A section of the wall displayed various country names, each accompanied by a different number. A glance confirmed that they were indeed Earth countries, leading Tetsu to deduce that the numbers likely represented the count of people they had found from each nation. It was evident that they were attempting to make sense of the situation, deciphering the origins of their captives and the significance of their powers, which could reveal valuable insights.
“Smart people,” Tetsu nodded. “But a bad move,” he added, recognizing the folly in their approach. “Is it smart to hunker down? We fight amongst ourselves more than others, and it’s foolish to think they can outsmart the system.”
A glance was enough for him to discern how they spawned at random locations. Those places couldn’t be claimed as safe zones, given the constant movement of beasts in the area.
“Then what was the point of it all?”
Tetsu hurried into a random tent nearer to the inner mountain summit and swiftly dug a deep hole straight down, simultaneously filling it in behind him. His proficiency with the earth affinity had been honed through repeated use, and by now, manipulating the ground felt as effortless as melting through butter.
He excavated around the harder formations by sensing them beforehand, then manipulated the soil, compressing or expanding it to fill the hole he had made. With a clear mental image guiding his actions, he erased any trace of his digging, leaving behind no evidence of his intrusion.
It had taken extensive practice and even a close encounter with a persistent beaver, but now, no one, human or otherwise, could spot the pits he dug. Whenever he needed to catch his breath, Tetsu tunneled upwards, creating a cone-shaped hole with a thin channel at its center, connecting him to the surface above for air.
This design concealed him, as any movement near the cone would only disrupt the tunnel, while the rest of the structure remained intact, preserving the tunnel.
With his “scaredy-cat” persona fueling his frantic digs, Tetsu reached the forest on the other end in record time. His best strategy was to approach them from a different direction, maintaining the mystery of the flying person for them to solve. At least until he can study them with a finner comb. His inner Razz did not like the base one bit, so a proper infiltration was required.
The palpable panic on the guards’ faces, their vigilant watch over the wall, and the direction in which they kept turning led Tetsu to suspect that they had a separate group designated for scouting and rescue, most likely composed of the elite among the bunch.
One might assume that the guards stationed at the base are stronger, but the unknown is often scarier and presents the perfect opportunity for advancement. Thus, Tetsu moved in the elite's direction. He would need to assess and evaluate them before deciding. Given his tendency to find himself in precarious situations, Tetsu needed to find out whether he could escape if things took a turn for the worse. Which always does with him.
Tetsu emerged from the ground like a mud golem, ensuring that no one had witnessed his unconventional arrival. He chuckles to himself at the thought of how badass he must have looked, then covers the hole, proceeding with the next step of his infiltration plan.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
A rune marked every hole he ever dug. If he suspected any intellectual beasts to be lurking about, the runes were kept simple. However, if he found a perfect spot with less traffic or dumb beasts, he etched the [Divine Seal]. He hoped that by drawing it a thousand times, he might gain some insight. If not, it could always double as a hidden camera, capturing any activity in the vicinity.
Etched runes functioned differently from ethereal runes, and Tetsu preferred them in close-quarter fights. Unlike ethereal runes, one had to remove a chunk of flesh to get rid of an etched rune. Also, if Tetsu was in proximity to an etched rune, his aura would activate it upon contact, providing him with a sense of its location and the type of rune it was. Which is preferred when fighting against multiple opponents.
Ignoring the drawbacks of his less-than-ideal mana control, if Tetsu expanded his aura enough to touch a rune, they served as helpful beacons. Once activated, the runes siphoned energy from Tetsu, a risk that could drain him dry, but he used this drain to keep track of the safety pits.
They aided in maintaining his heading and provided a means to escape any threats by jumping into a preexisting pit. This advantage was particularly crucial, as the bubbles on his [Resource Radar] often attracted beasts, rendering navigation more perilous.
Once he marked a tree to use it as a compass and regretted his decision as countless needles cluttered his vision. With no filter in place, the skill pointed at every tree in the vicinity and beyond, overwhelming his senses with unnecessary information.
“Might be useful in a desert?” Tetsu remarked, attempting to find a positive aspect in the unintended outcome.
After completing the general checks, such as marking the hole leading back to the mountain, etching eyes as spy cameras, and ensuring the safety of the pits while refilling his resources, Tetsu set out to find the scouting party. He reasoned that as long as he dug away from where the guards kept glancing toward, he should encounter them in this direction.
“I need to stop the attack mid-flight or divert it,” Tetsu expected, attempting to devise a solution while attacking the humans on autopilot. At this point, everything had become mere targets, and he had already planned and launched the second set of stones while preparing the third set, even before the opponents recovered.
Round two knocked everyone to the floor, leaving only Carl standing firm as he also continued to withstand the Bull’s charge.
“Fuck, sorry!” Tetsu exclaimed with genuine remorse. But it was too late, as the third set of stones was already hurtling toward their targets. “Turns out I do need a failsafe,” Tetsu squinted, envisioning the rocks, rendering them unconscious, while the Bull used them like rag dolls.
At first, he considered trying to control the foresight but soon discarded the idea in favor of devising a failsafe.
Arrows materialized out of thin air, intercepting the rocks. Tetsu’s guilt dissipated, replaced by curiosity in a heartbeat. He activated and launched a couple more rocks, this time tracing the arrow’s trajectory to find the hidden assailants.
Three archers maneuvered high above in the tree crowns, shifting their positions after each attack. One exhibited finesse, while the other two proved clumsy, needing constant instructions from the main archer.
“Training,” Tetsu confirmed as he used [Info] on an unconscious soldier being dragged to safety by his comrades.
{Fighter, Level: 02. Human. Affinities: Blade, Fire, Air, Cut...}
Tetsu’s frown transformed into anger as he grasped the implications. “Go find a dungeon or two, you imbeciles. Is ambushing a defenseless bull the only tactic you’ve got?”
Self-defense is one thing, but going out of one’s way to ambush and torture others to level up their army is downright cruel. Tetsu also believed that if he could escape or level by himself, then surely anyone could.
A bit of reconnaissance, strategizing, and a gradual climb—it isn't that hard to level! Especially with comrades to watch each other's backs and divide the tasks.
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