Chapter 408: Dealing with the ambush
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Some of the teams were already engaged in a battle even before Cedric's team appeared. Cedric already saw them clashing with each other, unleashing their skills and techniques to eliminate competition.
Cedric also noticed the very same moment that they were made aware of another team's appearance. He even heard some of them complaining or telling others to retreat since this zone just became too active and volatile.
Unfortunately, it is too late for anybody to retreat at this point. Doing so will make that team the focus of other teams, and the chaos will just get worse. They had to fight here and determine the outcome; only one team will remain in the end, and everybody's determined to be that team.
Boom!! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Colorful lights accompanied by a strong force crashed to their shields. Some of these were sent with the intent to destroy their island at once, while others were sent for mere probing. Fortunately for Cedric and his team, the formation could handle it all.
It was Cedric who made this through his mastery over the Runic Heaven Catalogue. He had Moss Lady and Eunuch Wei's help since they also knew their way around runes, but as they worked, it was evident that Cedric's mastery over it was higher than theirs, so he was the one who decided the general design and functions of the formation.
The functions of the formation were simple enough: to protect the island and its core. Because of its simplicity, it wasn't that hard to create, and this simplicity also allowed them to create it within the 24-hour preparation time given to each team.
As for the weapons and other stuff hidden in their island, that's not part of the formation, but they were Cedric's suggestions. The idea of turning this entire island into a weapon was originally his as well.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
More attacks came their way, but the shields remained intact. What others failed to notice is that whenever the shields were attacked, they would also absorb the lingering energies from the attacks and store them somewhere. If they had noticed this, they would understand that attacking this team this way was useless. After all, they're just giving them more ammunition.
And of course, Eunuch Wei isn't one to just stand there and take a beating either...
Pshew!! Boom!!!
The energy cannons installed at the depths of the island appeared and bombarded the attacking teams. And unlike their attempts, Eunuch's attack caused devastating damage to them. Some of these teams didn't even bother making a formation to protect their island. Whether that's the product of their arrogance or neglect doesn't matter anymore. After all, they're already suffering from the effect of the negligence.
'Wei, southeast. Open a small hole and allow those two in.'
Cedric's voice echoed within Eunuch Wei's head through voice transmission.
Carefully, as to minimize suspicion from those who might be observing him, Eunuch Wei followed Cedric's orders and deactivated a small hole on the southeast part of the island.
The angel couldn't see what Cedric was doing, but he trusted the man's perception. He knew that Cedric wouldn't sabotage their efforts, so he did as he was told.
Actually, only Cedric could see the intruders clearly. They're using some kind of magic or spell that hid their presence very well from others. Obviously, it was ineffective against Cedric's eyes that's trained to see the unseen.
That said, his teammates weren't pushovers in terms of sensitivity as well. Moss Lady and Morning Wood were the first ones to sense the presence of the intruders after Cedric. They sensed them the moment they stepped onto the grass, which was connected to them via a sensory network.
Moss Lady and Morning Wood are both plant-based life forms. They hold innate closeness and affinity over nature and could use them as an extension of their senses if necessary.
Howler and Hawkeye also sense them. The former smelled them as soon as they entered, and the latter physically saw them too, like Cedric. She only saw them how, since the range of her vision was not as far as Cedric's. Then, Backpack Fatty and Eunuch Wei felt them last.
'Dawnbringer, can I play with these two? I'm bored.' Howler asked through voice transmission.
'Yeah, sure. But don't make it too long, or else the others who are spying on us would figure out that we're baiting them in.' Cedric replied.
'Whoo!'
As soon as he received permission to play, Howler immediately pounced. His legs bulged before he kicked to send himself flying. His speed broke sound barriers, and he quite literally appeared before the intruders before the sound of Howler's explosive speed reached them.
"Hey, sailors!" Howler grinned manically as he appeared like a ghost in front of them. His voice carried a certain charm that interfered with whatever magic they're using to hide their presence.
"Shit! Kill him!"
The two intruders were startled, but not for long. They immediately swung their weapons at Howler, wanting to tear him to pieces before he made too much noise.
They had to kill him before the rest of his teammates arrived, or else it would be the two of them who die here...well, technically, they'd only get incapacitated, but that's the same as a death sentence in this tournament since it meant that their team will have two fewer combatants.
To their dismay, however, Howler was as slippery as a loach. Their skills and weapons couldn't even get anywhere near his fur with how surprisingly athletic this werewolf was. And it's clear that he's not taking them seriously, evident with his jeering expression as he effortlessly dodged their attacks.
"Come on, boys. Have you not eaten anything before coming here? Put some more effort into your swings, will you? This is way too easy that it's boring!" Howler taunted the intruders.
Yeah, it's clear that he didn't care about building connections here or making friends. He didn't care whether his opponents were offended by his attitude since he truly doesn't have anything to fear.
The intruders didn't take his provocation lightly. They increased their efforts to kill him to silence him as well, but they're failing miserably so far. In their rage, they didn't even notice that the entrance they used to get in here had already closed up. They also didn't notice that their communications have been cut since they stepped here, meaning that their teammates couldn't reach them anymore and tell them that they fell into a trap.
This game of cat and mouse occurred at the same time as Eunuch Wei's counter-siege against the surrounding teams. In their rage, the intruders have become irrational. It didn't occur to them that enough time had already passed for any possible reinforcements from the enemy team to come since they certainly didn't care about being silent anymore.
Had they thought of this, they would've immediately realized that this situation was weird. The idea that they might've fallen into a trap could've dawned on them too. Alas, they're too absorbed in their desire to kill this arrogant werewolf to even think outside of this situation.
'Play time's over, Howler. End them before they notice their teammates trying to get them out of here.' Cedric told Howler as he observed the team where the intruders came from, sending another person to hopefully get their attention.
'Ah, darn. Things were about to get real fun too. Oh well...' Howler sighed.
Then, his claws suddenly swelled in size. A silver radiance bloomed on his palms, coating his claws and giving it a cold and frightening sharpness. Howler then disappeared from wherever he was, causing the two intruders to falter in their movement.
He appeared right behind them with his claws slightly stained with blood before he began walking away with a bored expression.
When the intruders regained their ability to move, they turned around to swing at him but immediately froze in the middle of their action. All of a sudden, blood spurted out of their bodies, and they immediately lost consciousness, falling like sacks of potatoes on the ground.
"It's a pity that they're too weak," Howler composed softly.
It's not that the intruders were too weak. Actually, their strength was rather commendable; they too were prodigies of the tower, after all. Howler was just too strong and quick.
They couldn't even react to his speed. They died before realizing that their hearts had been crushed by Howler's claws. He quite literally moved faster than they could think, and it was an instant acceleration too, making it nearly impossible to follow.
With the two incapacitated, the person whom their team sent out cursed their stupidity. He initially wanted to help them, but alas, it's too late.
They couldn't be revived in this fight too since their 'corpse' reamined on the enemy territory. The only way to retrieve them is by trespassing the enemy territory, which was impossible now that the enemy team has been alerted and the entrance leading inside was already sealed.
And just to prove the point that it's too late for them to regret their recklessness, Eunuch Wei destroyed their island using the energy cannons, expelling them from this competition once and for all.
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