Vol 2: Chapter 49

Alex wiped his hands on a dark grease rag, the movement slow and deliberate. The Liger Zero's left leg looked solid now, the actuator settled firmly into its housing without a single hint of a gap. He stood up as Ziya leaned over her tablet.

"The new targeting processor just cleared its final diagnostic," she said.

She glanced up from the screen with a small, knowing look.

"Everything is green."

Alex nodded. The tension in his shoulders, which had been a constant weight for the last week, finally receded. No extra bolts rattled in the chassis, and no unexpected heat spikes flared in the feedback loops.

A heavy rhythmic thudding hit the workshop's outer door. Before Alex could move, the doors swung open, and Team Celestia walked in.

Anya led the way, her expression composed but her eyes searching his face for an answer. Fia, Lyra, and Seraphine followed close behind, their presence crowding the workshop until the space felt much smaller than it had a moment ago.

"We came back for your answer, Alex," Anya said.

She didn't move toward him, giving him the space to speak first.

"We want to know if you're actually going to build them."

Alex's gaze moved from Anya to the others. Fia leaned in, eyes bright; Lyra stood still, waiting.

"Yes."

Anya went still, waiting.

"I'll build them."

A flicker of relief showed in Anya's eyes, but he wasn't finished. Something else still needed saying.

"But you need to understand the cost. We can't start anytime soon."

Ziya lifted her head from her workstation, her expression tightening slightly.

"The repairs on the Liger's leg and the new processor used up almost everything we had," Alex said.

He turned back to the team, needing them to understand that his word was a commitment.

"We have zero budget cushion left, and our current material stock is practically empty. We're essentially starting from nothing for the next build."

He expected them to be discouraged by the news, especially since they were clearly eager to get into the field with their own Zoids. Instead, Fia let out a breathy, surprised laugh.

"We didn't come here for a finished product today, Alex," Fia said.

Anya's shoulders loosened, a small smile touching her lips.

"We needed to know you were on our side," Anya said.

The tension Alex had been bracing for never came. They wanted proof he'd keep building alongside them, nothing more. Seeing their reaction, a strange, unexpected warmth spread through his chest. He had braced for a fight about logistics, but all he found was their support.

The group turned their attention toward the task at hand, discussing how to tackle the quest Thane had laid out for them. They spread the map across the table, tracing the zones where the Titans held sway around Ironwood.

The Ashwing lived up to her reputation as a high-Rank B outlier. While most Ashfall Condors were mere Rank C scavengers, this matriarch possessed a level of intelligence and territorial aggression that set her apart from the rest of her kind. She hunted for more than food. Using her massive wingspan to dominate the airspace, she controlled the thermals of the Ridge Line.

The terrain of the Ridge Line was a stark contrast to the industrial grit of the Fault Scarp. Up on the high, wind-swept cliffs, the Obsidian-Wing Petras-Types were the primary concern. Those sky wolves were Rank C to D, and while they could be dangerous during a dive, they were a predictable element of the mountain range.

Further east, the Fault Scarp offered ground-level trouble. The area was crawling with the corrupted Crag-Stalker pack, a group of Rank C Allosaurs that had turned the mining tunnels into a hunting ground. Driven by the corruption of their territory, the Crag-Stalkers attacked on instinct, tearing through anything that entered the tunnels.

The Ashwing was a much bigger problem than the Crag-Stalkers.

"The Crag-Stalkers are the priority," Alex said.

A finger tapped against the edge of the table.

"The Liger Zero is built for ground combat, and the Mark I's anti-air already struggled against threats well below the Ashwing's actual danger level."

Fia leaned forward, her eyes brightening at the mention of the sky-predator.

"But the Ashwing is the real threat to the region, and she's costing the Guilds a fortune in lost shipments every single week."

"The numbers don't lie, Fia," Ziya said.

She pulled up a new readout on her tablet, the numbers scrolling into place before she slid it across the table.

"The projected economic impact from a single Ashwing raid exceeds the cost of the entire Crag-Stalker containment operation."

Studying the data, Anya kept her expression neutral, though she lingered on the figures for a moment.

"The logistics favor the ground fight, then."

"We'll deal with the Crag-Stalkers first, and we won't touch the Ashwing until the Mark I is proven or replaced."

"We have a problem with the den's location, though," Alex said.

His attention turned to the map of the Fault Scarp.

"The original survey is useless now because that tunnel collapse might have thrown off the whole area."

He traced a line toward the collapsed access tunnel mentioned in the old reports.

"I am not committing anyone to a hunt until we confirm the den's real position."

The plan took shape as they divided the responsibilities for the scouting run.

"Rhian, you have a new job this time," Alex said.

The girl's head came up, her eyes wide.

"You're flying support in the Arosaurer."

Rhian grinned, but the excitement died down as her attention caught on the bulky machinery in the corner of the workshop.

"That leaves the Lanstag as the odd one out," Ziya said.

She glanced at the hulking cavalry Zoid.

"I've piloted it before, but I am definitely not a skilled pilot."

Fia's hands moved as if she were already gripping control sticks.

"I'll take it!"

She stood up, her voice eager.

"I want a chance to pilot a Zoid instead of just watching you guys from the sidelines."

Anya stepped forward, her posture commanding.

"You'll take the ground support, Fia."

With a calculated, steady gaze, Anya took in the Lanstag.

"I should be the one to take the seat for this operation."

Fia crossed her arms and huffed.

"Come on, Anya, I'm much faster than you."

"Speed is not what the Lanstag needs in a ravine, Fia."

Anya's tone was firm, and the banter died down as the group reached a silent consensus.

"Anya will pilot the Lanstag," Alex said.

He turned back to his workbench, his mind already drifting toward the mechanics of the upcoming hunt.

The workshop felt different now that the others were staying.

He used to work here in a heavy, solitary silence, surrounded only by the hum of his own thoughts and the cooling metal of his projects. He had spent years treating it like a fortress, guarded against the world.

Now, the crowded air didn't bother him.

The low murmur of Ziya and Fia talking drifted from the tool racks, along with the distant, bright ring of Rhian's amusement. The workshop had become a hub, where his work was no longer a secret he kept, but a mission they all shared.

Advance chapters on my p@tR$0n/Najicablitz.