New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Chapter 773 Weak World; A Double-Edged Sword

Jack didn't want to let the arguing go on for too long, but he also thought it was good for all those negative emotions to be laid bare before they were locked in life-or-death combat.

But someone he hadn't expected help from rapidly defused the situation.

"I think our chances are better this way, actually," Kary said, her face scrunched up.

This brought the arguing to a halt as everyone turned toward her.

"What?" Clark said, confused.

'Has she lost her mind after all this time around him?' David wondered, glancing at Alexander.

"Think about it," she said, stretching her hand toward Jack.

He understood what she wanted and handed her the remote.

Kary clicked a button on it, rewinding the footage to the first sighting of the Raijūs. His blue-streaked pattern was bright in it, lighting up on his fur.

"Look at his fur," she said, giving them a moment before forwarding the recording to the last seconds.

She paused as the wolves reappeared and zoomed in on the one to the left.

"Look at it now. Can't you see the difference?"

Look as they may, none could spot any noticeable difference—until David walked closer to the image.

His eyes lit up, a grin stretching on his lips.

"It seems the world is restraining them, just as it's restraining our progress. How did you even see this in the single second of the video?" he asked, turning toward Kary.

"I was focused on them. I guess my time in New Eden has sharpened my observation skills. But, the way I see things, that wolf drained much of its power to get rid of the drones. And I doubt it can recharge it fast."

David nodded his head, turning to the image again.

"Raijū usually live in areas high above the ground, where their proximity to the storm they generate allows them to gather the electric mana inside to refuel their powers.

"But the mana in this world is still too weak for them to do that. So, it has to use its power scarcely. It might still be in a weakened state as we speak!" he surmised.

Kary smiled.

'At least he's not just a meathead.'

"If we can get them to use their power early in the fight, while we are still at full power, I believe we can force them into weakened states and overpower them," she added, throwing the remote back to Jack.

Jack grinned at her.

'Just as I expected. This is her field of expertise.'

Behind him, Margarett was looking at Kary with a cocked eyebrow.

'She's much too smart to be playing games all day. This girl should have become an operative. Too bad the world is going to shit.'

Clark looked at Kary, his eyes still filled with uncertainty.

"And how do you propose we force them to use their power without killing us all? Did you see what they can do? This is a suicide mission."

Alex took the lead on answering that one, grinning from ear to ear.

"We brute force them into it."

He changed his hand into a wolven claw; the claws gleaming in the room's low light, showing their sharpness.

Clark took a step back, seeing Alex use his power again. Images of him flying up the side of a building flashed in his mind, taking it off the mission, and he shivered.

"This settles the knowledge part of the briefing," Jack said, clapping his hands together.

"Now. How about we get to strategizing?" he added.

Clark and Juan were still reticent to participate in this, but one was choosing to trust Alex, and the other was thinking about the heavy bonus he would get for the completed mission.

'Maybe I can ask Colonel Lancaster for a heavier bonus for the risk factor?' he thought.

As soon as everyone nodded, with or without enthusiasm, Kary took the spotlight, pulling out weather data for the surrounding forest and pointing to the zone they should be hunting in.

Then, removing the weather factor, she pulled out a topographic map of the area, studied the layout, and started assigning everyone roles.

She had to ask everyone about their combat method and think about the best use of their different skills and abilities, but this was where she had always shone.

She made this as quick as possible, as time was not their ally, and eventually fleshed out a solid plan, in her opinion. And Jack couldn't think of anything better to add.

As their frontline, there would be Alex, his inherent toughness higher than anyone else, given his melding ability, and Juan and Clark, who would act as off-tanks. Their classes and combat styles would make them perfect for the job.

They would offer cover to Alex if he slipped up, but stay as much as possible out of the attacks of the two Raijū, so they didn't get killed. They would also act as tanks against the horde of dire wolves to protect the rest of the team.

Acting as harassers would be Jonathan, as well as David's undead, and Margarett. They would attack everything they could while staying as mobile as possible.

Then, there would be Jack, Kary, Violette, Cory, and David acting as their back-line. David was to stay there to protect the back-line to the best of his ability in case some wolves charged at them.

As for the three other back-liners, their role was evident.

Dish out a maximum of damage.

The only issue they still had was arming everyone. Alex might not need a weapon with his abilities, but the others differed.

Kary had become proficient enough in mana control to no longer require a wand, so she was fine, and Violette assured the group she was fine as well. David still had his bident he had made before, which also covered him.

But the rest were still empty-handed. But before they started worrying, Jack hoped in.

"Actually, there is a reason we came with this many vehicles. I have been working with Mr. Magnus since the service tunnel incident and have something for all of you."

He walked over to one crate the soldiers had unloaded and unclasped the lid.

When the crate opened, David nodded in satisfaction.

'Now we're talking.'