I was feeling thirsty.
According to the mothership's clock, it was already midnight.
Everyone must be asleep by now.
I had just woken up and quietly made my way to raid the refrigerator.
I was feeling down.
Osh...
I couldn't shake off the regret.
I have to figure something out.
No... I think I already have a rough idea.
I just need to accept it.
I wonder if I'll ever be able to forget the path I'm choosing now.
I picked up a bottle of water.
It was cold.
I drank it.
A deep sigh escaped my lips.
I covered my eyes with my palm.
I have to build a stronger mentality.
I have to mature.
I have to become stronger.
I can't remain a child forever.
I'll turn seventeen in seven months.
So why am I still hesitating whenever I have to make difficult choices?
I dropped onto the sofa.
The battle between Haidoro and Griho would begin in six hours.
I'm sure Grahan will try some dirty tricks from the shadows.
A few Four-Starred Personnel are still active.
There are countless enemies hiding throughout the Isolated Dimension as well.
Our chances of leaving this place alive are slim.
Everything would've gone much smoother...
...if only I weren't so weak.
I sipped some more water.
"Drinking water?"
A hoarse voice pulled me back to reality.
I looked up.
A massive Dragoling stood before me.
Griho.
For some reason, every time I see a Dragoling, I instinctively remember Haidoro.
Just the sight of one sends a chill through me.
[Pratik]: Yeah. Felt thirsty.
I replied calmly.
[Griho]: I see.
Griho said as he sat down on Ganaraj's chair.
Well...
Ganaraj and Haidoro are about the same size, so the chair fit him perfectly.
Ganaraj looks chubby.
Griho, on the other hand, is built like a fortress of muscle.
That alone makes them look completely different.
[Pratik]: You here for water too?
I asked.
He stared at me silently.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
[Griho]: I have a plan for tomorrow's battle.
That caught me completely off guard.
Why was he discussing this with me?
I'm nowhere near the smartest person here.
I was about to ask why...
...but he continued before I could speak.
[Griho]: I'm confident that I'm stronger than Haidoro.
However, there's a chance Grahan has already prepared something that'll tip the scales in Haidoro's favor.
I nodded.
That was exactly what I'd been thinking.
[Griho]: If, by any chance, I lose...I want you and the others to attack Haidoro immediately. Keep the two healer-types away from the battlefield. The moment I fall, make sure I'm taken to them.
The atmosphere grew serious.
His plan made perfect sense.
None of us could defeat Haidoro on our own.
But if Griho could be healed and sent back into battle...our chances would increase drastically.
That was the only logical way to win.
Of course...
...that only mattered if Griho actually lost.
Which still sounded unlikely.
After all...
...he was the Sorcerer Hunter Marshal.
And after witnessing his strength firsthand...
I knew exactly what kind of monster he was.
Still...
Grahan is the cunning one.
We'll have to make sure he's taken out of the equation.
I'll discuss it with Yash.
[Pratik]: About the remaining Four-Starred Personnel...
[Griho]: Don't worry about them. About an hour ago, while taking a walk through space, I encountered twenty Four-Starred Personnel...and eliminated them. Only eight remain active now. If you send Ganas, Gaja, and the Three Tusks after them...you have a good chance of defeating the remaining eight.
I gulped.
He...
What?
Twenty Four-Starred Personnel?
And here I was, feeling overwhelmed just thinking about fighting five of them.
He truly exists on an entirely different level.
From everything he'd told me, the battle would most likely unfold like this—
Phase 1: Three Tusks vs. the Sepoys.
Phase 2: Ganas and Gaja vs. the remaining Four-Starred Personnel.
Phase 3: Yash vs. Grahan.
Final Phase: Haidoro vs. Griho.
Final Phase - Round Two (if Griho loses): Everyone remaining vs. Haidoro.
That was the battlefield distribution according to difficulty.
While Griho fought Haidoro...
...the Three Tusks and Ganas would already be dealing with the enemy forces.
Lila and Nini would stay away from combat.
Neither of them was suited for frontline fighting.
If Griho actually fell...
...they would be the ones responsible for bringing him back.
As for Grahan...
I'd have to send Yash after him.
I bit my lip.
Sending Yash alone against a Seven-Starred Personnel...
...wasn't something I could accept.
But among all of us...
...he was the only one who stood even the slightest chance against that cunning monster.
I let out another sigh.
I turned toward Griho...
...only to realize he had already left.
That guy is ridiculously fast.
...
No.
I'm just too slow to notice.
Four hours had already passed.
Only two hours remained before the battle began.
Everyone must be awake by now, preparing themselves.
I need to share the strategy...
...and update everyone.
Throwing the empty bottle into the dustbin, I walked away.
The battle was about to begin.
Griho had already left for the battlefield.
Haidoro must've arrived as well.
To be continued...