Chapter 99: Assembling the Strike Force
The command center was a stark contrast to the party downstairs. The soft lights were replaced by the sharp, focused glow of the holographic map. The cheerful music was gone, replaced by the low, serious hum of the god Spire’s systems.
The mood was tense, the air thick with the silent pressure of a coming storm. Ryan stood before the holographic table, staring at the angry red blotch that marked the location of the Schism Monolith.
He was going to lead the mission to destroy it himself. There was no other choice. This wasn’t a problem he could send an army to solve. The Monolith’s power was not just physical; it was mental.
It warped reality and twisted the mind. He was one of the only people in the entire Sector with a high enough Spirit stat and the unique protection of his "god Shaper" status to resist its influence directly. Sending anyone else to the heart of the storm would be a suicide mission.
He began to outline his plan, thinking of a small, solo infiltration. But he had barely started speaking when he was interrupted.
"You’re not going alone."
The voice was quiet but as firm and unbending as steel. Scarlett stepped forward from the shadows of the room, her arms crossed.
She had already changed out of her formal suit and was back in her familiar, practical black combat gear. Her party demeanor was gone, replaced by the unwavering focus of a warrior.
"Scarlett, this is too dangerous," Ryan began. "The chaotic energy..."
"I don’t care," she cut him off, her gaze intense. "That thing preys on the mind. It creates illusions and feeds on fear. You are the heart of this entire Sector.
If you fall, we all fall. You need someone to watch your back. Someone you can trust completely. I am going with you. That is not a request."