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"Damn it! Who the hell are you guys?!"
The giant man, who hadn't even drawn a weapon but had turned the Marquis's troops into a bloody mess with his fists, replied.
"Us? We're grim reapers come to take you bastards. Welcome to the realm of hell."
"You're not... pirates..."
"Took you long enough to realize. You're slow on the uptake. Today, your entire army dies. Right here on this island."
Thud.
The man's sword pierced the chest of a Marquis troop's mid-level commander who had fallen.
Five companions stood beside him.
Dozens of corpses of the Marquis's troops were scattered around.
"Launch a flare."
"Yes!"
The swordswoman, having slid her slender sword back into its scabbard, fired a flare into the sky.
Peeee, boom.
The giant man asked.
"How many flares have been launched so far?"
"Eight!"
"Eight means we've dealt with 400 already. The coastline?"
"We've already confirmed the blue flare."
"Those Alcancia bastards... to have the coastline where they docked their ships taken already. They couldn't be more of a ragtag bunch."
The giant man looked at the wizard with the peculiar staff.
"Detect."
"Yes, Branch Manager."
The wizard raised both arms high and began mana detection.
The giant man, arms crossed, looked up at the sky.
"Finally, today. The day we achieve the final goal of our base."
The man with blood-red hair carried a massive, thick sword on his back.
Matthias Ronin.
One of the executives of the Marino Empire's spy organization.
And the branch manager of base X-3, which was in charge of Fortus City.
"Marquis troops sighted over there."
"Let's go. Today, this island will become the Alcancia bastards' tomb and their hell."
Operation Hellscape.
A large-scale operation to seize Alcancia Kingdom's military stronghold.
It was also the final mission for base X-3, responsible for Fortus City among the Marino Empire's spy organizations.
Originally, it was scheduled for much later.
But with Marquis Espin Ellaina leaving for the capital and a new Margrave coming down, the higher-ups decided now was the easiest time to take over Fortus City.
Before the new Margrave, Gregory Garrett, fully settled in.
Matthias Ronin led base X-3 in a hurried preparation for a large-scale operation.
Though the operation was prepared hastily.
Its scale was not.
An operation in which all personnel of base X-3 were投入.
X-3 was the second-largest base in the Marino Empire's spy organization.
After luring the Margrave's army to the island and completely annihilating them.
They would immediately go to Fortus City and seize the Marquis's Castle.
Additional troops would be sent from the home country on large battleships.
After that, they would use the Marquis's Castle, which was built as a fortress to defend the Alcancia border, in reverse to engage in a long-term siege.
The east side of the Marquis's Castle faced a large coastline.
Supplies could be delivered by sea, making it possible to occupy the Marquis's Castle completely sealed off.
That was the ultimate goal and reason for the existence of base X-3: to occupy Fortus City's Marquis's Castle for a long period.
If troops came that they could defend against, they would actively engage in the siege.
If the Alcancia royal family sent troops that they could not possibly stop.
They would hold out for a while before retreating to their home country.
The moment those troops left the royal family and moved all the way to this distant Fortus City.
Base X-1 would immediately launch an operation to seize the royal palace.
In fact.
Today was.
In a way, the day the Marino Empire's invasion of the Alcancia Kingdom began.
"Nubes! Are you okay?"
"No... I'm not okay... Heal me, quick..."
"I know! Just hang in there!"
Blue light emanated from Luna's hands, enveloping Nubes's body.
His left arm, which had been holding the shield, was almost torn off and tattered.
His side was ripped open, exposing the ribs.
Luna's healing magic slowly began to fill Nubes's side.
Nubes was not the only one injured.
Bonita, leaning against a tree, also had a large tear in her shoulder.
Belum had a large burn on his back.
Thanks to the sacrifices of their friends from the swordsmanship department, only Latia, Karin, and Luna had not sustained major injuries.
Davian looked down at his thigh.
The tissue in his thigh, which had almost been severed, was sticking together and regenerating.
'Quest notification.'
Davian brought up the hidden quest notification in front of him again.
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[Hidden Quest: Stop 'Operation Hellscape'.]
―Operation Hellscape, in which all troops from base X-3 have been mobilized, has begun.
―If left unchecked, most of the Marquis's army will be annihilated, and the Marquis's Castle will fall into the hands of base X-3.
―Defeat the troops of base X-3 before the Marquis's army is annihilated.
―Reward: 1K mana points per 50 surviving Marquis troops.
―Note: The parties from base X-3 will launch a red flare every time they defeat 50 Marquis troops.
=====
Currently, there are about 2,000 Marquis troops on this island.
If they all survive and return to Fortus City, he will acquire 40K points.
However.
More than 10 flares have already been fired.
Meaning more than a quarter of the Marquis troops have already been taken down.
In the meantime, Davian's party had defeated five enemy parties.
Numbering just over 40 people.
'Of course, the Marquis troops have also defeated many of X-3's troops, but...'
Judging from the contents of the quest notification, X-3's forces have the upper hand.
'This won't do.'
Davian looked around at his friends.
Luna was sweating profusely, healing her friends.
But it would still take more time for them to finish healing and rejoin the battle.
He couldn't just abandon his friends and wander alone in the forest.
The enemy parties were at a level that Davian's party of eight could barely manage to overcome together.
A moment where something was needed to turn the tide.
"Glacie."
Rustle, rustle.
Along with the sound of stepping on fallen leaves.
The ice spirit Glacie appeared from between the trees.
"It's been a while, Davian. Long time no see, friends."
Glacie smiled brightly and approached.
Davian stared at Glacie walking towards him.
The enemy was a spy group from the Marino Empire.
They might have that potion that could send Glacie to another dimension.
'They don't know I'm here.'
At least, they couldn't have thought Davian would come here when planning Operation Hellscape.
Base X-3 was also a place that had never had any contact with Davian.
'It's a gamble. I have no choice but to hope they don't have the dimensional rift substance.'
Sirims Andrian, head of the magic department, said it was not only difficult to make but also hard to get the ingredients.
Meaning there probably weren't many dimensional rift potion bottles.
Even if they had one.
It wouldn't be an item that could harm or kill Glacie.
He didn't know how long it would take, but Glacie said she could come back to this dimension.
As long as her contractor, Davian, didn't die in the meantime.
"Glacie, can you help me out?"
"What's wrong?"
"The Marino Empire's invasion has begun."
Glacie asked in surprise.
"What?"
"They're trying to wipe out the Margrave's forces on this island and seize Fortus City, it seems."
Glacie's eyes turned sharp.
Saaa.
A chilling cold emanated from Glacie's body.
"Dare they... invade Alcancia? The Alcancia that I built together with Erium?"
"If the Marquis's army loses here today, the invasion will begin right away."
Glacie's eyes scanned Davian's body.
"You've gotten a lot stronger in the meantime, haven't you?"
She must be talking about how he distributed mana points to internal and external force.
"I'm just quick to level up."
Glacie nodded.
"Good. This is enough."
Tap, tap.
From a clear sky.
Ice rain began to fall.
The ice rain quickly covered the entire large island.
"Dare they invade my Alcancia... Davian, you and your friends do what you were doing."
"What about you?"
"I have to punish them. Those who aim for Alcancia, which I built with an old friend and where my friends live now."
Rustle, rustle.
Glacie slowly disappeared into the forest.
Every step she took turned into ice shards.
While Davian was calling Glacie and they were talking.
The treatment of his friends was also coming to an end.
"Let's go, too. We have to punish those who covet Alcancia."
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Bang! Kwaang!
Miguel, the deputy branch manager of X-3, who had fired a fireball, shouted.
"Deal with that swordsman first!"
"Yes!"
Following Miguel's instructions, three melee fighters latched onto the Marquis's swordsman.
Now that they had tied up the strongest one.
The remaining personnel became Miguel's sacrifices.
Whoosh!
Bang! Boom!
Miguel's fireballs accurately struck and exploded on each of the Marquis troops.
"By the way, why is the weather like this all of a sudden? Hail from a clear sky."
The escort swordsman next to him replied.
The escort swordsman stood by the wizard Miguel without participating in any battles.
"The hail is long and thin. The shape is also unique."
"That's what I'm saying."
"It seems to be mourning the deaths of the Alcancia bastards."
"Oh, that sounds plausible."
Rustle, rustle.
Suddenly, the sound of stepping on fallen leaves.
"Who's there!"
One of the nearby swordsmen lunged forward.
Glacie simply turned her head and looked at the swordsman extending his sword towards her.
Crack.
He froze in place in the same stance he was in when he was approaching.
Glacie's cold gaze turned towards the people who were hesitating in confusion.
"Are you the ones who are going to invade Alcancia?"
Deputy Branch Manager Miguel's heart began to race wildly.
The ice rain that suddenly started falling.
The woman with the sky-blue dress, the eyes and hair as blue as the winter sea.
The ability to freeze a swordsman who charged at her with just a look.
'Alcancia's Ice Spirit, Glacie...!'
He should have noticed when they were fighting on Fortus City's coastline.
He should have realized it even when he saw the group of boys and girls in school uniforms.
'Davian Naone was among them!'
He had already confirmed the content related to Davian Naone and Glacie through several documents.
'Damn it...!'
Because base X-3 was an organization with little contact with Davian.
Only one dimensional rift potion was provided.
And that potion.
Branch Manager Matthias Ronin had it.
"Attack... attack! Everyone, prioritize attacking that woman in blue!"
They were gaining the upper hand completely.
But the battle with the Marquis troops who had appeared here was not over yet.
But taking down Glacie was the priority.
It was a sudden order, but the warriors of X-3 quickly pounced and lunged at Glacie.
"I see. You are the ones who are trying to invade my Alcancia."
Whoosh.
A blizzard swirled around Glacie's body.
Crack! Crack!
Ice spikes that suddenly appeared out of nowhere pierced the bodies of the warriors.
Clang!
Miguel's escort warrior narrowly managed to block an ice spike from piercing Miguel's heart.
Instead.
He could not block or avoid the ice spike that pierced his back.
"Ugh! Deputy... Branch Manager."
Miguel finished preparing the flame magic, pouring all of his mana into it.
He had been his escort warrior for over five years, but.
There was no time to mourn his death now.
"Take this!"
Kwaaa.
A massive pillar of fire poured out towards Glacie.
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