Defiance of the Fall

Zac found Emily and the others sitting with a handful of soldiers in the common area upon emerging. The newcomers wore the surcoats of the Dravorak guard, though they could have been cousins of the burly men of the Muscle Brigade. They were from the same rough stock, bearing barely any resemblance to the Royal Guard he'd seen before.

Their clothes were scuffed, bloodied, and dirty, carrying the mark of intense battle. Their strength was quite varied, ranging from Late E-grade to the peak of Middle Hegemony. All emitted an air of slaughter, one that even outshone the strongest soldiers of his elite squads.

Zac wryly smiled as he walked over. Birds of a feather, indeed. "Hello."

"It's the Deviant—uh, greetings, lord," the Middle Hegemon said, giving an awkward salute. "I'm Tirbas, under the Iron Wall. Sorry about barging in and all."

"That's fine," Zac said as he thumped down, not even a little surprised these rough-looking men were subordinates of the towering general from before. "Still calling me a deviant, though? Shouldn't I have earned a new nickname by now?"

"I think it fits. Only an absolute deviant would manage to blow up a Worldfort in Early D-grade," Emily grinned, eliciting nods of agreement.

"Whatever," Zac sighed. "What are you guys up to?"

"Your disciple and our new friends here have updated us on your activities since we got stuck," Average grinned. "You deserve to be the star of our generation. How about it? Pretty lives up to her name, right? Why not turn our friendship into a blood bond?"

"You're selling out your cousin like that?" Zac laughed, shaking his head. "Never mind my dating life. How's the situation outside?"

"Everything's fine," Tirbas said. "We're just waiting."

"For what? The Everfast Monarch?"

"Nah, the big boss has already moved on, it looks like," another Dravorak soldier grinned. "You beat him to the punch, I guess."

"What?" Zac said with confusion.

"The spear accidentally killed two Kan'Tanu Monarchs before setting off for the Warfort!" Average laughed. "They were apparently hiding within the storm between dimensions when we activated the [Centurion Spear], searching for a way to seize the whole fortress without the whole thing imploding. Only scraps are left of them now."

"The Goldcloaks are already ransacking their crumbling worlds before it's too late."

"The Royal Guard," another soldier explained upon seeing Zac's blank look.

"That's not the only thing," Emily added. "After destroying the Worldfort, the spear seems to have continued into the [Million Gates Territory]. Powerful energy fluctuations were recorded further within, so it might have struck something else. We're still waiting for scouts to bring back news."

"It passed right through the Worldfort, so blowing up another base or two is definitely possible," Zac slowly said, hiding the unease he suddenly felt.

He didn't really care what happened inside the Million Gates territory. His worry came from the fact that the numbers suddenly didn't add up. The two Monarchs should have died by the time he escaped the tower, before he first checked the progress of his quest. Which meant he either didn't get merit from either their or Yselio's deaths.

Since he received merit from the Worldfort, the same should have been true for the Monarchs. Did that mean Yselio was alive? He'd never heard of tricking people with fake Kill Energy, but there were all kinds of techniques out there. Or was the problem that Yselio died by a Technocrat's hand, rendering the bounty invalid? Zac sincerely hoped it was the latter.

Otherwise, there was a vengeful Imperial Prince out there, one who knew the secret of his bloodline.

"So we're waiting for them to finish?" Zac said, putting forth a calm front.

"Not really. The death of a Monarch always creates a mess, what with their Inner Worlds spilling into the surroundings. The chaos is even worse with these netherblasted cultists who carry Heart Curses. Those C-grade parasites are extremely resilient. They're still struggling after being ripped apart," Tirbas explained. "Then there's the fortress that's still firing on all cylinders. The two are actually fighting each other, so we're just waiting for the dust to settle before starting the clean-up."

'The fortress base is essentially a life raft now. The Gathering Arrays were part of the tower, and the base's energy stockpiles were depleted long before we arrived. That's why charging the [Centurion Spear] took so long,' Galau explained through a mental message.

"What about the people stuck in the fortress?"

"There are at least 400 life signatures spread through the base," Tirbas said. "No way to tell who's friendly and who needs killing yet, though."

Zac nodded with relief. Ra'Klid wasn't necessarily among the 400 strongest among those who'd reached the fortress base, but he had a unique advantage through his seal. The Mavai Chieftain should be fine unless he'd gotten himself killed before he activated the [Centurion Spear].

"Actually, we should get going," the burly Dravorak soldier said. "You probably should avoid any more touring. Most of the bosses are off dealing with this mess, so some of the brownnosers might get the idea to try something. Some of them are pretty strong."

The Dravorak bowed and walked out in file, leaving just their group behind.

"Touring?" Zac asked with a raised brow.

"Oh, most of us got bored, so we toured the place and ran into those brothers. The soldiers were a lot more talkative now that we're wartime heroes," Average grinned.

"Found out anything useful?"

"Lots of things. For one, this ship is a gift from a mysterious outside force. The Havaroks were the ones handing it over, but the Dravorak were the actual recipients. Those princelings from before are apparently not very happy about it."

"Yeah, I assumed it was something like that. This ship is too advanced to appear in Zecia," Zac nodded.

"No kidding," Average said. "If the Dravorak Dynasty would have been even more overbearing before if they had this thing."

"I guess the outsiders are trying to form Karma with this sector through gifts. Anything else?"

"Well, there's a war base aboard, so we got ourselves registered," Average continued, his smile growing wider. "The ladder will see a big change in a couple of hours. You better watch your back, boss."

"That good, huh?" Zac smiled.

"Don't be shocked, but I got 250,000 Merit as a sign-on bonus. We all did."

Zac couldn't help but glance at Emily, who looked at Average and the Muscle Brigade pityingly. As expected, she didn't think the reward was too impressive. While they got three or four instances of merit, the unregistered only got one. The System had clearly capped their pre-registration contribution, just like Zac's during the events in the Void Star.

By all means, 250,000 was a huge number. It shouldn't be enough to enter top ten, but top fifty was essentially guaranteed. It was also enough to outfit them with useful treasures to keep their momentum going. Between the Peak Family's resources and the things they brought back from the fortress, these warriors would keep soaring higher into the sky.

He was more curious about Emily's situation, even if this wasn't the time to ask. Truth be told, she hadn't really been a critical part of the operation. However, the operation was worth 62,000,000 Faction Merit, which was harder to accumulate than individual merit. Even if the System only considered her contribution 1%, she might have reached the merit cap, too.

"Our actions have affected the whole frontline," Galau added. "We heard the neighboring Field Armies are already on the move, hoping to capitalize on the chaos."

"It doesn't involve us, though," Emily added. "The Twenty-Sixth is on clean-up duty. There's still a whole lot of stranded cultists spread through the region."

The group spent the next half-hour discussing their next step. Finally, there was a knock on the door, and one of the burly soldiers from before walked inside.

"Our boss is wondering if you can come to the deck?" the guard said to Zac.

"Ok. Give me one moment," Zac said, glancing at the others. "What about you guys?"

"There's a treasure I want to absorb," Emily said as she took out a familiar box. It was the one Zac pulled through the Void when he almost lost control on the way to the Command Center. Looking at it with clear eyes, its cyclic pattern seemed to mesh well with Emily's season-based cultivation system. "You can go without me."

"I'm not going back there after I've finally escaped," Average adamantly said.

The uninterested expressions on the Muscle Brigade spoke volumes, so Zac turned to Galau. "I might need your help."

"Of course," Galau agreed, and they set out.

"How's the situation?" Zac asked as he followed the soldier to a lower floor.

"The outside has calmed down, and everything's dealt with. The hiding cultists didn't stand a chance against all our Peak Hegemons. It's become a gold rush now," the soldier grinned. "Finding a hidden trove will get you a bonus. Shame only Hegemons can participate."

Zac wanted to know about the Havaroks, but he wouldn't put the E-grade soldier in that position.

"What does General Tusko need from me?"

"Oh? Nothing, I think," the soldier said. "We picked up a demon who seems to be with you guys?"

"You found Ra'Klid?" Zac exclaimed, picking up pace.

Soon, they reached the ship's bottom, where a piece of the hull had extended by a few hundred meters to create a detached deck large enough to house thousands of men. Soldiers were constantly shuttling back and forth between the ship and the dormant fortress base floating in the distance. It looked like the platform had become a midway station to report gains and receive orders.

"I'll leave you here," the soldier said. "And, uh, thank you again. For your service."

"You're welcome. We just did what all of you would do if given the chance," Zac smiled before jumping toward the deck.

It was impossible to miss Tusko on account of him being a meter taller than any other human and twice as wide. However, Zac's eyes quickly homed in on the demon fidgeting to the side. Ra'Klid's eyes lit up when he saw Zac walk over.

"You're back," Zac smiled, but a flicker of killing intent appeared in his eyes upon seeing the still-fresh wounds across Ra'Klid's body. "What happened? Who did this?"

Had the Havaroks gotten to him already?

"Nothing big, just some scuffles over treasure," Ra'Klid grinned before his face grew somber. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find the girl."

"Don't worry, she's with me," Zac said. "I found her inside the tower. I've talked with the Alliance; our people are fine, too."

"Thank the ancestors," Ra'Klid sighed, glancing at the fortress base with mixed emotions. "I can't believe you two survived the tower going ballistic like that."

"It was by the skin of our teeth," Zac grimaced. "How did things go on your end?"

"Well, you picked a good building. I found a Life-attuned treasure that helped me a lot. I entered the Time Chamber and broke through around twenty minutes after you left. At first, I considered staying put until the battle was over, but I accidentally discovered something… About those things…"

"I think I know what you're talking about," Zac nodded. "You could suddenly open doors?"

"Exactly!" Ra'Klid said with excitement. "When I realized I couldn't stay put any longer. So, I spent the next few hours trying my luck while looking for General Larkin. I found a few good things but eventually ran into trouble. A group of cultists rounded a corner just as I emerged from a door. Luckily, the tower went berserk before they could do me in. I took the opportunity to throw off my pursuers and escape into another building. I hid there until these guys broke inside."

"Good job," Zac said, waving at the soldier who had guided them there. "Don't worry about the rest. Head back and rest. Remember what to say and what not to."

The Mavai Demon nodded in understanding and followed the soldier back to their wing.

"Young Asura!" a boisterous voice echoed through the platform, and Zac saw Tusko making his way over.

"General sticky-fingers," Zac greeted, only partly feigning annoyance at having his rings searched before.

"Don't remind me," Tusko said with a sour expression. "Do you think I wanted to rifle through another man's belongings? It was the only way to put the matter to rest."

"I know, I'm just kidding," Zac said. "Where are the other Generals?"

"Busy," Tusko shrugged. "Handil is accompanying the young princes as they search for treasure, Esoro is still hunting down scouts and stragglers, and Warlin is busy sending out orders. So I'm stuck directing the excavation."

"Alright," Zac nodded, glancing at the sea of cultivators flying toward the fortress base. "It looks like a swarm of locusts."

"Treasure-hunting locusts," Tusko agreed, looking at Zac with unmasked envy. "You lucky bastard."

"What's that?"

"The Alliance has given out a decree. Ten percent of all resources sourced from the fortress will be awarded to the Atwood Empire and the Peak Family for your contribution."

Normally, Zac would have lost his mind by such a windfall. Even if the items remaining in the fortress base couldn't compare to the treasures he'd swallowed, their value was still counted in multi-digit C-grade Nexus Coins. However, Zac had already seized so many benefits that he was starting to feel numb.

Zac remembered reading about System-sanctioned wars and their generous rewards before setting off for the Perennial Vastness. Those missives paled compared to the real thing. The struggle for Zecia and the inheritance amplified gains to the point it almost got ridiculous.

Normally, he'd have to be content with the opportunities he seized with his own hands inside the tower. Now, Individual Merit and Faction Merit were tacked on top, their value greatly surpassing the items he consumed for his breakthrough. He'd also get an enormous amount of Alliance Contribution after the dust had settled.

Taking down a Warfort was a huge accomplishment, and the Alliance would definitely go all out with rewards. It wasn't even about him. It was about the Alliance bolstering morale and showing their generosity. Today's news would soon spread to every corner of Zecia, driving home two ideas.

One, things were finally turning for the better. Two, good performances would be richly rewarded. His circumstances made the perfect recruitment ad at a time when most factions resisted sending their men to the frontlines.

"You don't look impressed?" Tusko said, his eyes lighting up as he'd thought of something. "How about this? As an apology for before, I'll help supplement your income."

"What do you have in mind?" Zac asked curiously.

"There's no need for us to sit around here, right? So, let's join in on the fun. Any treasure you find will be yours, but it'll be up to your own ability to find it. I'll tag along, making sure those princelings don't try anything in case you stumble onto each other."

"A treasure hunt?" Zac said, his eyes gleaming.

Getting five percent didn't mean he'd actually get the fortress treasures. The Alliance would tally up the harvest and pay him an equivalent amount, likely in Nexus Coins or normal treasures. It wasn't enough to get Zac excited. However, keeping whatever he found was another matter entirely.

"Are you sure? Or do you need to ask Duke Everfast first?"

"Do I look that useless to you?" Tusko glared. "You think I can't decide on such small matters on my own? Bah! Let's go!"

"If you say so," Zac nodded before turning to Galau. "Buddy, come with me for a bit."

A small smile tugged at Galau's lips as he joined Zac. Tusko seemed confused at their reaction, but he still arranged everything. Soon, the three flew across the empty expanse and passed the fortress's outer wall. Navigating the streets with the towers deactivated or destroyed was effortless, and it didn't take long for Zac to sense a weak pull of fate.

"We might as well start here," Zac said and flew toward a gatehouse just at the platform's edge.

Galau scurried forward to investigate the door Zac indicated.

"The arrays are in a passive energy-conservation state," the merchant muttered as he pushed a silver needle into a small gap. "Five seconds, tops."

"Here?" Tusko said with confusion. "Why not go to the center? The security is stronger, but the trea—"

Tusko's words caught in his throat when a veritable tsunami of Dao rushed out of the door as it slid open. It felt as though someone had crushed a dozen D-grade Dao Treasures. Even Zac's eyes momentarily glazed over, but he gathered his wits before he accidentally advanced his Daos based on the surrounding truths.

He was painfully aware his Dao Branches were lagging, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He upgraded his Branches of War Axe and Kalpataru just a few days ago. His chaotic introduction to the front lines had left him with many new insights, but he was still far from taking the next step.

So he held onto his path and convictions as he stepped into the mysterious shroud, using the [Lucky Beads] as guidance. Tusko kept pace, his large shield shining with energy in case of a sudden ambush or automated defenses.

It didn't take long before he found the source of the Dao. Like the small shop where he found the cactus spine, a hidden cupboard was inside the captain's quarters. This one had completely broken down, likely during the final jump into the main dimension, going by the fresh energy around them.

"To think you managed to sense the energy through the thick walls," Tusko said with awe upon seeing Galau extract a treasure box from the array. "Or was it just dumb luck?"

"I don't know about dumb, but I am a pretty lucky guy," Zac grinned as he stowed the box. "Let's see what else we can find."