Beneath the night sky, the eighteen airships of Perfect Shipping flew in formation over the Hungry Plains of the Dark Mountains. Their journey to support the war was already nearly halfway over.
Aboard the NPCs' ship, the commanders of the various units were holding a pre-battle conference over the airships' communications network. Given the situation in Chardo Port, there probably wouldn't be time to work out tactics and strategy after they landed, so they needed to come up with a rough plan before they arrived.
The People's Army soldiers were preparing their gear in their cabins.
They were all veterans who had taken part in at least one major battle. Heading to the front to fight the Gnolls of the Bonechewer Clan didn't make them nervous, but unlike the players, few of them were running around the airships—especially the players assigned to the larger vessels.
They'd found the crew's recreation rooms, and after paying for access, some were making the most of their last chance to have fun by throwing a party. The lively, seize-the-moment atmosphere was a stark contrast to the NPCs' solemn mood.
Of course, some players were resting, too.
In the other world, lockdowns caused by the pandemic were gradually being lifted. After several months of isolation, society was starting up again, and many people had returned to work or school. Students, for instance, were adjusting their schedules these days.
Though everyone agreed that spending the past few months playing games like crazy had been a great experience, people still had to live in the real world.
That had caused a noticeable shift in the players' activity patterns. Because of work and school, they could no longer stay online for eighteen or more hours a day as they had before.
It might not have sounded like a