Ch.305″Holding on is always the answer.” (3)

Led by top-ranked players Laura, Indefatigable, and Menaldo, the network of elite “solo” rankers within the top 100, 1,000, and 10,000 was activated, resulting in thoroughly orchestrated propaganda and agitation.

—

Title: Breaking News) Massive User Movement Confirmed in Central Zone.txt

Author: News Boy

Content: [GIF of tens of thousands of ships moving somewhere in a line]

This is hot-off-the-press information

It turns out the Icarus vs 50 Clan beatdown happening in the Central Zone was actually about a secret alliance of clans trying to seize control points to form a mega-clan, with Icarus resisting them

After learning this, users in the Central Zone got pissed off and are heading there in droves

While details are unclear, what’s certain is that this alliance is called the Walpurgis Alliance

It seems users are rising up because they manipulated the rules of the Central Zone

More details will follow as information becomes available

Comments:

-[Oh what’s this?]

-[But isn’t Icarus a ranker with vested interests? Isn’t this alliance just trying to pull him down from a control point he took alone?]

-˪[No no, from what I heard, they’re trying to devour that place and then take over the Central Zone]

-˪[With barely over 500 members…?]

-[Interesting story~]

-[This is the link to the original gallery post where the info first leaked]

-˪[Wow this is real]

-˪[Holy shit lolololol]

-˪[They’ve got some nerve in a place that gets extremely angry even when just 10+ clans gather]

-[Damn, looks like there are about 4-5 thousand people]

-˪[Impressive!!!]

—

Thousands of users were hurriedly setting off toward Avalon Fortress, each leading a portion of their fleet.

Of course, when they say thousands… minimum 4-5 thousand.

In reality, the number of users who actually brought their fleets barely reached the threshold of 1,000.

—

<Secret Chat Room>

-[News Boy, you did a great job ^^]

-[Looking forward to working with you again]

<An anonymous user has sent News Boy 50,000 gold!>

-[Oh my, you shouldn’t have](News Boy)

—

With media manipulation—essential for incitement—added to the mix, even the silent majority of users began to think, “Oh, is this party time?” and gradually joined in, eventually gathering a genuine 4-5 thousand users.

Using this, when users in the gallery questioned whether the information was fake, they could respond with “This is TRUE-FACT, you bastards!”

The solo rankers’ cheerful and spirited agitation and their “Kill the Walpurgis Alliance” campaign brought extremely successful results.

Of course, since the users participating in this “party time” didn’t have their lives at stake in this matter…

At most, they sent one battleship with a few cruisers or patrol ships as escorts.

In extreme cases, some people sent just one patrol ship, calling it “minimal courtesy” or “just for watching”…

On average, they tended to send around 10 ships each.

Additionally, users who didn’t want to miss the fun kept joining in along the way.

As a result, by the time the Central Zone Alliance(?) forces surrounded the Walpurgis Alliance that had been besieging Avalon Fortress…

—

<Room for Classy Solos Who Crush Alliance Clans⚥>

-[Why is there a bisexual mark there?]

-[Dunno?]

-[Damn, there are a lot of us]

-[I heard 4-5 thousand people participated, but it seems like even more]

-[There are people who joined midway for the fun party, so it probably increased]

-[Don’t worry about the numbers, I stopped counting after we passed 6,000]

-[Good]

-[Those bastards apparently crossed the line here]

—

With an average of 10 ships per person and over 6,000 users gathering, the number transformed into 60,000 ships.

They instantly and vastly outnumbered the Walpurgis Alliance forces that had been desperately trying to conquer Avalon Fortress.

And because of this, the “double encirclement” that Icarus had tried to implement but failed due to insufficient numbers was now happening on an even more overwhelming scale…

Naturally, the atmosphere within the Walpurgis Alliance quickly descended into utter chaos.

And the alliance clan leaders, who needed to restore order and establish goals, were equally confused.

—

<Mint Choco Meeting Room>

-[What the hell is that?]

-[No waaaaaaay]

-[We’re really screwed]

-[Need to escape ASAP]

-[How do we escape?]

-[We’re surrounded on all sides, let’s just attack Avalon and take the fortress for ourselves to hold out]

-[Icarus isn’t dead yet, damn it]

—

Some were panicking, screaming that they needed to get out of there immediately.

Others argued that since escape was impossible anyway, they should rush Icarus’s Avalon Fortress, take it, and quickly fortify their position.

Some even suggested surrendering to preserve their fleets.

It was truly a complete mess, with the alliance on the verge of internal conflict—they were just short of shooting at each other.

Of course, if everyone just did their own thing, it would lead nowhere.

So the few clan leaders who managed to keep their composure tried to calm the others down and continue their offensive toward Avalon Fortress before the encirclement tightened.

But continuing the offensive just meant repeating what they had been doing all along.

Their attempt to forcibly deploy assault pods to take just the fortress while leaving its defensive facilities intact also failed.

They did manage to land a few superhumans who infiltrated the fortress, but…

“Welcome, superhumans.”

“Ah.”

“It’s finally time for us to shine. Let’s quickly finish this and go help the Commander.”

“Indeed, a most correct statement, Miss Smeragi.”

They were greeted by Icarus’s close-combat superhumans, who hadn’t shown their faces during the defensive battle, resulting in a major failure.

Moreover, as their reckless offensive rapidly depleted their fleet’s strength…

Had Icarus gained courage(?) from seeing the Central Zone users coming to rescue(?) him?

Or had he gone mad because of the “Overseer’s sinking” that happened to occur at this time?

—

<Mint Choco Meeting Room>

-[Damn, Kraken!]

-[Kraken charging in! Block it!]

-[Shit, dozens of escort ships are sticking to its sides, can’t flank it]

-[Two of them is overkill]

—

Using all remaining ships except for the two Kraken acting as pillboxes at the spaceport gate entrance, along with Hresvelgr and the carriers, he charged recklessly…

Shortly after.

—

<Mint Choco Meeting Room>

-[Why are the Deer Clan people asking me for orders?]

-[Their clan leader’s fleet got completely devoured by the Kraken, so they can’t give orders anymore]

-[Wow, battleships are getting eaten up by mini Krakens]

-[Lololololol the game is ruined]

-[Give up]

-[Now our rear is getting hit]

-[Need rear support damn it, how many tens of thousands more are coming?]

-[Can’t hold]

-[There’s no answer, I’m escaping]

-[Let me come with you]

-[Hey you bastards, are you trying to save just yourselves?]

—

As the Central Zone users tightening the encirclement began attacking their rear…

—

<Mint Choco Meeting Room>

-[Shit, Menaldo is over there]

-[Rank 10?]

-[He’s 8th]

-[Anyway, another solo ranker is here? This is hopeless for real]

-[Everyone run, this is over]

-[Sigh]

—

When Menaldo appeared with his fleet of friends and acquaintances, the Walpurgis Alliance finally lost their last thread of sanity.

They abandoned their stubborn plan and collectively fled through the gaps in the Central Zone users’ encirclement, which was inevitably loose because the system would make them fight each other if they got too close.

Of course, even if they managed to escape…

Everyone now knew what they had been trying to do and what the consequences would have been.

So even if they escaped from this battle, it was clear they would face endless pursuit in the future.