Chapter 58 - Digitally Dead Dragon

You have 1 Sniper, 1 Fighter, 2 Supporters, and 2 Spellcasters still waiting. To make the bait bigger and appetizing, you will deploy one more sniper on the beneficial checkpoint.

"Deploy Sniper-2 and Supporter-1 on '223,134'! Sniper-1, go aim at the nearest Titans! Fighter-1, dive into the forest and intercept the lone Titan conservatively then wait for pending orders!" In just a glance, your vision catches the glimpse of the rest of those pesky Yelpers approaching. "Vanguard-1, follow Fighter-1's assault! Vanguard-2, expect some company!"

The high ground will be your main advantage, the Titans are slow and the Dragon is far away below. Another helicopter comes as two personnel dive into the ground at the given coordinates, the Supporter operator has a human-sized metal conductor in crystal shape for the casting media, while the second Sniper falls together with an artillery arbalet.

'Seriously, this organization might deem a catapult user as a goddamn Sniper.'

Those Yelpers might be a problem but you want to hide that, acting as if they are not a threat to give the examiner some push and go all out on area '223,134', because letting Vanguard-2 or Fighter-2 to go seek and destroy without the ranged support instead of waiting will only result in getting neutered. The dragon is the real threat here nonetheless, which is why you choose this good spot far away from it.

"Why not deploy the rest of your personnel when victory shines on the horizon?" says Lazey.

You reply, "That blinding light might be a nuke, having layers upon layers is more relieving, no?"

Two of the Titans are almost near each other and only separated by the travel distance of both Snipers who cripple the behemoth's moving speed from afar. Fighter-1 and Vanguard-1 make sure that the lone Titan is occupied, they might not be able to neutralize the giant but that is not their only purpose. Then somehow, the foreboden random-encounter happens.

Five D-rank Orcish Calamities have spawned near the lone Titan, ambushing Fighter-1 and Vanguard-1 from the earth.

5 minutes left.

"Vanguard-1, sprint into '198,211'! Supporter-1, fortify the vicinity! Snipers! Annihilate the newcomers!"

'198,211' is a place with broken ruins, a good place to commence your second plan while dispersing your fastest operator from the bombardment. "Fighter-1! Retreat! And defend '223,134'!"

The Supporter acts without any given command. She imbues the ammunition for the artillery arbalest and anti-materiel rifle with more firepower, sweeping the Orcish clean from the board then continuing their pressure attack on the Titans. This information is more game-changing than anything you've perceived for this game.

Lazey send his other command on the keypad, a privilege for the examiner. "Are you sure? Grouping up like that?"

Awaken from the insatiable crave for order, the Dragon smashes the air to launch itself forward, resulting in a sonic boom despite not gaining much speed. The Yelpers also arrive within the edge of the camping Operators' visions. Clashing hides and steel ensue as both of the Fighters deal with the 5 Yelpers, the other one is nowhere in sight. Two of the Titans are down, leaving only one giant behind to stomp down anything on its path.

2 minutes left.

The pressure, an all out attack is inevitable and the personnel's class disparities makes it more clear that you can't utilize the seek and destroy strategy. The adversary has much more firepower than you and splitting up your manpower will hurt your chain of command. Looking at Lazey's tone, the Dragon Calamity might have an area of bombarding power, which is a clear sign that all of your Operators are in danger.

You still have one more Supporter, and two Spellcasters. At first you're reluctant because the stats don't give much details about their spells and capabilities, now you know the supporter key-command and all that is left is the Spellcaster. From its name it's obvious it will cast circuit spells, there is already a supporter which means that those Spellcasters are leaning more on the offensive skill trees from its utility counterpart. Reminiscing all the Offensive Spells casted on the Test Range, you are 100% sure they can synergize with the Supporter.

Vanguard-1 has reached '198,221', now is the moment of truth.

You free your right hand forward. "Deploy all reserve Operators on '198,221'! Both Spellcasters, charge your best destructive spell and wait for my instructions! Supporter-2, Enhance the charged spell as your life depends on it! Vanguard-1! Incoming!"

The 5 Yelpers have already been neutralized. Trying to sabotage your plan, the single-hiding Yelper launches itself into the Spellcasters. One downward slash is all that it takes for the Vanguard to prevent the ambush.

"You think I don't know that the last Yelper is hiding?" you say.

Lazey smirk. "I thought you're preoccupied with the frontline?"

You're not worried about the frontier as it has enough firepower to deal with the Titan and five Yelpers without casualties. The game has already ended the moment he lets you build up the casting on your Spellcasters.

Not able to reach the mountainous domains in time, the dreaded Dragon carries its own death flag without its own consent as dopamine rewards you with heavenly pleasure.

"Spellcasters, blast away that hideous chicken from my sight."

An electrifying dark energy together with concentrated white flames split the ceiling of the hologram, churning the sky to defile everything in-between them and the target while leaving falling bits of limbs and guts to paint the nonexistent sky.

The digital stopwatch freezes at '00:46' and the machine starts to speak, "The hunt is complete, the Assailant wins the battle."

Clapping, a wide smile with sparkling eyes is planted deep within Lazey's excitement. "Good game! Good game! This test has a 9.23% passing rate, especially after we make the Random Encounters absolute! Most of the contestants can't react as fast as you, as expected of a primordial!"

"Huehuehue~ wait, doesn't that mean the Random Encounter is a plain lie!?"

"Yup!"

"Bruh."

The next game begins with your playing the Calamities side. You had your fun, the real test is actually when the newbies begin the Assailant mode. In fact, the Calamities mode was supposed to be played earlier, where the player learns more of the Calamity and terrains the second time, watching how the examiner plays the Assailant side. Actually, Lazey wasn't supposed to let you play the Operator's side first. It was all an elaborate scheme of determining the new Primordial members' data.

Luckily enough, you get 3 B-rank Dragon and 7 Yelpers as your unit. No slow-moving, sitting-duckling, and useless bimbos they call 'Titans' at your command. In the end, you win the second hunt by brute forcing all Dragons to incapacitate them one by one while having your Yelpers rush out in packs if Lazey plans any defensive maneuver.

The next test is about 'Resilience'.