“This is incredible,” the ogre muttered, his voice low as he leaned closer, his hand passing through the holographic streets of falmuth. "How are you doing this?”
“Not important.” Kaede replied, a faint smile on her face. “But this is just the beginning. We need more details if we’re going to pull this off.”
The proje shifted as new data flooded in. The yout of the prison became sharper, with clear lines marking patrol routes and glowing nodes where magical barriers and arms were detected.
“Alright,” Maple said, g her hands together. “Here’s what we know so far. The prison is a plex with three levels. The cells are on the lowest level, guarded by multiple barriers and locked gates."
She moved her fio a passage within the plex. "As for patrol Routes, the guards move iable patterns, with a shift ge at midnight that leaves a five hour window of reduced manpower."
She turo the door leading into the plex. "From what I've gathered, the entrance is protected by a yered barrier, and the cells have individual magic seals."
The ogre crossed his arms. “That barrier at the entrance will slow you down. What’s the pn for that?”
“I’ve got something in the works,” Kaede replied, her tone fident. “A mae to temporarily disable the barrier. It’ll buy us just enough time to get through.”
“And the patrols?” the ogre pressed.
“I’ll hahat too,” Kaede said. “Drones track their movements iime. If anything ges, we’ll know immediately.”
The ogre’s expression darkened as he studied the map. “This isn’t going to be easy as you make it out to be." He poio a structure a few meters away from the plex. "Look over here. The barracks are close by, and reinforts could be here in minutes. Not to mention the sorcerers stationed in the capital.” He turo Kaede. "You do not mess with sorcerers."
“We’ll deal with it,” Kaede said, her tone unusually firm. “What if we create a distra? Something big enough to draw their attention away from the prison?”
“Such as?”
Kaede's lips curled into a grin. “A fake attack. I deploy about a dozen or two droo simute an assault oher side of the city. It’ll pull the knights and sorcerers away long enough for us to get in and out.”
The ogre nodded slowly. “Your maes huh. That could work. But you need a backup pn if things g.”
Kaede nodded. "I have one. Now the escape pn."
The ogre took charge of this part. “Once you've freed the prisoners, you'll move through this side exit here.” He poio a passage marked on the map. “It leads to this pce called the sewers and out of the city. It's unguarded for some reason. From there, we’ll meet up ao the forest. It’s the safest route.”
“What if the exit is blocked?” Kaede asked.
“Then we’ll have to fight our way out,” the ogre said bluntly. “But that’s a st resort.”
Kaede frowned. “I’ll have the drones create another diversion outside the prison, just in case. We ’t afford to get caught.”
The ogre nodded with a grunt.
"Alright then, that's settled. How long will it take you to get to Falmuth's borders?" Kaede asked.
"Five days." The ogre answered without missing a beat. "But I'll wo more days to familiarise myself with falmuth's borders."
Kaede smiled as she stretched. "Alright then, that's it. I days, you'll sneak your way into Falmuth, and we'll meet up at the sewers." She patted a sleeping Acer on the head. 'So, Artificia, how does that sound?'
Kaede houghtfully. "And the attack drones?"
Kaede sighed, leaning back. "Hang on, what are you even making, you know what? bring up the schematic for the UAV."
A translut proje flickered into the air before Kaede, depig a sleek, streamlined dro had a triangur frame with razor-thin wings and a pact body, designed for both speed and maneuverability. Lines of glowing blue text beled its key pos: the propulsion system, on mounts, and sensory array.
Kaede leaned forward, examining the design with narrowed eyes. "What the hell is this? We're not going to erase the capital you know. We're not even killing anybody."
<...>
"Artificia, we're not destroying falmuth okay?" Kaede said sternly.
<...>
"No wohe cost is too high. Pump out two of this and I'm out of ission. Artificia I wanted you to just modify the surveilnce drones into attack drones with C-4 or thermite or something. Wait, is thermite explosive? Just gimme something explosive that be fired from tubes."
The proje flickered and blihe schematic for the TAI Aksungur Nova III drone slowly fading as Artificia recalcuted. Kaede crossed her arms, watg as the interface hummed softly before it finally spoke.
Kaede sighed, her fiapping lightly ooable. "Just modify the ones we have. Something simple. I don’t need a military-grade drone when all we need is a distra."
There was a brief pause, then the system responded with a more ral tone.
"I don't know, use those tial balls people used during the 1800s, that should be harmless enough." Kaede said offhandedly.
Kaede rexed, nodding as she absorbed the information. "That's better. Just enough for a little chaos."
With the blueprints plete, Kaede and Acer, following Artificia's instrus, discovered various metals and ores. Artificia, immediately devoured them, beginning the creation sequence.
Kaede turned back to the cave, where the ogre was going through different sword forms. "O thing."
The ogre, notig her arrival, slowed to a stop. "Do you need something?"
Kaede eyes darted around. "Yes, actually. You see, I have a skill that allows me to unicate with my allies via thought unication. And you're nistered as an ally. Not yet."
The ogre raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
Kaede sighed. "I know I 't do everything by myself, and you already agreed to be my subordinate. I've thought about this really hard, and... I've decided to name you. You need all the power you get."
The ogre stilled, his sword hand tightening. "A-Are you sure? I'm already a powerful monster. You just named Ari, to give me a name would cost..."
"Shifu." The world stilled with Kaede's words. "Your name... Is Shifu."
Shifu staggered as a wave of energy surged through him, his body glowing faintly as the magicules in the air seemed to verge and rush into him. He dropped to one knee, gripping his sword to steady himself as Kaede stepped back, feeling slightly dizzy herself.
Shifu struggled to keep his eyes open as splotches of bck stained his visioually he saw only darkness.