Magician From the Past

Chapter 9

The air was heavy with sorrow as the man recounted the events of the past month. "We've barely been getting by since the attack," he said, his voice a low murmur of despair. "My grandfather, the former leader, was also killed." The grief was palpable, hanging over the survivors like a shroud.

Determined to reclaim their peace, the team organized themselves, steeling their nerves for a surprise attack. "These creatures are likely to remain in their camp for at least two months after raiding a settlement," the captain briefed. "We'll create a diversion and divide their attention before we strike."

As the sun climbed to its zenith, the mission commenced. The team, split into two parties, approached the foot of the mountain. "Marvin, what's it look like over there?" the captain's voice crackled through the intercom.

"No abnormalities thus far," Marvin responded. "I'll send the drone deeper into their camp."

The captain's voice was firm. "Hear that, guys? We're good. Move into position."

They nestled into the bushes, their presence masked by the foliage. "Marvin?" the captain whispered into the intercom, awaiting the crucial update.

"Switching from normal camera to a mana camera. Sending you the live feed now," Marvin replied.

The feed flickered to life, revealing the harrowing scene within the hobgoblin encampment. The creatures were ravaging the kidnapped civilians, their brutality laid bare for the team to witness.

"Bastards!" Marvin's voice was thick with rage.

"Focus. Where's the chieftain?" the captain asked, his voice a calm anchor amidst the storm of emotions.

"I found it. Deep inside the cave they've made. There seems to be a separate camp for the chieftain and the elite guard," Marvin detailed.

"Try blocking off the chieftain from the main camp for a while," the captain instructed.

"I just made this drone," Marvin protested, but he complied, sending the drone to the cave's entrance. Activating a barrier, the mana stone powering the drone burst, sacrificing the machine to seal the chieftain within.

"Now, let's move out," the captain ordered.

Ethan and two others, tasked with attacking the storage buildings to the west, took their positions. "Ethan, you're up," Dawn, the vice-captain, whispered.

"Fire bullet," Ethan chanted, a rune-infused magic circle materializing before his hand. A small flame shot forth, striking a storage hut and igniting an explosion that drew the watch guards' attention.

"Move out," Dawn commanded, as the sound of explosions roared, drawing the eyes of the main camp towards the chaos.

Ethan's magic surged, sending blasts toward the storage huts, igniting them into flames. The rest of the team engaged the watch guards, their swift attacks catching the hobgoblins off guard. The main camp, roused by the initial explosion, scrambled to prepare for battle, but it was too late. The captain's party exploited the chaos, cutting down every hobgoblin in sight.

After two relentless hours, the captain called for a brief respite. "Let's take a 10-minute break before we confront the Chieftain. We have 30 minutes before the barrier dissipates," he declared.

"Present, gather up the victims and take them to the far end of the camp. Wait for Johannes to come pick them up," he instructed.

Ethan surveyed the aftermath, his thoughts introspective. 'This might be a waste of my time, but the data I'll gather...' His gaze fell upon the lifeless form of a hobgoblin, and he pondered the value of the information gleaned from such creatures.