Chapter 325: Outmaneuvering

Currently, the Indomitable Alliance has three Lords, with Michael having reached the Peak Grandmaster realm. Theoretically, this meant they could neutralize four, maybe even five, enemy Lords if push came to shove.

Undoubtedly, they were in a much stronger position than at the start of the tournament, yet facing Flawless Starlight, which boasted twenty Lords in its ranks, would not be an easy battle.

There was a small chance that some of the enemy’s members might be deployed at the far edges of the solar system, reducing the forces the Indomitable Alliance would have to confront. But Skylar quickly shattered that hope. From the very start until now, Flawless Starlight had never failed to deploy their strongest members.

“This is exactly what I’m talking about!” Cayson said, clearly pleased by the news. As a former Golden Vanguard member, he had joined Michael’s faction all in the name of challenging himself. At long last, the time to push beyond his limits had come.

“You seem in high spirits.” Iris frowned. “Our chances are slim. Do you really think we can win this?”

“Now, now…” Robert smiled charmingly, trying to ease the tension. “Since we’re the only Lords in the faction, we must always stay confident. Otherwise, what will the others think?”

Iris studied Robert’s handsome face for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.

“The way I see it, we need to be realistic. Nobody has a problem with motivation… mainly because of him.” She exclaimed, gesturing toward Michael, who remained as nonchalant as ever.

“Twenty Lords? Fine by my standards!” Richard smiled menacingly. “If each Grandmaster takes care of one, things will even out a bit!”

Victoria shook her head.

“The two of us, including Claire, might have matched the prowess of a Lord in the last round. But that was extraordinary by most standards. Don’t start thinking of it as the norm, nor delude yourself into believing you are equal to a Lord.”

She paused briefly.

“Only Michael is capable of challenging cultivators of a higher realm than himself.”

Claire’s shoulders dropped.

“Sadly, I have to agree. Maybe when we reach the Peak Grandmaster realm, we’ll stand a chance. For now, it’s better that we stick together.”

“If my rival can do it, then so will I in due time.” Enzo shrugged. Recently, he had reached the Peak Master realm and was now just one step away from becoming a Grandmaster.

Enzo wasn’t the only one making progress. Shortly after the news of Ava becoming a Grandmaster spread, it ignited the flame of ambition within Amelia, Leo, and Ruby. Determined not to be left behind, they took their cultivation more seriously, ultimately reaching the Peak Master realm as well.

[There is no need to worry. My Master has surely crafted a masterful plan by now.]

Cyberfang’s voice echoed through the chamber, bringing silence to the room. Though the beast was often silent, its looming figure commanded respect whenever it shared its viewpoints.

“That’s my little brother.” Ruby whispered, giving the mechanical beast a thumbs-up.

A faint smile tugged at Michael’s lips, finding himself under everyone’s curious gazes.

“I might have a strategy in mind…” His eyes swept across everyone, eventually landing on Victoria.

“But what about you all?”

He didn’t plan to let his teammates neglect their strategic thinking.

Visibly startled by Michael’s gaze, Victoria needed a few seconds to compose herself.

“I suggest we go against their expectations…”

While the rules of the faction wars didn’t allow much room for bending, there was always a way to surprise one’s foes.

The plan was to leave the castle they had been assigned to. All that mattered was the person they chose as a leader. The fortified structure was only meant to serve as a base of operations.

While it was indeed useful in cases like attacks, it had the drawback of looming over the surroundings and drawing attention to itself. In simpler terms, it was a beacon that revealed their current position.

“Since Flawless Starlight holds the advantage, they’ll split their troops in search of us. I say we do the opposite. Stick together, move stealthily through the battlefield, and focus all our efforts on eliminating isolated soldiers who have strayed too far from their ranks.”

Her eyes sharpened like the piercing gaze of a dragon.

“Overall, they have more than three hundred members. It would be hard to engage them all at once, but it also means they can’t organize their forces on a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, we have less than one tenth of their troops, allowing us to move without delay. If it so happens that they spot us, we can either eliminate them or retreat faster than they can react. Gradually wearing down their numbers, it will only be a matter of time before our victory.”

It also played nicely with the image they had crafted for themselves. After Indomitable Alliance’s overwhelming victory in the last round, few would expect them to suddenly shift their approach toward caution.

’I bet this was his plan from the start.’ Victoria reasoned inwardly, throwing a distressed glance towards Michael.

Happy coincidences never happened by themselves. Michael had surely foreseen the most likely future and acted in his faction’s best interest.

“If that’s the plan we’re going with, I can use my concealment techniques to make us harder to spot.” Natalia suggested. She had been invaluable when the crew had infiltrated Celestia back on Neptune, and it seemed she would play her part once more.

Of course, creating a plan of action wasn’t a simple matter. The Indomitable Alliance spent the whole day discussing potential scenarios where things could go wrong and how to counter them. After all, even the terrain and climate of the battlefield were uncertain until the start of the clash, so they had to be thoroughly prepared.

It was one of the positive habits they had picked up from Michael.

Eventually, the day arrived. On one side, the Indomitable Alliance stood with Michael at the front. On the other, hundreds of Flawless Starlight members faced them, with their twenty Lords leading the formation.

The Emperor observed both factions for a few silent seconds before transporting them toward the designated battlefield.

At the start of the third round, everyone was instantly assaulted by bone-chilling cold.

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