Shaking off his confusion, Jake decided to focus on the task at hand. He glanced around the battlefield, assessing the aftermath of their skirmish with Sophia''s team. Broken weapons and scattered debris littered the ground, remnants of the fierce battle that had taken place moments ago.

    As Jake surveyed the area, his eyes landed on the rest of his team. They were regrouping, checking on each other''s injuries and discussing their next course of action. Despite the intensity of the fight, they all seemed relatively unscathed.

    "Since it''s our team''s win, we''ll raid other regions while your team will protect our camp or base, whatever it is," Jake declared, extending his hand towards Sophia, who was still seated on the ground.

    Sophia blinked in surprise at Jake''s proposition, her earlier embarrassment momentarily forgotten as she processed his words.

    "Hmm, that''s what the loser''s supposed to do," Sophia remarked, a hint of playful defiance in her tone as she took Jake''s hand and pulled herself to her feet. Despite the light teasing, there was a sense of camaraderie in her words, indicating her acceptance of their roles in the aftermath of the battle.

    Jake chuckled at Sophia''s remark, appreciating her spirited response. "Fair enough," he replied with a grin, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it. "Let''s show them what winners are made of."

    "I get it, Rank 1, but don''t let it get to your head," Sophia said with a smile, acknowledging Jake''s leadership while also playfully reminding him to stay grounded. With a nod of understanding, Jake and Sophia regrouped their respective teams and set off together.

    First, they made their way to Sophia''s campsite to gather their belongings, Once they had collected their supplies, Jake and Sophia led their teams back to Jake''s campsite. Along the way, they shared stories of their adventures and strategized for the challenges that lay ahead.

    ***

    "The announcement said the loser has to guard the base, but we''ll do something different," Jake declared, addressing his team and Sophia''s team gathered for a meeting after returning from their half-day rest following the battle.

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    "What do you mean, Captain?" one of the team members asked, curious about Jake''s announcement.@@@@

    Jake glanced at Sophia, exchanging a brief nod before turning back to address the group. "We will do the reverse," he declared, his voice firm and resolute.

    "I will, along with a few others, guard the base," Jake continued, his gaze sweeping over the assembled team. "We can potentially secure better rewards by raiding multiple bases, but if we lose our own base, it''s game over."

    He paused for a moment to let his words sink in before continuing. "It''s likely a hidden detail that many would have discovered by now. So, the raid team will be led by Sophia, while I will stay behind to guard the base," Jake explained, his tone conveying confidence in their strategy.

    The team members nodded in understanding, recognizing the logic behind Jake''s decision. Protecting their base was crucial, and they trusted Jake''s leadership to ensure its safety.

    "It''s great, I would have been bored otherwise," Sophia chimed in with a smirk, her competitive spirit shining through.

    With their roles assigned and their strategy in place, Jake and Sophia''s teams prepared to embark on their next mission,

    Upon receiving no response, Jake persisted, "Which team do you belong to?"

    The student utilizing stealth seemed surprised as they cautiously replied, "You can see me?"

    "Of course, dumbass. Who else is here?" Jake retorted with a hint of annoyance, his voice firm and resolute.

    The blonde student emerged from stealth and greeted Jake with a simple "hello."

    Jake, still reclining on the soft grass, queried, "Which team?"

    "I belong to Simon''s team. My name is Ethan," the student, Ethan, responded.

    As Jake listened, an image of a narcissistic individual flashed through his mind, prompting him to remark, "So you belong to that narcissistic freak''s team."

    "Well, since that guy hasn''t annoyed me yet, you can go back," Jake dismissed, his tone casual yet firm, allowing Ethan to retreat without further confrontation.

    Ethan nodded silently and departed without further ado.

    "Hmm, he really left? I thought he would fight me," Jake murmured to himself, shaking his head in mild surprise. With a shrug, he closed his eyes once more, returning to his state of meditation, content in the quiet solitude of their base.

    While Jake closed his eyes, Ethan returned to raid team from his region.

    As Ethan rejoined the raid team from his region, Simon, who stood at a distance from Jake''s base, greeted him with a curious glance. "Oh, you have returned. But where is the flag?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Ethan, awaiting an explanation.

    "I failed," Ethan admitted bitterly, frustration evident in his tone as he recounted his encounter with Jake.

    Simon''s expression darkened at the news. "That base belongs to Rank 1. There''s no way we can win against him," Ethan added, his bitterness palpable as he reflected on the futility of their attempt to infiltrate Jake''s base, especially given Jake''s keen perception that easily detected even Ethan''s stealth.

    Ethan''s frustration deepened as he contemplated the failure of his Phantom core''s stealth, a trait inherited from his lineage that made his family renowned as an assassin clan.

    Despite his Phantom core being capable of concealing his presence to the extent that even those five major ranks above him couldn''t detect him, Jake, whose rank was lower than his, effortlessly perceived Ethan''s stealth as if it were a mere triviality.

    "Humph, so what if he''s Rank 1," Simon snorted dismissively. "I am also Rank 1 in beauty," he proclaimed proudly, striking a pose as he admired his own reflection.

    Ethan, however, felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he observed Simon''s self-absorbed display. Unable to shake off the memory of Jake''s less-than-flattering evaluation of Simon,

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