C204
A hologram appeared on Anything's screen.
[Tips/What are ruins?]
[Ruins are special areas distributed in each sector, where various rare items and gems not available in the Daily Dungeons can be obtained. However, items can only be collected while you have control of the ruins. Therefore, if another Master has conquered them, it will be necessary to seize them; if you have conquered them, you must strengthen your defense.]
Actually, with the opening of the Dimensional Breach on the 30th floor, the ruins became accessible. However, since this section focused on small group combats, not many resources were required and, therefore, were overlooked.
However, the situation has now changed.
The limit for increasing strength with self-sufficiency alone has been reached.
It was time to extract resources, even if it meant facing other users entrenched in the ruins.
'You know what to do.'
Anything was researching about the ruins.
'Avoid unnecessary fights, but do not dodge the necessary ones.' It was one of the principles to become a first-class Master.
Anything immediately opened the aircraft menu and began refueling.
Then he pressed the 'Sector' button in the Dimensional Breach tab.
A wide map appeared in a chessboard format.
The icon of a blue tower in the center indicated the current location of the Lobby.
Not far away, there were two icons of red towers.
They were the coordinates of another account.
However, in the center of the red tower, there was an 'X'.
Inactive account for a long time.
Meaning, it was closed.
'I'm ready.'
Although most of the map was covered in mist, at the northeast end of the current position, there was an icon shaped like a crystal tower.
It was a ruin.
After refueling the Capitalism Ho, Anything instructed the mechanic.
To search for the ruins somewhere in the sector when he had time.
In the end, it would be useful.
[Master, the expedition begins!]
[Ships available for the expedition: Capitalism Ho (★★★), Lucette (★★)]
[Available personnel: Group 1, Group 2]
Then, an expedition window appeared on the screen.
By selecting the aircraft and the group, the designated members would be sent to the specified coordinates.
[Select all!]
[Would you like to deploy Group 1?]
[Yes/No]
No.
I looked up at the sky.
[Submaster Han (★★★★) has a recommendation.]
[Expedition members - Han (★★★★), Jenna (★★★★), Belkist (★★★★)]
It wasn't necessary to bring the whole group.
Katio was indispensable for aircraft construction, and Kishasha was actively helping new recruits in training.
'Three is enough.'
In the resource war, I didn't want to waste personnel.
After considering for a moment, Anything finally limited the expedition personnel to three.
"Shall we three go?"
"Yes. Too many just get in the way."
"I like that."
"I'm a little worried. What if the enemy outnumbers us?"
"We must seize any opportunity. We cannot afford to waste our fighters in such fights. When everything is almost ready, we'll call the others."
From the 40th floor, the beginner restriction was lifted, so if a hero died in PvP, it was over.
'I can do it.'
In the ruins, usually two or three factions are at odds.
If we astutely infiltrate among them, sowing discord and waiting for the right moment for conflict, even a small group can be effective. And at the crucial moment, we will deploy the main force to dominate.
I used this tactic in Niflheim to take the ruins with minimal losses.
Of course, we needed elite members for the advance group.
That was the reason why I called Jenna and Belkist.
[Expedition starting!]
[Programming has been saved.]
Anything had programmed the expedition.
He knew it was bedtime for the heroes.
The coordinates were in a medium-sized ruin in the northeast of the sector.
The start of the occupation of the ruins was scheduled for the afternoon of the next day according to Lobby time.
"Tomorrow, the three of us will go to the ruins first. Bring potions and weapons."
"I will." Belkist left with a cold smile.
He seemed quite excited.
"Uh, I don't like fighting with others, but... given the circumstances, there's no choice. Please take care of me tomorrow, brother."
Jenna also bid farewell and headed towards the lodging.
'Is this an occupation war, huh?'
It's been a while since then.
Since Niflheim was established, we hadn't had any problems with anyone.
The basic strategy was for us, as an advance force, to clear out the enemies and then deploy the main force. But if possible, I would prefer to resolve it just among the three of us. That would be more efficient.
[Master, will you end the session?]
[Yes (Select) / No]
[See you later!]
Anything closed the game.
It was late at night. I had to prepare for tomorrow too.
Intense days lay ahead.
As they always have been.
"Rest well."
After wishing Anything good night, I left the training room.
-----------
And the next afternoon.
"Easy! Move out slowly!"
In the hangar located to the left of the Dimensional Breach, an airship was in motion.
Radi, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit, waved a handheld flashlight, guiding the newly built Lucette towards the exit.
"Relax! Breathe. Loosen your shoulders."
<Understood!>
Bang!
The left wing of Lucette hit the corner of the hangar and got dented.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Jenna looked at me anxiously.
Belkist closed his eyes, with two swords hanging on his back.
"It'll be safe. Probably."
"Probably? Dying in an accident is the last thing I want."
Boom!
With a bang, Lucette stopped.
It was a much smaller aircraft than Capitalism Ho.
Small enough for a small group.
"It's getting noisy here too."
At first, not even a whisper could be heard.
I looked to the right. Under Katio's command, the third aircraft was being built.
A group of technicians was assembling the basic frame of the aircraft with wood and metal.
"You can board now!"
Chirr. Click.
A ladder unfolded from Lucette's railing.
I firmly grabbed the spare pod and stepped onto the first step.
"You're in charge while I'm away."
"Don't worry." Nerissa bowed respectfully.
Beside her, Kishasha bid farewell by waving her hand.
"Take care, Han. I wanted to go, but Gugu kept asking me to play with him..."
<This little girl... I'll go too...!>
"No, Gugu, stay still!" While Kishasha squeezed her hands, a dove hung from her fingers.
I laughed and climbed the stairs.
<Traitor! After all I've done for you, you leave me here and go?>
How noisy.
It seemed like someone was complaining, but I decided to ignore it.
When Jenna climbed up, the ladder rose and folded.
<Lucette is taking off! Hold on tight!>
Vroom.
Lucette, half off the ground, began to move towards the dimensional vortex.
Kishasha came out of the Dimensional Breach holding the struggling Gugu in her arms.
Nerissa looked at me from inside the railing.
--------------------
"Be prepared," I whispered to Nerissa with my lips.
Nerissa nodded slightly.
Summoning 5 stars.
With a great battle ahead, we couldn't afford to waste any more time.
Once the battle for possession of the ruin was over, we would return to the Lobby to begin.
As the aircraft emerged from the dimensional whirlpool, I gathered Jenna and Belkist to start the briefing on the battle.
When the combat erupts, tens or hundreds of people will face off on the ruins field.
"We need a formation, right? A triangle?"
"Yes. Each one must handle their sector. Didn't we practice it to exhaustion before?"
"Lately, I've been training alone."
"Well, that's okay. Combats are constant."
Clunk!
The aircraft jerked sharply to the right.
Belkist frowned.
"What a lousy pilot."
"He's a rookie."
Lucette's current pilot was Radi's assistant.
His position was that of a mechanic in training. Radi couldn't leave the Lobby due to the construction of the aircraft, so we had to bring someone like him for navigation.
"Don't relax. We could be attacked just for approaching the ruins."
Almost in every ruin, whether large or small, battles occur.
Whether it's a skirmish or a total conflict.
Even a brief occupation can bring great rewards.
"It's time."
Several hours had passed since Lucette took off.
We would reach the ruins in about 30 or 40 minutes at most.
In my experience, this was the point where fights started to break out simultaneously across the area.
"There!"
An urgent voice sounded through the internal speakers.
I paid attention to the announcement.
"Approaching airship detected ahead!"
Jenna and Belkist changed their expression.
I signaled them with my eyes and went out onto the deck.
With my hand on the sheath of my sword, half drawn.
As I ascended to the deck, I saw a white dot approaching from beyond the sky.
It was an aircraft from another faction.
Focusing my view, I could discern its approximate shape.
"Small, no, very small?"
The aircraft was gradually approaching.
As I prepared for combat, I couldn't help but release the hilt of my sword.
"What's that?"
Thud, thud, thud.
A tiny ship, resembling a barge, flew towards us.
No cannons, not even a ballista on board, just a casually dressed elderly woman standing on the deck. In one corner, there seemed to be some supplies stacked.
My eyes met those of the elderly woman.
She looked at me indifferently and then looked away.
And the tiny aircraft passed by Lucette.
"What's going on?"
That direction was clearly towards the ruins.
An unofficial battlefield in Pick Me Up, and such a poorly armed aircraft was coming from there?
Even in the corner, there seemed to be some materials that were spoils of war.
"Ignore it and keep going."
The small pilot in the cabin nodded.
"... No way."
A series of bad feelings surged in my mind.
Those feelings intensified as we approached the ruins.
Every aircraft we encountered along the way had no armament.
Despite seeing us, they passed by us without showing any signs of combat.
Even some greeted us.
"Didn't you say there's always fighting?" Belkist looked at me.
The sky was clear, and the aircraft floated in it.
Not a single cannon shot was heard.
"Has the occupation already been secured?"
That would seem so, but there were no surveillance airships from other forces in sight.
In the territory of Niflheim, surveillance airships were common.
Finally, Lucette approached right in front of the ruins.
A huge floating island in the sky, with a gigantic crystal several meters high emerging at its top.
It was the view of the ruins field.
But there were no usual high walls, no dense network of cannons, no aircraft preparing for bombardment. There were only merchant airships coming and going through the port.
[Ding!]
[Lucette has arrived at the medium ruins (847D).]
[The ruins are under the control of the Silver Star Guild. Do you want to see the guild details?]
[Yes / No]
What a sight.
I chuckled ironically and tapped 'Yes'.
[A paradise for casual users full of healing and floral scent!]
[Welcome to the Silver Star Guild!]
[Guild Master - Seachorom]
[Guild members - 24 members]
[Description - This guild is only for casual users, SimCity players, and herbivores (non-aggressive). Users with a tendency for PvP are not accepted, please click 'Back'. We welcome those who wish to strengthen friendship bonds and play in harmony. Let's enjoy Pick Me Up together in a fun way ^.^]
