Re-Awakened :I Ascend as an SSS-Ranked Dragon Summoner - Chapter 510

Chapter 510: Contingency- Commanding officer
Morning came with a cold clarity that made thinking easier. Noah found the core team already gathered in the briefing room when he arrived—Sophie had apparently called everyone in early, Lucy’s intel packet displayed across multiple holographic screens.

Diana was studying facility schematics with the focus of someone memorizing enemy territory. Kelvin had three tablets going simultaneously, cross-referencing data streams. Seraleth stood near the displays, her height giving her a unique perspective on the three-dimensional layouts. Lila leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

“Alright,” Sophie said once everyone was settled. “Lucy sent everything. Facility layouts, guard rotations, energy signatures, recent activity logs. Let’s start with what we know.”

She pulled up the main structure—a sprawling complex built into the valley system, taking advantage of natural geography for concealment and defense. The building measured roughly four hundred meters long, maybe a hundred wide at its widest point. Three visible stories above ground, but the data suggested significant underground construction.

“Arthur was confirmed on-site forty-eight hours ago,” Sophie continued, highlighting sections of the timeline. “He stayed for approximately six hours, met with facility leadership, then departed via portal technology. We don’t know if he’s returned since.”

“Or if that was actually him,” Noah said, his expression thoughtful. “When we fought Arthur before, his tactics showed he’s not above using proxies. And upon recent findings, Lucy mentioned there are records of Arthur appearing in multiple locations simultaneously.”

Kelvin nodded, pulling up additional data on his tablet. “Cloning technology exists—the Purge has proven that with Lila. If Arthur has access to similar capabilities, he could have multiple versions running operations across different facilities. We might be planning to hit a location where only a copy is present.”

“Does that change anything tactically?” Diana asked.

“Depends if the clone has his full capabilities,” Noah replied. “If it’s just a genetic duplicate without his powers, it’s manageable. If it’s a perfect copy with all his abilities…” He didn’t finish the thought.

“We plan for the worst case,” Sophie decided. “Assume any Arthur we encounter has full capability until proven otherwise. Whether original or copy, we treat the threat level the same.”

Kelvin pulled up energy signature data. “These readings match what we observed during reconnaissance. Portal technology, definitely. But there’s something else—” He isolated a specific frequency pattern. “This doesn’t match known Purge equipment. It’s similar to Harbinger energy signatures but more… structured. Controlled even,”

“Harbinger tech being weaponized?” Noah suggested.

“Or they’re building something that uses Harbinger biology as components,” Kelvin countered. “Remember, we saw them cooperating with human forces. This could be proof of actual technological collaboration happening.”

Sophie moved to the next data set. “Guard presence. Lucy’s surveillance identified approximately two hundred Purge operatives on-site at any given time. Standard soldiers, support personnel, technical staff. But there are also these—”

She highlighted specific figures in the security footage. They wore different armor than standard Purge gear, more advanced, with distinctive markings across the chest plates.

“Infinite Soldiers,” Noah said immediately, his voice carrying recognition. “Arthur’s personal forces. Not Purge—these answer directly to the Eighth. The stripes indicate rank within his command structure. We saw four-stripe and five-stripe variants during our previous encounter.”

“How dangerous?” Seraleth asked.

“Fast enough to give me trouble,” Noah replied. “Strong enough that standard tactics don’t work. They use advanced shadow abilities instinctively, which counters a lot of our advantages. And they’re loyal to Arthur specifically, not to Purge ideology. That makes them unpredictable.”

“So we’re facing Purge operatives who think they’re saving humanity,” Diana said, “and Infinite Soldiers who are following Arthur’s actual agenda. Two different force structures with different motivations operating in the same facility.”

“Which complicates engagement rules,” Sophie added. “Purge operatives might surrender or retreat if overwhelmed. Infinite Soldiers won’t. They’ll fight to the death because they’re defending their commander’s interests directly.”

Diana leaned forward, studying the underground sections. “These lower levels—what are they for?”

“Unknown,” Sophie admitted. “Lucy’s surveillance couldn’t penetrate deep enough to get clear imagery. But the energy readings suggest it’s where the portal equipment is housed. Maybe research labs, maybe holding facilities, maybe both.”

“Or it’s where they’re keeping the Harbingers,” Lila said quietly. “If they’re working together, Purge would need secure areas. Somewhere that can handle creatures capable of leveling buildings.”

Kelvin looked up from his tablet, his expression troubled. “Can we talk about how weird that is? Harbingers working alongside humans? Their entire species exists to conquer and exterminate us. That’s been their stated purpose since first contact. So why are they suddenly cooperating with Purge forces?”

The room went quiet, everyone processing the question.

“It doesn’t make sense strategically,” Diana agreed. “Harbingers don’t form alliances. They don’t negotiate. They show up, they destroy, they move to the next target. Working with human organizations contradicts everything we know about their behavior.”

“Unless something changed,” Sophie said slowly. “Some variable we’re not aware of. Either Harbingers have motivations beyond simple conquest, or someone figured out how to control them.”

“Arthur,” Noah said. “He’s the common factor. The Eighth has been alive for a thousand years, has access to knowledge and capabilities we don’t understand. If anyone could broker cooperation with Harbingers, it would be him.”

“But why would Harbingers agree?” Seraleth asked. “What could Arthur possibly offer creatures that powerful?”

Nobody had an answer.

“Add it to the list of things we don’t know,” Sophie said finally. “Along with why Arthur founded the Purge, what his actual endgame is, and how portal technology factors into everything. We’re operating with incomplete information.”

“Which means we need to secure intelligence from this facility,” Kelvin said. “Not just disrupt operations—actually gather data that explains what the hell is happening. Because right now, we’re fighting an enemy whose goals and methods we don’t fully understand.”

The room absorbed that sobering reality. They were planning an assault on a facility protected by forces they didn’t comprehend, pursuing objectives against an enemy whose ultimate purpose remained unclear.

“All the more reason the plan needs to work,” Seraleth said. “Eclipse creates overwhelming pressure topside. Grey secures underground objectives and gathers whatever intelligence exists about why Harbingers are cooperating, Arthur’s presence, portal capabilities—everything. We get answers or we get nothing.”

The room went quiet for a moment, everyone processing implications.

“So we’re looking at two hundred soldiers, unknown number of Infinite elites, possible Arthur presence or clone, confirmed portal technology, and Harbingers working with human forces for reasons we don’t understand.” Kelvin’s voice carried a slightly manic edge. “This is fine. Everything’s fine. We’re definitely not about to die horribly.”

“We have Grey family military support,” Sophie reminded him. “Two hundred soldiers of our own, five warships, a Grey Commander leading the assault coordination. We’re not going in alone.”

“The question is how we deploy that support,” Seraleth said, moving closer to the displays. Her eyes tracked across the facility layout with the analytical precision of someone trained in military strategy. “A direct frontal assault would be costly. The valley geography favors defenders—narrow approach vectors, elevated firing positions, natural chokepoints.”

“We need to split their attention,” Diana suggested. “Make them fight on multiple fronts simultaneously so they can’t concentrate forces.”

“Which requires coordination between Grey military and Eclipse teams,” Sophie added. “Grey soldiers handle the main engagement while we infiltrate for high-value targets.”

Seraleth shook her head slowly. “That leaves Grey forces absorbing casualties while we pursue objectives. Tactically sound but politically problematic—Lucy committed significant resources to support us. If her soldiers suffer heavy losses while Eclipse avoids direct combat, it damages the alliance.”

“So what do you suggest?” Noah asked.

Seraleth studied the displays for another moment, her expression thoughtful. “We invert the approach. Eclipse takes the frontal assault. Grey forces provide the infiltration element.”

Everyone stared at her.

“Explain,” Sophie said.

“Eclipse Faction has what Grey military doesn’t—high-impact combat capability that can draw enemy attention completely.” Seraleth gestured at Noah. “Nyx alone could occupy half their defensive forces just through presence. Add Storm for aerial superiority and Ivy for terrain control, and you’ve created chaos that demands response.”

“You want us to be the distraction,” Diana said slowly.

“I want us to be the anvil,” Seraleth corrected. “Grey forces become the hammer. Eclipse engages primary defenses frontally, forcing Purge to commit their strength to that battle. Meanwhile, Grey military uses superior equipment and training to infiltrate through secondary access points we identify in these lower levels.”

She highlighted several structural weaknesses in the underground sections.

“These ventilation systems, maintenance tunnels, emergency exits—they’re designed for internal use, not external defense. A small, well-trained team could breach through here, here, and here—” she marked three points, “—while Purge forces are focused on stopping Eclipse’s main assault.”

Sophie was nodding slowly, seeing the logic. “Eclipse creates overwhelming threat response topside. Grey teams secure objectives underground while defenses are pulled away. Then we collapse inward, catching them between two fronts.”

“Exactly,” Seraleth confirmed. “But it requires Eclipse to genuinely threaten the facility. Not a feint, not a demonstration—an actual assault capable of breaching their defenses if left unchecked. Only then will Purge commit enough forces to create the opening Grey needs.”

“That’s dangerous,” Lila observed. “Puts Eclipse at maximum risk while Grey operates in relative safety.”

“It plays to our strengths,” Seraleth countered. “Eclipse has members who can survive high-threat environments. Grey military has that too but we are better. And I have seen their military train, they dwarf us in infiltration and objective securing. We use what each force does best instead of trying to make both do everything.”

Noah exchanged glances with Diana. It was risky, but the logic was sound. Eclipse could take punishment that would devastate conventional forces. And if Grey soldiers were the ones actually securing portal technology and gathering intelligence, they’d be less exposed to the worst combat.

“What about extraction?” Diana asked. “Once Grey completes their objectives underground, how do they get out while we’re still engaging topside?”

“Portal technology,” Kelvin said, understanding dawning. “If Grey secures the portal equipment, they can use it to evacuate directly. No need to fight their way back through enemy territory.”

“And if they can’t secure it?” Noah pressed.

“Then Eclipse collapses the assault inward,” Seraleth replied. “We fight our way down to their position and extract together. It’s contingency, not ideal, but feasible given our combat capabilities.”

Sophie was already pulling up modified tactical displays, reorganizing force deployments based on Seraleth’s framework. “This could work. Although the Greys will need to approve it, but the logic is solid. Eclipse draws fire, Grey completes objectives, we extract either through secured portals or combined breakthrough aka Noah, ”

“There’s one major problem,” Lila said. Everyone looked at her. “Infinite Soldiers. If they’re as dangerous as Noah says, they won’t commit to topside fighting if they suspect infiltration. Elite units stay mobile, ready to respond to actual threats. The moment Grey breaches underground, Arthur’s personal soldiers will engage them directly.”

“Which is why Eclipse needs to make the topside threat so overwhelming they can’t afford to hold reserves,” Seraleth replied. “If we’re genuinely about to breach their primary defenses, even Infinite Soldiers will have to commit or risk losing the facility entirely.”

“And if Arthur is there?” Diana asked. “Real or clone, if he’s present during the assault, what’s the plan?”

Silence stretched for several seconds.

“We avoid him if possible,” Noah said finally. “Our objective is intelligence and disruption, not assassination. If we can complete the mission without engaging Arthur directly, that’s preferable.”

“And if we can’t avoid him?” Kelvin pressed.

“Then we do what we did last time,” Noah replied, his voice harder. “We survive long enough to extract. Arthur is … above our capability to eliminate right now. Maybe someday, but not today.”

Sophie marked that as a critical note in the planning documents. “Engagement with Arthur is avoided unless absolutely necessary. If contact is unavoidable, priority shifts to survival and extraction rather than elimination.”

“What about the Harbingers?” Lila asked quietly. “If they’re there working with Purge, we’ll encounter them. Do we have any plan for handling that?”

The question hung heavy. Harbingers were humanity’s extinction-level threat. Even with dragons and advanced abilities, Eclipse wasn’t equipped to handle multiple Harbinger engagements simultaneously.

“That’s an unknown variable we can’t fully plan for,” Seraleth admitted. “But if portal technology is their primary connection point with Purge operations, securing or destroying that equipment might disrupt whatever cooperation exists between them. It becomes Grey’s underground objective—not just intelligence gathering, but active sabotage of critical systems.”

“So Grey isn’t just infiltrating,” Diana said. “They’re sabotaging critical infrastructure while Eclipse keeps everyone busy topside.”

“Precisely,” Seraleth confirmed.

Sophie stepped back from the displays, her expression thoughtful. “This is good. This is actually workable. Seraleth, you should present this to the Grey commanding officer when they arrive. If Grey command approves the framework, we can build detailed operational plans from there.”

“I can coordinate with the Commander,” Seraleth agreed. “My military background should help translate Eclipse’s capabilities into terms Grey forces understand.”

“You’d be the liaison,” Noah said, understanding. “Primary coordination between Eclipse and Grey operations.”

“If everyone agrees,” Seraleth replied, looking around the room.

“Makes sense,” Diana said. “You’ve got the training for it, and you understand both force structures.”

“Plus, you came up with the framework,” Kelvin added. “Should be the one who sees it through implementation.”

Noah nodded. “Agreed. Seraleth coordinates with Grey command, builds the operational plan, makes sure both forces know their roles. When we deploy, she’s running overall mission coordination.”

“That’s significant responsibility,” Lila observed.

“She can handle it,” Sophie said with confidence.

Seraleth inclined her head in acknowledgment, that formal gesture carrying more weight than words. “I will not disappoint.”

They spent another hour working through details—approach vectors, communication protocols, contingency scenarios. By the time they broke for the day, the framework was solid enough to present to Grey command when they arrived.

As people dispersed to handle various preparations, Noah caught Sophie near the door.

“That was good work,” he said quietly. “The planning, the coordination, getting everyone on the same page.”

Sophie smiled slightly. “Seraleth did most of the heavy lifting. I just helped organize her ideas into something presentable.”

“Still. This is what we need—actual strategy instead of just reacting to whatever comes at us.”

“We’re getting better at it,” Sophie agreed. “Slowly. Very slowly. But better.”