Chapter 102: Central Region

Several kilometers away, Yorichi’s group had encountered a terrifying obstacle.

After accessing the transportation station’s control system, they were preparing to head toward the central complex when a low mechanical hum echoed throughout the building.

[Ding! Central Security Network has detected unauthorized access.]

[Deploying interception units.]

From the far end of the station, several enormous mechanical units emerged.

[Ding! Three Legendary Security Units detected.]

[Ding! Epic Security Commander detected.]

Everyone froze.

Three Legendary units and an Epic boss!

Even a single Legendary unit was beyond their capabilities, let alone three of them accompanied by an Epic boss.

"Guild Master, what should we do?" one of the officers asked nervously.

Yorichi tightened his grip on his sword. "Everyone, prepare for battle! Don’t let them surround us!"

However, the machines attacked before the players could organize themselves.

Boom!

An enormous energy beam swept across the station, forcing the players to scatter. Several defensive barriers shattered under the bombardment, while their counterattacks barely scratched the enemies’ armor.

The difference in strength was simply too enormous.

Yorichi gritted his teeth and charged toward the nearest Legendary unit. His sword flashed repeatedly, targeting the joints beneath its thick armor.

Clang! Clang!

Sparks scattered everywhere, but his attacks failed to inflict significant damage.

The machine retaliated with a powerful mechanical strike.

Bang!

Yorichi barely managed to block it before being thrown backward. His arms went numb, and he struggled to regain his footing.

Before he could recover, the Epic Security Commander joined the battle.

Its enormous body moved with surprising speed, and its mechanical arms unleashed devastating attacks that forced the players to retreat desperately.

Their formation collapsed within minutes.

Some players attempted to escape, while others desperately attacked the machines to protect their companions. Unfortunately, their efforts achieved little.

Yorichi realized they couldn’t win.

He was struggling against a single Legendary unit, while the Epic boss could easily overwhelm him.

Then something happened that made his heart sink.

One of his players was caught in a devastating attack and died.

However, the player didn’t revive outside the ruin.

Yorichi’s expression changed dramatically.

If the revival skill didn’t work inside this place, death might be permanent.

They weren’t merely risking their progress anymore. They were risking their lives.

Seeing the Epic boss approaching, Yorichi immediately contacted Noah.

"Noah! We need your help! We’ve encountered three Legendary units and an Epic boss. We can’t hold them back!"

Noah was already approaching the central complex when Yorichi’s desperate call arrived.

His expression immediately turned serious.

"Everyone, continue toward the center without us!"

Then he asked Cris and Jake to follow him.

Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the transportation station at his fastest possible speed. Cris and Jake followed closely behind.

Noah understood how dangerous the situation was. Although they had already defeated an Epic unit before, Yorichi’s group was facing an even worse situation.

If they arrived too late, there might be nobody left to save.

Boom!

Yorichi crashed against the ground as the Epic Security Commander swung its enormous mechanical arm toward him.

He struggled to stand, but his exhausted body refused to respond quickly enough.

The machine raised its arm again, preparing to deliver the finishing blow.

For the first time, despair appeared in Yorichi’s eyes.

He had fought desperately, yet he couldn’t even injure the machine properly. Now, with his strength nearly exhausted, he couldn’t escape either.

Was this really where his journey would end?

Bam!

A massive figure suddenly appeared before him.

Jake!

The tank raised his shield and intercepted the devastating attack.

The collision produced a deafening explosion, and the ground beneath Jake’s feet shattered. Despite his defensive abilities, he was sent flying backward, crashing through a damaged transport vehicle.

"Mr. Jake!" Yorichi exclaimed.

Before the Epic boss could attack again, Cris activated his formation.

Brilliant lines of energy spread across the ground, connecting the players and stabilizing their positions. The formation also restricted the movements of the surrounding machines, creating a brief opportunity for a counterattack.

At that moment, Noah arrived.

His eyes immediately locked onto the Epic Security Commander.

He charged forward and unleashed a powerful attack against its chest.

Boom!

The machine staggered backward, its armor cracking slightly.

However, Noah’s expression remained serious.

Even he wasn’t strong enough to defeat this Epic boss alone while three Legendary units remained nearby.

Fortunately, he had his companions.

"Yorichi, get your people organized! We’ll take this one down first!"

Jake returned to the battlefield, raising his shield again. Meanwhile, Cris maintained his formation and coordinated the players’ movements.

Yorichi finally regained his composure.

"Everyone, target its exposed joints! Don’t waste your attacks on its armor!"

With Noah leading the assault, Jake intercepting the strongest attacks, and Cris supporting everyone through his formation, the battle gradually became more manageable.

Yorichi joined Noah, attacking the weaknesses he exposed. His guild members followed their lead, concentrating their attacks on the machine’s damaged sections.

The Epic boss retaliated furiously, forcing everyone to dodge repeatedly. However, they had already fought an Epic unit before and understood the importance of coordination.

Gradually, cracks spread across the machine’s armor.

Finally, Noah struck its damaged chest with a powerful attack, breaking through the outer plating and exposing its glowing energy core.

"Now! Everyone, attack!"

Yorichi and the other players unleashed their strongest abilities simultaneously.

Crack!

The energy core shattered.

The Epic Security Commander froze before its enormous body collapsed with a deafening crash.

[Ding! Epic Security Commander has been defeated.]

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Yorichi lowered his sword, still struggling to believe they had survived.

Without Noah’s intervention, his entire group might have been wiped out.

"Thank you," he said solemnly. "If you had arrived any later, I might not have survived."

Noah nodded before turning toward the remaining enemies.

"Save your thanks for later. We still have three Legendary units to deal with."

Yorichi’s expression stiffened.

Across the station, the three Legendary Security Units remained operational, their optical sensors still locked onto the surviving players.

The battle wasn’t over yet.

Noah glanced at the three remaining Legendary units.

Without wasting another second, Noah charged toward the nearest machine.

Boom!

His attack struck its knee joint, forcing the enormous machine to stagger. Before it could retaliate, Jake intercepted its mechanical arm while Cris’s formation restricted its movements.

"Now!" Noah shouted.

Yorichi and his guild members unleashed their strongest attacks against the exposed energy regulator.

Boom!

The regulator exploded, and the Legendary unit collapsed.

[Ding! Legendary Security Unit has been defeated.]

However, the remaining two machines immediately opened fire.

Noah dodged the incoming projectiles while Jake protected the weaker players. Meanwhile, Yorichi coordinated his guild members, targeting the machines’ joints and damaged armor.

Gradually, they began gaining the upper hand.

Noah exploited an opening created by Cris’s formation and destroyed the second machine’s exposed components.

[Ding! Legendary Security Unit has been defeated.]

Only one remained.

The final machine charged toward Noah, swinging its enormous mechanical arms. Yorichi intercepted it long enough for Noah to reach its damaged torso.

Jake blocked its counterattack, while Cris concentrated the formation’s effects on its movements.

Taking advantage of the opening, Yorichi drove his sword into the exposed energy regulator.

Crack!

The regulator fractured, but the machine remained operational.

"Finish it!" Yorichi shouted.

Noah delivered a powerful final strike.

BOOM!

The energy regulator exploded, and the last Legendary unit collapsed with a deafening crash.

[Ding! All hostile security units have been defeated.]

Silence returned to the transportation station.

Yorichi lowered his sword, still struggling to believe they had survived.

Without Noah and his companions, his entire guild would have been annihilated.

He turned toward Noah. "Thank you. You saved all of us."

Noah nodded before examining the destroyed machines.

"Recover whatever useful components you can. Then let’s move. The central complex is waiting."

Having finally cleared the station, the surviving players began collecting the mechanical components while preparing for their next destination.

After doing that, Yorichi and his group followed Noah toward the Central region. He already messaged others to slow down and not to enter any furthur.

The central region might be very very dangerous. Just the periphery was this dangerous.

Soon, they met with the remaining 7 cousins of Noah and both group went forward together.

As both groups advanced toward the heart of the ancient civilization, the ruin’s automated defense network continued monitoring their movements.

Deep beneath the central complex, an ancient system that had remained dormant for countless years registered the presence of multiple intruder groups.

Its damaged processors struggled to interpret the incoming information.

Several defense sectors had already been compromised.

Multiple guardian units had been destroyed.

The industrial districts had suffered significant losses.

Yet the system continued functioning.

A dim red light illuminated a control chamber buried deep beneath the central structure.

[Warning: Unauthorized personnel approaching the central security zone.]

[External defense units: 73% operational.]

[Industrial defense units: 41% operational.]

[Central guardian status: Critical.]

[Primary command authority unavailable.]

For several seconds, the chamber remained silent.

Then a final notification appeared.

[Emergency protocol activated.]

[All remaining security units are authorized to engage intruders.]