“Heh!”

  Earthquake scoffed at the bird. His huge sword smmed into the hawk’s head. A tremor ran through the world boss’s body. Fissures spread on the ground, dealing even more damage.

  Anger clouded the world boss’s mind. It opes beak and snapped violently at another pyer. And another and another.

  The melee fighters felt the pressure. They followed the hawk’s movement with their eyes, trying to anticipate its attacks.

  The tight encirclement couldn’t help but loosen somewhat.

  Suddenly the corrupted hawk raised its head, a violet energy brewing in its moth.

  The pyers reacted calmly. Orders were reyed. The tanks worked together to build a solid frontline.

  In front of Earthquake stood a mountain of an orc. He had almost pletely bck skin which could barely be seen uhe armor proteg his body. This was Immortal Boulder, a close friend of Earthquake and hailed as one of the best tanks on Falva Star.

  He even had some fame in the federation. Many experts agreed that he could fight for number one if his temper grew steadier.

  However, Earthquake didn’t pressure his friend to ge. He was certain that there would be er fit for their guild.

  A grin was on the orc’s face as he heard Boulder’s excited shout.

  “e, you stupid chi! See if you pass me!”

  The corrupted hawk felt challenged by the pesky flies around it. Destructive spheres of violet void energy were released from its beak.

  A few pyers secretly breathed in relief when they saw the hawk aiming away from them.

  Be it ce or not Immortal Boulder stood directly in front of the hawk.

  “Hahaha! e!”

  The tank ughed happily as the first sphere shot towards him. He stabilized his body, digging his heels into the floor.

  His upper body leaned forward slightly, his knees bent. A tall shield hid most of his body.

  It was obvious that Boulder was extremely experienced, his movements almost sed nature.

  Boom!

  The void sphere crashed into the orc’s shield. At the st sed, he tensed his body, snting his shield slightly to divert the force.

  [Stance -44!]

  “Haha! Is this all you got?!”

  Other tanks would be surprised to see the number popping up. Obviously, Boulder’s skilled movements were rewarded by the game.

  The world boss didn’t seem to particurly care about him. It quickly tinued spewing spheres.

  1, 3, 5…

  Suddenly something unforeseen happened. One of the spheres didn’t fly in a straight li magically circled the hawk’s body before shooting in a random dire.

  The targeted pyer wasn’t prepared at all. He barely mao raise his shield before the attack crashed into him.

  His stance was broken in an instant. The void energy struck fiercely, taking away a huge amount of HP.

  [-1560!]

  The warrior could only wat horror as his HP bar emptied out.

  As soon as the pyer dropped to the ground someone came forth to take his pce. They smirked as a thought came to their mind.

  The boss surely won’t attack the same spot twice.

  However, a couple seds ter they were also sent back to the graveyard.

  Others observed the situation and didn’t dare to step forward. An opening formed in the encirclement.

  The same situation happe a few other spots. Now, no one believed that the skill chose its targets at random.

  Callida observed the situation form the back with a frown.

  Our defeands but the same ’t be said for those casual pyers. It remains impossible to unite such a motley crew.

  She g Knight of Honor who tried his best to coordinate everyo was already impressive that under his leadership a few of the holes were actually filled up.

  While the cled fighters were struggling to defend against the world boss, the ranged csses were uurbed. They tinuously fired everything they got, not daring to take a break.

  Phoenix Feather stood at the back of her guild among a few es.

  She swung a heavy wooden staff above her head, watg the progress bar before her eyes.

  Finally, a fme began to burn oip of her staff. A huge amount of mana was sucked towards it.

  The temperature in the surroundings increased together with the fme’s iy.

  Finally, the spell was ready. Phoenix Feather focused her mind, targeting the ground below the world boss.

  With a loud rumble a fierce fme suddeed below the hawk. It held on for a sed before fading. Severe damage was inflicted on the hawk.

  The fme on top of Phoenix Feather’s staff shrunk but it didn’t get extinguished.

  With ahought from the white-haired woman two more eruptions appeared.

  “Icespike!”

  A joyful voice could be heard from one of the mages.

  “Cherry, how often do I have to tell you that you shouldn’t shout when casting spells?!”

  “Sorry big sister…”

  “Hah, just try to remember it ime.”

  Phoenix Feather wore an exasperated expression. Her younger sister showed great talent, but she found it difficult to take the game serious enough.

  At seventeen years Cherry didn’t have the necessary maturity yet.

  If Fate of aboul could’ve e out in two or three years…

  Phoenix Feather felt somewhat regretful. As a pyer she wasn’t especially outstanding. Her fame came from her leveling speed. To achieve this, she had to i a lot of time and effort, buy information, devise strategies.

  Although it was definitely impressive to be the highest-level pyer several times, ultimately this was worth less than outstanding bat skill to the public eye.

  However, when Cherry asked Phoenix Feather to py together, she quickly proved astounding talent. She had the potential to be the star pyer their guild o finally get widespread reition.

  Such a pity…

  Phoenix Feather shook her head. But a sed ter she scolded herself. It was wrong to put such high expectations on her sister. If the guild wao advance, everyone had to step up.

  Whehoughts reached such a state Phoenix Feather sed her mages, urging them sternly:

  “Don’t let up! We need more damage! Save your ultimate skills for the kill! Scale, don’t interrupt your casting! The skill won’t hit you!”

  The mages took the orders calmly, pushing themselves. They didn’t think their leader was too cold. Everyone was w towards the same goal.

  Different ses pyed out while the hawk finally stopped its skill. The tanks audible let out a collective sigh of relief. They stepped aside, letting the damage dealers through.

  The speed at which the hawk lost HP quickly increased again.

  Standing still for a couple of seds the world boss screeched angrily. A glint fshed past its eyes.

  “Don’t look into its eyes!”

  A few observant pyers reized the hawk’s posture. With their warning not many fell for its skills this time.

  Even the subsequent cw attacks didn’t tain much danger.

  Meanwhile not far from the valley a group of about 30 people were gathered.

  They observed the fight leisurely, joking amongst each other.

  “Ha, this job is really too easy.”

  “Right. Have you seen them running with their tails between their legs?”

  “Hahaha, number one party? My a*s!”

  “I don’ think they are much strohan us. uild leaders worry for nothing.”

  The pyers discussed in mog voices, their chests almost exploding from pride. However, despite their arrogant words they didn’t noti invisible shadow stig to a tree not far away.

  [Bloody Edge: F*ck! I ’t stand it! Let me go and kill a few of those arrogant idiots.]

  [Bleary Mirage: Calm down, don’t get discovered.]

  [Balm: @Mirage, will this really work?]

  [Bleary Mirage: Of course. As long as they uimate us this much…]

  [Radiant Shield: I still don’t like it. Being chased away feels terrible.]

  [Cye: +1]

  [Silent Acacia: You’ll get used to it. I have seen all kinds of dirty strategies.]

  [Quickstep: Life of a pro pyer…]

  Liam and his friends stopped at a safe distance, looking in the dire of the world boss with indignant minds.

  [Bleary Mirage: Let’s stop the idle talk and focus. @Edge, how much HP does the world boss have left.]

  [Bloody Edge: About half.]

  [Bleary Mirage: Hoyers died?]

  [Bloody Edge: Close to three hundred, I guess. But those left standio have found their rhythm. Casualties are redug noticeably.]

  [Bleary Mirage: Alright, keep us informed.]

  Even if uessed that Liam and his party stayed in the viity, they obviously didn’t care. With so many pyers around the world boss there was no way for them to e close.

  In the minds of the guild leaders only uilds posed a threat. Although Knight of Honor also had a siderable following, they cked the coordination to steal the st kill.

  Star Gazer g the heroi gathering the disanized pyers. He looked down at him and his futile efforts.

  How could oners pete with rge families and panies? As early as a few dozen years ago when the federation began strug the game’s servers did those wealthy anizations begin to train loyal fighters.

  Information indig the game’s enormous potential was everywhere in the a ruins. This potential had to be realized in his, Brayan Colville’s, hands.