Chapter 924: Assault Groups
According to the intel, the group they were after was stationed in Gale's Eye under the protection of a First File of Tempest and their soldiers.
A First File was the Tempest equivalent of an Amaharpe General; therefore, they could not be underestimated.
Fortunately for them, in order to avoid drawing too much attention and keep a low profile, despite being under the protection of a First File, their targets would be moving in as a separate contingent not too far behind the main group.
This contingent would be their target. Or, to be more precise, the mages under their guard.
By the time Niflheim finished explaining everything in great detail, the members of the 9th Division were left utterly dumbfounded.
Mages that could call forth a gateway to summon a dangerous creature capable of pushing back the combined forces of Amaharpe and Rosentarus? A First File, which was the equivalent of an Amaharpe General potentially protecting them? Just what the heck had they agreed to by joining this division?! It was no wonder the contribution points were so much higher than anything they'd ever seen before!
On the bright side, it seemed that they would not have to face off directly against the First File. However, if the main group realized something was off with the separate contingent they were to attack, that may not necessarily be the case.
"In regards to the First File, you all can somewhat relax. Worst case scenario, they catch on to us, and we're forced to retreat before their reinforcements show up. But, as long as you all follow our instructions, we'll be able to strike and safely fall back before that happens." Niflheim explained calmly.
He then continued, "I'll let Lieutenant Menerva go over some of the finer details. Listen closely, we won't have time to repeat things a second time since we have a lot to cover."
Niflheim's advice was well received as the players of the 9th Division looked on half eagerly and half anxiously as they awaited Menerva's words.
Menerva stepped forward and said, "Based on the information that we have acquired, the separate contingent will consist of 25 elite troops, 3 Guard Commanders, and 1 Centurion. Among the elite troops, the lowest of their ranks should be Immune—the equivalent of a Soldier 1st Class. The Guard Commanders possess strength equal to a Lieutenant or Captain of the War Brigade, while the Centurion rivals that of a War Brigade Commander."
Whenever they were transporting someone or something important, a classic Tempest tactic was to create a small independent group while the main focus was typically shifted to the larger group traveling in front of them. This allowed them to stay under the radar since not paying attention to the larger group could lead to unexpected consequences.
Another known fact of the tactic was that the smaller group would always be protected by the second-strongest person. This person was usually under the direct command of the larger group's leader. And, since the person in charge this time around was a First File, it was safe to assume that the one leading the separate contingent would be a Centurion under their command.
This was all the information Izroth obtained from the War Intelligence Group after he accepted the war objective. Of course, he made sure to relay this information to Niflheim and Menerva.
"Lieutenant Niflheim will focus on locking down the Centurion. Meanwhile, the rest of us will have our tasks divided. Bellum, Champion, and Love Mist—you three will be Assault Group A. Your primary goal will be the elimination of the five mages. Astral Knight, Clouded Sky, and Sanctity will form Assault Group B. Revel, Hollow Crane, and Benevolent Tea, Assault Group C. Bladed Conscious, Heartless Jade, and Knightmare—the three of you will make up Assault Group D. Each of your groups will be responsible for engaging a Guard Commander. As for those of you who were not assigned to a group, your sole focus will be on the elimination of the elite troops present." Menerva stated.
She then turned her attention to Bellum and continued, "Our true purpose this time around is the eradication of the mages. Everything else is secondary. If all five mages can be dealt with, it is a good thing. However, even if you are only able to eliminate two out of five, our mission can be considered a success. To increase our chances of success, I will try my best to provide your Assault Group with support from a distance."
"We want to make sure that everyone understands the risk involved here. Although we've managed to come up with a feasible plan, it will not be easy to accomplish by any means. That's why, if you're not confident in fulfilling the role we've chosen for you, now is your time to speak up. But, before you decide, I would just like to say that Lieutenant Menerva and myself have been observing each and every one of you since our time in the Land of Unity. If we did not believe in your ability, you would not have been selected in the first place." Niflheim declared with a clear air of confidence.
After Menerva and Niflheim spoke, there was a lingering silence as the atmosphere had grown increasingly tense. Naturally, there were a lot of nerves going around; however, Niflheim's words of encouragement helped to smooth things over.
For many of those present, it was their first time being a part of something with such high stakes. But, many found that hidden underneath their nerves and anxiousness was something surprising to even them—excitement.
Bellum released a light sigh. Originally, she planned on making a good first impression and just breezing by while mostly taking on the role of an observer. However, if she stepped back and did nothing at this critical point, it may make achieving her real purpose infinitely more difficult.
"I suppose there's no other choice. Since it's come to this, I might as well switch my focus to making my mark." Bellum thought to herself as the look in her eyes changed. There was now a depth of coldness hidden beneath her gaze.
After seeing that no one was willing to surrender their assigned role, a proud smile appeared on Niflheim's face as he gave a nod of approval.
"Good. This is the minimum amount of confidence I expect from members of the 9th Division." Niflheim said.
He then continued, "We still have some time before they leave the Gale's Eye. Until that moment arrives, we'll be going over every possible scenario so that we can prepare for any unforeseen events."
...
Approximately 30 minutes earlier...
Krieeewk! Click! Click! Click!
Zeeeut!
Izroth's figure flickered in and out of existence as he appeared several meters away from the Insolum Beetle.
At the moment, he had a few scratches and bruises here and there, but there were no signs of any severe wounds.
'To think this thing was still hiding some tricks up its sleeves. If I had moved a few steps later, the damage would not have been light.'
Not too long ago, the Insolum Beetle transformed the ground beneath Izroth's feet into quick sinking mud.
The mud was infused with the Insolum Beetle's mana, so it was far more difficult to escape from than your typical quick-sinking mud. However, just as it conjured a massive boulder overhead and getting ready to drop it right on top of Izroth, he used his Ninth Sword Form: World Quelling Ripple to disrupt the flow of mana and break free.
In the process, he managed to not only avoid the Insolum Beetle's attack and escape the mud but also inflicted a decent amount of damage to it.
'I've been fighting for a bit more than half an hour. The others should be long safe by now.'
Even though there were still many dangers present in the Ferae Jungle, Izroth believed in Niflheim and Menerva's abilities to lead the group to safety.
As for the Insolum Beetle, at first, Izroth only planned to wound it and find the first chance to escape. However, after some time and realizing that the creature had no plans on letting him escape, Izroth decided to confront it head-on.
As a result...
Name: Ferae Adamantine Insolum Beetle(WORLD BOSS)
Level: 60
HP: ??? (20%)
Izroth managed to severely wound the world boss and had shaved off 80% of its HP in half an hour!