything from the air became useless.


    Brother!


    Lee Taemin screamed out urgently.


    He wanted to alert that the enemys approach was now undetectable.


    Of course, Jinhyuk also sensed the rapidly changing situation.


    So, this is how its going to be.


    Jinhyuk moistened his lower lip with his tongue.


    As soon as Teresa scored one on the enemy, an even greater retaliation followed.


    To exert restraint capable of changing the entire Tiers weather meant that a formidable amount of coins was spent interfering with the Towers system.


    Wonder how many high-level ingredient items were used, cant even imagine.


    I knew that big families were rich, but at this level, it was apletely different level of splurge.


    The drones had a radius of about 15km, so the enemy might reach us in less than 10 minutes.


    It wont be 10 minutes.


    Jinhyuk caught a sensation.


    Multiple mana reactions converging much faster than running speeds.


    They would arrive much sooner than what Taemin predicted.


    There would be no time to prepare.


    3 minutes then just 1 minute.


    In an instant, the fluttering branches intersected with the vanishing time.


    Theyreing!


    Jinhyuk gripped his dagger tightly.


    At that moment.


    Growl!


    Roar!


    Beastly howls echoed from all directions.


    Dire Wolves.


    And not wild ones, but tamed beasts.


    Wolves boasting 3 meter stature and grey ws showed off their might.


    Scanning with Predatory Eyes, I found their individual levels were over 40.


    However, more troublesome than the Dire Wolves were the vampire minions riding on their backs.


    Especially since the one leading them happened to be Lancelot, responsible for the Round Table.


    Since the asylum, seeing you again after a long time, I shall ensure we finish what we couldnt in the arena.


    Didnt you fail when you threw me in jail? How do you n to finish it now?


    Was that a passivity skill called Comcency? What else could I think?


    If that wasnt so high-school-ish.


    Why bother with all this effort now when you could have tried harder back then?


    I see your knack for mocking is unchanged. Its nearly in the realm of talent.


    Its the only constant, thats why.


    Thats why I chose BJ as my vocation.


    Otherwise, I would have started looking for something else long ago.


    Jinhyuk kept talking while subtly shifting his weight backward.


    Likewise, Lee Taemin and Yu Yeonhwa began to step back as if they were waiting for the signal.


    If youre waiting for the yers at the rear, its in vain. Weve already dealt with that outpost.


    Hosenbelt, not Lancelot, opened his mouth.


    What?


    Could it be?


    Lee Taemin and Yu Yeonhwas pupils shook violently.


    Thest secret card up their sleeve was an ambush prepared about 500 meters from here.


    Not only the yers from the Tangun Guild but also the mana turrets, ymores, mines, and more, which Taemin had poured all his mana into making, were positioned everywhere.


    If only they could fully entice the enemy and concentrate their firepower, they might turn the tide. But now


    Even that n had been read.


    Its really thorough. Was this also thought up by one of the higher-ups of the Decasus Household?


    Thats right.


    Thats really someone Id rather not deal with again.


    Jinhyuk swallowed dryly.


    But it was only for a moment.


    Nod.


    The moment Jinhyuk exchanged nces with Lee Taemin and Yu Yeonhwa, he chose to flee.


    Ive already told you? Weve taken care of all the yers on your end.


    With the Weather Transmutations effects dying down, escaping into the blizzard was no longer an option.


    However.


    I know that too.


    Jinhyuk continued in the same even voice, adding his final words.


    ***


    Dire Wolves in pursuit and now deciding to flee? Foolish


    Hosenbelt smirked briefly before cocking his head slightly.


    Their direction of escape was wrong.


    It wasnt towards the set traps but in apletely different direction.


    Another trap?


    It urred to him for a second, but the likelihood was slim.


    Without the Tangun Guild, they had no cards left.


    The saint would buy time for Ophelia and the Ice Trolls arent an issue. Bertillon will deal with them after annihting Tangun Guild.


    Regardless of how he saw it, there was no room for variables.


    Proceed with pursuit.


    Yes!


    At themand, the Dire Wolves kicked off the ground.


    How long had they run?


    The forest cleared and a broad, snow-covered in opened up.


    Just a bit more, and we could cut off the trios escape,id out in in sight.


    Almost there.


    Just one step to go.


    But then.


    Something appeared over the hill, and just by seeing it, even Hosenbelt couldnt help but be totally bewildered.