Chapter 215: Episode 215

Day four of the schedule. The fierce battle on the Revived Plains had left the Yuda Raid Party with thirty-nine casualties. They had used their single-use skills a staggering eighty-four times. Factoring in those with moderate or severe injuries, Taehyun had dealt considerable damage. Although he had lost all the soldiers he’d deployed, they were forces he had allocated appropriately from the start. With the third battle now looming, he still had plenty of soldiers in reserve.

[The Yuda Raid Party has entered the Silent Forest.]

Finally, the raiders entered the forest. After what happened on the Revived Plains, Yuda would surely start using his personal items proactively.

“They’ve used up a lot of their single-use skills, so they’ll be more cautious now,” Inhye observed.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Taehyun replied. “What’s certain is that Yuda has changed his mind. The fact that he used Ragnarok at the end means he’s done underestimating us. We’ll start with the battle for vision.”

Familiars were sent into the forest. They had no real combat power, but they would serve as Taehyun’s eyes.

’I’ll pinpoint each raider’s location by tracking where the familiars die.’

Lights were already twinkling on the internal map of the Silent Forest. The fate of his familiars would determine when he used his own vision-granting item. Taehyun contacted Narae to request support.

—”Katarniak is pretty quiet, so I’ll lend him to you right away.”

“Wasn’t that the scream of a raider just now?”

—”Sh-shut up! It’s quiet, I said! Quiet!”

Katarniak was also a dungeon on the verge of S-rank. Taehyun was bewildered by her generosity in lending him Randus.

[A-rank Hero Guardian Randus from the A-rank dungeon Katarniak has been dispatched for support.]

[Support will be maintained for 1 hour.]

An instant later, a man appeared in the Master Room. His attire resembled a mage’s, but the spear in his hand was anything but ordinary.

“I have come at my Master’s request,” Randus said, his voice deep. “What is my task?”

“Just wait at the location I designate and deal with the raiders.”

“Simple. I like it. I shall depart at once.”

Randus, an A-rank Hero Guardian. According to Narae, he was a core unit capable of fighting S-rank raiders, his skill likely on par with Vadon’s. Taehyun sent him into the forest and checked the screen.

[A-rank Familiar Pinecone Eye has died.]

[Explosion Trap has been disarmed.]

[Snare Trap has been disarmed.]

The raiders’ positions were gradually being revealed. Like the Tarantula Raid Party, they had split up, but this time into three groups. Considering the possibility of a single-use skill, Taehyun placed a Position Transfer Marker.

[Position Transfer Marker has been placed.]

The marker was placed on the route of the group Venshi had joined. Normally, targeting the raid leader’s group would be the standard choice, but he had to think differently.

’If they get serious, no one is more dangerous in a forest than a druid. Since Venshi hasn’t shown his ultimate skill yet, C team is the biggest threat.’

Taehyun designated Yuda’s group as A team, Asiant’s group as B team, and the group with Hiklu and Venshi as C team. With the scout Hiklu also in C team, the battle would likely revolve around them.

[A-rank Hero Soldier Lich Big Dream’s special ability ‘Black Mist’ has been activated.]

[A black mist envelops Balak’s soldiers.]

[The Black Mist will be canceled if his mana is depleted or if Big Dream takes damage.]

The black mist activated in the center of the forest. Ambush soldiers were already positioned on both flanks, and with Hendy’s Grand Explosion also enchanted, the situation was identical to before.

“Kadum, how’s the flow of magic?”

—”The distance is too great to see clearly, but magic is connecting from the C team you mentioned to B team and A team.”

Kadum reported through his Hunter’s Eye. If magic was connecting the teams, it was undoubtedly vision sharing. Taehyun sent a portion of his Evil Goblins to each route.

“A diversion?” Inhye asked.

“No. If a soldier leaves the unit, they aren’t included in the vision battle. The raid party has already used a Vision Expansion Scroll, so they’ll be discovered soon. In times like this, you use a Radar Detection Net.”

A net of energy spread out around the goblins on the screen.

[Casting Radar Detection Net.]

[The detection net will operate for a set period.]

[Any beings that enter the net’s range will be automatically detected.]

Through the net, about ten raiders were detected. Every one of them was a rogue-type class skilled in infiltration. Taehyun had used the Radar Detection Net as a throwaway move, but he had luckily stumbled upon them.

“Those raiders are…?!”

“They’re probably the ones who used stealth skills to secure Vision Priority.”

“Did you predict even this?”

“Honestly, it’s impossible to see through something like this. I don’t even have an accurate count of the raiders in their three teams. I just used the Radar Detection Net with the intention of sacrificing it. It wouldn’t have mattered whether there were raiders there or not. But as luck would have it, I found them.”

The raiders whose positions had been exposed tried to hurry back. At that moment, Randus, along with fourteen High Elves, blocked their path. Taehyun grinned, a neutralization item in his hand.

“So, what are you going to do now? No matter who you save, you’ll have to use either a Position Transfer or a Save a Comrade coin. What’s your call, Yuda?”

—

—”Damn. We’ve been discovered.”

The comrades detected by the net sent a message. Hiklu informed Yuda and Asiant and asked for their decision.

“What’s the call? The ones we sent to secure Vision Priority have all been caught.”

—”Tch. He’s a real pain in the ass with that brain of his.”

“Looks to me like he just used a detection net as a throwaway. Well, I guess that still counts as being smart. So?”

—”Why are you asking the obvious? We have no choice but to abandon them.”

Even Yuda, who valued his comrades, was a top-tier A-rank raider first and foremost. He could clearly distinguish between who to save and who to abandon. Hiklu nodded and canceled her skill.

[Canceling Vision Sharing.]

[The Vision Sharing markers attached to 12 raiders have disappeared.]

There was no need to reveal the scout’s skill by showing the markers. Hiklu looked at the vanished screen and sighed.

“Sigh. This is the problem. I told him we should raid other dungeons. We keep hitting Velvet over and over, and this is what happens.”

“Are all the raiders we sent toward their main forces dead?” Venshi asked.

“Loooong gone. They’re dead.”

“Hmm. Contact Yuda and tell him to give me command authority. I need to be the raid leader for this one.”

Venshi requested command. Hiklu nodded and got Yuda’s permission.

“He said do whatever you want.”

“Good, good. Yuda seems a bit pissed off, so I’ll take full command from now on.”

The position of raid leader finally passed to Venshi. He placed his hand on the ground and cast a single-use skill.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Venshi has cast Domain Invasion.]

[For a set time, the entire structure of the Silent Forest is revealed.]

[Domain Invasion uses remaining: 1/1]

The entire forest appeared before his eyes: the three main forces at the center, the scattered High Elves, the traps installed everywhere, the ambush soldiers spread to the left and right, the man who looked like a hunter, and even the mage with a formidable presence. Everything was identified. Venshi took out a mechanical peacock and handed it to Lugriva, who was standing behind him.

“Isn’t this a peacock?”

“When I give the signal, control it and fly it in the direction I indicate.”

“What if it runs into other soldiers or familiars on the way?”

“As long as I have this, that will never happen.”

Venshi pointed to his own eyes, which had turned red. Domain Invasion was a skill unique to druids. It could only be used on land where plants grew, but in a forest like this, it was as good as clairvoyance.

“Hiklu, tell Yuda to place a Position Transfer Marker on the route Asiant is taking.”

“Isn’t a Position Transfer a bit of a waste? It’s going to get neutralized anyway, so why use it? Besides, we still have the inside of the dungeon left.”

“Don’t worry,” Venshi said, a Vision Priority scroll already appearing from his pocket. “That Taehyun Yoo fellow will definitely be forced to neutralize a different item.”

—

[A team has revealed themselves.]

The raid party finally began to move. Thanks to his pre-designation, the groups were displayed in alphabetical order. As expected, A team, which Yuda had joined, attempted a forced breakthrough toward Randus. Because of that, the initial vision advantage fell to Balak.

“Open fire,” Taehyun commanded. “Hyena, cast Snare Trap and Illusion Trap first. Ambush soldiers, maintain your distance and block their advance.”

A standoff ensued. Their path was blocked by ambush soldiers and triggered traps. With magic and arrows raining down, the raiders couldn’t approach recklessly.

[High Elf Saphaella’s Homing Arrow has been cast.]

[Hera has activated Illusion Trap.]

[Doom Mage Haguru has cast Shadow Bind.]

Having seized vision, the advantage of range was with Balak.

[B team has revealed themselves.]

Asiant’s group appeared next, but it was useless. Soldiers had already been deployed on all three routes.

“Randus, take on A team, the one I explained earlier.”

—”That Yuda fellow sounds quite interesting. This is perfect. I shall engage in battle at once.”

The battle mage Randus finally entered the fray. He thrust his long spear and immediately cast a single-use skill.

[A-rank Hero Guardian Randus has cast Blazing Incarnation.]

[Randus’s entire body transforms into a blazing inferno.]

[Blazing Incarnation uses remaining: 1/1]

An intense flame erupted over his entire body. Randus began to pressure Yuda with his Blazing Incarnation. A team was forced to use their own skills to counterattack, but the situation was not in their favor. Ambush soldiers on their flanks, ranged support from the front, and traps everywhere—the raiders were being harried from all sides.

—”You have considerable skill, no less than an S-rank raider. Let’s see you endure until the end!”

—”Damn it! Just how many main forces do they have for a guy like this to pop out?!”

—”Focus! Or else our comrades will die!”

—”Damn it, these flames are so annoying!”

Fragarach moved in a blur, twisting the trajectories of the rapid-fire magic spear strikes. A team was now completely isolated. Taehyun deployed the dolls he had prepared.

“Loqueen, cast To a Faraway Place on the ones caught in the traps.”

—”I’m on my way. You mean the raiders in the Snare Traps over there?”

“Yes. Use it now!”

—”Yes!”

Dolls appeared from between the trees. One of them was Loqueen. Following the order, she cast her skill.

[Top-tier B-rank Raider Loqueen has used To a Faraway Place.]

[Raiders within a certain range are forcibly moved to the opposite side of the dungeon.]

About twenty raiders were sent flying to the far side of the forest. Yuda, who had been fighting Randus, was flustered by the sudden disappearance of his comrades.

’Come on. Use the Position Transfer,’ Taehyun thought, fiddling with the neutralization item and letting out a sneer. ’C team still hasn’t shown themselves.’

Just then, a mechanical peacock flew in front of the black mist.

“W-what? There should still be familiars and soldiers on C team’s route!”

“T-Taehyun!” Inhye cried out. “A red line has appeared around the black mist!”

“Damn it! Quickly re—”

Just as he was about to order a retreat, a giant tree shot up from the ground.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Venshi has cast Tree of the Firmament.]

[A giant tree soars to the sky in the designated area.]

[All soldiers within the range have been forcibly launched.]

[Tree of the Firmament uses remaining: 1/1]

The soldiers hit by the giant tree were launched high into the air. As a result, the black mist was automatically canceled. Seeing the peacock, Taehyun quickly used his neutralization item.

[The Yuda Raid Party has used Vision Priority.]

[A neutralization item has been used.]

[The activation of Vision Priority has been canceled.]

As expected, the raid party tried to claim vision, but he barely managed to block it. Taehyun immediately followed up with his own Vision Priority, winning the vision battle.

“Haa. If I’d messed that up, they would’ve broken right through…”

Just as Taehyun was breathing a sigh of relief, a new message appeared.

[The Yuda Raid Party has used Location Shift.]

[The locations of all raiders will be changed to their previously saved positions.]

It was a Location Shift item.

—

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