The side campus of the academy featured many of the same buildings the main academy had, but only this time, the main base of Ferric Meridian was just… right there.

  It was strange. Guild bases come and go all the time, simply due to the nature of the academy. Unlike corporate guild wars, which ravaged Central over the course of years or even decades, academy wars were short and often-occuring.

  Everyone who joined the academy wanted to prove themselves to the main guilds, and what better way than war achievements in the student guilds?

  Ferric Meridian had never built a base so exposed. Most guilds decided to build close to dungeons in heavily defended positions, but terrarium three was notorious for being hard to defend. The dungeon was located right in the middle of a massive lake, surrounded on all sides by sloping walls. Building anything inside the walls would leave you much closer to the dungeon, sure, but that meant any invading army coming from outside the walls would have the height advantage.

  Most of the time, when a guild took control of this area, they built on the walls, instead sending parties down into the chasm and then into the dungeon. Instead Ferric Meridian decided to build inside the chasm, brokering a trade deal between themselves and the rest of the student guilds. It kept the academy side campus away from the war.

  Viviana and the Landsknecht were here to drag them into it.

  After spending a day inside the side campus, renting out a small place to stay, talking to the couple academy students (they were getting quite famous, but not being hired by the upper year students), and eating pretty good monster seafood (lakefood?) caught in the dungeon.

  They spent a good chunk of change, but Viviana insisted on eating well. The Landsknecht deserved it. All of them had learned how to use their boots. Viviana felt like she didn’t deserve it, being forced out of further war participation by Selenne, but a part of her didn’t hate it. She was sure to win it back later, and fighting Selenne was admittedly fun.

  The short break didn’t take long to come to an end, and Landsknecht moved to meet their comrades and employers for the upcoming battle.

  Currently, Landsknecht’s positioned just outside the side campus, on top of the sloping chasm walls. Oh, and the Ophidian Pact was there. Namely Adam and his breach knights. Their dark green armor shone in the light, reflecting the sun in blinding rays that scattered across the field.

  They were camped out a good distance away. Apparently, someone was activating a stealth skill that reduced mana signatures and prescenses, making scouts unable to detect them easily. They were just waiting. Waiting for the signal for the operation to begin.

  Viviana looked down at the fortress again, just contemplating what had got her here. She had agreed to the contract to attack this fortress. But the main fortress, in broad daylight, with this small of a team? Sure, there were other teams involved, but Viviana couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. Even worse was her agreement to Selenne– participation here all hinged on a technicality.

  It was a foreign feeling to her. She didn’t understand it.

  “Adam, can you get your guys to cover their armor or something? Anybody could see them shining from a mile away.”

  The Adapter sighed, clearly not wanting to be here. He placed a hand on his head. “I told them to tape up their armor, or buy the active camouflage version, but no one wanted or could afford to.”

  Viviana looked back at The Adapter. She was once rich, yes, but living in the academy on her own wage made her comprehend just how expensive everything was.

  The Adapter was naturally dressed in adaptive armor, full camouflage available at the press of a button. Even now he shifted the colors to a dull, matte green to not reflect the light. His men weren’t as affluent.

  She tapped her sword, fidgeting with it still in the sheath. Adam spoke up. “ Why don’t you have grapples?”

  Viviana shrugged. “Broke. Pawned it and spent it all on these,” she said, pointing at her feet.

  “You should have told me. I’ll give you a spare.” Adam called up one of his men, who unclipped his own grapples reluctantly. Viviana noted his appearance. It was the same guy she stole grapples from a while ago. He looked angry. Oops.

  Adam took the grapples and handed it to her. Viviana accepted it, attaching it to her utility belt and locking it in place. “What’s the catch?”

  “Nothing. Those things are disposable to me.”

  Viviana went silent at that. She couldn’t imagine having that much money. It was something she would strive towards. Power. Levels. Influence. All to tear down Adler-Stern.

  She fidgeted with her blade again. Just how many enemies were waiting in that compound below her? Kilometers worth of building material, sprawled out around the campus, twisting and turning into hallways that probably held blind spots every other step. Would she have to flush them out? The plan was relatively simple, sure, but anything and everything could and would go wrong.

  Viviana noticed Adam watching her hands. Then he got a signal. A message. He looked at her, telling her that there were ten minutes until the operation. He ordered his men to gather. Viviana gathered Landsknecht as well.

  Sure enough the men had gathered. Viviana noticed one of Adam’s men staring intently at her. What? Want a fight, after I kicked your ass last time?

  Unbeknownst to her, Adam clearly saw his guy stare with hearts in his eyes. Adam used all his willpower to not judge. Didn’t she kill you last time? Brutally, I might add? He thought. He shook his head and started the mission briefing. They had gone over this before, but it was good to reiterate.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “In eight minutes, Team B will unveil stealth and strike at the main site. Us, Team A, will enter five minutes later, targeting the dungeon access shaft. We will plunge down fourteen floors, infiltrate door six B, and detonate one depth charge. Then, Team A will split into groups: delvers and protectors.

  “I, along with half of you, will delve into the dungeon to detonate another depth charge, collapsing the tunnel and preventing FM access. Adler-Stern will lead the other group and guard the entrance for our return. That is all. Any questions?”

  For a second, no one raised any concerns. Then Bena spoke up. “Who’s on the other team?”

  Adam let out a sigh. “Black knights, led by Selenne Kerzenlied.”

  The men shifted uncomfortably. Lucian looked at her. Viviana shook her head. She didn’t even know. Well, she did just tell me to stop participating in the war. This will be awkward.

  …

  Eight minutes later the Landsknecht were grappling down the sheer wall of great salt chasm, rappelling down in bursts of speed towards the academy base below. Adam’s team of green breach knights were ahead of them, falling in a controlled descent with overpowered jumpboots. They would provide the breach.

  Impact. Seven breach knights smashed into the outer wall of the compound, their massive, heavy armor tearing a hole into the base with ease. It was easy to think that breach armor was brittle because soulbound attacks tore through it like nothing, but breach armor was fashioned with the highest level of strength a non-system recognized material could exhibit.

  The temporary base was already constructed hastily, so it stood no chance.

  Viviana and the Landsknecht members followed closely behind, tumbling into the ceiling of the building. Inside was already chaos. Screams, weapons being drawn, Adam spinning with his dual blades, hacking and slashing with unrelenting fervor. The Ferric Meridian members he faced, unarmed and caught unawares, stood no chance. Everything was focused on the main site, where Selenne was.

  Viviana weaved between the battle, flushing out the room of surprised FM members. They should have stood a fighting chance. Viviana was a lower level than many of them. But they weren’t equipped with jumpboots or grapples or armor. Some of them didn’t even have their swords drawn.

  No matter what level you were, you died when a sword went through your throat.

  [You have slain a level 5 soulbound.]

  [+4 exp]

  [You have slain a level 4 soulbound.]

  [+2 exp] [shared]

  [You have slain a level 5 soulbound.]

  [+3 exp] [shared]

  This is easy. Adam explicitly hired us because he wanted elites, but even a new soulbound could do this. Blood and terror makes the enemy weak.

  Viviana had to show off, so she pushed forward with [flash step] and a summoned [lightning spear], slaughtering her way through the crowd. She had to fast. Already another alarm was ringing, this time in their section of the building. They knew that Ferric Merdian’s own breach knights were coming to intercept.

  [You have slain a level 5 soulbound.]

  [+4 exp]

  [You can distribute (1) stat point.]

  [You have slain a level 4 soulbound.]

  [+3 exp]

  Killing people is just too efficient. Adam shouted over the chaos. “Now! Proceed to the elevator!”

  I’ll clear a path. Viviana threw a [lightning spear] down the hallway they were running down, sniping a fleeing FM member. She summoned another one to replenish her own, but Viviana didn’t throw it when she was met with an actual opponent. Red armor, this time. A Ferric Meridian breach knight, holding a nasty looking greatsword.

  Oh, that’s completely unfair. Viviana rushed forward, diving under the massive sword, firing her grapples in the narrow hallway to right herself in an otherwise impossible to accomplish maneuver. She slashed out, taking the breach knight’s legs before they could even swing the greatsword again. I know that weapon’s weaknesses all too well.

  That's when the breach knight activated a skill, punching forward in a devastating strike. Viviana narrowly dodged the fist to her face and slashed again, ending the fight.

  [You have slain a level 7 soulbound.]

  [+8 exp]

  [You can distribute (2) stat points.]

  Viviana paid no mind as she turned around, continuing down the hallway. Bena shouted out directions from behind, expertly leading the group through the chaos. The girl seemed like a scared little squirrel the first time viviana had met her. Yet now, she was amidst the chaos, focused on nothing but completing the mission.

  Lucian and Thomas were slightly behind, on Bena’s flanks, protecting her if any members came close. Lucian fought like a demon, twisting and turning through various grapple maneuvers that seemed more like a dance than practical sword play.

  Adam’s group followed the pack tightly behind, holding up the rear. They, unlike the Landsknecht, fought like a coordinated unit, ducking and weaving in precise patterns and skill sequences that dismantled opponents with ease. Viviana made a note to ask Adam about it later. They seemed far stronger than the time she fought them.

  “Breach knights, behind us! Rapidly closing in!”

  Viviana couldn’t help but swear. It was a known and discussed thing. No matter how well Team A fought, FM would scramble a breach knight squadron for them. But not this fast.

  The group twisted and turned through corridor after the corridor. Soon they entered a massive room with a giant, central elevating platform that plunged into the earth. A massive armored door blocked the way.

  “That's the door to the elevator shaft! We’ve got to use a charge!” Bena shouted.

  “Not part of the plan!” Adam shouted. He cursed, throwing himself at the door. He bounced off. “It’s system-recognized!”

  “Move!” Lucian shouted. He channeled up a skill. At first, it seemed like [strike], but it wasn't. It was something far stronger. Viviana felt the mana well up in the room as Lucian slashed out with his sword. Then again, and then again. The door bulged, straining on the weight of his power.

  The enemy breach knights were right behind them. Fighting a full squad, on their territory? Not a chance.

  Then the door creaked, groaned, and finally gave in to Lucian’s attack. With no hesitation Landsknecht and Adam’s squad leapt down into the massive elevator shaft, free falling as Ferric Meridian breach knights jumped after them.

  Viviana gazed down, not seeing the bottom at all. I thought level fourteen meant fourteen stories! Not fourteen miles!