The space fell silent as the man with the lime-colored hair displayed an air of complete indifference. Surprisingly, no one objected to the words that had been spoken aloud. Even the lime-haired man, who had been staring blankly at Lennok, retreated with a firm expression. Lennok was pleased to see that all signs of hostility had vanished from the man’s face.
Before the operation began, Lennok wanted to avoid unnecessary burdens. His unconventional approach, a display of wizardly power that eliminated all opposition, had proven to be effective.
With a sense of resolution, Lennok concluded, “It’s settled then.”
Approaching Lennok with a grin, a young man with a shaved, asymmetric side head and a tattoo in its place spoke, “A sand wizard, a rarity even among nomads who spend their lives in the desert… you’re the perfect fit for this mission. I don’t know how the agents managed it, but they found the ideal candidate here.”
Extending his hand for a handshake while maintaining eye contact, the man introduced himself, “Chen Kruger. I lead the first squad in this operation. My friend Dave is in charge of the third squad.”
“Van,” he replied, shaking Chen’s hand, briefly glancing at the lime-haired man still seated.
Perhaps the lime-haired man had challenged Lennok out of dissatisfaction at being in charge of the rear. Whatever his motive, he hadn’t expected Lennok to stand so firmly against him. Once Lennok had displayed his formidable abilities, all opposition had vanished, leaving only respect for his prowess.
Chen continued to show favor towards Lennok, referring to him as a sand wizard. Lennok’s ability to flip the script and turn situations in his favor was one of his preferred magical strategies. He sensed that there was something more he could achieve with this “domain,” but it remained an elusive intuition for now.
While Lennok pondered, Chen engaged in meaningful conversations with other team members, quickly assessing the situation. It appeared that the first and third squads had reached an agreement after witnessing Lennok’s skills, discussing how to proceed with the operation.
Lennok had no interest in the operation’s finer details; his primary goal was to fulfill the main objective of the mission. Chen seemed much better suited to lead the team members in handling these details.
“Van, may I discuss the details of our coordinated operation among ourselves?” Chen asked.
“Go ahead,” Lennok replied.
Chen raised three fingers as he began to speak, “The operation proposed by the client is highly efficient, but it has three significant flaw. First, it doesn’t consider the individual skills of team members. Second, there was no prior explanation of the operational plan. Lastly, the success of the operation heavily relies on the second squad’s performance.”
Surreptitiously, Chen glanced at Lennok as he continued, “Squads one and three are to maintain formation after infiltrating the base and retreat afterward. Essentially, if the second squad doesn’t produce results, the entire operation will fail.”
He paused, directing his words at Lennok, “In my opinion, this operation seems to be built around your abilities, Van. Am I correct?”
Lennok responded nonchalantly, “I can’t say for certain, as I wasn’t directly involved in planning the operation. I’ve merely worked with them once before.”
“I see,” Chen nodded, lost in thought for a moment before continuing the discussion.
“What I mean is, during the operation, each squad’s roles need to be more dynamic than they are now. While it’s good that roles are clearly defined, we must avoid failure due to rigidly focusing on individual duties. Do you all agree?”
“I agree.”
“Great. Listen up, everyone!”
Chen raised his voice to gather the attention of the team members.
“I’ve received the leader’s approval to make some changes to the operation.”
“Team 1 will lead and move in first. While they’re moving, Team 2 will follow closely behind, and Team 3 will enter from both sides of Team 2, creating a retreat route. Once Team 2 finishes their tasks and exits, Team 1 will then escort and transport Team 2, while Team 3 erases the retreat route. Is everyone clear on this plan?”
“……”
“In this operation, it’s not just about everyone perfectly executing their tasks. It’s about having the belief that even if one side makes a mistake, we can immediately cover for it. If Team 1 fails, we might not be able to get out of this base. I’m sure everyone understands the stakes.”
Chen’s calm and commanding demeanor elicited natural nods from the team members. Lennok observed him quietly, impressed by Chen’s leadership and decision-making abilities.
Chen had chosen to take the most significant risk by entering first when the temporary base was at its strongest. He showed a daring spirit in making that choice and took responsibility for carrying out the operation effectively. Lennok couldn’t help but think that Chen would be more suited to lead an organization like Dray rather than working as a freelancer.
After sensing Lennok’s thoughts, Chen responded with a shy smile, admitting, “You have a keen eye. In fact, I’m considering starting a business with some friends.”
“A business?”
“Yes. It requires a lot of money, so that’s why I’m here, running around like this,” Chen explained with a light smile before turning his attention to the impending operation.
“We’ve talked enough for now. We have to walk from here to the temporary base, so let’s get moving,” he said, prompting the team to prepare for their journey.
Meanwhile, Lennok activated his earphone and communicated with Hina, the calm and mechanical female voice on the other end.
“Shouldn’t the operating team start getting involved in the operation now? I think it’s enough to watch the power struggle of the workers who have come to the site.”
Hina responded, offering an excuse for their previous inaction,
– Apologies. It’s been a while since we’ve cooperated so openly with freelancers from our side. Although we have planned the operation, we’ve been waiting for a consensus on-site to prioritize the right judgment.
Lennok chuckled at her response, appreciating her skillful choice of words to justify their actions.
-We’ll begin the operation now. From here to the temporary base, there are numerous unseen sand dunes that make it difficult for vehicles to navigate. It’s best to abandon the vehicle here and proceed on foot.
A hologram appeared to mark the location of Falcon’s temporary base on the coordinates.
-While we can provide some support when you enter, the most crucial part will be your judgment and action. Please keep that in mind.
With Hina’s instructions, Chen gave Lennok a wink and swiftly led his Team 1 members to start running. The lemon-haired comrade who had regained his senses quickly followed, leaving behind the chlorine-ability young man who then turned to Lennok for guidance.
“Um… Van, should I carry you while we run?” Gehan asked, offering to help.
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not necessary.”
In the city, he might have reluctantly accepted such an offer, but in the desert, Lennok had other methods at his disposal. The sand beneath him began to ripple and solidify, supporting his feet as it moved.
‘I never thought I would apply my research in levitation magic like this.’
Lennok was surprised to find that the foundational knowledge he had in levitation magic helped him maintain balance while riding on the moving sand. With a bit of magical finesse, he was able to implement the movement as he desired, though it wasn’t the most efficient method.
His Team 2 members watched in awe as Lennok rode forward on the waves of sand.
“I mean, when I heard his name, I don’t recall ever hearing that he handles sand magic…” Gehan mumbled, and the others nodded in agreement.
‘The sand particles are pretty small. So, they stick quite well with magic.’
Lennok realized that the sand responded more sensitively and smoothly to his manipulation with [Sand Thrust]. Infusing mana into the sand allowed it to move freely, a method that other freelancers couldn’t imitate. It seemed Lennok’s ability to manipulate mana on a particle level was quite influential.
‘I need to remember this.’
While Lennok was lost in thought, the freelancers increased their speed, quickly narrowing the gap with the temporary base to avoid detection.
As they approached the base, Chen communicated through the earphones, comparing coordinates and landmarks in the hologram.
-It’s starting to show. Everyone get ready.
-Please close your eyes.
Hina’s cold voice echoed in their ears.
-Starting the support.
A wire-like sphere flew from the distant sky, intercepting a laser shot from one of the tents that had just appeared over the sand dunes. However, it released thousands of metal fragments that cascaded down like silver snow, paralyzing radar and interfering with communication, effectively hiding the team members’ exact location and actions.
“It’s beautiful,” someone murmured, admiring the sight while running at full speed.
In this barren desert, the stunning display of magical interference with the terrorists’ base was captivating.
As Lennok pushed his mana and accelerated, he realized that the sand’s movement was smoother than expected, revealing a clear course of action.
[Rise]
With a soft whisper, an enormous amount of mana was infused into the ground, lifting the sand that covered the desert floor. A tsunami-like wave surged through the desert as the sand rose high into the air.
[Reverse Gravity]
Lennok extended his arms wide as a giant wave of sand, over ten meters high, rushed towards the ground, sweeping over the desert.
Ignoring the horrified expressions of his fellow freelancers running beside him, Lennok focused on the flow of mana. It was not sand magic that he needed in this moment, but a large-scale gravity-based spell—a pre-emptive strike similar to what he had used at the harbor.
The sand waves crashed through the faint fences and dozens of tents on the outskirts of the temporary base, pushing them back and burying the members of the Falcon organization who had been caught off guard.
“Aaaaaahh!!”
“It’s a tsunami!!”
“No way…!! How…!!”
Weapons and magic were of little use against such a natural disaster. The screams and shouts of horror were swallowed by the mound of sand as the outskirts of the temporary base were devastated.
Ignoring the astonished stares of his team members, Lennok slowly lowered his hands and said, “Let’s go.”
The second operation in collaboration with the agents had begun—a large-scale battle involving at least ten team members.
(To be Continued)
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