Vol. 8 - Chapter 416 - The Closure to D-rank Promotion Exam! A regret and tear filled ending!

Buzzz——!

"Only 10 minutes left now! Be careful from here since ‹Loser's Revival› would be of no use."

The sound of the buzzer echoed from the screen, marking the 10-minute threshold. I immediately warned everyone to be careful. On the other hand, Shizu had just shot down the last remaining person to ‹Loser's Room›.

"Zephyr-dono, opponent's are handled. What is our next step?" (Shizu)

"Let's mount a counter-raid...or so, I would have liked to say but change of plan. We're returning to our base and re-organise our group." (Zephyr)

"Alright." (Rika)

"Hn, let's go." (Karua)

I passed my next instruction following Shizu's report. Karua and Rika didn't seem to show any objection either. Great, I am glad for their unwavering confidence in me, but, c'mon guys. You can at least ask why, no?

Our previous plan was to head south from east immediately after dealing with the enemy's main force for counter-raid, contact our remaining two teams and attack their base from three sides. I believed we had a good chance to take it down. Unfortunately, it was impossible to inform our other members fighting in the east and west without a communication skill.

Screen hovering in the air was currently showing ‹Remaining Member - Red (6). By now, the diversion force should have noticed their plan has failed. So their next step I think should be a temporary retreat.

It wasn't easy to take down ‹Eden› members even if they shifted from stalling time to offense, plus they had their empty base to be worried about. And by the time we reached there, they would already be there, prepared for our counterattack.

It wouldn't have been a problem if all members rushed out to support, but the same problem was on how to notify them.

A 3 vs 6 battle? Hard pass. Over-excitment was often the bane of careful planning. And who know if by some stroke of luck, our opponent managed to slip past by ‹Eden› members?

Upon our arrival at the base, the team consisting of Sierra, Lulu, and Celia—who were responsible for the east—also made it to the location.

"Good work, Zephyr. Your strategy was spot on."

"Hey, all thanks to you as well. You arrived earlier huh?"

"Do you even need to ask? Our opponent immediately scurried away in panic when they saw their remaining member count on the screen around the time it buzzed. I believe others should be here as well."

Sierra had just spoken when Lana, Pamela and Ester showed themselves appearing from the west.

"We're back!"

"Hey, great work, Lana. I am glad you managed to return instead of giving them a chase."

"Hold on. What do you mean by that? I am not a child!"

Eh, I mean, we're talking about you after all? I wouldn't have been surprised if she had instead decided to chase after her opponent until they're all wiped out. She gave such an unruly image after all.

Beside, there was also the possibility of the opponent team from the west to merge with the east team on the way. Then the hunter would have become the hunted. This was why I was genuinely surprised she managed to curb her curiosity.

"Actually, it had been Lana-sama who ordered to return. We simply obeyed that order."

"Lana-sama's instructions were precise-desu!"

Ester and Pamela talked in her favor. And from their tone, it doesn't seem like they had to force her. I see, so she has matured as well. it's my fault to make a presumptive assumption.

"I'm sorry, Lana. Either way, the game is basically in our bag now."

"So, what's next?"

As Sierra asked, I fell into a contemplation.

Hmm, we only need to focus on defending our base with our advantage if winning is our main priority here.

Our opponent has only 6—wait, including that certain member who was dispatched a few minutes before the buzzer, 7 members now. The only way for them to win was either take down our base or three Big Castle.

On our side, we just need to hold down our strategic position—east and west Big Castle in the central region—by allocating members there for roughly 7 minutes and that would be enough.

But will that cater to our audience? Honestly, I kind of want to win with a bang. And—

"Hn, Zephyr. 4 from east and 3 from west."

Karua reported her detection skill picking up enemy signs, just when I was considering our next step. Our bases were in near proximity—but divided by the audience stand in between—so any action they took was clear as day to us.

"So they have decided for a last ditch attack huh..... Not that they have any other option. Alright, we should too. Sierra, Lana and Ester. Handle the west side. Beware though. They will go all-out."

"Understood." (Sierra)

"Just leave it to me!" (Lana)

"Roger." (Ester)

Alright, so they have decided for a do-or-die charge, leaving behind their base unattended. Hmm, the question was were they going all out or trying to distance ourselves from base. Either way, they need to be dealt with. Sierra and team had been in the guild since its founding and with their level close to the level cap, I believe they should be able to handle our incoming enemies.

With this, that left——

"Crap, all our senpai are dead in the water! Retreat no—!"

"Not in my watch. ‹Bind Shot›! ‹Confusion Blast›!

"‹Ninja Art - Shadow Bind›! ‹Dart Art› desu!"

"Eh, whooooa!"

Seeing that they were outnumbered, the remaining two opponents were about to flee, but their plan was thwarted by Shizu and Pamela who used abnormal conditions to stop them from taking any action.

Shizu's ‹Bind Shot› and ‹Confusion Blast› inflicted ‹Bind› and ‹Confusion› abnormal status respectively. Pamela's ‹Ninja Art - Shadow Bind› inflict ‹Restrain› and ‹Dark Art› ‹Darkness› aliment.

They tried to resist but unable to triumph, got their escape route sealed.

"Now!"

"Desu!"

"Kuh, n—-!"

"Hiyaaa, what a humiliation!"

The remaining two people, one a full-body armor wearing girl and another a kimono-like light dressed girl, were swiftly shown the way to the ‹Loser's Room›. All enemies wiped out, and we have four minutes left. Great.

We pushed into our way to the red base and went all-out in our offense. The tactic was the same as when we take down Big Castle.

The other three members of ‹Flash of Flower› in the west hurriedly made their way to the base in panic, shaking off Lana and team on the way, however it was too late by that time.

——With 2 minutes and 25 seconds remaining, Red Base fell.

The two Big Castle in possession of ‹Flash of Flower› transferred to ‹Eden›.

Once either guild's base was taken down, the guild battle resets. Members of both sides would temporarily return to their own base and wait for two minutes, for the protection period to end, to re-start. Of course, there was no stopping of game time even that duration and so, guild battle re-open with only 25 seconds remaining.

There was no movement from the red team.

◇◇◇

"T-This shouldn't be—"

A voice of lamentation escaped from my mouth as my eyes traced that lopsided score reflecting on the screen. Just what had gone wrong in my plan.

This D-rank promotion exam was a crucial linchpin for ‹Flash of Flower› guild—and extremely, extremely crucial for me. The only game where I shouldn't have been losing, where I should have been winning by a long shot...and yet.

"This shouldn't be—"

'Just why,' I screamed inside my mind. I was the guildmaster, but also the only person to be sent to ‹Loser's Room› multiple times.

I glanced at the screen once again. There were just three members, which included the sub-guildmaster, left behind in the field. Rest were already at the ‹Loser's Room› and there was no chance of revival either.

"This shouldn't be......"

These words escaped from my lips for the third time.

Everything was truly beyond my expectation. Our opponent proved to be a guild far more stronger than assumpted. According to what I heard, they had just learned Int-mid dungeons.

From beginning to end, our guild was on the receiving end—yet, we were supposed to be one of the better D-rank guilds out there. Also, why was it just me who had to see the face of ‹Loser's Room› thrice?

I believe there was luck at play, but that was not the sole reason. They defeated us fair and square. It was a straight loss. Whether it was the race for Big Castle or the PvP battle, they obviously wiped the floor.

"A-And it was my long-awaited chance as weeeeelll..."

It was too late for me to patch anything up. Farewell, my dreams. May you rest in dust.

If only I could time-travel, how I wished to tell my past self that ‹Eden› was far more of a monster than it appear, and that, I would get to see the face of ‹Loser's Room› three time as well....

——Buuuzzzzz

And finally, with the buzzer resonating, the guild battle comes to an end.

Scoreboard:

‹White - 14,230P› bs ‹Red 5,520P›

‹Team White leading by 8,710P›

‹Secured Big Castle: White (6) - Red (0)›

‹ETA: 00:00›

‹Member Left: White (10) - Red (3)›

Victor - Team White (Eden)