Chapter 149.1. Summon
A vast farm factory cluster located in Tama Ward, Tokyo. The popular facility, known even to the general public, was shaped like a rectangular kamaboko factory. Its white-painted walls and arched ceiling sections were all covered with reinforced glass that reflected the sunlight sparklingly.
People also knew what kind of things were being cultivated there. Stacked like layers of mille-feuille, these factories were growing various vegetables, wheat, and rice in large quantities to feed the people within the city.
The countless factories achieved a self-sufficiency rate of 200%, ensuring that the city's inhabitants never faced food shortages.
The narrative shifts to the past tense. That's because most factories have been destroyed and are in disarray. It looks as if a bulldozer had passed through the lines of factories, causing craters as if explosions had occurred along the way.
However, these factories were constructed with the assumption of benefiting from dungeon blessings. They built the factories near managed dungeons. The dungeons had the effect of enriching the surrounding land, allowing the factories to grow crops.
In theory, rebuilding the factories should be straightforward. Yet, for some reason, reconstruction has not begun. Tanks and armored vehicles roam around, combat helicopters buzz overhead, and many infantry soldiers carry automatic rifles, clearing rubble and searching for something.
In the center lies a large crater, with several tents set up nearby. Infantry transport trucks are parked, and people bustle around anxiously.
"Why haven't we found it yet!"
One of the erected tents houses an elderly man in traditional Japanese clothing resembling a kendo outfit, who angrily shouts and pounds the operational desk inside the largest tent.
A soldier standing before the man salutes nervously and speaks with tension.
"Sir! We still haven't found the Pillar of Abundance or the Earth's Jewel!"
"Argh... Why can't we find them despite searching this much? This will cause resource problems in the city if we don't recover them soon."
The old man, Tsukahara Utsuden, is of medium build with sharp eyes. He exudes an aura of a seasoned warrior, intimidating even to ordinary people. He is known as one of the Tokyo Four Heavenly Kings with the title of Colonel, rumored to be one of the strongest among them and among skill holders.
With the recent dungeon emergence, he got tasked with dealing with the new Stampede-class monsters and leading his regiment in operations here.
The narrative touches upon the operation details...
"We can manage even if we lose the Pillar of Abundance. We just need to cultivate more farmland. But if we lose the Earth's Jewel, the consequences will be catastrophic. Damn monsters!"
"That black skeleton... It was a new type of skeleton. But it was unexpectedly strong."
Utsuden nods grimly at the words of his adjutant standing beside him. The monsters were formidable, easily overpowering regular soldiers and killing several high-level skill holders. However, that wasn't the main issue.
"It doesn't matter if it's a new type. The problem is its humanoid nature, making it hard to defeat with missiles, and its ability to consume magic artifacts without targeting people. Targeting the factory's magic artifacts!"
Utsuden slams his fist on the desk again, grinding his teeth. His soldiers recoil in fear, but Bokuden doesn't have the luxury to be concerned.
The Pillar of Abundance enriches the land and triples crop growth rates. It was discovered in a treasure chest during the collapse of a dragon dungeon and is kept secret from the public.
The Earth's Jewel can alter the environment of the land, transforming it from fertile fields to barren deserts. It is a unique magical artifact. And there is only one in the city.
While there are stocks of the Pillar of Abundance, the Earth's Jewel is the concern. They must retrieve it from the black skeletons.
"Colonel Tsukahara, even if they consume it, they store it in their bodies. Retrieving it should be possible."
"I hope so. The Earth's Jewel is said to have considerable hardness. However, the behavior of these monsters is puzzling..."
Rather than attacking humans, they prioritize retrieving magic artifacts. Even when facing a magic user controlling the Earth's Jewel, they ignored it, consumed the Jewel, and fled.
Utsuden senses an ominous motive behind this behavior and rubs his chin in contemplation. Suddenly, a sweating soldier rushes into the tent. Despite the spring weather, he's sweaty and breathless.
"What's the matter?"
"Sir! We've located the target. Communication from the 38th Platoon confirms discovery in the underground warehouse of Factory 8."
"We found it! Move out, everyone!"
Utsuden leaps up joyfully and rushes out, his soldiers following suit. If they're facing black skeletons, ordinary soldiers will only suffer losses.
Jumping into a jeep headed for Factory 8, Utsuden interrogates the soldier who reported.
"Did you see black skeletons?"
"We found multiple black skeletons. Factory 8's underground made them hard to find."
Muttering at this revelation, Bokuden eagerly looks ahead. After about 30 minutes of driving, they reach Factory 8, where multiple vehicles are already parked, and soldiers have surrounded it.
"What's the situation?"
Before the jeep stops completely, Utsuden jumps out, and approaches a soldier, exerting his authority.
"Colonel Tsukahara? Y-Yes! Six black skeletons were sighted. All seem to have the Pillar of Abundance stored in their chests! Mana detection confirms strong mana readings. The Earth's Jewel might be there too."
"Good! Prepare to storm in! W-What?"
Utsuden, excited about the Earth's Jewel, is about to rush in, but a mana storm erupts from Factory 8, causing everyone to grimace at its intensity and density. Weaker soldiers turn pale, succumbing to the mana's power and collapsing.
"W-What is this?"
As the mana storm subsides, Utsuden furrows his brows in thought. He must decide quickly—charge in at the risk of danger or send drones first to assess the situation.
After a brief contemplation, he makes up his mind and issues orders.
"We're going in. Follow me if you can!"
As a commanding officer, it's not the safest choice, but Utsuden's instincts honed on battlefields signal danger. His gut feeling warns him urgently. They must hurry.
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