The Oracle Paths

1204  This Round Is Ours

A few moments later, the first squad duel's combatants were chosen, their resolve unwavering. If the selection had been made randomly, most would have cowered in their boots, as pale as a sheet, but fortunately, the lucky ones spared them such a pathetic sight. They were tough as nails. Meanwhile, the two colossal armies had converged, unfolding in two symmetrical half-circles to create a grand natural arena, spanning several kilometers in diameter, right on the plain. A circle was not quite the right term, as a safety buffer of around 200 meters kept the two blocks from coming together.

From this distance, the soldiers with sharp eyes could clearly distinguish their opponents and their numbers, the blurry mass in the distance transforming into a tangible tide of humanity. Their gleaming weapons were a dazzling sight, reflecting the auroral rays of the sun. The bows, spears, and javelins that each army brandished menacingly at each other were a constant reminder that the temporary lull was built on a fragile foundation, ready to shatter at any moment.

Jake was determined to maintain this fragile peace agreement, negotiated by chance, and casually waved his hand as if swatting a fly. In a flash, the 200-meter no man's land between the two armies began to quake, tremble, and then shattered, erupting from the ground. In the blink of an eye, two towering walls of earth, their peaks vanishing into the clouds, emerged as a natural, insurmountable obstacle to the opposing armies' blades and most of their ordinary troops.

Allies and foes alike gasped or audibly gulped at the spectacle. The low-ranking recruits had no idea who had unleashed that godlike spell, but for those who did, a cold shiver ran down their spines, reaching the tips of their fingers and toes. The Players could handle it, but the natives, limited to Life and Spirit Lumysts, had never witnessed magic like this, let alone on such a scale.

In the Radiant Conclave's camp, the four Saints and the generals clustered around them wore grim expressions, their hearts heavy and brimming with pessimism. Things were not looking good!

On the contrary, The Myrtharian Nerds were elated. His longtime companions felt the weight of their worries about the future and the dire situation on B842 gradually lifting from their shoulders.

08:31

The extent of Jake's power surpassed anything they had ever imagined. If he had attacked at that moment, at least a tenth of their troops would have been obliterated. Just the thought of it made those who had been reluctant about settling the conflict through duels as eager as everyone else.

On the contrary, The Myrtharian Nerds were elated. His longtime companions felt the weight of their worries about the future and the dire situation on B842 gradually lifting from their shoulders.

Their boss was still the boss! As long as he was alive, their faction had a bright future ahead, even if the rest of B842 were conquered.

As for the Cho Min Ho doppelgänger, his face remained impassive, but his pupils had slightly constricted during the display. Can our leader pull off a spell like that? Deep down, he wasn't so sure.

As if Jake wanted to make sure everyone knew those magically raised walls were his doing, he calmly stepped forward to the front lines, entering the "arena" alone. After a few strides, he waved his hand again, and the ground beneath him rose up, reshaping itself into bleachers. Nothing overly flashy, just enough to get a clear view and allow his companions and other key officers to watch the bouts.

Will, Enya, and the gang didn't wait for an invitation; they jumped or levitated up to the top of the platform before settling onto stone thrones.

"A bit hard..." Crunch meowed, curling up in the middle of one of them, Lord Phenix perched on his back.

The orange turkey mercilessly stomped on the cat's cushioned backside and croaked with satisfaction, "Not bad. Soft and fluffy, just the way I like it."

Esya cast an envious look at the despicable wannabe phoenix, then reluctantly sat on another throne. I should've brought a cushion...

Watching her older sister casually conjure up the silky cushion she didn't have, she shot her a scandalized puppy-eyed glare. "When did you grab that?!"

"I've been carrying furniture around since our third Ordeal. If you didn't always lean on me, you'd have noticed," Enya scolded, her lips pursed in annoyance.

This kind of scene between them played out daily. Will and Asfrid, for their part, had already summoned their own chairs and seated themselves on either side of Jake. The bleachers, towering like a ten-story building, stuck out like a sore thumb on the barren plain, but from the top, you had to admit they could see the entire arena and even parts of both armies.

Embarrassed that they couldn't match his swagger, the Radiant Conclave wasn't without tricks up their sleeve. The old man in gray robes with a Herculean build, whom everyone called Master Eldrion, stepped forward inconspicuously and tapped the ground twice with the long white wooden staff in his right hand.

It was like a signal. The ground around him cracked rapidly, forming mounds as if a swarm of moles were trying to break through. In the next instant, enormous young shoots erupted from the bowels of the earth, then grew and matured at breakneck speed into full-grown trunks. As they expanded, these budding trees intertwined and connected ingeniously, swiftly forming an equally impressive grandstand made entirely of wood. The architecture was rudimentary, but the feat was enough to restore the Radiant Conclave's image in their troops' eyes.

"Anthace," Asfrid spat with aversion. "Its roots are here."

By revealing this trump card, the odds of the duels proceeding smoothly had just been cut in half. Jake, Cho Min Ho, Will, and all the Players who had investigated or dealt directly with the vegetal Titan knew something was fishy about that tree.

Badum! Badum! Badum!

Without knowing exactly who gave the order, the drums from both camps began to thunder in tacit agreement, infusing a solemn and tribal atmosphere after the mutual display of power. As if they had rehearsed it countless times, the duelists of the first round scowled and, in perfectly synchronized strides, marched toward the arena.

Clink, clink, clink!

Jake, Cho Min Ho, and the other Players and high-ranking officers in the stands responded to the metallic clinks with stern gazes, scrutinizing the recombined squad—some with anticipation, others with disdain or pity.

The five fighters selected by the Korean lookalike were unknown to the battalions, but the two sisters' eyes narrowed icily as they recognized them. Wargod Raiders!

Their auras radiated the power of Spirit Pulsars, among the strongest and most concentrated of their kind. Judging by their strength, the fake Cho Min Ho was planning to keep things cautious, at least for now.

If there was a glaring flaw, it was that compared to the five recruits who used to be in the same squad as Jake, their gear was pathetic. Aside from their weapons and one or two mismatched pieces of armor, most of their skin was exposed—two of them were even shirtless.

"You didn't even give them proper gear in a deathmatch that decides the fate of half a continent?" Asfrid, who wasn't one to talk much, chided coldly.

The doppelganger frowned irritably in the direction of Great General Sheanu. The former bandit tensed as he felt furious gazes focus on him, mentally cursing the subordinates he'd tasked with assembling this team.

"It's just that—"

"Too late," Jake cut him off casually. Fortunately, the other recruits had invincible equipment.

Their black plate armor, covering them from head to toe, had an almost anachronistic—if not futuristic—look, absorbing light without reflecting it. Even their faces were hidden behind opaque visors, making it impossible to tell who was who. The only way to distinguish them, aside from their builds, was by their weapons.

A claymore for Thonzo, a battle axe for Jashuzen, a spear each for Claire and Scelacabe. Bringing up the rear, Ekho shuffled along, muttering gloomily with his sword slung over his shoulder. By their gear alone, they exuded an intimidating aura.

At the same time, the opposing squad had seized the moment to enter the arena—the ten Pulsars wearing identical white plate armor adorned with silver and gold. Their weapons and gear were made of white wood, faintly glowing with a strong vitality under the morning sun.

Compared to Sheanu, whoever had prepared these ten fighters had done their job right. Noting this, the Great General received another round of scathing glares, deeply belittling. Nevertheless, after scanning their armor with his senses, Jake snorted with disdain.

"This round is ours."

There will be one more chapter in the evening.

I'm also reacting to those who are worried about whether the duels will be long. That's not the point. Some duels are important, for others you just need to know the result.