Chapter 242: A Strategy for Defeating the Demon Troops and Permission
Inside a large tent, Jim, Valen, Luna, and Guren sat around a table, enjoying the food and beverages before them.
“So, Jim, what’s the reason you called us here?” Valen asked in a relaxed manner, his arms folded across his chest.
Jim took a sip of his tea, offered a slight smile, and set his teacup down on the saucer while maintaining a calm gaze at Valen.
“The reason I’ve called you—Spear Hero Valen, Bow Hero Luna, and Marquis Guren—is to discuss the strategy I plan to implement on the battlefield,” Jim said in a casual tone.
Valen, Luna, and Guren were momentarily taken aback but quickly composed themselves and nodded in acknowledgment.
“Well, I’ll listen to your plan,” Valen said with a dismissive smile that appeared as he glanced at Guren. “But first, I’m curious why you’ve included this weakling in the discussion.”
Guren, who had remained silent until now, couldn’t contain his anger at Valen’s blatant mockery.
“Valen, what do you mean by that?” Guren demanded through gritted teeth, glaring angrily at Valen.
What he hates most is being underestimated; it deeply wounds his pride.
Seeing Guren’s anger, Valen merely smiled with a casual indifference, leaning back in his chair.
“What do I mean?” Valen inquired, his mocking smile widening. “Isn’t it obvious? You’re a weakling!” His words, delivered with such disdain, left Guren momentarily stunned before his anger reached its peak.
“Valen! I demand you take back your insults!” Guren sprang to his feet, fists clenched tightly, and shouted.
“Take back my words? Heh, why should I?” Valen responded with a dismissive expression before continuing, “In the recent wars, you were the only one who didn’t make any significant contributions, Guren.”
“When you faced one of the Demon Generals, you were overwhelmed by his illusion magic, forcing Natasya and Luna to repeatedly intervene to save you. Without their help, you would have perished multiple times. So, do you still think I’m talking nonsense?”
Upon hearing Valen’s mocking explanation, Guren’s face reddened with anger, his breathing grew ragged, and blue veins bulged on his forehead.
Despite his fury, he couldn’t refute Valen’s words, as they were, unfortunately, true.
During the recent battles, he fought against a demon general named Teran, who was skilled in illusion magic.
In that fight, he was ensnared by relentless illusions, leaving him so overwhelmed that he couldn’t move. Without Luna and Natasya’s intervention, he would indeed have perished, as Valen had mentioned.
Still, he didn’t view his defeat as a result of weakness, but rather as a consequence of the situation that prevented him from using his holy power and the Holy Sword of Zenith.
Had he used them, he was certain he could have broken free from Teran’s illusions and won the battle.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the appropriate time to reveal the Holy Sword of Zenith or his holy power.
Guren and Valen exchanged glares filled with hatred and annoyance until Luna, who had remained silent up to this point, finally intervened.
“Alright, you two, enough of this,” Luna said with an air of cold detachment. Her narrowed eyes radiated such a chilling aura that the temperature inside the tent seemed to drop.
Hearing Luna’s words, Valen simply smirked and turned away, his mocking smile only fueling Guren’s desire to punch him.
However, Guren quickly suppressed his anger under Luna’s icy glare.
“Humph!” Guren snorted in frustration as he slowly sat back down, crossing his legs.
Meanwhile, Jim, who had been observing their argument, took a sip of his tea and chuckled.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to intervene, but he knew it wasn’t necessary since Luna would handle the situation herself.
“Shall I begin?” Jim asked calmly, setting down his teacup and straightening his posture.
At his question, Luna, Valen, and Guren nodded in unison and replied, “Go ahead.”
Jim smiled slightly, retrieved a large map from his side, and spread it out on the table. The map revealed the layout of the Desert of Chaos and its surrounding areas.
Taking a deep breath, Jim maintained his smile, picked up a slender wooden stick, and said, “Let’s begin planning the strategy.”
***
An hour later…
“So, that’s the strategy I’m proposing. Are there any questions?” Jim inquired lightly, taking a sip of his now-cooled tea and glancing at the stunned Valen, Luna, and Guren.
The three of them remained silent for a moment, their astonishment evident, before they finally recovered and looked at Jim with wide eyes.
“Jim, how did you come up with a strategy like this?” Luna inquired, struggling to keep her racing heartbeat in check.
The strategy Jim had outlined was truly brilliant, a perspective Luna had never considered before.
With this approach, she was confident that humanity’s troops could achieve a decisive victory in the upcoming battle.
Valen and Guren, too, shared this sentiment. Though neither were experts in military strategy, they were convinced that Jim’s plan was worth pursuing.
In response to their admiration, Jim simply smiled with a mix of humility and indifference.
“I developed this strategy based on my observations of the recent battles,” Jim explained casually, as if the strategy were a minor detail to him.
Luna offered a wry smile, choosing not to comment further. If she weren’t familiar with Jim’s nature, she might have thought he was boasting.
Taking a deep breath, Luna’s expression turned resolute as she said, “In that case, I’ll go prepare the troops.”
Jim nodded with a calm smile, replying, “Understood, Bow Hero Luna. The sooner, the better.”
Luna agreed with a nod and quickly ushered Valen out, leaving Jim and Guren alone.
Seeing their departure, Guren also stood up to say goodbye but was abruptly stopped by Jim.
“Sword Hero Guren, please don’t leave just yet. There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
Hearing Jim’s sudden call, Guren halted and turned to him with a curious expression.
“What is it, Prime Minister Jim?” Guren inquired, settling back into his seat.
Jim clasped his hands, rested his chin on them with a small smile, and said, “Sword Hero Guren, I hope you won’t hold back in the upcoming battle.”
Guren flinched at Jim’s words, but a broad smile soon spread across his face.
“Are you serious, Prime Minister Jim?” Guren inquired, his voice trembling with excitement.
Jim nodded, chuckling as he replied, “Yes, I’m serious. When the time comes, you can fully unleash your hero powers and wield the Holy Sword of Zenith.”
He paused, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, and added, “After all, in this battle, I hope we can strike the Demon race’s troops and destroy them in one decisive blow…”
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