A Brewing Storm: Power Plateau

Who did this...

*Gasp* E-Endmin? Apologies, I was lost in my thought...

I'm Thurston, currently assisting the Hub Base in assessing safety conditions in Valley IV.

Although we've retaken the Power Plateau, there are still some stubborn Landbreakers holding out nearby who haven't withdrawn yet.

I was worried the workers might have more accidents, so I prioritized investigating this area. And then... I found this.

This spot wasn't on our original counterattack route, yet there are quite a few Landbreakers down here.

So they were killed by someone unknown, at a time we didn't know about.

The Bonekrushers getting weakened is definitely a win for us, but those attackers aren't necessarily on our side.

A major battle just wrapped up, and everyone's beat. Any wildcard out there is a straight-up threat.

You're right. Everyone's exhausted now. I'm really worried something unexpected might happen.

Need to get closer to confirm more intel. And somehow get past these obstacles...

You're willing to help? Thank you so much! Let's get started then!

The scene keeps getting more extreme...

This area doesn't seem to be on our assault route. The counterattack team's after-action reports don't mention this place either.

The incident likely occurred before we launched our counterattack. But back then, this area should've been swarming with Bonekrushers...

Combined with the earlier anomalies, many things must have happened in places we're unaware of.

A major battle just ended. We can't afford to overlook any potential threats now.

Understood, I'll check if there's a passable route nearby first.

My goodness, is he... "Volcano" Chacha?!

Before the recent large-scale internal consolidation, "Volcano" was one of the most influential leaders in the Bonekrusher Clan.

He used his strength to conquer many scattered forces within the clan, launching dozens of attacks on small settlements and merchant convoys.

Actually, yes. Even we knew about the conflict between "Volcano" and "Bonekrushing Fist". Their factions clashed frequently.

"Volcano" claimed no one on earth could rival him. While that's exaggerated, his strength was truly formidable.

Looking at it this way, the Bonekrushers practically went all-in in Valley IV... That's a steep price to pay.

The area's too badly damaged by Ætherside bursts. Good thing you managed to extract the terminal data anyway.

A secret meeting. "Volcano" and that "Shadow" met here ... and never left.

The man who claimed no rivals on this land died here ... feels like some kind of twisted joke.

A failed plan. He was betrayed. Not just by "Shadow", but also by those so-called "friends" "Shadow" mentioned.

Who do you think that note was meant for, Endmin?

Really? Something still feels off...

Given the tone of the note, there really aren't many people with higher authority than "Volcano".

"Guillotine", "Will-o-Wisp", "Bloodeye"... So many others tied to this incident.

Let's leave the deep analysis to the experts back at base. There might still be undiscovered intel in Valley IV. We need to dig it all up.

True enough...

Huh? This blade ... seems odd.

If I remember correctly, this is the type of weapon used by elites among the Landbreakers.

They almost never abandon their "second life", yet they just tossed it aside like this...

Hard to say for now... I'll check ahead, might find something different.

The area's too badly damaged by Ætherside bursts. Good thing you managed to extract the terminal data anyway.

A secret meeting. "Volcano" and that "Shadow" met here ... and never left.

The man who claimed no rivals on this land died here ... feels like some kind of twisted joke.

A failed plan. He was betrayed. Not just by "Shadow", but also by those so-called "friends" "Shadow" mentioned.

Who do you think that note was meant for, Endmin?

Really? Something still feels off...

Given the tone of the note, there really aren't many people with higher authority than "Volcano".

Anyway, combining intel from the other locations should give us some concrete results now.

I'll ask around the Hub base for more intel. Please use the protocol synchronizer to submit the data to SOW.

The experts back at base should provide further analysis. We can retrieve their final report from the Intel Archive.

True enough...