Vol. 8 - Chapter 413 - Showdown at sight!

Chapter 413 - Showdown at sight!

The momentum of guild battle had now shifted from laying out our groundwork to keeping the advantage up.

Our plan was simple---to take down as many squares as possible. Though it was far from over to let our guards down lest all our groundwork be dead down in the water.

Would we be able to hold on to our Big Castle advantage, or our opponent turn the table by initiating PvP battles or snatching the Big Castles. There was no telling what may lead to what.

Well, not that <Eden> purposely needs to increase the moat between with the advantage we hold. That's why, it was the basic---the squares---we focused on.

The area of Small castle squares was as worth as one Big Castle. So depending on the scenario, like each team having three Big Castles on their side each, they were as well be the deciding factory of the match.

Can't take our sight from small fries just because we have big fish in our net, huh? And most of all, this type of field with even Big Castles actually amplified the values of small castles even more.

Long story short, <Eden> lead was unshakable as long as we focus on small castles, even if just for appearance sake.

"Alright, we're going to take a look at the opponent's handling and start capturing the squares. And like planned, the tag team of Karua and mine will be in charge of the west. You three---Lulu, Celia and Rika---focus on the stronghold from being taken down, and try to capture the small castles around the central region at your pace."

"Roger! Lulu will protect it to the very end!"

"Understood." (Celia)

"Very well. I shall make sure no one breaches our base."

Responding to my instructions as soon as I informed others of the next step right after scoring <Northwest Big Castle>, the trio made a beeline for our base while circumventing around the audience stand, oriented toward east.

This way, team A was now further divided into two sub-team. Karua and I backtracked the path we had covered, down to the south and taking down squares along the way.

We weren't going to waste our breath fighting opponents considering house <Loser's Revival> rule in this guild battle. If we're going to, that would be at the end phase. It serves us no benefit when they would be back in 10 minutes.

Though, members were free to be assertive in the remaining ten minutes. But I doubt our opponent was going to take the beating quietly.

"Karua, the opponent might come up from the north so let's block that first. Just like last time, take down all the squares from the wall to the audience stand."

"Hn, gotcha."

It's time to turn the hindrance into our advantage.

There were not that many small squares in the maze field horizontally, so taking down those squares would completely block the path from our opponent for two whole minutes due to the protection period. Though this type of strategy could only be pulled in an obstacle field. I guess that’s what they say; turning the odds to our favor.

Fast-forward and opponent moved as predicted, they covered from south to north while beelining for central region, however met a dead-end with the squares around <Central West Big Castle> and <Southwest Big Castle>.

In the due time, we captured almost all the squares in the north from northwest side of the audience stand to the central region. Our advantage was gradually piling up. I glanced at the screen above, and it seems like other teams were gradually taking down other squares with the incremental buildup in our points, to a total of 200p difference from our opponent.

Our opponent must be feeling like on a frying pan. Natural, I guess. Not only had they already lost the head start in Big Castle, they were also losing on this tug-of-war for squares. Now, what would be their next step?

No, wait. This is promotion exam. The end result wasn't to crush the challenger but to assess their skills; maybe they're cutting corners purposely to embellish us with flowers huh? In an instant, I pondered one idea, only to have it swiftly replaced by the opponent's subsequent move.

"Zephyr. They're strange."

"You mean their movements are strange, right? Not that they;re strange, eh?"

"Hn, bingo."

Karua was the sort of person to excessively shorten words occasionally for her convenience sake. Never a time could you take her words directly without flipping them in mind to accurately gauge the meaning. She was pointing out the opponent's strange movement to me for now. But strange huh. Curious---that's given of course---I glanced at their direction to see our opponent had temporarily stopped targeting small castles, instead they consolidated their group at one place and circumvent the central audience stand from east.

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"Oh, it seems like they're duking out an all-out offense on our base with the <Loser's Revival> rule at play."

"Hn? Our base."

"Oh, so the remaining three people are left to guard their bases huh." (Rika)

"You bet. But targeting our base instead of small castles, even if a gambit as it is, isn't a bad move if this helps them turn the tide on their side. They're very serious." (Zephyr)

"Fumu. Sounds motivating. Oops, they're here. I will take the lead." (Rika)

I was just telling Rika the opponent's intent when the same people appeared from the corner of the audience stand. They were seven, just as confirmed.

Five of them were wearing kimono-like equipment, presumably front-liners. The rest two; one seemed to be a support and the other magician? Well, that means we know who to take down first then.

"Celia, you're in charge of rearguard."

"Understood."

"Lulu, to the front line along with us! No risky move, alright? We're outnumbered to do that!"

"Okay!"

We're currently at a disadvantage here with 4 versus 7. This means we would have to drag the fight until Sierra and others are here.

Our sudden appearance, that we were just waiting for them, created a wave of surprise among the members of <Flash of Flower>. This was our chance---duke at the first sight!

"Slam down whatever ya have! <Brave Heart>! <Shine Lightning>! <Lightning Burst>!"

"Haaa! ‹Shogun's Burst›! ‹Flame Slash›! ‹Lightning Slash›! ‹Ice Strike›! ‹Flash Point›! ‹Dark Swipe›"

"‹Ancient Spirit Art›! ‹Advent of the Great Spirit›! Grant me your strength, ‹Glacieus›!

"Hope---<Lolita Tackle>! <Justice Hero Sword>! <Hero Special Impact>! <Sacred Explosion>! <Lolita of Hero - Smash>!"

"Huh-? H-Hold on---guh!?"

"Guildmaster!? In just few attack!? <Protect>! H-Hey, aren't you guys a too heavy handed!"

"<Quad-Seal Barrier>! ------Shiiiiiit!? It didn't even last a second!"

"<Slash>! <Wide Slash>! <Heavy Slash>! <Double Slash>! Tsk, I can't budget them a bit! My moves aren't enough!"

"A-A freaking ambush!? <Long Slash>! <Wide Sweep>! Eek, help-help!"

"Guildmaster is done for! Ack, back down. I repeat back down!"

"Emergency retreat!"

Chaos erupted as we hit 'em with our usual attack the second they showed up from the corner—screams and shouts taking over the whole place.

I almost felt like shouting at the scene that went beyond expected. I had planned for a hit-and-run tactic---launch our valleys of attack and retreat---but it turned out that the one to retreat in this chaos was our opponent.

Something's funny here. I was sure as hell we hadn't had anything of sort in the game.

Whether it was rose or glum, the clash had taken place at the corner of the audience stand---blind spot for both parties with no one capable of seeing each other. It was a blasting surprise for both sides.

The only thing that set us apart was we were anticipating them, while opponents were in the dark about intention. Their order collapsed in a moment from the sudden attack. One of them, leader apparently, even ended up knocked out by Lulu's headbutt and then showered by the colorful blasts of attack that directly cut her ticker to <Loser's Room>.

Remaining six members somehow managed to survive after taking damage and scurried away.

I think I heard some of them calling that knocked out person guildmaster. I mean, no way, right? Guildmaster is usually the epitome of strength after all. How could such a person be the first one to eat the defeat.

"Good job holding for us, Zephyr! So where is the enemy!?"

Ah, it seems like our reinforcement is here.