In a courtyard in the Re-Estize Royal Capital, a large number of fully armed personnel, about one hundred and fifty individuals, gathered. The air was filled with suppressed tension.
This was the assembly point chosen by Renner for the assault on Eight Fingers' strongholds.
Among these one hundred people, fifty clearly did not blend with the other scattered teams. They stood out.
All of them wore equipment that emitted magical fluctuations, and not just one or two pieces. Their heads, bodies, hands, legs, and waists—all parts of their bodies were protected, indicating that they were high-level adventurers or warriors, perhaps even on par with Vanguards or Guardians.
Climb slapped a black paste onto his armor. A final touch.
This armor was a gift given to him by the Blue Roses masters who commissioned craftsmen to use the remaining mithril material when they made their equipment. This armor possessed powerful protective capabilities.
However, its dazzling white color was certainly a disadvantage in this operation, as it would reveal his tracks and cause him to be discovered by the enemy. So, he had to use special magical dye to color it all pitch black, absorbing the night's light.
After finishing his task, Climb's gaze unconsciously shifted to a group of special people nearby. They were reinforcements from the Church of Destiny, looking different from the other royal soldiers.
"Climb, what are you looking at?"
Feeling a tap on his shoulder, Climb turned sharply and saluted the newcomer. "Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff!" An honor he felt in his greeting.
Gazef smiled at him, a faint smile on his tough face, and said, "Don't just stand there like an idiot. The Captain is holding a meeting over there."
"Yes!"
Climb nodded, a little embarrassed, and followed Gazef towards the center of the courtyard.
Only a few people were gathered there, but the most dazzling among them was probably the girl.
A weapon as large as Kilineiram hung at her waist, its size almost matching her own body. Her armor was carved with countless unicorn patterns, emitting an aura of purity, and six magic swords were neatly hung and gathered behind her back.
Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, captain of the Adamantite-tier adventurer team Blue Roses, was the supreme commander of this assault on Eight Fingers' strongholds. The heavy burden of the mission was clearly etched on her shoulders.
After seeing that all the team leaders had arrived, Lakyus began to explain the operation's details, her voice clear and firm in the quiet night. "Our objective this time is to attack and occupy the eight facilities belonging to Eight Fingers in the capital."
"Since we will be gathering evidence and conducting investigations later, we hope you will try to keep as many people alive as possible. However, our opponents are a dark organization that controls the capital's underworld. If you are unable to do so, then forget it. You may kill those who resist stubbornly." A pragmatic leniency.
"Is everything alright, then?"
After finishing her explanation, Lakyus gave a final confirmation to everyone. When no one raised any objections, she dismissed the teams with a brief nod.
All team leaders returned to their respective teams. At this moment, Lakyus called out to Climb, who was also about to leave.
"Lady Aindra, is there anything else you wish to say?" Climb asked, a little surprised.
Lakyus didn't answer immediately, but instead waved her hand to a place not far away, a subtle gesture.
Then, Climb saw a youth in gleaming black armor detach himself from the Church of Destiny group and walk directly towards the two of them. His movements were calm and confident.
Lakyus raised her hand and introduced him, "His name is Dylan. He will be with you to assist you in this operation."
"Please advise me."
The man named Dylan smiled kindly at Climb.
Climb was silent for a moment. However, he still nodded and said, "Please tell me."
Among the team leaders attacking Eight Fingers' strongholds, his personal strength should be the weakest. The reason he was chosen as captain was primarily because he was Renner's bodyguard and represented Her Royal Highness the Princess. An honor that was also a burden.
Although with the participation of the Church of Destiny members, this operation had a great chance of success, it was a battle nonetheless, and no one could guarantee there would be no unexpected situations.
Lakyus said it politely, but Climb knew that this man named Dylan was a bodyguard specifically arranged by her to protect him. This was a form of mercy.
Climb was grateful for Lakyus's concern for him, but this also made him feel frustrated. A surge of wounded pride.
As Her Royal Highness the Princess's bodyguard, I am participating in such a battle on behalf of Her Royal Highness the Princess, but in the end, I can only pretend to be under the protection of others. It's truly shameful.
However, he would not force himself to lead. A sense of responsibility outweighed his ego.
Because this would not only disappoint Lady Aindra's kindness, but also increase one's risk factor, which would be a foolish act.
The order he received was to complete the mission well and then return safely to meet Her Royal Highness the Princess. That was his top priority.
After the assault teams were ready, they left the rallying point according to the distance of their target locations, moving in the dense silence of the night.
Lakyus led a team of fifteen and passed through brightly lit areas under the cover of night, arriving at Eight Fingers' Security Department base, the Six Arms. The air here felt heavier.
According to intelligence, there were several adventurers in the Six Arms who could rival Adamantite-tier adventurers. If they didn't have enough combat power, they should try to avoid this stronghold during the operation. It was a snake pit.
But now they had reinforcements from the Church of Destiny, so naturally, they didn't need to avoid it. A great advantage.
To be safe, Lakyus assigned the strongest enemy stronghold to herself when assigning the assault missions. A personal challenge.
Unlike Gagaran, Climb, and Gazef, she wasn't particularly afraid even if she died in an accident.
This was a gift from Kael, the Lord, which gave her a strong sense of self-confidence, an absolute belief in divine protection.
Lakyus glanced at the Church of Destiny member behind her unnoticed and found that the person's expression was very relaxed. He even smiled at her after noticing her gaze. A mysterious yet reassuring smile.
Lakyus smiled back, then returned her attention to the stronghold gate not far away, calmly waiting for the time of the general assault. Her heart pounded, but her resolve was unwavering.
One minute, two minutes, five minutes...
When the time reached the agreed-upon second, the timer on her body trembled slightly, and Lakyus whispered, "Action!" The command broke the silence.
The Magic Casters and Thieves in the team began to cast invisibility effects on everyone, shrouding them in illusion. Lakyus took the lead and rushed out of the alley, casting flying magic like [Fly] to soar towards the watchtower behind the wall.
At the same time, several others also used similar methods to cross the walls and quickly locked down all Eight Fingers members in the courtyard, moving like ghosts.
Lakyus struck the guard unconscious with her rose-engraved rapier, a swift and precise movement.
Due to the attack, her invisibility effect lifted. When the other members saw her appear, they quickly engaged the enemies around them, swords and magic flashing in the dim light.
However, their numbers were small, and some of them were sent to block the stronghold's back door. They couldn't defeat all enemies, and their presence was soon discovered.
"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!"
"Someone, quickly come!"
Alarm shouts echoed throughout the courtyard, breaking the night's silence, and the assault began.
"Drink!"
Lakyus leaped down from the watchtower, locking onto an enemy with the magical sword Kilineiram in her hand. She slashed with a force of gravity manifested through her magic, cutting through the opponent's ordinary iron sword and severely wounding him.
Amidst the screams of the wounded falling to the ground, she rushed towards the inner gate of the defensive stronghold, and all enemies blocking her path were severely wounded by a single slash of her sword!
For a moment, wails continued, and the entire stronghold fell into chaos, a sudden mini-battlefield.