Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Sneak Attack
Hogan was proud of his work this time because he believed that even if Zach and his people found out about the raid now, they would never be able to reach back in time to keep him and his people from laying waste to the newly developed scenery of Greenland.
Since the example of Blackbeard was a precedence for him, Hogan approached the solitary island in the midst of the ocean with exceptional caution. He didn't plan on tolerating even a single mistake from his people, going forth.
Therefore, he had even especially gone out of his way to hire a sensory mage who was supposed to be extremely skilled in scouting due to his perception enhancement magic.
As soon as they landed on the island, the sensory mage on his team carried out a special survey by himself. He checked on the vicinity and deduced that there were no traps and no defenses at all to stop their advance.
With a confident gait, he walked towards Hogan and said, "I have already taken note of everything in the vicinity. There is almost no living thing in range and the defenses here seem to be extremely lacking. No signs of guards or battle stations as well. It is safe to move inwards in my opinion."
"How can that be possible? This place had easily destroyed a hoard of pirates before they even reached the center. There is no way that the defense here is so lax."
The sensory mage ran another scan of the area and found similar results.
"I still found no signs of humans in the vicinity. There can only be two reasons for such a result. One is that for some reason the people on the island have evacuated. Or that they are hiding themselves deliberately by means of a high-level scroll or spatial spell that my senses are unable to penetrate." The sensory mage elaborated the situation for Hogan so he could understand easily.
Hogan remembered how Blackbeard had suffered the defeat at the hands of Zach. His forces hadn't even shown themselves until the very end of the battle. Therefore, it was highly likely that Zach's people were skilled in the art of camouflage and were only biding their time before they ambushed his forces out of nowhere.
As a result, Hogan believed that the second option had the most probability of being true of the two because there was no way that Zach would leave Greenland completely defenseless unless he had no plans on staying there anymore.
"Men...don't hesitate. This is the heart of the enemy camp, and we need to burn it down to the ground if we want to survive till tomorrow. Those who show mercy will be our greatest enemies in the future. But be careful, for the island is definitely rigged with traps deadlier than the maws of a titanic beast."
In stark contrast to the recklessness of a figure like Blackbeard, Hogan's demeanor was a blend of genuine self-assuredness and prudent caution. He navigated his path with measured steps, fully aware of the stakes involved. This mindset led him to issue a firm directive to his men, a reminder to remain vigilant and astute amidst the circumstances they found themselves in.
With an air of authority, Hogan cautioned his subordinates to be on the lookout for any potential hazards or traps that might lurk in their surroundings. This meticulous attention to detail showcased Hogan's strategic mind at work, highlighting his determination to ensure that every angle was covered, leaving no room for unpleasant surprises to compromise their mission.
It wasn't long before Hogan's warnings saved the lives of several mages who ended up triggering a trap. The automatic drones fired off a few bullets as if to deter the invaders, but they turned out to be too stupid to heed the warning.
In an unexpected turn of events, what had begun as mere warning shots swiftly escalated into a brutal tableau of violence.
Amidst the chaos, members of Hogan's party were suddenly felled, their bodies marred by minuscule, button-sized perforations. The lethal precision of the assault left no room for evasion or defense.
Even the formidable mages within Hogan's ranks found themselves powerless against the relentless onslaught of the drones. These hovering mechanical assailants seemed impervious to the mightiest of magical forces that the group could muster. Hovering just beyond the effective range of the mages' powers, the drones proved frustratingly elusive targets.
The sudden deaths brought a sense of foreboding in the hearts of those people.
Hogan distributed his men into teams each with a sensory mage capable of relaying orders back and forth. There were both defensive and offensive type mages in each batch which allowed them to defend the group when under attack by the drones.
Since the groups were already scattered, the effect of auto machine guns mounted below the drones was even lesser.
Although there were still some losses here and there, they weren't something that Hogan couldn't endure by gritting his teeth a little harder.
Not long after that, the elite mages from each team banded together and launched a flurry of long-range spells meant to take down the drones.
Despite the drones maintaining a long distance from the invaders, the elite A rank mages were able to close in on the drones with some difficulty.
As a result, several drones were damaged and a few broke down in midair as they spiraled out of control as they began the journey of their eventual demise.
Before long, the drones retreated into the air and vanished as if afraid of the retaliation they might face the next time they tried to attack them.
The drones validated Hogan's prior suspicion. It seemed evident that those occupying the island had adopted clandestine techniques to obscure their presence. Otherwise, what explained the stringent security measures enacted even when the island appeared devoid of occupants?
Moreover, he was sure that he had deduced it rightly because the little resistance posed by the drones indicated that the islanders were trying their best to stall for time.
Based on the scheme he had planned; the major chunk of Zach's forces should be in the far-off forest ensuring the safe conduction of the hostage exchange. As such, those who remained behind on the island had no option but to stall the attackers until the true forces returned to take on the mantle of the battle.
A hearty, exuberant laugh escaped Hogan's lips, resonating with the joy that bubbled up from within him. It was as if the crescendo of his victory played out in that laughter, echoing the symphony of his triumphant orchestration. The sheer perfection of how events unfolded, precisely aligned with the blueprint he had meticulously constructed in his mind, left him in a state of near disbelief. Not a single thread of deviation could be found, a fact that bolstered his unshakable confidence in his own intellectual prowess, his conviction to outmatch the dark mage in their high-stakes mental duel.
As Hogan issued the command for his forces to press forward, a thought reverberated through his mind like thunder rolling across a darkened sky: "The dark mage's absence leaves you with no savior this time... Hahaha."
His tone, weighty and resonant, carried an air of authority and power that could make even the bravest heart pause. With each step his troops took, the echo of that thought seemed to lend an invisible force to their advance, a force propelled not only by steel and strategy but also by the unwavering belief in their leader's strength and cunning.
At this point of time, the men following behind Hogan couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the charisma overflowing from Hogan. Hogan had shown them the epitome of strategic warfare and leadership during this raid on the island which was the territory of the frightening dark mage.
Their progress was nothing short of remarkable. Not only had they penetrated deep into the heart of the island, but their casualties were far fewer than anticipated, given the formidable reputation of the dark mage on his home turf. It was as if the very island itself recognized their audacity and yielded before their determined march, its resistance tempered by the unwavering resolve of Hogan's leadership.
This unexpected turn of events stood as a testament to both their collective strength and Hogan's strategic acumen, a combination that had managed to tilt the scales in their favor even against the backdrop of the dark mage's legendary power.
Ignited by the exhilaration of battle, the men surged forward in Hogan's wake, their spirits aflame as they ventured deeper into the island's core. Yet, their fervor was tempered by a cautious awareness of the treacherous landscape that lay ahead; a landscape woven with devious traps and lurking ambushes, carefully orchestrated by the island's inhabitants and the remnants of the dark mage's forces that skulked in shadow. Each step they took was marked not only by determination but also a vigilant readiness, as if their very strides echoed with the rhythm of their wariness.
Amidst the perilous landscape, certain traps stood out like ominous signposts, their malevolent designs apparent to even the untrained eye. Yet, lurking amidst them were traps of a more sinister nature, intricately concealed and devilishly cunning. These cunning contrivances evaded easy detection, requiring the acumen of a sensory mage or the foresight of a diviner to unveil their hidden menace from a distance.
Even though, his men were on full alert, not all of them were able to sense the surroundings like the sensory mages because there were too many things to look out for.
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