"Steve needs to separate himself from the rest of the team."
Once the entire White Raven crew was gathered inside the abandoned city, Eren declared. They could all sense a few presences appearing here and there from time to time. However, everything within the city's borders was a safe zone. So they didn't need to worry much.
As a result of the restrictions imposed by the Sansara World, Eren and his teammates' ranking power was greatly limited. Still, nobody could complain since everyone was in the same boat.
Eren ignored the questioning gazes of his teammates and continued in a grim tone.
"Renita will accompany Steve. These two are the only ones who will explore the Sansara World defensively. They will stay hidden for the most part and make maximum use of the safe zones every chance they get.
This duo will follow the main team while maintaining a safe distance. The distance would be long enough for them to retreat if they sense the main team is getting surrounded by a lot of enemies.
And at the same time, the distance would be close enough for the main team to defend Renita and Steve if they get attacked by enemy teams."
Eren looked at Steve and Renita and pursed his lips before addressing them.
"Stay nimble on your feet, you two. Especially you, Steve. Don't try to engage with a group containing more than 4 rankers no matter how easy they might seem to you.
Renita, use your ranger-specific spells to your advantage. Your job is to defend our captain. Prioritize his safety over the rest of us. Use the main team as a decoy if you have to. But keep Steve safe from any form of ambush."
Eren's tone conveyed the seriousness of his words. Steve and Renita looked at each other and nodded. They were completely supportive of Eren's strategy.
However, not everybody was in favor of splitting the team. Becky raised her eyebrows before asking.
"And what about us?"
Eren scratched his jaw before answering the question promptly.
"The rest will play full-on offense. Attack anything that moves."
Becky sighed as if she half-expected this move from Eren. She wasn't the only one who was uncomfortable being part of the offense team. Ana looked at the butcher warily before asking in a timid voice.
"Eren, what if we find any royal scions or students from our own academy? Can we establish a co-op party with…"
Eren shook his head and cut off Ana's statement immediately.
Fuck the rankers' backgrounds and their academies. Fuck their backers and screw the general consensus about their safety.
Your attacks must be executed with the intent to kill. It doesn't matter if the safety mechanisms of the Sansara world kick in or not. It doesn't matter if they die for real or not. It doesn't matter if your rewards get affected because of your reckless battle style or not.
What matters is that you don't die here for as long as you could. That's because I'm not expecting most of you to pass the special test."
Becky snorted her nose when she heard Eren's way of showing confidence in his team.
"Says the one who isn't even willing to work with the main team. And I don't know about you but I consider myself perfectly able to clear the special test."
The butcher ignored Becky's passive-aggressive behavior and carried on.
"Even if you can clear the test, the fact remains that the team will have to battle without your absence until you join. What can you do if the team faces a wipeout during your absence even if you pass the test?
That's why… attack and kill anything that can breathe. Everyone else that isn't on your team is your enemy. Simple as that."
Becky shook her head before voicing her second argument.
"What you say makes sense to most of us. But have you considered what would happen to Steve and Renita after the initial phase of the competition is over?
They wouldn't be able to progress much if they always stayed on defense. That's how this competition was designed anyway."
Becky felt confident in her analysis when she spoke. That's because Renita and Steve were also worried about the same issue as well even after agreeing to Eren's arrangement.
The mage looked at everyone in her team before proceeding further.
"If you separate them from the team, they won't be able to claim as many Karma points as the rest of us. If they remain safe from conflict and ensure their safety each day, they will be able to progress at a slower rate than the rest of the aggressive participants.
When the aggressors gain an overwhelming advantage over these two, your strategy will eventually get them killed. Our captain's safety could not be ensured even if we invested all of our resources and power at that time.
I suggest…"
The butcher wasn't interested in arguing with Becky. He looked at Renita and Steve before asking them a simple question.
"This lass thinks I wouldn't take into account something as basic as that. Forget about her.
As hard as it might be for some of you to believe, I am not a fucking idiot. I wouldn't keep my team's captain or ranger weak for too long.
It is bothersome to explain every move I'll be making at this event. So I'll just skip some points entirely.
Of course, I'm not saying that my strategy is perfect. And that it doesn't have any holes in it. Despite this, it is the most effective method considering the strengths and weaknesses of our team and its members.
It all boils down to how much trust you are willing to put in me.
Does anyone here want to hear Becky's alternative strategy? Or do you guys want to follow my plan?"
Eren looked at his team members thoughtfully as he asked. Becky also did the same, wanting at least one of the members to agree with her stance.
Unfortunately for her, nobody came forward.
