As the alliance infantry dropped to the weapons of Kynburgh's military and the claws and teeth of the horde, their leader could not help but grit his teeth in annoyance.
He was a Level 7 Ranker and knew the limitations of his ability which augments his physical body. So he did not have any strange ideas like changing the tide of the battle alone.
'If things continue at this pace, we will get wiped out…'
Turning back was a "no"! He could clearly see monsters pump from within the mountain range… Who in their right mind would turn back?! No one!
'I can only match forward. At least, they are humans ahead, not these monsters…' He thought, sending the signal for all battle aircraft to exit the mountain range.
The aircraft that flew about were not spared as creatures with wings leaped to the sky, bearing their fangs at the machinery.
'I would have considered using the aircraft to escape but they are not above the law of strength…'
He immediately headed for the exit, feeling a sense of comfort as he arrived at a plain land with no mountains.
Boom
A black flaming ball collided with the ground, almost knocking him off his feet. With great difficulty, he balanced himself, defending against the monsters that saw him as their prey.
'Fuck! Can't you guys give me breathing space?!' He complained in his heart, glaring hatefully at the fortress wall in the distance—the main cause of his plight.
'My body is strong, though those machines are my worst nightmare. There is no way I'd be in one piece after a direct confrontation with the incoming projectiles—and these damn monsters would not give me the chance to recover…'
He had all these calculative thoughts in seconds, journeying ahead into the heart of the battlefield, decapitating any foolish creature that ventured his way with his bare hands.
'I'll slowly exit the battlefield, heading toward the south where the forest lies. Then I would be able to escape peacefully…'
It was a smart move on his part. After all, the forces of Kynburgh were concentrated on the battle aircraft, infantry, and rogue monsters that journeyed toward the wall of the fortress.
Even the creatures would aim for the fortress when they are done with the infantry, so it was a well-thought-out plan, overall.
Slowly, he crept away from the battleground, using his ability as a Level 7 Ranker to make a stealthy journey toward the south.
"I'm perplexed by your level of intelligence," A feminine voice announced from behind, a hint of mockery added to her mesmerizing tone of speech.
His scalp went numb in trepidation of the unknown. He never thought he would get caught this far into the escape plan.
Hiding his fear skilfully, he turned to observe the individual that caught him with a smile. "Who might you be, fair lady."
'There is no way she is ordinary; arriving here without my notice is an admirable skill on its own, talk of knowing my agenda…' He analyzed the situation carefully, offering respect to the lady before him.
"Ohh! I'm sorry, I failed to introduce myself, again," The lady said briskly, apologizing for her manners.
Calming his racing heart, he observed the female before him carefully.
'White lining shirt, black pants, black leathered boots, and a sword wrapped in white sheet… a common dress code among swordswomen… nothing special…
Who is she? And why did she intercept my path? Though she was able to sneak up on me, I can't feel any supernatural force from her body…
Maybe it's the work of a powerful concealment artifact…?' He calmly scrutinized the female to fully understand the situation—never attack the unknown and never turn your back on a possible enemy.
Though he was from the Bura civilization, he didn't dare believe fully in brute force. He had seen and experienced a lot to dare underestimate an enemy.
"I'm the prime minister of Kynburgh, Rebecca Ruse."
His pupils constricted at her introduction, his muscles tensing up seconds later after he had thought carefully about that title and name.
'How did I not notice all this while…?
How did I miss her identity despite the glaring clues?'
He felt chills down his spine, glancing at her red hair that was tied in a bun and her beautiful and sinister face.
"I guess you are Dalip Tahil, the general of the Bura Civilization military," the lady, also known as Rebecca Ruse, said with an amused smile.
'So I'm just a joke…?' Dalip tightened his fist, preparing to fight off Rebecca.
'She is as the rumors say—a cunning bitch. She could even deceive someone of my level, senses…'
Rebecca quietly observed her prey's expression with an amused smile.
'Many people felt I had a strong and mysterious ability. How hilarious—they also assumed it was an ability to manipulate people or a demon's ability—to corrupt other beings.
I found this little misconception of theirs convenient—after all, in Archon, keeping one's ability a secret was the play—it prevents foes from discovering a way to counter your ability.
Too bad, I had no ability. I was just a normal human who worked on making people see me as a Ranker, even without any material evidence.
I just had an over-calculating brain, a high IQ, and any other concept related to being smart.
It was everything I needed to survive—I was also able to fool people around about being a Ranker. Though I would have loved to be a true Ranker, life doesn't treat everyone in the same manner.
It's time to see what this enemy can offer—would he fail to recognize the true essence of my act like the rest?'
Rebecca pressed down on the bead tied around her wrist, digging her foot into the ground in one go. A strange light manifested from the bead, clothing Rebecca before disappearing as it came.
'Artifacts are truly useful—they help people like me cover up for our weaknesses.'
Rebecca launched herself toward Dalip without any warning, causing him to retreat a few steps back.
She had decided to take such a sudden action because waiting for her enemy would not be a wise move on her path.
Dalip, who had retreated to the back, adjusted his footing to defend against her follow-up attack. As a veteran, he knew that her first move was just a set-up for a more devastating attack.
When coming here, he never planned to face off with a Level 7 Ranker, talk less of a bitch like Rebecca Ruse with both strength and intellect.
But that is just what destiny is—it leads and you react.