C237
On the way to Taonier, I transferred to an airship sent by Yurnet.
Iselle's record manipulation work was complete. Anything would believe that I had returned safely to Taonier. However, I knew I couldn't maintain the deception for long, so I had to finish my business quickly.
I headed to Brynhildr01, which was waiting in a nearby sector. Brynhildr01 was also the flagship of the current Niflheim fleet. It could function perfectly as an improvised headquarters.
"I can't believe I really won..."
Yurnet brought a steaming cup of tea to her lips.
Slurp.
"He's an impressive man, he could even be compared to you, Master. Although you have the advantage, of course..."
Yurnet smiled at me.
Then Nisled, Yurnet's subordinate, placed a cup of tea on the table.
I smiled ironically and took a sip of the green tea.
News appeared before me on the Pick Me Up community site.
It was about the surprise Raid event where a large number of attackers had been defeated.
The comments were full of criticism towards Mobius and insults towards the attackers who had perpetrated control and tyranny.
It was no wonder; the attacking force had many chances to win.
Even though El Cid was the strongest attacker, facing hundreds of ranked players should not have been an easy victory for him, the same applied to Mu-ryeon, Niflheim, or any other ranked player.
But they self-destructed.
In front of tens of thousands of spectators.
During the Raid, a fight broke out over who should keep the Inverted Sky Book.
It started between LiveOut from the Liberty guild and TtukbaegiHanbang, a solo PVP user.
Even other leaders trying to mediate fell into provocations that they were also there for the Inverted Sky Book, leading to internal warfare.
If Mobius had announced the reward in advance, such chaos would not have occurred. Somehow, they would have reached an agreement.
The problem was that Mobius suddenly made the Inverted Sky Book a reward during the Raid.
The attackers had no time to discuss distribution. El Cid didn't miss that opportunity.
'There is no unity.'
Although they were grouped as an attacking force, they were not a single force.
They were just hyenas looking out for their own benefit. Thus, the Raid became a chaotic battle with no clear friends or enemies, more than a fight of hundreds against one.
The death protection system was a buff.
Although there was a penalty for resurrection, at least they could be revived, so they attacked other masters with a lighter spirit.
It was not the first time such a situation had occurred during a global Raid.
Usually, I was the one in control. If someone caused trouble, I led the attack against them. Even if I had participated in this Raid, given the rewards as they were, the outcome would not have changed.
'What a mess of administration.'
With a little more strategy, they could have easily subdued El Cid.
It seems that Mobius initially had no intention of giving the Inverted Sky Book, but when the attacking force began to lose, they suddenly offered it.
As a result, none of the attacking force obtained the Inverted Sky Book.
They all dispersed leaving behind a large number of victims and mutual resentments.
And so, this event became the first failure of a global Raid.
'The timing was perfect.'
It seemed reckless, but looking back, it was the perfect time to attack.
At that moment, the attackers were probably in an invisible meeting, discussing what to do with the Inverted Sky Book. Before they could reach an agreement, El Cid had charged with his forces amidst their ranks.
What seemed like a suicide attack,
It became the move that decided victory and defeat.
'But still.'
As much as he was the strongest ranked player,
Even if he had ascended beyond the mere level of heroes and monsters, possessing the divine ability to freely release the heroes he had devoured...
Even if he had found a way to win in a situation where defeat seemed certain.
"......"
I looked ahead.
A holographic panel on the control console showed a red arrow pointing directly towards Niflheim.
"It seems he's still coming."
I continued speaking.
"What are our chances of winning?"
"If we deploy the fleet, 100%."
Yurnet responded without hesitation.
"And if we don't deploy the fleet?"
"It would be around 100%."
"And if we only send Group 1?"
"100%."
"I thought as much."
I finished my tea.
El Cid's improvisation was admirable.
He found the optimal tactic at the moment, making the best choice possible given the circumstances.
But...
Even as the attacking force continued their internal war and the situation turned adverse, they changed their minds.
They realized that, if they continued like this, they wouldn't gain anything. In the last phase of the Raid, they ended up being surrounded.
El Cid resisted that assault.
Not only did he resist, but he also counterattacked.
One man.
One hero surpassed hundreds of ranked players, thousands, even tens of thousands of heroes in offense.
"Did you say his vessel was broken?"
"Yes."
Yurnet looked down.
"The force he used in battle could have created a new account and still have some leftover. However, he used so much interference force that he suffered permanent damage to his abilities."
He had summoned thousands of elites, and every time they died, he revived them.
He repeated that process countless times. Additionally, countless master-class assassins had continuously attacked him. He would have had to use his power constantly.
"His vessel broke."
According to Yurnet's report, in the last part of the battle, he even vomited blood.
He lost most of his Conquest Army, and along with Laskandar, the so-called Three Heroes, Leetha and Kirzak, also died in repeated assaults. El Cid couldn't revive them again.
"And yet he's still coming towards Niflheim?"
"It seems he's asking to be killed."
Yurnet murmured.
It was a valid point.
I also saw it that way.
"He's lost the characteristic ability of the 7 stars to synthesize."
It's an assumption, but almost certain.
If he still had the ability to synthesize, he would have gone to other ranked players to replenish his strength, not to me.
Even if he wins in Niflheim, he can't gain interference strength.
And yet he comes here?
"This is just my hypothesis, but..."
Yurnet coughed lightly.
"He probably wouldn't have lasted long even if it hadn't been for this battle. Holding an entire world within oneself, he couldn't handle it while conscious."
I nodded.
Another characteristic of the 7 stars is that they have extremely high synthesis efficiency.
I share a similar characteristic. The effect of having devoured Shay still remains.
"Did they say excessive synthesis could blur identity?"
It was a warning Lidigyon had given me.
Although the 7 stars have high synthesis efficiency, it means that the victims' data directly overlaps the host. That is, the information of various people could mix and become a mess.
El Cid had done that with thousands of people.
It wouldn't have been surprising if he had gone mad long before.
The summoning ability that seemed almost divine had a terrible penalty behind it.
"He should reach the point of contact tonight."
The point of contact was the front yard of Niflheim and the sector where Brynhildr01 was parked.
The original plan, if the Raid hadn't happened, was to confront El Cid here with all our forces.
I had planned to use the entire fleet stationed in Niflheim, including the combat heroes within the top 100 and Group 1, for a total battle with him.
"......"
To the left of the table was a document sealed in gold.
Five sheets in total. Orders to summon the members of Group 1 scattered in different areas. Among them was also Siris'. Although she wasn't in the Lobby, I couldn't help but summon her given what was at stake in this battle.
"It has become a matter of the past."
I sighed.
They would no longer be needed. I put the documents away under the table.
What was coming here wasn't El Cid, the strongest leader and 7-star hero, but only the remnants of what was left of him.
"Master, if you give the order, we can take care of him before he gets here."
"Are you going to send an assassin?"
"It would be prudent. You never know what might happen if El Cid gets close to you."
"Forget it. Do I look like a coward? Even if he's weakened, who knows what could happen. It's pointless to send someone just for them to die."
I smiled and set down the teacup.
"If he comes all the way, we'll catch him safely."
"As you command."
Yurnet nodded.
There was nothing more that could be done.
Only waiting for him to arrive remained.
"Ah, one more thing."
Before leaving the control room, I turned to Yurnet.
Yurnet looked at me, tilting her head.
"There are likely hyenas following him. Send the Third Fleet to take care of that. Is that alright?"
"Understood. As you command."
Yurnet smiled briefly and bowed her head again.
The Third Fleet belonged to Nihaku and was a unit specialized in special operations.
Although they were few in number, they were composed of reliable elites. They would clear out any scavenger attempting to attack El Cid after the event.
'It's a warning to me.'
I remembered Tel's laughter.
Although I thought I could ignore it, I couldn't help but feel angry.
That El Cid and I clashed was probably what she wanted, as if she were telling me, don't mess with number one.
'Is she trying to tell me not to mess with number one?'
She probably arranged for me to hear her conversation with El Cid.
Maybe her goal was me all along.
Some sort of boast.
I'm showing that I can do this.
If you don't want to end up like number one, you better crawl.
"......"
Bang!
I kicked the hallway wall.
[Why, Loki? Is it my coffee you don't like?]
Iselle, carrying a coffee pot, startled.
Well, her intern look was also fitting well.
[Don't be angry! I'll make the tastiest coffee, please don't fire me!]
"It's not a firing. I always enjoy your coffee. You also copy and send faxes perfectly."
[Then why are you like this? Is that mist witch making you work too hard?]
‘…Seems like Yurnet is giving you a lot of trouble.’
I continued on my way.
It had been a few months since Siris and the previous Iselle left the Lobby.
It was about time this girl rose up.
After this, I should talk to Yurnet about it.
And that night.
"Everything is perfectly prepared. Even if El Cid temporarily regains his strength, he won't be able to touch it."
On the deck of the Brynhildr01.
Yurnet and I were looking up at the sky.
The vast sky was tinged with twilight colors.
From the horizon, a small dot was approaching here.
El Cid's dirigible was so rickety that it almost looked like a barge.
We wouldn't need even a cannon; a single ballista shot would shatter it.
[Danger!]
[The Conqueror of Fate]
[Laskandar El Cid Lv.99]
There he was, standing on it.
Having lost his level of over 600 and his mighty strength, he arrived completely alone.
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