SSS-Tier Extraction: From Outcast to Overgod!-Chapter 99: Assembling the Strike Force

The command center was a stark contrast to the party downstairs. The soft lights were replaced by the sharp, focused glow of the holographic map. The cheerful music was gone, replaced by the low, serious hum of the god Spire’s systems.

The mood was tense, the air thick with the silent pressure of a coming storm. Ryan stood before the holographic table, staring at the angry red blotch that marked the location of the Schism Monolith.

He was going to lead the mission to destroy it himself. There was no other choice. This wasn’t a problem he could send an army to solve. The Monolith’s power was not just physical; it was mental.

It warped reality and twisted the mind. He was one of the only people in the entire Sector with a high enough Spirit stat and the unique protection of his "god Shaper" status to resist its influence directly. Sending anyone else to the heart of the storm would be a suicide mission.

He began to outline his plan, thinking of a small, solo infiltration. But he had barely started speaking when he was interrupted.

"You’re not going alone."

The voice was quiet but as firm and unbending as steel. Scarlett stepped forward from the shadows of the room, her arms crossed.

She had already changed out of her formal suit and was back in her familiar, practical black combat gear. Her party demeanor was gone, replaced by the unwavering focus of a warrior.

"Scarlett, this is too dangerous," Ryan began. "The chaotic energy..."

"I don’t care," she cut him off, her gaze intense. "That thing preys on the mind. It creates illusions and feeds on fear. You are the heart of this entire Sector.

If you fall, we all fall. You need someone to watch your back. Someone you can trust completely. I am going with you. That is not a request."

There was no arguing with her when she used that tone. It was the same tone she used to command her soldiers. It was final. Ryan looked into her eyes and saw a fierce, protective fire burning there.

It wasn’t just the loyalty of a soldier to her commander. It was deeper, more personal. She was refusing to let him face this danger by himself. He gave a slow, reluctant nod.

"Alright. You’re in."

"Good," she said simply.

Just then, Zara Khan strode into the room, a datapad already in her hand. "I am coming as well," she announced, her tone leaving no room for debate.

Ryan sighed. "Zara, your skills are needed here. We need you at the Sector..."

"Nonsense," she said, waving a dismissive hand. "This Monolith is a piece of ’anti-technology.’ It is a fascinating and terrifying perversion of the laws of physics that govern the Weaver.

It uses chaos as a power source. To defeat it, we must understand it. I need to be there, on the ground, gathering data. I need to analyze its energy frequencies, its structural composition. My drones can get readings no one else can."

Her reasons were logical, scientific, and perfectly valid. But as she spoke, Ryan saw a different motivation in her eyes. It was a burning curiosity, a driving need to be at the forefront of this new, impossible discovery.

But there was also something else. It was the same protective fire he had seen in Scarlett’s eyes, just expressed differently. She wanted to be there to help him, to provide the intellectual firepower he would need to unravel this chaotic puzzle.

"My presence is a strategic necessity," she finished, lifting her chin defiantly.

Before Ryan could argue further, Emma’s voice came over the room’s intercom system. She hadn’t come to the command center in person. She was already somewhere else.

"You’re going to need a mobile command center," Emma’s voice said, calm and logical as always. "You’ll need real-time data analysis, long-range sensor support, and a fast way to get in and out. I’m already on my way to the hangar. I’m prepping the ’Odyssey’."

"Emma, you should stay here," Ryan protested. "The Outpost needs you."

"The Outpost has Chris and the rest of the council," she replied, her voice unshakable. "This mission’s success depends on information and strategy.

You need someone who can see the whole battlefield, predict the enemy’s moves, and coordinate from a safe distance. That someone is me. I will be your eye in the sky. It’s the best way for me to protect you all."

Her logic was, as always, flawless. She couldn’t fight the Monolith’s influence head-on, but she could give them the strategic edge they needed to survive. Her desire to protect Ryan was just as strong as the others’, but her battlefield was one of data and probabilities.

Ryan looked at the three powerful women who had just refused to take no for an answer. His solo mission had just become a team effort. He felt a surge of warmth and gratitude. He wasn’t just a leader giving orders. He was part of a family, a pack. And they protected their own.

"Okay," he said, a small smile touching his lips. "It seems I have my strike force."

As they were finalizing their plan, a message came through from Ace Striker at the main gate.

"My Lord! The diplomat, Seraphina from Sanctuary, is here! She insists on speaking with you! She says it’s a matter of utmost urgency regarding the new alliance!"

Ryan rubbed his temples. He really didn’t have time for more diplomacy right now. "Let her through, Ace."

A moment later, Seraphina swept into the command center, her face a mask of serious concern. Two other figures, women dressed in flowing white robes over light, flexible armor, followed silently behind her. They carried themselves with a serene, powerful grace.

"Lord Stone," Seraphina said, skipping all the usual pleasantries. "Matriarch Isabella sends her deepest regrets about this unfortunate turn of events. She also sends... a gift." She gestured to the two women behind her.

"These are Wardens of Sanctuary," she explained. "They are our elite priestess-warriors. Their training and their talents are focused on one thing: fighting corruption.

Their light-based abilities can purify corrupted ground and shield the mind from chaotic influence. They are experts at fighting the kind of spiritual sickness these cults spread."

She stepped closer, her voice dropping. "Our alliance is new, but it is real. We will not stand by while our new friends face such a threat alone. Let them help you.

This is a show of our commitment, both politically..." She paused, her eyes meeting his, conveying a world of meaning. "...and personally."

Ryan looked at the two Wardens. They bowed their heads, their faces calm and ready. He looked at Seraphina, whose offer was a brilliant political move and a clear, personal gesture of support all in one.

He was trying to assemble a small, elite strike force. And it seemed the universe was determined to give him the best of the best.

"We accept your offer with gratitude," Ryan said to Seraphina. "Tell the Matriarch her friendship is valued."

His team was now set. Ryan, the reality-shaping leader. Scarlett, the deadly warrior scout. Zara, the brilliant tech-priestess. And now, two warrior-healers who specialized in fighting this exact kind of enemy. All supported by Emma, their genius strategist, from the most advanced ship in the sector.

They were no longer just a small team. They were a force. And they were going to bring a cleansing fire to the darkness that was growing on their border.

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