The two of them quickly headed over to the designated dispatch facility. Plenty of Martial Artists had already gathered at the dispatch facility. They all prepared as they gathered the necessary gear and equipment. Thankfully for the Martial Artists, the Martial Union had provided them with the necessary potions free of cost.
This was one of the incentives that the Martial Union had offered to incentivize the mission and attract even more powerful Martial Artists to undertake the mission.𝑶𝓋xt.𝗇t
Rui and Fiona immediately began preparing their kits with the recommended and necessary gear.
Soon it was time for being dispatched. However, they weren’t going to be dispatched to the Serevian Plateau immediately. They first needed to intercept the dungeon team that would be dispatched from the Kandrian Government.
The Martial Union’s role in the dungeon wars was purely Martial and militaristic. The Kandrian Government would be solely shouldering the burden of gathering the team that would be in charge of mining and resource acquisition. Specifically, the Ministry of Mining and the Ministry of Environment and Ecology would be joining hands in the endeavor.
The Kandrian Royal Army would be dispatching several defensive corps to aid the dungeon team. The army would be bearing the heaviest weight as far as defensive measures went. This was natural, as although manual bodyguarding and surveillance from the Martial Artists of the Martial Union in the defensive squad was certainly quite necessary, it was not enough by itself. Setting up defensive barricades and defensive technological solutions were also equally necessary.
The army would contribute to the core defense while the defensive squad of the Martial Union would focus on repelling attacks on their territory.
They would be joining the convoy before it was dispatched from an army base.
Rui counted the Martial Artists using Seismic Mapping.
(‘Forty-eight Martial Apprentices on the very first dispatch?’) Rui raised an eyebrow. (‘The Martial Union isn’t holding back it seems.’)
Furthermore, each of these Martial Apprentices was high-grade Martial Apprentices of the Martial Union. Both the quality and quantity of the Martial Artists being assigned to a single mission far exceeded anything he had ever participated in.
Soon, commissioner Feristen entered the dispatch facility. The Martial Artists had all prepared themselves in time. They would soon need to be dispatched.
“Apprentices. The time has come. The dungeon team is currently in military base KEM-423 right outside the town of Vargard. All of you have the coordinates in your mission bills. It’s time to dispatch. Get going.”
The Martial Artists left the facility as they headed towards the designated military base outside the town.
The sight of forty-eight Martial Apprentices zipping through the town of Vargard spurred waves of excitement among the common public. It was very rare to see such an exorbitant number of Martial Apprentices traveling together. Such a sight inspired awe and amazement as each of these mighty beings individually was far beyond what normal humans could ever be.
Soon, they arrived at the designated military base. It was large and heavily fortified, with large spiked walls that barricaded any entry.
The security was not light, and guards armed with weapons and other devices Rui could not even identify.
“Purpose of visit?” The security guards asked with a straight face and a stern expression.
“Mission KEMU-3142.” One of the Martial Apprentices at the front of the crowd chirped up.
The security team began inspecting each and every mission bill and Martial license with heavy scrutiny. The Martial Apprentices were heavily scanned as were their belongings before they were finally allowed in.
“Barrack number 7.” Rui was told as he was returned his belongings.
The Martial Apprentices made their way to the designated barrack. The barracks housed many large motorized vehicles of different kinds.
“Martial Apprentices of the Martial Union.” A man in an adorned militaristic uniform addressed them. “I am colonel Carnes. I am the acting leader of the Kandrian Serevian dungeon team, as I’m sure you’re already informed. The Kandrian Serevian will soon depart now that you have arrived as per protocol.”
Soon, the many motorized carriages emerged out of the barrack in a particular formation. The motorized carriages on the outermost layer were heavy, large, and highly armored. They were part of the defensive deployment to protect the dungeon team.
The inner circle was comprised of supplies and storage carriages that contained necessary supplies and resources that were absolutely vital for maintaining a fortified mining endeavor.
The Martial Apprentices already knew what to do. They would be traveling by foot, forming a perimeter protecting the dungeon team convoy.
Soon, the voyage to the Serevian Dungeon commenced. The journey was estimated to take a whole day. After all, a large traveling convoy couldn’t move as fast as Rui did when he ran to the Serevian Dungeon. The journey would be agonizingly slow.
Both the offense and the defense squads partook in the perimeter. The many Martial Apprentices with sensory techniques kept an eye out on their surroundings as they traveled alongside the dungeon team.
Nearly a whole day had passed until they finally reached the Serevian Plateau. They paused some distance away from the cliff that led down to a forest.
It was impossible for them to travel down the cliff, of course. Fortunately, the Ministry of Environment and Ecology had already chartered a viable route down to the Serevian Plateau safely. The convoy veered as they evaded the cliff safely. Traveling parallel to the cliff. As time passed, the elevation of the cliff declined slowly as the convoy traveled downhill.
Soon, the cliff melted into a straightforward pass.
The convoy took their very first step into the Serevian Plateau. Many of the Martial Artists tensed up as they continued traveling. The mission bill stressed the dangers of the Serevian Plateau. The fact that one needed to be a grade seven Martial Artists just to be barely qualified to travel the Serevian Plateau hadn’t escaped their memories. Even if they were all powerful Martial Apprentices chosen for this very reason, it didn’t ease their burdens.