Their plan was simple and practical. Niko explained his ability to Sami and Aasia, presenting his plan in precise detail. They wanted to exploit each other's strengths to the maximum.
Niko possessed two unique abilities:
[Game Embodiment] and [The Controller].
The first gave him the ability to turn any game he knew into reality, but for a very short time, its duration decreasing based on the game's significance.
As for the second, [The Controller], it had three functions:
Transfer: He could transfer any object or person from one place to another, but he had only one "Save Point" that served as an automatic destination unless he changed it manually.
Switch: It allowed him to swap the places of objects or people between the "Save Point" and the location in front of him.
Pause: He could temporarily pause a scene or a person, with the pause duration varying based on the target's difficulty.
It was true that Niko's abilities weren't offensive, but they were practically terrifyingly useful, especially in situations like these.
But Niko wasn't the only one with impressive abilities. Little Eagle also possessed two extremely useful powers:
Flight: He could fly freely, and he could also fly at the speed of sound once per day.
Adaptation: He could change his size and shape to adapt to any place, even becoming any object, though he wasn't fully proficient in it yet.
As for Sami, he was somewhat vague, refusing to mention his abilities, preferring to just demonstrate his skills:
[Viper Slayer]: Gave him exceptional stealth as long as he crawled on the ground.
[Moon Sword]: Possessed three skills, but he attributed them to himself, not the sword.
Among them all, Aasia was the most terrifying. Three abilities made her a real monster:
[Sword Master]: She could cut anything and use anything as a sword.
[Red Blood]: The more she caused her opponent to bleed, the stronger she became.
[Ultimate Duelist]: Her body possessed superhuman adaptability, with high flexibility and unbelievable endurance.
Despite their great powers, they were well aware they couldn't defeat the invaders head-on. So, they resorted to the strongest weapons of the weak: deception and planning.
Niko didn't get the name "The Card Player" for nothing; he wasn't just an ordinary gaming pro. His plan relied on utilizing all of their abilities, especially his own.
Their goal was to seize the communications center. Victory wasn't an immediate objective, but if they could contact the central "Open Book" Clan, the battle might turn in their favor.
The plan was as follows:
Niko would make the room his Save Point. Then they would tie up Sami and Aasia with strong ropes.
Little Eagle would head to the communications center, camouflaged as a hawk flying high. When he got close, he would shrink his size and sneak through the ventilation ducts.
Once he was above the knights, Niko would activate his ability, switch places with him, then trigger a game that would freeze the knights in place. After that, he would swap their locations with Sami and Aasia, so the knights would find themselves tied up in the room while the team was inside the center!
But the plan was full of holes. They hadn't confirmed the number of guards, didn't know if time would be on their side. Worse... the "knights" weren't human; they were Demons.
But they had to rely on the second most important weapon of the weak: Luck.
Despite everything, they succeeded. Here they were now, at the heart of the communications center.
As soon as they arrived, they rushed towards the devices, trying to contact the Open Book Clan.
Suddenly, Niko collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, clutching his chest.
Sami approached him, bending down anxiously, while shock was clear on Aasia's face.
She asked him worriedly: "What's wrong, Niko?"
He was pale-faced, a white-grayish color covering his features. He forced a smile:
"Just... exhausted, nothing more..."
Sami sighed as he helped him sit up:
"You idiot, it seems you pushed yourself too hard."
This was expected. Niko had used all his abilities at once, repeatedly. This was something a Bound body couldn't handle, especially beginners who weren't yet used to controlling their powers.
They helped him sit, then began searching through the devices. Finally, they found what they were looking for: the Colosseum's communication device.
Quickly, they opened it and began trying to contact the central clan.
The call was answered by a man's calm, firm voice:
"[Greetings... Are you the Colosseum center of the Gloomy Winds Clan? Why the sudden contact?]"
Niko gestured for Sami to give him the device. He took it and began speaking:
"[My words may sound strange, but... can you connect me with someone of a higher rank? The matter exceeds your authority.]"
The man replied with slight annoyance, but agreed:
"[Wait a moment... I'll connect you to the nearest official.]"
And then, suddenly, the voice of a young girl came through, sweet and gentle, like a professional singer:
"[Hello, I was informed you have a problem?]"
Niko answered calmly:
"[Greetings, ma'am... I hope your rank is truly high. I am a Bound from the Colosseum under the 'Gloomy Winds Clan', and we have been attacked by demons, I believe from the 'Sword Demon' clan, though I'm not certain. I heard a massive explosion from the direction of the central prison about an hour ago. I hope you will act swiftly.]"
Silence fell for a moment, so long that Sami thought she had disconnected.
But she finally answered:
"[Well done, Bound, for conveying this information... But, how were you able to do that?]"
A logical question, but it angered Sami. Why did everyone doubt each other?
Niko, unlike him, smiled and said:
"[I myself don't know. Just please, don't waste time. Send a rescue squad immediately, because we don't know when they will reach us... our lives depend on you.]"
Then he quickly hung up.
Sami and Aasia looked at him in astonishment. They hadn't expected Niko to have such oratorical skill, but this wasn't the time for comments.
Suddenly, the ventilation cover flew open, and Little Eagle rushed inside at blinding speed, the size of an insect.
He hit the wall, then deactivated his ability, returning to his normal size.
Blood was dripping from his head, but he didn't care, and shouted quickly:
"Brother Sami!! They're coming!!"
...And it seems their good luck has just run out.
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