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5.52% Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player / Chapter 35: A Vengeful Scheme

Chapter 35: A Vengeful Scheme

Kieran's relationship with these players wasn't deep, but he couldn't ignore the undeniable fact that he was the cause of their misfortune.

Though he didn't necessarily care about the futures of those around him as he merely sought power, Kieran disliked the Shadow Cartel's ways and the message they sent.

The fact the Shadow Cartel targeted his earlier party members was a sign that they didn't respect his abilities as a player. If he wasn't respected, many guilds would ultimately try to target him during his rise.

Thus if he couldn't be respected, he would at least be feared by making a statement out of the Shadow Cartel. 

As she listened to Kieran speak and looked at his cold gaze, Aspaira gulped with a subtle tremble. 'T-that… he feels so horrifying!' 

Aspaira felt palpable bloodlust, something Kieran gained after years of fighting inside Zenith Online. It was something embedded within him, so the rebirth changed nothing regarding this fact.

On the contrary, if Kieran had to judge his current bloodlust, it felt enhanced. This enhancement likely resulted from the circumstances of his initial death.

After mustering the courage to speak, Aspaira's tone sounded fragile and meek. "When you said we'll get them back in blood, what did you mean?"

"It naturally means we'll strike them the same way you guys were struck. The hunted are about to go on a hunt," Kieran answered, his detached gaze looking past Aspaira.

"U-um… is that really the best idea? I understand the hostility between us now, but that party moves as a cohesive unit. In comparison, our slipshod party will be trampled upon!" Aspaira voiced her concern clearly despite her fear.

"Trampled upon?" Kieran parroted, falling silent for a moment. His expression grew complex as he ultimately cracked a sliver of a smile. "I doubt they can trample us, not when everyone's focus will be elsewhere soon enough."

Aspaira was taken aback by Kieran's confidence. Sure he had led them to clear the Forest of Beasts on the highest difficulty, but Aspaira couldn't ignore her doubts. This was an entire guild that moved with cohesiveness.

"How can you be so sure that we won't be trampled upon?" Aspaira questioned.

"Do you recall our reward for obtaining Grifear's First Blood achievement?" Kieran answered.

Aspaira nodded with a glimpse of excitement radiating from her gaze. "Of course! It caused an uproar despite the concealed information. If I'm not mistaken, a Field Boss should be appearing shortly, right?"

"Precisely. And when the Field Boss appears, players will flock to it in an attempt to kill it and gain the loot. The Shadow Cartel will naturally be amongst those players," Kieran explained.

Realization hit Aspaira as she widened her eyes with a deep gasp. "No way! Rather than deal with the situation, wouldn't that make things worse? What if they're vengeful!"

"Oh, I count on it. The more vengeful and foolish they are, the more they'll ruin their chances within Zenith Online. I may be one person, but even if I am alone, I'm still a force to be reckoned with," Kieran answered confidently, which sounded borderline arrogant.

After a brief pause, Kieran changed the subject. "Back to my previous question, how many coins and items did you drop?"

The question made Aspaira smile bitterly, but she answered regardless. "If we included the worth of the dropped items, I believe we collectively lost around 2 Gold Coins. It would have been worse without our achievement rewards."

"Understood. Then we'll target them until I feel they've paid an adequate price," Kieran decided. 

The battle occurred after they accompanied Altair in leveling up, so their equipment didn't suffer too greatly. And for those that did drop, Aspaira shared some of the remaining loot to offset the losses.

The 2 Gold Coin approximation was a moderate estimate, but given the continuously rising price of equipment, it was liable to be much higher in reality.

Afterward, Kieran reviewed a few additional matters with Aspaira before exiting the shop. 

During that time, Altair's blanked-out icon flashed, becoming radiant afterward, which symbolized his status changing from offline to online.

'It's pretty late, but considering that I know nothing about his life, it's likely that Altair had other matters to tend to before coming online,' Kieran thought.

Kieran considered giving Altair a call, but then there was no reason to because Altair reached out to him first, leading Kieran to merge the two video calls and make something like a conference call with Altair and Aspaira.

"Yo! Have you checked the forum within the last hour?" Altair asked.

"I haven't," Kieran admitted. 

He was too busy setting up the meeting with Dr. Riley to pay attention to anything regarding the game's forum right now. "Is there something important that I missed?"

"Well, there's a buzz about the Field Boss appearing because of our First Blood achievement.  With all the hype there, I feel like nabbing another achievement should be in order," Altair suggested.

Increased activity on the forums was a natural outcome when anything substantial occurred within the game, so Kieran wasn't overly reactive to Altair's comment. 

However, he would be lying if he said he didn't agree with Altair's last words.

The presence of a Field Boss could be more than just an opportunity to exact revenge if they played their cards right.

"Is there any information regarding what type of Field Boss it is?" Aspaira asked curiously.

"No, but I doubt it'll be a weak monster. Because of Aatrox's actions, many Beginner Villages are reaching a point where they're likely to trigger a Field Boss. If it's anything like the old VRMMORPG titles, Field Bosses will require a large combatant force! I want to beat it now!" Altair exclaimed with sparkling eyes.

The allure of a strong Field Boss and its loot made him practically salivate.

However, Kieran shook his head at Altair's naive excitement, "You know that a Field Boss and a Dungeon Boss are two completely different challenges, right? You really shouldn't compare a Dungeon Boss to a Field Boss."

"What…? Why not?" Altair muttered with a slightly deflated expression present behind his scarf.

"First of all, as the name insinuates, a Field Boss thrives within a certain field. Now, can you tell me what that means?"

Altair's initial response was knitted brows because he failed to grasp what Kieran was hinting at. 

'Were all Boss Monsters not the same?' Altair thought to himself.

The answer was no.

Aside from ranking, categorization already existed. While ranking determined a Boss Monster's general attributes and power level, categorization specified its unique abilities. 

Dungeon Boss, Field Boss, World Boss—these were all types of categorization. 

Eventually, Altair realized the issue with his way of grasping Boss Monsters. "A Field Boss isn't limited by the party restriction of a dungeon!"

"Precisely."

"If that's the case, then players have a rude awakening in their midst. So, does that mean we'll be teaming up to wreak havoc once more?" Altair's eyes flashed with a mischievous intent that couldn't be concealed.

However, Kieran looked toward Aspaira's screen for a moment before answering. "What do you say? Are you confident enough to join us in a boss and player hunt, or will you remain within the village? Whatever you choose, I will not blame you for it."

"I see no reason not to. If you two are going, then I might as well accompany you to try and redeem myself and gain EXP in the process. After all, I don't like this sour taste in my mouth," Aspaira answered.

"It's settled then. Rally Sithik and Cygnus, then meet me at the gates of Gena Village."

"Sounds good," Altair remarked.

"Okay," Aspaira nodded.

A few seconds later, Kieran terminated the call and glanced toward the rendezvous point. 

Due to the rumors of the Field Boss circulating the forum space, many players ranging from Lv.9 to Lv.14 rushed out of Gena Village, and headed towards the Fanged Forest.

Aside from a cursory glance, Kieran ignored these cannon fodder players who flocked toward the hype the moment it appeared.

Roughly an hour later, Kieran met the others at the gate. Sithik and Cygnus bore sorry expressions, but before they could express their woes, Kieran raised his hand.

"Relax. I don't blame you guys. You were simply playing the game. Part of this game is dealing with malevolent players and their PK (player-killing) habits. Nevertheless, I promise you'll have your revenge by the end of our escapade."

After uttering this promise, Kieran led everyone to venture toward the Fanged Forest.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
ApexPen ApexPen

Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.

Thank you, guys!

P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:

Chapter 36: Making Preparations

On their journey to the Fanged Forest, Kieran raised some questions with Sithik and the others. Although their starting skill was truly inferior, it wasn't so bad that they were unteachable.

Not to mention, the fact that they were drawn into conflict created by his actions made Kieran consider the future. 'Though I'm aware of what players will become true powerhouses, that doesn't exactly help my situation. Being aware of them and successfully attracting them are two different feats.'

Unfortunately, even though he was against placing his trust in people, Kieran understood that some matters in the future couldn't be handled alone. There was a lot of content within Zenith Online that required a large party to participate.

Thus, even if Kieran's personal strength reached unimaginable heights, he still required at least a tight-knit circle of people that he could call upon. Naturally, Altair was a high contender on his list due to skill alone.

Moreover, after learning of the personality of Altair's younger self, Kieran's intentions were further solidified. 

"I know we skimmed across this topic within the dungeon earlier on. But now that we have a First Blood and a Zone-wide feat under our belt, what do you all intend to accomplish in the future? Where do you all see yourself?" Kieran suddenly asked.

The first to react to his question was Sithik, "I was never one to consider the future if I'm being honest, but I think it shouldn't be too bad."

"If money is your motivator, a good source of income would be choosing tradeskills that can be used to harvest," Kieran suggested.

However, this suggestion made Sithik grimace.

"Come on now! Do you know why I chose to be a Priest? Because it's admittedly the least amount of physical work! Do you think I joined this game to do manual labor? Hell no!" He exclaimed.

"Hehe," Cygnus giggled softly while listening to Sithik's heated response. His response fell well within her expectations of him, but she couldn't help but giggle.

Meanwhile, Aspaira spoke up, "Erm, if I'm being honest, I was on the fence about becoming an Alchemist, but I feel like I should stop being so skeptical and go for it once the opportunity arises."

"An Alchemist?" Kieran commented, turning toward Aspaira. "That's not a bad decision, but it'll take ample work—repetitive failures and grueling research."

"Erm, if I'm being honest, I'm familiar with the things you just mentioned. But I can't help but be interested after gathering some information on the forums. It seems very useful and profitable," Aspaira answered.

Due to his surprise, Kieran gave Aspaira a look that sought further clarification.

"Ah. My day job is a pharmaceutical engineer. So failure and research are nothing new to me. Besides, the thought of unearthing new alchemic recipes is somewhat enticing."

Once Aspaira revealed her career path, everyone immediately turned toward her in utter disbelief.

"No way! I can't believe someone like you has that type of job." Altair shook his head.

He couldn't believe that Aspaira possessed the temperament required for a professional career in the broad medical field.

"What are you trying to say?!" Aspaira pursed her lips, seemingly offended by Altair's comment. "Is it that hard to believe that I hold a doctorate degree?"

"Simply put… yes. You lack a certain je ne sais quoi generally attributed to doctors and such," Altair said after trying to put his thoughts into words. 

"That's like… so rude!" Aspaira exclaimed with a disgruntled pout. Once she began pouting, Aspaira no longer spoke on the subject.

Nevertheless, Kieran cut through the silent atmosphere with a proposal. "I have a few scrolls that could be helpful in replacing the funds you have lost. However, if replacing your lost funds isn't alluring, you could just ignore my statement."

"Does it require work?" Sithik questioned with narrowed eyes, skeptically analyzing Kieran.

"Naturally," Kieran admitted. "Nothing is given for free. You'll have to at least put in a minimum amount of effort to reap adequate results. Again, I'm not forcing you. It's for you to decide."

Before answering, Sithik looked around as if he was looking for suggestions, but everyone else shrugged. It was up to him to decide for himself.

"Ugh, okay! Fine! Just make sure it's not too damned hard, will ya?" Sithik exclaimed, while grabbing the tradeskill scroll from Kieran's palm. After learning it, Sithik found out it was the Harvesting tradeskill.

"Whenever the chance arises, put the tradeskill to great use."

The Fanged Forest was filled with places to harvest, so it was an excellent place to train the Harvest tradeskill during its lower levels. Aside from Sithik, Cygnus, and Altair similarly picked up the Harvest tradeskill.

A few hours later…

Kieran and the others reached the area of the Fanged Forest that spawned Lv.8 to Lv.12 beast-type monsters, but it was far from enough. Because of this, it wasn't an ideal location for Kieran to farm EXP and return them to their proper levels.

Thus, Kieran only stopped moving once he neared the forest's core regions.

The wolves present in this area were incomparable to the ones Kieran faced off against to complete his quest. They were on par with Shadow Wolves in terms of size but lacked the presence of an attribute.

In exchange for this lack of attributes, Kieran could tell their attributes were more robust. They were incomparable to the ones from both. Not only was their size close to the Shadow Wolves found in the dungeon, but they appeared more robust.

「Lv.14 Giant Wolf (Elite)

Beast Type

Health: 2,600/2,600 (100%) 」

'Time to test out the effects of everything,' Kieran thought. 

Within a second, Kieran brandished his Novice Greatsword and activated Warrior's Aura whilst dashing toward the nearest Giant Wolf. The moment he entered battle, his expression became callous and his gaze cold.

Whoosh!

The Giant Wolf unhesitatingly pounced toward Kieran, but before it could land a swipe, Kieran ducked and sidestepped simultaneously, executing a powerful forward rush when his foot contacted the ground. 

"Charge!"

-500 «Stunned»

Once he stunned the Giant Wolf, Kieran backpedaled and jumped. Once in position, he spun and lashed out his greatsword, aiming a terrifying blow at the center of the wolf's back. 

"Savage Break!"

-947

〈Battle Alert: The «Giant Wolf's» DEF has been reduced by 25%〉.

After receiving the alert, Kieran unleashed a diagonal Force Slash, discharging a surge of condensed pressure.

Whoosh! Bang!

-1,845! 〈«Critical Hit»

'It has become much more fluid after resting. Though it has its drawbacks, my H-COS activating could also be seen as a true gift in combat,' Kieran thought.

An effortless and seamless execution of a Lv.14 Elite Monster. Although Kieran was a few levels higher than the monster, it didn't detract from his ability to slay an Elite Monster alone.

Most players couldn't boast of this feat due to their lack of attributes.

〈System: You have gained 1,100 EXP.〉

Even if he unleashed a critical hit, his average damage was already remarkably high.

"Animal abuse," Altair commented with a slight chuckle. He then turned to the next Giant Wolf with a fervent gleam in his eyes.

Kieran's effortless execution of the Giant Wolf spurred Altair's competitive spirit. Since he had similarly reached a high level after Kieran lent him the Medallion of Growth, Altair wanted to test how his output and skill compared to Kieran's.

Altair immediately activated Swift Steps and brandished his Quicksilver Daggers with remarkable precision. As Kieran watched Altair in action, his eyes narrowed.

'His AGI…' Kieran thought to himself. 'Though it's evident he activated a skill, I can't overlook how fast a Thief can become. Still, in terms of combat experience, he's not yet my rival as of now.'

Once the Swift Steps wore off, while Altair continued to unleash whirlwind-like movements, he suffered many close calls against the Giant Wolf. 

It was truly a formidable opponent for players with an Intermediate Class, even a player of Altair's mechanical skill. Nevertheless, Altair emerged victorious against the Giant Wolf nearly five minutes later.

〈System: You have gained 1,100 EXP.〉

After watching Altair fight against the Giant Wolf, a wicked gleam surfaced in Kieran's eyes. 'I know exactly what I'll do to those fools. It's only been a day, but creating another source of income wouldn't hurt at all.'

Such an event should undoubtedly garner a large buzz, especially since his last stream, which players continued to rave about on Zenith Online's official forums. 

Of course, though he was excited and somewhat impatient, Kieran couldn't simply rush his actions. He had to be cunning and meticulous for everything to fall into place like a well-mapped domino pattern. 

The element of surprise was his main advantage given his extremely limited forces.

Therefore, Kieran only etched out the plan mentally for the time being.

While slowly venturing toward the place where the Field Boss was rumored to be sighted, Kieran and his team continued to steamroll many Giant Wolves.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
ApexPen ApexPen

Make sure to point out any spelling errors, grammar errors, or numbers/information that wasn't properly updated so I can immediately rectify those issues.

Thank you, guys!

P.S: A LOT of game terminology will appear in the novel, because well, I'm a gamer. :shrug:

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