C221
The time didn't stop and continued its course.
I took care of Lobby tasks in my spare time while continuing to train my weapon skills and refine the Black Dragon's Blood.
I checked the heroes' training status and the progress of aircraft construction, forming groups considering heroes' tendencies and professions. Then, I designated leaders for each group.
Although the Master had the final say in group formation, Anything never rejected any of my suggestions.
Therefore, now that we face the conquest of floor 50, Taonier's strength had surpassed the target.
Five combat aircraft.
Over four hundred heroes.
It was an incredible force for just a level 49 account.
'And we are also perfectly prepared for surprise attacks.'
While the main unit is on the mission, a defense group led by Wiryung would defend the Lobby.
They had already successfully repelled a couple of invasions.
'Belkist has returned.'
Belkist, whom I thought would arrive just before departure, returned much earlier than expected.
I didn't ask whether he succeeded or not. Because I could see the result just by looking at that guy's expression. Gugukon clicked his tongue and said it was absurd.
'Our levels have also increased enough.'
Level 53.
That was my current level.
We had surpassed floors 47 and 48, and had safely passed through floor 49.
There happened to be a mission prepared on floor 49 where you could earn many experience points hunting monsters.
We couldn't ascend to 5 stars due to lack of experience, but we reached the 4-star limit.
This also applied to the other members.
The Black Dragon's Blood, which had remained in phase three, finally advanced to the fourth phase.
Now, we could face one-on-one without backing down against any average boss monster.
Anything wanted to gather unnecessary heroes and send them as an advance team to floor 50 before starting the main offensive, probably wanting to understand the pattern beforehand.
[※You cannot participate in the mission!]
[You need an aircraft for this mission!]
However, when Anything touched the deployment button, a message like the above appeared, and the mission window closed.
A mission that required an aircraft. However, in Taonier, where every airship was as valuable as gold, there were no aircraft that could be discarded. In the end, we had to give up reconnaissance of the advance team.
We were left with only one option.
As always, gather all our forces and break through immediately.
So, the time to depart arrived.
"Take a deep breath, take a deep breath!"
The twin Mages of Group 2 massaged Edith's back.
Edith was reading the newspaper in front of her with a pale face.
"Could you do it, Han? I can't..."
"But you're the leader."
"No! The raid leader should be the Submaster!"
"You're good at leading people."
"What are you saying! I'm scared to death here."
We were in a hangar located in the Dimensional Rift.
A spacious place that could be called the second plaza.
All of Taonier's fighters gathered in the Dimensional Rift. They were lined up, looking at us, or more precisely, at Edith, who had been appointed as the overall commander of this raid.
Behind the heroes, five airships were lined up.
Each of the aircraft, named Capitalism Ho, Lucette, Tier, Eiji, and Frang, was ready to participate in this mission. On the deck, the heroes responsible for piloting, maintenance, and artillery stood.
"Suddenly having to give a speech, me, a simple mercenary..."
"A preliminary speech is essential, even to boost morale."
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Rain and Main agreed with me.
"If the captain doesn't step forward, how will his subordinates?"
"Exactly that."
"This is madness..."
I left Edith, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, and stepped down from the podium.
There was Group 1, which would take on the role of hitting the key points in this mission.
"It seems there are more enemies than expected. Will it be enough?" Katio sighed.
It seems like he's been saying that hundreds of times since we returned from floor 47.
"Didn't they say reinforcements were coming? Something about a Mercenary King?"
"Who knows if he'll come or not. It's right to eliminate uncertain forces."
"They're not uncertain."
"Then will they come without fail?"
"I believe so, according to my estimation."
They wouldn't appear in the mission without any purpose.
If the system works correctly, Priacis will definitely return.
The problem is whether we can hold out until then.
"They said my Father will appear." Kishasha clenched her fists.
"Will you be okay?"
"It doesn't matter. I've barely seen his face a few times. I just want to face him because I heard he's the strongest warrior."
Kishasha's face hardened.
Although she said she didn't care, it mustn't be pleasant to go subjugate a blood relative.
"Belkist, are you ready?"
"Anytime. I'm eager to use it as soon as possible."
Belkist smiled sinisterly.
He would be used repeatedly once the battle started in earnest.
<Heh, this bastard has acquired a power that doesn't belong to him.>
Halgion's voice echoed in my ears.
Originally, this guy planned to go in the body of a pigeon, but he couldn't because Kishasha made a fuss.
However, that didn't mean he couldn't use the power of the Black Dragon's Blood, as we could still communicate remotely.
"I always get nervous at these moments." Jenna breathed slowly.
"I hope nobody dies this time."
"That's impossible."
"I know. I just hope the members of Group 1 are safe. I don't want to experience what happened on floor 35 again. Neither does my brother nor I."
That's right.
I looked toward the podium.
Edith, with a stern expression, stepped up to the lectern.
"Sigh."
After taking a breath, Edith began to speak.
And so, the speech began.
It wasn't anything grand.
In summary, 'everything in the Lobby depends on this battle.'
'Everything.'
It was true.
For this raid, Anything had bet everything on the line.
If the heroes were annihilated, the Lobby would suffer irreversible damage.
We had gathered forces with so much effort that it would be impossible to rebuild similar power again.
In other words, Anything had bet too much.
"At least he didn't give up."
A single touch could have ended everything we had accumulated so far.
The pressure was too much for some Masters, who resigned while preparing for the raid.
I felt it too.
Despite facing countless missions, I always trembled when pressing the deploy button.
Fortunately, Anything, like me, only hesitated momentarily and did not resign from the mission.
[※Attention!]
[This mission requires one hundred groups for a large-scale mission! If there are not enough group members, use paid or free summons to reinforce the heroes!]
[This mission requires aircraft! Gather resources and blueprints to build them!]
[Tips/ You can form an assault group by grouping teams.]
[Tips/ You can form a fleet by grouping aircraft.]
A large-scale mission on the 50th floor, what luck.
'There's no retreat.'
Just as the mission began, it was planned for Taonier's strike force to deploy immediately.
[Han, you have to win at all costs!]
Iselle, with a victory scarf on her forehead, pointed at me.
[No matter what enemy or what tricks they use!]
"Of course."
I smiled.
It has always been like this.
To win...
[The spacetime rift and the Dimensional Breach are connected!]
"We are the ones who will win!"
Edith finished her speech.
[Successful speech!]
[The morale of the strike group increases!]
When did she complain about not being able to make a speech?
Somehow, she did quite well.
"Everyone on board!"
Clunk.
The stairs of the five aircraft deployed simultaneously.
The heroes began to board the deck.
"It's impressive, fighting alongside so many people."
"Don't worry about that. We just have to do our job."
Well, she's right.
Hundreds of heroes, each armed, were boarding the aircraft.
In their eyes, determination, fear, and various other emotions could be seen.
Somehow, as Jenna said, it was an impressive sight.
"We're fighting to save Taonier and go home, right?"
I nodded.
Jenna took a deep breath.
"It's okay. Let's save Taonier!"
The aircraft we were about to board was Lucette, Taonier's second aircraft and fleet leader.
Lucette was designed as a transport aircraft for the deployment of Group 1 in the operational area, reducing its armament but increasing its mobility and defense.
<Welcome! All set for deployment!>
An energetic girl's voice echoed as we boarded.
We relied on her during the battle for territory.
"We're the only ones here."
Jenna looked around.
This aircraft was meant to be deployed in the most dangerous place on the battlefield.
The main group heroes were distributed among the other four aircraft.
The flagship of the strike force, which would carry commanders including Edith, was the Capitalism Ho.
[Open, spacetime rift!]
Not far away, light shone, and a mirror the size of a building began to move.
Then, letters appeared on the mirror.
[Climb the tower, save the world!]
[Main dungeon: current floor – 49]
Entering that mirror meant the mission would begin.
The airships, carrying about 400 troops, were doing the final check and getting ready.
<Group 2 here. Any issues? We're about to depart now.>
Edith's voice sounded.
There was no response on the communication channel.
That meant there were no issues with the personnel.
<Then, we depart.>
Vroom.
Lucette, parked at the front of the aircraft fleet, began to float.
'It's starting.'
I took a deep breath.
Calmed the blood running wildly through my veins.
Since we fell into Taonier, this was the biggest mission.
Buuum.
Lucette accelerated.
The mirror, the entrance to the mission field, was right in front of us.
[Master, the mission is starting!]
<Let's go.>
With the mechanic's enthusiastic voice, Lucette plunged into the spatial mirror.
I narrowed my eyes.
As the light blocking my view dissipated, a cold wind brushed my cheek.
'The field is...'
A forest.
Our starting position was in the air, hundreds of meters above the forest.
Of course, in the distance, a huge egg was tirelessly spewing black blood.
Flash.
Light shone, and Taonier's aircraft began to appear one after another.
"There are too many." Belkist murmured.
Looking down from the railing.
[Legion of Monsters Lv.???] X 8325
Throughout the forest.
There was a crowd of monsters, with no space to step.
[Tips!]
[You can use tactical tools to designate tactical targets for the fleet!]
[If you don't designate a target, the heroes will act according to artificial intelligence.]
<Don't worry about the monsters below. We're in the air. We just need to focus on the ones that can fly as we approach the egg.>
Edith was transmitting to the entire strike force.
<But Han, didn't you say we needed the Princess and the key to deal with the egg?>
"If the conditions are met, Priacis will appear on her own."
<Is it something like a mission adjustment, then?>
"Yes."
We'll find out the conditions for Priacis's appearance as we progress in the mission.
<Let's go.>
Vroom.
Lucette at the forefront moved forward slowly.
<Keep a certain distance between the aircraft, be careful not to get caught in friendly fire, and if you see something standing out...>
About 50 meters ahead.
Someone was floating in the sky.
[Danger!]
[Black Prince]
[Pryos al Ragnar Lv.354]
<...No, it looks like we don't need to look for it.>
Edith cut off communication.
The prince was wrapped in red bandages from head to toe, with a black cape.
The area near his mouth was contorting.
"This place isn't suitable."
<What are you saying?>
"Let's change it."
The prince's eyes glowed red.
And then.
[Loading……]
[Field setting in progress…]
Crack!
As if glass were shattering, the landscape in front of us changed.
The sky was dyed a dark purple.
In the dark sky, gray clouds swirled like a whirlwind.
[Field setting completed!]
[Field type – Darkness]
"The game..."
The prince began to speak.
"Begins."
[Floor 50.]
[Mission type – Complex]
[Mission objective – Unknown]
[Legion of Corrupt Monsters Lv.???] X 13579