Since the beginning of the Dominion Skirmish, aside from the major alliances involved, there had also been independent lords operating on their own. Other than Atlas, there were originally three Scout-Rank Lords and four Seeker-Rank Lords competing independently. It was quite impressive that four Seeker-Rank Lords, excluding Atlas, had decided to make it onto this island.
However, as the skirmish progressed, that composition had shifted dramatically. Three of the Seeker-Rank Lords had already retreated, while another had been eliminated by Alliance B.
As for the three Scout-Rank Lords, one had been completely defeated by Alliance A, leaving only two remaining. Interestingly, those two had now ford an alliance of their own.
Yet, based on Atlas’s observations, they had taken a highly cautious approach, avoiding direct confrontation with anyone, and focusing solely on hunting monsters across the island.
For now, Atlas considered them a lesser concern.
Though they still had the potential to beco a threat, as long as they remained under watch, he could afford to set them aside for the ti being.
Now, the real battle was down to the two dominant forces: the alliance controlling the Central Fortress and the challenger alliance, led by Atlas, alongside the three other lords: Luna, Brigid, and Celestia.
Alliance A had fully committed to a defensive strategy, concentrating all their forces within the Central Fortress. They had even constructed temporary fortifications around their stronghold, built from stone and frozen walls. Their forces maintained constant vigilance, ready to respond imdiately to any approaching enemy or incoming attack.
At this rate if they continued holding their ground until the end of the Dominion Skirmish, which had less than three weeks remaining, victory would be theirs. Half of the skirmish’s duration had already passed, and unless they were completely overrun and defeated, their win was all but guaranteed.
Even if the Central Fortress were sohow captured, Alliance A had already amassed enough Dominion Points to secure their victory. There was only one way to take the win from them - they had to be completely defeated or forced to retreat from the Dominion Skirmish.
The biggest problem?
Their sheer numbers. Alliance A boasted over 500 troops, and they weren’t just strong in numbers, they were well-organized and highly disciplined. They continuously rotated their injured soldiers, replacing them with fresh reinforcents, and employed rapid recovery strategies to keep their forces at peak condition after every skirmish.
They were simply too strong, in terms of level, power, and resources. On top of that, their position in the Central Fortress gave them a constant tactical advantage.
A large-scale battle could be an option, launching a direct assault on their fortress and forcing a massive clash between both sides. However... total annihilation of their forces had to happen. If the attacking army suffered heavy losses but failed to wipe them out completely, Alliance A would recover, and that would an all the effort was wasted.
No... an all-out war was not the solution.
If Atlas truly wanted to win this war, he needed a better strategy, one that would ensure victory.
**
For several days since Atlas’s alliance was ford, they had intensified their guerrilla warfare tactics against Alliance A. A strategy Atlas had successfully used before, one that had already resulted in a concerning number of casualties for the enemy.
Their attacks were precisely tid. In the dead of night, when temperatures were at their coldest, making battles even more grueling, Atlas and his allies would lure high-level monsters toward the enemy’s defensive lines.
From a distance, Atlas and the other lords watched as a massive two-tusked elephant-like beast ramd into the enemy’s walls, shattering them in an instant.
The mont a breach was made, a pack of hunter wolves charged through the opening, wreaking havoc and forcing the night watch into a frantic scramble.
The battle erupted instantly. The monsters were swiftly overwheld, their numbers crushed from all sides. Defeating them was no challenge for Alliance A. But that wasn’t Atlas’s goal.
Because these attacks weren’t confined to just one section of the wall.
Similar breaches occurred on multiple fronts, forcing more and more of their soldiers to wake up and rush to reinforce the defenses, fighting to subdue or drive out the monsters before more could invade their territory.
And this was the mont when Morganna, Kurogasa, and the assassins from Luna’s team moved in.
Under the cover of darkness and chaos, they silently infiltrated the battlefield, eliminating any stragglers who were caught out of position. Quick kills. Imdiate retreat. The mont more enemy soldiers arrived, they vanished into the shadows.
Of course, this wasn’t a strategy that would bring Alliance A to its knees overnight. At most, they were only eliminating five to ten soldiers per attack. A relatively small dent in a force of over 500 troops.
But this wasn’t about slow attrition.
Atlas wasn’t trying to weaken them little by little. Because realistically, that would take far too long.
No. His true objective was to annoy them.
**
It was the dead of night, and the snow fell heavily, blanketing the world in an oppressive darkness that seed to swallow everything in sight.
And yet, there, on a hilltop, rising above the surrounding land, was a mysterious glow, illuminating the area around it. Like a lone star, it cast a spotlight upon a single figure.
Atlas and Luna stood not far from that place, positioned in an open clearing where the snow had nearly buried them. Yet, despite the bitter cold, Luna remained untouched. Her Magical Girl Form shielded her completely. The snowflakes simply slid off her shimring outfit, its radiant glow standing out starkly against the surrounding darkness.
"What exactly is Celly doing?" Atlas murmured.
Because... What they were witnessing now, just a short distance from where they stood, was a girl in a tight-fitting robe. Her short blonde hair swayed gently as she moved. Turning, lifting her arms gracefully, tilting her head toward the sky. With each motion, a bright, glowing energy swirled around her, illuminating the night. It was as if she was dancing for the world itself, with nature as her silent audience.
"She is performing an offering," Luna answered.
"An offering? Does this have sothing to do with her special ability?"
Luna nodded in confirmation.
After watching for a while, seeing how Celestia danced in the heart of the freezing night, Atlas couldn’t help but wonder. Unlike Luna, who was immune to the cold in her Magical Girl Form, Celestia had no such protection. And yet, there she was, moving as if the icy air and the bitter cold had no effect on her at all.
"She is an oracle."
Atlas turned to Luna. "Like... she can see visions of the future?"
Luna nodded. "Yes... she is." But then—
She trailed off, her words unfinished. And at that sa mont, Atlas noticed it too.
Celestia...
Her movents were slowing down. Becoming uneven, fragnted. Sothing was happening to her.
Then, as if an unseen weight had crushed her, she collapsed, falling forward into the snow. Her hands dug into the frozen ground, her fingers trembling as she clenched the icy layers beneath her. Her teeth gritted together, her body tensed.
"Celestia?"
Atlas took a step forward. But before he could move any further, Luna’s hand grasped his arm. He turned to look at her, and she simply shook her head.
He hesitated, then looked back at Celestia.
What he saw was a girl struggling to endure sothing unbearable. She wasn’t screaming, wasn’t crying out, but it was clear. She was suffering. She was trying to suppress it, trying to hold it all in, but the pain was undeniable.
"Is this the price she has to pay for the vision she seeks?" Atlas murmured under his breath.
Seconds passed. A full minute. Then two.
Atlas could see it now. She couldn’t hold on much longer. Whatever pain she was experiencing, it was breaking her.
Just what kind of tornt was she enduring for this?
And then, the light around her suddenly vanished.
At that sa mont, Luna released her grip on Atlas’s arm.
Without hesitation, he rushed forward, sprinting toward the girl who collapsed in the snow.
Atlas quickly dropped to his knees beside her, reaching out to gently grasp her arm. He could feel slight movent. She was still conscious. He pulled a thick fur jacket from his inventory and draped it over her shoulders, wrapping her in its warmth.
At the sa ti, Celestia stirred, shifting slightly before slowly pushing herself up. She adjusted the fur coat around her, her fingers trembling from the cold.
Atlas watched her carefully. Her eyes were vacant, unfocused as she stared at him.
"Celly?"
Without warning, she leaned in, pressing herself against him.
"It’s so cold... Atlas, please... take back to camp."
"Are you sure it’s the cold... or the pain?"
Her lips trembled as she whispered again, her voice so faint it barely carried.
"It’s so cold... Atlas..." Her voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.
Without another word, Atlas swept her into his arms. She felt unbearably light, her body weak and drained, as though every ounce of strength had been pulled from her. Holding her close against his chest, he rose to his feet and set off toward the camp, carrying her through the freezing night.
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