The Extra Wants Control

Meanwhile, in the sub-dimension, the mercenaries materialized with a jarring jolt. The transition was disorienting, but they were seasoned veterans, their bodies conditioned to adapt to extreme circumstances. As their vision cleared, they found themselves in a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of decay and damp earth.

Neveah, disguised as a simple soldier, stood at the forefront of the group. Their eyes, however, held the cold calculation of a strategist. "Keep a low profile," they ordered, their voice carrying a quiet authority. "We'll make our move when the time is right."

The mercenaries nodded, their faces a mask of indifference. They were accustomed to operating in the shadows, to striking when least expected unlike knights they didn't know no honor. The sub-dimension was simply another battlefield, a new challenge to be conquered.

*************

On the side of the military students, divided into teams, were also teleported to different locations within the sub-dimension. Unlike the mercenaries, they were filled with a mix of excitement and fear.

This was their first taste of real combat against humanoid beings, a far cry from the controlled monster battle simulations of the academy.

They had been trained for this moment, prepared for the harsh realities of the sub-dimension. Their instructors had instilled in them a sense of discipline and camaraderie, qualities that would be essential for survival.

As they stepped into the unknown, a sense of purpose filled them. They were not just students; they were soldiers, fighting for the honor of their academy, they wanted to be recognized like Arcana. The world beyond the academy walls was a harsh and unforgiving place, but they were ready to face whatever challenges it threw their way.

The stage was set for a great clash and the audience was excited.The mercenaries, seasoned veterans, were a formidable force, but the students, young and inexperienced, possessed a raw energy and a burning desire to prove themselves.

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Zehn had been busy for the past few days, not only baiting Azrael's faction he had also been carefully observing the unfolding dynamics, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. That moment had arrived.

Intelligence reports had confirmed the suspicions. Two smaller factions, struggling for dominance in the harsh environment of the sub-dimension, had turned on each other.

It was a classic case of desperation leading to conflict, a weakness that Zehn intended to exploit.

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With a cold efficiency, Zehn issued his orders. A select group of his most skilled assassins, a lethal combination of human and elemental magic users, were tasked with infiltrating the enemy camps. Their mission was clear: eliminate the key commanders and capable individuals to sow chaos among the enemy ranks.

The night was chosen for the attack. The cover of darkness would provide the perfect cloak for their operations. As the moon cast its ethereal glow over the sub-dimension, Zehn's forces moved with the silent efficiency of predators.

In the heart of one enemy camp, a figure cloaked in shadow slipped past the sleeping guards. The target, a burly warrior, was in his tent, oblivious to the impending doom. With a swift and silent movement, the assassin struck, a dagger finding its mark in the darkness. The warrior let out a muffled gasp before collapsing into eternal sleep.

Simultaneously, in the other enemy camp, a similar scene unfolded. The commander, a skilled mage, was neutralized with a bolt of lightning, his life extinguished in an instant.

The attacks were swift and decisive, leaving the enemy factions in disarray. Without their leaders, the remaining forces were like a ship without a captain, adrift and vulnerable. Zehn's faction, having struck with surgical precision, had gained a significant advantage. The path to dominance was now clear.

With the enemy leadership eliminated, Zehn's faction was poised to strike at the heart of the remaining forces.

Chaos unfolded when the deaths of the commanders were reported and immediately they directed their wrath at the current enemies not thinking that there was a third party involvement. This further weakened them.

Sensing an opportunity he decided and launched a surprise attack on two weakened factions. The element of surprise was crucial, and he intended to exploit it to the fullest.

His forces, a blend of knights and elemental magic users, descended upon the enemy camps like a storm. The initial onslaught was devastating, the elementals unleashing their power with a fury that left the defenders reeling.

The enemy factions, caught off guard, struggled to mount an effective defense.

However, desperation can be a powerful motivator. Faced with annihilation, the two factions, recognizing the common threat, formed an uneasy alliance.

Their forces, once warring and divided, now converged, creating a formidable opposition. The battle turned into a chaotic melee, with magic and steel clashing in a deadly dance.

Zehn, watching the unfolding chaos with a cold detachment, saw an opportunity. He singled out the leaders of the two factions, figures who had emerged as rallying points for their respective forces. With a swift movement, he unleashed a torrent of elemental magic, targeting the two leaders simultaneously.

The attack was devastating. The leaders, caught off guard, were overwhelmed by the sheer force of is sneak attack. They fell, their deaths sending shockwaves through their armies. The remaining forces, bereft of leadership, fought on with diminished vigor.

Zehn's forces, taking advantage of the chaos, exploited the enemy's weaknesses. A series of carefully planned traps and ambushes decimated the enemy ranks. The once formidable opposition was now a disorganized rabble, their fighting spirit broken.

As the last remnants of the enemy forces were eliminated, Zehn stood amidst the carnage, his form bathed in the glow of his elemental magic. The battle had been brutal, but it was a victory that would solidify his faction's dominance in the sub-dimension. The enemy had been defeated, their forces scattered, and their leaders eliminated.

The path to total victory was still long, but with each victory, Zehn and his faction were drawing closer to their ultimate goal. And with this display Zehn got first place in the real time points distribution rankings.

*********

In a certain location, Neveah sat at the command table, he had reproduced the maps made by the other factions as well as the overall outlook of the region the trial was set at that he caught a glimpse of while watching the streams.

Still it was a very rough copy and could be inaccurate because it wasn't drawn to scale. They weren't sure.

"Find them," Neveah ordered, their voice carrying a quiet authority.

"I want to know where every faction is located, their strength, their weaknesses. Leave no stone unturned." He made the order to be sure.

The order was met with a chorus of affirmations. The search began, a silent war of intelligence gathering. Scouts were dispatched, their movements silent and stealthy. No one else knew they were in the sub dimension and Neveah wanted to keep it that way.

Even the military academy students who they entered with didn't know of that, in their point of view they were the surprise in store for the Arcana Mysteria Academy students.

********

Meanwhile, in the heart of the Draven faction's territory, a different kind of operation was underway. A group of lizardmen, their scales and armour glistening in the moonlight, moved through the forest. They weren't even discrete about it. There was also a thick fog where they passed that hid them but also kept them hydrated as they were out of their habitat.

As they pushed deeper into the forest, they stumbled upon a grisly scene. A human scout, their body bearing the marks of a brutal struggle, lay lifeless on the forest floor. Beside them, a message was scrawled in the dirt, a chilling warning from an unseen enemy.

The lizardmen kept moving even stepping on the corpse, their mission was important. Meanwhile, those of beta squad that were following the lizardmem easily identified the person as he was one of the scouts sent before, but they didn't know what happened to them whether they were attacked by a beast or a rival faction.

They needed more information and that was their first mistake, they should've retreated to report.

Draven, the leader of the faction in the forest, listened to the report with a cold detachment as he heard a thick fog was coming and it sounded like an army was marching towards them. The enemy was playing a dangerous game, and he intended to counter it with equal measure.