The Systemic Lands (Dark Progressive LITRPG)

My eyes snapped open. I had been performing my evening checks and was just alerted that Michael hadn't returned to the airship and the tiny airboat was missing. He had left. How had he known?

All that preparation was pointless now. "Well played," I muttered as I got up. "I was being too passive anyways." A cold anger coursed through me. "Set course for Meech, we have people and supplies to pick up," I declared.

One of the slaves on board scurried off. Time to unleash a bit of direct action. If Michael wasn't with his airship, it was vulnerable. While I didn't consider it a major target, his companions provided him with moral support. It was time to attack and bring them down. "Also bring me the woman."

Less than a minute later a thin woman was brought into my room. She was being taken care of, but the conditions on board would wear down on anyone, especially a person with no stats. "Yes, my Prince," Amy said.

"Tell me, what should I do with you?" I asked. It was amusing to put this woman on the spot and to try and drag out more suffering from her. To break her without using skills, torture, or my array of energy techniques. I considered it a challenge to work on in my spare time.

"Whatever you wish," she said in a dead voice. I chuckled slightly at that. It was a good attempt to make me lose interest, but that would never happen. If I couldn't place her son into my future throne, at least she would have a place.

"Your son surprised me once more. Sneaking away like a rat," I said, and she didn't respond. I scowled as I had a servant take her away. I should just kill her and be done with it, but she still had some use, however small.

It was the middle of the night when we reached the pickup point at Meech. My mind was focused on the coming battle ahead. It would be difficult, but not impossible. "Something happen?" Jacob asked petulantly. He would be in the first wave of my forces, taking the brunt of the assault upon himself.

"We are targeting the Crystal Vortex. Michael isn't there and it is vulnerable. Now is a good time to dispose of it and his allies," I responded as the last of the personnel and supplies were brought on board. "You will be responsible for countering and killing Michelle."

"Her skill is not to be taken lightly. She will have level 7 and level 8 monsters. Even if they can't bring their full power to bear, it will be too much," he replied and I smiled at him as my airship took off.

"That sounds like a 'you' problem. We will arrive in a day," I told him.

"Wait, you are participating?" he asked in surprise, and I nodded at this.

"Indeed. You will be the vanguard of this attack. We move in and engage just outside of the effective range of their cannons. You will lead the aerial assault, while I counter any long-range attacks they use," I replied. I could see that he understood he was being sacrificed. Good, let despair consume you as price for your failures.

"They have more cannons, a better summoner, and better trained personnel, we won't be able to win," Jacob replied.

"You worry about surviving. If you aren't standing before me after the battle, consider your life forfeit," I told him. There would be no escape. He squeezed his hands tightly in anger and that just warmed my heart. "As for summoning, I will directly counter Michelle. She is said to be the best summoner, it is time to put that to the test."

"I will need to use one of the smaller airships," Jacob said. I had one spare one left and I nodded at this.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Do with it, what you will," I replied, and he nodded before leaving. You wanted to play games Michael. Well I could play games as well. I was not going to be pulled into a forever battle of attrition at a disadvantage. The plans with Meech could still be used. I had learned enough from Jacob, that he was no longer indispensable, only useful.

The lensing technique, while complicated and incredibly dangerous, was not impossible for someone of my talents. I had been slowly picking away at Jacob's knowledge one bit at a time. That was why I didn't mind throwing him away. He thought he was clever, but focusing on an incorrect technique, but I immediately worked out he was trying to lie to me. I hadn't let him know, but it was a firm reminder that I couldn't trust anyone.

What I was looking forward to, was pitting myself against Monster Master Michille. The woman in the background who supported Michael. While I had no doubt, she was skilled from her years of experience, I suspected she would struggle against me. Anyone else I would say they had no chance, but she would struggle, and it would be amusing.

If the Crystal Vortex was destroyed, there was a very good chance that the Avatar could be recovered. Michael and his band of merry followers had no idea how to hide an airship from being targeted by flying monsters. Therefore he would leave the Avatar on the Crystal Vortex so they wouldn't have an issue and would deal with flying monsters himself while traveling.

Also moving the Avatar would have alerted me much sooner that he had left. So, she was still there and waiting to be recovered. One more piece for me to capture and bring to my side. With the Avatar, there were several things that I could attempt, that I wouldn't have dared too before.

Michael would not be able to return in time. While I did not have a precise location, I knew he hadn't traveled to any of the nearby cities he could have gone to. There was no way he would take that risk. That meant he went further afield. I would use my spy on board to strike at a critical time during the battle. Probably when Jacob had been killed to swing things back in my favor.

I would then wear him down at long range. I had considered Jacob's advice to target the Crystal Vortex in the past, but it would have been too difficult to take it down while Michael was there and he didn't appear like he would split up. The value of having a team, mobility, and his home all in one place was a huge advantage.

But he was willing to toss those aside to gain an advantage over me. Every time I thought I understood him, he chose a different option than I had expected. The upcoming battle would be quite tough, but I was confident in being the victor. No matter how skilled Michelle was, she would be no match for me.

I would be committing quite a bit of my resources and my personal safety, but this was a battle I couldn't afford to lose. If I lost it, I would be set too far back in terms of resources. I needed to drag Michael down to my level of poverty as well if I wanted a chance at beating him.

Michael leaving during the day to grind had not been a big enough time frame to act, when I knew he would be returning. To counter Michelle I had to go myself, and I wasn't about to put myself in the same zone as Michael no matter what. Once I was within visual range of him, I knew he would not let up for a single moment.

That's why I had to consider my actions carefully. As long as I was alive, there was still the chance of victory. That was the most important thing, my life. Revenge was all well and good, but I would not lose my head figuratively or literally while seeking it out. While I would be enraged, I was willing to take a step back into the shadows to bide my time. It would be incredibly frustrating, and the last thing I wanted to do, but I also needed to accept that reality.

Michael had managed several wins against me, and there were only so many points I could squeeze out of the surroundings. Instead, I would focus on building up my strength as rapidly as possible by grinding level 5 zones. Well soon things would speed up. I would take out Michael's main airship, hopefully capture it and lay an ambush, and then take out his next airship and him.

There was also a fallback plan to lure him away as well to Meech and the ambush that was already set up. Regardless, I would be the one putting pressure on him. I should have never given him a reprieve, but I thought I could manipulate the outcome to my liking. The key thing, was that even though he made a good move, I would still take advantage of it and attack due to his absence.

He was clever, there was no doubt about that. Far cleverer than I gave him credit for. His background did nothing to indicate that he was that forward thinking. But I guess he strived to avoid a loss, rather than win. It was a mindset I could respect. One that was born from suffering and fighting uphill battles. He knew that as long as he survived, he could return and fight again.