Greetings, Shadyna's mercenary band is taking control of this little outpost!

  _ Player #1: They don't even have a full party! Push them back!

  _ Player #2: Some of them are not even fighting! You sure we can win?!

  Because that second guy seems to have good awareness, he gets rewarded with multiple arrows in the face for his trouble. Nice shot, Nerin!

  _ Shadyna: In combat, the dangerous ones are not always the biggest.

  's ranged attacks take a lot of time to prepare and she will be busy protecting the party, so it's up to you to keep an eye on the evolving situation.

  _ Fensen: Un! I'll do my best! …But I'll probably mess up a lot too.

  _ Shadyna: You will, and that is totally fine. Even professionals get it wrong all the time. The important thing is improving yourself and recovering from mistakes.

  I doubt either or

  can read a battle yet anyway. That requires experience and critical thinking which should not be expected from elementary schoolers. I'm satisfied as long as my apprentice can reliably identify high-priority targets and if possible, monitor the battlefield in her partner's stead.

  That, and it's not like they will be in any trouble if chooses the wrong target. Most threats are not exactly a threat to their armor, and for the few that are, we would be the ones doing the identification, simple as that.

  Failure is the key to success, but not suffering the consequences of failure is just as important!

  _ Fensen: I don't really get it, but I'll try!

  _ Shadyna: That's the spirit! We will guide you along the way as well so don't worry.

  Despite the lack of OP equipment, my two bodyguards don't seem to be struggling against the outpost's soldiers. Attributes OP, but please don't nerf~

  _ Nerin: , reinforcement coming from that hut.

  _ Miel: Understood.

  It looks like our little raid has not gone unnoticed. Guilds tend to have open encampments now that the wandering raid horde is no longer a big problem, which also act as [Recall] beacons. To dislodge them, the buildings obviously need to be dealt with first.

  _ Miel: [Rapid Assault]. Come to Unity of Mankind for all your sieging needs.

  Who are you?! Some kind of dubious saleswoman?! I suppose advertising for our cafeteria is too obvious, since all of us are wearing Unity of Mankind's mercenary uniforms with coat of arms to conceal our involvement. I don't think advertising for the alliance we are disguising as is better though…

  Or at the very least, do it when you are not smacking their faces with your hammer!

  We follow the hammer waitress's lead while keeping a distance so as not to get in their way. There's the option of staying back too, but it would be hard to observe from afar, and who knows if some of them might decide that we are easier targets.

  Spoiler: We are not. 's pets sitting in her inventory can clear out the camp by themselves. And that's if they can somehow get through the unexpected maid guarding us.

  _ Cosetha: Please rest assured. No matter what kind of half-blooded humiliation and torment my body has to go through, I shall make sure no harm comes to you.

  The only potential harm I can see here is a degenerate maid and her twisted fantasies, thank you very much!

   had to lead his alliance and could not accompany us understandably. That's why , who is technically still part of Unity of Mankind despite working under our cafeteria most of the time, was appointed escort in his place. I appreciate the gesture, but couldn't he choose someone that is less unhinged?!

  _ Player #1: Keep attacking! The castle depends on the supplies from us! We can't let them win!

  By the way, we are nowhere near Unity of Mankind's main forces. Not even close. This is just one of the enemy alliance's many outposts across the map. The players here are not the top combatants, but rather the crafters and more casual players. Instead of direct PvP, they are in charge of supporting the war effort, like material grinding, crafting consumables, repairing damaged equipment. The real backbone of a guild's economy, so to speak.

  Well, that is probably how sees it. For us, however, it's simply a small battlefield where we can conduct PvP without turning it into a decisive battle involving thousands of players pouring in from all sides. This is an observation study first and foremost, un.

  _ Fensen: Hey, , why does Nerin always jump to the side to attack and aim at faraway targets? Isn't attacking the ones is fighting better?

  _ Shadyna: It's to avoid hitting . Melees are messy, so it is better to shoot at other priority targets first. There are exceptions like big bosses or exceptional tanks that warrant concentrated fire, but that's the gist of it.

  _ Fensen: I see! Attacking other enemies is fine too! We always try to aim at the same target, but maybe we can try splitting up against weak enemies!

  _ Shadyna: Un, something like that!

  Considering their firepower, I don't think weak or strong enemies make a difference. Still a good opportunity for them to practice identifying targets nevertheless.

  _ Player #3: Tent is down! Someone stop those women before they destroy the other one!

  _ Player #4: Dude, did you not see how they just mowed down our reinforcements and the ones behind them chitchatting like they are on a field trip?! They are leagues above us! We have to retreat and regroup first, or they are going to…

  _ Fensen: That person?

  *THWACK* *THWACK*

  _ Dead player #4: BWARGH?!

  _ Nerin: Good spotting.

  While it seems counterintuitive at a glance, Nerin and do not want the enemies to chicken out and are actively aiming at players who want to retreat. Screaming loudly while charging at a superior opponent does not give a massive power-up, unlike how it is usually depicted in (biased) media. An organized defense and concentrated fire on the other hand, do pose a threat to the two. Multiple snacks throughout the day are easier to digest than an entire full course all at once even if the end result for both is gaining weight, or something along those lines~

  Thank Sateri for this fantasy world of not having to worry about diet!

  _ Cosetha: Brilliant, Miss . You got the hang of it just from observing your friends.

  _ Fensen: Ehehe~ It's because I don't understand what he said at all!

  …Well, as long as it works I suppose~!

  ____________

  After dying for the third time, is back at the headquarters building on the back of the giant shark. Although he prefers being a shining beacon (decoy) for his members at the frontline, he still needs to come back here from time to time to evaluate the war situation as well as give out new orders. Getting blasted by a Terra Cetus' attack is simply a good time as any to do so.

  _ Xerrio: Status report.

  _ Manager: Starboard fin took a big hit with that attack. Engineers are repairing the destroyed ballistae right now. Damage control is holding up but we are going through our supplies 15% faster than planned.

  _ Xerrio: That's not good, but still within acceptable limits.

  No plan survives contact with the enemy, so a mere 15% over the initial estimation is a win in his book. If anything, the ongoing battle feels like it would have been much worse.

  A castle siege in CSF is drastically different from their real life counterpart. Apart from flying islands and blatant defiance of physics laws, the presence of [Recall] and respawn mechanics means the attacking side cannot effectively blockade and starve the defenders. This turns sieges into bloody attritional wars in which both sides slam into each other until one can no longer replenish their losses. Any guild going into one without good budget and logistic planning will find themselves coinless very soon.

  _ Xerrio: Any gain on the enemy Terra Cetus?

  _ Manager: No significant change. They are putting up quite a fight on both fronts.

  Unity of Mankind came charging at the opponent's Terra Cetus at the start of the battle, hoping to cripple the main siege weapon platform. The opening strike and landing devastated the surface area of said Terra Cetus and created a beachhead for the attackers to [Recall]. Within a few minutes, the weapon platform was boarded, and the battle is still raging on with neither side showing any signs of backing down.

  Unfortunately for and co, the target was not where most of the siege weapons were stored. It was the castle below them. Because the southern alliance still maintains control over their Terra Cetus to use its powerful attack and can shoot back from their fortification, it is safe to say that Unity of Mankind's alpha strike was ineffective.

  …Maybe declaring war and giving the enemy time to prepare was not the best idea overall, silently thinks the honorable guildmaster.

  _ Xerrio: Continue bombarding their siege weapons and focus our forces on the Terra Cetus. The castle won't fall as long as it is still around.

  _ Manager: Roger.

  _ Xerrio: Oh, and reinforce our raiders once the battle lines stabilize. We need them to win.

  _ Manager: Of course. We are not making much ground anyway.

  Although a decisive battle can break a small guild, it is rarely sufficient against a bigger alliance simply because there is not enough space for the sheer number of players involved. Instead, the war will change focus to multiple smaller skirmishes from both sides disrupting each other's grinding across the entire world map. Once the treasury and material stockpiles cannot be refilled fast enough, the losing side starts losing combat effectiveness due to broken equipment and lack of consumables. The vicious cycle of not enough resources to hold ground and not enough ground to grind resources, while slow, can and will break even the strongest alliance if left unchecked.

  _ Manager: By the way, the hired swords from the cafeteria took out a small hunting camp. I have pointed them to another one.

  _ Xerrio: That fast?!

  _ Manager: *Shrugs* Beats me. My guess is the enemy not taking a party of five seriously.

  _ Xerrio: …They have my sympathy.

  ____________

  After completing the beginner tutorial for combat positioning and targeting, is ready for the next lesson!

  _ Player: Die, Unity scum!

  _ Fensen: EEK!!!

  And the difficulty has been raised too!

  *WHACK*

  _ Player: AAAAAAAHHHH!!!

  Nevertheless, the few airborne assailants flying past the main battle are not going to cause much issue to our maidly guard, who may or may not have eaten a dumpling beforehand. is still a scaredy cat though~

  We were sent to this bigger camp after Nerin and sacked the previous one and scattered its tenants. Judging from the amount of enemies pouring out of the tents, I wonder if they didn't realize the threat we posed in our earlier raid and failed to reinforce in time…? Then again, that was the whole point of focusing fire on the ones who could realize it~

  _ Cosetha: This camp only houses two full parties most of the time. How many times did they escalate to have so many players?

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  …What do you mean, two parties?! There are at least two dozen parties here, and that's only counting the ground forces! Are you saying that both sides have been trying to one-up each other until they reached this size?!

  To make it worse, the camp is not even operational thanks to all the fighting around here!

  _ Fensen: Uuu… Flying enemies are hard to fight.

  _ Shadyna: You have troubles with fliers?

  _ Fensen: Un. Our attacks don't have homing so we miss if they dodge in any direction.

  Right, these two always struggle against fast and small targets. Flying makes it worse as they can move in a 3D environment, though not without handicaps as well. According to the teahouse girls, Sateri balanced flying by giving all means of flight a weakness, be it speed, control, or limitations, no exception. Amusingly, the end result is that most if not all fliers become vulnerable to anything fast or can adjust after initial evasion, both of which are unavailable to my apprentices because of their low attack speed and lack of MP to cast spells.

  Before anyone asks, yes, even my [Friendship Engine] has a drawback. It requires having two companions to be usable. That means I can be shot out of the sky by killing all but one party member, pets included. Not a likely scenario and I would have more things to worry about if it happens for sure, but the possibility is there.

  _ Shadyna: How do you usually deal with fliers then?

  This is the first time I have heard about it and the flight patch was released ages ago, so they must have some strategies in use already.

  _ Fensen: We use our pets!

  The outsource solution?!

  While leaving it to their incredibly capable pets is always an option, it would not improve 's skills. I wonder if there's a way for her to attack air targets more effectively…?

  Aerial dogfight is probably out of the question. They can't even fly without pets! Same for fast attacks. Their current skills are simply too incompatible with that kind of playstyle.

  That leaves us with AoE. Since my apprentices are heavy hitters, a slow but massive flak-like AoE does seem like a more fitting option. The problem is, how are we going to create one?

  I can create skill charges enchanted with AoE skills, but it will be a big boom at best.

  can make good use of AoE skill charges because her basic attacks still hit the target or the ground to trigger the alpha strike multiplier. In 's case, the target would have lots of space to evade the weapon attacks, leaving the bomb to explode with only the base damage. My cute little terminators don't use attacks that don't have massive multipliers, thank you very much!

  No matter how I look at it, the basic attacks need to hit for the multipliers. There's no need for them to hit the target either, just anything to proc the passives. Something always available, easy to hit, and won't dodge incoming attacks. Is there anything even close to that in the air…?

  …Maybe there is?

  _ Shadyna: , I'm not sure if what I'm about to tell you will work. If it does however, it will help you fight aerial threats easier. Do you want to give it a try?

  _ Fensen: Of course!

  Not that I expected any other answer anyway~ It's not like we can continue observing Nerin and who are busy smacking people in the center of a melee you know? Let's leave the ground forces to the professionals and focus on the sky, un!

  ____________

  Assaults on castle gates are brutal.

   considers himself to be one of the stronger players, and the results speak for themselves as he continues to cut down enemies one after another. Even then, he remains stuck here in front of the castle simply because they just wouldn’t stop coming! What good does power do if the enemies respawn faster than he can swing his sword!?

  To be fair, his alliance is just as tenacious. Point is, this chokepoint of a gate is a tough nut to crack as long as both sides continue to reinforce the lines. The archers, magi, and ballistae shooting at each other from the stone walls and towers are not making this easier either.

  Well, a fortified position being fortified is expected. He can only hope that the forces scaling the walls can make a breakthrough. Otherwise, they will need to wait for the supplies to run out as planned.

  What he did not expect was a certain party being within hearing distance however.

  _ Shadyna: Hmm… This wall is probably too high to jump over. , could you…

  _ Miel: There will be no wall or tower left.

  _ Shadyna: You have a point… Alright! I'll kick everyone out and secure a [Recall] spot for you then.

  The girls who should be fighting at a distant outpost are standing at the foot of the castle wall and saying very dangerous things for unknown reasons!

  He would love to ask what the heck they are doing here if he weren't busy slapping some poor bastards in front of him. There's no way any of his managers is crazy enough to invite them here, right?

  _ Shadyna: [Teleport]. [Solar Radiance]!

  *FWOOM*

  _ Enemies: ARGH!!! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!!!

  The tower on the left of the gate turns into a big torch, along with everyone else unlucky enough to be there when the little terror arrives. Upon witnessing the atrocity that may or may not resurface traumatic memories of a past event, the brave heroic leader that is silently turns down the pain settings, juuust in case.

  _ Shadyna: Area clear! Effect hasn't worn off though so wait a moment!

  _ Fensen: Roger~

  _ Enemy #1: Wh-what in the world is she?!

  _ Enemy #2: It's the maniacs who wiped out our camp earlier! Be careful!

  _ Enemy #3: Wall breached! Wall breached! We need reinforcement ASAP!

  By the time the rest of party can [Recall] to the top of the tower, it was completely surrounded by the southern alliance's defense forces. Understandable, as they cannot afford to lose their strongest defensive position against the superior Unity! Whether they can take that tower back does not depend on their desperation though, unfortunately.

  The encircled girls don't seem to mind the numerically overwhelming air and ground forces marching towards their position. The hammer warrior is bonking anyone emerging from the walls and the trapdoor leading downstairs, whereas the archer is shooting nonstop at the aerial hostiles. The only problem can see is that they are not killing fast enough to halt the advancing horde, especially from the air where the enemies can approach from all angles.

  Not that he is going to intervene. True CSF veterans know not to get in the way when Black Mantis is involved, even if she is not wearing black today!

  _ Shadyna: , are you ready?

  _ Fensen: Un! [Rapid Assault Charge]!

  _ Shadyna: Nerin, do it please~

  _ Nerin: *Sighs* Fine… *Monotone* Oh no. I ran out of arrows. Whatever am I gonna do?

  Her words were so fake, one has to wonder if she was doing it on purpose.

  _ Enemies: …Now's our chance! ATTACK!!!

  And for some reason, the southern alliance army obliges.

  Witnessing a good portion of their air force homing in on the supposedly defenseless (?) archer, can only turn to his nearest opponent with a concerned look.

  _ Xerrio: Bro, you guys live like this?

  _ Enemy: …Sometimes I find myself asking the same. They probably think it's a good chance as any. Maybe. If they were thinking at all.

  _ Xerrio: You have it rough too huh.

  _ Enemy: Yeah…

  _ Fensen: [Cotton Candy Spicy Hot]!

  *BOOM*

  The ground seems to shake as a massive fireball engulfs the flock above the tower, pulverizing multiple parties and their flying pets who were going for a melee charge from the sky. Even for a battlefield full of explosions and dead bodies, it was enough for the remaining players to have second thoughts about this whole charging thing.

  Not that it will help them much.

  _ Fensen: One more~!

  *BOOM*

  The next explosion takes place above the first one, wiping out another group who didn't even get to swear vengeance for their fallen comrades. A brutal reminder that talking is expensive in a warzone, and AoE spells are scary!

  _ Flying commander: She's dangerous! Take her out, NOW! Attack!

  _ Enemies: Charge!!!

  _ Fensen: And another one!

  *BOOM*

  Whenever the little girl points her weapon array in a general direction, something explodes. The victims swear up and down that her attacks hit no one, and still somehow blew up anyway. Everyone at this level knows that by design, AoE spells which appear directly near the target must have a very long animation so that the target can dodge, whereas projectile-based spells must hit a target to invoke their effects. Fast projectiles exploding midair are unheard of, and yet someone is using them to clear out the airspace to great effect.

  _ Xerrio: What the heck is that…?

  Players from Unity of Mankind, bar , are just as puzzled about the mysterious technique being showcased. They did not even expect these girls next door to show up in the first place!

  While the poor bystanders (?) are busy picking up their jaws, continues punching holes in the southern alliance's air armada, one after another. The maid and the archer resume fighting off the surviving fliers with ranged attacks and plenty of arrows to spare, to no one's surprise. does not seem to have trouble keeping up with the remaining stragglers that manage to reach the tower. And there's … enjoying snacks on a chair.

  …That sprouty girl can only go at her own pace, can't she?

  _ Shadyna (PM): Oh, hey there . I didn't know you were here.

  _ Xerrio (PM): Uh, so… Is that the improvement you talked about?

  _ Shadyna (PM): Un! Isn't it neat? Because it is hard to hit moving targets with basic attacks, I figured we would be better off hitting something else. Coincidentally, I happen to know that two projectiles colliding with each other will set off both. By using basic attacks to shoot down our own bomb, the basic attacks always hit something, and the bomb always explodes exactly where we want it to!

  _ Xerrio (PM): Oookaaaay, so that was an arrow hitting a thrown bomb midair?

  _ Shadyna (PM): Yup! Seven "arrows" hitting a bomb to be exact, but you got the gist of it! Sateri's augments make aiming a breeze, so mastered it in no time! The [Rapid Assault] skill charge is optional, though it will help shooting faster when used. Amazing, right~?

  _ Xerrio (PM): R-right.

   can barely understand what she was spouting, but decides not to delve too much. Although projectile collision is a widely known and used technique by ranged players to block incoming attacks, hitting your own projectile is not something sane players do, let alone using multiple weapons to hit a single bomb. Does that have anything to do with how the multi-wielding girls always attack with everything they got instead of dealing weaker but faster strikes…?

  _ Shadyna (PM): Ehehe~ I was worried whether her hitting her own bomb would count as an attack or not, but it turned out fine in the end. Once I get back and craft her a proper bomb, she will be able to handle most air enemies with ease!

  The totally calm and collected guildmaster looks at the energetic girl obliterating another party with glee in her eyes, then back at the girl who made all of it happen, bravely of course.

  _ Xerrio (PM): That's not even her full power?!

  _ Shadyna (PM): Un. I made it without crafting gear, so it was mostly my base attributes doing the work.

  It was at this moment that realized, the enemy alliance is screwed.

  _ Xerrio: You guys have my sympathy.

  _ Enemy: WHY?!

  Despite the concentrated efforts from the castle defenders, they can't seem to make much progress towards retaking the tower. Group up and get blasted by a cute girl, or spread out and get shot by the two beautiful bodyguards of said cute girl. Attacking from afar seems to increase life expectancy, albeit only for a minute or two at most.

  Worse still, them dying in droves is not their biggest problem right now, weirdly enough. It's neglecting every other part of the castle to die in droves that's problematic. Their defensive lines are deteriorating rapidly as Unity of Mankind pushes forward in all directions. At the same time, the cause of it all is pulling out her next bag of sweets, completely oblivious to her impact on the war.

  _ Shadyna: What do you think, ?

  _ Fensen: Un! It's a bit hard to judge the distance, but I think I got the hang of it! I'm not scared of air enemies anymore!

  _ Shadyna: That's good. Tell me if you struggle with anything ok?

  _ Fensen: Roger~!

  _ Shadyna: Now then, I suppose the field test is a success. Shall we go back?

  _ Miel: Yes. I need a shower after dealing with these guys.

  _ Enemies: HEY!

  _ Nerin: Agreed. can take care of the rest.

  _ Xerrio: I heard that!

  _ Shadyna: Then, let us be off. So long, uh… what's the name of this alliance again…?

  _ Xerrio & enemies: YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT?!

  Their exasperated cries fall on deaf ears as the party disappears into a blinding light. Didn't even bother to wait for an answer, that girl…

  ____________

  After that…

   and

  had a talk as I suggested. Not in game, but in real life, without headsets. I don't know the exact details obviously, but from what I heard, it was intense.

  They really talked, a lot.

  Argued a lot.

  Yelled a lot.

  Hugged a lot.

  Cried a lot.

  But most importantly, they seemed much closer than ever when they logged on the game again. So much in fact, they went to the edge of the world to test their upgraded combined power, no holds barred. When they returned from the trip, the level cap was increased to 50, and our floating island (re)construction project was funded completely by

  as thanks for their trouble.

  I'm too scared to ask what happened there at this point. Very happy for my little apprentices though~!

  ____________

  A new level cap has been unlocked, and without a complete breakdown of balance for once.

  The administrator AI is pleasantly surprised by the newest report from her monitoring systems. Maybe, just maybe, she will get to follow her patching plan with minimal deviation for a while.

  Turns out, even the most OP players can be distracted by a desire to build a dream house to settle in, which was one of her main objectives after the corruption raid nerf. No need to hand out heavy nerfs to strong builds if they are busy rebuilding civilization instead of blowing people up. It is not because she was worried about unintentionally breaking balance even more, honest.

  In other news, her "escape from reality" skill has leveled up greatly in the last few months too!

  Since the patching needs no further modification, Sateri has some spare processing cycles to go through other reports while the files update themselves. That is when she comes across a certain project report, one that an AI usually would not have any business accessing.

  And then, she frowns.

  --- Topic: Restoration of the southern caravan network ---

  ## Teabag Master

  Dear merchants and other users of the Caravan Network,

  It has come to our attention that some rest stops in the southern section of the world have been tampered with by a third party. We have resolved the issue and restored the affected rest stops back to normal. Our deepest apologies for the inconvenience this may have caused.

  Should you encounter any other similar incident, please don't hesitate to contact the administrative office of BB Conglomerate or Sapling Cuisine cafeteria crew. We will do our utmost to ensure the availability of our services.

  To the new guildmasters occupying the old Greater Southern Empire territory: We don't care if you tax travelers, but we will intervene if you mess with the roads. Thank you for your cooperation. (*^3^)/~☆

  ##

  ## GoldBar9999

  No! Don't tax them either! It increases market prices! (ToT)

  But seriously, good work dealing with them. I was considering contacting you girls directly to talk about it.

  ##

  ## Silver Merchant

  @GoldBar9999: Stalking cute girls is a crime. Reported. (￣ー￣)

  Glad to have the rest stops back. The "fake" rest stops don't provide a good service, to put it mildly. (`?ω?′)

  ##

  ## CuteIsJustice

  And I just updated the new routes for the world map too… orz

  ##

  ## Shining Knight

  [Pic]

  A-are we going to ignore that they systematically destroyed the Greater Southern Empire alliance in the process? （　?Д?）

  ##

  ## Teabag Master

  @Shining Knight: Unity of Mankind did it, not us. My wife only offered a mercenary party to help for a short time =^_^=

  @CuteIsJustice: RIP

  ##

  ## Bountiful Hunter

  It was absolutely your doing. They were prepared to lose the castle, but being stomped one-sidedly then treated like a no-name mob crushed all of their hopes and confidence.

  Source: The alliance leader crying in the tavern next to me. Any therapist here? (；一_一)

  ##

  ------

  --- Topic: Unexplained Mysteries #37 ---

  …

  ## The Dark Knife

  Not sure if anyone's reported it yet, but there is something strange about the Void Serpent. During daytime, we can see something resembling a small star, like this:

  [Pic]

  The "star" does not appear at night. No other Terra Cetus has a similar feature, I think.

  ##

  ## Serious Mage

  You mean that Terra Cetus that swims around the top of a stone tower right? It's one of the few beyond our reach though… (-_-;)

  ##

  ## StoneHoarder

  Now that the level cap has increased to 50, maybe someone can fly to it without dying horribly to the angry mobs soon. (*′▽｀*)

  ##

  ## Deeply Intelligent

  If it has a glowing star during daytime, we might need to tame it during that time too, in addition to all the other things we need to tame a Terra Cetus.

  Thank you for your contribution @The Dark Knife. We will make sure to credit you once we tame it. (￣ー￣)b

  ##

  ## The Dark Knife

  Over my dead body! (*￣m￣)

  ##

  ------