"Care to explain?" Claus asked Vera, his expression serious.
"Sigh..." Vera straightened herself while Sando, her Familiar, went back to his Familiar form. "Listen, I didn't want to co, okay? My plan was simple, I would pretend to be completely useless, forcing the battalion to kick back to Jenis City."
"She might be a spy from the other countries," Falagita imdiately retorted.
"No," however, Claus discarded that idea. "You know very well that Magic Energy Signatures can't be forged. For her to be sent here, she must have been born and raised in Heffal. Let guess, The Culling Forces?"
Vera and Sando's expressions changed. "How do you..."
Claus raised his hand, stopping her words. "There is no need for you to say anything else. You movents just now. It reminded of a friend of mine. Simple, fast, silent, precise. The only thing I don't understand is why soone from the Culling Forces was sent to my encampnt."
Vera began to walk away from the group. "I still don't have the answer for that myself. Just keep doing your training, I'm going back to the tent to rest."
Claus nodded. "Alright."
"Claus!" Falagita couldn't help but try to get his attention.
However, Claus just shook his head in Falagita's direction. Seeing that, Falagita went silent and didn't say anything else.
Vera glanced one last at Linfel before disappearing into the crowd of soldiers.
Suddenly, Claus felt like his knees were giving away, and fell with his back on the ground. "So scary..."
Falagita and the others were taken aback. Falagita, especially, had never seen Claus acting like that. "Claus, what is this Culling Forces you talked about?"
Claus sat up and looked at Linfel instead of answering Falagita. "How did you find out?"
Linfel didn't feel like he did anything impressive. "Hum? It was pretty clear, no? From the mont she began to make her movents, it was obvious she was holding back. It was completely different from Julius, for example, who evidently doesn't have any experience whatsoever."
Julius scratched the back of his head. "Sorry for being useless..."
Claus faintly smiled and shook his head. "It is not that bad. It ans we can focus on you a little more now that Vera is out. She doesn't need our help. In fact, Vera's style is the type that only works when she fights alone. She will definitely act on her own during the next ti we are deployed."
"The Culling Forces..." Milia ca from an influential Family, the Frondors. She obviously knew more about the dark corners of society than most. "The assassin team?"
Claus was surprised to hear that. "You know them?"
"I only hear the stories from my uncle," Milia continued. "They are a force tasked to eliminate any threat to the country. Each one of them is an extrely skilled assassin specialized in covert missions. They aren't especially strong themselves. However, even Level Four and higher Maguses and Familiars wouldn't underestimate them.
All they need is one chance, and you wouldn't see the morning of the next day anymore."
Except for Linfel, everyone else swallowed hard once they heard the story. "Is there such a thing?"
"There is," Claus confird. "However, do not talk about it to anyone else. They aren't an officially recognized force. Just like Milia ntioned, they are a covert force that doesn't really exist in the country's records. I myself only know about them because of a friend of mine... who is already dead.
I didn't think I would ever see or hear about them again in my life. Yet, lo and behold..."
Claus finally got up and had his Familiar change into his spear form. "Alright, this is good news for us. Soone like Vera is bound to make our group stronger even if she doesn't act as a group." Right after, he pointed his spear at Julius. "Julius, you aren't as helpless as you think. Just focus on your job and it will increase everyone's chance of survival by a lot."
"Alright!" Julius nodded, knowing there was no way out. Vera's story, instead gave him so extra hope of surviving this war.
Linfel, Milia, Alvin, and everyone else also worked together for the rest of the day. Yet, everyone still had Claus's words in their minds. That their group is completely made of Level Two or higher Maguses and Familiars. The only exception was Julius Familiar, who was Level One. Still, it was rare.
Claus ntioned that the group would probably have to do sothing different next ti they were deployed, and Vera's presence only made it more likely to happen.
*Huuuuuuuuooooooooonnnnnnnnn...*
Suddenly, an alarm echoed over the entire 12th battalion. Everyone there took out their MCOMs and checked inside. Sure enough, a new deploynt was happening. At the sa ti, a voice appeared on the gaphones. "Xanzion Country is advancing and will soon be passing through the Diangrun Area. All personnel prepare to engage.
All commanders must check their MCOMs and get into position according to the orders."
Claus did exactly that. Yet, his eyes narrowed as soon as he looked at what was written there. However, he quickly cald himself and looked back. "Alright, we have our orders. Let's go."
"What about Vera?" Linfel couldn't help but ask.
"Don't worry, she will co," Claus assured.
As they ran, Linfel and the others noticed sothing strange. They were running in the opposition direction as all the other soldiers. While everyone jumped on the vehicles and drove into the distance, their group went to the back of the battalion instead. "Are we going in the right direction?"
Claus glanced at Julius. "I usually don't mind answering questions. But when we are in a hurry, please just follow the orders, alright? Just co with ."
"Sorry, sir!" Julius didn't complain. If anything, Claus was quite a likable captain.
Finally, they found a few people moving in the sa direction as them. Just by looking at the Familiars following them, it was pretty obvious everyone here was Magus and Familiar duos. Even more remarkable was that there were almost no Yellow Familiars, the sign of Level One Familiars. Almost all of them were at least Red in color, level two ones, and their masters most likely were at the sa level.
A few of them were brown, like Claus's Gusan, aning level three.
A mont after Linfel's group arrived, Vera and Sando joined them, although no one said anything.
Suddenly, a Green ray of light passed over their heads and stopped at the center of the field those Maguses and Familiars were gathered. No doubt that was one of the three Level Four Maguses of the 12th Battalion. "You were called here because you have a different task this ti."
Behind him, five airships landed. "Each group will be sent on a covert mission, making use of a hidden passage. I'm not going to say where and how you will get there. All you need to know is that you will be dropped behind enemy lines, and your mission is to destroy their provisions, which should be in the process of relocating at the mont.
If successful, it will be a major blow to Xanzion that will delay their advances for at least a few weeks, buying us ti. Now, go!"
"Yes, sir!" No one complained.
Claus checked the number of his airship and guided his group into it. A mont later, those five airships took flight and separated.
Julius was the most nervous. Fortunately, now it seed they had so ti. "Captain..."
"I know what you are thinking," Claus stopped him. "This is a suicide mission. If we are dropped behind enemy lines, we will still be surrounded even if we manage to destroy their provisions. There will be a of angry people charging to take our heads."
Alvin and Milia looked at each other. Alvin ca to look for Connor, and he took so ti to ask Claus about Connor during their previous training that afternoon. Claus indeed had access to more information regarding the soldiers. The problem was that it only included the 12th Battalion he was part of, and Connor was not listed there.
He didn't have access to the information from other battalions in the Wateva Region, so Alvin was wondering if he should leave with Milia.
Unfortunately, before they could devise a plan, this mission started, and they couldn't retreat anymore. Anyone who tried to desert would be killed, no exception.
Claus laid back on the wall of the airship. "However, I don't intend to simply die there. If we manage to pull it off and escape, we are definitely in for a great reward."
"Rewards?!" Linfel's spirit imdiately began to boil. He quickly rushed over and pulled Claus's collar with his little ethereal hands. "What rewards?!"
Claus was taken aback. "T-This... probably Universal Credits, which is what the army pays... I supposed?"
Linfel got even closer to Claus's face. "How much?!!!"
Claus tried to co up with a number. "I... I don't know. This mission will have a huge impact in the war, so I guess at least a few tens of thousands?"
"Hehehe... Hahaha!" Linfel laughed out loud. "Yes! Alvin!" Instantly, he rushed to Alvin and spoke with a serious expression. "We are absolutely completing this mission! We will raze their provisions to the ground and...
and... and we will be RICH! Hahahaha!"
Alvin didn't know how to react to that. "That's... a lot of confidence..."
Everyone around was speechless. As Linfel cheered the news, the others murmured in Alvin's ears. 'You have a peculiar taste for Familiars...'
Alvin wanted to cry already. Why was he being judged instead of the wisp? It's always him...
Milia, on the side, had to turn around. She found it hard to hold her laugh. But then, a thought occurred to her. She never laughs, and yet, she just couldn't help it when she was together with Alvin and Linfel.
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