BXBX NOVEL Vol. 8 - Chapter 415 - Third Raid! A Three Pronged Charge!
Perhaps, the performance of Princess Lana might have contributed to it as well. One could hear 'All hail Her Highness Lana!!' cheers coming from an area where a black-clothed group was.
Their appearance had confused quite a lot of students present, ‘wondering who the heck they’re.’ They have seen those people in the academy's premises quite often......except their identity was out in the wind.
Score Board:
‹White - 9920P› vs ‹Red 5,220P›
‹White taking the lead by 4700P›
‹Secured Big Castle - White (4) & Red (2)›
‹ETA - 18 minutes 13 seconds›
‹Members Left - White (10) & Red (9)›
A glance at the score on the huge screen and it was clear team White, <Eden>, was in the lead with a huge advantage. The gap was as big as 70 small castle point differences. And it was nigh impossible to flip that difference in the remaining time.
<Flash of Flower> guild seemed to have already realized they would be going nowhere at this point, apparent from their static count in squares. Stuck between rock and hard place, they could either only snatch the Big Castles (6000P) from team White or take down their base all together (8000P) if they wanted to cross this huge gulf.
In short, it had basically boiled down to a PvP battle.
"Are you sure we shouldn't be running around for more squares at this moment, Zephyr-dono?"
Ester asked, following my instruction to stop targeting any small castles after I saw the stagnation in the opponent's point.
"Well, the outcome of this guild battle now hinges on PvP battle. So it's just a waste of time to widen the advantage than it already is. Anyway, time to get our members back together before they crashed on us."
I asserted confidently.
We were now endgame. Admittedly, only half the time has passed but when the opponent has stopped taking down small castles, it was the cue that the opponent was going to play out big. And failing in understanding the opponent's intention would vanish our advantage like smoke in the wind.
You wouldn't even know when the opponent pulls a rug under your feet while you're taking your sweet time farming points. "Be on your guard the moment the opponent stops racking a point" used to be common sense in the game.
"As expected of the trial that's the gateway to guild battles. A lot of PvP battle moments."
Shizu showed her understanding by following my words.
"Because this is the theme of this exam, a contrast to the E-rank promotion exam after all; to avoid a stronger opponent. But, they're counting on us to aggressively pursue the PvP battle in this exam."
"Academy’s brains aren’t to be missed who have come with this detailed layout."
"The guilds who manage to follow the guidelines are far and few; so you can say <Flash of Flower> is quite capable. Their tactics are well laid out, and they have good leaders it seems."
I also had the same evaluation of the academy as Shizu said. D-rank promotion exam hinges on battle power and strategy. Academy has managed to assign a guild that's neither too strong nor too weak. Well, this much was to be expected from the ‘main branch’, else another branch would have been crowning that title.
From there we took down other nearby squares, upturned the opponent's square while paying attention to the situation. And when we had just 12 minutes left, opponent finally made a move.
In just two more minutes, <Loser's Revival> would lose its value. I mean, even when they come back after 10 minutes, they would already be deep down in the water to do anything. No more re-do. This would be it. A final PvP battle with everything on stack.
I felt the tension slowly encroaching the venue.
Our opponent has decided to go out with the pincer attack. Three members each from west and east. That leaves three of their members and one due to be revived.
<Eden> responded by deploying three defenders to both the east and west. Why only even members you may ask? We could have outnumbered them by dispatching four members. Albeit, we couldn't. Since,
"Hn, <So-nya>! Three people are approaching from the opposite side of the east obstacle."
"They have shown themselves just as I expected,"
"Hmm, just as you said."
Karua's enemy search skill picked up another group of opponents making their way from different directions.
I was pretty much sure <Flash of Flower> would also deploy their members reserved for the security of base to mount an attack, and they really didn't fail me.
They maneuvered around from behind the eastern audience stand, planning to sandwich us from the north. They maneuvered around from behind the eastern audience stand, planning to sandwich us from the north.
It was such a worn-out strategy in the game I saw it coming a mile away.
The attack from east and west was just a pretense from the opponent to divert our attention and also a wall to stop us from approaching the red base---a tactic that focused both on attack and defense. Their main plan was a surprise assault by an encircling group. I mean the field was an obvious giveaway that they would attempt that and I turned out to be right.
It's why I had stationed four of our members nearby our base just in light of that. Sorry to burst their bubble but we're gonna see who will surprise who.
"Let's crush their main force first. Rest is free for all. Let's go."
"Hn, following."
"I will cover from behind."
Karua, Rika, Shizu and I were in charge of taking out the main force. And Shizu was the centerpiece in this confrontation.
"Make sure no one escapes. Use whatever---<Bind Shot>, <Landmine>, <Confusion> and <Flash Bullet>---you have at your disposal to stop them, Shizu. Use <Tracking> and <Scouting> if they show signs of escaping. Oh, but use <Trace Detection> and <Trap Detection> when choosing them. It's the abc of retreat to set up traps."
"Understood."
The main force, something the opponent desperately wants to preserve. If we can crush it, the opponent won't have anything left to do. They were having their last struggle, so I was keeping Shizu and Karua to deal with anything that goes south.
Shizu was there as a failsafe measure to bind the opponent's leg. She had an arsenal of skills that could track and find the enemy, with no corner to hide. Well, this was why <Battle Maid> was a job you wouldn't want to face in PvP.
Karua was plain fast, unmatchable in speed, who could easily outrun the opponent. Plus with the <Trap Disarmament> and <Trap Explosion>, she was basically a bane of traps.
Rika and I were there to protect the two.
The game was in our bag once we took down the three opponents. I am sure the six currently battling in the east and west would have to retreat at least once, but showing a chink in their armor while retreating would just spell their doom.
Just as I was simulating the possible scenario, our opponent circled around the northeast side of the audience stand. We also wait in ambush near the corner of the obstacle, aiming for a surprise encounter.
"Hn, <Sonya>! Other side is in panic."
Ah. If Karua was right, our plan had been exposed to them, and now, they were fretting if they should charge forth or not. Uh-huh, not only their diversion failed, they lost their only surprise element, so freaking out was obvious.
"Fumu, so they have someone with detection skills as well. What now, Zephyr?" Rika nodded in response and asked.
"Shizu, shoot your <Flash Bullet>."
"Roger. <Flash Bullet>!"
"Everyone, lower your faces! Move out the moment the flash ends."
Winning here would cut us some loose, no way I am letting them away. I shouted my instructions to Shizu without any mercy.
Click A bullet escaped from the muzzle of Shizu's gun and landed on the ground a bit beyond the corner. I guess this should have attracted their attention, wondering what was that. Well, say your prayers guys!
"Kyaaa!"
"Eyes, my eyes!"
A momentary flash dyed the surroundings in blinding light, and if the shouts were to be believed, it worked as I had wanted. They should be inflicted with <Blind> aliment now.
We jumped out of our hiding spot the moment the light died out.
Our path was clear, since they hadn't taken down any squares around to mask their approach, and particularly the lack of squares with protection period helped much.
A huge fireball---a high-grade spell <Flare Burst>---jumped our way the instant we crossed the corner. Right, I only heard the scream of two, The last one apparently managed to avoid getting blindsided. A good move, alas---
"Not in my watch! <Twin-blade Counter>! Prepare yourself!"
"Geh, what!? Did you just repel the high-grade magic!?"
It seemed to have been our opponent's strong attack, which obviously didn't work. <Twin-blade Counter> had a long cooldown but on the plus side, it could be used to defend against magic. Just like now.
The unexpected situation pushed our lucky senior into a frenzy, which they shouldn't have.
"<Bind Shot>!"
"Eek! What, <Bind> status!? <Cur---"
"Should have been faster! Haaa <Flash Point>! <Ice Strike>! <Lightning Slash>!"
"Hn, <32 Star-Stream>!"
"Kyaaaa!"
With a swift moment, Shizu's <Bind Shot> sealed their fate. The magician senior tried to recover from <Bind> using <Cure>, however a step faster than her, the barrage of attacks from Rika and Karua dispatched the senior to the <Loser's Room>.
The other two seniors, having been afflicted with <Blind> status, also tried to make their way out. But, one of them was slashed down by Karua and me while another was gunned down from a distance by Shizu.
T/N - Oof, rip flash of flower. I guess that was bound to happen when their opponent has the leader who have went through such so many guild battles.