Vol. 8 - Ch. 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.

(Couldn't upload edited one here, so this one is low-quality. You can better quality ver in comment)

"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."

"Yup. The reduced stake makes targeting the opponent's base a lucrative bait after all. Let's go help them out."

"Hn, right away."

Our strat was to sweep up the little castles out west, but now, thanks to an unexpected mandatory quest type deal, we've got to tweak the plan.

We corrected our course, headed north and circled around the audience stand. The target was near the <Central East Big Castle>, which was where I presume clash would take place.

On our way, we spotted other members of team A nearby our base and informed them of the imminent confrontation.

"Hey, Rika! Pep up, enemies dues from the east. Follow us!"

"What in the blazes! Right away. You too, Lulu, Celia."

"Oh no! Lulu will give it her all to defend our base!"

"Ah~. Didn’t expect to receive the supply of gallant yet adorable lulumium here!"

Though Celia was a bit off-tune with her swimming in her own reverie, our members knew what to do and swiftly joined us. Team A, now united once again, headed for the east.

Our opponent's shadow was concealed by the audience stand in between, but I think we should bump into them if we proceed like this.

"That reminds me, what's team B doing?" (Zephyr)

"Dying north into <Eden> color." (Celia)

"Oh how I wish Rina would be here, that communication skill is really made for guild battle. Well, no use wishing for the person who isn;t here huh. Karua, take a spin and call them." (Zephyr)

"Hn, roger. <Exploding Step>!"

Celia was sane enough to reply as I inquired about Sierra and company. That's really one heck of a heck of a shift in mood at the fly, even though she was so marveling at Lulu's action.

Leaving aside her, I instructed Karua to make a round to them now that I know where they're. She was the only viable---and fastest---choice for a quick round up. How I wished we had carriage or communication skills for that moment. With <Star Cat> here, it's either one way or another here.

Karua split herself from the groups as I passed my instruction to her while running. Rika, running alongside me, called out.

"How many enemies there are, Zephyr?"

"I think around seven. They're full of intent to drop down our base."

"The base?"

Seeing her quizzical expression, I gave a rundown.

Taking down the base of the opponent in guild battle transferred all the Big Castle in possession of the enemy to themselves in guild battle. Though the base also gets 50% increment in its HP once fallen, thus making it nigh impossible to repeat that again. And if somehow the opponent managed to do so again, the base would get back with double the original HP.

Well, capturing the base comes with significant advantages, reducing the effort needed to capture each Big Castle and allowing for a substantial lead in points. Quite a shortcut to take-off, right? Everyone knows that of course, and this was why no one leaves their base empty.

Though, it was also the stage where some sacrifice was inevitable. Not only did the opponent have to make sure the base's HP goes down, they would also have to handle attacks from members inside the base. One was layered in the security of the base, while another was in plain sight to be shot down.

Quite a risky trade-off, eh? The more you target a base, the more there would be sacrifices among them. Coupled with the increasing difficulty to take down base for 2nd and 3rd time, not everyone could pull it off.

Besides, it was usually impossible for members to be revived back from <Loser's Room>, so this gambit wasn't worth it, at least not in the beginning. The guild battles were basically the stage for combat job holders to showcase themselves. Would you be interested in a loser who couldn't last even a few minutes in the guild battle? It was basically it.

The house rule, however, resolved that problem. Risking the chance to snatch Big Castle and make a comeback for like, just a 10 minute sacrifice of a member? Count me in wasn't a strange idea. It's not all glory, though. An unmeasured plan may as well leave them exhausted, and next thing our dear opponents know, they were the sitting duck for the opponent to snatch away back. And that unpredictability was something many dig in for. For giggles, of course.

Promotion exam was less of a trial to overcome and more of an experience to get us familiar with guild battle's suspenseful turn. A bittersweet dispatch to the <Loser's Room> for being unable to fight was one such reason.

On the other hand, it would be on the examiner to not start the PvP battle when a perfect setup, <Loser's Revival>, was set up precisely for that. PvP battles were kind of like rituals never to be ignored in the exam.

I explained all that to Rika.

"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!" sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"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.