The digital air in the newly merged CommNet channel was thick with tension. The God Warden's final words about "spirited inter-Outpost communication" had faded, leaving the Blue Falcons of Outpost #7 and the Crimson Banners of Outpost #12 staring at each other across the digital divide.
First, another quick, no-nonsense announcement from the God Warden flashed across everyone's Interface, adding another layer of seriousness to the whole affair:
God Warden: Leaderboards for Genesis Outpost #7 and Genesis Outpost #12 are now frozen for the duration of the Challenge Event. Ranking changes will not be displayed until the event concludes.
May the best Outpost prevail!
This meant no one could see anyone else leveling up or down during the scramble, adding an element of fog-of-war to the proceedings.
Ryan mentally shrugged; he wasn't too fussed about his rank appearing on a public list anyway.
In what was now a shared CommNet space, a digital battleground of words, the members of Genesis Outpost #7 [the Blue Falcons] were trying their best to rally their spirits.
It wasn't easy. The stakes were high, losing half their precious Precursor Artifacts and Genesis Shards, plus getting an NP gain penalty, was a terrifying prospect.
BigTony77: Okay, okay, Blue Falcons, deep breaths! We can do this! We've got Ryan Stone, right? The guy who took down that Distortion Hound like it was just an angry poodle! And Scarlett is Level 3! That's gotta count for something! Don't let those Crimson Crows get in our heads!
PrincessFluffybutt: We must unite! For the honor of the Blue Falcons! We must protect our hard-earned shinies! And our future NP gain.
ConfusedCarl: My elbows are officially braced for whatever happens! Or for enthusiastic cheering from a safe distance! Go Blue Falcons! Let's… uh… scramble those resources with gusto? Yes, gusto! That's the word! Carl's contributions were always endearingly earnest.
Emma_Sage_Thorne: Everyone, please try to remain calm and focused. Panic is a luxury we can't afford. We need a coherent strategy, not just blind flailing. Scarlett, Jennifer, Ryan, your abilities will be crucial. This 'Forgotten Overgrowth' is uncharted territory for all of us.
We need to coordinate our scouting and assault on these Data Vaults. Emma's B-Tier "Tactical Insight" was already kicking in.
Ryan, still metaphorically wiping swamp mud off his boots from his earlier trading adventures, decided that for now, his best strategy was to be a quiet observer.
He needed to understand the enemy. He mentally switched his CommNet view to filter and highlight the messages coming from the newcomers. Genesis Outpost #12, the self-proclaimed "Crimson Banner." Their text messages appeared with a distinct, almost aggressive reddish hue, making them stand out. And they certainly had a lot to say, none of it particularly polite.
The Crimson Banner chat was, to put it mildly, a waterfall of arrogant boasting, and it was almost entirely dominated by one particularly loud and self-important voice.
His profile picture, which seemed to pop up every few seconds, showed a young man with meticulously slicked-back dark hair and an aura of supreme, almost suffocating confidence.
His displayed name was Tom "Shadow" Kane. Ryan instantly disliked him.
Tom_Shadow_Kane [Crimson Banner]: Well, well, well. What have we here, dragged out from under a rock? Genesis Outpost #7, the so-called 'Blue Falcons'? A more fitting name would be 'Blue Fledglings,' I think. Or perhaps 'Blue Feather-Dusters,' given how easily we're about to sweep you aside.
Prepare to be plucked, little birdies, and have your nests raided! The Crimson Banner has arrived, and your doom is nigh!
His words were dripping with contempt.
CrimsonBannerFan01: YEAH! You tell 'em, Kane! Glory to the Crimson Banner! These Blue Buffoons won't know what hit them!
CrimsonBannerGrunt07: This is gonna be the easiest resource grab ever! Free shinies for everyone in Outpost #12! Thanks for playing, Blue Flops! Don't cry too much when your stuff disappears!
The sycophantic replies from other Crimson Banner members were almost as annoying as Kane's own pronouncements.
Ryan rolled his eyes so hard he thought they might get stuck. These Crimson Banner guys were certainly… a lot. And apparently very fond of bird-related insults.
Tom "Shadow" Kane, however, wasn't nearly done puffing out his digital chest like a preening peacock.
Tom_Shadow_Kane [Crimson Banner]: For those of you Blue Fledglings currently quaking in your little pod-issued boots, allow me to formally introduce myself, though my reputation undoubtedly precedes me.
I am Tom Kane, I am currently Assimilation Level 4, a height I suspect none of you 'Falcons' have even dreamed of reaching.
He paused, clearly for dramatic effect, letting his Level 4 status sink in.
Ryan knew Level 4 was a big deal; he himself was only Level 3, though rapidly approaching it. Scarlett was Level 3 as well. This Kane was indeed ahead.
Tom_Shadow_Kane [Crimson Banner]: And my Aptitude? Oh, it's merely 'Strategic Mimicry', an S-Tier talent, for your information, not that you'd comprehend its brilliance.
It allows me to observe, analyze, and then perfectly replicate and improve upon any tactical pattern I witness.
In short, I see your best moves, your cleverest tactics, I make them my own, I make them better, and then I use them to dismantle you piece by piece.
It's really quite beautiful, in a destructive sort of way.
An S-Tier Aptitude! Ryan felt a genuine jolt of surprise and concern. That was serious. Extremely serious. S-Tiers were legendary, almost mythical.
This Tom Kane guy wasn't just all hot air and bad bird puns; he apparently had the kind of power that could indeed shape battles.
And he was already Level 4. That combination was a significant, undeniable advantage.
Tom_Shadow_Kane [Crimson Banner]: My Outpost, the formidable Crimson Banner, is not a ragtag collection of scared individuals like yourselves.
We are a well-oiled machine, a symphony of discipline, precision, and superior leadership. My leadership, naturally. We don't rely on 'lone wolves' stumbling into 'lucky finds' like some… other less-developed Outposts I could mention. Our success is calculated, inevitable.
He continued his tirade, his words like little poisoned darts aimed at Outpost #7's already frayed morale.
Tom_Shadow_Kane [Crimson Banner]: This 'Resource Scramble' will be over before you Blue Fledglings even figure out which end of your Utility Knives is the pointy one.
The Forgotten Overgrowth and its precious Data Vaults will belong to the Crimson Banner, as is our right.
Do try to enjoy the upcoming NP debuff, featherbrains! Perhaps it will give you more time for… birdwatching? Hah!
The Crimson Banner members in the CommNet roared their digital approval, a flood of red text messages cheering on their S-Tier leader.
They seemed absolutely, unshakably convinced of their swift and brutal victory, already mentally spending Outpost #7's resources.
Ryan frowned, a knot of annoyance tightening in his stomach.
Kane's taunts were clearly designed to intimidate, to sow discord, to make Outpost #7 give up before the fight even began.
And, judging by the increasingly panicked messages from some of the Shaky Blue Falcons, it was having an effect.
LittleTimmyBlueFalcon: An S-Tier?! And he's Level 4?! We're doomed! Absolutely, positively doomed! My collection of shiny pebbles is as good as gone!
WorriedWendyBlueFalcon: My Genesis Shards! My poor, poor Genesis Shards! I polished them every day! Now they're going to be halved and given to those… those Crimson Bullies! It's not fair!
Ryan felt a surge of protective anger. He didn't like bullies. Never had. And this Tom Kane, with his arrogant smirk and his condescending pronouncements, was a prime example of a super-powered, overconfident bully.
"Strategic Mimicry," huh? Ryan idly wondered if Kane could mimic the sensation of having his SSS-Tier "Ultimate Infinite Extraction System" gently but firmly applied to his over-inflated ego.
Probably not, but it was a delightfully satisfying thought.
He also noted Kane's pointed dismissal of "lone wolves" and "lucky finds." That felt like a direct, if unintentional, jab at him.
Ryan had been operating mostly solo, making his own way, and some [like Ace Striker] might indeed call his SSS-Tier awakening and subsequent successes "lucky."
This just got a little bit personal. Not just for Outpost #7, but for Ryan Stone.
He wasn't going to let this arrogant windbag and his Crimson Cheerleader squad walk all over Outpost #7 without a fight.
The Blue Falcons might be underdogs, they might be a bit disorganized and prone to panic, but they were his Outpost, at least for the duration of this interdimensional nightmare.
And on a more practical level, he really, really didn't want his own carefully hoarded stash of Precursor Artifacts [like his Depleted Power Cell] and any future Genesis Shards he might find to get rudely halved.
Nor did he fancy suffering an NP debuff. That would seriously cut into his "extract all the cool and shiny things from the universe" long-term plans.
The collective resolve of the Blue Falcons might be wavering under the Crimson Banner's relentless barrage of insults and Kane's imposing credentials, but Ryan's own resolve was solidifying into something hard and determined.
He looked at the timer on his Interface, counting down the minutes until the Resource Scramble officially began and they would all be teleported to this "Forgotten Overgrowth."
This Tom "Shadow" Kane thought he was going to have an easy, breezy win? He thought he could just waltz in and take whatever he wanted?
Ryan Stone had other plans. He was about to show Mr. S-Tier Strategic Mimicry and his Crimson Banner just how wrong they were.
The Forgotten Overgrowth awaited. And so did three Precursor Data Vaults. With his name on them. And that "Prime Genesis Cache" was the final cherry atop a very satisfying 'take that, you arrogant jerk' sundae."
The Blue Falcons might be Fledglings, but even fledglings could learn to soar. And sometimes, they had very unexpected talons.