Chapter 206 Military Espionage Division's First Mission
Liana flies low camouflage with bushes and tree leaves. She received the mission directly from Ku Moku and Swa. Her job is to enter the Mage Army camp and investigate their goal of entering the Bog forest.
Liana and several other sylphs were ordered to use any means necessary to make this task a success. This includes being held captive by humans.
Based on the information obtained from the sylphs who become human pets, human species scholars do not yet know the whereabouts of the sylph queen. So they don't know about the ability of the Eyes of Queen.
Moku had never wanted to use this method to find information on his enemies. Even though their bodies are very small and easily camouflaged with the greenery of the Bog forest, human mages have the ability to detect their presence with spells. Because of that the possibility of sylphs entering the Mage Army combat camp unnoticed was extremely small, one might even say impossible.
However, currently the Wilwatikta Kingdom's condition is very critical and they are no longer able to fight. War with humans is considered so dangerous that it is almost impossible to win. Because of that the Military Strategy Division advises Moku to avoid fighting humans at all costs.
In the departmental general meeting three days ago, Moku shared the assumption he had thought up before. If humans never knew of the existence of monsters but they only acted in the form of investigations because they felt several mana explosions in the Bog forest.
Moku's assumption makes the monsters breathe a sigh of relief but those who think critically know the dangers behind believe this assumption with one eye.
If indeed the humans didn't know the existence of the Wilwatikta Kingdom then they would just have to hide again and wait for the investigation team to complete their task. After all, to investigate mana explosions, humans wouldn't need to send a mage army. The mage army that was currently in Glittering Meadow would immediately be pulled back to the Military Academy after they destroyed the Quadruple Arachnid Colony nest.
However, if that assumption turned out to be wrong and the humans were indeed targeting the Wilwatikta Kingdom then they would be met with a massive mage army attack without any preparation. This thought made the monsters agree with Moku's decision to investigate the truth of his assumption even though they had to sacrifice several monsters.
With the results of the meeting's decision, the Military Espionage Division led by Swa received the toughest and most important task in their history.
Liana sniffed the smell that spread in the air and determined the direction of her flight. Although sylph's ability to recognize the smell is not as good as that of orcs, they can still distinguish between the smell of humans and the smell of mutated animals. By following the smell in the air and the location of the last mage army Moku had seen earlier, she and the other sylphs managed to locate the enemy camp.
In this mission, they are assigned to several teams led by one commando. Each of the teams had five or more sylphs in it. They were scattered all over the road from Bitter Maja to Glittering Meadow.
After finding the enemy campsite assigned to her, Liana and the sylphs in her team regrouped at the point they had previously determined. There they meet the commander of this mission, Lordo.
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After the previous war against the Quadruple Arachnid Colony, several monsters were killed and some rose in rank.
Likewise with Lordo, who at first only became a liaison between Goku and headquarters. Currently, he has been entrusted with leading his own sylph team and receiving missions directly from Swa.
This was Lordo's first reconnaissance mission, so it was natural for him to be nervous. He shouldn't be able to rank up this quickly but with so many sylphs being killed in the previous battle, he was forced to take on more of the burden than he should have.
Lordo looked at the sylphs in his team one by one, they had found the location of the enemy camp but sneaking into it was a different story. They have to work out a way in and a way out.
But Lordo knew that their real task was just to find a way to get into the camp. Meanwhile, the way to get out is not a mission, but only the kindness of Ku Moku.
With the Eyes of Queen ability, the sylphs didn't need to return to Bitter Maja to report their findings. Nerphyl only needed to link their visions and everything that the sylphs knew would also be known by her.
Therefore the first thing Lordo said in this meeting was:
"We're not coming back alive!"
With no greetings, no words of encouragement or motivation, Lordo declared their deaths head-on. But there was no change in the eyes of the sylphs, they still stared at Lordo fearlessly as if they had known his statement from the start.
The sylphs know that this mission is very dangerous and even impossible to survive alive. They are like butterflies that willingly fly into spider webs to count the number of legs of their predators.
Since hearing the order from Swa and Headquarters' decision to carry out reconnaissance they know that this mission is a suicide mission. Even so, they were not afraid, if their death could allow the other monsters to live longer then they would immediately commit suicide.
Lordo was both proud and relieved by the sylphs' expressions that didn't change at all. Even though their bodies are small, their courage will never be inferior to giants like orcs.
"Good if you know! Liana report!"
"Yes sir, we found an enemy camp two kilometers from this place. The place seemed to be covered by a light fog but it didn't block the sight and smell. From the area and the number of bonfires, it was certain that there were more than a thousand humans in the camp!"
Lordo just nodded and looked at the other team leaders.
"Koffy, report!"
"Yes sir! We found...."
One by one the team leaders reported their findings. There are those who find the same enemy camp as other sylph teams, there are those who find a different camp.
In essence, the several tens of kilometers ahead of them were filled with human encampments that were confirmed to be mage armies. Each camp is covered by a thin fog that does not block sight or smell.
Lordo didn't know where the thin fog came from and he didn't know what it was used for. However, it is confirmed that the thin fog is a mage spell.
Lordo immediately reported his findings to headquarters and awaited further orders. He wanted to quickly find out about the thin fog information to be able to continue their mission.
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"It's Detection Array" Claire answered after seeing the form of the light mist displayed by Nerphyl.
"What's this for?" Boku asked.
"This spell uses the mana in the mage's body to connect his senses with the mana in the surrounding environment. Although this sounds like a domain, its function is only to expand the detection of the mage, not mana control."
Claire knew this because her family also had mages who were in charge of using Detection Arrays at important and secret places in their territory.
"What Level Constellation of mage that can use this spell?" Swa asks.
"This spell can only be used by a Level 3 Constellation Mage but judging by the vastness of the Detection Array displayed by Nerphyl it is certain that the user exceeds a Level 4 Constellation Mage" Claire replied with a pale face.
"sssss..."
The monsters held their breath when they heard the Level 4 Constellation Mage. The strongest mage that Moku has fought against is Deak, a Level 3 Constellation Mage, by using a mana potion, Deak managed to force himself to rise to Level 4 Constellation Mage. At that time he was able to use the half-complete God's Form.
With the number of camps discovered by the sylphs, there were currently more than 100 Level 4 Constellation Mage heading their way. This huge number ensures that the mage army that comes is not just an investigation team but a combat army to destroy.
That way the Moku assumption is proven wrong and humans really know their existence. The horror of pest extermination that occurred twenty years ago will soon befall them.
The morale of the monsters faltered, and many of them thought of separating from the Wilwatikta Kingdom. All of this started with the orcs who managed to find a way to evolve so that invite the wrath of humans to the monsters.
If only the orcs could keep their heads down and live simply like normal monsters in the forest of Bog then humans would not send their hammers of destruction. The resentment that was born from fear began to grow within the monsters' hearts and some of them glanced at the orcs contemptuously.
Moku felt the hatred the monsters had for the orcs but he couldn't help but remain silent. If he uttered something or made a threat then Wilwatikta Kingdom's destruction would accelerate even more.
Swa also knows the situation is getting worse. With a sigh he said to Lordo, "Withdraw the reconnaissance team, they have accomplished their mission"
"Wait, sir! Our mission isn't over yet!" Lordo's voice boomed.