Chapter 1054 Koby Them
Under the watchful gaze of every leader in their army, Arthur found himself in the position of deciding their next course of action. Whether it was Jonathan"s improvisation or his scheme, the responsibility now rested on Arthur"s shoulders.
A regular man might have been pressured or nervous about making such a crucial decision, but Arthur remained calm, taking his time to weigh the two options. In the end, he began to chuckle and raised both of his hands.
"Given an army as vast as ours, we can execute both options simultaneously. A scout team can investigate the mountain for the bandits and their leader, while the rest of the army can apply pressure by barricading the entire area."
His words brought relief to everyone"s faces, as it meant there would be no clash between Kain and Leon. Sir Jonathan grinned, nodded, and slapped the table before rising to his feet. He walked over to the map behind them and circled the Thieves Den.
"Many lives might be at risk due to their mysterious abilities, but as long as we defeat them, that artifact will be ours! Capture every last thug, my loyal soldiers!"
Everyone stood up upon hearing his command and saluted their captain. As Jonathan turned toward them and leaned forward on the table, excitement was evident in his grin. Arthur observed from the side, pondering the next issue: who would be on the scout team?
***
Dorian Stormblade stood atop the spear he had impaled into a tree. His chosen vantage point offered a clear view of a significant portion of the mountain, enabling him to spot movements. However, these movements might not necessarily indicate the presence of bandits but rather traps set to lure them.
"Six elite soldiers, three lieutenants, and us," Joey muttered as he observed the group clad in camouflage clothing. "I understand the need for a scout team, but why are we here?"
"Because I"m the only one who foresaw the explosion," Arthur replied as he adjusted the straps on his shoulders, tightening his new clothes. "I know they won"t make me invisible, but it"s nice to feel like a man on a mission," he said with a grin, raising his eyes to Dorian, who was perched atop the tree. "Did you find anything?"
"Just a lack of birds," Dorian said as he jumped down and unsheathed his spear, landing in the midst of the group. "There are no birds atop the mountain, I noticed. It might be a coincidence, but every animal steers clear of it."
"That suggests some sort of array," Arthur mused with a frown before turning to the lieutenants, who were discussing their strategy at a distance. "Let"s see what our leaders have to say."
Instead of shouting for them, Kain gestured with his hand for a meeting. The thirteen soldiers gathered in a circle before crouching on the ground. Kain produced an artifact that projected a map of the surroundings before he began to explain.
"We are currently south of the Thieves Den," Kain stated, pointing to their location. "To access the mountain, there are four main roads. However, we can"t take them for obvious reasons. That leaves us with cliffs and underground caves."
"Are there any underground caves?" Arthur asked in surprise, followed by an explanation for his question. "I would expect this information to be sensitive to the bandits, so how did we obtain it?"
"Sir Jonathan used the artifact you guys retrieved in the Red Temple," Kain replied with a sly smile. "However, the mountain itself is challenging to investigate because it"s surrounded by an array. So, all we could uncover is this map."
As Kain expanded the holographic map before them, several underground pathways became visible. These pathways stretched from the base of the mountain to its summit, and everyone noticed one crucial aspect.
"...they are all interconnected."
The underground pathways formed a complex network, making it evident that the bandits might take refuge inside such a structure. Thus, their entrance couldn"t be any of these openings, as they would surely be noticed.
"What"s our other option?" Hawkins, the other lieutenant on this mission, inquired. "Can"t we climb the cliffs?"
"That would make us easy targets for their snipers," Dorian explained as he reached out and manipulated the map, expanding it. "We can"t proceed through either route, so what should we do?"
"We either use neither of these two plans, or we use both," Arthur declared, sharing his honest thoughts. "Both could lead to the same outcome, but if we employ both, one group will serve as a distraction. However, there"s a risk they might relocate the artifact if they sense danger."
"...then, how do we gain entry if we use neither?" Lieutenant Leon, the third-ranking officer on this mission, asked, surprisingly addressing Arthur without anger or disregard, which caught the team off guard.
"We"ll "Koby" them," Arthur said with a grin as he turned to his mage. This statement led to confusion among the rest of the group.
"Are you suggesting we become bandits ourselves and "copy" them?" one of the soldiers from the ninth platoon inquired skeptically. "I doubt they"d welcome new bandits at such a critical moment."
"Koby is my name," the thin mage explained, raising his hands, but even he seemed perplexed. "I don"t understand what you mean, sir," he admitted to Arthur with furrowed brows.
"You can use your ethereal abilities to levitate the entire team and drop us onto the mountain," Arthur explained. "As Dorian has discovered, no birds fly over the arrays, and the same could apply to mounts and monsters. Thus, the bandits would find it difficult to antic.i.p.ate our entrance from above."
"That would require a substantial amount of mana," Hawkins remarked with concern for the thin mage, as he didn"t seem particularly powerful. Arthur and the rest chuckled because no one fully understood what Koby might be hiding up his sleeves.
"Our mage can handle it," Arthur said confidently. "But I"ll leave the decision to Koby himself. Are you willing to test your limits?"
"Anything you command, teacher," Koby replied with a grin. "Even if I plummet from the sky, I"ll ensure you all reach the mountain"s summit."
"Once this is over, I"ll reward your hard work," Arthur said, gazing proudly at the young man. For a brief moment, the one-armed mage exuded the aura of a formidable figure who would one day make waves. "What do you think, Lieutenants?"
"I approve of this plan, but what"s the next step once we land?" Hawkins, showing his insightful side, asked about the subsequent phase of Arthur"s strategy. "You must have something in mind, right?"
"This is where our esteemed lieutenants come in," Arthur replied, sugarcoating his words to avoid offending them. "With their remarkable defense and strength, they will act as decoys, revealing themselves on one of the main roads."
"...so, you want us to be bait?" Leon growled in annoyance. "I won"t be bait for someone else"s glory. Let the three of you be the bait instead!"
"We wouldn"t stand a chance against so many bandits," Joey pointed out, comprehending the task at hand. "Only soldiers with significant capabilities can make this plan work. Unless we threaten the entire bandit gang, the artifact won"t be used."
"You sneaky b.a.s.t.a.r.ds," Hawkins chuckled. "Alexie already saved my life, so who am I to hold back now? I"ll be the bait or whatever you guys want. But this is no longer just a scouting mission."
"We"ll be the aerial scouts," Arthur corrected, pointing to the map. "Our army will encircle the bandits, putting pressure on their leader. We"ll locate his whereabouts from above and report to everyone. Then, we"ll have our revenge!"
Inspired by his resolute promises, the Lieutenants reluctantly agreed to his plan. After all, it made the most sense to lure out the user of the artifact. Furthermore, they believed that if anyone could survive an explosion, it would be them.
Arthur had a simple reason for not wanting to be the bait: it would result in many deaths. He could obliterate the entire mountain if he chose to, but countless lives would be lost from both sides before that could be accomplished. Thus, Arthur favored the more strategic approach of striking at the snake"s head.
The plan was set into motion. The six soldiers would accompany Arthur and his team to scout the area, while the lieutenants would draw out the artifact"s user by charging into the mountain using the main roads and creating chaos.
The two groups parted ways, and Koby began to cast his etherealize spell. Although Arthur could perform it more efficiently, this was a valuable training opportunity for the young mage. Moreover, if any issues arose while they were in the air, Arthur would be on hand to address them.
Once the two sides agreed on a sign to barge into the mountain, Koby began creating a platform made of ether. The mage looked drained and pale as he focused on making sure it was solid enough to lift them.
In a few minutes, he was done as he invited them aboard his levitating platform. The six soldiers rode the unseen platform with unease, but Arthur trusted his student"s abilities. A few moments later, they soared toward the sky.