Chapter 367 Fight First, Talk Later

“If you serve us, why would you prevent us from leaving?”

Though he was unsure why he was identified as an ally, Edward did not ask about it directly and asked instead about something else. “Since we are guests, it is our own freedom to decide whether we stay or go!”

“That is because Project Tinder has been activated after I have not received new orders from outside over a hundred years. At present, I am trying my best to bring in any surviving high elves and their allies until the Synchronized Intellect Nation (SIN) is destroyed.”

Even as it spoke, Iron Commandment’s tone became stiff. “Please follow the procedure and my instructions to take refuge.”

“What if we refuse?” Princess Leah asked unhappily, frowning.

“Then I could only subdue you with force. Relax, even if your limbs have to be dismembered, the medical facilities here in Steel Earth would ensure you stay alive.”

At those words, Iron Commandment’s human sentiment seemed to vaporize away. All at once, the air between the party of Players and the teapot automatons turned to a standoff.

Still, although they were being wary of the teapots on the surface, the Players still could spare their attention to chat on the forums.

(Leah: Edward, how did you know that thing won’t let us go?) While everyone had more or less sensed that something was unusual after arriving on Steel Earth, it was not only Edward alone who had a hunch that their enemy was watching them. That being said, Edward was the only one who determined that their adversary would not let them leave.

After all, according to the experiences they had over the last few floors, their foes should be wary against allowing them to go forward rather than preventing them to leave.

(Edward: It was just a feeling. We have to either go to the next stratum or return to the last stratum to force our foe to reveal itself, but from how it allowed us to move around freely, raising a ruckus wouldn’t work.]

(Edward: And since we don’t know how we are supposed to go to the next floor, there is only one choice. And since it did not know how we arrive here, we could trick it by pretending to go back up.)

Like any question with only two choices, it was nice to pick the right answer, although there wouldn’t be anything major even if one got the wrong answer—aside from Edward failing in showing-off.

(Joe: Well, what should we do now, Edward?]

(Edward: Fight first, talk later.]

Joe immediately became focused-like how many other believers gave up on thinking after experienced the convenience of being Players, instead of cracking some code and mystery, Joe preferred fighting directly with his heavy fists!

“Resistance is futile. Please take refuge accordingly…”

“Refuge this!”

Before Iron Commandment finished, Joe swung his Giant’s Toe. The greatsword which was now embedded with multiple runes was much more powerful than before, and not only did it break one teapot with one swing, the shockwave from the blow knocked the other teapots off balance.

However, even though they were attacked preemptively and they began to organize a flustered counterattack, the name over the teapots’ heads were still yellow, remaining neutral rather than becoming an enemy.

“Halo of Courage!” Leah cried, stabbing her flagpole into the hard metal ground below before drawing her whip sword to lash out at the teapot.

While the Bleeding effect of the whip sword did not work against automatons, the heightened damage meant she was attacking to great effect.

At the same time, Gou Dan took cover behind Jessica, breaking one teapot with each arrow, even claiming two kills with one arrow occasionally.

Jessica herself was healing and casting protection on her teammates, and although she was not dealing damage, she became a moving, human-form machine of buffs like Princess Leah, becoming a core part of her team as well.

Naturally, the one dealing the most damage in the party was Edward, who was riding his fire dragon.

As one of the most powerful skills the Player had at the current phase, the black fire dragon would easily melt the unknown metals which the teapot was made out of. It only streaked over their head to burn most of them into wax, rendering them immobile even though they clearly had half of their HP left.

Still, the Players’ overwhelming advantage did not mean that the teapot automatons were very weak.

While most mass-produced teapots were around level 20, some of the more elegant ones was over level 30.

That being said, the power Edward’s group unleashed in breaking those teapots was equal to one of the special task forces of major religions, such as the Temple of Glory.

At the same time, even though Jessica continued to heal the group, Edward and the others would keep an eye on their HP levels, drinking colas to restore themselves from time to time. Still, as their initial advantage slowly faded, their average HP gradually fell beneath the safety zone. And that because the teapots were only focusing on their limbs.

It appeared that, just as Iron Commandment had mentioned, it was intent on not killing Edward and the others, that it would break their limbs and hold them captives.

As such, it was regrettable that it did not know that it could not break the special state enforced by the Rules of the Game (such as divine powers are resistant against Rule in attacking or being attacked, and would be effective even against anti-magic weapons), keeping the Players’ limbs from being dismembered.

“Why? Your limbs are unbreakable, despite your feeble appearance…” Iron Commandment was therefore left extremely confused, with Joe immediately summoning his spirit familiar to smash the screen it spoke from with a single punch. “Did you think we would tell you?!”

Even so, as if it was this entire stratum given form, Iron Commandment was showing up on the smooth mirrorlike walls of nearby buildings as well as the screens. It would persistently question how the Players were defying logic, leaving the Players both irritated and fatigued as more teapot automatons showed up.

Eventually, Gou Dan failed to stop one particular automaton’s attack out of a moment of carelessness, and was stabbed through the arm with its razor-sharp feet. His HP bar empty, he fell to the ground just like that-with Jessica’s resurrection yet to come off cooldown, the group could only watch as he turned to sparks of light and disappeared.

“Why would he die? The automatons clearly did not hit him in the vitals, and he was not bleeding profusely…”

The Iron Commandment could not help being puzzled at why Gou Dan would die.

Still, it clearly possessed outstanding intelligence. Soon, it realized that the Players would die after suffering a certain amount of damage, and that they would die despite the lack of a lethal wound.

Therefore, it immediately changed the combat style of the teapots.

“Change of strategy needed… automaton number nine-five-two-seven is dispatched for live capture of guest…”