Shadow Slave novel Chapter 2337

Chapter 2337: Actionable Strategy

The sun was rolling toward the horizon, so Sunny and his companions left the dark interior of the Ash Castle and scaled the slopes of the caldera once again. The pillar of smoke rising into the sky gave birth to billowing black clouds, and flakes of ash were falling down like snow.

The last volcano was surrounded by snow-covered mountains from all sides, and their pristine white peaks loomed oppressively in the distance.

While Kai and Slayer were preparing for battle, Sunny assessed his army.

He had a Saint, a Transcendent Shadow, and two dozen Supreme shades at his disposal. Each individual Obsidian Wasp was powerful and lethal, but strangely enough, Kai and Slayer — the Ash Beasts — were much more deadly than the shades despite their inferior Rank.

And, of course, there was Sunny himself — the Ash Tyrant.

With a sigh, Sunny drew the map of Ariel’s Game in the ash again and studied it with a somber expression.

Kai fastened the black quiver to the sash of his ivory armor and looked at him questioningly.

"You seem... troubled?"

Sunny nodded slowly.

"I am, a little. By now, we know a lot about how this realm works — enough to plan a strategy, at least. However, there are still two questions that are left unanswered. One of them is somewhat important, but the other one is vital."

He pointed to the map.

"First of all, while we have some idea what the Castles and the Shrines do, the special square at the very heart of the board is still a mystery. Much more importantly, though, we don’t know if there is a difference between how figures move. For example, we don’t know if some figures can move diagonally between the mountains or cross several peaks in one move."

He sighed.

"Well, if they can, there is no point in making strategies. We will be surrounded in no time, no matter what we try to do... then, it will just be a fight to the death."

He looked at the map and narrowed his eyes.

"If we assume that all figures can only move one square at a time, though... then, it is quite obvious what we must do."

On the grid in front of him, the Snow Tyrant was guarded in the northern Castle by a Snow Demon and two Beasts. One Snow Devil was guarding the center of the board, while the second one was guarding the Eastern Shrine with two Monsters. Three Snow Beasts surrounded the Ash Castle, while the last Snow Demon was alone in the south-western corner.

Which meant that the Western Shrine was left unguarded.

Sunny pointed to it.

"We need to reach that square, entrench ourselves, and kill as many enemies there as we can. The problem, of course, is that the Snow Demon in the left corner can get to it much faster... oh, and that we are surrounded by Snow Beasts from all sides."

He smiled darkly.

"So, we need to kill one of them before they attack us from all sides come dawn."

He would have preferred to spare all three Snow Beasts to kill them later at the Shrine, but the situation left him with little choice. He had to break the blockade around the Ash Castle tonight, before the snow worm and the clockwork giant received a chance to attack the Ash Castle from west and east simultaneously.

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