Regressor Instruction Manual-Chapter 1102: Woo Hyo-Yeol (9)

‘I knew… she was going to lose.’

There was nothing she could do. I[1] had no information about Lee Ki-Young, but I heard many about him, and they weren’t ridiculous rumors like how he and Han Sora were lovers back on Earth and had promised to be together here.

Lee Ki-Young became the champion of the mainstream dungeon, Beginner's Trial, by earning more than two hundred thousand points. Han Sora was in second place, and Woo Hyo-Yeol was in third place, even though she had beaten him by a mile.

Anyway, Flower and Fertility Familia had been trying to recruit Lee Ki-Young all this while. At first, I thought it was nothing more than a rumor, but I saw him watch the mock battle with the Flower and Fertility Familia, and I realized that the rumor was probably not just a rumor.

Not only was he talking to the leader of the familia, but the long-time staffers of the familia were serving him, and the sight made me think that Lee Ki-Young had to have long become a part of the Flower and Fertility Familia.

Basically, Lee Ki-Young had already been recognized for his worth.

Whatever tricks he had up his sleeve, the Flower and Fertility Familia had already acknowledged him. He had just recently cleared the tutorial dungeon and joined the academy, but he was already transforming the continent, so I wouldn’t dare think that we could defeat him.

‘Woo Hyo-Yeol and Han Sora.’

My confidence went down when I saw their mock battle.

Those two players were already on a different level.

It was a good example that showed how much influence one person’s power could have on the battlefield. Even if that were the case, I was sure no one expected them to end the mock battle like this.

“It was all meaningless battle. Damn it,” I mumbled.

I laughed bitterly at myself despite encouraging my party members to do their best before the mock battle started.

“...”

Earlier, the archer shouted that we would be rewarded with good results for our efforts as long as we tried our best, but now, they were at a loss for words.

It wasn’t just the archer. The 50-something members stared at their hands in disbelief, but I was sure they weren't as shocked as me, as I had the baton for this mock battle.

I had accepted the baton, as I was a former military officer, but ironically, that was why I was confident. I understood how war worked through managing troops, military exercises, and various joint trainings.

Of course, I knew that war in modern times and on the Rohen Continent was different, but the basics of fighting battles using troops were the same.

In addition, there was a huge difference between being aware and unaware.

I needed to capitalize on that strength and fight, so I naturally made a lot of preparations. The moment they announced the map for the mock battle, I figured out the characteristics of the map and did endless research.

This was my own strength, and I had to make use of it, after all.

How I was going to place the troops and how efficiently we were going to defend the flag. Taking advantage of the enemy’s position and how we were going to attack weren’t exactly my strengths, but compared to ordinary players, I had an overwhelming amount of knowledge and experience.

My plan went awry when Han Sora and Woo Hyo-Yeol started fighting.

‘The map changed.’

To be exact, the map hadn't changed, but the topography had changed.

Han Sora’s summoned beast and spells had destroyed the buildings. Of course, she wasn’t the only one doing so much destruction, but she was doing the majority of it. In fact, traces of her powerful mana lingered on all parts of the map.

The route I had been planning to take was blocked, but it soon opened up.

This battlefield was temporary, so it was expected that the terrain would change.

The small city was in utter ruins. The place we were going to use as our camp had disappeared, replaced with a huge wall. To make matters worse, the location where Woo Hyo-Yeol and Han Sora had fought became a clearing with nowhere to hide.

It was so badly destroyed that it became some sort of a restricted area. One thing that comforted me was that our opponent was in the same situation as us, but it felt like I was just being delusional.

[Luxury Haven in the Battlefield is comforting you by saying that you were unlucky.]

[Blade of Pure Green Light looks at you pitifully, saying that this mock battle is on a different level compared to you.]

No, it wasn't like that.

I could still remember the battle that happened a few minutes ago.

It happened a few minutes ago, yes, not a few hours ago.

“Move. Move!”

As soon as the mock battle started, we quickly moved to our positions.

The enemy then ambushed Squad 1.

“Squad 2 is requesting support! Squad 1 is in combat! Requesting support!”

“Provide magic support! Magic support!”

The enemy’s ranged magic attacks had incapacitated Squad 2.

I couldn’t understand where it was coming from—no, I was only guessing that the attack was magic-based, as Squad 2 had no idea where the attack was coming from. The enemy had no high-level mage, so I assumed the mage was within fifty meters.

“Are there any survivors in Squad 2? If there are, join Squad 3.”

“Joining now.”

I thought the enemy had already isolated Squad 1, and since Squad 2, who had come to support Squad 1, ended up falling for their trap, abandoning Squad 1 was a reasonable choice.

I was sure everyone thought the same.

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“Squad 1 is still fighting! Requesting support! Requesting support!”

But this was a mock battle…

“Are you just going to abandon them, Gilmore?”

“Abandoning them is the reasonable choice here… but I’m not sure.”

“I’ll follow no matter what choice you make, but I don’t think this is right. You understand what I’m saying, right? Thinking about the people watching from up there…”

I wondered what the familias, who were watching from up there, were thinking right now. If they were in my shoes, would they prioritize their goals or their comrades? I was sure no one wanted to accept anyone capable of abandoning their comrades.

I knew this was a trap, but I had no choice but to fall for it.

I was sure those in my position would think the same way.

“Squad 1… is still fighting. We’re still fighting! Where’s the backup?!”

“Squad 1, retreat! Retreat!”

“We can’t retreat, damn it! The enemy is everywhere.”

“How many are there…”

“I can’t see! Damn it! All we can do is block their attacks!”

“Find a way to retreat! Move to position nine!”

We couldn't go because we would all die. The enemy was bluffing so much that it was like they were advertising that it was a trap. Despite having enough power to annihilate Squad 1, they weren't doing that for some reason.

Of course, I knew why they were doing that—they were trying to lure us out.

“Abandon Squad 1, and we’ll continue with the plan.”

“What?”

“It’s my choice. If you have issues a familia after this, you can just put the blame on me. If we help Squad 1, we’re all going to die. It’s a petty move. I’m sure everyone will think the same if they're in my shoes, Felix.

"I’m sure they’re using tricks to take advantage of our emotions of not being able to abandon our comrades in front of the officials of the familias.”

“I don’t know anymore. Anyway, I trust you, Gilmore.”

I thought the enemy’s troops were focused on Squad 1, but even that was a trick.

“The enemy is heading for the flag.”

The enemy had already reached the base. How? I still couldn’t figure that out. How come they had already reached our flag?

“Damn it. I want Squad 5 to provide support! We have the upper hand when it comes to the number of troops. We’ll head to the enemy’s base as well by taking the shortest route possible.”

The moment I gave that order, arrows rained down. The most shocking part was that I never figured out how many of them were there and who we were fighting. I had never seen the enemy, but my troops were getting eliminated.

Squad 1 kept saying that they were in combat, but they hadn't been doing anything about it. Squad 2 was wiped out on the way to help Squad 1. A huge chunk of Squad 3 was eliminated by arrows while trying to enter the enemy’s base.

Squad 4 was eliminated along with Squad 3.

Squad 5 fought valiantly to protect the flag, but I still had no idea who they were fighting.

Squad 6 was ambushed from behind, and they were the only ones who saw the enemies' appearances.

Squad 7…

Squad 8…

Squad 9…

We couldn’t do anything at all.

We were full of confidence earlier, but almost all of us couldn’t do anything.

Only five people from the enemy team had shown themselves. Funnily enough, I saw Lee Ki-Young when the battle was reaching the end.

He was quietly walking through the ruined city. He was walking quietly with an elegant and dignified gait, and he looked so out of place that I couldn’t quite describe him.

He walked with a smile, and his appearance looked so unrealistic that the title "Owner of the Flower and Fertility Familia" suited him.

Of course, he actually did something. He wasn't wielding a sword, nor was he preparing to fight. It was like he was sure that no enemy would ambush him or that no one was going to attack him in that clearing.

He had been strolling since the battle began. Just like that, he entered the enemy’s empty base and grabbed the flag. He looked so natural picking up the flag as if he were a prince of a ruined country trying to usurp the throne.

It was just a flag, but he looked so elegant that I thought of absurd adjectives to describe him.

“Great job, everyone.”

He said it as if his victory was predetermined.

“How is this possible?”

I knew it was possible, but that was the reason why I couldn’t understand it. The map… he had memorized the entire map. He memorized the ever-changing map, and he knew in advance that there was a path they could take—a path unknown to us.

“This is unfair… damn it… T-This is… really unfair,” I mumbled.

Was it realistic for someone to memorize the entire map while Han Sora and Woo Hyo-Yeol were changing it rapidly during their mock fight? To make matters even more absurd, he only had three hours to check the changed map, so was it even possible to come up with a new plan while memorizing the map for three hours?

Was he using a map hack or something?

“How… is that…”

How could he understand the map so perfectly that there weren't any variables at all?

How had he discovered places people could escape through or spaces his members could hide in? How was he able to move the flag without getting caught by anyone, and how was he so confident in his plan?

The man extended his hand out toward me with a smile.

“You did well, Mr. Gilmore.”

The word "genius" wasn’t enough to describe this monster.

1. Gilmore’s POV ☜