Chapter 43

The next morning.

After spending a fairly cozy night, our party was riding on Saver, having eaten breakfast prepared by Jack—was it his mother?—and hastily speeding across the wasteland.

“AAAAAAAAH!”

BOOOOM!!

“GYAAAAH!!”

KWAANG!!

Explosions kept erupting wherever we went, and along with the notifications, experience points kept coming in.

– Your level has increased, LV 12 ▷ LV 13.

“Good.”

Already, combining yesterday and today, we’ve leveled up twice.

And the Forward Bases of the Fallen we obliterated now number five, with two raiding groups already dealt with.

In the long term, this is a win-win—securing the safety around Fangju and leveling up at the same time. It’s practically like killing two birds with one stone.

Still, if we keep clearing out only the enemies around Fangju, we might draw too much attention. Should we aim for enemies located a bit further away as well?

As I’m thinking that, I hear Saver’s voice.

[ Hostile forces eliminated. Shall we move to the next area? ]

“Yeah, let’s move.”

As I climb back into the cockpit, Saver automatically closes the hatch for me. A faint vibration begins, and Saver starts speeding over the ground.

Are the others probably at Level 5 or 6 by now?

[ Edu-sama. ]

“Hm?”

Saver suddenly speaks to me.

[ I have a few questions. Would it be all right if I ask them? ]

Questions… the conversation I had with Banetta on Friday evening comes to mind.

“Hmm… a stubborn kid, but could also be annoying if they ask too much.”

So, this was what she was talking about. Still, Banetta mentioned her learning ability, and since she’s going to be a useful companion, there’s no harm in answering her questions sincerely.

“Questions? Yeah, that’s fine.”

[ During yesterday’s and today’s combat against enemies with vehicles, I found it curious that you had me put on a show. Why was that? ]

“Oh, that?”

Now that I think about it, I did give an answer that wasn’t quite satisfying.

[ Yes, given that this side’s firepower overwhelmingly surpasses theirs, isn’t it unnecessary to give them unnecessary information? ]

“Hmm, I see what you mean, Saver.”

That isn’t wrong.

The so-called armed vehicles of the Fallen are civilian cars barely scraping the bottom of military-grade vehicles—basically civilian cars with low-quality steel plates tacked on, armed with poor-quality weapons and explosives. In short, they’re barely considered technicals at best.

And our group, equipped with a military-modified modern tank given to us by Banetta, has four Awakened individuals. It’s not surprising that from Saver’s perspective, our firepower makes them insignificant.

That’s probably why Saver asked this.

“How should I explain this… Hmm….”

[ If it’s difficult to explain, it’s fine to stop. Should I forget this question? ]

“No, there’s no need for that.”

What would work? Ah, I’ve got it.

“Hey, Saver. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

[ Understood. ]

“Imagine this—while you’re walking along and you see a turtle covered with sharp spikes. What would you do?”

[ ??? Is the term ‘turtle’ referring to a reptile with a shell? ]

“Yes, that’s right.”

[ If it’s smaller than me, I would squash it and keep moving. ]

“Uh…”

Right, you’re a tank.

“…Ahem. Imagine, for a moment, that instead of being a tank, Saver has a human body. Would you consider that?”

[ A human body, then? ]

“Yes.”

Saver falls silent for a moment. After a short pause, Saver finally answers.

[ Given the fragility of the human body, even minor impact can damage it. I’d avoid it and move on. ]

“That’s exactly it. Saver, why do we venture out on the surface?”

[ To defeat enemies and gain experience to grow. ]

“Exactly. Now, what do you think would happen if we appeared to enemies as turtles covered in sharp spikes?”

[ I understand now. ]

The tone might sound flat, but I somehow sense a hint of admiration in Saver’s voice.

[ Even when our power dominates, to achieve a more certain outcome, we deliberately feed false information to the enemy. ]

“That’s right. And usually, such groups act based on the decisions of their leader.”

The surface after the disappearance of nations and society left only twisted remnants of the Fallen behind. For them, order is nothing more than strength. Strength is authority, and authority stems from fear and intimidation.

“There’s no way a boss leading his pack would retreat without results when attacking us.”

[ You’re leveraging the enemy’s way of thinking. ]

“Yes.”

In a dark age where the strong dominate the weak and use them as tools, even someone in power risks betrayal the moment they lose their strength and authority.

Thus, by demonstrating the full power of our tank in an initial assault to reduce enemy forces and then feigning mechanical issues to lure them further, we can exploit their psychology. Their desperation to obtain the perceived powerful force—the tank—creates a gap in their judgment.

When they approach confidently, under the illusion that our power is not as great as it seems, we’ll gift them plenty of Hand Gliders, resulting in mission accomplished. Human behavior, when reduced into patterns, is rather predictable.

“So, you get it, right?”

[ Yes, but I have one more question. ]

“What’s that?”

[ Along the way, we seem to intentionally pass through some specific areas. Is there a reason for that? ]

“Of course.”

Just as Saver is passing through the path I had designated, something we anticipated beyond the cupola comes into view.

[ A terrain resembling a cave has been detected in the movement path. What would you like to do? ]

“Stop the vehicle, we need to check out this cave.”

[ Understood. Stopping the movement. ]

After stepping out of the cupola, Nisia and I head towards the cave.

A black cave with a long, circular passage that resembles the neck of a large animal. It looks like a naturally formed cave from the outside, but tracks etched into the ground, clearly not human, dispel any sense of complacency.

“…are these all footprints?”

Nisia gasps, but I can’t help but smile in anticipation.

“Yes, they are.”

“???”

My enthusiastic reaction seems to confuse her, and she looks at me, silently asking why I’m so pleased.

Well, because inside is practically a bundle of experience points.

At that moment, a damp wind blows from inside the cave, a stifling odor that feels as though the cave itself is exhaling. I recognize it as the scent described in AOE.

“Yes, it’s a Cryptid Colony.”

“A… Cryptid Colony?”

“Yes, by the looks of it, the danger rating is probably between 1 and 2.”

A Cryptid Colony.

Just as many games use random elements in repeated playthroughs to offer a new feel, AOE also had various random factors, one of which is the Cryptid Colony. Randomly generated in a few predetermined spots from early to late-game zones, and especially for repeat playthroughs, the danger rating—and difficulty—varies significantly, even causing seasoned players to struggle.

Coupled with randomly generated labyrinth-like maps, dark and narrow spaces crowded with enemies, along with the inability to use armored equipment, it creates a chaotic situation.

Because of this, even with tricks during the early game when resources and power are limited, it was almost impossible to clear a colony.

Users who encountered a hard-to-deal-with colony in their playthroughs often reset the game.

One encounter with this is enough to elicit a natural “What the…?!” reaction. How does someone know this so well? It’s because…

“Edu, why…? Your expression looks bad.”

“No, just recalling an unpleasant memory.”

“An unpleasant memory?”

“It’s nothing; don’t worry about it.”

“A, okay.”

Nisia quiets down at my words, but after hesitating for a moment, she speaks again.

“Edu, I’m just checking, but you’re not thinking of going into that cave, are you?”

“Of course not.”

She sighs in relief.

“Everyone has to go in. Two people wouldn’t be enough—it’s dangerous.”

“…”

Nisia freezes.

“Are you really talking about going in there?”

“Yes.”

Narrow spaces filled with numerous enemies.

For beginners, just hearing those words would be enough to cause panic, but for someone like me who’s played AOE, that combination means only one thing.

A honey-sweet leveling spot.

The amount of EXP that could be inside makes my mouth water.

“That… Can we rethink this, Edu? We’ve already made some achievements, and there’s no need to take such unnecessary risks—”

“Hm? It’s not that dangerous.”

“Er, really?”

“Yes.”

At the 1 to 2 rating, the colony’s main forces would include either the Side, armed with a blade the size of their body, or the Spitter, spewing out acidic liquids.

Though Boom-type enemies that dive in to detonate are powerful, their sluggish speed makes them less of a threat. As for the Biters, they serve only as bullet fodder against regular infantry.

The problem is, with higher colony rankings, the number of these bullet fodder can increase exponentially, but for a colony of this scale, there wouldn’t be that many. By its form and size, there’d be at most 300 to 500 creatures.

Besides, with a colony of this danger rating, the Queen—the leader of the Cryptid swarm—would be comparably weak.

“Alright, looks like we could have ourselves a thrilling leveling experience.”

To be honest, even when I had Riana’s help, the first thought that came to mind was clearing the colony.

But given the lack of colony location information and the risk of squandering Riana’s assistance by not finding one, I ultimately decided against it.

So, we headed to the nearest and largest dungeon, the Blood Wind Gorge. However, ultimately, unlocking the collection function there and clearing it proved beneficial.

“So, can you leave me here while Nisia fetches the others along with my gear?”

“Okay.”

Despite her hesitation, Nisia moves to do as I asked.

While waiting, I have some work to do.

“Summon, Little Drone.”

– Consuming MP to summon the summonable unit.

A small drone appears in the air.

“Drone, can you conduct reconnaissance inside?”

Whirrr…

The drone spins and heads into the cave.

Now, what to do… Should I use Saver for collection purposes inside the cave? No, that might be overkill. Perhaps it’s better to simply leave her guarding the outside—

As I’m pondering this, Nisia returns with Jack and Edward. With them comes a floating orb.

“Uh? What’s that?”

“It’s Saver.”

So, she hands me the Nightmere as she answers, and I ask her while taking it:

“Is that Saver?”

[Yes, Edu-sama.]

Saver’s voice comes from the round orb.

[To ensure I can support all of you, the Master prepared a portable terminal for me.]

“Ah, I see.”

Typical Banetta—no room for error.

“But if you’re inside there, what happens to the tank? Can you control both simultaneously?”

As I ask, the round orb containing Saver sways side to side, answering.

[It’s slightly different.]

“Different?”

[Correct. The AI core has been moved to this terminal, so the tank’s actions will be limited. But even in autonomous mode, it can still send basic information or warnings, so there’s no need to worry.]

“I see.”

As long as the perimeter is secure, it’s fine, and having Saver’s help inside will make it even more reassuring.

While I’m thinking this, Jack and Edward behind me squint their eyes at something.

“Huh? Cave?”

“What cave?”

“It’s a Cryptid Colony.”

“Eh?”

“D-”

The two are startled, especially Edward, whose expression becomes hilariously shocked.

“Are you still asleep? Didn’t you just hear Edu say ‘Cryptid Colony’?”

“Yes, I heard that clearly…”

“…”

An appalled Edward.

“…Just making sure, but you’re not suggesting we actually go inside that colony, right?”

“We have to go in!”

Why wouldn’t we with that much experience!

“Fine, then I’m heading back to Saver.”

After saying that, Edward quickly turns around to leave.

Oh dear, such a coward.

“Jack?”

Snap.

Jack’s hand resting on Edward’s shoulder stops him right there.

“Damn it, let go, Jack! Come on, it’s humanly impossible to walk into a Cryptid Colony!”

Edward’s wailing echoes.

But I’m not wavering.

“You shouldn’t make excuses of weakness without trying, Edward. As students of the Academy, we must face risks with courage.”

“No, I can face risks! But this is just unreasonable, Edu!”

“Wha—”

Edward raises his voice.

“These Cryptids? They’re merely biologically superior, but they’re nothing compared to the aliens or Invaders we’re supposed to really fight! This is just too dangerous!”

Edward continues to ramble on with conventional wisdom.

This is why you shouldn’t rely entirely on textbooks. Look at his rigid and inflexible thinking—it’s as if his brain has been replaced with stones.

But as a friend and acquaintance, I can’t let him go down this narrow-minded path, so I’ll enthusiastically help him correct it.

Shock therapy, or more fittingly, colony field trip.

Whirrr…

“Oh, you’re back?”

Just as the Little Drone returns, I show Edward the footage and speak.

“Edward, listen carefully. What did you originally think about the training on the ground?”

With a serious tone, I ask, and Edward hesitates before replying.

“…I thought it was quite dangerous.”

“Then how do you feel now? Was it really that dangerous?”

“…”

Silent, but his expression clearly suggests a negative.

“Right? So this time, just trust me and follow along. I have a plan, alright?”

“Hm…”

Edward, who’s clearly unwilling, sighs but eventually nods.

“Well, let’s head inside then? And don’t forget to deploy your gear.”