Chương 56: Chapter 53: Gathering of the Five

That night, I convened a formal meeting with the core members of the original assault team who had helped me secure the school. We gathered around the long oak table in the administrative conference room to finalize our strategy regarding TJ's looming threat and the imminent dungeon dive. I had previously briefed everyone on the intelligence Zack had brought in regarding TJ's movements.

For the most part, the team remained skeptical; most of them found it hard to believe that a low-level thug like TJ could realistically organize and command a disciplined, functional army capable of a siege. I didn't share their optimism. In a broken world where most people were starving in the dark, the simple promise of a heavily fortified compound complete with running water and unlimited electricity was a terrifyingly powerful recruiting tool.

TJ didn't need military geniuses; he just needed enough desperate, weaponized bodies to overwhelm our gates through sheer numbers. To prevent that scenario, we needed to clear this priority quest immediately and activate whatever advanced defensive parameters the school's crystal core possessed. Regardless of their skepticism regarding a possible enemy, everyone agreed that reinforcing our structural defenses was an absolute priority.

Furthermore, a palpable sense of excitement buzzed through the room regarding the crystal core itself; everyone was anxious to see what would happen once I finally slotted the artifact into the node inside the principal's office. But before we could do that, we had to lock down the exact roster for the expeditionary force.

"I don't think we should risk bringing anything larger than a five-person team into the mountains," I stated, laying my hands flat on the table. Joe frowned, leaning back in his chair.

"Why limit our numbers like that, Derrick? We have more capable fighters now. Why only five?"

"Think about the mechanics we've observed so far," I replied, looking around the table.

"The system allows us to form an official party interface for up to five individuals. I don't know if that's just a universal cosmic limit or a specific balance constraint, but in almost every game I played before the collapse, five was a pretty common hard cap for a standard dungeon dive. If you crowd the zone with extra bodies, the system scales down the experience point yield and severely penalizes the quality of the loot drops. We need every scrap of power we can wring out of this run."

"This isn't a video game, Derrick," Joe countered, his voice steady but grim.

"I am hyper-aware of that fact, Joe," I said, meeting his gaze.

"But look around us. We are actively tracking attributes, managing mana pools, and choosing class specializations just to survive our days. The system has overlaid gaming logic onto the fabric of our physical reality. We don't understand all the physics behind it yet, but ignoring the rules it sets is a guaranteed way to get ourselves killed." Joe went silent for a moment, absorbing the point, before nodding slowly.

"Alright. But I still carry the [War Leader] perk. That modifier is specifically designed to let me assemble and command a much larger tactical party interface."

"True," I acknowledged.

"But look closely at the terminology the system chose: War Leader. That perk is tailored for battlefield coordination—defending an installation, executing a flanking maneuver, or waging open warfare. We aren't marching to war out there; we are executing a surgical dungeon crawl most likely inside a confined space. Those are two entirely different tactical paradigms." Joe conceded the point with a sharp nod.

"Fair enough. So, who makes the cut?"

"We take the core of the original assault team," I decided, a shadow crossing my mind as I looked at the empty space at the table.

"But we need someone specialized to fill Johnny's vacancy. I was thinking about approaching either Zack or Tony to see if they'd be willing to commit their Enforcer kits to the team." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Before Joe could respond, the tactical radio clipped to his vest crackled to life, breaking the quiet of the room with a sharp burst of static.

"Command, this is South Gate Watch. We've got an unidentified single contact approaching from the southern transit corridor. Speed is high, sounds like a heavy motorcycle engine. Subject is ignoring the perimeter markers." The members of the assault team bolted upright, chairs scraping loudly against the linoleum as we moved toward the exit.

Sprinting out of the administrative building and onto the concrete walkway overlooking the primary parking lot, we caught the roar of an engine echoing off the surrounding walls. A lone motorcycle leaped the concrete curb, tires screeching as it tore into the open asphalt of our compound.

"Weapons free on my mark," Joe ordered sharply, the metallic clicks of multiple firearms chambering rounds filling the air as the team brought their rifles to bear. I didn't draw a gun. Instead, I focused my mind on the ring on my right hand. Seamlessly pulling out my heavy steel sword directly into my grip. The motorcycle skidded to a violent halt at the far edge of the lot, kicking up a cloud of dust and burnt rubber.

The rider swung his leg over the frame, dismounting smoothly, and began walking directly toward our defensive line. But the moment his boots cleared the chassis of an abandoned vehicle, his silhouette seemed to dissolve. He stepped into the deep shadow cast by the chassis and vanished completely from our sight. My tactical instincts kicked in instantly.

"Everyone pull back inside the lobby right now!" I commanded, my voice dropping into an authoritative whisper. I immediately activated my own [Sneak] ability, letting the massive 50% passive modifier from my Shadow Ranger specialization take hold. I stepped sideways into the nearest unlit alcove, my physical form instantly melting into the darkness. Utilizing the ambient shadows, I moved silently down the concrete walkway, scanning the open parking lot for any sign of the intruder.

I came to a halt within the deep shadow of a maintenance van, freezing in place as I strained my senses. I pushed my awareness outward, leveraging every single point I had poured into my Wisdom attribute to amplify my passive Perception. The lot was dead silent. Then, a microscopic, almost imperceptible scrape of leather against asphalt registered directly behind me. Before I could pivot, the cold, rigid tip of a combat blade pressed firmly against the skin at the base of my skull.

The steel didn't break the surface; it was held there with absolute, terrifying precision. A familiar voice echoed out of the darkness right next to my ear.

"Your shadow manipulation is pretty slick, old man... but your sneak still needs a hell of a lot more sneak." The speaker paused, a subtle, emotional breath escaping him before he finished.

"... Father." I froze, my heart stopping for a full beat before I turned around with deliberate slowness. My eyes locked onto the lean, rugged face of the young man standing in the dark.

"So I've been told," I replied, my voice thick with sudden emotion. With a single thought, my sword vanished instantly back into the ring's dimensional storage. I stepped forward, closing the distance, and threw my arms around my son, pulling him into a crushing embrace as I fought back the sudden sting of hot tears.

"Damn good to see you, son," I whispered, holding on tight.

"Good to see you too, Dad," Mike said, his voice cracking slightly as he returned the grip.

"Sorry I'm a little late to the party."

"Better late than never," I managed to say, a massive smile breaking through the grime on my face. Joe's voice cut through the emotional reunion, blaring loudly from the tactical radio clipped to my vest.

"Derrick? Are you ok out there? And are you... hugging the intruder. Confirm status." I let out a loud, breathless laugh, reaching down to key the mic.

"Yeah, Joe, we're completely clear down here. Everyone can stand down. Do me a massive favor—send one of the kids to track down Denise and the family. Tell them to meet me in the main administrative office immediately. Tell them their brother is home."