The Guardian

Chapter 247: Plan

Gathered in the hall inside the tent, all present looked at Urfin, who had a tough expression.

“The abyssal portal is still unstable,” Urfin revealed getting the group’s expressions to change.

If it was unstable, it meant that there would be trouble entering and even there was no certainty that they would come out the other side.

Entering through an unstable portal could cause only half of the body to reach the other side... Or worse, they would be corrupted in their entirety.

To go through it required a strong and extremely conscious individual to protect themselves throughout their journey, even so, it was difficult to accurately guarantee success.

Aurora observed silently.

“So, we have to stick with the same plan, right?” Adala asked with a complicated expression.

Among all the members of the group, she was the one who could be considered the least experienced and the most difficult to adapt to the situation.

While being with experienced individuals like Urfin and having female companionship like Meden, Amanda or them, living this way every day was not pleasant.

She was tired, like everyone else, of being on her toes and having to live in a confined space, limiting food to survive.

“Sure, we’ll continue with the mission. It’s either that or get stranded in this place,” Theodore said with a serious expression.

As always, his comment was direct and even though it sounded sarcastic, Aurora knew he was simply responding normally.

“We have my Lord on our side. We can make it.” Amanda announced with a devout tone.

Her devotion increased greatly since she had managed to gather them all together, but no one said anything.

Certainly, the God of Time and Space helped by gathering them together and while it was now up to them, the opportunities to escape had not disappeared.

What was the reason for such a deity to help them?

That was a question Aurora didn’t need to give an answer to and preferred to do her best to move on her own, rather than leave their fate to a god to whom they were perhaps insignificant... Or worse, pawns in a game of chess.

“True. However, to get to the abyssal portal, and to whether to try to check the status or fix it, we need to get through a lot of monsters.” Dan reported and, giving a sigh as he looked at Cedric, he added. “Even among them there are corrupted humans, the difficulty is too high for a direct attack.”

The group that entered was strong, of that there was no doubt.

Urfin, Meden, Siba and Alros were Terranovians and highly experienced individuals.

Aurora was sure they had a few aces up their sleeve capable of turning the tables in a battle, and that meant their battle power was high.

They were not completely lost in this mission.

Amanda and Theodore could pray to their gods and get a big advantage, which made it valuable.

Dan was an experienced archer and Cedric had experience in this place to survive.

Maybe Adala was the most inexperienced, but she was an S rank and was strong, that was why she had survived and was present in this place.

Leaving at the end Marius who was a healer and while his battle strength was not very high, he could use his healing magic to perform attacks and not to mention the external artifacts he had to defend or attack.

In their case, while they were young, they had both showed their prowess in battle before and put their ability on display.

“We’ll have to fight the monsters in the end,” Cédric said earnestly.

The plan they had prepared earlier was not too complex. It involved splitting into groups and drawing enough attention to attract the monsters near the portal to escape.

Once that task was done, they needed to eradicate as large a group as possible without risking themselves being surrounded.

What they were looking for was to leave the abyssal portal with as few monsters as possible. That way when they gathered again, they could eradicate them and then get down to the business of checking the portal.

“While we don’t have space mages to see the portal, we are not completely helpless. Gods aside, some of us may be able to change something,” Urfin said earnestly and looking at those present, he announced. “But before that we need to move to slay as many monsters as possible, and that means splitting up into groups.”

There were twelve individuals who were present in this place.

Urfin, Meden, Siba, Alros, Dan, Amanda, Adala, Theodore, Marius, Cédric, Aurora and Alice... They were all S rank and while there were some stronger than others and individuals whose strength they had not seen in full; they were perfect for splitting into three groups of four.

Moving for attention and taking down as many monsters as possible may not have been a well-developed plan, but the monsters were also unintelligent and unreasonable.

Added to all that, there wasn’t much they could do.

“First of all, I have something to report,” Aurora said and seeing that Urfin was looking at her, she explained what her system told her.

She made it look like her own analysis, leaving her system aside, and Alice also supported the idea with her own clearer conclusions.

The pillar released an oppression that they now did not feel and kept the monsters in the vicinity calm... At night, it seemed to lessen that pressure and that was why the monsters became more unreasonable.

The conclusion was easy to draw, as they had all felt the difference between ‘day’ and ‘night’, but they had also all seen the difference between being close to this of the pillar and being far away... The danger was greater earlier, even though the number of enemies was less.

“If the pillar weakens or stops working, it can drive the monsters into a frenzy... Like it happened to me,” Cédric ruminated and, giving a sigh, he added. “We can’t prevent the changes. What we can do is prepare to flee when it happens.”

Aurora nodded.

She didn’t care if they doubted her words. The conclusion was easy to draw and even though it seemed only a possibility, at this point no one wanted to risk it to find out.

As for her, she didn’t care if they looked at her strangely... While she wished to hide her system because it would generate concern in any normal person outside of her family; she would not withhold information that was vital.

“We’ve taken down a few monsters before and it hasn’t created any danger. However, we don’t know if a large scale battle will change the situation,” Urfin said, and with a grave expression, he remarked. “In the end, we have to retreat before nightfall or when we notice a large change in the pillar, retreat... The safety of this mission is the main thing.”

If she was right, then they could get out of a complication, if she wasn’t, then no one would lose out.

It was why no one asked too many questions, and more so when she made it look like a conclusion of her own analysis.

“First of all...” Urfin muttered, looking around at those present until his gaze stopped on Marius and asked. “What are the ways to protect you? You are a healer and you are important in case of serious injuries. It is best to ensure your safety.”

Supplies were given to the group and Aurora, who had gotten many potions, had also handed them out, dividing them among the whole group to survive.

However, an S-rank healer could solve bigger problems than a single potion, no matter what quality it was.

It was why Marius’ safety was important and, more so, in an environment like this where Chaos was prevalent.

“As a healer, I have methods of attack. Making monsters feel like I cast passive spells to finish, slowing their body, lowering their defense or reflexes,” Marius reported and after thinking about it, he added. “I also have an S rank wand capable of casting various earth spells such as ‘earthquake’.”

Like any healing mage, he could not only heal a person, but generate enhancement effects on the body and it was also the opposite... Cause negative effects on the body.

Reducing the body’s defenses, slowing down the senses and even causing organs to fail with some effect.

As for the wand, although it was very expensive, many of the healers bought it, as did those mages who could not cast spells of other magic.

Urfin nodded and looking at those present, he pointed. “You will make group with Aurora, Cedric and Dan. We will try to leave you a path of less difficulty.”

Aurora then met Urfin’s gaze.

“Aurora you will be the leader. I don’t want you to take any chances. I don’t have to say the reason, do I?” Urfin asked and Aurora nodded immediately, which made him look at the group and revealed. “As for the other group it will be Alice, Amanda, Theodore and Alros, you guys debate in the group about the leader. The remaining ones which are Meden, Siba and Adala will come with me.”

He was given her group because of the state of its members.

Marius was a healer and while he could provide support and help, he was not enough of a true mage who could take down many creatures and defend himself at the same time.

On the other hand, Cédric was an archmage of nature magic and while his arm was not important for demonstrating his strength, it could cause trouble because it had not been that long since he had lost it.

Sometimes Archmages waved their hands to cause the elements to move at will and if Cédric in the middle of combat tried to do so with his missing arm, it could cause his attacks to be thrown.

Dan was the only healthy one and thanks to him being an archer, his senses, such as vision and hearing, were very high, which made him perfect as a support.

However, Aurora noticed that both Cedric and Marius let their frowns show at the time she was selected as leader, very different from Alice’s group that was left to debate.

Urfin sensed that and scrutinized the group.

“Do you want to know the reason?” Urfin asked and seeing that they both nodded, he looked at Aurora and asked. “I have seen that your strength has increased. Have you managed to become an S rank fighter?”

Surely he had seen her battle when they had met because of the fact that she was currently using both styles when fighting.

She didn’t know why that question was, but Aurora shook her head.

“No, I haven’t moved up in rank, but I’ve managed to grasp the concept and if I use it can manage to break the S-Rank barrier temporarily without any backlash,” Aurora replied.

The difference between a fighter and a swordsman was the way they both used magical energy and trained, but it was also a physical difference.

An S-Rank fighter had a strong body, whether in physical strength, speed or endurance... Their bodies could withstand powerful attacks that a swordsman couldn’t resist.

While the swordsman developed their sword aura, allowing them to cut with greater force everything in their path while their reflexes and speed increased.

Generally speaking, the fighter focused on defense and the swordsman on attack... It was generalizing, but that was the general belief, even though the two could become very different in both cases.

However, what was notable was that now she had greater strength, endurance and power in her body than when she was just an S-Rank swordsman.

She wasn’t lying. She didn’t feel like she had moved up in rank and that was because she felt she was at the limit where her body was changing, getting stronger at every turn.

Now she had managed to grasp the concept and even though it had no name, it was related to her emotions and she understood how it worked.

The stronger some emotions were, the more strength, endurance and toughness along with greater stamina her body had, allowing her to engage in longer and harder battles.

Anger was the emotion that increased her strength the most, which caused her to break through the gap between Rank A, entering Rank S as a fighter.

If she had to use an analogy, it was like a boiler or furnace that was fueled by strong emotions.

“So, you can say that you have a physical strength and toughness of an S Rank fighter and the speed, reflexes and the dexterity of a swordsman of the same rank?” Urfin asked and seeing her half nod, he looked at the others and detailed. “That’s one reason, but the other is that unlike everyone else, I know her. She’s cautious and doesn’t take chances, but she’s also obedient when innocents aren’t involved.”

His first question simply encompassed her increased strength in its entirety and while it made her look more impressive than she was, Aurora knew it was that way when her ‘concept’ as a fighter kicked in.

At normal times she was still as she was before, it was just that she was now an A rank fighter on the edge of S rank and to move up the ranks she needed to not only keep training, but fighting straight up as a fighter and it was something she couldn’t afford to do now.

As for his comment, he made his main reason clear.

He didn’t know the others either in strength, personality or character, which made it so he couldn’t leave the leadership to them... Instead, in her case, they knew each other and had done missions together.

“I understand,” Cédric replied, and Dan agreed without giving trouble.

In the end, Marius gave a glance and could only nod at the rest.

Her age and appearance caused too many questions and if one added that she was unknown, then it made the confidence in her diminish.

“Either way, we have to prepare ahead of time. We’ll start after checking the surroundings and organizing the plan in the best possible way,” Urfin announced, stroking the braids of his beard.

They needed to prepare in case of emergency retreat the places where the battle would start and also let the groups talk about their strengths and weaknesses to avoid problems.

At the same time, they needed to start when out of ‘daylight’ in which they would have time to move before nightfall.

In short, there were too many things to do.