Chapter 411 - 411: Switching To Offence
Even though Robert was a Lord, he tread carefully across the hollow valley. After all, even Michael had once found himself overwhelmed and surrounded by Overlords that had lingered on the ceiling.
Following Bryce's instructions, Robert managed to reach the feline camp without encountering any major obstacles.
The felines were understandably wary of his appearance. Aside from Michael's crew, anyone who lacked their characteristics was usually assumed to be a cultist.
However, having sensed him from afar, Michael was there to welcome Robert and prevent any misunderstandings.
"Michael!" Robert called out softly, a concerned expression on his face as he approached the others.
"I am so sorry!" He said in a regretful tone once he reached them. "You came all this way to Venus at my request, yet I left your side just to spend more time with Livia, which is simply unforgivable!"
He was about to bow in apology, but Michael stopped him with a sigh.
"There is no need to exaggerate." He reassured, clearly relieved to see the Lord on their side. "To be honest, we are the ones who suddenly decided to dig a large tunnel while following a mole. Perhaps we should have left a more detailed message on where we are going."
In the end, neither side had handled things perfectly, so neither was truly at fault.
"Besides, you just got engaged." Michael added with a smirk. "It is not right for you to risk your life so soon after that."
Robert frowned, clearly disagreeing, and his gaze shifted toward the distant Monarch.
The crew then took the time to fill Robert and Bryce in on what they had missed while they had been on the surface.
"Goodness…" Robert's face paled. "To think this monster had been beneath us all along… The two Monarchs who had resided in the lava lake should have been enough. Now, with a third Monarch added to the mix, it feels like the universe itself has a grudge against Magmorious…"
Michael shook his head dejectedly.
"Sadly, I have to agree. The problems with the Monarchs, the rogue AIs, and the queen ant with her soldiers, all of whom are spiritual beasts, may seem like a lot. But with the capital housing more than half a billion humans, such threats are bound to arise one after another."
The current hypothesis the crew had arrived at was that the hollow valley had not been so colossal initially. Some aliens had resided in the depths due to the nearby spiritual crystals, but nothing major.
However, once Lord Eleanora and the ant queen entered the place, they had gradually transformed it into their perfect nest, from which to slowly build up their forces.
Eventually, the incident with the rogue AIs must have happened at the surface. Eleanora's established hatred toward the felines had led her to expand her operations beyond merely building her ant army.
She created the cultists' organization, whose goal was to harm the felines while studying the aliens in the process and to cause chaos and disruption in Magmorious, which would have proven useful once she initiated her attack against the capital.
"It's regrettable to admit, but Eleanora's plan has largely succeeded, with the aliens threatening Magmorious' fortifications nonstop and public unrest happening within the city, causing the troops to be stretched thin." Robert's eyes darkened.
"This is why, despite the danger, I am the only one who came to your aid. Redistributing any forces would inevitably lead to casualties among the civilians. However foolish that choice may appear, I hope you understand Livia's, and by extension mine, stance."
Michael did not blame them, since he thought the same. He would always choose the option that put the least danger on the greatest number of people, even if it placed him in greater peril.
"We have requested reinforcements, of course." Robert added. "But it will take a while for anyone to come to our aid. Even if the breach in the asteroid belt is more or less fixed, there is still an uprising of powerful Titans that have set their sights on our solar system."
Essentially, relying on Kings, Queens, or the Emperor would have been foolish. Not that Michael had any intention of doing so. Not only had he received a quest that promised great rewards upon its completion, but the longer they took, the more Ruby's kin were bound to suffer.
As for members of the Indomitable Alliance back on Earth, there were two reasons for not calling them over.
First, transporting a hundred Lords would have taken weeks if not months. The fate of the capital would have been sealed by then. Second, they were only Radiant Lords. Fighting a Monarch tier alien right off the bat would have led to the demise of many of them.
The primary reason they had joined the Indomitable Alliance was because they strived to grow. Sacrificing them after they had placed their trust in him simply didn't sit right with Michael.
Regardless, even if the crew were incapable of taking on the Monarch, the cultist facilities spread throughout, along with the soldier ants, were another matter.
The crew was going to focus on disrupting their lines of operation. With Robert joining them, it gave them more breathing room.
Since the feline camp was stable after the ant invasion, the crew did not linger, departing at once. As usual, Nyla and Colt were with them, both to scout the surroundings for any threats and to lead them to the laboratories whose locations were known.
"Nyx sensed a danger ahead." Nyla proclaimed, causing them to halt.
Chills ran down her back a few seconds later. Overlords, having invaded feline bodies, roamed the lands in search of prey.
Like the aliens who had ambushed Michael before, these Hreh'tar were remnants of cultists' experimentations, inhabiting the bodies of felines like vessels, which gave them their unholy appearance.
Since even a single Overlord could threaten a Lord, the crew usually avoided direct confrontation, especially when they appeared in large numbers.
However, now Michael had other plans. The longer they took, the more Eleanora could prepare to launch another invasion on the feline camp, and with Robert back in their ranks, their prowess had soared.
Summoning his two soul weapons, Michael gazed at the crew.
"We strike."