Bastard Homunculus: Reborn in the Corpse Pit
Chapter 194: Capture the Flag(Part 1)

Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Capture the Flag(Part 1)

"Alright, this is it. It’s time to put your training into practice. As planned, Hart will hang back with me to protect our flag. As for the four of your, you’ll be splitting into two pair, Vice-Commander Siele and Tilda, and Akila and Kia. Each pair will head in different directions and try to locate our opponents’ flags," Instructed Jules, as she looked around at her team.

It was the 20th of May, 1920, the day of the training exercise had finally arrived. A large section of Pearl Forest had been chosen as the playing field, with a massive barrier cast around it, serving as the boundary of the playing field.

Additionally, the barrier had been programmed with a safety function, where anyone who’s about to sustain fatal damage would get teleported outside the barrier instantly.

With the risk of death taken out of the equation, there was no reason for anyone to hold back. Those who get teleported out would be eliminated from the contest, and if all the members of a team besides the leader get teleported out, that team automatically loses.

The leader wasn’t allowed to venture out of a twenty-five meter radius from their flag, if they stepped out of that range, they’d get teleported out and their entire team would be automatically eliminated.

Each team would begin in a different starting point, which were unknown to the other teams, meaning they would effectively have to search blind until they came across one of the other teams.

Every participant had been given a bracelet, with glowing crystals on them. If any of their teammates got eliminated, one of the crystals would shatter, so even while split up, each participant would be able to see how many of their teammates were still in the game.

The bracelets had one larger crystal embedded in the middle, which represented the team leaders. If that crystal shattered, the entire team would get teleported out.

Jules’s team was close to the northern edge of the barrier surrounding the playing field, their flag was set up in a small clearing surrounding by a grove of trees.

"Let’s get going, we should move quickly," Suggested Siele prudently.

"Yeah, sounds good," Nodded Akila, an eager look on his face.

"Make sure to keep your guards up and stay alert, you could run into the other teams at any given moment, so be ready to react and respond at a moment’s notice," Jules advised them, as she took her place in front of her team’s flag.

Meanwhile, by the southwest edge of the barrier...

"Find a good vantage point where you won’t easily be spotted, Quila, I’ll be counting on your arrows to back me up. I’ll handle any frontal assaults, so it’s upto you to intercept any sneak attacks I fail to notice," Remarked Rione, cracking his knuckles.

"Understood, Captain."

The First Squad were at the foot of a large cliff, their flag posted at the bottom of the cliff. The surrounding area was rocky and thick with foliage, putting them partially out of sight.

"As for you five, as we discussed, stick together as you head out. It’s likely that most of the other teams will split up into smaller groups, so use your numbers to overwhelm them," He instructed the others.

"Yeah, it’ll be impossible to get to Captain Aster’s flag, so the best way to beat the Third Squad’s team would be to eliminate everyone else," Nodded Dox thoughtfully.

"It won’t be easy, though. Vice-Captain Tacitus is quite the powerhouse in his own right, especially since we won’t be able to use Magic against him," Added Diar warily.

"I hope we get to fight him, he’ll be the perfect opponent to test out Labrys against," Smiled Aria, as she swung her axe Relic Armament around a couple of times.

"Try not to get carried away and lose sight of our main goal here," Sighed Wein in response.

"It’s not just the Third Squad’s top two we need to worry about, Ravella Kyzer is formidable too," Chimed in Lloyd.

"Ahem...the Third Squad is a tough contender, but don’t solely focus on them, the Commander Squad and Second Squad are no less of a threat," Frowned Rione.

"Yeah, the Commander can’t be taken lightly, not to mention Captain Raven," Nodded Quila.

"With the Third Squad, I’d much rather face Captain Raven or Vice-Captain Celia instead of those two sadists. Ferd was pretty traumatized by their training, there’s no telling what they’ll do to us if we encounter them," Remarked Wein with a wary shudder.

Meanwhile, by the eastern section of the barrier...

"Okay, I’ll leave you guys to it. Celia, you’ll head out solo, Colt and Lexia will pair up, and so will Laiza and Ferd," Remarked Raven, as he sharpened his senses.

His team’s starting point was in a small cave, with the flag posted at the back of the cave. Raven was standing guard in front of the flag, while the others would all fan out and hunt down the other teams.

"This cave is a pretty good spot...you may be boxed in, but it’ll be tough for anyone to get past your large-scale attacks, it’s the perfect bottleneck," Smiled Celia, as she began stretching.

"Yeah, though my one concern is Akila. It’ll be pretty tough to stop him," Mused Raven thoughtfully.

"In that case, we’ll have to find him and take him out of the contest before he has a chance to get here," Smirked Lexia with a gleam in her eyes, Ferd flinching in response.

"Hey, relax, they won’t hurt you here, we’re all on the same side," Remarked Raven, patting Ferd’s shoulder before glaring at Colt and Lexia.

"Heh, yeah, guess we did go a tiny bit too far," Grinned Colt sheepishly.

"What exactly did you do to him?" Responded Laiza in bemusement.

"You probably don’t want to know," Replied Lexia ominously.

Meanwhile, to the west of the barrier...

"Uh, are you serious, Captain?" Frowned Zina incredulously.

"Mhm, I sure am. You guys aren’t heading out. All six of us will stay put right here. We’ll let the other teams fight it out and wear themselves down before making our move. And if someone does manage to find us here, we’ll be able to eliminate them with ease. But that’s a big if...Tacitus, if you would," Aster prompted his Vice-Captain with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," He sighed, taking out several Spell Cards and activating them, casting barriers around the group.

"What kind of barriers are these?" Inquired Nile curiously.

"Invisibility, anti-detection, anti-teleportation, anti-intangibility, soundproof and anti-detection," Replied Tacitus, before adding, "It should be pretty much impossible for anyone to find us with all these in place."

"I don’t know about this, it kinda feels like we’re relying on dirty tricks," Spoke up Cleaza with a conflicted look on her face.

"I think it’s fine. There are no rules against it, and in a real fight, these kinds of tactics can be the difference between life and death," Pointed out Ravella objectively.

"Exactly, couldn’t have said it better myself," Nodded Aster in response.

Meanwhile, around the middle of the playing field...

"Look sharp, Vice-Captain, I think we’re being followed. I think there are four-...no, five...-people pursuing us," Muttered Tilda.

"I see, so one of the other teams didn’t split up their forces much. Good work. Let’s try not to give away the fact that we’ve caught on to them. The instant they make their move, we counter and take out as many of them as possible," Siele replied quietly.

"They’re starting to pick up the pace, closing in fast. It’ll be any second now."

Right on cue, a rustling sound echoed out, before several figures sprang out, launching attacks at the pair from behind.

"[Giant Water Wall]!" Exclaimed Siele as he spun around, a massive, towering wall of water rising up and blocking the attacks.

He then split the wall apart into dozens of swirling balls of water, before sending them shooting out towards the assailants, forcing them to scatter.

"The First Squad, huh?" Noticed Tilda, before exchanging a brief glance with Siele, the two of them swiftly splitting up and racing towards their opponents before they could regroup.

Siele tilted his head across as Wein rapidly extended his staff out towards him, before Siele unleashed a rapid water blast towards Wein, who leapt behind a tree to evade it.

Siele then spun around as he sensed a presence behind him, to see Lloyd springing up with his blades raised high.

A sharp clang rang out as Siele blocked the downward swing of Lloyd’s blades with his own pair.

"Not good enough," He remarked, before opening his mouth and firing out a piercing blast of water, Lloyd vanishing from sight as the blast closed in on his face, the barrier triggering and teleporting him out.

Siele swiftly spun around and leapt off to his right as Wein extended his staff towards him, evading it before firing out another blast of water from his mouth as Wein unleashed a wind blast, the attacks canceling out upon impact.

"Damn it...," Muttered Wein with a grimace.

"Not bad, you’ve gotten stronger, Wein. But so have I," Smirked Siele, as water swirled around his blades.

A sharp clang then echoed out from several meters away, as Tilda blocked a strike from Dox’s spear, before firing out a blast of dark energy to blow him away, her blast hitting his chest and sending him flying back with a gasp of pain.

Her gaze then darted across to either side as Aria and Diar came charging in towards her from either side, before she swiftly fired out a piercing dark projectile at Diar, who leapt away to evade it, as Aria closed in on her and swung her axe across at Tilda’s head.

Tilda swiftly ducked under it, a powerful gust of wind erupting above her head as the axe sliced across the air, before smiling with a dark gleam in her eyes.

"That’s some serious brute strength you’ve got there, one hit and I’m finished...but you’re too slow, and you’ve left yourself wide open!" She exclaimed, as she whipped the blade of her scythe up towards Aria’s throat with a sharp flick of her wrist, triggering the barrier and teleporting Aria out before she could react.

"Crap...," Muttered Dox warily, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face as Tilda glanced between him and Diar.

"Alright, boys...who’s next?"