Chapter 226: Playing into the Game

After Irving and the members of Angel Guild reached a reconciliation, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Vicky approached Irving and Aron with a smile on her face.

"I believe that for us, cooperation is essential. We are not as powerful as the Night Blades, and if we don't unite, we will never be able to defeat them."

Vicky's words resonated with both Irving and Aron, who nodded solemnly in agreement.

"You're right. I realize that my approach has had its flaws. I shouldn't have engaged you in direct conflict; I should have guided you on what to do!" Irving said, smiling at Aron.

Aron nodded but didn't say anything more.

"Since we've reconciled, I believe the Angel Guild can participate in my upcoming plans. However, I have one condition: you must heal from your injuries. If you can't recover, you won't be eligible to take part in the upcoming operations. They are going to be extremely dangerous."

Irving spoke with utmost sincerity. While he hoped the members of Angel Guild would join his plans, he needed them to understand the perilous nature of what lay ahead.

Anna quickly interjected, "Aron may not be able to heal fully, but neither Nick nor I are injured. So we can offer our assistance in the upcoming operations."

Irving was very pleased with Anna's response.

"With your help, my plans should proceed more smoothly. However, I won't initiate anything just yet; I need to first neutralize Elder Howard."

Irving didn't dwell on past issues; he shifted the topic directly to Elder Howard. In his view, Elder Howard's presence in the real world posed a significant threat to his plans.

If Howard were to attack during Irving's process of relocating the shelter, he might not be able to respond effectively. After all, Irving's strength in the real world was not as formidable.

"Do you have a plan? We're very eager to take revenge on Elder Howard!" Aron suddenly asked Irving.

Although Aron recognized that much of the trouble he faced stemmed from his own character flaws, Elder Howard had certainly played a role in exacerbating the situation. Aron felt compelled to seek revenge against Howard.

Irving looked thoughtfully at Aron and Anna, contemplating their eagerness. "I do have a few ideas, but I need to be cautious. Elder Howard is not someone to underestimate. We need a strategy that minimizes risk while maximizing our chances of success."

Aron leaned forward, his expression serious. "What do you have in mind?"

"We need to gather intelligence first," Irving replied. "We have to understand Howard's movements and motivations. If we can find out where he is most vulnerable, we can plan our attack accordingly."

Anna nodded. "That makes sense. We should also consider allies. If we can rally others who share our goals, it might give us the strength we need to confront him."

Irving smiled, appreciating Anna's insight. "Exactly! We need to create a network of support. But we must also be discreet. If Howard catches wind of our intentions, he could easily turn the tables on us."

Aron clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. "I won't let him get away with what he's done. He's caused too much pain and suffering."

Irving placed a reassuring hand on Aron's shoulder. "I understand your anger, and it's valid. However, we must channel that anger into our plan and not act impulsively. Patience will be key."

Vicky, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. "Perhaps we could use some misdirection. If we create a diversion, it might allow us to strike when he least expects it."

Irving considered her suggestion. "That could work, but we need to make sure the diversion doesn't put anyone else in danger. We have to be strategic about it."

The group spent the next few hours brainstorming ideas and laying the groundwork for their plan. They discussed potential allies, methods of gathering information, and ways to create the necessary distractions.

As they worked, a sense of camaraderie began to form among them. The shared goal of taking down Elder Howard brought them closer together, uniting their strengths and resolve.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Irving looked around the room. "Alright, it's time to put our plan into action. We'll meet again in a few days to share what we've learned and refine our strategy. Until then, stay safe and be vigilant."

With that, the members of Angel Guild left, their hearts filled with a newfound sense of purpose. The battle against Elder Howard was just beginning, but they were ready to face it together.

After Benjamin nodded, he chose not to say anything further. Aron, Anna, and Nick were all prepared to cooperate with Irving.

Before Irving left, Vicky took a moment to remind him. "I know you're eager to achieve success with your plan quickly. But I hope you will prioritize your safety as well. You will come back to see me, right?"

In response to Vicky's concern, Irving looked her in the eye and replied firmly, "Of course, I will come back to see you! I believe I won't take long to defeat Elder Howard!"

With that declaration, Irving left alongside the members of Angel Guild. Vicky, Benjamin, and the others watched him go.

Once Irving's figure had completely disappeared, Vicky turned to Benjamin, a hint of worry in her voice. "Do you really think his plan will succeed? What if he encounters serious danger during the process? Elder Howard seems to be a very powerful elder of the Night Blades. His strength should be significantly greater than that of the other Night Blades we've faced before.

Perhaps you should provide him with some assistance in secret."

Benjamin, slightly exasperated by Vicky's concerns, replied, "President, I think you should have a bit of faith in Irving. At least from my perspective, he is more than capable of completing his plan. Even if Elder Howard discovers him, it doesn't necessarily mean he will fall into great danger. After all, Irving is incredibly strong himself. S~eaʀᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

And even if he can't defeat Elder Howard, he has the tools to escape successfully."

"We absolutely must not assist Irving in secret. Doing so would only alert Elder Howard to our presence, which could ultimately lead to the failure of Irving's plan. So we must remain calm."

Vicky sighed, realizing the truth in Benjamin's words. "You're right; I have been worrying too much."

With that, Vicky returned to her office.

Although she was indeed very worried about Irving, Vicky still had to deal with a multitude of affairs at Ocean Group. After Vicky left, Benjamin spoke to his subordinates in a somewhat angry tone.

"You all clearly failed to do what you were supposed to do. Why didn't you intercept Aron? It's not like I was the one taking action; you could have been directly defeated by him. Do you expect me to stay at the headquarters of Ocean Group all the time? If I do that, how am I supposed to go to the Shelter Game world?"

Benjamin was extremely dissatisfied with his subordinates. He felt that they were performing poorly. In his view, he had provided them with enough rare weapons. He had set the expectation that they should use these rare weapons to stop powerful enemies.

Although Aron held a high position in Angel Guild, he should not be considered an overwhelmingly strong opponent. Benjamin believed his own strength was nearly on par with Aron's. If Benjamin prepared well for the fight, he was confident he could defeat Aron quickly.

Faced with Benjamin's criticism, his subordinates felt very innocent. They believed they were not yet ready for battle and were still unfamiliar with the rare weapons they had.

"Benjamin, while we may not have completed the task you assigned, we truly did our best. Aron is indeed very strong, and our proficiency with the rare weapons is still low. If you could give us more time for practice, we promise to perform much better. We won't let you down."

The subordinates' response made Benjamin realize that perhaps he shouldn't put too much pressure on them. "Alright, I'll give you a week to adjust. After one week, you will be solely responsible for the defense of the headquarters. If you still can't accomplish your tasks, don't blame me for being harsh. Even though you've been with me for a long time, I will not tolerate any useless individuals."

With that, Benjamin quickly left the room. Although he didn't need to deal with Elder Howard's matters or the relocation of the Shelter, there were still many issues that required Benjamin's personal attention within the newly formed Ocean Group. He also needed to authenticate some very rare weapons himself.

Everyone was very busy because they faced a dire situation. Irving and his allies aimed to quickly increase their strength, as it was the only way to confront the imminent threat posed by the Night Blades. It was also their only hope to prepare for the possible apocalypse that could come at any moment.

The Dark Overlord kept a close watch on everyone in the real world.