Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 4 - Ch. 176 - A Shrewd Enemy!

Commander Kujou's voice echoed across the battlefield, instructing to retreat at once.

Immediately, the explorers changed their course of action from desperately fighting and avoiding dangers to retreating on the cliff. Their movements were not sticking together but they were swift in making their decision.

Furthermore, the disjoint lasted only for a couple of moments before one of the quick-witted captains took the lead and others followed in neat order after him as they ran for the cliff.

Their performance and transitioning from one action to another was truly worthy of first-grade. Compared to them, Tenji and Fuyuki lagged behind by a couple of seconds.

The order of their leader was absolute for the guild members. And this disposition was further strengthened when it came to Chariot.

For better or for worse, their current achievements were made possible because of Commander Kujou's leadership. Even if their leader asked them to jump on fire, they would not hesitate even a single bit, this was the kind of trust that had built between them. She was the light that would guide them to the correct path before they could think of one.

This was the core pillar on which Chariot revolves.

And on the flip side, while Tenji and Fuyuki were chasing after them after lagging behind, they couldn't catch up to them.

They had decided to stay behind by their own conviction. The two were just temporary additions so unlike the thought process that the rest of explorers shared, they were parsing the situation following their experience, which had caused the two to slow down.

The comastate Limey was right behind them. She alone was the crucial piece that must be prioritised before anyone else.

Tenji and Fuyuki cut down any of the underlings that come chasing after them while staring intently at Kujou, implying 'do something about healing.'

Commander Kujou also realised there were two late-runners behind them, but immediately understood why with a glance.

In a split second, Kujou glanced at the two explorers of <Pravirna> she happened to met on her way back and muttered 'over there' briefly.

"Thanks, Kujou. You saved our wool there."

"It goes the same for me. Your healing was a timely help. Anyway, leave pleasantries for later."

"It wasn't much. Alright, I am going to check out on President Limey."

The woman, an explorer with an exceptional healing ability that Alex had sent, nodded and immediately made a beeline for Limey along with another fellow guild member Guts.

(Finally! A healer is finally here!)

Tenji noticed those gallant figures heading toward them from his peripheral vision and swiftly understood the situation.

The tense air of the battlefield slightly mellowed down, and it had just brought an air of security to their hearts when---

"Ruuuuuuuuuu!!"

One of the few 'Underling' with camouflage ability swoops down from the top of tree out of nowhere. The underling's sharp, white eyes were reflecting the figure of the healer who had been running with her full force as it mercilessly swung down its claws at her nape.

It would be instant death if the claws slammed on her nape and that pivotal element into a mere headless corpse.

It was so sudden that no one saw it coming. ---Or perhaps, an accurate description would be that it simply managed to fool them out.

It was clear it had been silently biding its time for the target---the healer to appear all this while other underlings were getting slaughtered left and right. It was one that possess intelligence for sure to be able to carried out order with precision.

And now when the time was finally near, it bared its fan shrewdly.

"Huh?"

The healer raised a dumbfounded voice but it was too late by then. The slender shadow and the bloodthirst had already trapped her in itself.

How could it be? She had finally reached her goal but why right at the final step... thoughts swirled inside her.

They had already been attacked by the underlings on the way, which were fortunately fended by the fellow explorer that followed her and on the way, they coincidentally encountered Kujou and her main unit returning back and joined them. The journey to here was a close call so many times. But she was finally inches away from completing the mission that her leader, Alex, had given her.

Perhaps this was the price of negligence, the slight sense of accomplishment that had sprouted inside her.

"Marie!?"

The explorer running alongside her immediately moved to protect her from the incoming danger. He was a mage explorer who needed a bit of preparation before activating the skill, but it all happened in a flip second that he didn't have the chance for that.

In the grave moment, he immediately decided to cover her, who shared the more pivotal role, and showed his back to the enemy.

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!"

The underling mercilessly pulled the trigger on its attack and just as its sharp nails were about to be connect---

"Roar!!"

---Pashin! The sound of something being smashed echoed in the battlefield.

"---Huh?"

The man let out a dumbfounded voice when the expected attack didn't come. Instead, it was replaced by a dull sound that buzzed past his ear, as if just barely grazing it

A translucent shield had suddenly appeared and blocked the attack.

"<Slashing Bond>!!"

And following the same instance, a sword with its blade engulfed in red flames drew an arc in the air and severed the head of that underling.

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