In the year 770, Ren, now seven years old, stood in one of the dark corridors of the Tower of Heaven. The faint blue glow of a Lacrima illuminated his still-innocent face, but his eyes were already as sharp as a knife. Two years had passed since he awakened his Bungee Gum magic. Now, he was ready to execute the greatest plan in his short life.
Ren looked at Vane and Kael in turn. His voice was quiet but firm, like a child who had seen hell far too many times.
"How is it, Vane? Is the task complete?" Ren asked.
Vane replied
"Several slaves are ready to fight. We just need to start the plan, Ren."
Ren nodded.
"What about Kael?"
"I got the map and some information about the tower master,"
Kael said.
"This tower is divided into 10 sectors:
Sector 1 (Lower Docks & Main Entrance): This is the lowest floor, leading directly to the sea. There are 4 patrol ships and 20 guards armed with Lacrima rifles. The main Lacrima here is small, functioning as a communication signal to the mainland.
Sector 2 (Our floor - Slave Prison & Tool Storage): There are roughly 300 slaves here, guarded by about 15 people. On the eastern wall, there is a large Lacrima. That's the power source for the chains binding them. If we destroy that Lacrima, their chains will immediately deactivate, and it will be much easier for the slaves to rebel. Oh right, I also managed to grab five spare Ethernano crystals from there.
Sector 4 (Connecting Corridor & Food Storage): There are only about eight guards. The Lacrima is on the ceiling, distributing energy to several sectors. But there is a weak point at the Ethernano pipe connection. If we blow that up, Sectors 3 and 5 will lose power too.
Sector 5 (Guards' Main HQ & Resting Quarters): There are about 25 elite guards there. There is also a large Lacrima in the control room that supplies power to almost the entire tower up to Sector 6. I also managed to get their patrol schedules.
Sector 6 (Magic Experiment Laboratory): The place where they do Ethernano experiments. It's guarded by 12 mages. There's a giant Lacrima on the center table, shaped like a heart. Destroy this, and the magic of the guards on the upper floors will weaken.
Sector 7 (Main Ethernano Storage Room): There are about 30 heavy guards there. The Lacrima is massive; it's the main energy source for the entire tower. But there's still an opening—a weak point at the connecting pipe leading up.
Sector 8 (Central Corridor with Spiral Staircase): Guarded by about 10 people. There are several medium-sized Lacrimas on each pillar, functioning to distribute energy to each sector.
Sector 9 (Core Lacrima Control Room): Guarded by 20 elite guards, plus two mages. In there sits the second-largest core Lacrima."
Kael paused for a moment, his expression turning serious.
"And this is what you asked for: the source of that Ethernano radiation is located right between Sector 7 and Sector 9, inside the vertical connection room of Sector 8. That is the weakest point in the entire tower. If we blow that place up using the Ethernano crystals I stole, the shockwave will collapse the structure from the middle. All the Lacrimas in Sectors 7 through 9 will be destroyed at once."
Hearing the information Kael brought, both Ren and Vane were shocked and simultaneously amazed by his resourcefulness.
"Oh, I almost forgot. There is one piece of information that makes me doubt whether it is true or not," Kael added.
"What is it?" Ren and Vane asked in unison.
"It's about the master of this tower. He is a powerful, arrogant, and cruel mage named Varex Noctis. I don't know what kind of magic he possesses, so that information might be inaccurate."
"Varex Noctis... I see," Ren murmured softly.
After Ren contemplated several strategies, he finally managed to formulate a solid plan with the newly acquired information.
"Alright, listen to this plan carefully, Vane, Kael! I have thought of everything, from start to finish. The goal isn't just to destroy the tower. The goal is to free all the slaves without unnecessary loss of life, cause chaos among the guards, and ensure that the cult can never build this R-System again. Here is the complete plan."
Ren continued, his voice growing steadier.
"I've been working on this plan for the past two years, ever since I realized my Bungee Gum could do more than just hit things. I studied the guards' patrol patterns. I listened to the old slaves' stories at night. I memorized every crack in these walls. And now, I am assigning tasks according to our respective strengths."
He looked at Vane first.
"Vane. You are the most articulate and the most passionate. Your task: go down to Sectors 1 and 2. Persuade the angriest slaves, the ones who have lost children or siblings. Don't promise them a paradise like the Cult of Zeref does. Promise them freedom today. Create a small disturbance first, just enough to distract the guards, and then steal a patrol ship at the eastern docks. That ship must be ready to sail before the big explosion. If you succeed, we won't just destroy the tower. We will save hundreds of lives."
Vane grinned widely, his eyes shining.
"I like a plan that involves both my mouth and my fists. Leave it to me!"
Ren nodded, then turned to Kael.
"Kael. Your task is to steal the spare Ethernano crystals. Five crystals are not enough to destroy the entire tower. Take and gather as many as you can, and stack them around Sectors 7 and 9 to be detonated along with the radiation there."
Kael chuckled softly.
"You've thought of everything, haven't you? I'll take them all without getting caught. I promise."
"What about you?" Vane asked.
Ren did not answer directly. Instead, he turned to Kael and asked,
"Kael, exactly how many guards, mages, and wardens are in the entire tower?"
"There are about 160 wardens, and every warden has a magic tool. The exact number of mages is still unconfirmed."
"Is that so? My task is to disable the Lacrima in Sector 2 first, and then destroy the Lacrimas in every sector to weaken the mages and cut off power across the Tower of Heaven while the slaves are creating chaos. Vane, after the Sector 2 Lacrima is broken and the chains on the slaves are deactivated, begin executing the plan. Vane, your task is the most critical. If the slaves don't rebel, this plan could fail."
Vane nodded and replied
"Leave it to me."