Chapter 404: Current Situation and Debut

“I am Altreus.” The old man’s voice was not loud, yet it reached every single ear with perfect clarity. “Overall commander of this expeditionary force to the ‘Reincarnation Plane.’”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire assembly.

“The mission briefings you received should have already explained the basic situation. However, circumstances have changed…”

Altreus’s voice echoed over the wasteland, each word striking the wizards’ consciousness like cold metal.

“The enemy is now prepared for us. At the present stage, if any high-tier wizard on our side unleashes full power, it will inevitably trigger time reversal. Therefore, except for one seventh-tier wizard, we will refrain from acting at other times.”

The old man’s gaze passed over the three thousand newly arrived reinforcements below the platform. His eyes carried the accumulated exhaustion and sharpness of countless loops.

“Moreover, after over a hundred cycles, those Sickle-Skull Clan, or rather the individuals within this timeline who have awakened and retained their memories, have come to thoroughly understand ‘us.’ Our tactics, habits, even patterns of thought, are now crystal clear to them.”

He paused again, his tone carrying a rare gravity.

“In that loop, they knew the patrol routes of every wizard squad, could predict the scope of seventh-tier wizards’ law coverage, and had even developed biochemically adapted variants specifically targeting certain spells. Every inch of ground we advance costs us more than before.”

Suppressed gasps rose from below the platform.

Jie Ming silently digested the implications behind those words.

Over a hundred cycles… that meant, for the Sickle-Skull Clan existing in that timeline, they had fought the same group of wizards more than a hundred times.

Like a player repeatedly challenging the same level, eventually finding the optimal solution.

“Therefore, you are the ‘variables.’”

Altreus raised his hand. The tips of his fingers traced thirty bright trajectories through the air.

“Thirty thousand support wizards, divided into thirty tactical battalions, each one thousand strong. You will not be committed all at once. Every three completed cycles within the plane, we will introduce one new battalion.”

“There are two purposes for this: first, to introduce unpredictable new variables into the enemy’s calculations; second, to allow you newcomers to rapidly understand the anomalies of the battlefield through observation.”

He looked at everyone, his tone returning to the absolute calm characteristic of an eighth-tier Archwizard.

“Your mission is simple: use every possible method to crack the time reversal mechanism. Collect all knowledge samples from the Sickle-Skull Clan civilization. Search for any special individuals or relics that might be triggering the reversal. If you discover any sign that could point to the ‘source of the time effect,’ report it immediately. The command center will dispatch high-tier forces to handle it.”

The moment his words ended, every wizard’s Netherweb Terminal vibrated simultaneously.

Jie Ming looked down. The light screen unfolded:

【Combat Sequence Assignment Complete】

Battalion Number: First Tactical Battalion

Commander: Jie Ming (Fourth-ring Logistics-System Wizard)

Composition: 1,000 personnel (including 23 third-ring wizards, 477 second-ring wizards, 500 first-ring wizards)

Attached Units: Alchemical War Golems, Elemental Summoning Arrays, Biochemical Behemoths…

Teleportation coordinates locked. Please await teleportation orders.

First Battalion Commander.

Jie Ming was not surprised by the appointment.

After all, among the thirty thousand present, fourth-ring wizards were already few, and his rating as an “elite combat unit” within the military system should be quite high.

But truly commanding a tactical battalion of one thousand people was still a first for him.

“Quite a bit of pressure,” he murmured to himself, though excitement flickered in his eyes.

Being the first to enter the field carried no small danger, but the opportunities were equally abundant.

At that moment, Altreus raised his hand once more.

The lead-gray dome overhead suddenly turned transparent. A massive light screen spanning the entire field of vision unfolded.

The image showed a dark crimson world—the real-time feed of the Reincarnation Plane.

Dense ranks of wizard legions were advancing. Every color of witchcraft rained down like a storm toward the distant tide of black-purple insects.

The Sickle-Skull Clan’s carapaces shattered continuously under the energy bombardment, yet their numbers seemed endless, pouring out from beneath the ground, from the backs of mountain ranges, even from spore clouds in the sky.

The battle situation did not appear difficult.

The wizards’ front line advanced steadily. Sixth- and seventh-tier wizards hovered high above, occasionally striking to eliminate those high-tier Sickle-Skull attempting to regroup.

But Jie Ming’s brows furrowed.

He noticed several details.

The Sickle-Skull Clan’s charging formations were changing. They seemed capable of predicting the landing points of witchcraft and dispersing in advance.

Certain individuals displayed targeted elemental resistance patterns on their carapaces. One squad of burrowing Sickle-Skull units had precisely circumvented the wizards’ vibration-sensing barriers.

“This is what it means to be ‘adapted to’ on the battlefield…” A chill ran through Jie Ming’s heart.

Even so, thanks to overwhelming suppressive power, the wizards continued to push forward and soon breached the final defensive line.

But at that very moment, the image suddenly began to twitch.

It was not signal interference, the entire plane itself was convulsing.

Mountains, rivers, shattered carapaces, lingering aftershocks of witchcraft…

Everything reversed like a playback video, retreating toward the “past” at an unnatural speed.

Dead Sickle-Skull rose again. Consumed witchcraft energy returned to the casters’ bodies. Even the flattened terrain rapidly restored itself.

The entire process lasted only three seconds.

When the image stabilized, the battlefield had returned to its “initial state”: the wizards had just finished their teleportation assembly at the plane rift, while the Sickle-Skull Clan’s main force still surged on the distant horizon—as if the hours-long fierce battle had never occurred.

Only the grave expressions of the wizards aboard the ship-plane proved that what had just happened was no illusion.

“One hundred thirty-seventh cycle, concluded.” Altreus announced calmly. “One hundred thirty-eighth cycle, commencing.”

He turned toward the thirty thousand below.

“First Tactical Battalion, prepare for teleportation.”

Jie Ming took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the staff.

Behind him, the wizards of the battalion formed ranks. Various cannon-fodder units also finished preparations.

At the edge of the light screen in the sky, a gigantic black rift slowly tore open.

Dark crimson light currents surged within the fissure. Faintly, the sounds of slaughter and energy explosions could be heard from the other side.

“Remember,” Altreus said at last, “you are new variables, but you are also new prey. The Sickle-Skull Clan will study you, adapt to you, at the fastest possible speed. With each cycle, they will understand you a little better.”

“So, do not give them too much time.”

The departure countdown on the terminal reached zero.

Jie Ming raised his hand. His voice was transmitted across the entire First Battalion through the amplification formation:

“All units, attention. Follow me—wedge assault formation!”

He did not choose a conservative defensive formation, but instead adopted the most aggressive wedge-shaped charge array.

Since the enemy had already thoroughly mastered the tactics of the “old wizards,” their first contact had to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm in the most unpredictable way possible.

One thousand wizards simultaneously activated their protective witchcraft. All colors of energy auras flared to life.

Five thousand alchemical war golems began to accelerate with heavy steps, their shells gleaming with the latest anti-biochemical acid-resistant coatings.

Elemental summoning arrays began to chant. Fire-element giants, wind-blade eagles, and rock golems took shape in the air.

Behind them, the cannon-fodder legions surged forward like a silent black tide.

“Move out!”

Jie Ming led the charge toward the black rift in the sky.