Dante's unique ability to perceive Fate Halos had revealed the location of the attacker—a lone figure stationed on a distant snow-covered peak, far beyond what normal senses could detect.
Only through his Fate Mastery, which at Stage-3, had Dante been able to discern the shooter's presence. His extended range, which allowed him to perceive Fate Halos within a 100-kilometer radius, provided the critical edge in pinpointing the archer's position.
As the barrage of arrows continued, Dante analyzed the situation. His perception of Fate Sequences allowed him to trace the exact trajectory of each arrow, their paths bending and curving unnaturally.
He was shocked to discover that the arrows traveled at nearly five times the speed of sound, meaning it took just over 10 seconds for them to cross the vast distance between the shooter and their camp. Despite the incredible distance, the arrows never missed their mark. Worse, they seemed to defy logic, changing direction mid-flight to pursue their intended targets like guided missiles.
Dante's suspicions were confirmed when he noticed every one of his fellow Raid Party members being chased down by an arrow specifically fixated on them.
Olivia, in particular, faced the brunt of the assault, with more than 20 arrows relentlessly pursuing her. And the number only increased as time passed. Others who had ventured out of Akor's protective Aqua Shell were also quickly targeted, the arrows zeroing in on each of them with unnerving precision.
He himself was being hunted by three arrows, each one chasing him through the snowy battlefield. However, Dante easily dodged each attack. His keen awareness of the arrows' future paths allowed him to predict their every move, slipping away with fluid grace just before they struck.
As he dodged, Dante's mind stayed focused, gathering every detail he could through his ability to perceive Fate Halos surrounding the battlefield.
Through that perception, Dante soon realized that the powerful bow-wielding attacker on the distant peak was not their only threat. He could detect Fate Halos of numerous other presences closing in from all directions, surrounding the snow-covered mountain they were on. They were being corralled—that wasn't just an attack; it was a coordinated assault meant to box them in.
Dante immediately shared his findings through the mind link Olivia had established, allowing the entire Raid Party to communicate telepathically without the need for words.
"Everyone, I've located the attacker—21.7 kilometers due north," Dante announced, his voice tense. "And there's more. We're surrounded by nearly a thousand Tier-3 Alpha Chosen, with a handful of Tier-4s mixed in. They're closing in, making their way up the mountain toward us."
Brandon's response was quick, his voice cutting through the tension. "We have to move fast. If we don't break out now, they'll pin us down from all sides."
Olivia, struggling to maintain her focus as she diverted the growing swarm of Aura Arrows, added in a strained tone, "These arrows just keep coming... I'm reaching my limit. If this continues, I won't be able to keep them at bay much longer." Her mental voice was shaky, the intense effort of controlling her weapon telekinetically while communicating with the group clearly taking its toll.
Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. Time was running out. Min-soo, the Space element user, quickly proposed a solution. "I've got an idea. But for it to work, I need to visualize the flight paths of those arrows. If we can all see what Dante sees, our chances will be much better."
Despite the overwhelming pressure of holding back nearly fifty Aura Arrows, Olivia took a deep breath and connected Dante's vision of the Fate Sequences to the group. The Raid Party members were immediately able to perceive the trajectories of the arrows, as Dante did, seeing the subtle threads of fate predicting their deadly flight paths.
That wasn't new for them—they had experienced something similar during the monster invasion back on Day-10, when Dante had shared his perception to minimize casualties by predicting the flow of battle. His role had been crucial then, and it was proving invaluable once again.
With the shared vision in place, Min-soo wasted no time. He sprang into action, using his spatial abilities to create small, precise portals in the flight paths of the incoming arrows. With each portal perfectly placed, he redirected the arrows to collide with one another mid-flight, causing them to destroy each other with an explosion.
His timing was impeccable, and soon the sky was filled with explosions as the arrows clashed and disintegrated before reaching their targets.
The pressure on Olivia lightened immediately, allowing her to regain some control as her butterfly blades continued to intercept the remaining projectiles. With the burden reduced, the others joined the fray, evading the Aura Arrows that were locked onto them with far more ease, thanks to their awareness of the arrows' predicted movements.
However, they knew the task required perfect precision. Each of their actions would alter the flight paths of the arrows, and any misstep could bring the deadly projectiles crashing into them. Timing was everything, and the Raid Party members moved with calculated grace, acting at the very last possible moment to evade or counter the arrows before they adjusted and changed direction.
While the rest of Earth's Alpha Chosen fended off the arrows targeting them, Min-soo focused on the onslaught directed at the Aqua Shell, swiftly dismantling dozens of arrows with well-placed portals.
His efforts heavily reduced the burden on Olivia, allowing her a momentary reprieve from the overwhelming pressure. Though they hadn't fully turned the tide of the battle, it was at least manageable.
Yet, the situation remained dire. New arrows continued to join the fray, relentless as ever, creating the sensation that there was no end in sight. They were still trapped, encircled by the barrage of neverending Aura Arrows that seemed intent on crushing them.
Just then, Jay's voice echoed through the mind link, resonating in the minds of every Raid Party member. For a fleeting moment, hope sparked within them. Jay's voice signaled the arrival of reinforcements, or at the very least, a plan to turn the situation around. They all wondered if somehow, against all odds, he had come to help.
But their hopes were swiftly dashed with his next words. "Neither I nor anyone else can reach you in time. You're going to have to handle this on your own."
A heavy silence hung in the air, the cold reality of their predicament sinking in. Jay's tone remained steady, but the weight of his message was crushing. "The one firing those arrows is Yinad, ranked 6th on the Power Ranking. His Power Index places him right at the peak of Tier-4."
The Raid Party exchanged uneasy glances. Alpha Prime Prospect—a title that carried immense weight. They were facing an enemy ranked 6th among millions of Alpha Chosen.
Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking a big leap forward! Alongside Earth's Alpha Prime, I've launched the first sub-book for EAP.
ALTER REALITY: Online
The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.
In the discord server, I opened a private channel for those Top 10 candidates, where I posted the respective Advanced Chapter.
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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
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