The ruins brim with danger, thrills, and unknown wonders.
Leaving Thirdrema's back alleys, occasionally weaving through main streets, Pepper and his party of two Vorpal Bunnies—Aitoile and Bilac—crossed the gate to the Shindai Iron Ruins and pressed forward.
"Grass and trees are popping up here and there… we close?" Pepper asked.
"See those black things buried in the ground? My old man said they're remnants of 'drones' from the ruins," Bilac replied.
"The Boss told me bedtime stories about 'em… feels nostalgic," Aitoile added wistfully.
Checking for other players, Pepper advanced. A black, steel-colored structure, eroded by roots and moss, came into view. Sprinting through the underbrush, the structure grew larger, revealing a towering, ancient ruin that whispered of bygone eras.
"Here it is… the Shindai Iron Ruins," Pepper said.
"Yup, home to your Gear Metal," Bilac confirmed.
"And one of the areas to conquer for the next town," Aitoile chimed in.
Ruins always carried the scent of danger and treasure. The unknown mirrored peril, but if mysteries waited to be unraveled, people—Pepper included—would never stop chasing them.
"Alright, ladies, shall we dive into this dungeon?" Pepper grinned.
"Hell yeah!" Bilac roared.
"Roger that!" Aitoile chirped.
Bilac shed her Vorpal Fur Coat disguise, and Aitoile hopped from the cloak to Pepper's shoulder. Stepping through the ruins' above-ground entrance, the trio descended the stairs into the underground depths.
Descending to the first basement level, they faced a surreal scene: cracked, moss-covered walls, floors, and ceilings etched with circuit-like patterns, dotted with floating black steel plates.
"…This is straight out of Brave Galaxy Fighter's final boss stage. Nostalgic," Pepper muttered.
"Brave… what, Pepper?" Bilac asked.
"Galaxy… like the cosmic unknown," Aitoile mused.
"Just talking to myself, don't mind me," Pepper waved off.
Brave Galaxy Fighter, a sci-fi fighting game from a decade ago, was a masterpiece of its time, blending stunning stage design with proto-VR controls. It hosted tournaments and was the spark that bonded Pepper and Katzo. The ruins' aesthetic hit that same vibe.
"According to my research, the area boss, Ruin Keeper, is on the fifth basement level. Past that is the exit to Shangri-La Frontier's sixth town, Sixenbelt," Pepper recalled.
He'd read that the deeper the Iron Ruins went, the more dilapidated they became. A post from the Library Clan—a go-to for intel—mentioned: "The Shindai Iron Ruins, from an ancient era, bear scars of a catastrophic event. The deeper levels' decay stems from that 'something.' We'll keep investigating and updating."
(If that 'something' ties to my unique quest, 'Tempest-Clad Whirlwind,' it's gonna be a headache…)
The looming threat of another tangled quest weighed on Pepper's mind when—
"Pepper! Watch your side!" Bilac shouted.
Sensing killing intent, Pepper dodged with a quick step. A metallic clang rang out as a triangular pyramid—made of the same black steel as the floating plates—hovered where they'd stood, preparing to strike again.
"An enemy… and Lycaon's Curse doesn't scare it? Must be the difference between 'organic' and 'inorganic' systems," Pepper mused.
"Pepper-han, it's coming!" Aitoile warned.
Snapping back, Pepper dodged the pyramid's charge, focusing on the foe. If it was inorganic, he'd test something. He equipped the Madness Breaker in his left hand from his inventory.
"Aitoile! Bilac-san!" he called, setting them down from his shoulders.
As the pyramid lunged, he used Just Parry to deflect it. "Try this new skill, pyramid!"
With Dynamo Impact—an evolved Raise Impact boosting damage to weak points like eyes or cores—he slammed the hammer into the pyramid's flat side. The Madness Breaker's proximity-based damage buff shattered it into exploding polygons with one hit.
"Hell yeah, that's got punch!" Pepper grinned.
"Pepper-han, more incoming!" Aitoile shouted.
"Don't let your guard down!" Bilac barked.
The first strike seemed to trigger a swarm. Pyramids charged with their triangular tips. "Perfect! Time to test the fighting skills I honed in B.O.P.!" Pepper declared.
Activating Accel, he kept Aitoile and Bilac in sight, unleashing techniques from Berserk Online Passion. "This is for not letting me equip the Expyde Warlegs! Take my rage, you inorganic bastards!" he roared.
With Foresight and Hydrate Work, he dodged incoming pyramids, landing roundhouse kicks on their sides, upward kicks in breakdance style for overhead attacks, and back kicks for rear assaults. Grounded pyramids met yakuza-style stomps, heel drops, and knee strikes. He mimicked soccer kicks to launch them, layering Heavy Strike and High Press for fist-based pummeling.
"Pepper's on fire!" Bilac laughed. "We can't lose to him, Aitoile!"
"Right, Bilac-neesan! We're not falling behind!" Aitoile replied.
Matching Pepper's ferocity, Bilac donned her Ifrit Gloves and gripped her Sledge Ogre. Eyeing the pyramids' positions, she declared, "Target locked… position perfect… Here we go!"
Her hammer struck the ground, igniting flames. Fueled by her honed Strength, the skill unleashed a colossal blow. "Smash 'em! Titan Blast!"
A deafening crash echoed as the hammer sent a pyramid flying, colliding with others and nearby plates like bowling pins. Some ricocheted like pinballs, smashing into walls and shattering.
"Moon's might!" Aitoile cried, her Storm Naginata: Tiger Roar humming. Her pinpoint thrust pierced fallen pyramids' cores, drilling clean holes without cracking the surroundings, destroying them one by one.
Pepper, glancing over, thought, Yup, these two are insanely strong. It fueled his resolve to grow stronger.
"Not bad for a warm-up," Bilac said.
"Worked up a good sweat… mmm, sake's gonna taste great," Aitoile sighed.
"Good work," Pepper added.
Having crushed the area's pyramids and secured safety, the trio took a brief rest before heading to the next floor, deeper into the ruins.
The exploration had only just begun.
Advance to the Next Floor
--------------------------
Hey everyone! 👋
If you're enjoying this story and can't wait to read more, you can now get early access to upcoming chapters on my Patreon!
Your support will help me a lot and give you the chance to explore the world before anyone else. 💫
👉 Check it out here: [patreon.com/Greyhounds]