[The Holy Sword Tribe is on the rise! With the Giganotosaurus supporting them, who can stop them?]
[The Berserker Alliance's Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion has met its match!]
Nautia stepped forward and checked the Giganotosaurus's torpor level carefully. After confirming it was completely unconscious, she began the lengthy taming process.
In the distance, players from her tribe had already gathered around to witness this great feat. Seeing the downed Giganotosaurus, they all gasped in amazement at the impossible sight.
Their reverence for Nautia deepened even further after watching this display of raw and unfiltered power.
With the support of such a tremendous combat force, the Holy Sword Tribe now possessed the strength to contend with the major powers across The Island.
On the other side of the conflict, the Berserker Alliance had conquered the Peace Camp and seized a massive amount of supplies and Implant cores. They appeared to have achieved a decisive victory, but in reality, their losses were considerable despite the win.
The brutal slaughter had left many of their main forces seriously wounded, and they had also lost several elite players. Their total casualties exceeded thirty members.
Currently, the tribe was fully focused on recovering its forces and was temporarily unable to expand its territory.
Thus, the four-way standoff on The Island officially took shape among the surviving powers.
The Berserker Alliance occupied the North District while firmly holding a huge amount of combat power with their trained Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion.
The Holy Sword Tribe rose powerfully in the west, and their Giganotosaurus made them unique among all factions.
The Sun Gods controlled the East District, where Jose was still tracking Boshita's movements frantically.
The Lunaria Squad rooted itself at the Mountainside while absorbing the survivors of the Peace Camp and developing steadily for the future.
And outside these four major factions, there was an elite squad that thus far had been hiding in the shadows. They lurked like skilled hunters without revealing the slightest trace of their presence, and no one knew their purpose or true intentions.
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Inside the Solraia Trading Company headquarters, Alto had finished packing his belongings for departure. "Joseph, I'll leave the Imperial Capital matters to you from now on!" He gave Joseph his final instructions before leaving.
By now, the DreamNet cafe model in Solaria was completely established and running smoothly. From store operations and material allocation to player services, a mature system had formed that no longer required Alto to personally oversee every detail.
Joseph immediately straightened up with his tone, capable and firm. "Don't worry, Boss. I will manage things here properly."
Alto nodded in approval. He was quite confident in Joseph's abilities and work ethic. Apart from being a bit stubborn sometimes, his professional skills were undeniable and proven.
After settling matters here, he set off with Helena while preparing to depart for home.
This time, Alto chose to leave by airship rather than ground transport.
Traveling by car, even the highest-grade model, which possessed damping runes for comfort, could not withstand the long journey between Solaria and Lunaria without sustaining damage. The metal body ultimately couldn't endure such extended travel without rest.
More importantly, he had never ridden an airship in this world and was curious about the experience. He wanted to take this opportunity to try it while also observing the terrain and scenery between the two cities along the way.
The group soon arrived at the Solaria Skyport for their departure.
The skyport was massive in scale, with more than ten airships of various designs parked across a sprawling area. Some were transport vessels carrying cargo, while others were passenger vessels for transporting elves and other races.
The one Alto had booked was the premier first-class accommodation available.
A dedicated attendant respectfully guided them onto the airship. The first-class area was completely separate from the rest, and it was equipped not only with private compartments but also luxurious furnishings within those exclusive spaces.
There were beds made with soft Cloud Silk mattresses and rune devices for constant temperature control throughout the journey.
There was even a small tea station, set with fresh fruit, pastries, and a fine tea set for their enjoyment.
After thoughtfully introducing the compartment's functions and amenities, the attendant quietly withdrew. The private space was left for him and Helena, and the attendant remained silent and attentive throughout.
Helena clearly was not new to airships based on her behavior. As soon as the attendant left, she cheerfully threw herself onto the large bed without hesitation.
*Thump*
She landed spread-eagled and rubbed against the mattress with her limbs stretched out. Her tone was full of comfort and relief.
"Ah! I can finally rest for a bit. Running around for you all the time is really exhausting!"
Alto helplessly rubbed his forehead and walked over to gently tap her calf in protest.
"Hey, hey! That's my bed, Miss Helena!"
Helena blinked innocently, but instead of getting up as expected, she shifted toward the middle of the bed. She patted the empty space beside her and raised an eyebrow playfully.
"What are you afraid of? The bed is huge, so why not share? Besides, as your assistant, I'm simply helping my Boss test if the mattress is soft enough so you don't sleep poorly during the trip."
Saying that, she deliberately rolled over and took up half the bed space. Her eyes were full of mischief.
"You..."
Alto was both annoyed and amused by her antics.
'But if you're going to be this bold, don't blame me for responding in kind.'
He then made a move as if to join her.
"What are you doing..." Helena started to protest.
Alto lay down right next to Helena on the bed, and the two instantly found themselves face to face.
Helena, who had been talking boldly and acting mischievously moments before, instantly stiffened at the proximity. Her ear tips turned red first, followed by her cheeks flushing with a light pink. Her gaze flickered away nervously while refusing to meet his eyes directly.
The two just stared at each other in silence, and the only sound in the compartment was their shallow breathing.
A moment later, Helena suddenly pushed herself up like a startled animal. She ran back to her own room with a blush spreading across her face.
Having known each other for so long, they naturally developed feelings for each other. But they couldn't quite bring themselves to actually voice them.
Watching Helena retreat, Alto got up as if nothing significant had happened.
"This airship's first class is comfortable indeed. Much better than riding a rune carriage!" He walked to the window and gazed at the slowly moving scenery of the skyport outside. His fingertips lightly tapped the window ledge in thought.
The airship was about to depart, but his thoughts had already drifted toward Lunaria and what awaited him there.
The entire airship space was quite expansive in design.
Apart from being somewhat slow compared to other transport methods, it had almost no other drawbacks worth mentioning.
In the center of the passenger area, there was even a beautifully decorated restaurant for the passengers.
The airship restaurant was spacious and bright, with side windows offering spectacular views of the terrain beneath the clouds. At this time, a few passengers were dining quietly at scattered tables.
Only at a corner table sat two overweight individuals who stood out.
They looked like merchants based on their attire, and they were speaking loudly while chatting animatedly about business.
One of them raised his wine glass and took a generous sip.
"In our Imperial Capital, whether it's the floating airships or rune technology, which one isn't superior? This car that suddenly appeared in Lunaria is simply a curiosity at best."
The other person repeatedly agreed while stuffing a piece of pastry into his mouth eagerly.
"Exactly so, but it's still a business opportunity we shouldn't ignore. Let's investigate it to see if we can profit from this trend."
"That thing called DreamNett cafe that recently popped up in the Imperial Capital, I heard it was all brought over from Lunaria originally. We need to inquire about that when we arrive there, too."
Alto, who happened to be passing by, overheard their conversation and was slightly taken aback by the topic.
It seemed these Imperial Capital merchants had a sharp business sense indeed.
However, he didn't linger to listen any further. He was just out for a stroll, and after grabbing something to eat, he left the restaurant.
Meanwhile, back in Lunaria, far away, dawn was just breaking over the horizon.
A railway station built next to the skyport had been completed during his absence. The pale morning light spilled onto the brand-new rails and reflected two parallel, gleaming lines that stretched far into the distance.