Chapter 69: Synergy

On the edge of Claw Rift Canyon, within a temporarily cleared safe zone beside the Rezvani, Aiden, Luna, and Silas sat in a loose circle.

The atmosphere was completely different from when Aiden had been alone. Something resembling a team was quietly beginning to take shape.

Aiden spread out a crude regional map provided by Phantom Eyes and pointed to a marked location southeast of the city.

"Our first team objective is here, the ’Mechanical Scrapyard.’" Aiden’s voice was calm and clear. "It’s a Level 5, five-player dungeon. The monsters are primarily mechanical constructs with high physical defense, but they’re relatively slow. Fireball and blunt damage are particularly effective against them, making this an ideal place for us to begin training our teamwork and synergy."

He turned his attention to Silas. "Silas, your task is to hold the frontline, establish solid aggro, and protect Luna and me from anything that gets through. Make full use of your shield and Unyielding Battle Body. Trust in your defense and don’t abandon your position unless I tell you to."

Silas heavily patted his chest, producing a dull thud. His eyes were firm and unwavering.

"Don’t worry, Sir Aiden! As long as I’m still standing, I’ll never let those monsters touch a single hair on either of your heads!"

The Resolute Tower Shield strapped to his back seemed to respond to its master’s determination, its surface flickering faintly with blue light.

Aiden then looked toward Luna, his tone softening slightly. "Luna, your priority is to protect yourself and stay between Silas and me. Don’t use the dice proactively unless it’s necessary. If I need you to use them, I’ll give you specific instructions."

He paused briefly before continuing. "For now, prioritize the gray-white dice. Use them for low-risk checks, such as finding safe footing or determining whether an area contains hidden dangers. Don’t take unnecessary risks."

Luna nodded vigorously, her small hands clutching the hem of her clothes. There was still a trace of nervousness on her face, but beneath it was the seriousness of someone who had been entrusted with an important responsibility.

"I understand, Sir Aiden! I’ll stay close and follow your instructions!"

"Good." Aiden folded the map and slipped it away before rising to his feet. "Let’s go."

... Half an hour later, the three arrived at the entrance of the [Mechanical Scrapyard].

Mountains of abandoned cars, rusted mechanical arms, broken machinery, and countless pieces of unrecognizable metal waste were piled across the area. A thick smell of rust and machine oil hung heavily in the air.

The entrance was nothing more than a torn metal gate, its jagged edges resembling the gaping maw of some enormous monster.

[You have entered the dungeon area: Mechanical Scrapyard (Normal Difficulty).]

[Detected party size: 3, lower than the recommended number (5). Difficulty remains unchanged. Please proceed with caution.]

The system prompt appeared, carrying an unmistakable hint of warning.

Silas took a deep breath and stepped forward first.

Clank!

His heavy tower shield slammed into the ground as he firmly established himself at the front of the party.

Luna followed closely beside Aiden, while Aiden positioned himself where he could support either of them and launch attacks whenever necessary...

His eyes narrowed and glowed slightly he used the pit viper soul trait, "Careful, Eight-legged metallic beasts approaching..."

The moment they entered the scrapyard, several Level 1 Scout Robots spotted them.

Just as Aiden said before hand, they resembled metallic spiders, their articulated limbs clicking rapidly against the ground as they emitted a series of sharp beeping alarms.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Then they charged.

"They’re here! Hold steady!" Aiden cautioned his team knowing they had a harder time tracking these beasts than him...

Silas growled as he planted his feet and thrust his tower shield forward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Scout Robots slammed into the shield one after another, but their attacks were completely absorbed. Only a few faint white scratches remained on its surface.

The moment the monsters’ attention was drawn toward Silas, Aiden moved.

He didn’t waste mana on skills or soul traits. Instead, he slipped out from Silas’s flank like a ghost, his Power Gauntlets cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.

His fists struck the robots’ core joints with pinpoint precision.

-67!

-71!

The damage numbers appeared one after another. Highly efficient.

Meanwhile, Luna followed Aiden’s instructions and cautiously rolled the gray-white dice. The dice bounced across the ground several times before finally coming to a stop.

A blurred pattern resembling a safe path appeared on its upper face.

Luna’s eyes widened slightly. "Sir Aiden, on the left..."

She pointed toward a seemingly stable section of ground.

"That steel plate ahead on the left seems to be hollow underneath. It might not be safe."

Aiden immediately scanned the area. Sure enough, faint signs of looseness could be seen along the edge of the seemingly solid steel plate.

He didn’t hesitate. "Silas, move two steps to the front right."

"Understood!" Silas immediately adjusted his position, keeping his shield raised.

The first attempt at coordination was slightly awkward, but the basic framework of their teamwork had already begun to take shape.

Silas was the moving wall. Aiden was the spear behind it. And Luna was beginning to reveal her potential as a humanoid danger-warning system.

As they ventured deeper into the scrapyard, the monsters they encountered became progressively stronger.

Level 4 [Welding Robots] wielding electric welding guns began firing beams from a distance, while Level 4 [Scrap Cleaners] swung enormous magnetic grapples capable of tearing apart piles of metal.

The battles gradually intensified.

"Silas! Two steps to the left! Block that Welding Robot’s beam!"

"Luna, check the corner ahead!"

Simple commands echoed aw Stan guided the two with his sharp perception...

Silas’s defense became increasingly stable as he grew accustomed to the rhythm of battle. With every clash, his understanding of the shield deepened.

[Steady Block] triggered repeatedly, turning several potentially dangerous situations into harmless ones.

Aiden’s damage output remained lethal. However, he was no longer simply attacking whatever was closest.

He began consciously incorporating Root Entanglement into their formation, using the roots to restrain ranged monsters and create openings for Silas to close the distance.

Luna, too, gradually adapted to the rhythm of combat.

Her movements became less hesitant, and her use of the gray-white dice grew increasingly proficient. Several times, she successfully warned them of unstable sections of flooring and loose objects that threatened to fall from the ceiling.

What had initially been a clumsy three-person formation was slowly becoming something far more cohesive.

Their movements began to flow naturally.

Silas held the front, Aiden exploited every opening and Luna watched for dangers that neither of them could see.

And as they pushed deeper into the Mechanical Scrapyard, their speed of advancement became far faster and smoother than Aiden had initially expected.