Pillar of Yita

"Miss Sicape!"

Fang Hong found Sicape among the crowd. The camp was in turmoil; after the battle began, the Silver Forest Spear had launched two illumination bombs toward the southern bank of the forest, brightening the area as if it were broad daylight.

Sicape was adjusting the nuts on the metal shell of her gloves. Hearing the shout, she looked up. Spotting Fang Hong approaching from a distance, she quickly gestured for him to come over quickly, "You're just in time, I was looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

"The mission has been issued, we're about to depart, and soon you, I, and Mr. Kroid will be acting together."

"Act, me? I'm to join the front lines?" Fang Hong's eyes lit up, somewhat eager to try.

Sicape immediately put her index finger to her lips, signaling him to be silent, then tilted her chin toward one side. As Fang Hong looked in that direction, Mr. Kroid, supporting a great sword with one hand and holding a map on a tree stump with the other, was explaining the latter half of the strategy: "...the Blade of Tara will be deployed to this area, there's a puzzling Alchemy lock of unknown nature within the Elf Ruins; according to intelligence, this lock possesses at least one ability that could hinder the Blade of Tara from activating on its own. Hence, our mission is to enter this area to manually ignite the Blade of Tara and, with its support, hold the position for at least half an hour until reinforcements arrive."

"This mission is divided into Phase A and B, Phase A's goal is to reach near the Blade of Tara and successfully ignite it, Phase B will be to hold the position until reinforcements arrive; therefore, we will also be divided into two groups, Group A will take the main attack role in Phase A, Group B will assist, and in the second phase, the roles will switch. Group A's members are Miss Miya and all members of the Second and Third Squad, and Group B's members are me, Sicape, Alchemist Ade, and all members of the First Squad, with Miss Miya in charge of commanding Group A, while Group B will follow my orders."

Having finished, Mr. Kroid quietly surveyed the surroundings, repeating, "Is that clear to everyone?"

"Clear!" everyone answered in unison.

"The fallen will choose to resurrect near the Concealing Spring at the Milaila Temple, is that understood?"

"No problem!"

Fang Hong couldn't help but admire the scene, "Mr. Kroid is indeed very dignified." Sicape, standing beside him with crossed arms, snorted, "Otherwise, how could he have tricked me into his grasp?" with a tone full of disdain. Fang Hong smiled at her response; clearly, Miss Sicape was stubborn yet her eyes clearly spelled fascination when she looked at him.

"The Blade of Tara," Fang Hong suddenly remembered what it was. "Is it a Dragon Knight from Jiefulite?"

Sicape nodded. "Jiefulite Red Cloak Team really went all out, so that's why they needed you, to ignite a Campaign Level Magic Guided Conductor. Can you do it?"

"Just igniting it, shouldn't all alchemists know how to do that?" Fang Hong finally understood. "But a Dragon Knight, I've never seen one before."

"My pet squirrel knows more than you do, only it died from illness during our last adventure. So don't you die on me out there, you'll just be a nuisance," Sicape scoffed at his comment.

"Wait a minute, didn't Miss Sicape have a serval?"

"That was Miss Serval, she got lost, that was from the adventure before last."

"..."

Despite this, Fang Hong was not at all intimidated by the upcoming mission, feeling a thrill instead. Watching Mr. Kroid speak fervently, he suddenly blurted out, "By the way, Miss Sicape, how exactly did the Captain trick you into his grasp?"

Sicape glared at him. "That's none of your business, you wet-behind-the-ears brat."

A round of snickers arose from those nearby. Fang Hong laughed along, but Sicape was visibly irritated with them, giving Fang Hong a fierce glare. However, Fang Hong felt a bit envious of their relationship, his thoughts drifting elsewhere—for after concluding his words, Mr. Kroid sheathed his great sword and looked over at Miss Miya.

The liaison officer had arrived before Fang Hong and stood quietly to one side, giving a slight nod only now. Yet she seemed to perceive something, looking puzzled in Fang Hong's direction which made him hurriedly bow his head in guilt.

"Tsk, tsk." Sicape looked on with noise, watching the cowardly mischief-maker.

Thus, the mission objectives were firmly established.

The group filed out in an orderly line, and although Fang Hong was still somewhat unclear about the details beyond his own tasks, Sicape had already grabbed him and dragged him along with the main force. Fang Hong was bearing a large backpack, cumbersome but filled with essential alchemy tools.

By then, the glow from the illumination bombs above had begun to fade, returning the surroundings to darkness. Once again, countless stars twinkled in the night sky, making the forest seem at its safest.

The team quickly penetrated deeper into the forest.

The forest's tangled wooden roots and sprawling, dangling branches formed tunnels resembling mazes between the trunks, where the end was never visible in the shadows. Occasionally, low bushes rustled, startling Fang Hong but it turned out to be nothing more than low-ground fowl nesting within the bushes—nearby, a couple of glowing fungi peeked out, their eyes on their stalks, adorable like black beans, were not photoreceptors but vibration-sensitive organs.

Clearly, the team's passage had disturbed most of the 'natives' of the forest.

Fang Hong also saw several gigantic terror birds, these giant carnivorous ground birds stood almost as tall as two humans, looking like giants wandering through the forest, which made him tense from afar. Even Mr. Kroid had unslung his great sword from his back, yet it seemed neither side wanted to engage these equally troublesome—and not normally part of their diet—bipedal primates.