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 [Chapter 200]

[A Matter of Moments(3)]

The 12th Communication Platoon dispatched troops to form a communication squad participating in the Demon Face Manta Ray subjugation operation led by Priscis Memory.

This squad, belonging to the Special Formation Platoon, was in charge of the communication network for the squads of Twelve Seats Lee Do-jin, Yu Su-jin, and Dark King Clan's Chae Seon-woo.

However, a problem occurred.

"...Communication has been cut off."

While the players belonging to the Special Formation Platoon were focused on herding the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Priscis Memory realized that the telepathy that had been coming in almost every minute had suddenly decreased.

"Hmm...."

6 o'clock direction

She stared at the direction from which no telepathy was coming.

There was no way communication would suddenly be cut off without any information.

Something must have happened.

In the worst case, the possibility that the communication squad players dispatched in the 6 o'clock direction had been wiped out couldn't be ignored.

And if that were the case, it would mean there was another danger that the recapture team wasn't aware of.

For a telepathist to be unable to send telepathy properly and have communication cut off, it must be one of two things.

Either they became unable to use telepathy for some reason, or they were taken out before they could use telepathy.

The former was somewhat reassuring.

But the latter couldn't be.

The players belonging to her squad were quite strong.

Especially in terms of handling communication, they were experts.

"You there, Telepathist."

"Ah, yes. <Time Witch>. What is it?"

"Contact the communication squad members and tell them we can't get news from the communication squad in the 6 o'clock direction. So tell them to be especially cautious. And tell them I've gone to look for the people we can't contact."

"...!! Yes, understood. But... is it okay for you to go alone? Shouldn't we send a few people with you..."

"We're already short on people with everyone spread out widely, we can't divide our forces again here. I'll be fine, don't worry."

"Yes.... I wish you good luck."

She couldn't pointlessly take players with her and lose them to unexpected events.

Priscis Memory finished speaking and closed her eyes.

The closest place in the 6 o'clock direction, this should do.

There was a suitable location just in time.

It saved her the trouble of moving.

She activated her magic.

Extract

Not magic that moves through space.

Magic that reverses cause and effect.

She opened her eyes after activating magic that other players couldn't interpret.

Having moved locations in the blink of an eye, she immediately moved to the place where she had dispatched the communication squad.

"..."

What she witnessed then was a sight almost too difficult to see with the eyes.

The smell of blood was overwhelming.

It wasn't monster blood.

It was human blood.

The corpses fallen on the forest floor in the darkness proved it.

"This is...."

She frowned.

Walking to the center of the sea of blood, she soon found the emblem of the 12th Communication Platoon on one player's corpse.

Staining her snow-white hand with blood, she gently removed the emblem and couldn't erase the hardened expression on her face.

"Judging by how the corpses are torn to shreds, it seems to be a monster close to a beast...."

It was undoubtedly the work of a high-rank monster.

It was clearly the doing of a monster of at least 3rd rank, comparable to the Demon Face Manta Ray.

"There's no way people wouldn't have noticed such a monster.... Even if they were preoccupied with chasing the Demon Face Manta Ray, to not detect the presence of a high-rank monster..."

Above all, she hadn't noticed it herself.

Priscis Memory stopped speaking and was about to deploy a detection net.

Right at that moment─.

─Whoosh

The wind blew.

The forest cried.

A massive presence was felt.

Film Disposal

A speed too fast to even perceive.

Priscis Memory activated a protection spell almost reflexively.

The world lines behind her separated.

If her response had been even a little slower, she would have fallen to the monster approaching from behind.

Just as she thought that─.

──!!

The magic that had initially completely blocked the attack from outside the world lines.

Was suddenly broken through.

The magic was torn to shreds and scattered with a sound like glass breaking.

Priscis Memory's eyes widened at the unexpected situation.

The monster that had broken through the magic rushed at her.

This too was invisible.

"─Ugh...!!"

By the time she perceived it, it was already too late.

The arm holding her staff was torn off.

She let out a pained cry while grabbing the part where her arm had been ripped off.

Her gaze naturally turned to the monster that had bitten her arm.

Her eyes met the monster's.

It seemed to be grinning.

Soon it deliberately chewed on the arm in its mouth.

Crunch!!

The sound of bones breaking.

The sound of flesh being chewed.

Priscis Memory had to witness the sight of her arm being discarded like gum that had lost all its flavor.

The monster didn't eat it.

It didn't seem particularly interested in eating humans.

Rather, it was provoking.

No, it was creating fear.

"The fox of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Office...."

But Priscis Memory wasn't afraid of it.

She just calmly muttered its identity while stopping the bleeding from her arm.

At this, it sent a thought.

─You, you're strong?

Different from the ones I've killed so far.

A voice with some playfulness in it.

From the voice that treated human lives like toys, its arrogance could be felt.

But, it had the power to back it up.

She couldn't let her guard down.

She tried to leave the place to inform the recapture team about its appearance.

At that moment─.

─But, I'm stronger.

Its form disappeared.

That was the end.

"Ah...."

In the blink of an eye.

The fox tore her up and down as she was chanting magic with one hand.

Priscis Memory fell to the ground with a thud, watching her internal organs float in the air.

Hehehehehe, what a shame.

Should I have played more?

Soon the fox tore her corpse to shreds and threw it away.

Then monsters that smelled the blood cautiously approached.

The fox glanced at the creatures that feared it and left the place.

That side should be more fun?

Cutting through the darkness.

It decides their deaths without people even realizing.

2nd rank monster Maegu.

The boss of the red dungeon Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Office was killing the Special Formation Platoon players like that.

No, it was slaughtering them.

☆

The night only grew deeper.

It was unknown when day would break.

The players were preoccupied with resisting the monsters and corps commanders attacking with the night at their backs.

Whoosh!

Outside Cobalt Knight's domain.

Navigators, snipers, and others shot flares into the night sky.

With new light illuminating the night, it became easier for players to identify monsters charging from a distance.

Especially for snipers, it became easier to snipe high-rank monsters from high positions.

Whoosh!!

However, monsters wouldn't just quietly submit to the players either.

Flying monsters moved to extinguish the lights.

Rangers on the rooftops pulled their triggers to shoot them.

While hunters on the ground were fighting swiftly through the collapsed city, they were fighting to not lose air superiority.

Shoot, shoot! Shoot more!

Turn up the lights more!

Monster using brainwashing magic detected! This squad will now enter subjugation of said monster!

Players and monsters.

Their fight was a desperate struggle to claim air superiority and light.

The players were desperate not to lose either side.

Meanwhile, the night sky on the other side suddenly flashed.

─Boom!!

Blue lightning fell.

The lightning that fell from a distance even lit up the nearby night sky.

Because of this, players could vaguely grasp what was happening on the other side.

Bubbbbbbb....

Under the sky covered with a black curtain.

Its form was revealed.

A monster in the shape of a manta ray.

3rd rank overrank Demon Face Manta Ray.

By now, players knew about its identity through telepathy.

Shoot! Shoot!

Fire without restraint!

A monster that turns the area into a dungeon.

Knowing how dungeons affect monsters, they couldn't help but feel fear towards it.

So they tried to subjugate the monsters before it approached.

They were getting anxious.

─I am the guardian of this land.

But the corps commander was persistent.

The corps commander, which had entered its 2nd phase, was now freely using magic and driving people into a corner.

In contrast, people had to fight relying on devices rather than magic.

──!!

The corps commander swung its rapier.

Thin blades made of mana scattered in all directions.

The blades moving in strange trajectories attacked the players.

To block the fast-moving blades, they had to either block them faster with devices or block with magic.

But the blades passed right through protection magic that didn't use a medium.

Moreover, the blades even showed the ability to change their trajectory midway to avoid devices and stab elsewhere.

People stepping on the blue domain had no choice but to be hit, unable to properly block its attacks.

As a result, the subjugation of the corps commander was being increasingly delayed.

In this situation, bad news was conveyed to the commanders through the 5th Communication Platoon.

[─The Demon Face Manta Ray's ability has expanded, and the area near Uijeongbu Station has transformed into a red dungeon. As a result, the corps commander Crimson Knight has also received the dungeon's buff. Therefore, this platoon will now move Crimson Knight to a location not under the Demon Face Manta Ray's influence from this moment.]

Not only had the Demon Face Manta Ray approached, but its ability had also been strengthened.

The commanders who received the communication sighed.

What on earth were the players subjugating the Demon Face Manta Ray doing?

People who didn't know about the current situation where the Special Formation Platoon's communication was cut off and coordination wasn't properly maintained lamented.

In this situation─.

[─The 5th Communication Platoon relays a message from Navigator Jung Ha-yang. All squad leaders are requested to follow Navigator Jung Ha-yang's instructions. "Hello. This is Navigator Jung Ha-yang of the 2nd Supply Platoon. The current battle situation is....]

Twelve Seats <Index >'s The Seed.

<Bookmark > Jung Ha-yang's strategy was approved and relayed to the players fighting the two corps commanders.

☆

The situation was hardly improving.

Arts Center, 5th Communication Platoon base.

Jung Ha-yang, checking the information coming in real-time in the control room, couldn't hide her dark expression.

Even using <Amplification > didn't change the situation much. The handicap of only being able to use either sword or magic is too big.

She drank the potion placed beside her.

The mana consumption was considerable from observing almost all of Uijeongbu with the Witch's Model Garden.

Though she was enduring thanks to her inherently vast mana, she was quite overexerting herself.

Moreover, she was using her gift while updating the map in real-time.

Nevertheless, she pushed aside her throbbing headache.

Surely the players fighting on the field must be having an even harder time.

"─This is news that just came in. 2nd Supply Platoon 5th Squad, retreating to the Arts Center to replenish ammunition!"

While it must be a battlefield outside.

Where she was was also a battlefield.

Navigators and telepathists were moving busily.

The work of hearing incoming information, judging, analyzing, drawing their own conclusions, and then relaying back to the field never stopped for a moment.

Jung Ha-yang updated the Witch's Model Garden with the information sent by Kim Mary and immediately relayed it to others.

"...We've received word that both corps commanders, Crimson Knight and Cobalt Knight, have expanded their domains."

At Kim Mary's news.

People at the base paused.

""""...."""

Again.

The corps commanders who had entered their 2nd phase were expanding their domains every time they took damage.

Thinking positively, it could be said that the subjugation of the corps commanders was not far off.

On the other hand, thinking negatively, it meant that the range of movement for people fighting the corps commanders had decreased.

"...The domain has expanded to where the twins are. Mary, relay to the twins to check from outside the domain. Tell them further judgment is left to Meiling. Meiling will probably be able to respond appropriately with good judgment."

Twin sister Meiling.

Unlike her usual personality, she had the insight to keenly grasp the battle situation.

So she could be trusted and relied upon.

The situation was flowing so urgently that there wasn't enough capacity to pay attention to players on the outskirts of the domain.

Moreover, she now had to receive reports about the Demon Face Manta Ray that had finally come down to Uijeongbu.

It's a 3rd rank overrank monster, but to not even be able to change its course, let alone attack it, with three Twelve Seats attached....

Lee Do-jin, Yu Su-jin, Priscis Memory.

She knew the skills of these three people.

So it was unsettling that they couldn't stop the Demon Face Manta Ray and ultimately let it come down to Uijeongbu.

Something must have gone wrong in subjugating the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Sure enough─.

"─Information from the Special Formation Platoon. Communication cut off with communication squad players belonging to the platoon except for Twelve Seats Priscis Memory."

""""...!!""""

"Accordingly, Yang Hee-jung, navigator of Silla Clan in the Special Formation Platoon, judges there's a high possibility of another high-rank monster near the Demon Face Manta Ray. All members are urged to exercise extreme caution."

""""...."""

"Ah.... Another one just came in. An unidentified monster just attacked the rear of the 6th Communication Platoon and fled, it says."

Information relayed from the Special Formation Platoon.

Jung Ha-yang fell into thought after receiving Kim Mary's relay.

"..."

The Demon Face Manta Ray approached Uijeongbu.

And after that, the Special Formation Platoon was hardly able to exert force against the Demon Face Manta Ray.

Perhaps a high-rank monster appeared then and interfered with them.

The fact that three Twelve Seats couldn't properly exert force against the Demon Face Manta Ray meant the possibility of a new corps commander appearing had to be considered.

I'm worried that even news from <Time Witch> has been cut off....

I hope she's safe....

Many casualties were occurring.

Now even the Twelve Seats <Time Witch>'s fate was uncertain.

On top of that, the Demon Face Manta Ray had finally expanded its dungeon and made contact with Crimson Knight.

The situation was worsening.

It seemed like it might get better, but there was no sign of improvement.

Jung Ha-yang bit her lip.

First, we need to separate Crimson Knight from the Demon Face Manta Ray's domain.

Fortunately, it's still in a situation where it's barely overlapping with the domain. It'll be tough, but we need to move the corps commander.

Subjugation was now secondary.

The corps commanders needed to be separated.

Jung Ha-yang looked at the Witch's Model Garden and sought a place to move Crimson Knight.

The distance that would be least burdensome for players on the field is only near Cobalt Knight at 8 o'clock.

There were many factors to consider.

The most important factor to consider was whether the new location was suitable for players to fight it.

There weren't many options.

Just below the current position.

It was a distance that could overlap with Cobalt Knight's domain if they weren't careful.

"─5th Communication Platoon Commander."

"Oh, Ha-yang."

 At this, Jung Ha-yang stood up and sought out Regulus Clan Lord Koo Yeon-su, the 5th Communication Platoon Commander.

He, who had been sharing information with the navigators, immediately asked for the main point.

There was so little time to spare.

Jung Ha-yang didn't mind either.

"I think the only suitable place to lure Crimson Knight is towards Baekseok Stream Neighborhood Park."

"We were just talking about that too. But if we do that, the people facing Crimson Knight at Baekseok Stream Neighborhood Park will have to retreat to Hoeryong Station. It's too much to move both platoons, people must be very tired."

"That's why I think it's best to move only Crimson Knight separately."

"If we do that...."

Koo Yeon-su trailed off.

Jung Ha-yang's suggestion was very dangerous.

Crimson Knight and Demon Face Manta Ray.

In trying to separate the two corps commanders, they might accidentally bring Cobalt Knight and Crimson Knight closer.

Their domains could collide.

There was also a possibility they might cooperate.

To this, Jung Ha-yang spoke firmly.

"─But I think this is the only suitable method we have. The Special Formation Platoon needs to drive Demon Face Manta Ray north, and the 2nd Attack Platoon needs to drive Crimson Knight south."

"Hmm...."

"And didn't you say just earlier that my idea might be right, Communication Platoon Commander?"

"You mean that?"

"Yes."

A few hours ago, Jung Ha-yang had proposed a strategy to everyone.

However, the strategy she put forward involved risks.

As a result, the commanders opposed it and it was put on hold.

"High risk, high return, huh..."

""""...."""

But now there weren't many options left.

No sign of victory was visible.

It was time to take a gamble.

Koo Yeon-su seriously considered her strategy.

"Alright, let's give it a try. This isn't the time to be picky about danger. We're in a situation where we might die at any moment anyway, what can't we do?"

"Communication Platoon Commander, then...."

"Ha-yang, you push it forward. Even if it fails, I'll take responsibility."

"...Thank you! I'll definitely succeed!"

"But I'll name the operation. The operation name... Right, since it's an intersection, let's call it Operation A∩B."

"Communication Platoon Commander, that's...."

<Bookmark > Jung Ha-yang's led operation.

No, she who came to command a large-scale operation could be called an <Operator > without exaggeration.

The strategy she proposed was quickly relayed to the players on the field.