Team 0 crouched low behind the dunes, their eyes fixed on the poachers' camp. The sandstorm raged around them, a relentless force of nature that seemed almost to mirror the turmoil they felt within.

James concentrated, extending his Thakinetic Awareness, feeling the camp's layout and occupants. "There are four of them left." He whispered, his voice barely audible above the wind. "Including the F-rank."

The team exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the situation. An F-rank Awakener was a formidable opponent, and even with their combined strength, confronting him head-on was a risk. They had won against such an opponent before, but the circumstances had been much different. This was an Awakener at full strength, with nothing they could use to make him lose his cool.

On the other hand, Ezekiel focused on the shimmering barrier surrounding the camp, as his Talent was the closest to defensive magic they had - meaning he could glean some insights - before speaking up. "That ward… It might not be a true defensive one. It's probably just to keep the sandstorm at bay."

Lauren peered towards the camp, her eyes narrowing. "So, we could pass through without triggering an alarm?"

"Possibly." Ezekiel replied cautiously. "But we need to be absolutely sure before we make a move. Give me a bit, and I should be able to tell."

James nodded, agreeing with Ezekiel's caution. They couldn't afford to act rashly, not when so much was at stake.

Still, it's nice to see that no one is even considering retreating and calling for reinforcements. We could do that. There would be no shame in it. But we aren't going to. This is our mission, and we'll deal with it.

They observed the camp for the next few minutes, waiting for the right moment. James kept his senses attuned to the movements within, tracking the poachers' every minute shift and trying to glean something about their powers from their signatures, though it wasn't easy.

I wonder if the System may offer me a skill evolution that will give me more details. Thakinetic Awareness works because it's based on my Talent interacting with other people's wills. Is it even possible to glean someone's skill from looking at that?

Finally, Ezekiel gave a subtle nod. "I think we can go through. The barrier's pattern is consistent with a simple environmental ward."

Carefully, they approached the barrier, alert and ready for any sign of danger. As they crossed the threshold, they all held their breath, waiting for an alarm to ring and the poachers to rush to attack them, but they found Ezekiel's assessment to be correct. The barrier offered no resistance, its purpose solely to provide respite from the sandstorm, and James was able to attest that their targets showed no sign of having noticed them.

Lucky. The F-ranker could have had a sensory skill. They become more common as the Awakening Tiers go up. But I suppose once in a while, good things have to happen to us, too. To balance out all the bad luck.

Once inside, they moved stealthily, using the tents and supplies as cover. The sounds of the camp's occupants carried over the wind, their voices distorted but still discernible.

James gestured for the team to stay low as they edged closer to the source of the voices. They found a spot behind a supply crate holding a large number of mana stones - enough to make James momentarily salivate at the thought of selling them all - close enough to eavesdrop on the conversation happening in the central tent.

The F-ranker's voice was unmistakable, a deep, authoritative tone tinged with frustration. "They're taking too long. We should've cleared out the dungeon by now. This run was supposed to be done already, and we should have been on the way home."

Another voice, jittery and anxious, replied. "But the AA team… If we move too quickly, they'll notice something is off, and Carter's group can only stall them for so long."

The F-rank leader scoffed. "They're just G-rank Awakeners. I could have handled them if the boss had let me. And now look where we are, waiting for those worms to come back with their little mana stones so we can finally leave this shithole. No, it's time we dealt with those rats permanently."

James felt a chill at the man's words, a mix of anger and determination settling in his gut. They were discussing him and his team, planning something more sinister than simple poaching.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"We need to act." He urgently whispered to his team. "But we have to be smart about it. We can't let him know we're here until we're ready to strike, and then we'll take him out in one go."

The others nodded, understanding the plan. They would have to take down the F-rank leader swiftly and decisively, using the element of surprise to their advantage. The other three poachers, while dangerous in their own right, were secondary to the main threat.

James turned his attention back to the tent, focusing on the positions and movements of those inside. The F-rank leader seemed the most confident, pacing the tent with an air of command. The others were more reserved, their tension evident even from a distance.

"We strike on my mark." James murmured, his eyes locked on the tent. "Ezekiel, debuff him the moment we go in. Maria, saturate the area with as much fire as you can. We can't be too picky here. When that dies down, Daniel and I will engage directly. Lauren, take any opportunity you can find to end the fight."

The team readied, their focus sharp as they prepared for the confrontation. This was it - the moment to put an end to the poachers' operation and bring justice to a Guild that was evidently taking the same path the Radiant and the Golden Sun had trodded.

Finally, James gave a subtle nod and they sprang into action, moving as one towards the heart of the enemy's camp, ready to end the poachers' operation. As they approached the central tent, James signaled Ezekiel, who immediately unleashed a wave of debuffs toward the tent.

Maria, positioned at a safe distance, began her assault. With a flick of her wrists, she summoned a barrage of fireballs, each igniting the air with intense heat as they hurtled toward the tent. The fire enveloped the area in a blaze, the explosion so strong that nothing was left of the tough leather canvas.

The poachers, caught off guard by the sudden and ferocious attack, staggered out of the tent screaming in pain, their forms silhouetted against the inferno. The leader, a tall figure with an air of menace, was momentarily dazed, clutching at his arm, which showed severe burns but quickly regained his composure while the others were still indisposed.

His eyes narrowed as he realized the situation, and with a swift motion, he began to manipulate the thin moisture in the air, creating a shield to repel the flames.

James and Daniel didn't hesitate. They charged forward, breaking through the wall of fire. James’ fists glowed with accumulated mana, as he aimed a direct punch at the F-ranker. Anticipating the attack, the leader moved to counter, shifting his shield to catch James' blow.

The punch connected, sending a shockwave of energy through the barrier, which broke apart, weakened as it was by the dry desert air. The F-ranker reeled back but quickly recovered, his expression twisting in rage. He lashed out with his power, manipulating a nearby flask’s water to form thin shards that shot towards James and Daniel, splashing against the Tank's glowing shield with great strength, sending him staggering back.

Lauren, seizing the moment, darted in from the side. Her daggers, coated with the fast-acting paralytic, aimed for the F-ranker. However, the leader's awareness of his surroundings was acute. He twisted, narrowly avoiding her strike, and with an errant wave of his hand, removed the liquid from her weapons, making it splash harmlessly on the sand, where it lost its effectiveness.

The battle raged on, a brutal dance of power and skill. Maria continued her fiery assault, keeping the other poachers at bay and preventing them from aiding their leader. From a safe distance, Ezekiel maintained his debuffs and cast additional ones on the F-ranker whenever he could get away with it - even chugging a potion at one point - allowing his teammates not to get steamrolled.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the leader fought with a ferocity that matched his rank. His ability to manipulate water to such a level made him a formidable opponent, countering many of Team 0's attacks with his Talent's sheer flexibility. He was in a terrible environment for his Talent, had been ambushed and was being debuffed, but still managed to keep up.

The man didn't seem to want to go down quietly, attempting at every chance he got to kill them. He didn't blunt his blows to simply get them off his case. He didn't try to capture. He was trying to kill them. His determination to do so left them with no choice but to match his lethality.

The intensity of the fight escalated once all players had understood the stakes. The poacher leader showcased the full extent of his Talent, manipulating the small amount of water available to him with deadly precision. His attacks became more lethal. Each movement he made was calculated, his defenses almost impervious to their assaults.

James and Daniel, undeterred, coordinated their attacks. Daniel used his shield to deflect the water spears the man conjured, creating openings for James to strike. James's fists, glowing brighter with each passing moment, delivered powerful explosive punches, which blew away the constructs.

Maria's flames continued to light up the battlefield, her fireballs now targeting the ground around the F-ranker, glassing the sand and limiting his movements, allowing Ezekiel to nail him with more debuffs, even as he shook off the early ones.

Lauren darted around him, trying to get a good blow in. But the F-ranker's reaction was quicker. He manipulated the water he had conjured to form a solid wall, which Lauren collided with at full speed, the impact sending her sprawling to the ground, leaving her open to a barrage of water bullets.

The sand flew up in the air, obscuring her figure, but James could feel the pain in her presence and felt a surge of anger and concern. "Lauren!" He shouted, his focus on his opponent momentarily faltering.

The poacher seized the opportunity, launching a concentrated blast of water at James. Seeing the danger, Daniel moved forward, his shield glowing as it absorbed the brunt of the attack.

But the F-ranker was relentless. He continued his assault, focusing on James and Daniel, trying to break through the Tank's defenses. His attacks - lances of compressed water that exploded the moment they touched anything - were powerful, each threatening to overwhelm them.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, James knew they had no choice but to escalate their response. "He's too dangerous." He said, his voice resolute.

Daniel nodded, understanding the unspoken implication. "Do it. We'll cover you."

James took a moment to center himself, throwing away all his worries and concentrated on his mana. He grabbed hold of it and slowed its angry churning until it became a roiling, boiling mass of slow-moving death.

I've never tried this against any humans, but I'm willing to bet it's not gonna be pleasant.

He moved with a speed and power that seemed to blur his form, closing the gap between himself and the F-ranker and taking the man by surprise with his recklessness.

The watery barrier he erected might have been enough to stop his punch, so James threw himself at it.

He crashed through it with great strength, blowing the sand away from where he had jumped. The pain from his stunt was such that he knew he'd be bruised to all hell, but he had made it. Now close enough to his opponent, James brought his fist forward, which was caught by the faster man in a vice grip that would have eventually shattered his hand.

Unfortunately for the man, he'd never have the chance to do so, because James unleashed the corrosive mana he had prepared.