Chapter 140: The Best Partner
Chapter 140: The Best Partner
Alzack and Bisca couldn't imagine how the First Master of Fairy Tail commanded battles. But just by looking at the intelligence Rod had gathered and the key points he highlighted, they, especially Bisca, found it incredibly helpful.
As a sniper, being able to quickly find a suitable vantage point was already half the battle won. Rod, by simply dispatching his monsters, quickly identified one position after another that was ideal for concealment.
"Got it!" Rod felt a Shadow Wolf return to the Summoner's Rift on its own. He immediately re-summoned the Shadow Wolf and began to ask, "Did you find someone, or a base?"
He extended his left hand when he mentioned a person and his right hand when he mentioned a base.
The Shadow Wolf extended its paw, first touching the right hand, then the left.
"Hmm?" Rod thought for a moment, "You found a base, and there are people inside?"
The Shadow Wolf nodded its head.
Alright, it's quite meticulous.
After asking where the base was located—though it couldn't describe anything more complex—Rod considered whether he should try teaching the Shadow Wolf to write.
He recalled all the monsters that were still searching the mountains and re-summoned the River Crabs, instructing two of them to follow the Shadow Wolf ahead.
Alzack asked, "Aren't we going?"
Rod thought about it and said, "Yes, I can connect to the vision of the Swift Crabs and lead the way. You two can handle the flanks and the rear. Does that work?"
Alzack nodded, "No problem."
Bisca lifted her sniper rifle and scanned the surroundings, "It's right up my alley."
With two professional gunmen on alert, Rod felt confident.
He thought about Natsu's battle sense, Gray's transformation speed, and Warren's city-wide 'announcements.' It seemed that everyone in the guild had a unique skill. These skills might not always be combat-related, but in their respective fields, they could likely rank among the best in the country.
Speaking of which, Fairy Tail itself is one of the strongest guilds in the nation.
Rod pondered whether he should also develop a specialty. He couldn't just answer, "My wife is the most beautiful in the country," when someone asked what his unique skill was. That wouldn't be appropriate, even if it sounded pretty cool.
...
Mira wasn't exaggerating when she said the terrain was treacherous. While it wasn't as extreme as cliffs and precipices, it was indeed very difficult to navigate. Fortunately, the three of them were no ordinary individuals. They could always find a way, whether it was climbing vines or using other methods.
While leading the way, Rod also took responsibility for clearing the path. When they encountered difficult terrain, he could partially absorb the Shadow Wolf and extend a wolf claw to dig out small footholds for the others to use. Occasionally, he would try partially absorbing the Ancient Stone Scarab to see if its stone gauntlet was more effective than the wolf claw.
Alzack and Bisca followed Rod at a short distance. Bisca increasingly felt that partnering with Rod was great, even for small things like this. Alzack also found it beneficial, as the climb occasionally required mutual assistance.
With Rod deliberately keeping a distance, the mutual assistance was primarily between him and Bisca. Climbing a mountain was one of the best outdoor activities for getting closer to someone.
The three quickly crossed the mountain and carefully traversed the saddle between the peaks. The bandits' hideout was not far away.
"Something's up!" Bisca held her sniper rifle and observed through the scope.
Rod and Alzack stopped and guarded her on either side.
Alzack looked in the direction Bisca was pointing: "That's... a carriage, is it a merchant?"
Rod gazed into the distance, where the mountains were a mix of yellow and green trees, and a winding road snaked its way down below. It wasn't the same road they had come from, but another one on the opposite side.
At this distance, the trees lining the road merged into a sea of yellow. How could there be a carriage?
"It's bandits robbing travelers," Bisca frowned, ready to take action but still asked, "Rod?"
"I can't see that far. You two decide," Rod replied. At this distance, he could only summon a group of Beak Birds to fly over quickly. Until they arrived, he would have to rely on his companions.
Bisca focused on their target: "There are ten bandits. A wide-area attack might hurt innocent bystanders. If I use 'Sharpshooter,' I can take out six at once, but..."
"I'll handle the rest. At this distance, a handgun is a bit challenging. Do you have a backup sniper rifle?"
When it came to the mission, Alzack spoke much more clearly and confidently than he did in the carriage.
"Switching!" Without moving her hand, a sniper rifle appeared by her side.
Alzack caught it and raised it beside her.
"Answer the call, Ancient Stone Beetles," Rod summoned a group of Stone Beetles and had them lie down on the ground.
"You're a lifesaver." The two of them set up their sniper rifles on the Stone Beetles' backs, which provided a stable and secure platform.
"The six on the right are mine."
"The four on the left are mine."
After a quick task allocation, they counted down in unison and fired together.
"Sniper: Sharpshooter!"
A small green magic circle appeared at the end of Bisca's gun, and six magic bullets shot out simultaneously, hitting their targets with pinpoint accuracy.
"Sniper: Electric Combo!"
Alzack's magic was slightly different. He fired four times in rapid succession, with the magical bullets loading almost as soon as the previous one left the barrel.
Four bandits were hit in quick succession, their bodies glowing with golden arcs of electricity as they fell to the ground.
"Done!" Alzack and Bisca high-fived, but then they both blushed.
"Bisca, your marksmanship is amazing."
"You, you too."
Rod felt like giving them a bottle of Mentos to cool down the tension.
"I'll go check on the carriage's owner and make sure they leave this area safely," Rod said. "You two stay here and keep watch. If you encounter any enemies..."
"No problem," Alzack patted the Stone Beetle's back. "With these, we can handle any number of enemies!"
Bisca added, "Right, these are called Ancient Stone Beetles, right? They're perfect partners for a marksman."
A mobile, command-following, and potentially harder-than-stone cover is something every marksman would love.
Not to mention, they could use some earth magic to dig underground and escape at any time.
Both of them genuinely envied Rod for having such convenient summon creatures.
They even considered asking Rod to form a permanent team with them, where he wouldn't have to do anything but lend them the Stone Beetles during battles and watch from the back.
"Alright, be careful," Rod extended his arm. "Summon: Shadow Wolf!"
Rod transformed into a wolf and leaped through the forest, heading towards the carriage.
He actually wanted to transform into a Beak Bird and fly down, but his flying skills were about as good as a domesticated hen.
He suspected that even a cat with fake wings would fly better than him, so he decided not to embarrass himself.
(End of Chapter)
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