“The front gate!”
The terror tilted its head, its grotesque face etched with a puzzled frown.
Northern replied with a palatable explanation, he stated:
“It might seem like a stupid plan but think about it like this. Whether it’s the front or the back, we would end up killing almost all the monsters in the castle anyway, won’t we?”
Night Terror paid attention.
“So, why not just go through the front where they never expect that we would be able to attack them from? Who knows they might even stationed more troops at the back than the front just because they expect us to attack from the back!”
Night Terror looked to be lost in his thoughts—if monsters actually did think.
Although this plan of Northern’s was quite accurate and sensible, there was a fatal flaw which he also suspected.
The monsters would not be expecting them at all!
Northern suspected that they would have moved on with their lives, going to war, another battle general would have risen and maybe on the verge of also being made into a breeding machine… if they had not stayed away for too long that is.
But he was still going to go ahead with it because it was the least he could to make things work in his favor.
This plan of his served only one purpose:
To make Night Terror the bus he will ride on. .
Northern’s plan was simply this:
Make Night Terror attack through the front gate, it didn’t matter if they were waiting or not, the monster would plunge into the castle since it was now more stronger than ever.
It definitely will not care about their numbers.
Northern’s plan was to use that duration to lurk behind.
In as much as he wanted to get all talent fragments, evolve and unlock a new slot for his talent copying ability. In fact, merely thinking about it has him all riled up.
But he had to exercise patience and take into account the fact that he had never before in his life evolved. He didn’t know what it would mean.
How it would work.
Doing so in the middle of battle seemed thoughtless to him.
Besides, what changes does it make, he sure would be stronger, faster, he would be a drifter and be able to accurately control his energy—void essence.
But he would still be unable to copy talents. Not like he could do so with monsters. Even if he could, he doubted if he would want a monster’s talent.
He still had to wait till he closed down the rift and returned to the academy—where he was bound to meet thousands of amazing talents.
So instead of depending on his state after reaching a thousand fragments to pull this through, both defeating the castle lord and his inevitable battle with Night Terror.
He could just lower the odds by being sneaky and wearing down Night Terror, while preserving the majority of his own strength and unleashing it in the last fight.
Although it was easier said than done. Northern did not expect a perfect execution of this plan.
As the monster itself has proven itself to be quite smart.
But should it fail, Northern would have no choice but to depend on his evolution and what comes after it.
However, he really didn’t want to go down that route.
Having convinced Night Terror that going through the main gate of the castle was better.
They changed the course of their destination, instead of going through the brown lush, to the tunnel. They would have to go around it.
‘Step one is done! Step two is to make it trust me even more…now let’s hope that works out’ Northern said in his mind as both of them strode away. freewebnvel.com
———
Outside the rift.
Footsteps resounded in the hollow hall as two individuals strode along.
One came on strong and powerful, the other was soft and almost staggeredly. Soon a door creaked upon and the two entered.
The individual with the soft footsteps slumped into the tattered couch of the room. Her overflowing vermilion hair gently beating her face with each sway of the wind.
She had a blank expression on her face, her usually vibrant but now dull eyes slowly glided to her dominant hand, which usually clasped a bottle.
Unfortunately, this time there was no bottle in it. Not in her armpit either.
She let out an exasperated sigh and leaned her head on the couch, looking into the ceiling blurred by cobwebs.
Since they were in an apocalyptic environment, a lot was very hard for them to get. Most especially alcohol.
Food was hunted from monsters that strayed around.
Teams of drifters were formed and each team was tasked with hunting food for the people. Of course, they also had to eat minimally—so the drifters won’t have to hunt literally every day.
This little arrangement had been put together by Gilbert after they all arrived here six months ago.
And it had brought considerable development to the place. Half of the Lotheliwan nation had been taken from the monsters.
The other half however were teeming with extremely strong monsters that none of the students at their stage could handle.
Gilbert and his citadel cohort could handle it and try to vanquish the monsters from there. But he decided against it.
It was to control the people by instilling fear in them. Having done so much for them after their arrival.
The native people of Starlock Continent, to be particular Lotheliwanians, began to depend on them more. Since they were the most affected by this incident.
Leaving those monsters there was Gilbert’s idea to not make the people think they are free.
Regardless, he had completely handled the aftermath of the fiasco such that the people were better now than they had been in thirty years.
Of course, events had come and gone… many of which Gilbert could not have done much against.
Overall, everything was manageable. And Gilbert needed it to stay that way.
Walking towards the wooden office table, Gilbert unhook his sheathed sword from his waist and placed it on the table.
Then he turned and leaned against it, looked at Annette indifferently and asked:
“So… what about him?”
The warm and elderly innocence in his eyes from months ago had completely disappeared. Now he just radiated a cold mien.
Annette sighed again, then straightened her head, propping herself to sit up before speaking:
“It’s the same. There were no signs of him… I don’t know why you won’t give up on searching for the boy. Either he didn’t come with us or he’s dead. What are the chances that Grandmaster Rughsbourgh could not have deceived you?”
Annette’s voice was cold and void of its usual energy.
Gilbert folded his hand, spending a dozen seconds in silence before giving Annette his appropriate answer:
“Keep looking…” He said, “there are chances that the Slorians might have picked him up. We can’t be too sure of anything. One thing I know is Rughsbourgh can’t have tricked me”
Annette frowned, inwardly gritting her teeth. She stood up and lowered her head, hiding the grim expression on her face. Her throaty voice came out:
“You know… I used to respect you so much… but ever since your meeting with Grandmaster Rughsbourgh, I can’t even tell who you are anymore. A dog… or the citadel headmaster I once knew…”
She walked outside without sparing a glance backward.
Gilbert, folding his arms, gripped tightly its sleeves for a couple of seconds then he let go and exhaled heavily.
With a sullen expression falling on his face, he breathed:
“I’m sorry Anne. I am nothing but a dog desperately trying to be free from that man’s reins”
Then he sat on the floor and allowed a heavier sigh.