Beneath the looming shadow of the apartment building, the Iron Wolves stood victorious, the battlefield littered with the wreckage of their hard-fought triumph. Captain Rodriguez, usually stern and focused, allowed himself a small, satisfied smile as he looked over the smoking remains of the orbital defense guns strewn across the streets.
Lt. Stark pulled Ray aside, his tone serious. "Pay attention, because I won’t repeat this. I’m going to teach you about the principle of Card Convergence."
Stark gestured toward the nearby troops. "These conscripts got a crash course—boot camp and a bit of sim training. Then they were thrown into the game with nothing but a badge and cheap, mass-produced F-ranked cards. They’re Fodder."
"E-ranked cards and above always 'drop' from defeated badge holders without premium Life Insurance. For fodder like us, obtaining an E-ranked card means the difference between being kicked out of the game, consigned to a life of wage slavery, or becoming an Elite, a card holder worth millions and compensated with gene treatments and life extensions."
Lt. Stark continued, expertly fanning out his own, personal cards in one hand. "A single card has power, but when you accumulate more and work with other badge holders, you become a force. You cover each other's weaknesses, making yourself nearly impervious to conventional attacks."
He clenched his fist, causing the cards to overlap and shimmer. "The more cards in play, the higher the average rank. E-ranked Elites turn into fodder, while D-ranked Distinguished control the battlefield. When the stakes get high enough, the Federation starts portal-jumping teams of Distinguished straight into the fight."
With a sharp motion, Stark slammed his left hand into his right, scattering the cards and making them vanish.
He looked hard at Ray. "The key is to hit fast and get out before the big guns arrive. Once the heavyweights step in, the fight’s no longer yours to control."
Ray grinned, "That's brilliant! But what about C-Ranked fighters?"
Stark dismissed the thought. "Advanced Rankers are barred from Outer Rim servers, and you only start to encounter their vassals in the Middle Rim. Your concern should be the wannabes – the D-rankers striving to accumulate the vast amount of Deck capacity and Titles necessary to ascend to C-rank."
"It's time for us to leave, Greenie," Stark said, flashing a smile. "You've already achieved more in a few hours than I did during my ill-fated tutorial."
He gestured toward the horizon. "The Steelworks awaits."
---
The Iron Wolves pushed through the Old Factory District, leaving the charred Residential sector behind. Once a hive of industry, the area now stood in silence, gutted by war. The skeletal remains of machinery and structures cast jagged shadows on the ground as the squad moved through.
Ray walked beside Lt. Stark, his senses sharp, scanning for aliens and cards. The wind whispered through the decaying structures, its mournful sighs mimicking the wails of a lost generation. Stark, unfazed by the grim surroundings, pressed forward with the steady calm of a man who’d seen it all.
As they ventured deeper into the district, the rusted hulks of old machines towered over them like ancient, slumbering giants. The company spread out, searching for E ranked cards weaving between the metal carcasses and checking corpses and signs of battles.
When the Iron Wolves hit pockets of alien resistance, they unleashed their elite assault squad to tear through the opposition. Ray stood out in battles, his Plasma Pike and Stormguard Shield overwhelming alien Fodder with ease. The alien Elites, however, were nowhere to be found—likely pulled back to reinforce the Steelworks' defenses.
As the company pressed on, the towering silhouette of the Industrial Steelworks Facility grew closer and closer, scarred and battered by a week-long, relentless war. The once-dominating edifice stretched across the landscape, its skeletal framework of steel girders and reinforced concrete contorted and shattered, a grim monument to the ravages of conflict.
The intricate network of elevated walkways and monorails that had connected the numerous buildings and towers lay twisted and broken, a tangled web of metal and debris. The ceaseless flow of workers, materials, and machinery had been replaced by an eerie silence, punctuated only by the sporadic echoes of gunfire and the distant rumble of explosions.
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Giant, translucent domes that once covered the primary production zones were now shattered, their specialized surfaces reduced to shards that glittered like a thousand fallen stars. The colossal furnaces, once roaring with life, now lay dormant, their cold, dark interiors a stark contrast to the infernos that had once raged within.
The Industrial Steelworks Facility, once a symbol of massive economies of scale, now stood ravaged and desolate, a tragic reflection of the ongoing conflict.
Lt. Stark moved through his company, his voice steady and firm. "Listen up, everyone. We're about to assault the Industrial Steelworks Facility, currently held by alien forces. We won't be going in alone. The Celestial Sentinels and Terraform Titans, two specialized companies with embedded Elites, will be crucial to the operation."
He projected the Steelworks' layout on everyone's HUD. "The Celestial Sentinels excel in aerial combat and reconnaissance. They'll provide air support and real-time intel as we push through. The Terraform Titans are our engineers and demolition experts. They'll handle navigating the environment and breaking down enemy defenses."
He continued, "The plan has four phases. Phase 1: reconnaissance and intel gathering. The Sentinels will deploy drones for aerial surveillance, and the Titans will pinpoint structural weaknesses. We'll identify alien strongholds, defensive positions, and Elite card holders."
"Phase 2: breaching the perimeter. The Sentinels will launch air strikes to neutralize defenses and spread out enemy Elites. Meanwhile, the Titans will carve new paths through weak points, letting us bypass heavily fortified entrances and engage inside."
"Phase 3: we'll focus on taking out E-ranked card users. Phase 4: securing the Steelworks. Remember, the artifact is our real target. The Steelworks are just a side objective, but we can't afford to lose any E-ranked cards. We'll need them for the bigger fight ahead."
---
The Iron Wolves pressed on, Phase 1 of the mission progressing smoothly. As they delved deeper into the Industrial Steelworks Facility, the Celestial Sentinels' drones whirred above, collecting vital intelligence on enemy locations, troop movements, and fortifications.
Ray's map and HUD grew increasingly detailed, revealing the positions of adversaries and markers indicating at least six enemy Elites, entrenched within the stronghold.
Several Iron Wolves squads received orders to split off and rendezvous with waiting Terraform Titans. The Titans had strategically positioned themselves throughout the facility, poised to breach its structure.
Meanwhile, the Assault Squad advanced cautiously together, vigilant for any alien ambushes or traps. The air was thick with eerie silence, punctuated by distant echoes of gunfire and explosions—reminders of the ongoing conflict. The foreboding atmosphere weighed heavily on even the most seasoned warriors among the Iron Wolves.
Lt. Stark, sharp as ever, led the way. He scanned the intel from the Celestial Sentinels, noting strongholds and key defensive positions. His calm, steady voice filtered through to the squad, keeping everyone focused and aware of their role in the fight ahead.
Ray still wasn't used to it. He scanned the battlefield, noting the precision with which the Iron Wolves worked. They moved as a single unit, silent and efficient, the product of rigorous training. As Ray watched them, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. The E-ranked cards he carried will be the deciding factor the difference in the battles ahead.
Captain Sylvia Kowalski joined them, a seasoned soldier from the Terraform Titans. She was calm, commanding respect without a word. She had an E-ranked card of her own—Metal Matriarch. With it, she could reshape metal, bend it to her will, turning debris into weapons or cover.
The squad pushed forward. It was time for Phase 2. They knew the plan. Element of surprise was on their side. No words were spoken, just a sharp breath as they readied themselves to breach the perimeter and meet the enemy head-on.
---
Phase 2 kicked off. The three companies breached the perimeter in sync, adrenaline pumping. Gunfire, alien shrieks, and explosions ripped through the air. Alien forces scrambled in the chaos, their defense falling apart. The attackers surged forward, taking advantage of the confusion to press their assault and to force the alien E ranks to split.
Ray was deep in the fight. His Stormguard Shield absorbed the fire, while his Plasma Pike cut down anything in his path. Captain Kowalski was right behind, bending metal to her will, using her constructs to shield the squad. The battlefield was a blur of plasma fire, soldiers darting between cover, and the thud of grenades shaking the ground.
Lt. Stark’s voice cut through the noise. "Two E-ranks have split off to the Northwest! Move to intercept! Waypoints are live!"
Ray’s HUD updated, flashing a path toward the enemy. His pulse quickened—not just from the fight, but from what the elites represented. E-ranks weren’t just threats; they were lootboxes waiting to be cracked open.
Kowalski’s hand shot up, her Metal Matriarch card activating. The facility groaned as walls twisted and machinery bent, clearing a straight path toward the waypoint. Ray grinned, already thinking of what the elites might drop when they went down.