[Grandcliff Mercenary Team]
1. Aelka (Gold Rank) [Team Leader]
2. Aella (Yellow Rank)
3. Rokic (Yellow Rank)
4. Tang Shaoyang (White Rank)
5. Oljen Arkum (Blue Rank)
6. Johan Ivar (Red Rank)
There were two additional mercenaries after Tang Shaoyang. The same with Aelka, Oljen, and Johan lost their team members during the ambush. Johan was, in fact, a team leader on his own until he lost three of his team members, leaving Oljen Arkum.
Oljen Arkum was a Demi-God Rank, and he was a swordsman. He had a big broadsword on his back, his eyes were sharp, an experienced fighter, even though he was just Blue Rank. Johan Ivar had a similar role with Rokic, wearing heavy plate armor with a sword and a shield. The difference was the size of their shield. Johan had a round and lighter shield, but he also had a morningstar on his waist.
Johan and Arkum had seen the team list, and despite an assurance from Aelka, both were doubtful of Tang Shaoyang. Not just because of his rank as White Rank Mercenary, but also because of his gear. Aside from the fancy bow on his back, Tang Shaoyang did not look convincing at all in his outfit.
Unfortunately for them, beggars could not be choosers. While one of them was dubious, Aelka, Aella, and Rokic looked reliable. From the look of it, no other teams were looking for additional members as well. They must stick with the Grandcliff Team until they escape from the encirclement, if they can escape from here, of course.
Five minutes after the contract was officially issued, the mercenaries gathered once more, more unprepared this time. They joined the crowd led by Alves, the leader of the Mercenary Guild. Alves had his own team, the elite team. He was the only Archon Rank, which was why he was the leader of the Mercenary Guild, one of eleven God Ranks from the Raven Mercenary Guild.
"Rokic and Johan will be in front. Arkum and I will follow the tank closely, and you two from behind," Aelka split the role and pointed at Tang Shaoyang and Aella at the end of his instruction. It was a simple strategy that needed simple cooperation. They could not execute a complicated strategy because they were basically a new team with zero understanding of each other.
"But they can't be too far from us. What if those beastmen come for them? We can't protect them," Johan pointed out, the biggest issue with the formation.
"Don't worry about us. I can protect Aella from any ambush, I have a decent close combat ability," Tang Shaoyang assured with a smile.
"I think I will be safe as long as I stay close to him, Brother. You just need to focus on creating a path for our escape." Aella had blind confidence in Tang Shaoyang after she found out that Tang Shaoyang was a God Rank. In fact, staying next to Tang Shaoyang was the safest place on the entire battlefield.
Aelka had some confidence in Tang Shaoyang because he trusted the database, but Johan and Arkum remained doubtful. Unfortunately, they ran out of time as Alves called them out to get ready. Alves' team and six other elite teams would lead the charge, and they would follow the lead.
The plan was to breach through the center area. It showed how confident Alves was in his Mercenary Guild to choose to break through the area where most of The Dominion's army gathered.
Aelka, Rokic, Johan, and Arkum looked nervous. It was shown in their eyes and their facial expressions. Aella was the most relaxed one, spinning her staff at ease as the others were tensing up. Of course, it was just her because the other mercenaries were nervous as well.
The Mercenary Guild would take the east, and the Raven Monarch's army would take the north and the south side. Even though Aelka said this was a battle of survival, the higher-ups did not think so. They planned to fight and sweep the Dominion's army.
"Remember, Aella! Don't use big spells! You will hurt us or the other mercenaries!" Aelka reminded her sister once more before they charged toward their enemy. It seemed like Aella was quite reckless with her spell because her brother kept reminding her several times. Aella could not retort to her brother this time because of Alves.
"Get ready! On my word!" Alves raised his voice, echoing the air. Their enemy did not have a clear sight of them because of the smoke from the burnt tent, and they planned to use the smoke to launch the counter-surprise attack, "Charge!"
Alves led his team, pushing through the thick smoke. The other mercenaries followed the lead of the seven elite teams. Johan and Rokic followed the instructions and charged forward. They took the right wing, putting their shields up.
"Let's keep our distance at eight meters," Tang Shaoyang informed Aella as he pulled his bow from his back. He followed the tank with a jog while Aella maintained the close distance.
Tang Shaoyang aimed forward, pulling the string. Aella was surprised because there was no arrow, but then she found an arrow made of wind. Her eyes widened, and she realized what it meant by Elemental Archer. The arrow shot forward, went through between the mercenaries.
Aella was surprised that the wind arrow did not disperse the smoke. It went through smoke, and she could not see whether the arrow was hitting the enemy or not because of the smoke. She watched her new team members shoot more arrows. She counted it, and he shot more than twenty arrows.
It was then that they went out of the smoke and were surprised by what they found out. The trees were devastated, with broken parts as if a tornado had hit them. Aside from the trees, she found bodies that were shredded into pieces as well. She was surprised, but the frontline was confused because they were not aware of what had happened. The wind arrow was silent and almost invisible to the naked eye.
The enemy was in disarray already when they reached their line, and the mercenary right wing ran through the ambusher lines. Aella kept her awareness up, ensuring that she did not get separated from Tang Shaoyang. She expected the battle to be chaotic, but it was clean and quick.
Johan and Rokic would block the charging beastmen, then Aelka and Arkum would finish them off. They kept the formation well, but not because of them, but because of Tang Shaoyang. When ten beastmen were charging at them, Aella noticed how quickly Tang Shaoyang took down six of them with the wind arrow; quick, quiet, accurate, and deadly. That was the right description for the wind arrow.
Meanwhile, Aella realized that she barely did anything. She was warned not to use the big spell, but she got no chance to use her small spell as well, aside from a support spell to buff up the frontline.
Johan and Rokic were focused on their role; they were nervous and tense to realize most of their enemies were dead before they reached them. Without them realizing it, they had killed all the Dominion's army on their side. They stood among the dead bodies, confused and surprised.
"This is easier than I thought," The leader of one of the seven elite teams commented while scanning the surroundings. He noticed the hole in their enemy's heads, noticing most of them died before they could reach them.
"I would like to find out what happened as well, but we should help the left wing," Another God Rank from the second elite team commented. She also noticed the strangeness, but they did not have time for that. While they had it easier, the left wing was still in a battle. Their cries and the sound of the skills clash echoed in the air.
Tang Shaoyang was so focused on hunting that he did not notice that Aella was observing closely. He found out how he could reach Obsidian Rank, so he would not waste the chance. He tried his best to do the kill quietly, not to attract attention with his silent wind arrow. He made sure not to create a big impact with his arrow.
With his Chaos Eyes that could see through almost everything, he never missed a single target until he no longer had a target.
Aelka did not immediately follow the elite team to reinforce the left wing. He gathered the team and asked their opinion, "We have fulfilled the contract. We can keep going, or we can stay out for the remaining battle."
He did not make the decision because this was a temporary team, and he must ask for Tang Shaoyang, Johan, and Arkum's opinions. If this were his old team, he would immediately follow to reinforce the left wing.
"Of course, we must help the left wing and secure more contracts!" Johan did not hesitate to answer.
Aelka turned toward Tang Shaoyang.
"You are the leader. I will follow your decision!"
"Then we will continue!" Aelka nodded and led his team to the left wing.
The Dominion sent ten God Ranks in their ambush, and a battle between God Ranks broke out. However, the Dominion's God Ranks were outnumbered, six God Ranks against Ten God Ranks. The battle swept the lower-ranked soldiers and mercenaries. The battle between the God Ranks became the center of attention as people avoided them.
Meanwhile, Aella did nothing all the time; her eyes were on Tang Shaoyang, and Tang Shaoyang's attention was on the soldiers. He kept sniping the soldiers with the wind arrow, the soldiers who fought their allies, or the soldiers who tried to flee from the battle.
The battle between the God Rank was over. Alves and other God Rank Mercenaries killed two God Ranks from the Dominion while the remaining four God Ranks escaped. That was the signal for the end of the battle.
Aelka, Johan, Rokic, and Arkum cheered along with the other mercenaries for their big win.
Tang Shaoyang did not cheer with the others as he immediately checked his contract.
Objective: Kill five ambushers
Reward: 36 Credits & 5 Rank Points
Contract Type: Repetition Contract
"They should come with more soldiers for me to kill…" He muttered in a low voice. 98 times completion was far from enough to reach Obsidian Rank for sure.
"Why don't you kill the God Rank instead? That might help you a lot if you try to increase your rank," Aella suggested.
Tang Shaoyang shook his head, "I don't really want attention on me. Killing a God Rank will put me…" His voice trailed off as he turned toward Aella.
The female mercenary blinked her innocent eyes, and Tang Shaoyang realized that he might have said something he should not say.
"Did you watch me from the start to the end?" He asked.
Aella nodded her head.
"Can't you keep it a secret for me?"