Terraforming - Cling! Clang!
"Huff... huff..."
It was a close call. Lucky for me, the guy Gerard brought along was a total dimwit, unable to properly counter my ability.
"Bennett! You okay?!"
"Focus on your front!"
I snapped at Brack, who was worrying about me. Damn it, his side was way tougher, yet here he was fretting over me? Brack had three enemies, I had two. Even if Gerard—the strongest of the five—was on me, the gap between two and three was massive.
"...We've dragged this out too long. How about dying already, Chris Bennett? Oh, wait—you prefer Gwangnyeon these days, right?"
"Tch. Don't say my name, you fucking bastard."
My remaining mana was critically low. I had more than most, but activating my ability drained it each time, making my depletion rate the highest among us.
Gerard was 5 meters away—right in my range. I targeted myself with the ability.
Whoosh!
My vision went pitch black, my body floating weightlessly. I pictured the space Gerard and I occupied, then calculated based on sensation. When I released the ability and opened my eyes—
Gerard's back of the head filled my view.
Cling!
"Useless! Think I haven't seen that ability a hundred times?!"
He barked at me as I materialized like a ghost in empty air. My mana-infused dagger clashed against his blade.
My body hovered midair. Unable to adjust my balance, an attack now would be deadly. Did he realize that? The dimwit beside Gerard charged me—just as I'd lured him.
'As expected... this fucker's too slow.'
The chilling blade thrust toward me. Time seemed to slow. Calmly, I watched it approach, extended my hand, and pressed my palm to the cold steel.
Then, I activated my ability.
"Wha—?!"
"You stupid fuck! I told you to watch out for her ability!"
The knife vanished from his hand, sucked into my invisible storage. I grabbed the panicking dimwit's shoulder, loaded my weight, and uppercut his jaw with my heel.
Crack!
"Guh... ugh..."
Thud roll!
It landed perfectly. His jaw shattered under my heel; he tumbled across the ground and didn't get up. No death, unfortunately—or fortunately—but he wouldn't be standing anytime soon.
Tap!
I twisted midair once more, rolled into a landing, and hit the dirt. Two ability uses left my mana razor-thin. But reducing their numbers made it worth it.
"Heh heh... Should've brought someone competent. Or did they all croak? Goblin chow now?"
"You bitch..."
I needed to finish Gerard quick and help Brack. Even he couldn't hold off three forever. My mana? Barely a tenth left. Could I do it?...
"...Plan change."
Gerard muttered, glaring at me.
Plan change? What the hell...
"Joseph! Marston! Target the objective first!"
Cling cling...Taat!
"Damn it...!"
Of the three on Brack, two bolted toward the training camp. Brack and I startled, chasing after—but
Clang!
"Grrgh...!"
"Where you going? Play with me, Chris Bennett!"
"You son of a... b-bitch..."
Crunch...
The crushing force made my bones scream. Can't fight Gerard head-on with strength. I had no choice but to pull back.
Taat!
"Nngh..."
"...This is bad. What now?"
"...Clear these guys as fast as possible and pursue. They're not here to kill—they want something else, so if we hurry..."
Nod.
Brack nodded silently at my words. He knew we had no choice. I said it'd be fine, but we all knew it was just wishful thinking. Anxiety gnawed at me. Now, they were stalling us.
"We don't kill non-combatants... one of our beliefs. But does that include trainees? They're combatant seeds, after all."
"Bullshit. Don't lie. You never kill trainees."
"...Haha! Busted. So what? You and Brack still can't stop us."
"Fanatical dogshit bastards..."
We'd held off superior numbers by stalling. Now it was reversed. We had to break through.
"...Let's go."
"Take out their minions first."
Taat!
Clang!
The brief silence shattered as metal clashed anew in the battlefield.
*
'They're coming!'
Footsteps raced toward us.
"Incoming! Toward us!"
"R... really?"
"They're actually coming?"
"Don't panic. Just thrust your spear tips—we've got no blind spots."
A simple spear wall formation: huddled in a circle, spears aimed outward. Not true long spears, but against a few foes, more than enough. It covered the spear's huge weakness to flanking.
Facing fifty spear tips filled you with unbreakable confidence—no charging straight in.
"They were targeting us, alright. Good thing we prepared."
Lee Kangin played dumb. As a regressor, he already knew who they were and their goal.
...There—they appeared. Two men, unknown faces. Raiders, no doubt.
"Humans... actual humans..."
"Just two?..."
"They might be crazy strong..."
Gulp...
Swallows echoed. To ease the excessive tension, I reassured them.
"Just two opponents. Don't move your feet—stay put, track them with your spear tips only. No body is faster than fifty blades."
Snap!
Most gripped their spears tighter. Even the trainees guarding my back peeked at the raiders.
Thud thud.
They stopped before us.
"Huh? What's this now."
"...Gonna be a pain."
They looked flustered at our spear wall. Even superhumans wouldn't charge that—suicide.
"...What now? Damn, they should've just screamed and run around like good little cowards..."
"Hmm..."
Good. Some relaxed slightly at their hesitation. But no one dropped guard—the ice was paper-thin.
I nodded at Lee Kangin, signaling him to negotiate as our rep.
"Back off. We won't attack if you leave us alone."
Lee Kangin stepped up on my cue.
'Perfect. Plan's mostly set.'
Why not speak myself? I had reasons to avoid the spotlight.
"Ha! Cowards. You think you're safe like this?"
Rattle!
One moved; a dozen spears tracked him. He threatened verbally, but his face showed no real plan.
'...They haven't noticed!'
The formation had one unavoidable flaw. Lucky they missed it.
Then, one raider veered sharply, aiming for our blind spot.
Taat!
Rattle!
"Don't let him through! Left seven—cover the other one! Don't fixate!"
A few on the left shifted back to the stationary raider at my sharp warning.
"Damn! Sharp-eyed fucks!"
Tap!
We blocked his obvious ploy instantly.
Rattle!
Frustrated by the constant checks, he grabbed a spear shaft and yanked with massive force.
"Wha—huh?!"
Thud roll!
"Stab him!!"
"Tch!"
Whoosh!
The blade grazed him barely. Risky gamble—he had to enter spear range to pull.
The forward-rolling trainee was safe, having backpedaled the raider in time.
That guy's face was all twisted—pissed off good.
Lee Kangin gestured the trainee back 50cm.
"Ugh... uwaa!"
Tap tap!
"Everyone did great! Just repeat and hold! Reinforcements are coming—hang in there!"
"Huff... huff..."
Lee Kangin rallied them again. No real exertion, but tension roughed their breaths.
The failed raiders retreated, glaring.
"...Fucking annoying."
"Ugh..."
...Five minutes passed. Standoff held.
We stayed tense, vigilant.
"Ah!"
A raider exclaimed, like he'd realized something brilliant.
...No "brilliant" idea from them benefits us.
'Shit, no way...'
I swallowed hard. They huddled, whispering low.
I strained to eavesdrop.
"Rock? Nearby..."
"No, too much—could kill..."
"Small stones'll do..."
"Avoid vitals..."
'Fuck.'
They figured it out.
Smack!
"Guhk!..."
Lee Kangin doubled over, clutching his solar plexus.
Plink... plop...
A split pebble fell from the impact. They'd thrown it.
Glancing back, they picked up ground stones.
'Ranged-dealing bastards... spoon-fed morons...'
Damn, right on cue. I'd hoped they'd be dumber.
"Hey, assholes—what now, huh?"
Smack!
"Grraugh!..."
Another stone. At Lee Kangin again. Once coincidence, twice targeted.
They aimed for him deliberately.
"You're the leader, right? This plan's from your head?"
Smack!
"Nngh..."
They'd heard him rally us—pegged him as boss.
"What now? Can't do shit, can you? Pissed? Come at us then."
Smaaack!
"Guhp!..."
This formation had zero counter for ranged. Superhuman stones could break bones if they hit wrong. Real threat.
...That's why I didn't act leader upfront. They'd target the head first. Sorry, Lee Kangin—tank it. He had the highest stamina stat anyway. Plus his 'Resilient' trait—perfect for this.
'Actually, I came up with the plan...'
Lee Kangin's personality wouldn't rat me out: "He thought it up!" Stones would fly my way then.
So he endured silently, no rebuttal.
But no trainee acknowledged it.
Smack!
"Uuugh!!..."
"Oho? Toughing it out? Let's see how long."
Smack!
"Guhp!..."
...Sorry, man. Best I could think of. If he holds, we're all safe. I clear my quest too.
'Go, Lee Kangin!'