The Ascension Age

"Two enemy teams approaching us from the west and southeast. Although they probably didn't agree on it, they'll definitely pincer us like that. Run in the north-northeast direction. That way, we can force both of them to get closer to each other first," Sera said as she looked at the map. 

Aire and the others immediately nodded and changed direction. Sure enough, it didn't take more than 30 seconds before they heard the sound of combat coming from behind them. Those two teams noticed that they were pursuing the same target. But since the target was further away, they quickly changed their plans and attacked each other. It was a fight against time, so they needed opponents. 

Sera lightly grinned when she heard that and stopped before turning around and heading back. However, she didn't move in a straight line. Instead, she guided everyone while moving in an arc, trying to pincer attack one of the two enemy groups between the other one and themselves. Sera then calculated a position on the map within a few seconds before sending a location on the map to her group. Soon, she ordered, "Kymei, head to the point shown in the communicator. You should have a free view of the battlefield while having a bit of protection against teams coming from behind. Aire, Altina, you can head straight towards them. If possible, focus on a single target and try to get close without being seen. I'll be at a position between you two and Kymei to give orders."

"Alright!" Altina and Aire immediately dashed forward as Kymei moved to the position mentioned by Sera. Sure enough, Sera was very good at tactics. This place on the map was still within their own territory, so she made sure to record everything in her memory so that she could make the best use of it.

The thirty-minute limit was approaching, so the two enemy teams were going all out against each other, trying to defeat at least one opponent of the other group. Nevertheless, they knew that they might be ambushed by other teams since they were showing their current position with the sounds of their battle. That being said, they still kept a bit of vigilance towards their surroundings.

Suddenly, the leader of the team that Aire's group wanted to pincer attack shouted, "There's one guy coming from the left. He might have other team members, be careful."

Altina's cover was perfect. Unfortunately, Aire had little experience with ambushes. The fact that he could move faster than others at his level in this swamp only made it easier to find his position. "Shit, I screwed up."

Altina, who was by his side, didn't mind, saying, "Forget that and follow the plan. Sera already accounted for it when she sent us through this route. Your learning abilities are ridiculous, so you'll get it the more we try."

Altina and Aire jumped right on one of the guys while Sera and Kymei were nowhere to be seen. Since only Aire and Altina had appeared, their target tried to jump in a direction where he could drag them into the battle with the others. At least that way, his team would have a chance of evening things out. However...

*Bzzzzzz!*

Out of nowhere, his defensive bracelet shone with silver light before the gel enveloped his entire body, much to his shock. At the very next moment, a red shot came from behind a tree, moving in a curved trajectory that hit his head perfectly! If the bracelet hadn't activated, he would be dead now.

Aire and Altina couldn't help but smile after seeing that. Even if their ambush failed, it didn't mean that Kymei's move would. "Nice!"

The battle was still ongoing, so Altina and Aire grabbed the body covered in gel and retreated while siphoning the Stellar Energy in the guy's bracelet. His teammates and the other enemy were taken aback by that sight. "These guys will kill us if we keep fighting. Let's force them into the fight before we're done for." the leader of the team that lost one of its members offered. They were only a group of three when this brawl started. With one of his members gone, he only had himself and a friend remaining.

"Alright." The other team also had three members, so he immediately agreed. "Get them through the left while we move through the right. However, if I see you running away, we'll do the same. Let's see if they'll choose to go after your two-member team or ours with three members."

The leader of the pincered team gritted his teeth and nodded before he left with his teammate...or so he tried. The moment his friend turned around to initiate the attack, the person fighting him took the chance and aimed an attack at his vital point. "You...!"

It was too late...in less than a second, another body covered in protective gel appeared. Seeing how he was fooled, the leader immediately lost his patience and attacked as he shouted, "Fuck you, shameless bastards!"

However, the leader of the enemy team laughed as he jumped in front to stop the guy. "Hahaha! Did you forget? Everything's valid in this place. With that, we now have 30 min-"

Soon, his words were interrupted as his defensive bracelet activated, enveloping his entire body in gel, just like what happened with the previous person. 

"What?!" He couldn't understand. Altina and Aire had left. On top of that, he made sure that the position he selected to stop the enemy leader would be in a blind spot where Kymei wouldn't be able to target him. With that, why did his bracelet suddenly activate? Of course, he knew that it was only possible because someone was about to land a fatal strike on him. He just didn't know how that happened.

His eyes moved a little, trying to see who was behind him when out of nowhere, Aire delivered a punch straight into the protective gel with his Stellar Suit Arm. 

Seeing that his ambush worked well this time, Aire couldn't help but smile as he muttered to himself, "Oh! So that's how I can approach others without being noticed. I guess it works." 

Sure enough, Aire once again learned from his previous mistake and made up for it. As for why he was there. As soon as Altina and Aire pushed the first guy's body away, Aire saw a message from Sera appear on his communicator, telling him about the next plan of attack.

Sera knew that the other team would try to stay out of Kymei's range, so they could use only so many places to protect themselves. With that information in hand and the fact that this was their territory, Sera understood very well where such a thing would happen. In fact, she sent out two different locations. Aire would be in one of them while Altina would be in the other. In the end, Aire was the lucky one.

Only now did the other two teams understand that Aire's team had never planned to retreat to absorb their first target's Stellar Energy. It was all a smokescreen for when they ambushed them a second time.

*Arrrgh!*

Suddenly, another body was covered in protective gel as it was sent flying. One must not forget that Altina was sent to the second location. As for what she found there, it was obviously the two guys who were absorbing the Stellar Energy of their defeated enemy. The same enemy that they had fooled just a second ago!

And just like that, only one member of each of the two groups remained while Aire's group was still intact.