Chapter 159: Dispatch of the Recovery Team
“Can we send a recovery team, Ma’am!?”
“Calm down. You’re too hasty.”
“The drop point is approximately 21 kilometers in the 1 o’clock direction from North End City, about 7 kilometers north of the forest boundary. Since it’s an area known as the Demon Forest, there is a possibility that Threat Creatures may pose a danger.”
Information gathering regarding North End City has not progressed significantly. It is the farthest city from The Tree, over 2,300 kilometers away in a straight line, and the Spy Bot Network is still incomplete. However, based on the city’s scale and total population, the threat level was assessed as manageable, allowing for an invasion.
In a few days, information collection would likely improve, but at this moment, there was little to no information about the Demon Forest.
“Can we use the Communicator Android to gather information from the residents!?”
“Let’s leave that to the Local Strategy AI, shall we?”
“Direct operation by Asahi is not permitted. You will communicate any inquiries through the Local Strategy AI.”
“Whyyyyyy! Why not!!”
There was no way they could trust Asahi, who was rampaging in Port Town of Terek. Moreover, it seemed that she had managed to operate all three Brain Units without sleep, moving around for 24 hours straight. RINGO had claimed that such a function was not included, so she must have figured it out herself. Truly a remarkable tenacity.
Thus, before recovering the Wyvern that had crashed into the Demon Forest, it was essential to confirm the threats. Although North End City had just been subdued, they decided to pick up the spirited residents and conduct inquiries.
Simultaneously, RINGO began analyzing satellite images from before and after the Wyvern’s attack. The area had been photographed about four hours prior to the incident. Shortly after the battle commenced, Units 1 and 3 had passed overhead.
The initial image was a wide-angle shot with relatively low resolution. However, the image from Unit 1 was in good condition, clearly showing the flying Wyvern. The image from Unit 3, having adjusted its trajectory and altitude, was the most detailed. However, it was captured only after the battle had already begun. While it would aid in analyzing the Wyvern’s combat maneuvers, it was insufficient to determine where the Wyvern had come from.
“Ma’am, I have analyzed the Wyvern’s movement path.”
Using radar information from the Gigantia Unit and the satellite images, RINGO displayed an approximate predicted route on the map.
“This satellite image from about four hours ago shows an object that appears to be a flying creature resembling a Wyvern. There is a reflective object at the base of the Northern Limit Mountain Range, along with its shadow. Estimating from the shadow’s position, the flight altitude is between 600 to 800 meters. It is approximately 500 kilometers away from North End City.”
“…Are you saying it spotted us from 500 kilometers away and flew here?”
“If the flying object captured in this image is the same as the one engaged in combat, then yes, that is a reasonable conclusion.”
Even for The Tree, detecting a dragon that was 500 kilometers away in an unexpected situation would be impossible. However, one could argue that despite being warned of the existence of such a fantasy creature, they had neglected to remain vigilant.
“Well, that seems impossible.”
If there had been at least some eyewitness reports, the situation might have been different. Yet, neither the Afrasia United Kingdom nor the Kingdom of Repuitari, nor even Amagio Salmon, were aware of the existence of dragons. There were plenty of rumors, but nothing concrete.
“It seems that humanity has never intruded upon the dragon’s territory before. Or if they did, they were likely wiped out.”
“That seems plausible. The adventurers from North End City don’t seem aggressive enough to traverse hundreds of kilometers through an unexplored forest and return.”
As they organized the information gathered by the Communicator Android, Commander Eve and RINGO continued their discussion.
“There are rumors of adventurers pushing into uncharted lands, but none have returned.”
“It seems that even if they establish a base in the forest, they are quickly attacked by Threat Creatures. Apparently, there are frequent territorial disputes among the monsters as well. When adventurers hunt monsters, others rush in from the surrounding areas to fill the void.”
Just from a little information gathering, it appeared that a bloody conflict was ongoing in this cursed land. Indeed, it was a cursed land.
“So, does that mean recovering the Wyvern will be difficult?”
“If we deploy our forces all at once and eliminate the surrounding Threat Creatures, we might buy some time. The shallow area of the Demon Forest, roughly a 10-kilometer radius, is where adventurers typically operate, so with our equipment, we should manage.”
While this was a somewhat optimistic viewpoint, it was likely not incorrect. Commander Eve nodded and decided to dispatch the recovery team. After all, a creature of such immense size had fallen from the sky. Any creature with a modicum of sense would likely avoid approaching.
Whether or not the Threat Creatures possessed any sense, however, remained uncertain.
“We’ll deploy from Gigantia via air drop. We’ll send in heavy machinery from the transport aircraft to clear the area. Once safety is secured, we’ll deploy helicopters. Do you think we can transport something that size?”
“Yes, Ma’am. If we operate multiple large transport aircraft that we’ve developed, we should be able to hoist it. Based on estimates, its weight is expected to be around 2,000 tons.”
“2,000 tons, huh…”
That was quite a hefty weight. However, the super-large transport helicopters had already been developed, with a load capacity exceeding 100 tons. They would likely need around 20 to 30 of them, but the AI should handle the control effectively.
“Asahi, redirect the transport aircraft from the base. We’ll deploy the Multi-legged Heavy Machinery. The Gigantia Unit should reduce radar output and move to the scene.”
“Yes, RINGO. I will issue those instructions. This will be the first operation for the Multi-legged Tanks in a forest environment; do you think it will be okay?”
“We’ll have to teach them on-site. Maintain tight air cover with aircraft. Deploy the Spy Bot swarm simultaneously.”
“Okay!”
The Multi-legged Tanks had previously only seen combat in wastelands and urban areas. They had no experience operating in a dense, uneven terrain like a forest.
That said, they were originally designed for combat in such environments rather than wastelands or cities. In fact, they might be able to demonstrate their capabilities better in forested areas.
“Secure the base with the Multi-legged Tanks. Eliminate surrounding threats with the Multi-legged Assault Machines. Support various operations with drones. I’ve received a proposal for the operation outline from the Local Strategy AI. The plan has been approved!”
“Okay, I confirm.”
The Gigantia, along with the Titan Class Third Ship, Coeus, changed course and began sailing back toward the Demon Forest. The Second Ship, Oceanus, continued to secure air superiority above.
Since the combat data had already been reflected, they would be able to repel any future attacks from the same Threat Creatures with even greater advantage.
“Well, finally a moment of respite…”
Having confirmed this, she relaxed her body. She was indeed tired.
“Thank you for your hard work, Ma’am.”
“Wow, the fantasy level just skyrocketed today. A knight who can cut down a Multi-legged Tank with a single sword, adventurers who can stand against our mechanical forces, and to top it off, a dragon that can incapacitate a Titan Class ship with a single breath…”
“I can only imagine your feelings.”
“Ma’am, the outside world is so much fun!!”
“Asahi is quite energetic…”
With that, she steeled herself and stood up from the command seat.
This time, the operational objectives were diverse, so she had kept Akane and the Five Sisters on standby due to their inferior direct computational abilities. It would be nice to spend some time with them and unwind.
Asahi was not within The Tree, and since she seemed to be enjoying her work, she would be left alone. She would likely complain later, but it was her own fault for not being here. If she wanted to interact, she could simply return.
“…Huh? Is this what it feels like for a parent waiting for their child to return home after leaving the nest…?”
Muttering to herself, Eve began walking toward the dining hall where the Five Sisters awaited.