In the middle of the night, a man can be seen grouchily walking to a location far away from the large camp he came from. A man with bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep and also from waking up in the middle of the night, going to a certain spot near several bushes within the forest. He then began pulling down his pants and also starts to crouch down similar to a sitting posture. Making sure his pants wouldn’t get contaminated by the act he is about to do, he then relax his abdomen muscles and waited.

Several seconds passed and nothing happens, until his eyes sharpens and focus. Taking a deep breath, he then groaned as he concentrated. “~Ughhh~.” And took another deep breath and again, “~Ughhh~.” Doing this a couple more times, a brown substance begins coming out of his bottom, and slowly starts to come out even more just like a mother giving labor.

The man feels only one more push is necessary, and again restart his procedure. Taking another deep breath, when he was about to push, out of the corner of his eyes, he sees something flying towards him.

He lifts his right eyebrow up,

‘Huh? What the hell is that?’

As the flying object came closer, the man squinted his eyes to see it more clearly. The object then blinks a couple of times with blue light out of its holes.

“ Scanning. Enemy. Located. Orders. Fire. On. Sight. Laser. Set. Energy. 100%. Check. Fire.”

Despite the flying object seemingly looks like it took it several seconds to say this, in fact, only 1.3 seconds passed. It said it so fast only one with great attention, memory, and hearing, could fully comprehend what this flying object stated.

The man while half way in his business, tries to unsheathe his sword for precaution even though he is in a n awkward position, was suddenly shot at.

A red light came out of the flying object hovering in the air. The man despite being shot at, didn’t fall down just yet, but can feel something coming out of him. His hands reached down to the area where it felt odd, his abdomen area, and at the same time, looks towards it by bending down his head. His hand felt some sort of liquid. Turning his hand over, it was dyed with the color of crimson red.

He then looks to the area where he just touched with his hand. In that particular area, there was a not a small hole in his abdomen.

Blood, leaking out from it.

The hole is 2.5 inches in diameter. It is definitely a fatal wound. Even if the man is to go back to the camp and search for the best healer there, it won’t do any good as his organs were completely gone in that particular area. Especially most of his small intestines which contributes much of the nutrition of the body. Without it, he might as well die since it would end the same either way.

“...What ….the…... fuck….”

The man then slumps to the ground, while his shit is still not completely out of his butt.

---------------------------

“...Hmmm.”

A deep voice can be heard from the outskirts of the forest.

Even though Alduin was stupefied, his voice didn’t reflect it very well.

Currently, he was holding a digital box-like object, the camera, and was watching a scene similar to a certain scene in a certain movie along with Splyhia, his servant, and Elaria, an elf who he decided to help with his huge amounts of free time.

In the beginning, Elaria was quite concerned about her kin and couldn’t really hold herself back, but because of Alduin and Slyphia, for some reason, she was able to calm down. She thought it must be because they are significantly strong or she trusted them.

When the three reached to the outskirts of the forest, Slyphia immediately reported to him there was a magic barrier, which purpose is to detect every living thing that either enters or leaves the forest. It was modified so only humanoids can be sensed. Afterall, why would anyone care if a squirrel or cricket was to leave or enter? It just cause headaches even.

Slyphia was able to detect this with another one of her passive skills, ‘True Sight’, allowing her to spot all traps, barriers, and seals. along with Night Vision. If it wasn’t for her, the three might have gotten in while being detected. Well, only Elaria might have gotten detected going in. Alduin would have no problems as his ring located in his left middle finger, is imbued with various passives and immunities which also contains abilities to hide his presence completely from others if he wishes to, and the number of skills are only increasing everyday when he felt like adding more.

Since the detection barrier was there, Slyphia suggested to her Master and Elaria that she could nullify the barrier; however, it would alert the enemy if done so. With no knowledge of the enemy's location, it wasn’t recommended.

Because of this predicament, Alduin begins taking out a machine object he worked on. He then pulls something out of a dimension and let it go afterwards. Although Alduin is no longer holding it, the machine didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, it was hovering in the air along with the blinking lights coming out of its holes in the surface.

It was a droid equipped with laser weapons. These lasers were created from only one color of light instead of, like the sunlight, multiple ones. Thus increasing the concentration of the light.The lasers are furthermore enhanced by Alduin and making the light even more powerful, which is able to create holes easily through most substances.

It was also equipped with anti-detection spells along with a life-form detector. The droid idea came to Alduin’s mind when he wanted to create a dispensable minion. He could try making another Automation or something, but it takes quite a long time to do so. In addition, he believes Slyphia is enough for him. In addition, he started to take a liken to Slyphia.

Mostly due to the fact that he already spend a couple of days with her in this world without separating very much. Just being with her a few days make it seems for him to feel having Slyphia by his side is normal and grown accustomed to her presence. A couple of days may not seem long, but that only goes for modern times. Without any time wasters like electronics and school and work, a day can be a long time. Especially for Alduin.

Alduin orders the drones to go towards the forest and analyze its surroundings while mapping the forest at the same time. The droid has another task which was to subjugate anything Elaria identifies as an enemy. How she could quickly tell the droid it was an enemy is by using a black remote control with a red button located in the center of it.

Alduin told her she just needs to press that red button to verify it is an enemy. She easily understood its purpose.

However, what she didn’t understand is how it was created. She asks this of him, but he also shrugs, showing he didn’t know either. This confused Elaria. How could you create something you have no knowledge about?

This is due to Alduin relying on his creation skill. With that ability, it wasn’t required to know the knowledge of how something is built. The only necessary things was the picture and a descriptive purpose of the object.

As just before, Alduin, Slyphia, and Elaria were stupefied from the fact they killed a man while doing his business in the outer parts of the forest.

Alduin said in a low volume, not loud enough for the other two to hear,“...Well, I guess that method is the best way to assassinate someone huh...those producers are quite bright.” Remembering that movie he watched some time ago.

He continues to watch the camera of the droid navigating the forest and killing any who was deemed an enemy by Elaria. He doesn’t really feel anything about the deaths of others. Simply because he doesn’t even know them, just like the previous incidents.

Anyway, as the drone was about to kill its 15th victim, the camera suddenly turned pitch black.

“”“...”””

Elaria turns to Alduin.

“What happened?”

“ The only thing that must have happened. It died.”

“Master Alduin, did you not say it would be difficult to break it? Especially when it was enchanted with Defence V, which you yourself made?”

“...Well, it’s not like nothing could break it. Hey, either way it doesn’t hold much significance since I can made as many of those as I want. Also, we already got a pretty good idea where the elves are located.”

He then turns to the elf.

“Elaria, I want to confirm something, is there only elves in your village correct? No humans or anything?”

“No, but why are you asking such an obvious question?”

“I wanted to assure myself before giving my drones a certain command, nothing very serious really.”

Alduin then recall the create box and began typing in something on the screen. What he was doing is giving a purpose for the drones he is going to create. After some time, he finishes and also made 8 drones as he was at it. They were then taken out of his inventory.

Of course, he can make more of those drones; however, it does take quite some time to make it. The create box does not have an option where you can increase the number of items or objects created at once. For example, in a game, when you decided to make a sort of weapon, there is an option where you can increase the numbers of that weapon you are about to create. For Alduin, he was to do it individually for each drone without that convenient option.

The drones receiving the code inside the program, begins going towards the forest just like their older sibling did.

With that, Alduin and the others again watched the drones from the camera device.

For the reason why they didn’t go and deal with the issue themselves, the enemy may find out through a bit of reasoning that their objective is to save the elves. However, if it is an unknown enemy, such as the strange hovering object, the drone, then they will have no idea the reason for being attacked. If anything, they will try to find out what that unusual object is. Alduin instead of making an accessory to hide their presence, used the drones, for the fun of it.

--------

As the 8 drones stealthily assassinated several men who were outside the camps, Krox opened his eyes. He is sensing [Danger]. His instinct was quite sharp for a human. He can also feel chills crawling up his spine. Krox got out of his sleeping bag and grabbed his Giant Sword with a length of 7 feet and 6 inches wide, weighing 250 pounds. If an ordinary man were to hold this, his arms and hands would be crushed to the bones.

Krox heads out of his personal tent and decided to search the vicinity, but before that he started heading towards a certain area of the camp.

‘My gut’s screaming at me there’s danger nearby, but where exactly is it? Furthermore, why isn’t the Barrier magicians alerting us? Did they fell asleep on their job? No, we made those guys sleep quite a lot before they began their job tonight. Needing sleep even after that... ’

Krox wanted to check up on the magicians who was tasked with surveying the area around them for danger or possible attackers. He got into that magician’s tent.

“Lord Krox? What are you doing here?”

The person who spoke up is called Yoran. He is one of the magicians on duty tonight. There were 2 others sitting nearby him around a table with a blue crystal ball on top. It is helpful in observing multiple areas with ease when changing views from the sky and ground.

“Yoran, has there been any intruders that passed by the Alert Barrier?”

Yoran lifts up an eyebrow and a moment later, his expression returns to normal.

“No, there has yet to be any that we are aware of.”

Despite him telling Krox this, Krox still felt unsecured.

“Did you check the map?”

The map refers to the one where many members of Floradial gave a drip of their blood to it so their location can be known anywhere.

“Please wait one moment,Sir.”

Yoran gestured to one of the men sitting down near the crystal ball to get the priceless magic map.

Before long, the magician got a rolled brown piece of paper out of his leather bag and placed it on the table while flattening it out at the same time.

The map was showing multiple red dots on the map, but there was something out of expectancy.

It is the fact the numbers were a bit smaller than the usual. The map shows the number of the recorded members within the forest they are inhabiting; however, the number which was suppose to be around 400, is now 380. Although the numbers may seem small, it was in fact not that small.

“...What is this? W-what’s going on?”

If their leader didn’t mention this, they wouldn’t have known. They felt that as long as they use the crystal ball to survey the forest, everything would have no problems.

However, since such things won’t work on the drone since it had anti-detection spells imbued within it.

Krox observes the map of the forest and calculating while memorizing which area the red spots, who were the members, were vanishing. After a few seconds, he dashed out of the tent and went towards the nearest [enemy] who was able to bypass the security.

Quickly passing by a several trees, he then stops as he turns himself around in a full 360 while holding his Giant Sword. He waited. Focusing on the sounds nearby. It has only been 8 seconds since the last red dot disappeared from this location, so the [enemy] must still be nearby.

Suddenly, he heard something out of the ordinary from what comes out of the forest. It sounds like ‘whirring.’ However, he couldn’t identify what was it. Since he had a very well amount of experience, he should be able to guess what was coming or at least similar to it, yet he couldn’t.

Krox closes his eyes and increased his concentration and focus. The whirring sound is coming closer to him. Searching for him. It has yet to come into his range. If he still had his magic amulet that gives out light, he wouldn’t even need to do what he is doing now. But it was needed to be recharged with mana from a Light spellcaster. He could have asked one of his subordiantes in this expedition to give him one, but considering and thinking about the situation they are in currently, it was deemed there wasn’t much time before even more members were to die.

The C-squad is enough, but lose anymore…

Krox Jaybon slightly shudders as he thought about it.

As the whirring sound came closer and closer, it then reached to a certain area. The zone of Krox’s. His muscles instantly bulged and at the same time, kicked the ground as he rushed forward to the whirring. His large bulky muscles expanded as he swung his Giant Sword to the target.

He felt the sword smashing through something. Krox opens his eyes, but his guard was still incredibly up. Looking down to the enemy, he sees a bunch of thin rope things with electricity swirling around it.

“zzz..zzzzzz..zzzzz...zzz…..z…..”

The electricity around it seize.

“ What is this?”

He picks up the dead object.

“Is this the thing that killed many of our members?”

He shook his head.

“No, right now isn’t the time to worry about that.”

Krox drops object onto the ground.

‘There were another 8 that seems to be around here.’

He then ran towards those 8 using his sharp senses.

After several minutes, the threats were exterminated, but out of the 400 men, only 250 were left remaining. The other 8 weird objects were the same as the first he had killed. However, the losses were extreme. Even though Floradial had more than hundreds of thousands soldiers/ members, they were all talented. So having an amount of dead members in one group is abnormal. Such a thing has never happened before.

“..Shit.”

‘How am I suppose to take responsibility for this?!’

“Shit!”

His right hand was formed into a fist tightly. The veins can be easily seen on it as it began popping out.

Before long, Krox calms down and relaxed his hand.

Before returning to the camp, he grabs the object which was able to somehow fly. He looks at the inside of the object, and still couldn’t determine how it works. Just a few moments ago, this thing shot out red light beams at one of his men. If he hadn’t came in time, he would have been long dead. The red beam was very powerful and his Giant Sword might have had a whole in it if it wasn’t for the fact it was an ancient Relic Sword of the past. For the other strange objects, he immediately killed of those before they had the chance to attack. He could have observed it when it did, but changed his mind when his instincts were yelling at him to avoid it and quickly subjugate them.

The droid had anti-detection spells, but that only goes for spells. It could be found out rather easily if the person have amazing senses.

Returning to the large camp, a lot of people seems to be looking around. Probably looking for their comrades he were sharing the tent with them. They must have noticed the time spent outside was not small when coming out to remove the waste in their bodies.

The reason why there wasn’t much of an uproar is because they were so far ,unaware of what is going on. There weren’t any screams as the drones killed their comrades instantly and swiftly, not allowing and permitting any sounds to come out of their mouths. Therefore, no one would know something was going on. He begins to wonder how should he explain to them. Should he say many of their comrades died and he killed the perpetrators. How would that affect the others? This incident was very strange. As he began to form the words for his speech in his head where he’s going to give out later, he felt goosebumps on his body as he felt chills crawling all over his body. Unlike the one a while ago, it was way stronger. If Krox was to describe it, it was similar to the feeling one of the top 10 gives off.

Just one of the top ten could kill 10000 ordinary soldiers with apparent ease. The pressure Krox felt right is comparable to the top 5. Especially to one who was probably the most dangerous out of the ten, Vorpan. He could be ranked of one of the best assassins within the human race. Capable of killing people without them being aware of it, capable of running away without being caught up too, in the end, capable of causing much disturbance with ease. Vorpan might even be the most popular and well-known assassin in the human race since he has in the most known and famous organization.

He belongs to the assassin section of Floradial. Floradial dealt with slavery as the main business, but they still had many other businesses. So it isn’t entirely dependent on just one thing.

Krox sharpens his eyes.

‘Retreat or Attack?’

It was difficult to determine which was the best option. Retreat while losing hold of the elves they just captured, or Attack while having an extremely high chance of losing additional troops, and facing against one of the most powerful enemies they would be facing, it is no easy task . Either option is bad, but since their objective is the captured elves, they must also accomplish their mission. Retreating was immediately out of the option. The only other option is to group up the elves and transport them while having a few distract the enemy. This would have been different if they had a transportation magic item which could teleport everything within a certain area to another set location.

“Attack it is then.”

Korx decided this since even if it was one of the top 5, given enough time for him to increase his Power from his Demonic Berserker class, he could at least match them to some extent. The reason why he never really got stronger during the [spars] from the 10 was that he kept on being K.O in one hit, not giving the chance in getting stronger. He could train with the others who aren’t too far stronger than him, but those 10 were special. Especially when there was that gap between 10 and 11. It is like comparing heaven and earth.

Even though he felt the presence comparable to the top 5, it was still a bit far from the camp still. So deciding it was time, he quickly went to the center of the camp. The others around instantly sees Krox when he passes by them and also began heading towards the center. They knew he had an announcement. It was obvious by the expression he is making.

In a rush, he then soon came to the center of the camp and stood onto a stump and took a deep breath as he said,

“MEN! YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THIS OR MAYBE YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE NOTICED AT ALL! THERE IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN ENEMIES AROUND US. THE SURVEILLANCE MAGICIANS WEREN’T ABLE TO CATCH ONTO THEM. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR BATTLE AS THEY MAY VERY WELL BE YOUR LAST! MAKE SURE THE ELVES ARE GUARDED! I REPEAT, PREPARE YOURSELVES!”

Many hearing this were confused, but they could tell from the tone their leader was using means it isn’t very good. Many people begin to head towards their tents as they took out their respective weapons.

“Hey do you know what’s happening?”

“No clue. I did notice the guy I was sharing a tent with was missing for some time though. Is this happening everywhere?”

“...Damn, I just wanted to sleep dammit and this has to happen?”

Although they still have confused expressions, they believed Krox, who was one of the top hundred in Floradial, and also known to be quite intelligent, and thus take his words with sincere consideration.

Krox finished his short announcement and looks towards the area where the strong presence was located.

‘...Seriously, who is it that could match to those monsters?’

----------------------

~Till then~