Chapter 99: Exploring the ruin

The two groups soon separated and began exploring different sections of the Ancient Crystal Human Ruin.

Noah led his nine cousins toward a cluster of enormous metallic buildings in the distance. According to Arthur’s instructions, the red-and-white mecha carrying a sword was their primary objective. However, considering the sheer size of the ruin, finding it would not be easy. They needed to explore the surrounding structures carefully while remaining alert to any potential dangers.

"Everyone, keep your communication devices active. If you discover anything unusual, report it immediately. Don’t touch anything suspicious before we’ve had a chance to examine it," Noah instructed.

His cousins nodded in response.

Although they were all members of the Miller family, their personalities differed considerably. Some were naturally cautious, while others were more interested in testing their strength against whatever challenges awaited them. Nevertheless, none of them intended to disregard Arthur’s instructions.

After all, Arthur had personally sent them here for a reason.

They had no intention of returning empty-handed.

As they approached the nearest building, Irin suddenly stopped.

"Wait a moment. Look at that."

Everyone followed her gaze.

A metallic object lay partially buried beneath the rubble near the entrance. At first glance, it resembled an ordinary piece of scrap metal, but a closer examination revealed a series of intricate patterns etched into its surface. Faint blue light pulsed beneath its damaged exterior, suggesting that the object still retained some of its original functionality.

Andrew crouched down and carefully brushed away the dust.

"Damn. This looks like a technological component. Could it be part of a weapon?"

Before anyone could answer, a system notification appeared.

[Ding! You have discovered a damaged Crystal Energy Core.]

[Grade: Legendary]

[Description: A specialized energy core developed by the Ancient Crystal Human Civilization. Despite sustaining considerable damage, it retains a portion of its original energy.]

The group exchanged surprised glances.

A Legendary-grade energy core was already a valuable discovery, especially considering that they had barely begun exploring the ruin.

"Looks like this place really is a treasure trove,", Cris said with excitement.

Noah nodded. "Collect it for now. We’ll examine its value later."

Andrew placed the core inside his storage space, and the group continued forward.

They soon discovered that the building had once served as some kind of research facility. Broken mechanical arms hung from the ceiling, while transparent containers lined the walls. Most of the containers had shattered long ago, leaving behind fragments of glass and strange metallic instruments.

Some of the equipment had deteriorated beyond recognition, but a few devices remained intact.

Jake discovered a small silver disc embedded inside a control panel. After carefully extracting it, he received another notification.

[Ding! You have discovered a Legendary-grade Combat Assistance Chip.]

The item could enhance the reaction speed and combat calculations of compatible mechanical equipment.

Although it was useless to most players, it could potentially become extremely valuable to someone capable of repairing ancient machinery.

"Keep looking. There might be more," Noah said.

They spent several minutes searching the laboratory, collecting whatever items appeared valuable. Their discoveries included several damaged energy cores, a collection of metallic alloys, and two intact pieces of equipment whose functions remained unknown.

However, the deeper they ventured into the building, the more unusual their surroundings became.

Several rooms contained enormous metallic frames resembling humanoid bodies. Some stood upright inside transparent chambers, while others lay dismantled across workbenches. Their designs were remarkably sophisticated, featuring articulated limbs, reinforced armor, and complicated energy conduits.

Henry approached a chamber and examined the machine inside.

"Are these combat robots?"

"Probably," Noah replied. "Considering the technology here, they might be much more advanced than anything we’ve encountered before."

He was about to continue when a faint mechanical noise echoed throughout the laboratory.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The sound came from the machines surrounding them.

Suddenly, red lights illuminated the chambers.

Noah’s expression changed.

"Everyone, get ready!"

Before he could finish speaking, the transparent walls shattered simultaneously.

Several humanoid machines leaped out of their chambers, landing on the floor with heavy metallic impacts. Their bodies were covered in dark armor, and their faces consisted of smooth metallic plates without any discernible features.

Red optical sensors glowed where their eyes should have been.

[Ding! Warning! Hostile Autonomous Combat Units have been activated.]

[Threat Level: Legendary]

[Objective: Eliminate all intruders.]

The system helped players while exploring ruins like this. Otherwise, they would have to be more cautious.

The robots immediately rushed toward them.

One of them moved so quickly that an ordinary player might not even have noticed its approach before being struck. Its metallic fist tore through the air, producing a deafening sonic boom as it aimed directly at the nearest cousin.

However, the attack never reached its target.

Henry casually raised one hand and caught the robot’s fist.

Bang!

The impact shook the laboratory, sending cracks spreading across the floor beneath his feet.

Yet he remained completely motionless.

The robot attempted to withdraw its arm, but Henry tightened his grip.

"What a disappointing greeting."

With a slight twist of his wrist, he crushed the machine’s entire forearm.

Sparks erupted from the damaged limb.

Before the robot could initiate another attack,he delivered a simple punch to its chest.

Boom!

The machine shot backward and smashed through two metallic walls before collapsing into a heap of twisted components.

The other robots immediately changed their attack patterns.

Several rushed toward the remaining ones, while others deployed energy weapons hidden inside their arms. Blue projectiles streaked through the laboratory, illuminating the darkened corridors.

Unfortunately for the machines, their opponents were no ordinary players.

Damian moved forward and casually swept his arm through the air.

A terrifying surge of energy erupted from his body, crushing three incoming robots before they could reach him. Their armored frames buckled under the invisible pressure, and their bodies collapsed against the walls.

Andrew disappeared from his original position.

The next instant, he reappeared behind two robots and struck them simultaneously with his spear.

Their heads exploded into fragments of metal, and both machines fell to the ground before their systems could register what had happened.

Meanwhile, Jake allowed several energy projectiles to strike him directly.

The attacks detonated against his body, filling the laboratory with brilliant flashes of blue light.

When the explosions faded, he stood in the same position, completely unharmed. He was a legendary Tank after all.

"Is that all you’ve got?"

He advanced toward the remaining robots, his expression one of mild disappointment.

The machines continued attacking, but their weapons could barely scratch their opponents. Their calculations repeatedly failed to predict the cousins’ movements, and every attempt to adapt only delayed their inevitable destruction.

Within a few minutes, the entire laboratory fell silent.

Broken robots littered the floor, their optical sensors extinguished and their energy systems disabled.

Victor crouched beside a destroyed machine and examined its armor.

"These things are surprisingly durable. An ordinary player would probably struggle against even one of them."

"That depends on the player," Cris replied. "But their weapons and armor are worth collecting."

Noah nodded.

"Collect the useful components, but don’t waste too much time. We still have to find the mecha."

The group quickly gathered the intact components and stored them away before leaving the laboratory.

Although the battle had been brief, it had provided them with valuable information.

The ruin was not entirely abandoned.

Its automated defense systems were still operational, and some of the machines could activate whenever intruders entered their designated areas. If they encountered more powerful units deeper inside, the situation might become considerably more complicated.

However, Noah wasn’t particularly worried.

With his cousins accompanying him, ordinary Legendary-grade combat robots were hardly a serious obstacle.

Their biggest challenge was finding the specific mecha Arthur had described.

And judging by the size of the ancient civilization, that could take quite some time.

.....

Meanwhile, the Demon Slayer Guild was experiencing a similar situation in another section of the ruin.

Unlike Noah’s group, Yorichi and his officers had decided to explore a massive industrial complex located several kilometers away from the entrance.

The complex consisted of multiple interconnected buildings, enormous assembly platforms, and towering mechanical structures. Long-deactivated production lines stretched across the interior, while rusted machinery occupied almost every available space.

At first, the guild members had been delighted by the discovery.

They quickly located several storage chambers containing ancient equipment, metallic alloys, and energy crystals. Although some items had deteriorated over time, many retained enough functionality to be useful.

"Damn, look at this!"

One of the guild members held up a metallic weapon with an elongated barrel and a glowing blue crystal embedded near its center.

"Is this a gun?"

A system notification confirmed his suspicion.

[Ding! You have discovered a damaged Advanced Energy Rifle.]

[Grade: Epic]

[Description: A ranged weapon developed by the Ancient Crystal Human Civilization. Its firing mechanism remains functional, but its energy output has been reduced due to deterioration.]

The player stared at the notification in disbelief.

An Epic-grade weapon, it was a fucking Epic grade weaon which they never saw before.

Several other members immediately began searching the surrounding area with super excitement.