Unlike a fort, a tower is relatively harder to defend due to its narrow base and greater height. But the advantage of a tower wasn't to fortify and store armies, it was to scout. With the tower's height and expert scouts, enemies are discovered quicker than usual and reported back. This was the case currently.
Within the Silvers Kingdom's Territory, the tower Ja Sun is asked to defend is the eye of three forts collectively with scouts constantly updating the forts. The Chief of the Tower, a grey-haired middle-aged man with an impressive physique by the size of his pieces of armor, was quite reluctant. Soldiers didn't understand but how could a higher official not?
By the two kingdoms, Empire, and the Spirit Hall, all non-spirit masters in the armies were treated as a pawn. In some way, their fates were worse than spirit masters.
But Ja Sun, much to the chief's shock, didn't try to gain control and approval of the tower's soldiers like others who came before him. This tower isn't only visited by spirit grandmasters for missions but also spirit ancestors. With luck, the tower has continued to exist but every time, the Chief and soldier never obeyed the words of the group of spirit masters taking the mission much less a single spirit master. It was their direct orders.
Why would a single spirit master enter a group stage?
Why wouldn't he try to command them to take advantage of the natural superiority of the mission only to taste bitter refusal?
The answer came in a form of a slap.
The spirit master slapped one of Chief's attendants. A white glow passed through his palms and the attendant fell unconscious.
"You!" Furious, the chief stood up while slamming his desk when suddenly, cold sweat trickled down his forehead and his pupils were contracted due to the breath of death which suddenly surrounded him. The spirit master had raised his finger, indicating him to shut up.
"Get out," he whispered, "I need to change."
---
"We will study the tower for two days. Mark every spirit master and then formulate a plan to trap them alone. If we're lucky, we will manage to nab the core member of the team and then take care of the rest. Be mindful of soldiers. We aren't required to hurt them but if push comes to the shove, use any means necessary."
Seven individuals: One man and six women. All of them had dark hair but strangely, the man had his long hair draped over his back and broad shoulders while the women of the team wore their hair short. All of them wore similar brown robes and looked dignified.
"We have won six group battles. Each one of them fairly simple but in other words, we have a better advantage due to our upbringing. The Clan, however, expects great results. Although the main team will gain the highest benefits, we are not to lose out in achievement in any way within our own spirit titles."
The leading woman spoke with a stoic expression. Other's expressions turned grave momentarily.
"Move out. Instantly trigger the mechanism if you're in danger. We will meet up every 3 hours."
Everyone dispersed.
Out of them, the smallest and petite girl moved the fastest. In fact, her agility and movement were unmatched compared to the group. The only male member, on the other hand, looked quite accustomed to movement techniques. He slowly moved while hiding behind trees or within bushes to check the situation.
The seven members continued to move. They surrounded the tower from a distance. What all of them had in common was the sense of stealth. Even the patrolling soldiers didn't find any of them. Quite a lot of them chattered amongst themselves, meanwhile, actual scouts who would shuttle through the surroundings were concentrated on top of the tower instead. They would move back and forth between the three fortresses to send messages. This is where their use lied and the patrol was manned by soldiers themselves.
The existence of the tower wasn't to locate spirit masters, but to notify any encroaching group of soldiers, or worse, army. So, the functions of the human resources were in line with the tower's initial objective and this was one of the many reasons alongside spite and envy that the soldiers never fell under any spirit master's commands.
During the three-hour period, none of them saw any spirit master. The group had enough battles to understand that initially, the opposing group wouldn't settle down but mark weak spots and then settle on defense but for three entire hours, the group didn't see any spirit master.
Instead, two guards dutifully stood next to the entrance of the tower. A few scouts on the highest spot and keeping an eye out. Small teams of soldiers rotating through their patrol schedule.
But not a single spirit master!
"What should we do?" The male member inquired. His expression was the weirdest but the other girls were silent.
"This situation is strange. It can be one of the three situations:
1) Our opponents are holed up and preparing something that will help them achieve victory.
2) They have dispersed and instead looking for us.
3) The unlikeliest: They haven't reached the tower yet.
I'll start with the last option. Every mission based on attack and defense has a slight gap in time. Usually, the first to reach the target will be the defender. Not only that, we have been observing the situation for three hours and none of them have appeared. If it really is this option, then the best course of action is to attack immediately.
The second option seems unlikely, too. If they are already observing us, then they should have attacked us too. In the favorable outcome that we simply didn't encounter any enemy looking for us means that they are far away and distracted, leaving the original target— the tower unattended. Once we destroy it, we can locate the opponent team and snatch their tokens to complete the objective.
And the first option seems the likeliest one. Any team that can reach the seventh group mission will have confidence in their own abilities and if they are completing this particular course of action that guarantees them victory, our only option is to attack once again."
Three situations, but the same course of action. Since the leader had already stated it, why would others not follow?
"Release your martial souls. In any case, we will break through the situation at once."
Everyone nodded.
Two rings appeared around.
14 yellow rings!
But the most incredulous aspect was that while the youth's hair grew out further with his body bulking up and growing hair all around his physique as a form of his spirit enhancement, the six women all held the same martial soul.
It was a turquoise-colored 'hut,' with a ground and first floor. It brimmed with an ethereal aura that constantly shifted around it. With extreme harmony, the six girls whispered, their voices intertwined with one another: "Twin Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, first light— Strength."
A beautiful stream of foggy light flashed from the six martial spirits and covered the youth. His body instantly bulked up once again. His eyes brimming with tyranny and his larges fists easily the size of a skull of a little child. His body already surpassing the 2-meter mark and reaching 3 meters.
"Second light— Speed."
They chanted together and another set of light covered the youth. There weren't many notable changes to his body this time but the sense of lightness couldn't be suppressed.
"Sisters, I'll go ahead."
"We'll follow in time," they nodded with slight perspiration over their forehead. They weren't too exhausted but using two lights of their Twin Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda still left them breathless momentarily.
With the humongous body, the hairy beast spirit master displayed an astonishing speed and tore through the thicket surrounding the tower. His movements weren't hidden and soon, he was discovered as bells rang within the tower, making every soldier alert.
Somehow, the two soldiers guarding the entrance. One retreated orderly alongside the others, silently waiting for this charade to end before they could return to their duties and the other one made his way into the thicket himself. However, instead of spearheading the unknown entity, this soldier displayed impressive agility as he jumped around and passed through the branches. Taking off the two iron gauntlets, the being wore a pair of impressive white gauntlets with golden carvings. A pair of green eyes lit behind the helmet as he continued to gaze at the trembling and sometimes collapsing trees towards the way leading in the direction of the tower.
'The power seems too great. Even I wouldn't be able to snap trees as thick as this without exerting myself,' Ja Sun's pupils glimmered and he observed the hairy spirit master shuttling towards the tower. With his strength and size, he could definitely fell the tower in a few minutes at most but from the look on the spirit master's face, such an extreme method didn't even look forceful. In fact, he looked quite comfortable while simply bursting through any obstacle leaning his way.
'No spirit rings can be observed, too... but out of a group of seven spirit masters, one of them already boasts such a strength?' Ja Sun's expression was slightly heavy. He could deal with one behemoth without getting a scratch. He was confident in accomplishing this but six more?
At the moment, Ja Sun felt like he had bitten on more than he could chew, and even if he survives, he may lose the qualification of the S-rank reward with the condition of being unscathed.
Exhaling deeply, Ja Sun's limbs were instantly covered by thick silver light and a tiny purple spirit ring rotated behind him. His speed and attack were instantly solidified and he shot towards the behemoth from the side hoping to catch him off guard.
The silky hair around the spirit master's right shoulder instantly trembled and he growled. His feet planted deep in the ground and due to the momentum, he still slid forward without control, however, his body was already twisted to slightly face Ja Sun's direction.
'Detected?' Ja Sun didn't stop. The spirit master was foolish enough to completely destroy his gathered momentum and his speed only grew quicker with a flash of storm steps. The moment he revealed himself, the spirit master was surprised by the armor Ja Sun was wearing and his actions slowed down unconsciously. Another major mistake.
His shoulder cocked and a fist ready to launch, the spirit master's hesitation allowed Ja Sun to jump onto the spirit master's thick thigh. His feet seemed heavier than usual and caused imbalance over at the enemy's body. They were already at a distance where a slight movement may cause each of them to hug. However, this proximity worked for Ja Sun. His glowing fist struck the man's tense shoulder.
Ja Sun would have gone for the head, but his hand wouldn't reach easily.
"Hmm?" Ja Sun instantly shuttled back the moment he failed to feel the usual sense of strike from his Gentle Tactics. Instead, he felt like he had smacked a mattress.
'His hair, huh...' Ja Sun narrowed his eyes.
'Other teammates may follow soon,' Ja Sun's thoughts grew lightning quick but even now, the idea of killing the spirit master in front of him didn't come to his mind because he was confident enough in taking care of him without killing him.
'Opponent's defense is strong so...' Two pair of wings erupted behind Ja Sun and his body flew up just in time as the enemy's hair coiled into a drill and shot at the location where Ja Sun was previously. Meanwhile, two yellow halos emerged around the enemy.
But seeing Ja Sun flying in the sky, the hairy spirit master was stunned. His shock only grew as Ja Sun pulled out a red-steel lance from his storage essence too and with a sharp glare, shot the lance in his direction.
With silver burst still working to increase the overall output of his limbs through his hands and feet, another set of shock propelled the lance, its speed so terrifying that the lance instantly reached the spirit master's body.
Barely having any thought left, the spirit master instinctively used his second skill.
The dark hair covering his body revealed a glimmer and the lance was actually deflected with a loud sound.
It was as if two metals had collided!
Sparks of collision appeared around the spirit master's neck and the back of the lance vibrated atrociously, still managing to hang on in its position. Instead of viewing the scene with admiration, Ja Sun's body flew down, Silver Burst covering his wings and the moment he was close to spirit master, instead of touching him this time, his palms were covered in small hemispheres of soft glow.
"Careful!" A shout rang behind Ja Sun and the enemy spirit master. Ja Sun had already seen the approaching group of females and his actions were clear.
Without touching the man, Ja Sun forced the shock into his body.
The lance had lost its power by now and the man canceled his ability but it was too late.
As he fell into a dizzy spell, Ja Sun still moved.
Catching the lance midair, he stabbed it through the enemy's shoulder and this time, it wasn't stopped by hard fur and the silky hair could only part with blood spurting from the wound.
"Aaagh!" the enemy grunted with intense headache and pain.
"Don't worry, I'll be over soon," Ja Sun slapped the back of the lance as its body began to move sideways sharply. The generated force traveled through the weapon and into the enemy's body as he instantly found his body falling into paralysis.
"Stop!" one of the girls charged forward, but much to Ja Sun's surprise, not only was she slow but also incomparably weak in comparison to this bulky, hair meat shield slowly collapsing over his knees.
'One extraordinarily strong opponent and six... weak chicks. Are they all support? This could explain why this hunk almost feels like Zhao Wuji without his rings...'
Ja Sun's wings disappeared.
"Support Ya'er!" One of the remaining five girls commanded and five Twin Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas appeared over their hands once again. Two rays of colorful light shot out from their martial souls and instantly covered the girl.
Her strength and speed took a qualitative change. But while Ja Sun might have held the fallen spirit master with extreme caution... this time, he was just cautious.
Easily dodging the fierce knuckle, Ja Sun's hands left a series of afterimages and the girl felt an astonishing force travel into her body from various points that met in the middle.
'Bang,' Ja Sun's lips curved and he struck the point.
A miserable shriek rang out of the woman's mouth and with a whistling sound, she was sent shooting back. Blood continuously poured out of her mouth.
However, Ja Sun was sure that it wasn't a fatal injury. If he wasn't even in control of his abilities, how would he ever hope to reach the grandest point of this world?
"You!" Traces of anger flashed in the eyes of the remaining girls but not willing to chat, or hear their submission, Ja Sun still shot towards them.
The group battle had turned into a massacre. Ja Sun's opponents were right to use their maximum strength regardless of their misunderstanding. If they hadn't used their strongest means, the fight would have lasted for a few short seconds.
Since Ja Sun only had two spirit blocking ropes, he bound the two spirit masters he attacked at first and then finally asked the soldiers to help him shackle all of them.
This time, in fact, the soldiers were more than willing to listen. The man had single-handedly defeated a group of spirit masters.
Noble spirit master, in fact.
Everyone in the Douluo Continent knew the importance of the house-like martial souls the six girls had revealed. Not only that but the defending spirit master wore their armor. To the soldiers, it was like another comrade fighting everyone alone. His techniques and methods were calm, ruthless, and efficient. There were many scouts who watched the battle and explained it to others with an excited flush as to how the spirit master skewered the humongous enemy and didn't go easy on a girl, either.
The first thing the soldiers learn in the army is that whether a man or a woman. An enemy is an enemy. Treat them as such.
Ja Sun finally returned to his room and changed his clothes. The chief visited him again, this time, expressing his gratitude because there was no damage to the towers or the soldiers. Even the soldier that Ja Sun robbed was fine after a few dizzy spells.
Now, all Ja Sun had to do was loot his enemy and wait for five days.
***
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