699 Use Your Enemies

"You can't find them?" Varian asked with a scowl.",

"The periphery members, Boo found them. But the important and geniuses in level 7s, they're all participating in the 'hunt'. Even the military isn't keeping their tracks." Boo fidgeted.",

"Hunting…is this related to the current situation in the planetoids?"",

"Y-Yes."",

"Explain."",

Boo took a deep breath and began.",

*** *** ***",

The planetoids were the first and most crucial line of defense of humanity against abyssals.",

This was where most of the combatants went to. The place with almost every high awakener.",

Every day, there would be thousands of small-scale wars across the planetoids.",

With their best efforts, humans managed to stand toe to toe with abyssals. Even though they were slightly lacking for now, if their growth continued, they'd outclass abyssals in a decade and drive them out in two.",

That's why humans didn't prefer an all-out war on planetoids and worked their best to maintain the status quo.",

But.",

Things started to take a drastic turn recently.",

The absence of Bali should've been a huge blow, but thanks to Evander's relentless and inhumane work ethic, no big changes occurred.",

But with Evander himself leaving, the balance took a plunge.",

Using the gap of one extra level 9, abyssal archduke—a peak level 9 and Evander's counterpart slaughtered dozens and dozens of level 7 human geniuses.",

He tried to do so with level 8 as well, but thankfully, Julius responded before things could get worse.",

However, once Julius entered the scene, so did the demon king.",

Logically, the gap of a peak level 9 was extremely hard to fill and humans should be facing huge trouble due to the gap.",

But it didn't happen.",

The abyss archduke obediently stayed on the same planetoid as Julius and Demon King.",

It certainly wasn't because he wanted to do it, but he was forced to do so.",

Because if the archduke went to another planetoid and intended to use his peak level 9 power to conquer it, then Julius would quickly teleport to the planetoid and kill him and every abyssal on the planetoid, essentially conquering it.",

Then wouldn't it leave Demon King on a planetoid alone?",

Of course, it would. But if the demon king conquers a planetoid, Julius would do the same to the planetoid he teleported to along with killing that peak level 9.",

It might seem like they got a planet each but Julius would gain more since he'd also kill a peak level 9 on top of a planetoid and effectively neutralize the main edge of abyssals.",

Thus, the archduke was forced to stay on the planetoid with them.",

Of course, Julius was also forced to stay and so was Demon King.",

'Evander, that bastard, he knew this…'",

In a military base, Julius clenched his fists tightly as he recalled the resignation letter he received.",

[Get used to the planetoid life. You'll be living there.]",

*** *** ***",

"So, the planetoids are stabilized, what's the problem?" Varian asked.",

"Humans lost quite a few level 7s after Evander's absence and Julius' entry," Boo muttered.",

"Ah!" Varian clapped his hands.",

There were almost equal level 7s on each side. But after this incident, humans lost more and the balance was broken.",

Now, abyssals had more level 7s and were trying to use that to their advantage. They locked down level 8s and level 9s with their counterparts on planetoids.",

And they're sending their level 7s to use their numbers advantage and kill level 7 humans.",

"They call this 'hunting'. They even released a hunting list consisting of targets. Of course, humans started a counter hunt. Level 7s on both sides are dying fast. But due to their initial edge, abyssals have been able to widen the gap with each passing day." Boo explained the status quo.",

Varian understood the gravity of the situation. "If things went on like this, the earth's level 7s would be under grave danger and might even be obliterated."",

Boo nodded.",

"When I just want revenge, this pops up. Fuck." Varian leaned against a wall and kicked the floor.",

Boo flinched and took a step back.",

Varian's face was very scary at the moment.",

"…My first priority is still killing Xanders."",

Varian decided to clean up the scum.",

When he's level 7, he'd kill level 7. When level 8, then level 8 and level 9, level 9.",

The final head to roll down would be Julius'.",

With his death, 'Xander' would end.",

But in the current situation, Varian couldn't even find their location.",

There were thousands of Xanders. Killing a few unimportant level 7s wouldn't quench the thirst in his heart.",

He'd have to kill not just geniuses, but the most outstanding geniuses.",

He'd have to cut off the Xanders bit by bit.",

He'd make this monster bleed and slowly slice away its life.",

"…I need to find their location somehow. Those bastards." Varian clenched his fists.",

Since they were both hunting and being hunted, these genius Xanders would be on the move all the time.",

With the military not even keeping their tracks, it seemed impossible to find their traces.",

Yet.",

There gotta be a way.",

There must be.",

Right now, every level 8 and level 9 human warrior was locked by an abyssal of the same rank and similar strength.",

So, if he goes hunting the Xanders, the human side can't protect them either.",

If he missed this chance, then these Xanders might go under the protection of level 8s and level 9s. He didn't want that to happen.",

Varian didn't utter a word as he continued to think.",

A military operation.",

Unknown enemy movements.",

Enemy.",

"Yes." Varian snapped his fingers, startling Boo.",

"M-Master?"",

"Let's go to the demon abyss," Varian announced.",

"Y-Yes?" Boo thought it was hearing things.",

"Who will have the most accurate information about humans? About Xanders?"",

"Who?"",

"Their worst enemies. Abyssals." Varian's lips curled into a smile and an item appeared in his hand.",

"D-Don't you mean…?" Boo didn't want to believe this was going to happen. It's absurd.",

"It's precisely what you think." Varian put the mask on his face and his body wriggled.",

In a few seconds, the human body was replaced by a tall, gray-skinned humanoid.",

"Gotta use our enemies." Varian grinned.",