Chapter 49: War Plan

It was nighttime, and the War Game would officially begin early the next morning. The Hestia and Soma Familia had arrived at their campsite many kilometers from the castle a few hours earlier and set up camp for the night.

Combined, the Hestia and Soma alliance totaled 98 adventurers: 94 from the Soma Familia, 3 from the Hestia Familia, and 1 outsider. Among them were 2 Level 3s—Rex and the unnamed outsider—12 Level 2s (9 from Soma, excluding the twins guarding Soma back in Orario, and 3 from Hestia), and the remaining 84 were Level 1s, all from the Soma Familia.

In comparison, the defending Apollo Familia had about 110 members, including 1 Level 3, 18 Level 2s, and roughly 92 Level 1s. Their combat power was almost equal, but the Apollo Familia had a significant advantage—not only due to their higher number of first-class adventurers but also because of Shreme Castle.

Standing in a field devoid of trees or hills, the castle had been built in ancient times as the first line of defense. Constructed before Babel Tower, it was used to stop the advance of monsters that emerged from the hole to attack nearby towns and villages.

Many castles like this one had been built relatively close to current day Orario for this purpose, but most had been destroyed or collapsed after centuries of neglect. Shreme, however, had been used as a staging point by the kingdom of Rakia during one of its wars against Orario. While several of its main towers were damaged, the castle's main wall and other defenses remained largely intact.

The Apollo and Ganesha Familia had repaired the damages to the wall in the past few days, leaving it almost as good as new. With a height over 15 meters—even taller in areas with towers—and a thickness of over 10 meters, plus the materials it was made of…

"Even second-class adventurers would have trouble cracking it," Zanis said, looking down at the map on the table in front of him.

The high-rankers of both Familia were gathered inside the largest tent in the middle of the campsite. Magic stone lamps lit the interior, and a wooden table at the center held a map of Shreme Castle and the surrounding area—a map Zanis had acquired through his connections.

Inside the tent were 13 adventurers: from the Soma side, Rex, Zanis, Chandra, and 6 other Level 2s; from the Hestia side, Bell, Mikoto, Welf, and the unnamed 'Level 3' who Rex knew was Ryuu.

"Only a really powerful type of magic would have any hope of damaging it, let alone cracking it," Zanis continued as he looked over the group. "And I doubt the archers would wait for the chant to be finished. So, any propositions on how we can get in?"

"One of our Level 3s jumps up the wall, fights their way to the gate, and opens it for us." Welf spoke up from his position standing to the right of the white-haired Bell. He was dressed in a simple black T-shirt, tan pants, calf-high brown boots, and a long sword at his waist.

The room fell silent as everyone stared at Welf. The plan he proposed was… surprisingly simple, but it could work. However—

"There are two layers of gates, one in the inner wall and one in the outer wall," Zanis explained as he pointed at the map while glancing at Welf. "These gates need their levers held down for thirty seconds before they're completely opened. If not, it would drop and lock."

He shook his head. "Even a Level 3 would have a hard time fending off multiple adventurers while holding the lever, and they will have to do it twice for both gates."

"We send both," Chandra shrugged from his seated position on a crate to the side with his wine gourd in hand. "Two's always better than one."

"And how will they defend against the magicians while they open the gate?" Zanis turned to him. "Even if they can take care of the close combatant, I doubt they'll be able to handle the bombardment of magic from the Apollo defenders."

"So we blow through the gates," Welf said while patting the hilt of his sword. "I can use my magic sword to destroy both gates, then we can charge through."

"Please," Zanis waved a hand. "Those gates can handle the magic of a Level 2 with a mage development ability. Your magic sword won't be able to do anything to it."

"I assure you, Zanis, they can," Welf declared, meeting the glasses-wearing man's gaze.

"Alright," Zanis decided not to argue. "Let's assume it could, but the problem remains. The mages."

"Yeah, everyone entering from one place is an easy way to get wiped out by a single area-of-effect magic," Irhaal, a Level 2 elf from the Soma Familia, said. She was the one Zanis had forced to wash Rex's plate many weeks earlier. "Maybe we can handle it, but I doubt the Level 1s can do anything about it."

While they argued about how to get in, Rex just kept staring at the map, wondering, 'How the fuck did the Hestia Familia get in in the show?'

From what he could see, there was ZERO way such a weak Familia, even with Ryuu, could break through the wall. It was completely impossible. So how did they do it? And they had won so easily—but… how?

What he didn't know was that in the show, after the Soma Familia was attacked by Hestia and her group and Liliruca joined the Hestia Familia, she proposed the plan to enter the Apollo Familia castle as the Trojan horse. They captured the Pallum Luan and had her enter the castle impersonating him. From the inside, she controlled the Familia and then opened the gate to let the Hestia Familia in.

However, with his interference breaking canon, this wasn't the case now—and they had to find the hard way inside the castle.

"We could break through the walls from multiple sides, split our forces, and rush in," a Level 2 barefoot Amazoness wearing a red bikini from Soma's side proposed. "Simple."

"And how would we break through the wall from 'multiple' sides?" Zanis turned to her, putting an emphasis on the multiple.

"I'unno," she shrugged, pointing at him. "That's for you guys to decide."

Zanis sighed, and then Rex spoke up. "Her plan could work." He drew their attention as he continued, "Welf can blast through the western gate with his magic sword to draw their attention while I break through the eastern wall, where the majority of the troops can rush in from."

"How would you break through the wall?" the Amazoness asked, looking at Rex. 

"Magic." He replied. "I can concurrent chant." But it's not like he will need concurrent chanting or even magic. After all, scavenger had already confirmed he could break through the wall with his raw strength, Strong Body and Heptathlos. All he had to do was run up, charge, punch—and boom, bye-bye wall.

"I can handle the north," the mysterious helper X—Ryuu—spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.

She stood apart from the group, behind the three Hestia Familia members and closer to the tent's entrance. She was dressed in a dark cloak that covered everything above her ankles, with a hood shielding most of her face, though the pointed tips of her elven ears were slightly noticeable from the sides.

"Another concurrent chanter?" the Amazoness asked, and Ryuu nodded, causing the girl to scoff. "What are the odds? Both of our Level 3s can concurrent chant." She laughed sarcastically.

It was indeed unbelievable—concurrent chanting was a technique almost as rare as the number of First-Class Adventurers in Orario. It will be more believable if these two claimed they were secretly Level 4s than to say they could both concurrent chant.

"So, do you have any other plans?" Zanis glanced back at her.

"No, I don't," she shook her head. "But how can we be so sure they can concurrent chant?"

"I can show you," Ryuu said simply. 

The Amazoness turned to her with an animalistic grin. "Oh, we can go." She cracked her knuckles, not even worried that the elf she was talking to was a Level 3.

"You two can settle this later," Zanis waved, pulling the attention back to the task at hand. "So we have three possible entrances into the castle—from the north and eastern walls and the western gate."

"Might as well make it four," Chandra said, cracking his neck. "Have some high-class adventurers climb the southern wall while folks are distracted by the destruction. Surround 'em."

Zanis nodded as he asked, "Who'll be the one to use the magic sword to break through the gate?" He looked at Welf. "I doubt you're the fast type who can distract people, so I propose—" 

He gestured to a cat girl standing to the side behind him, looking like she was about to fall asleep while standing. "—Sandra."

The moment her name was called, the cat girl's eyes snapped open as she realized everyone was looking at her. She cleared her throat and folded her arms behind her back, raising her head and acting like she was paying attention. 

She was a cute girl with sand-colored, neck-length hair, cat ears poking out from the top, and wore a white shirt that exposed her belly button, along with black form-fitting pants and sandals. She was the spy Zanis had assigned to watch Bell at the Guild when Rex wanted to know when he'd be heading to the Middle Floors for the Black Goliath event almost a month ago.

"My captain can do it," Welf said, patting the stiff Bell on the shoulder. The white-haired boy jolted as all eyes turned to him, fingers fidgeting nervously.

"He just became a Level 2, while Sandra's been one for two years—and she's the fastest in the Soma Familia, aside from Rex Magnus, of course." Zanis adjusted his glasses. "I doubt your recent level 2 captain can outrun her, and you think he will work as a distraction against multiple Level 2s?"

Sandra nodded silently at Zanis' claim, folding her arms proudly across her chest. But the young smith didn't back down.

"I trust him with my magic sword," Welf said, hand still on Bell's shoulder. "And I don't let people I don't trust touch my magic swords."

Zanis stared at him, then sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Kids nowadays," he muttered. Welf scoffed at this and Zanis continued. "Alright, little rookie can handle the gate." Zanis continued, "Now, troop distribution."

After fifteen minutes, the plan for tomorrow morning was set. First, Bell, Sandra, another level 2 would head to the western gate, with Bell using the magic sword to destroy it while the other level 2 provided cover. Meanwhile, Rex and Ryuu would breach the northern and southern walls, allowing the 42 Level 1s and 1 Level 2s following each of them to flood in. 

The remaining 7 Level 2s, Mikoto, Welf, Zanis and the others would scale the eastern wall opposite the gate. Once the signal was given, Rex and Ryuu would push toward Bell and his group to reinforce the western assault.

Like that, they would strike from all sides.

"But there's something we're missing," the Amazoness spoke as everyone turned to the grinning dark-skinned woman. "Can these two second-class adventurers really concurrent chant?"

It was obvious what she was implying, and Chandra spoke up: "Why don't the Level 3s go at each other?" He took a gulp from his gourd. "Some nighttime entertainment for us." The amazoness clicked her tongue since she wouldn't be able to fight Ryuu, but didn't argue as she also wanted to see the level 3s fight each other.

"I won't decline a fight opportunity." Rex wasn't going to turn down the chance to test himself against one of the strongest Level 4s in the city. "Let's actually try to kill each other."

All eyes turned to him, with Chandra mumbling, "I ain't say that."

"A light spar," Zanis corrected, "We don't want you two too injured and waste potion before the war game." he then looked at Ryuu. "Do you agree?"

"Yes," Ryuu nodded. "Let's spar."

The campsite sat in a rocky outcrop with large wind-smoothed boulders and steep, uneven slopes, pale moonlight washing over the terrain in a silver-blue glow. Stars flickered between scattered clouds, and a nearby river reflected the light.

Rex and Ryuu faced each other a dozen meters apart in a rather large clearing with few boulders in this area like a natural arena. The Elf's slender arm held a wooden sword, while the Chienthrope bulkier arm gripped a simple black metal spear slightly taller than himself. The spear was slightly thicker than normal with a long triangular spearhead that looked like it was made for thrusting and slashing.

He had decided to switch weapons at Level 3—sword at Level 1, halberd at Level 2, now spear—to gain experience with different arms. Of course, like at Level 2, he still carried dual swords and a halberd for when he needed to switch tactics.

On a hill almost a kilometer away, the rest of the nearly 100 members watched, with some sitting on boulders, others leaned against rocks, all keeping their distance.

"Why are we so far away?" A man asked, "I can barely see them."

"You must be a new level one." A woman chuckled. "The fight between Second Class Adventurers is too destructive for us to be close."

"This is a wash." a man said, dropping a few hundred valis on the makeshift rocky table. "Rex wins."

"I mean, he's a fighter while the elf looks like a mage. She can't win in close combat," a woman sighed as she placed her bet.

"What's the point of betting if we already know who'll win?"

"He's right, what's the—"

"All in on the elf." Everyone turned to the small girl who dropped a pouch of about five thousand valis on the table.

"Daring today, aren't we?" The Level 2 Boaz managing the bets chuckled. "Just know it's your loss, Liliruca." She said nothing and joined the Hestia Familia members watching from the side.

The two combatants simply stared at each other, neither moving. Then Rex started spinning and twirling his spear around his body with a *woosh,* its movement so fast some Level 1s couldn't follow it, the metal blade glinting in the moonlight. His five days of training with Zanis, Mikoto, and Chandra plus Indomitable Will had practically made him a spear master.

He stopped abruptly, settling into a stance—left foot slightly forward, right hand midway up the shaft, left near the rear, and spearhead angled slightly downward toward Ryuu. Then, without pause, he lunged forward, closing the distance between them in what seemed like an instant. Appearing in front of her, he stepped forward, twisted his waist and thrusts forward with his spear going straight for Ryuu's head—

*Clang!*

Ryuu's wooden sword flashed upward, intercepting Rex's spear at the midpoint of its blade, redirecting the powerful thrust upward and slightly off to her right with a smooth, controlled arc. Without losing a beat, Rex capitalized on the momentum of his spear being knocked upward, pivoting on his forward foot and sweeping the spear down in a diagonal slash aimed at Ryuu's left side. 

The spearhead cut through the air with a sharp whistle, a dark streak slicing moonlight in half. But Ryuu pivoted smoothly, sword rising diagonally from below, deflecting the spearhead again. 

*Clang!*

The wooden blade met metal, her wrist twisting slightly to dissipate the spear's force. Rex's spear blade bounced off, but he turned the recoil seamlessly into a tight spin, snapping the spearhead horizontally toward Ryuu's ribs in an instantaneous follow-up strike. Ryuu ducked slightly, her sword a blur as she rotated it into position, deflecting the horizontal strike upward

*Clang!*

Rex's attacks did not cease as his spear moved with incredible speed. Thrusts blended seamlessly into slashes, feints dissolved instantly into genuine attacks, yet each met Ryuu's wooden sword, flawlessly parried every single time.

*Clang-clang-CLANG!*

The observers were utterly stunned, barely breathing, and unable to voice their astonishment. Rex and Ryuu barely shifted from their original positions, but their weapons moved so swiftly they were mere flashes of black and brown around them. More than fifteen exchanges occurred within a single heartbeat, each clash ringing clearly through the area, sparks scattering from every contact.

The force behind each strike sent shockwaves rippling through the air around them, gusts surging outward, lifting dust and small stones from the rocky ground. Ryuu's cloak snapped and fluttered violently behind her, and Rex's black hair streamed backward, as their fierce exchanges continued.

Then, with a sudden, powerful parry, Rex was sent flying backward, his body flipping gracefully through the air before landing and sliding across the rocky ground, his boots carving deep trenches as he came to a halt. 

"Damn," he muttered, staring down at his trembling hand gripping the spear. Each parry from Ryuu had felt like his weapon was being struck by a hammer rather than a mere wooden blade. 'Well, she is a Level Four with a Strength of D,' he thought, raising his eyes to Ryuu who remained unmoved, her cloak softly settling behind her. 'And I'm still at base.'

Standing tall, he shouted, "Let's get serious!" Energy surged around him as he activated Strong Body, "Mysterious Heroine X!"

[Author's Note: I apologize for the two days wait, but things happens. This chapter and the next one were supposed to be one chapter, but I divided it in two because it came out too long.

Also, for Zanis' magic, I will change something's. Now, the object doesn't have to be around his size, and the mind usage scales on the object size and weight compared to his. Also, it now cost more mind to teleport higher level adventurers to make things 'balanced.'

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this one and the next one.]