Chapter 155: A Sense of Progress

Chapter 155: A Sense of Progress



Once all the necessary personnel were summoned, Vincent met them in Sector 7. The specialists stood in a line, waiting to hear from their commander-in-chief. Sector 7 had been quickly set up with temporary structures-large tents, equipment stations, and research tables-creating a hive of activity near the lake.

Vincent walked toward the group, his footsteps the only sound breaking the quiet. His eyes scanned the specialists, each handpicked for their expertise. Without delay, he began speaking.

"We are entering a new phase of warfare," Vincent said, his voice clear. "The enemies we face have advantages that our current technology cannot fully counter. Magic has proven to be a significant barrier to our efforts, but with the expertise gathered here, we will change that." He paused, letting his words settle before continuing. "You've each been brought here for your unique skills. Your mission is straightforward: to develop tools and tactics to neutralize magical defenses and offenses. Our conventional weapons have failed to breach their barriers, and this is no longer acceptable."

Professor Linnaea Fairweather stepped forward slightly, her eyes narrowing as she addressed Vincent and the team. "I watched the footage that contains the fight between our forces and a supposed Demon King General, and I must say that the witch has integrated her magic far deeper into her defenses than we anticipated."

She glanced around at the other specialists, her tone sharpening. "This isn't just a matter of breaking through barriers. She's woven her magic into the very landscape of the battlefield."

Dr. Elias Hawke crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Then it's not just physical defenses we need to worry about. We're dealing with manipulation of terrain and reality. If they can distort our perception of the battlefield, it won't matter how powerful our weapons are."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Exactly," Linnaea agreed. "We need to go beyond just brute force. We need something that can counteract their spells at the root."

Vincent nodded, his face set in determination. "Then that's where you come in, Professor Fairweather. I'm going to give you a book which we got from our dear local friend Eamon."

One of the soldiers stepped forward and handed each of the specialists a copy of the book Vincent mentioned.

Professor Fairweather carefully examined the book.

"You will read in that book that the source of all magic in this world is called Aether. It's like strands that can be woven to make any form of spell, barrier, or enchantment," Vincent explained, watching as the specialists flipped through the pages of the book. "Understanding Aether is the key to disrupting their magic."

Professor Fairweather nodded slowly as she absorbed the information. "Aether... it's the foundation of all their spells. If we can find a way to unravel or manipulate it, we could destabilize their entire magical infrastructure."

Dr. Elias Hawke ran a hand through his hair, flipping through more pages. "If this Aether is the basis for all magic, we'll need devices that can detect it, map it, and then disrupt its flow. The problem is, we've never encountered anything like it before. We'd have to build detection systems from scratch."

Vincent gestured toward the researchers. "That's why you're here. I don't expect instant results, but I do expect progress. We need to develop countermeasures that can identify when and where Aether is being manipulated. Once we can map it, we can attack it."

Fairweather's eyes gleamed with a spark of determination. "Then I'll begin work on reverse- engineering the Aether signatures from the spells we've encountered so far. We'll use those as a base to create sensors that can read the Aether fields on the battlefield."

Dr. Hawke nodded in agreement. "If Fairweather can isolate the Aether signals, I'll focus on designing weaponry that can directly interfere with the flow of Aether. Something that disrupts or fractures the strands should be able to bring down those magical barriers. But we're going to need to build entirely new prototypes."

"How is the situation now?" Vincent asked.

Hastings hesitated slightly before answering. "The attack has ceased for now. The elves are no longer under direct assault."

Vincent's eyes narrowed in frustration. "Then why wasn't that the first thing you told me?" Hastings straightened, not flinching under Vincent's gaze. "Sir, I believed the theft of our weapons and the infiltration by the Demon King's forces was the more pressing concern. Even though the immediate threat is over, the elves are still requesting assistance."

Vincent's frustration simmered. "Requesting assistance for what, exactly? They aren't under attack anymore, so why should we send forces?"

"They believe the Demon King General could return at any moment," Hastings replied. "They're asking for additional troops to bolster their defenses."

Vincent shook his head. "We're not deploying forces based on a 'what if.' If they're not under

attack, there's no reason to stretch our resources thin. What we need is more information, not

a knee-jerk reaction."

Hastings opened his mouth to respond but closed it again as he considered Vincent's logic.

After a brief pause, he said, "The elves are worried, sir. They fear the attack may have been a

precursor to something larger."

Vincent frowned but didn't waver. "If that's the case, they can give us more details, not vague warnings. We need solid intelligence, not speculation. Get word to the elves. Tell them we'll investigate, but for now, there's no justification for deploying our forces there. They need to cooperate with us by providing as much information about the enemy's movements and any potential strategies they think the Demon King's forces might employ next."

"But sir, doesn't a Demon King General getting their hands on our weapons warrant a more immediate response?" Hastings pressed.

Vincent met Hasting's gaze sharply. "Yes, it does warrant concern, but rushing in blindly won't help. Do you even know where the Demon King General is? It's not like hey they stole our stuff now let's go after them. It doesn't work like that. We need more than just the fact that they stole weapons. We need to know their movements, their intent, and how they plan to use those weapons before we act."

Hastings took a breath, clearly trying to steady himself. "Understood, sir. I'll inform the elves that we require more concrete intelligence before making any moves." "Make it clear to them that we're not ignoring their situation. But we can't afford to act on incomplete information. Our priority now is to gather intelligence. Once we know more about the enemy's strategy, we can decide how to proceed."

"Yes, sir," Hastings replied before stepping back, ready to relay the message to Ferm.

Vincent sighed, he already had an idea on what the Demon King Generals are up to. And that is to copy their weapons. Looks like the clash between his forces and the Demon King Forces are coming closer than he expected.