Chapter 36: Master strategist Mays
"How the hell did that thing gets here?"
"…"
Erocci asked with a face full of shock. Her question was only met with silent treatment from Silvia and Damia though. Never would they had expected that one of the top silver ranked insane boss would suddenly appear in human continent. It was summoned here by these demonic beings for sure.
The sky had long turned dark after Zaramoth was summoned into the battlefield. There were currently no more human survivor within the vicinity except those human knights saved by Damia. Even those who should be literally safe on top of Emerald Thorn Dragon was shivering in fear when they saw the gigantic silhouette of Zaramoth from afar. Some of them even started thinking about the possibility for the world to be ending.
"What happened to you, Mays? Why are you in that state?"
Ria who was brushing off the dust all over her body asked Mays for an explanation.
"Nothing really. It was just one of those days."
"You never learn hahaha."
Those days were meant to be the days when things gone awry which always resulted with Mays getting his ass kicked. Ria understood it right away. They had spent years together in HeavensTale. They could understand what the others had been thinking just by an exchange of several words.
"This is how I am after all. So Ria, what do you have?"
"Something just right to turn over the tide hehehe."
Grinning as she stole a glance at Mays, Ria answered merrily. She came here totally prepared.
"Haha awesome. I love you more now."
"You're not convincing me saying that while someone is embracing you tightly. And you Minerva till when are you going to hold him like that?"
"Sss... sorry master."
Fidgeting while answering to her angered master, Minerva looked at Mays with a pleading look. She was totally in a pinch right now. But again, she never had the intention of angering her master. It just happened.
"Hahhaa its okay. By the way, Ria. Twenty five seconds. Buy me some time please."
"You don't need to ask. But still, since you started without me, I need a compensation for it."
This time, Ria was even pouting when she answered. She really was looking forward for this fight yet Mays started without waiting for her. There was no way for her to be mad at Mays so she asked for something instead.
"Sorry my bad. I'll grant you anything you wish as long as it's within my power. Is it okay?"
"Anything?"
"Don't just pick the only word with the most benefit for you. Anything within my power. Nothing excessive. Got it?"
"Hehehhe I know. Just don't pretend that you promised me nothing later okay."
"I never go back on my word. So go deal with that second attack from the ugly mammoth now."
"Hehehehe okies."
Ria whose mood turned brighter after she heard Mays's word immediately took out several spirit rod from her space belt. Swinging all of them at once, several space gate appeared all over the area. One after another, Ria's spirit came out in an orderly manner, fully equipped with their battle gear. With all of their armors painted red and pink according to gender, they looks organized and majestic.
This was in fact the surprise she prepared for Mays. She wanted to make a grand entrance of them later when they were killing the demonic beings. Never would she had thought that the situation already escalated beyond expectation.
"Let the party started! Attack!"
With a shout strengthen by [Taunting Roar] , that order reverberated throughout the area. Even the far away demonic beings could hear her overwhelming voice.
"Boom! Pooof! Kapow! Fiuuuuuuuuu! Booom!"
With Ria on the lead, every spirits of hers who just arrived immediately focused their firepower on Zaramoth. Explosion after explosion occurred as Zaramoth who was about to attack for the second time got sent flying for real.
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAANGGGG!"
The tumbling huge frame of Zaramoth swept away everything on its path until it stopped several kilometres away from its former location. That focused bombardment was really something rarely seen especially in this world.
"What… what just happened?"
"Lord Zaramoth was forced back."
"The almighty Lord Zaramoth was being beaten by the enemy!"
The demonic beings started speculating on their own. This was their very first time seeing the gigantic monster known as Zaramoth. Prior to this, they were feed with ideology about this almighty being whose prowess shakes the very earth itself. But at this very moment, that very foundation of their ideology, the strong, unbeatable Zaramoth was actually forced back by a group of humans.
"Heheh how about that? Even the weakest of my spirits was over level eighty. I named them the Crimson Rose Army."
"Ah, impressive."
"Hehehe. Again, attack!"
Another order from Ria and a second concentrated fire was launched. The target was of course the same as before, Zaramoth. Without time to even get up, once again Zaramoth was sent rolling away after the attack connected.
Ria's spirits which came to the battlefield alongside her totaled one hundred and seven. An attack combination of more than one hundred high tiered spirits were terrifying indeed. Even Mays who was used to huge battle in HeavensTale sighed in admiration after witnessing the oppressing force from Ria's spirits.
"More. Attack that thing again. Focus fire! Go! Go!"
"Seriously?"
"What?"
"Please don't tell me you're still the same at commanding even after spending five years here in this world."
"You got me, tehee."
Innocently trying to look cuter, Ria used the famous 'tehe' pose seen only in anime and laughed it off. His guess was totally spot on. Mays who couldn't say anything just face palmed himself and stood up soon after. The last twenty five seconds was finally over. He was now back in good shape after several of Ria's healer patched and buffed him up.
"You at least group them in squads, right?"
Once again, Mays stared at Ria as he asked.
"Even I could at least do that much. Nine squad in total. I grouped them according to their specialties as you taught me back in HeavensTale."
"Oh nice. Melee, range, support and magic caster. Tell me their squad number briefly."
"Tanks in squad one, melee DPS in squad two, three and four. Range DPS which was mostly ranger and gunner is squad five while squad six and seven are magic casters. Next squad is healer and the last squad, squad nine is support. How's that? I'm actually good at this right? Admit it hehe."
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"This ain't good. At this rate, even the almighty Lord Zaramoth will fall. I need to escape."
"What did you just say?"
Dimes was sweating profusely when someone overheard him. Talking to himself whenever he was distressed was his bad habit. The one who overheard him was no pushover either, it was Alakan. He was second only to Babila. Dimes totally got no chance of winning if they were to fight right now.
"Sorry, I was not thinking straight. There was no way for Lord Zaramoth to lose against those people."
"Heh, glad you know what's good for you. Lord Zaramoth won't just fall like that. He was feared for a reason. And if you really dare to turn your back on us, you need to be prepared for something worse later."
"Also, don't approach the battlefield just yet. If he was pushed too far, Lord Zaramoth might unleash something quite 'unfriendly'. You can still go if you didn't believe me though hahaha."
Satisfied by the answer he got from Dimes, Alakan flew toward the rest of the demonic beings present to organize them. Dimes who was just spared let out a relieved sigh as he stared at the diminishing figure of Alakan as he moved away from him.
Alakan was the person who summoned Zaramoth into this continent. Zaramoth was without a doubt a guardian beast for BiliardPegasus Dukedom. Considering how high the status Babila actually had back in the dukedom, it was without question for his servant to hold the precious summoning scroll of Zaramoth.
"Squad two and three, focus your attack on its front leg. Squad six and seven, focus fire on its head."
"Squad five, Static Shot and Stun Arrow when Zaramoth's trunk swayed to the left."
Mays's voice echoed in resonance with the barrage of attack on Zaramoth. As if everything was preordained, Zaramoth had been on the receiving end for the whole minute without any chance of counterattacking.
"Enchanter, rebuff squad two till five. Illusionist, keep magic power recovery totem within the perimeter all the time. Magic caster stayed within the perimeter while squad one ready to move out. Zaramoth gonna start something real soon."
With the help of [Taunting Roar], Mays's order were conveyed loud and clear. The spirits were moving uniformly steadfast like a real army. Mays and Ria was at the very front of the spirit army, spearheading the attack on Zaramoth.
"Whoa, Sir Mays was really awesome."
"Obviously. He was Mira's master after all. Mira would never doubt master no matter the circumstances hehe."
"…"
Both Minerva and Mira was praising Mays nonstop while Syaitona didn't say a word. She did doubted Mays earlier when they were in a pinch back then. She thought that Mays already gave up when their plan were thwarted. Never would she had guessed that something illogical like the appearance of Ria during the critical time could actually happened.
Mays could actually told them about Ria's arrival right away but he decided not to do so. One of the reason was because he wanted Syaitona to stop relying on him too much as if he was absolute. Despite how perfect he was in the eyes of his spirits, he was still a single human. There were things that even he couldn't do. It would be better for Syaitona to keep that fact in mind.
"Cat got your tongue Syaitona? And here Mira thought that you are the one who knew master the most."
Smirking as she said that line, Mira peeked at Syaitona who was trying hard to hide her embarrassment. The so called leader of Mays's spirits actually doubted their master's credibility. Syaitona felt like burying her head into the ground right now. If not because of the comforting words Mays told her before he marched toward Zaramoth, Syaitona might already asked Mays personally to be put back into the archive cube.
"Tch whatever. Sometimes being a blockhead had its own perks indeed."
"What did you say? Mira ain't a blockhead. Mira is clever. Mira never doubted master!"
"Ugh, fine."
Not planning on arguing any longer, Syaitona gave up and focused back her sight on the battle between the spirits army and Zaramoth. As an observer, she could grasp the entirety of the whole battle from where she stood.
"Master was really… awesome."
Syaitona whispered to herself. With most of the fog already subsides, she could observe the grand battle in its entirety. The beautifully executed combination attack which dealt most damage to Zaramoth using the least firepower. Superb control of disabler and interruption skill which disrupted the boss's every big move. Every single thing was done near perfection. Syaitona just couldn't help but admire her master more and more as time passed.
"Ria. Led squad one and two and fight off those tentacles offspring."
"Right away hehe."
"Squad three, four, six and seven. Ignore the tentacles and focus fire on Zaramoth. Squad five will cover Ria and fend off those tentacles."
Precise orders poured out from Mays's mouth as if it was a given. Every order he gave out had reasons behind them. He didn't just casually separated the firepower when the boss retaliated. He did so with conviction. He was sure of whatever he was doing.
"Hehe Mays, you never change."
"It's a habit of mine after all. What can I do about it?"
"Please don't change. I love you best the way you are."
"Haha okay."
The fact that the two of them were in the middle of an intense battle with an insane boss couldn't stop them from flirting in the open. Since there were only their spirits who were there watching them, they didn't felt the need to be reserved either.
At the moment, Zaramoth was surrounded by several tens of tentacle shaped monster. These tentacle came out from its back after Zaramoth was critically injured, or in gaming term, when his HP dropped from green to yellow. It was still far from being killed but it activated its defensive skill to distract its opponent.
Mays had prepared the counter for it right away. In fact, ever since his fight against Babila, he noticed that these bosses moved totally the same as in HeavensTale. Their fighting method, their movement, their quirks and even the condition for them to unleash their power.
After spending some time in the empire, Mays already came to a conclusion that HeavensTale was made with this world as a model. That was what he initially thought. After spending more and more time here fighting, he finally realized that he was wrong.
With how convenience the current world was to the rule and sets from HeavensTale, it was logical to assume that this world was one and the same with the game HeavensTale. If and only if, this thought of his was true, there might be something even bigger pulling the string from behind.
Mays might not be able to remember most silver ranked and low level gold ranked intermediate bosses due to their numbers. But for those higher ranked one with max level, Mays was totally familiar with them. Hell, he could even defeat one with his eyes closed if he wanted to.
Mays knew everything about them. Every single thing. After repetitively killing them on daily basis, even those with poor memory could instinctually fight those bosses. This was the sole reason why Mays could easily killed Babila in their previous fight. He already knew his enemy's attack pattern and moves even before they fight.
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"Royal father!"
"No! This king won't allow it."
"But, royal father. That calamity will sooner or later come here. Please give me the permission to go."
"No means no. This king wont sent his proud daughter to death."
In one of the meeting room inside Mercia Kingdom's Royal Palace, the king and his daughter were currently debating on something. King Mohawk Merkessa and his proud daughter, Princess Mintrina Merkessa. The others inside the meeting room was tightly seated at their place like a statue, unable to join in the conversation between them.
"Royal father! Every second we delayed meant more destruction in Durahel Kingdom. As their allies, we need to help them."
The princess's face was bright red, brimmed with anger. She just couldn't understand why her father hesitated in helping Durahel Kingdom. The only thing she knew was that the Order of Mercia's Griffin Knight would easily flew over and helped them if the king just agreed to it.
"This king knows. But still, we can't just help them right away. We need to consider things thoroughly."
King Mohawk Merkessa answered calmly. His right hand was busy stroking his short beard. The other minister inside the meeting room was still keeping their silent as they observed these two who was totally in a heated conversation right now.
This meeting started just a few minutes ago when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received an emergency warped transmission array from Durahel Kingdom. This warped transmission array was not something operated on daily basis. Especially one which connect kingdoms. The cost was huge and the operational time was limited.
The only reason why Durahel Kingdom resorted to this method was because the calamity which approached was indeed something worthy of sacrificing their manpower and resources in order to convey the information. A short video recording was sent from Durahel Kingdom to Mercia kingdom with a short plead of 'help'.
Barging into the meeting room which already had a meeting going, the minister of Foreign Affairs who received the message immediately told the king about the situation at hand. The short video recording was only ten seconds in length but the impact it brought to the meeting room was massive.
Dragons and demons all over the dark sky. Devastated land filled with rubble's and corpses. Almost every person present in the meeting room couldn't help but shakes in fear. Those whose imagination runs wild started sweating all over, breathing profusely.
"This… This is madness."
"Demons! Hundreds of demon as far as the eye can see. This is the prelude of another great war!"
"…"
There were various reaction from the people present inside the meeting room. Some were resigned. Some were speechless. But still, there were those whose eyes shone brightly, anticipating the approaching Great War. There were various kind of people in this world indeed.
With the number of demons close to a thousand, it was more than enough to destroy ten kingdoms with ease. Even the empire would have a hard time fighting off this kind of force. If they decided to attack Mercia Kingdom, the results was obvious.
"That's it. If you plan on doing nothing, don't bother thinking anymore. I'm going there. Mahal, let's go."
Urging her knight to follow her, Princess Mintrina immediately left the meeting room without looking back at her father. If Mays was here right now, he might recalled this knight behind the princess. He was actually one of the knight who followed her back then during the tournament.
Her brother, the crown prince just shook his head as he watched Princess Mintrina walked away without saying anything to her.
"This king really can't control her anymore. Ever since the tournament, her antique has been increasing lately."
"It's okay royal father. She is just at a rebellious age. I'll inform squad one and two of our Griffin Knight to escort her. She was intelligent enough and obviously won't attempt a suicide, she will at most observe the devastated area I think."
"Um, hope so."
Following his sister, the crown prince was the next one to leave the meeting room. He was going to the barrack right away, to inform the team leader of the respective Griffin Knight's squad. Despite her temper, this brother of her cared about her the most. The both of them shared the same mother unlike the other prince and princess after all.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone