Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 220: Book 3: Chapter 71: Together Again

Read chapter 220 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Book 3: Chapter 71: Together Again Chapter 71: Together Again Alex froze mid-step, the violet energy snarling around his arms guttering into nothing as the voice interrupted his battle lust. His eyes narrowed, straining past the steel mask of the Urhara soldier in front of him. That tone, commanding as it was, and the voice muffled by the helmet, was familiar enough to pierce through is anger. “…Kate?” The soldier hesitated. Then her hands lifted, slowly, unclasping the helm. The face beneath was all sharp cheekbones and smirking attitude. “Yeah,” she said. “It’s me.” Behind her, more figures pulled off helmets. Alex saw Eric’s grin, and Allie’s fiery sass, Garret’s dumb grin. Even Tom-Tom was there, his teeth chittering as he shoved past the rest and clambered forward and held on to his leg. For a heartbeat, Alex just stared. Then he huffed a laugh and shook his head. “Gods, I almost killed you idiots.” Tom-Tom didn’t give him a chance to dwell on that. The little lizard scrambled up his frame with a kobold’s determination, until he perched on his shoulders, arms and tail locked around him like a vice. “Never again, don't leave me again, tall one. Never.” Alex winced but didn’t remove him. His arms were already full anyway, he was assaulted by Sarson’s crushing handshake, Allie’s fierce hug, Eric’s steady hand on his shoulder. Garret swung in for a high five, beaming. Alex left him hanging. “What the fuck are you all doing on this ship?” Kate and Eric filled him in fast, explaining the ambushes, the disguises, and the stolen armor. Alex listened, half in disbelief, until Kate reached into her satchel and pulled out a pouch. She tipped it, and sets of armor and uniforms spilled across the steel deck. “We figured it’s the only way,” Kate said, smirking. “Blend in, get a head start running before the Empire knows what’s missing. Assuming we can find something that’ll fit Ghrukk, and your giant over there.” She nodded at Aburi. “Tom-Tom can hide,” the kobold said from his perch. Alex snorted. “You’re insane. But I can’t argue, it might just work.” He gestured back to his group. “We picked up a few extras. Symon, Aburi, and—” He stopped as the boy finally opened his mouth to introduce himself as Alex realized he didn't even know the kid's name. “Kletos.” He offered it to Kate like a gift, and she studied him before nodding slowly. Kate frowned. “More strays? Dangerous, but… fine. We’ll make it work.” Alex was just about to explain about the storage room they’d looted, about the supplies they had stashed away, when the air split with a blaring shriek. Sirens wailed through the corridors, the walls themselves pulsing with angry red light. Shouts rang from down the passage, heavy boots slapping against the floor. Alex grimaced at the same moment every muscle in his body tensed up. “Well,” he muttered. “I think we’re found out.” *** Karsali leaned against the rail at the side of the ship, eyes aimed at the sprawling land below. “Explain it to me again. Where?” The messenger-soldier stood stiff, helmet tucked under one arm, sweat shining on his brow despite the cool night air. “The local dungeon, General. It was classified safe, under regulation. But just an hour ago, it breached... Soldiers found the nearby village already attacked. They were all slaughtered. Every soul, every species, we found no survivors.” Karsali’s lips thinned. The soldier pressed on. “A squad’s already been dispatched to hold the perimeter and push back the overflow. I was sent to report directly.” Her hand clenched against the railing. A dungeon breach. Here? Now? Such a thing was nearly unheard of. Aether backfill regulation and monitoring made breaches impossible. Every dungeon was monitored quarterly for signs of overflow, and dungeon dives were regulated carefully, partially for this reason. If a dungeon went stagnant, with no divers going in for a long time to clear it, assigned delvers were sent by the Empire to cull it. That way, there wouldn't be risk o