Reincarnated in the game world ~ A gamer's beginning to [Dungeon job hunting recommendation]

“Aargh! What the hell, how do we get strays suddenly?!”

Jay raised a scream after receiving a surprise attack.

“... It appeared we weren't the only fisherman coming to take advantage. —It must be Class-8.”

“What?!”

Keel stood up from his kneeling position and verbalised his analysis after surveying the situation.

They’d probably been too caught up in their siege; they didn't notice the newcomers—a squad of 7 people. The opponents were right now kept on bay by Class-3, with Haku bringing out her fire to suppress their movement while the rest of class members raised their vigilance and opened the gap between.

—They’re roped in a well-timed surprise attack.

Once the dust settled in, the situation became as clear as day.

Among their 14 members, he couldn't sense the presence of one person... Perhaps eliminated. However the rest of the party members weren't faring any better.

No one had expected a sudden attack, which caught them off-guard, with damage ranging from minor to many being nearly at the brink of red HP.

Keel swiftly scanned the circumstances and began with his commands.

“7 people, take the vanguard! We're facing Class-8! Hold the helm while everyone else falls back to another square for now and gets into position! Healers, promptly heal everyone as soon as you have crossed the square. Mage Squad, get ready for counterattack! Watch out for further attacks!”

The alliance squad promptly acted on Keel’s command. The tanks of Class-9 held the vanguard, and supporting them with cover fire were Class-10 members. 

“Oh? You have trained well huh.”

Mert, Class-8’s leader, shortly appraised his opponents.

He had wanted to follow with successive strikes, but Haku proved to be a tougher barrier to cross. There was no reason to force themselves here, and give opponents a chance to turn tables on them, so ultimately, it becomes a stalemate between Class-8 vs Class-9 & Class-10.

“Why’re you here, Mert-sama?”@@novelbin@@

“You know we're supposed to be enemies right now, Misato? You should stop with that friendly—never mind. They're also teaming up either way.”

Mert tried to admonish Misato for her friendly take given their rival status, but he found it redundant when he reaffirmed the current scenario. 

They would be shooting at their own leg by playing against Misato’s group. 

“Are you all fine? Is anyone hurt?”

Amidst that, a concerned voice turned for Class-1’s members, coming from Noel. Lacritta was beside her, holding a two-handed shield.

“Noel, and Lacritta too?! What're you all suddenly doing here?”

“R-right. We're patrolling around when Karchan’s black cat comes at us with a letter. After reading that, err, well Mert-sama decided to intervene—”

“I will explain from here, Lacritta.”

“A-alright.”

Lacritta was explaining the situation when Mert quipped to cover it himself while his gaze scored the situation with vigilance. For a moment, Misato seemed to have seen a flustered appearance of Mert, but ultimately chalked it up as nothing much.

"I concluded it's best to temporarily join hands with Class-1 and smite back the opponent first. With the leaders of each class present here in wholesale, I would be damned if I let this chance escape."

It vaguely sounded like an excuse, but there was weight in his words. It wouldn't be easy to have the leaders of three classes present in one place after all. 

Of course, they'd not have the absolute advantage here, but regardless, it was an opportunity. The fall of even a single leader would greatly contribute to their cause. 

And more importantly, it would deter the momentum of alliance. After the example of alliance invitation from Class-12, it was anyone's guess Class-12 and Class-51 were in cahoots.  

And he wasn't sure, but considering Zephyr had come to seek their assistance, the remaining class-5, too, must be already in alliance with Class-51. 

In such a situation, saving the members of Class-1 would be a strategic solution against the current power dynamic. Though of course, they could also try to eliminate either opponent. It wasn't a bad deal per se.

"Misato, Pamela, and Rika. —Help me out, we're going to pay them back."

With the suggestion of Mert, the confrontation dynamic eventually came to Class-1 & Class-8 vs Class-3, Class-9 & Class-10.

◇◇◇

On the other hand, Keel continued to provide command while on move, finally setting up a counter force against the opponent. 

"I didn't expect someone could trick my «Soul Sense» and «Surging Premonition». It must be the work of... that two-handed shield bearing girl. She's dangerous. We need to snip her now."

After Class-10 and Class-9 had finished with their formation, Keel, their brainiac, keenly perceived the order of events. He had done his research and obtained quite decent information about his rival classes. 

All the pieces were in front of him. He just scanned the faces of seven members from Class-8 and ran them through his mental database before reaching the crux of the problem—Lacritta, which explained why they didn't even notice the surprise attack.

—And his guess couldn't be right. 

Their alliance had received an explosion from a frontal clash. They could have many faults in their defense to say, but they weren't riding on cloud-nine that they would miss the literal elephant in the room. Yet, they didn't notice them. 

The cover-up was done by Lacritta's «Mirage». By tricking the visual sense of her opponent with her skill «Mirage», she succeeded in bringing the seven people for a surprise attack unnoticed.

Though of course, it was merely the coincidence of choosing the right skill at the right time. In itself, «Mirage» wasn't the sort of skill to completely subvert any detection, or turn them invisible, so it could be noticed by checking out for any space fluctuation. While they could initially notice them already the instant they crossed the square, Haku's «Blazing Haze» happened to provide them the boost to enact the scenario. 

Due to the overlapping synergy between them, they managed to trick everyone. Haku did once notice the fluctuations, and had remarked 'Is it me, or the air seems to be fluctuating there? Nevermind, it must be the residual from my earlier magic,' but fumbled. 

Meanwhile, by further using «Jamming» in that situation, they prevented Keel's «Soul Sense»—his detection skill—and «Surging Premonition», a skill forewarning against the incoming impending attack, from noticing them at all. 

On the other hand, after creeping closer to the two classes, Mert prompted with his unique skill «Apocalypse», enhanced by Noel's buff, and managed to keep their presence hidden until it was too late for their opponent. The damage was severe.

Debuffer tank Lacritta. She was perhaps the only one who could kill his techniques, Keel thought. 

They had gone through some stormy ride, but ultimately they managed to stay on their feet. It was now 10 of their opponents versus 17 of alliance members. Plus, the present leaders were all experts in their own forte. If they do fight here, Keel concluded his priority would be to take down Lacritta.

"Jay, this is going to be a serious confrontation. At least, we must take out that two-handed shield bearing girl. We could firmly cement our advantage if the Class-8 leader is no more."

"Heh, a straight-to-point explanation, just what I would expect. Alright, a match is it then! Everyone, it's time to pay them back! Get ready!"

"Formation change! Strangulation tactic, push forward in two rows and do not leave the formation absolutely!"

At the border of adjacent square, Keel calls in the two tanks of Class-9 at forefront, with close-combatant following behind, while mage or range attacks taking the rearguard position. 

The plan was to devote one class to defense, while others would target their opponents. 

Once the formation of two classes was complete, they dashed through the boundary of squares and set their target to Class-8. 

"Charge! Charge! Charge!"

—Oryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Concluding the two class's target was completely set on Class-8, Haku turned to surround Class-1 members.

"Well, well. I guess time to pull our weight too huh, «Flameon Snake»!"

Haku once again shaped her fire into a huge snake, and directed it toward Misato's group.

"Ufufu~, did you think the same move would work again when it didn't earlier? —«Reflect»!"

*Boom*

A loud explosion sound rang, and the barrier erected by Misato repelled the incoming fire snake.

But—this was mere starting. The current skirmish was just a glimpse of the incoming war. 

There's second chapter next to this. And I noticed I accidentally miss count 2nd chapter meant from the goal. Will upload it soon.