Chapter 77: Change of Plans

Andrés watched through the screens the vehicles that were moving.

Their surroundings were changing because of the different towns they had passed before, but now, as they were reaching the border of the magical forest, the surroundings were becoming more desolate.

Turning away from the surroundings, Andrés glanced at his companion, who was asleep in the seat next to him with a tranquility that made him envious.

Andrés sighed.

He could not imitate his tranquility, and even more so when his task was complex.

They both had to stay alert and take care of the surveillance system by being attentive to radar changes and at the same time, they also had to use the military satellite to check the route, preventing them from encountering surprises.

While they could not completely see the entire magic forest because of trees, empty areas, and high-density magic energy changes, a portion was visible.

[11:48 a.m.].

Andrés checked the time and, realizing that it was only a short distance to the old abandoned village, ‘Bungoma’, which was near the border of Kenya and Uganda, where the magic forest was also located, he used the satellite.

This military satellite belonged to the Zerzura City army and was of the latest technology, allowing them greater accuracy in magical matters.

Starting from where they were heading, he moved along the route they had come from and all he could see were green trees and the small road in the open.

After switching to magical energy vision, Andrés perceived some blue spots moving from time to time along the road.

Passing through Mbale town, he continued to follow the road until he reached near Soroti town in Uganda and at that point, the satellite vision distorted, making it clear that the magical energy in that area was higher than average.

“Oh shit,” Andrés muttered after identifying the anomaly.

“Mm... What’s wrong?” Liam asked after waking up from his curse.

Andrés’ response was to reveal the screen to Liam.

“A temporal dungeon? From its magical energy density, I’d say it’s Rank A, and it looks like it’s about to overflow. Because of the speed of our arrival journey, the radars and satellites didn’t notice the fluctuations in magical energy,” Liam muttered after looking at the data that was coming in.

The temporary dungeon was about three hundred meters from the road by which they had arrived, and since the magical forest had a high magical density, it was impossible to find it earlier.

However, now that it was showing traces of overflowing, the situation was different, as the change in magical energy was more obvious.

“Boss, something happened,” Liam informed Aurora and quickly told her the situation.

A temporary dungeon that was close to overflowing... Since they weren’t present, it was hard to tell what creatures were inside and what danger they might encounter.

Still, this was the magical forest where the magical energy was densest, so it was very possible that they would encounter several A-Ranks inside the dungeon and hundreds of other creatures or monsters.

“We will review the plan when we arrive ‘Bungoma’. After giving the refugees a rest,” Aurora replied over the private communication channel.

“As you say, boss,” Liam said and cut the comm, then looked at Andrés and stated. “Okay, we need to watch the road to check if a reroute is possible.”

Andrés nodded and started checking the second route, which was to head to Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

However, his expression changed as he noticed the spots picked up by the satellite on the second route.

“Looks like it’s a bad time for sightseeing,” Liam muttered in an amused tone.

Andrés expression quivered for a moment at the way Liam called him out, but he only sighed as he realized they were just unlucky.

So bad luck that both roads seemed to be in trouble.

******

Nicole contemplated the makeshift camp as she prepared lunch with some refugees who helped.

They were using magic items that the church support members brought, so they had a giant pot that could cook a significant amount of food for all the refugees.

Although there were many people, they added magical ingredients to improve the food, allowing the body to be slightly reinvigorated and keeping the refugees in condition during the trip.

Even though the amount of food minimized the effect, the amount was sufficient for the refugees who were not skill users.

“It’s very delicious,” Nicole said after tasting the vegetable soup and small pieces of meat.

It was quite delicious and also had lots of vegetables and while the pieces of meat were small, there was plenty of it.

“I’m glad I’m not that good a cook,” Vanessa replied with a soft smile.

Vanessa was in charge of food preparation in this section, along with a few refugees helping her.

Hearing that humble response, Nicole shook her head with a smile and, giving the call to eat, helped serve the food to the refugees.

From the large pot, they divided it into ten rows to allow people to pass quickly in search of their food.

Aurora did not pressure the group of refugees to finish their lunch, even so, she imposed a time limit of two hours maximum.

Not just to eat lunch or relieve themselves, but to rest.

“Nicole, Aurora has given notice about the meeting,” Clémentine said over her group’s communication system.

Nicole, who was wearing a small earpiece in her ear, heard clearly and noticed how Vanessa also received a similar message.

Serving the last plate to a young man who was slightly malnourished, Nicole let someone else take over to continue serving the plates in their line.

“Shall we?” asked Nicole to Vanessa, who had left a replacement.

Vanessa nodded, and they started walking through the camp while she watched as some militia supporters patrolled the area.

They were in Bungoma town in western Kenya, which had been abandoned because of the proximity of the magic forest, so it was a place with some dilapidated buildings.

From time to time, Nicole could see some drones flying overhead and also some toilets set up by church members.

“Technology is very useful,” Vanessa muttered with a shy smile as she saw the bathrooms.

Nicole nodded.

She would like to say that she could handle being in the middle of nowhere and surviving, but the truth was that she herself understood the reason why heroes stayed in large populated cities or areas with civilization.

Maybe a bathroom wasn’t the highest priority, still, for Nicole, who was doing her first mission in a remote and uninhabited area, it was a blessing.

“It’s amazing how adventurers and mercenaries can endure these kinds of missions,” Nicole commented, shaking her head.

While adapting to this kind of situation was difficult for her, she was sure that if the worst happened, she would adapt as well as the adventurers or mercenaries.

Though she couldn’t be sure if Clémentine, Érica, or Leslie could do the same when all three were daughters of high-status families.

“I think so too,” Vanessa replied in a serious tone and in a low voice, she added. “I appreciate the ‘cleansing’ spell.”

A spell that cleansed the body and clothes of those who used it, which could be stored in an artifact, was certainly very nice and convenient.

As they chatted, it didn’t take them too long to reach the main tent.

Outside, they noticed Captain Sadiya and the adventurer Vazquez walking into the tent for the meeting, while Vanessa and Nicole headed towards Clémentine, Érica, and Leslie, who were near a drone several meters away.

“It feels like a ‘mother-ship,” Clémentine muttered, looking at the large drone in front of her.

It was a drone about her size in which it would open up and let other drones come onto the platform to reload and then take off again.

“Now I understand why they say Liam spends his money on drones,” Érica commented in an odd tone.

Nicole inevitably nodded, as she too had heard those words and although she took it as an empty accusation against Liam, it was a fact.

Everyone knew that both Liam’s and Andrés’ drones could self-recharge over time if they remained stationary because of the technology they used, still, it was smart to carry a drone whose only capability was to recharge other drones.

Andrés also had one of those large drones in his space ring, specialized for carrying drones.

“What are you guys doing out here? Come on, the meeting is about to start.” Akira said as soon as she arrived with her group.

The students nodded and followed Akira into the main tent where the various leaders were meeting.

Chayambaso as leader of the refugees, Captain Sadiya, Vazquez, Cardinal Brousseau, High Priestess Xaali, Liam, Alice, and Aurora.

Now with Akira were all the principal leaders of the caravan.

There were also Shao Ya, Aeko, and the other members of Akira and Andrés’ group.

Though each of them was taking a position of spectator, rather than a participant.

“Liam report,” Aurora asked and Liam took a step forward towards the center table.

He unfolded some screens where high-density magic fluctuations were observed.

“If we head the same way we came, we will encounter a temporary dungeon near ‘Soroti’. Because of its instability, the temporary dungeon will overflow in about five to ten hours. The same hours it will take us to get to that area,” Liam reported in a serious tone.

While it was difficult to specify how long it would take them to travel to reach that area, they could assume that without setback, they would arrive before nightfall to rest for the night.

With the number of refugees, it was impossible to mimic their arrival journey, as the dangers could multiply if they traveled at night.

“Shall we change our route?” asked Captain Sadiya.

Liam gave a sour smile and signaled Andrés to report.

“The second route, in case a situation like this happened, was to go through Kampala capital of Uganda and head north to Gulu and after passing the border, get to the intersection near Yuba. However, that area is also compromised,” Andrés stated and, unfolding the images he had collected, he pointed out. “A horde of creatures is heading from west of Kampala to Jinja where the bridge to cross the ‘Victoria Nile’ river is located.”

Everyone looked closely at the images of the different spots that the satellite could perceive.

Even though they were a considerable distance from the ancient city of Jinja, if they traveled that route, they would eventually encounter a horde of hundreds of different creatures.

Some frowned at the sight of that ‘horde’.

This kind of situation did not happen often in the magic forest that was stabilized under a ‘Queen’, but before it was frequent.

The pressure of other, more powerful, magical beasts pushed many magical creatures and beasts.

“The SS Rank Zhar-Ptitsa has been resolving some conflicts in the area of influence. While inhabiting Mount Nyiragongo, the horde likely came from southwestern Uganda because of their actions,” Aurora explained in a serious tone.

Vazquez took a deep breath upon hearing that statement.

It was one matter to face an S-Rank creature that, if they tried among an A-Rank group, they could defeat and another matter to face an SS-Rank creature as renowned as the ‘Zhar-Ptitsa’ was.

It was not an enemy, and it was a magical beast that was under the Queen of the Magical Forest with whom Zerzura City had treaties, still, no one wanted to encounter such a creature.

After all, just because they knew they were allies didn’t mean the Zhar-Ptitsa knew it, too.

Being devoured by the fire of the most powerful firebird in Africa when he believed they were enemies invading his territory would not be pleasant.

“Andrés, tell them your plan,” Liam interjected as he folded his arms.

Andrés took a deep breath, controlling his nervousness, and spoke.

“My plan is that we head down the second path,” said the young man, and before anyone could interject, he explained. “It may sound more dangerous, but if we decide to go our way, it’s very possible that when we get there, the dungeon will overflow and lead to chaotic combat, where creatures attack refugees and trucks. While it appears to be a Rank A dungeon, we won’t be able to tell precisely without direct analysis.”

A chaotic and unexpected battle was the worst thing that could happen to the caravan and students like Érica, who were present at the temporary dungeon overflow, remembered the chaos.

“So, you’re saying that the dungeon might be S-Rank?” Captain Sadiya asked with a serious tone.

S-Rank dungeons, while not that rare, were troublesome and very difficult to clean.

After all, it wasn’t about the possible S-rank boss, who might be inside, but about all the A-rank creatures that could be found.

“I’m not sure. However, for a satellite to be able to identify it as a temporary Rank A dungeon from a great distance means that it may be a Rank A dungeon of the highest difficulty,” Andrés explained with an honest tone.

No matter if the satellite was designed with the best current technology, analyzing a dungeon from a distance was not a simple matter.

While the overflow and magical energy it emanated helped it to be identified, it also revealed that temporary dungeon was one of the strongest among the A-rank.

Facing that kind of dungeon without knowing the enemy that dwelled within was undoubtedly too reckless.

After all, it was one matter to clear a dungeon and another to encounter an overflow where all the creatures united and lost their reason, seeking to destroy everything in their path.

A veritable wave of monsters.

“This horde is fleeing out of fear and the only way across the ‘Victoria Nile’ river is through the Jinja bridge,” Andrés said and revealed some satellite images of the river, which appeared to be too fast flowing.

It was clear that the flightless creatures that were mostly among that horde could not cross the river so easily.

It might be a horde that was fleeing in fear, but that didn’t mean they were creatures that would easily commit suicide, and more so when there was a path.

A few smiles appeared among the leaders and Captain Sadiya asked. “Are you saying you want to lead them to the bridge and confront her there?”

Andrés gave a smile at that question, which everyone was thinking.

“Once gathered at one point, it will be very easy to exterminate the entire horde. We create a path for ourselves and prevent that horde from leaving the magic forest and heading to the populated area of Kenya,” Andrés replied with a serious tone full of confidence.

His plan aimed not only to find a way but also to prevent that horde from harming the Kenyan population, who now could not unite to face danger.

Unlike the temporary dungeon where the creatures could head everywhere, this ‘horde’ had a clear goal and destination.

Aurora clapped her hands pleasantly, drawing the group’s attention and with a satisfied smile.

“Does anyone have any doubts?” Questioned the leader of the caravan.

No one answered, since all the members of the caravan were clear about what they would do.