The Assembly Line and the Uninvited Guest

Yanaki clenched the schematic in her hand. It wasn't just a reward; it was a roadmap, a formula for growing stronger. The plan was simple: repeat the process.

They returned to the mine. This time, they were no longer fearful explorers. They were a methodical hunting party.

Their process became smooth and polished. Elara would float ahead, her abilities as a spirit allowing her to easily pass through rock walls to identify the location of a lone, active T-9 Auto-Drill. "Target ahead, to the left, 150 meters," she would report.

The party would quickly set up an ambush. Yanaki would devise a plan based on the terrain. When the drill entered range, Sylva would charge out, its B-rank shield steadfastly blocking the [Drill Charge]. The impact was still powerful, but now her Protector could withstand it without taking too much damage.

As soon as the machine was stopped, Volt would immediately attack the rear leg joint, throwing it off balance. And when its power core overheated and was exposed, Volt, under Yanaki's command, would be the one to deliver the finishing blow.

They repeated this "assembly line" three more times, each time more efficient and quicker than the last. Yanaki's inventory quickly filled with valuable metal components, and her experience points also increased significantly, soon reaching Level 9.

With a bag full of materials, they returned to the city above. Yanaki rented a larger workshop and began her work as a mechanic.

First, she crafted the [Upgraded Power Mace] for Volt. The new mace looked larger, its head more spiked, and when activated, the electric current running through it was stronger and crackled more menacingly. Volt's attack power had improved.

Next, she used the best [Hardened Titanium Alloy] plates, based on the basic mechanical knowledge provided by the system, to forge herself a breastplate. It wasn't a high-ranked piece of equipment, just a [Titanium Breastplate (F-Rank)], but it provided a considerable amount of physical defense, making her feel much more confident than when she was just wearing a cloth shirt.

After "refitting" the party, they returned to Mine #7, this time with the goal of delving even deeper.

They passed through the "cleared" areas and entered unexplored tunnels. Elara once again scouted ahead.

"Yanaki," her voice sounded, with a hint of surprise. "There's an enormous cavern ahead, like an underground warehouse. There are a lot of drills there, several dozen at least. But... they're not moving. It seems they're recharging."

The party cautiously approached. They stood at the entrance to a huge cavern, and the sight within astonished them. Dozens of T-9 Auto-Drills stood motionless in their charging bays, connected by thick power cables to a central energy conduit running along the cavern ceiling.

This was a treasure trove. If they could disable them and take the components...

But as they were about to enter, Yanaki noticed something unusual. There were a few spent energy cells discarded on the ground. And very fresh footprints.

They quickly hid behind a large boulder. From the shadows of the warehouse, they saw a figure moving. The person wore a snug-fitting suit of black leather armor, moving silently and without a sound. It was a Rogue or an Assassin.

This player wasn't fighting. He was using a set of fine tools to skillfully disable a charging station, then quickly removed the power core from a "sleeping" drill and put it in his bag. A professional thief.

Yanaki faced a choice. Attack? Her party of four could easily overwhelm this Rogue and take everything he had collected. That seemed to be the "rule of the game" in Aethelgard. Or ignore him and find her own share? But doing so might invite a stab in the back.

As she hesitated, the Rogue suddenly stopped. He whipped his head around, looking precisely at the boulder where they were hiding.

"Come on out," a low, sharp voice called out. "I know you're there."

The Rogue slowly stood up straight, a pair of gleaming daggers in his hands.

"Are you here to share the spoils, or to pick a fight?"