Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Everything Has a Health Bar

Chapter 267: Everything Has a Health Bar

After the Fox Mask Woman said this, Iwanaga Kotoko immediately understood and continued.

"You mean that since their power comes from a ’God,’ as long as we sever their connection to that ’God,’ they’ll collapse without us even needing to attack? That’s a plan worth trying, but none of us four have abilities like that. Since you brought it up, you should have something similar, right?"

"Right."

After everything they had experienced, the two teams had clearly established a basic level of trust. The Fox Mask Woman did not hide anything and spoke directly.

"I can set up a barrier through my exclusive talent. As long as I’m alive, the barrier absolutely cannot be destroyed. However, there are restrictions. For example, if I’m inside the barrier, nothing inside can get out, but things outside can still enter. The reverse is also true. So it’s impossible to use it as a trap to lock enemies inside."

"A barrier, huh..."

After thinking seriously for a while, Iwanaga Kotoko looked at Asagiri beside her.

"Leader, even if her ability can’t sever the connection between those believers and the God, it can still play a crucial role if it divides the battlefield."

"The problem is how to divide it."

Hearing Iwanaga Kotoko’s idea, Asagiri replied in a calm tone.

"If the enemies are still at the same level as before, my limit is handling two at once. But in the first battle, there were three of them. No matter when the next battle begins, the number of enemies definitely won’t decrease. It may even increase."

"Assuming their power is related to the God in this Hotel, could they become stronger the closer they are to the upper floors, where that God may be located? We can’t rule out that possibility. So even if we divide the battlefield, we still need other Player teams to delay their advance."

"That problem... is a little difficult to deal with."

The White Suit Man looked troubled and hesitated.

"According to your description, those Fire Clad Believers possess extremely powerful strength. Players with insufficient mental strength can’t even see their true appearance. If we arrange ordinary Player teams for defense, it won’t have any effect at all. They’ll just be overwhelmed instantly and sacrificed for nothing. Moreover, cooperation between Players is also an issue."

The issue the White Suit Man raised was crucial.

After all, this was not a virtual game. There was no online game mechanism where clicking on a target automatically launched an attack without accidentally hitting teammates. If Players made mistakes, they could injure other Players as well.

In small scale battles, like the previous two team BOSS battle, it was manageable because the battlefield was relatively spacious. Even if the two teams could not coordinate perfectly, they could at least avoid hindering each other.

But in a narrow stairwell, it would be different.

Too few Players would make the defense ineffective.

Too many Players would create chaos.

"Let’s analyze this based on the hints the system gave."

While everyone was at a loss, Asagiri slowly spoke.

"First, we can confirm that although the Fanatics’ mental resistance isn’t weak, once their minds are affected, their power completely loses control and burns them to ashes. In other words, mental attacks are their weakness."

"Second, according to the system’s hint, the ’environment’ is the key factor that changes the outcome of the battle. Compared to the enemy, we have one major advantage. We can set up an ambush in advance on the battlefield, which is this Hotel."

"And judging from the enemy’s abilities, it’s highly likely they fear water. The Hotel’s water supply hasn’t been cut off. If we can use water to change the battlefield environment, we can gain an advantage."

At this point, Asagiri paused slightly, then looked at the White Suit Man and said,

"Since you already know the specific abilities of the surviving Players, you’ll be responsible for grouping them. A defense group skilled in defensive abilities, a support group skilled in mental influence abilities, a main attack group with enough offensive power to break through fire defenses, and a logistics group, such as healers."

"Everyone will break away from the small teams they entered the Dungeon with. Instead, each person will perform their own role. Make everyone understand what they can do and what they only need to do. That way, even if their mutual understanding isn’t high, cooperation during battle can still be ensured."

"Eh?"

Hearing Asagiri’s arrangement, the White Suit Man was stunned and asked curiously,

"Didn’t you say you weren’t good at commanding?"

"I was just being modest. Did you actually believe me?"

The White Suit Man and the Fox Mask Woman fell silent.

"What effect water will have on those Fire Clad Believers is something we’ll only know after testing it in the next battle. There are still two problems that need to be solved."

Asagiri continued immediately.

"In the next battle, how do we separate those Fire Clad Believers, in other words, divide the battlefield? And where should we intercept them?"

Yuuki Asuna listened, scanned the spacious Hotel lobby, then looked at Asagiri and whispered,

"Hmm... For us, this is the most suitable battlefield, right?"

For Asagiri’s team, the spacious Hotel lobby was the most suitable place to fight. Not only Asagiri and Yuuki Asuna, but because Asagiri possessed the skill King’s Gambit, the entire team had high mobility.

Iwanaga Kotoko nodded first, then added,

"I suggest that whether it’s our main battlefield or the secondary battlefields where the other Players cooperate to buy time, we should choose relatively open areas. After all, the narrower the space, the harder it is for Players to cooperate in battle. It’s possible more Players might die from friendly fire than from the enemies."

"Mm. Then the secondary battlefield will be the Third Floor buffet restaurant."

Hearing Asagiri’s words, the White Suit Man hesitated and said,

"Then the method for dividing the battlefield..."

"Leave it to me."

Asagiri smiled casually, then spoke meaningfully.

"Just wait and see what real taunting looks like."

...

Several hours later, in the lobby on the First Floor of the Hotel.

Three Fire Clad Believers in burning cloaks slowly walked in.

Behind them followed a tall man, nearly 1.9 meters in height, who appeared perfectly normal. He wore a crimson Roman tunic, the kind often worn by Western priests, and a silver revolver hung at his waist.

"Father, this is the place."

The Father in the crimson Roman tunic nodded. His gaze swept across the lobby. Although he saw no one in his line of sight, he stepped forward two paces and slowly began to speak.

"Mr. Lelouch Lamperouge, if you can hear me, would you please come out and talk? We bear no ill will."

"Is that so?"

When the Father’s voice fell, a black figure slowly emerged from the elevator entrance in the lobby.

Asagiri looked at the three Fire Clad Believers dozens of meters away, then at the tall Father in the red Roman tunic who looked clearly powerful, and slowly spoke.

"The so called ’no ill will’ is only because the three people you sent earlier were killed by me. It isn’t that you bear no ill will. It’s that you realized the disparity in strength."

Upon hearing this, the Father said nothing more. He merely bowed his head slightly, appearing very humble.

"Indeed, as mortals, we are small and fragile. But the Lord we serve is mighty and holy..."

Before the Father could finish speaking, Asagiri directly waved his hand and interrupted him.

"Are you still preaching here? I don’t believe in any so called God."

"Hmm? You don’t believe? Oh, I see. You have been poisoned by the ideology of Black Watch..."

"What nonsense are you spouting? I don’t understand, and I’m too lazy to talk to you. You’re not worthy of being listened to."

Asagiri took out his Cursed Rope Dart. The metal chain wrapped around his right forearm, and the dark red Rope Dart, as if stained with blood, swayed slightly in the air.

His voice carried a smile, yet beneath it was an arrogant confidence that looked down on everything.

"In my opinion, anything that exists, whether God or demon, can be killed. All existence has a health bar."

The Father’s brows furrowed tightly when he heard this, and a ferocious expression appeared on his usually amiable face.

"Indeed, you Black Watch people lack proper reverence for the Great God. In that case, I will personally..."

"Forget it. It doesn’t matter."

Asagiri interrupted the Father again, smiling as he uttered a shocking statement that made both the Father and the three Fire Clad Believers beside him change expression.

"Anyway, we already know the location of your so called God’s true body. While you were talking to me, the rest of our Black Watch members were already on their way to retrieve it."

"What!? You dare!"

The Father’s face twisted with rage, and he immediately ordered the three Fire Clad Believers.

"Quick, go up and stop those people!"

"Are you dreaming?"

Seeing the three Fire Clad Believers, wreathed in flames, rush toward the fire escape, Asagiri instantly appeared at the entrance of the fire escape and pressed the black gun shaped summoner in his left hand against his temple.

"Persona, Human Asura."

"Boom!"

The three Fire Clad Believers collided with the towering Human Asura like fiery comets.

The Human Asura was forced half a step back, its pitch black body slamming into the fire escape door with a dull thud. Meanwhile, the three Fire Clad Believers were flung nearly ten meters away by the Human Asura and crashed heavily onto the floor.

"Too naive."

Standing beside the Human Asura, Asagiri slowly looked at the three Fire Clad Believers struggling to rise and the tall priest whose face had turned extremely grim.

"I, Black Watch Commander Lelouch Lamperouge, will ensure the mission is completed."

.....

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