Chapter 319: Behind-the-Scenes Manipulation

Chapter 319: Box-Op

"The phantom beast Redina possesses a form akin to a spider, yet its physical hardiness, strength, and speed far surpass those of its peers. In terms of pure physical prowess, it easily rivals the sturdiest of demon beasts, and it is moreover adept in the arts of mental assault.

It has but two weaknesses: first, having departed the environment of the ethereal void, it can scarcely survive within the external world;

second, the active period of its life is remarkably brief. Though its lifespan may equal that of a normal human, the first third of its existence is spent as an egg, and the final third is consumed by the laying of eggs."

As Aisley concluded her introduction of the Redina, Ventura spoke up to ask, "Then their numbers must be exceedingly rare, to be worth spending such a fortune?"

With ten squads still remaining, it meant that ten Redinas were about to be deployed.

Aisley replied, "The Redina makes no distinction between male and female; any can lay eggs. Furthermore, a single Redina can produce ten eggs on average, so their numbers are by no means scarce."

Bart, however, remarked, "A third in the egg, a third laying eggs—is that not precisely the same as humans?"

Blanche chimed in, "Indeed. Humans spend their lives learning from youth to adulthood, and after middle age, they are generally still toiling away for the sake of their descendants."

Karen smiled faintly and said, "That is only because your own families enjoy comfortable circumstances."

Bart and Blanche turned their gaze upon Karen. In truth, they did not entirely comprehend the meaning behind their captain's words, yet none wished to dispute them.

Karen was fond of reading in his daily life, and already many authors had expressed in their volumes a deep anxiety regarding contemporary family dynamics, particularly within the cities; in a grand metropolis like York City, this phenomenon was all the more glaring.

Parents and their adult offspring might live apart, interacting afterward like complete strangers, the boundaries between them drawn with utmost clarity.

And yet, this very phenomenon was highly lauded by the local literati within the colonial regions of the Wien Empire, who held that such detached relations between children and parents were only natural, proper, and progressive.

It was much the same logic by which Wien cuisine, despite being so unpalatable, could still fashionably sweep through the colonies.

In reality, the true upper-class families of Wien had ever attached great weight to domestic relations and the inheritance of their own ancestral culture. Having lived in such a domestic environment since their youth, Bart and Blanche naturally assumed that all families ought to be this way.

The appearance of the dark clouds signaled that the countdown had begun.

Under Karen's arrangements, the entire squad swung into action.

Ventura remained standing directly beneath the dark clouds, but this time Bart was not positioned behind him; instead, he stood on the opposite flank. For Karen had anticipated that since the Redina possessed a physical prowess unmatched by ordinary phantom beasts, it would in all likelihood prove difficult to 'replenish' it the moment it fell, unlike the previous two. Thus, the points of interception could no longer be confined to a single line.

Blanche stood at the apex of the inverted triangle.

Marth activated the Kendos Triple Defensive Array. The sight of three overlapping curtains of light forming the defensive formation imparted a tremendous sense of security by its visual effect alone.

"Marth, continue to lay down the psychic bridge array, but I need you to keep an eye on the situation outside."

"Yes, Captain, I understand."

Karen looked toward Aisley, who stood at his side. Of her own accord, Aisley once more spread her arms wide, leaving them entirely to Karen’s choosing.

"Aisley, can you tell me which of these demon beasts possesses the greatest strength?"

"The greatest strength?" Aisley lowered her head and began to search.

"Does this require thought?" Karen asked, somewhat surprised.

"Well, it is because my parents arranged everything here for me—be it useful or useless, so long as it could be begged for."

Hearing this explanation, Karen grew rather concerned that Aisley’s next answer would be: *In truth, they are all quite weak.*

Fortunately, Aisley pointed with her left finger to a wolf totem on her right arm.

"The Storm Wolf—Mombas! This one is strong, the mightiest demon beast my parents have ever dealt with. Only..."

"Only what?"

"Only my father himself never expected that Mombas would be willing to leave a mark upon me."

"Oh? Was there not some favor involved?"

"There was a favor. My father performed surgery on it."

"Then what is the problem?"

"Sterilization surgery."

Karen fell silent.

"On one hand, summoning the phantom image of Mombas places too heavy a burden upon my soul," Aisley continued. "On the other hand, before I left home, my father specifically reminded me not to attempt to summon Mombas for aid unless absolutely necessary. He worried that the only reason Mombas agreed to leave a mark on me was to find an opportunity to take revenge on our family."

"And yet your father still had you tattoo it on?"

"Anything that could be tattooed was certainly put on. Mainly, my father said that at the most critical juncture, when summoning Mombas, I could make it a promise—no, swear an oath in the family's name—that if it helps me, my father will vasectomize himself once I return."

"Aisley, your father truly loves you."

"Yes, I know."

"You stay within the array and rest."

"Captain, the previous summoning did not drain me overly much..."

"I understand. If the need arises, I will come over and help you summon the Storm Wolf together. Until then, remain here first. You said it yourself, Mombas is powerful, so I need you to recover to your peak condition."

"Yes, Captain."

Karen stepped beyond the bounds of the array and walked to Blanche's side.

"Blanche, when I am beside you, focus entirely on bestowing blessings upon the two of them. If trouble arises up front, the moment I step up, you must immediately retreat into the array."

"Yes, Captain!"

Given the Redina’s characteristic of superior physical prowess, it was highly probable that it would employ a combat tactic of breaking them one by one.

At last, the rift within the dark clouds reappeared. A massive white spider thrust its body out from the crack, but in the next instant, it did not fall straight down. Instead, its feelers swept rapidly through the air, each contact rippling out a layer of dispersing patterns, and its frame shifted with astonishing speed through the midair. This meant that the first line of defense held by Ventura and Bart had been bypassed entirely by the Redina.

The blindingly fast Redina appeared directly above the spot where Karen and Blanche stood, its form plunging rapidly downward.

It was exceedingly clever, understanding even to strike the support first.

Had Karen not chosen to stand beside Blanche, she would have faced the Redina’s first wave of assault entirely alone.

"Fall back!"

"Yes, Captain!"

In Karen's mind, the spells he had previously memorized flashed in quick succession. At his current level, the constraints of his cultivation realm on his spellcasting were already minimal. Normally, which spells could be used at which realm was not a rigid decree, but rather a rough measure based on the common strength of individuals within that realm.

In truth, though Karen's present realm was that of an Inquisitor, his strength had long since surpassed what an Inquisitor could match.

Yet he remained unaccustomed to employing the spells he had learned during routine studies for combat, because the Blade of the Dark Moon and the Armor of the Sea God were simply too convenient—one offering supreme offense and the other supreme defense, discarding all unnecessary encumbrances in battle to resolve a conflict in the most efficient manner.

But now, some change had to be made.

Karen crouched down, slamming a single hand against the ground.

In an instant, the earth trembled. From the crevices of the floor tiles, a sheet of black flame erupted. As the Redina was halfway through its descent, Karen stood up, and a pillar of black fire instantly surged forth from all around his body.

Seeing this, the Redina detached one of its legs and launched it like a projectile, while its main body executed a burst of acceleration in midair. It not only evaded the blast but also traced a parabola toward the direction where Blanche was retreating toward the array.

It was still intent on attacking Blanche!

Karen’s left eye deepened into a profound black, the Power of Order receiving an amplification at this moment. As Karen extended his hand toward the Redina, the surging pillar of black fire beside him instantly altered its course, sweeping around to pursue the beast.

The Redina's eyes rolled rapidly. Between suffering injury and striking its target, it made a swift choice: it would still attack Blanche!

Blanche also perceived the danger rushing upon her from behind. However, having obeyed her captain's command to retreat toward the array at the first opportunity, she—as a priest of relatively low physical conditioning and unsuited for close combat—had in fact lost any chance to offer resistance.

When one chooses to leave their back to the enemy, it also means losing all opportunity for self-defense. Unless, of course, one has something to rely upon!

Blanche could only gamble—gamble that her captain could intercept it in time!

Karen raised his left hand.

"Boom!"

A sharp, black cone erupted from the floor tiles, extending directly toward Redina's body.

Seeing this, Redina's movement faltered, but it immediately severed another leg, gaining another burst of speed and direction, bypassing the massive black cone to continue its lunging charge at Blanch.

Its objective was clear: eliminate one opponent first!

Redina's intellect was visibly much higher than that of Micah and Zogai from before.

Karen even wondered if the organizers had intentionally increased the difficulty, arranging a higher-quality Redina for his side to pay him back for his initial behavior of cheating on the questions?

After all, among ten Redinas, there would definitely be discrepancies in quality, which fell within the gray area the organizers could control.

Yet, there was no way to recheck or complain about this matter, much like how it was not considered cheating after passing the security check; whatever underhanded operations the organizers played behind the rift would not be counted as a violation.

Although its momentum had been temporarily hindered by the cone, Redina still landed toward Blanch once more.

The Eye of Order in Karen's left eye grew hollower, and he opened his right hand.

Simultaneously, a pillar of black flame exploded, and a giant hand extended from within.

Karen did not risk attempting to grab it, because it might evade again, or if caught, he might not be able to burn it to death immediately, allowing it to break free once more.

Therefore, Karen used the safest method.

He brought his right fingertips together and flung his hand to his side.

The massive hand of black flame mimicked Karen's exact movement.

"Slap!"

With a crisp sound, Redina was slapped flying through the air.

In truth, the time from when Redina emerged from the rift until now was very short, but after Karen slapped it away, he finally won time for the team; Ventura and Bart recaptured its position and established the first line of defense again. This time they would no longer overlook the possibility of Redina moving through the air, making it difficult for Redina to bypass their obstruction again.

Soon, both sides fell into an entangled battle.

Karen rubbed his wrist; the back of his hand was flushed red, burning with pain.

"It really is... very inconvenient."

If he could freely use the abilities of the Blade of the Dark Moon and the Armor of the Sea God, under the previous circumstances, he would have rushed straight up to smash Redina down and beat it.

Returning to the formation, Blanch immediately turned around to observe the battle, but Karen had not given her instructions for the next phase, so for a moment she was unsure whether she should step out again; one had to know that using spells within the formation would drastically reduce their effectiveness.

Ventura's body expanded once more, his arms raising two guardian walls to pin Redina down, but Redina dodged Ventura's containment. When Bart cut in diagonally to launch an attack from its side, a red light shot from Redina's eyes.

Bart avoided the red light without being hit, but the red light exploded beside him, turning into threads that enveloped his body; Bart's eyes instantly began to redden, clearly affected mentally.

Karen's figure appeared, applying six consecutive Order Purifications to Bart. Although each purification quickly shattered, they still bought intermittent moments of clarity for Bart, allowing him to successfully escape the area of effect.

"Captain, take a rest!"

Bart looked at Karen, his gaze devoid of any bravado.

Then, Bart closed his eyes, and black runes began to appear on his face and neck, an manifestation of the carved patterns on his bones overflowing.

"Bart, this isn't the final battle, stop!"

Bart opened his eyes; he had just been using his specialized secret technique, wanting to stimulate the runic power in his body to temporarily shield himself from mental interference, and in this state, he would also gain greater combat strength.

But when Karen called him to a halt, Bart still immediately terminated the process.

Karen did not want Bart to enter a comatose state after a bout of secret technique operations; after resolving Redina, there was still Pusion, and after Pusion, there might be artifacts appearing on the stage.

When the time came, after he had his fun, he would only reduce himself to a burden on the team.

Since it was a team mode, they naturally had to adopt the most balanced and cost-effective tactics.

It was only because Karen could suppress Bart that he didn't flare up; if anyone else were captain, Bart would not have stopped just now—a hot-headed young man was the hardest to persuade.

Ventura was still maneuvering with Redina, but before the highly agile creature, Ventura was as clumsy as an elephant swatting a fly; though each strike seemed powerful, he could never touch Redina's heels, and instead, Redina attempted two counter-raids on him—one Ventura evaded, and the other left three bloody claw marks across his back.

Had his body not been petrified, that single attack could have directly severely injured him and removed him from the fight.

But Ventura was also getting a bit hot-headed; after letting out a roar, his body actually began to turn red, intending to continue risking his life to catch Redina.

Karen appeared in front of Ventura, blocking his momentum.

"Retreat and apply purification to yourself, you cannot afford to be contaminated!"

The contamination in Ventura's body was only controlled because of his grandfather's arrangements and his own efforts—or rather, a dynamic equilibrium had formed, under which he could use the contamination as a form of assistance.

Yet this did not mean that having been contaminated allowed him to ignore other contaminants; in fact, once a new contamination invaded, the original balance in his body would be broken, and the backlash of the contamination would be even more severe.

Ventura raised his arms, seemingly wanting to express his dissatisfaction with Karen stopping him, but his eyes cleared in an instant, his arms slowly lowered, and his figure retreated to apply Order Purification to himself.

Bart felt fear toward Karen, while Ventura possessed a layer of reverence beyond what Bart felt.

And when Karen appeared before Redina once more, Redina dared not launch another sudden raid; it could sense that the person before it was the most powerful among them all, and faintly it had a premonition that this person had been restraining himself, not using his full strength.

However, while it was true it dared not launch another raid on Karen, this did not mean it stayed there motionless; as the other two began to retreat to handle their states, Redina attempted to pull away while harassing Karen.

Those red beams shot toward Karen incessantly.

Karen needed to keep tailing Redina so it wouldn't dare attack Bart and Ventura at this time, so he was still brushed by Redina's beams midway.

Mental attacks truly had little impact on Karen; his eyes only flushed red slightly before being immediately suppressed directly by the Eye of Order.

But it was this very contact that allowed Karen to perceive an anomaly, which was that although Redina's mental attack was intense, it also seemed highly disordered.

When you use mental energy to attack someone else, you are actually presenting your own mental state to them.

Why would it be like this?

When it ambushed Blanch earlier, it seemed so decisive and composed, but why was its mental state so chaotic?

Not panic... then what was it?

Karen brushed his fingertips across his eyes, and a prism of Order appeared before him—this was a low-level detection spell, and the results showed that all aspects of Redina's state appeared somewhat disordered.

"Eisly, examine Redina's state!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Standing within the formation, Eisly placed her index finger between her eyes, and then a clear, bright luster began to flow within them; this was a spell specifically used to examine the state of demon beasts. In the research institute, she needed to help her parents make physical state investigation reports for those bred demon beasts every day, so she naturally knew this spell.

"Captain, its blood, qi, and mental states all have problems, I suspect..."

Without waiting for Eisly to finish, Karen immediately ordered Ventura and Bart: "Cease contact, withdraw into the formation!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Ventura and Bart immediately began to retreat, and Karen's figure retreated as well. Seeing this, Redina wanted to seize the opportunity to pull and harass them again, but because Karen was the last to retreat and held the rearguard position, and because Karen deliberately raised his right palm, he forcefully made Redina dare not chase and bite them.

Once everyone returned inside the formation, Redina attempted to launch continuous impacts against it, but the Kendos Triple Defense Array arranged by Margs had no other advantages except strong basic defense; the formation merely rippled with a few layers of waves, remaining solid and stable overall.

Karen looked toward the directions of the other teams nearby; within some team barriers, the Redinas had already been bound, meaning the teams within those barriers had been eliminated, while some teams were being suppressed and beaten by their Redinas, their elimination being only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, the First Team and the Seventh Team were locked in a bitter struggle with their Redinas.

Right now, the quietest area was inside the barrier of the Third Team, because they possessed a solid defense formation.

This was something others envied but found hard to replicate; first, one had to specially free up sufficient time and energy for the array master to arrange the formation completely, and second... the team needed to possess a professional array master.

Bart spoke up, asking, "Captain, are we not launching an attack?"

Kallen nodded and replied