[Chapter 31 Comment]
[SonofSunWukong: 400 fully armed skeleton soldiers, 2 generals, and 1 king. We weren' given any power levels, but the king is close to breaking through. We don't even know how muc strength you posses. Can... see more]
[Adam_Balch_7324: If I were to make a few assumptions based on the nature of the situation I would think your students should be able to handle most everything except the king and possibly the two general with minimal assistance]
[Randy_Wilkins: Ps. Your test may or may not have worked *winky face*]
Theo fell silent as he read the comments, feeling thankful that the readers were cooperative.
"Haha, I would panic slightly if all the comments were like the third one. But since it's only a side note, you should have left two comments. I heard from the other guy that only one comment per person would be picked. And considering there are more than three comments this time, I think the author won't pick more than three comments at a time. While it's sad, I can understand why," Theo reflected.
Theo contemplated for a moment when he saw the size of the enemies. Although he couldn't predict exact details about the battle or the enemies' strength, he could grasp everything roughly. He added, "I can't provide an exact detail, but I should be somewhere around Supreme Rank. Not too high, not too low. At least I don't have to start all over again. As for relying on plot armor, I exercise my own discretion. Besides, I'm still experimenting with this system, just like you guys."
Theo took a deep breath, observing the students who had finished their preparations as well. Oliver retrieved an RPG from his inventory while Li Wei unsheathed his sword. With a nod from Maya, Li Wei emerged from behind the house and charged toward the skeletons.
The skeletons hurriedly aimed at him, but before they could shoot, Oliver also appeared and pulled the trigger.
Boom!
The RPG struck the house, obliterating everything, including the skeletons. Li Wei swiftly moved past the shockwave, reaching the scattered skeletons and striking them down with his sword.
The skeletons that avoided the blast redirected their aim toward Oliver, perceiving him as a more dangerous threat. While Oliver might not be able to kill them individually, his potential for causing massive destruction was undeniable.
However, the students had calculated their actions. Maya capitalized on the opportunity to emerge and activate her exoskeleton, increasing her size. Towering almost as tall as the house, she punched it, causing the foundation to shake and the skeletons on the rooftop to fall.
Maya then slammed her body into the skeletons, activating the barrier on her exoskeleton. As the barrier was made of essence, the skeletons perished upon contact.
"Hehe," Maya smirked. "I might not have the weapons, but I can use this essence shield to defeat all of you."
Meanwhile, Oliver assisted Li Wei by dispatching the remaining skeletons. It didn't take long for them to eliminate all the skeletons.
Nana couldn't help but be astonished. The students displayed strength comparable to her own, despite being ten years younger. Moreover, their teacher seemed to anticipate everything and ensured the students could showcase their abilities.
"I believe this group can handle the enemies," Nana exclaimed, evaluating their strength and coordination.
"Yes, but not entirely," Theo frowned.
"Huh?" Nana was confused by Theo's sudden lack of confidence.
"It seems you'll have to be involved and pair up with Oliver," Theo clarified.
"What do you mean?" Nana was still unaware of the incoming armies.
However, instead of immediately answering her question, Theo waited until the kids had killed the remaining skeletons before calling them back.
"Is something wrong, Teacher?" Maya asked, noticing Theo's rushed assembly that didn't allow them time to communicate with each other.
"Well, I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" Theo smirked.
The students looked at each other and unanimously said, "Good news."
"The good news is that I have figured out the enemies we'll be facing. There are three individuals being possessed, right? In that case, two of them should be coming here."
"Oh?! Can we finally beat them up?" Maya cracked her fingers, getting fired up. Li Wei, on the other hand, maintained his composure and asked, "What is the bad news?"
"They are coming with four hundred skeletons. And their leader is still hiding somewhere, trying to get stronger. If my prediction is correct, their leader is aiming for the Noble Rank."
"Huh?" Nana was shocked by the revelation. The Noble Rank was powerful enough to destroy a city, causing her to tremble. "We have to inform the group outside the barrier and bring in reinforcements."
"That's why I said it's bad news," Theo chuckled. "The moment you go, the army of skeletons will undoubtedly pose a problem. As much as you want to inform them, my students won't be able to hold them back."
"You're strong, right? You should be able to do something about this," Nana urged, referring to Theo's abilities.
However, Theo shook his head. "Are you sure you'll inform them without any proof?"
"Huh?" Nana fell silent. She realized Theo's words had made her fully believe him, even though he was just a teacher without prior experience in exorcism. She wondered why she had complete faith in his words, as if everything he said was true and beneficial for his students.
Inwardly, Nana asked herself, "How did his words make me believe him completely?"
Theo raised two fingers. "We'll divide you into two groups. Li Wei and Maya will handle one possessed human and two hundred skeleton soldiers. Miss Nana and Oliver will do the same. If possible, don't kill the humans. Miss Nana will do her best to purify them."
"Got it," Li Wei, Maya, and Oliver nodded without objections. They had complete trust in their teacher, believing that this situation wasn't severe enough for him to take it lightly. They also wondered about Theo's full strength since they hadn't seen him fully engage in a fight.
"And what about you? What will you do?" Nana asked, expecting Theo to either assist them or return to inform the others.
"As for me, I'll prepare for the worst-case scenario," Theo replied with a shrug. "I don't know about the process of breaking through, but we can avoid all this if you act fast. I'll keep an eye on their leader and engage in combat if necessary. So, the mission's success will depend on how quickly you finish things."
Nana's body trembled. Having someone as strong as Theo standing by gave her some reassurance. She realized that if she or Theo left to inform the others, the king might seize the opportunity to join the battle, decimating them. There was also the possibility of Theo and the others becoming pawns under the king's control, making the situation even more dire.
Thus, everything hinged on their speed.
Nana clenched her fists, determined to ensure everything went smoothly.
While Nana wore a determined yet tense expression, Maya appeared more relaxed and excited.
"Li Wei, we're going to fight together," Maya smirked. "Although I couldn't bring out my missiles due to the contamination they'd cause, I still have a few guns to destroy the army. You can handle their commander."
Li Wei nodded. "Well, don't get too excited or tense. The more we try to do beyond our capabilities, the higher the chances of making mistakes."
"As expected of you, Mr. No Gaps. You always maintain that poker face, and it's so annoying sometimes," Maya chuckled.
"Nevertheless, we'll follow your plan. Even though Teacher Theo is with us, we won't mess up," Li Wei said, extending his fist.
"Fist bump?" Maya was surprised to see the usually calm Li Wei offer such a gesture. She smiled and bumped his fist, saying, "I know. I'm counting on you."
Oliver felt slightly disappointed about being paired with an exorcist, but he knew there was much to learn from her. He bowed politely and said, "Please be nice to me. I can use grenades, bombs, and other destructive tools to take out the skeletons while you handle the enemy commander. Will that be alright?"
"Yeah, although those things won't kill the skeletons, if we damage them enough, they'll have a hard time regenerating. During that time, I'll defeat the commander and use my ability to purify all those skeletons," Nana affirmed.
"Alright, looking forward to working with you."
Suddenly, Maya turned around and looked up at the sky, sensing something unusual. "What's this?"
"Are they coming?" Li Wei asked.
"I sense two dangerous presences approaching. They are slow, but they're definitely heading our way," Maya's expression turned serious as she hurriedly moved to the side of the house to get a better view of the main road.
Curiosity piqued, the others followed suit, wondering if the enemies had arrived.
Surprisingly, instead of two humans, they could only see thick fog rolling towards them.
"Thick fog?" Oliver frowned and used his binoculars, hoping to see through it.
Li Wei and Nana furrowed their brows. "What an immense amount of essence."
"Can you see anything?" Maya asked.
"They've gotten close enough for me to sense their essence. Yes, I can feel a bunch of scattered essence behind the fog, so those should be the skeleton army," Li Wei confirmed.
"Our intelligence was incorrect. The enemy isn't one Destroyer Rank... They are three Destroyer Rank Supernatural Beings. While I might be able to defeat them, it will be a tough fight. Fortunately, their essence indicates that they have just broken through, so they won't be that strong yet," Nana assessed, affirming Theo's earlier statements about the enemies.
"In that case, I'll handle the one on the right," Li Wei nodded. "Maya, for now, you should hide and shoot down the skeletons when the time is right. I'll leave the timing up to your discretion."
"Okay."
Meanwhile, Oliver took out two small bags filled with grenades. "Please carry these two bags and throw them into the enemy ranks. I'll detonate them afterward."
"Does this make me a suicide bomber? Also, aren't you supposed to use these sparingly? We're going to face many enemies, you know?" Maya teased.
"Don't worry. I have two thousand grenades at my disposal," Oliver replied with a bright smile.
"A rich kid," Maya pouted, unable to upgrade her equipment due to financial constraints.
"Hehe. Do you want me to sponsor you?" Oliver grinned, no longer bothered by the nickname.
"Well, shall we see who's faster?" Maya harrumphed.
"Sure."
Theo observed their interactions with a smile and commanded, "Alright, we don't have much time. Begin immediately!"
"Go!" Li Wei and Nana nodded at each other and leaped forward.