After defeating Jin and securing his allegiance, albeit through blackmail, the three of us cleaned up before heading back to the main camp.
Honestly, I had contemplated what I would do if I were to reincarnate into <
I had to admit, I lucked out. Arthur was probably the best side character I could have reincarnated as.
It wasn't just about who I reincarnated as. The fact that I managed to connect so well with Seraphina and other members of the main cast without much trouble was remarkable.
Even the battle against Jin went according to plan, and I succeeded.
Now, all I needed to do was ensure that the first years outperformed the second years and secure the pill from Kali.
And for that, I needed Jin. Ashbluffs were renowned assassins. Despite Jin being a formidable force in direct combat, he still had that necromancer/assassin aspect to him.
I required him not to assassinate Kali but to inflict significant damage. He wouldn't be able to kill her anyway. It was crucial for me to have a 'private talk' with her as well.
I snapped out of my thoughts upon hearing my comms buzzing with an urgent message from the covert forces.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attacked!" one of the students yelled.
I swiftly opened the commands and shouted, "Lucifer, Ren, Rachel, hold back the enemy while the rest of you retreat! We are ready to receive them!"
With only a few hours of rest, my mana core wasn't quite full yet, but it would have to suffice for Kali.
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In the vibrant, dark forest, twelve students moved with stealth, shadowing each other silently. Rachel and Ren, utilizing their superior eyesight, scanned the surroundings for any signs of lurking enemies. Whenever they gave the signal, the other students cautiously advanced, following a plan crafted by Arthur to minimize the use of detection spells and avoid detection.
However, the dense foliage provided cover, and not every possible threat was spotted by Ren and Rachel. Seizing the moment, Kali, an adept in dark magic, crept closer, patiently awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike.
Rachel suddenly raised her hand, signaling the twelve students to halt. For a fleeting moment, Kali feared exposure, considering her opponent was Rachel, a prodigious talent endowed with light magic. However, Rachel's alertness was focused on the arrival of second years in the vicinity.
Tension filled the air as Lucifer whispered, "Everyone, retreat!"
But Kali had other plans and was not willing to let them escape so easily.
With a swift incantation, she conjured a [4-circle spell: Dark Sphere], gathering dark mana into a spinning sphere formation. Her target was Ren, the second-strongest among the first years.
Ren, blessed with the Gift of [God's Eyes], detected the impending attack and swiftly responded with a [4-circle spell: Rift Unbound]. Despite Kali's advantage in mana purity, the supremacy of spatial magic over dark magic allowed Ren to delay the spell enough to evade its impact.
"Enemy!" one of the other students shouted, brandishing a rapier in preparation to confront Kali. Before they could close in for an attack, Kali unleashed her most potent spell.
[5-circle spell: Dusk's Embrace].
Kali's spell unleashed dark mana into the surroundings, creating a threatening aura that targeted everyone nearby. This spell, a cheap imitation of 7-circle and higher domain-type techniques, was a wide-ranging attack designed to engulf multiple adversaries.
Lucifer's verdant eyes gleamed with confidence. Reacting swiftly, he stomped on the ground, countering Kali's dark magic with his own potent spell.
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[5-circle spell: Frostfire Terrain].
A dance of 5-circle flames intertwined with freezing ice magic created the signature frostfire that Lucifer had mastered. The clash of elements successfully held back Kali's encroaching dark mana.
Unfazed, Kali drew her sword and charged at Lucifer, who mirrored her actions.
"Change of plans," Lucifer declared as their blades collided, "We'll finish them off right here."
However, just as Lucifer was about to unleash the full extent of his Gift's power, Arthur's voice crackled through the comms, disrupting their engagement.
"Lucifer," Arthur directed, "Fall back to base after using frostfire to create distance from the second-years."
Perplexed, Lucifer questioned, "What? We can take them down."
"Perhaps," Arthur conceded, "But losing you, Ren, Rachel, and Cecilia in this fight would jeopardize the entire war. We can't afford that risk."
Though confident in his abilities, Lucifer understood the strategic reasoning. Faced with three times as many second-years, the odds were against them. Reluctantly, he cast [5-circle spell: Frostfire Terrain] once more, while Rachel deployed [4-circle spell: Illuminating Light] to blind the pursuing second-years. With that, the team tactically retreated, prioritizing the larger goal over immediate confrontation.
The second-year students continued their relentless pursuit, almost managing to catch up. However, Lucifer's sword and Ren's fists acted as staunch barriers, preventing the pursuers from closing in too tightly.
Lucifer, despite hailing from the northern border, found himself in a scene of carnage he had never witnessed before.
Limp, motionless bodies of both foes and friends littered the virtual landscape. A few stragglers, lagging behind, fell victim to the second years' magic. Their limbs torn asunder, agonizing cries filled the air. A young woman, clutching her exposed intestines spilling out from a stomach wound, added a gruesome touch to the virtual battlefield. If hell had a manifestation, this simulated chaos might be a close representation.
What was the purpose of this senseless battle?
Yes, it was all within the realms of Virtual Reality, yet the pain they experienced, the pain they inflicted on each other, felt all too genuine.
"Fuck!" Lucifer cursed aloud, gritting his teeth. Reflections on the senselessness came too late. There was only one option now—move forward, or more precisely, retreat.
He took a deep breath, his sharp eyes scanning the gruesome scene before him. Another spell was released to impede the second years, but Lucifer was feeling the strain. His mana pool wasn't infinite, and the toll of casting numerous high-circle spells, coupled with the constant use of aura, began to take its toll.
Ren focused on handling Kali's attacks, utilizing his ability to track her movements cloaked by dark magic. Cecilia and Rachel, the two mages, cast spells to hold the second years at bay.
Lucifer's attention snapped to the camp gate.
Just a little bit more.
"Ren!" Rachel's urgent yell momentarily distracted him. He turned to witness dark tendrils stabbing Ren in the chest.
'We can't lose him!' Lucifer thought, determination surging. His left foot dug into the ground as he willed lightning and wind aura.
BOOM!
He catapulted off the ground, his sword gleaming in the moonlight as he closed in on Kali. Despite being unable to finish off Ren, Kali had to defend against Lucifer's swift attack.
"Why are you so annoying?" she complained as she parried his assault. Her hand transformed into a claw made of dark aura, attempting to stab at Lucifer's exposed abdomen.
Lucifer wouldn't be so easily done in. He abruptly stopped using the heels of his feet, shooting wind from his right foot. His body twisted, dodging Kali's strike, and he turned around to deliver a powerful kick.
Kali raised her arm to defend, but the force sent her body backward.
The situation had taken a dire turn. A horde of second-year students closed in on them rapidly.
"Rachel, Cecilia," Lucifer declared, "Take Ren and run. I'll hold them off."
Preparation for unleashing his full power was evident. Lucifer understood that going all out might cost him his virtual life, but he was determined to take down numerous enemies, including the formidable Kali.
"No need, Lucifer," Arthur's voice resonated through the comms, "Because the plan commences now."
Lucifer had no time to seek clarification as the roar of dark beasts echoed, signaling the commencement of the plan.
______________________________________________________________________________________
The covert troops were making their way back to base as I briefed the students present on the plan.
If this plan unfolded smoothly, Lucifer wouldn't need to unleash his full power, and I could secure the pill from Kali. However, success hinged on a bit of luck, as manipulating a scenario with human variables is never perfect. All I could do was guide them in the desired direction and hope for the best.
The plan was straightforward—dark beasts.
They weren't just obstacles; they were valuable tools. Utilizing Jin's necromancy and some blood, I enticed a swarm of dark beasts to the path where I anticipated the second-years would converge.
How did I pinpoint the exact time? Well, it was a matter of calculating the time for the second-years to clash with our covert forces and estimating the duration for their return with Lucifer and the others holding them back. I had rough distances and times from the novel, making my prediction fairly accurate, with just a slight deviation of a few minutes.
Dark beasts attacked anything with mana and sentience, without discrimination except for power, a weakness I exploited. As the second-years' collective power surpassed the beasts, they became the targets of the dark onslaught.
Lucifer swiftly retreated, utilizing lightning magic to dash behind the camp, where awaiting students joined him.
The second-years were now facing the dark beasts, and it was our turn to strike.
Archers and mages took the lead with long-range attacks, followed by other damage dealers. Jin had a specific target—Kali.
It was time to defeat the second years and to get my second shadow.