Ali tightened his fist as five minutes was way too short for this type of decision. Yet, the prompt wasn’t giving him a choice so he had to make a decision quickly. The teenager turned to Belen, trusting in her judgment.

“Belen, what role do you see me in our squad? Where do you think I can excel?”

“Kamis is naturally the frontliner as he can take many hits. I’m far better in the rear with my mid and long range attacks. Kurata excels more in exploiting the weaknesses of our foes while possessing useful healing abilities. While some overlap would be nice, I think we lack someone capable of debuffing enemies to round our team out.”

“Thank you!”

<

Air Slash Option #1 (Debuff) selected…

Updating ability….

[

Ability: Air Slash

Level: 5 ( 1 / 90 XP to Level Up)

Level Up Requirements: Inflict damage or kill foes of equal or higher level

Type: Attacking (Blade)

Description:

A blade forms in a hand and is released where the hand is aiming. Targets harmed by five blades suffer a -1 defense debuff for 5 min. Debuff can stack up to 3 times.

Cost: 3 MP per use

Cooldown: None

Damage: 5 (+2)

]

Updating….

Debuff boost path unlocked….

Update complete!

>

Now that we resolved this matter, then we better figure out what to do. We had no losses but some of our members suffered heavy injuries.

A few minutes later, the group returned to the courtyard they were resting in earlier. Here, the wounded were tended to while the others all rested. Morale was naturally low as, despite the victory, the group expected to achieve more than just defeating one of the stronger Lightning Clan members. The foe they killed was still weaker than the necromancer who probably grew even stronger since they parted ways. Despite suffering no losses, some of the wounded weren't in a position to fight for at least a couple of weeks, furthering weakening their position in Vliland.

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“Let’s head back to base,” suggested Belen. “In our current situation, we cannot hope to fight another group of Lightning Clan members. We should regroup and go from there.”

Once the wounded were tended to, everyone headed out by following Belen's suggestion, staying in the alleyways that were deserted. Ali recalled Tian so the air serpent could ensure them a safe retreat. According to the air serpent, the necromancer went as he pleased with impunity. Before long, they returned to base where Ali’s group offered to report the day to Menna. The four of them walked in with Belen in the lead. She reported the necromancer and the battle with the powerful Lightning Clan member. Once she finished, Menna told them to get some rest.

“Be sure to prepare for tomorrow,” said Menna before the four stepped out of the room. “We received reports that both the Lighting Clan and Thunder Badgers are making their moves tomorrow. The slums will become a full blown battlefield.”

The four of them said little after hearing the warning. Thus far, there were mostly small skirmishes here and there. The refugees suffered a lot of casualties but those who stayed out of the way got to keep living. Once the two syndicates actually dedicated all of their resources into the upcoming conflict, nowhere in the slums would be safe. Blood would likely cover the streets as combatants and civilians alike wouldn’t be spared. Ali knew for a fact that the civilians would have nowhere to run as the city guards would likely seal the slums off.

“Does this mean that tomorrow is the day?” asked Kurata.

“The syndicates couldn’t possibly make a move unless they are certain the city garrison would be too preoccupied,” replied Belen.

The attacking forces were expected to reach the city in a day or two. Given how bold the syndicates had become, the reports must have been confirmed, only further complicating matters in the city. Given how unpredictable battles could be, it was entirely possible for the attacking forces to break through the walls closest to the slums. If the defenders of Vliland viewed the slums as not worthy of their time, then the slums could easily be targeted by the attackers. Once soldiers were involved, only destruction and death awaited the slums. By then, even their safety was questionable.

“What will happen if soldiers get involved in the slums?” asked Ali. “What will we do then?”

“We will observe and assist the victor of the battle,” said Belen.

Belen reminded Ali why they arrived in Vliland in the first place. They had to do whatever they could to aid the Dark Cult. If they could expand their influence, then they would have achieved their objective. Wars were expensive and all factions, once desperate, would be willing to pay any price for victory. If the Dark Cult could use this opportunity to further strengthen itself and weaken its competition, then there would be no other organization capable of challenging it. Their job was to get the Dark Cult closer to that stage, one step at a time.

“Until the soldiers arrive,” said Kamis, “we should get even stronger. Our last battle proved how much more I can still improve.”

After a short discussion, the four of them agreed that it made more sense for them to go out in a small four person squad. A larger group would be much easier to spot and the element of surprise was something they had to take advantage of due to how much weaker they were compared to others. They also worked better together as they noticed how poorly they fought with the other Dark Cult members. That group was too hastily put together which could have cost them more lives. By going with a smaller squad, they could better make use of the chaos by going in and out without most being any wiser. If things got bad, they could also flee easier, especially if the streets devolved into a full blown battlefield.

“Let’s head to bed early then,” said Ali. “Who knows when’s the next time we’ll get a full night of rest.”