As it stood, Kieran had no enmity with the Sunset Triad. However, they were a guild of similar notoriety to the Shadow Cartel, which was why Kieran was so impolite and ill-mannered.
He understood that the universal language in the Underworld was violence, particularly threats of an obscene nature.
Because of this, however, Horizon Break chuckled as if he had heard the most amusing joke on Earth.
Horizon Break's chuckle soon grew into boisterous laughter as he clutched his stomach. "Kid, you're really full of jokes! I guess you feel powerful because you avoided some arrows, broke some binding spells, and eliminated players of admittedly shitty skill."
At the end of Horizon Break's words, his expression grew serious before darkening. "Unfortunately, as a member of the Underworld and the Guild Master of Sunset Triad that has endeavored in many VR Titles, I feel like I should respond to this threat."
Unlike Despot, who was a Thief, Horizon Break was a Hunter, partially because he favored guns in the real world. Sadly, there was no gunman option amongst the basic classes.
With that said, Horizon Break lifted his bow toward Kieran and drew back on its bowstring.
"Kyakakaa!" Despot cackled, his eyes flashing with wicked pleasure. 'You damned fool. Did you think you could handle two guilds on your own? Not possible!'
The further Horizon Break drew back the string on his bow, the more Kieran felt it was undoubtedly a Rare Weapon. The quality and light shimmer of the material it was made from somewhat caught Kieran's eyes.
'It would appear the wicked are sometimes rewarded well. Unfortunately for these fools, my rustiness continues to dissipate. That's not ideal for them,' Kieran thought.
In response to Horizon Break's actions, Kieran lifted his Novice Greatsword with a calm expression, unperturbed by his surroundings.
Though the bow seemed exceptional to current players, Kieran understood that a powerful weapon meant nothing if the damage it could muster never met a target.
"You speak as if the Underworld, or more specifically, the insignificant lackeys of it, are meant to be feared. Perhaps you should let go of your pipedreams as a washed-up old man. This isn't the realm of skeletons. Your brain must already be deteriorating now that you've become a senile bastard," Kieran mocked with a derisive sneer.
Kieran was far from being an amateur when it came to being venomous with words. As someone skilled in mental warfare, Kieran understood what kind of remark was most effective against his opponent.
In this case, Kieran mentioning Horizon Break's age was a sore spot.
It was no speculation that Horizon Break's age had reached a point where his cognitive abilities would start declining. In fact, this was one of the reasons why he was merely regarded as an elite and couldn't step into the realm of Rankers.
Horizon Break would lose every time against a young Ranker in their prime.
Needless to say, against someone like Kieran, he simply wasn't a match. Alas, this wasn't something Horizon Break would admit without at least mending his bruised ego.
"Snot-nosed little brat! I'll for damn sure put you in your place," Horizon Break shouted.
All of a sudden, his bowstring vibrated as Horizon Break plucked it.
Not long after, an arrow sped toward Kieran, eventually gaining two additional copies of inferior presence.
The copies were the special abilities of this bow, which consumed the user's Mana to create two doppelgangers of the arrow that was shot out, each dealing 20% of the original arrow's damage.
As Kieran analyzed the incoming attack, Kieran shook his head and sighed.
"The only one to blame in this situation will be you. I warned you not to be a nosy geezer and stick your unsightly nose where it doesn't belong, but very well. I understand that you people of the Underworld lack basic comprehension skills."
A second later, Kieran unleashed the reason he taunted Horizon Break in the first place. Force Slash had a few seconds left on its cooldown period, so Kieran had to ensure Horizon Break didn't immediately attack after Despot requested aid.
"Damn you! Don't you know how to shut that big mouth of yours?!" Horizon Break roared.
However, this incensed response only served to make Kieran chuckle.
Though, as Kieran studied the incoming arrow further, he noticed a thin air shell around the leading arrow. This phenomenon usually meant the arrow in question was incredibly fast and possibly augmented.
'Oh? What a nasty guy he is. He must have used Accel Shot, which lacks any indicators of its activation. Anyhow… let's entertain him for a bit. For opponents like these, it's best to give them false hope.'
Rather than waste his skill, Kieran raised Novice Greatsword and defended as if he had no other options.
Tang!
-128! «Critical»
[Aatrox's Health: 300/535]
After defending against this Accel Shot, Kieran took a few steps back.
"Hahaha! All that talk, and you couldn't even dodge that arrow?" Horizon Break reacted smugly, immediately moving to mock Kieran as the latter had expected.
'I swear, people like this are of one corroded mind. It's as if they're senseless buffoons—a uniform cog in an otherwise redundant and foolish machine,' Kieran inwardly thought.
However, Horizon Break's laughter was abruptly cut short after looking at his battle log. 'That's it?! What the hell is that monstrous DEF?!'
Though it was an admittedly basic skill, Accel Shot was known for being a Hunter's most practical skill. Not only did the attack have an increased chance of inflicting a Critical Hit, but the attack itself ignored 40% of the user's DEF.
Based on this effect, the damage should have been much higher than 120. This left Horizon Break to believe Kieran's DEF was on par with some Knights.
Of course, Horizon Break wasn't aware that Kieran's level had almost reached the minimum required to attempt his Class Promotion.
Once he dealt with the aftermath of the Accel Shot, Kieran shook off the damage and smiled. Thanks to Horizon Break's initial attack, Kieran was locked in "PK Defender" mode.
Which meant any move he made in retaliation wouldn't contribute to elevating his Infamy.
As Kieran enjoyed this advantage, a thought crossed Horizon Break's mind. 'If he's a Warrior that focuses on STR, END, and perhaps also VIT given his Health, wouldn't that mean AGI is his weakness? As long as I keep him at range…'
Before Horizon Break could think any further, his eyes widened as he witnessed Kieran rushing toward him at incredible speeds. This didn't seem like the AGI of a Warrior that didn't focus on the stat.
"What the hell?!" Horizon Break exclaimed, instinctively nocking another arrow on his bow. He considered directing more of his lackeys to deal with Kieran, but they couldn't ignore the threat of the Colossal Scarlet Wolf.
If too much of the strike force was repositioned to take out Kieran, who was being supported by Sithik and Cygnus in the distance, the Field Boss would be free to do as it pleased, reaping the lives of many players with little difficulty.
All of a sudden, as Horizon Break prepared for Kieran to rush him, Kieran immediately altered directions, cutting toward the remaining Healers that attempted to flee.
Soon, a strong gale encompassed his blade before Kieran unhesitantly released it.
The message embedded in this action was clear—even with all of you present, I will do as I please.
"This asshole! Get him! I don't care how many of you it needs to be, kill that Warrior and that Thief! Now!" Horizon Break bellowed.
He felt as if Kieran had just made a fool of him, belittling him in the presence of his lackeys and, ostensibly, his peer.
Another wave of attacks, spells, and projectiles aimed at Kieran and Altair graced the battlefield, but Kieran used the terrain to his advantage.
With great skill, he dashed behind large rocks to shield himself and weaved through some of the close-range Fighters and Thieves that approached him.
Because of this, it led to many of the attacks damaging their allied forces. As mentioned before, there was no such thing as friendly fire protection in Zenith Online. All attacks carried a risk of damaging allies on the battlefield.
For this reason, many forces took their time to train coordination to avoid these amateurish mistakes.
Unfortunately, Sunset Triad and Shadow Cartel could only be considered a ragtag group of ruffians who lacked the proper skill to be called veteran, skilled players.
Altair was a similarly hard-to-reach target, utilizing his augmented AGI at times to suddenly claim the lives of many like a grim reaper.
The effects of his dagger triggering its effect when Swift Steps were active led to a truly astonishing amount of speed for a Starter Character.
Eventually, Despot and Horizon Break decided that, with the threat of the Colossal Scarlet Wolf behind them and the mage on Kieran's side, Aspaira, occasionally unleashing commendable Flame Waves, a suicidal tactic was in order.
"We'll never be able to defeat the Field Boss like this. These two idiots are too much of a nuisance. We'll have to sacrifice our people and regroup here when all is said and done," Despot voiced.
"I agree. If we cause everyone to get wiped, we can regroup and try again before the others," Horizon Break consented.
However, right as these two decided to make a suicidal move. A loud voice sounded from behind Kieran.
"Haha! We meet again, you famous madlad. I couldn't help but notice that you might need some assistance. You've gotten embroiled in quite the conflict, eh? Perhaps we can be of some help?"
'This familiar voice?' Kieran thought, subtly turning his head. 'Ah… it's that Knight from before.'
Meanwhile, Despot furrowed his brows.
Had Kieran already grown to the point that newcomers would instead render aid to him rather than their organizations? Then again, it was understandable because their notorious reputation didn't paint them in the best light.
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:
While Kieran never got Bastion's name, he had already met him twice.
The first time was inside the Fanged Forest where Bastion unleashed a powerful Shield Tremor, while the second time was a brief encounter with his party when he reappeared from the Forest of Beasts dungeon.
As a result, he recognized his voice and appearance without knowing his name. Though, if Kieran was being honest, Bastion's current appearance was somewhat different.
Donned in thick plate armor, he looked no different from the paladins described in many of the ancient tales circulating throughout the world of Xenith. The only critique would be that he didn't seem as pristine or holy due to the dullness of his plate armor.
Additionally, Bastion lacked the holy poise and flawless inscriptions found on their pristine armor.
As Kieran laid his eyes upon Bastion, a question surfaced in his mind. 'Did he befriend the Knight Instructor like I did Scar? If he did… he may be taking the route of a Paladin. Though… that comes with its own share of weaknesses as well.'
While curious, Kieran didn't raise this question with Bastion. Instead, he responded to Bastion's offer. "If you're willing to make an enemy, then by all means."
"An enemy?" Bastion turned to look at both Despot and Horizon Break before emitting a burst of wheezing laughter. "These pieces of shit aren't worth being called an enemy! Ahaha!"
Bastion's blatant disregard and open mockery infuriated both of them, leading them to twitch in fury.
"What did this bastard just say?" Despot said through gnashed teeth.
"He's clearly asking for a beatdown. I think it's only right that our Sunset Triad and Shadow Cartel deliver it," Horizon Break replied, his expression darkening.
'I quite like this guy,' Kieran thought, chuckling to himself as he watched Despot and Horizon Break mald as a result of Bastion's statement.
A few seconds later, Bastion pointed forward. "Alice, Cyr—give these guys some assistance."
Thanks to Kieran's guide, Bastion learned from his mistakes on their first run and went on to clear the Forest of Beasts a few times.
Though the EXP experienced a precipitous drop, the items made the additional runs worth it to prepare for the Field Boss appearance mentioned in the announcements.
"With pleasure." Cyr grinned maniacally before suddenly disappearing with a speed that rivaled Altair. From this display, it was clear that Cyr's allocation behavior aligned with Kieran's suspicions.
'A full-AGI build Thief. It's viable for now, but it must change later,' Kieran thought.
Meanwhile, Alice held up a staff made of white oak with a tiny gem nestled in the groove prepared for it.
Sometime later, the gem reacted to Alice chanting a spell. As seen with the skills Aspaira unleashed, a Mage's fatal flaw was the requirement of chants.
However, the speed at which a Mage completed their chants was a symbol of talent.
Kieran's eyes sparkled briefly because the scene before him was like laying eyes upon a wonderland. 'This invocation rate… it's almost on par with a 1-circle Mage. They're truly exceptional.'
As Horizon Break watched Cyr and Altair utilize their high AGI to become menaces on the battlefield, he became so incensed he nearly pointed his finger through Despot's mouth. "This one is on you!"
"On the contrary, you're to blame. Take responsibility for your actions, you greedy fuck. You could have declined, but you didn't. All we can do now is gather everyone and attack properly with vengeance," Despot said, ignoring Horizon Break's criticism.
"That's a given. Do they think we'll take this loss sitting down? Don't even dream about it!" Horizon Break scoffed in response.
To try and avoid facing a severe penalty, they tried to log out. However, to their dismay, they found they couldn't log out in the middle of combat when deemed an Aggressor.
Except for physically fleeing the area or using special items outside the grasp of current players, running away was not an option within Zenith Online.
The only viable option was to die. And in doing so, have one's combat status reset.
As the two despaired over the fact they couldn't pull a fast one, two abnormally-sized Mana Missiles zeroed in on their position, claiming both of their lives at once.
A decent number of coins dropped alongside equipment, which included Horizon Break's bow.
Once he realized this had happened, Horizon Break would undoubtedly be livid about this matter.
With the disappearance of Despot and Horizon Break, the actions of the two guilds fell into disarray. From this, the weakness of third-class guilds that couldn't afford to have proper Vice Guild Masters of adequate leading capabilities became prevalent for all to see.
Once this disarray occurred, Kieran led the assault on all those unwilling to vacate the area. As a result, Kieran's Infamy Value very quickly neared the 3rd Degree threshold.
The only reason it didn't was because of the players that attacked him first in hopes of miraculously killing him.
Unfortunately for them, there were now three healers on their side, who, by working together, healed Kieran and the others quickly.
Soon enough, all that remained was Kieran's party, Bastion's party, and the remaining tens of players that were quickly being killed off by the Colossal Scarlet Wolf.
Ignoring the Colossal Scarlet Wolf, for the time being, Kieran turned his attention to Bastion's party.
Based on the skills exhibited by Bastion's party, he could tell they received the grace of the Knight, Priest, and Mage Instructors, which likely meant they obtained the Unique Starter Package for their respective class.
If this was true, having five people with unique advantages band together would be an unprecedented asset in trying to take down the Field Boss with limited numbers.
Therefore, Kieran looked at the others with a spirited gleam in his deep black eyes. "You down to raid this thing?"
"Like, right now?" Bastion answered with raised brows.
Since they had just consumed a considerable amount of Stamina against those players, it wouldn't be ideal to fight against the Field Boss right away.
Kieran naturally understood these concerns and felt the same way, prompting him to shake his head. "We'll wait until they're all dead and we recover properly."
"Hoh? So, you don't want to help them at all?" Bastion questioned in return.
Truth be told, he had no qualms about helping or not helping. Bastion only showed up to gain a portion of the EXP and hit Lv.20 so he could attempt his Class Promotion.
"Nope. They're of no importance to me. They chose to attempt the Field Boss, so they're welcome to resolve or not resolve the situation alone," Kieran said with an indifferent coldness.
Neither a martyr nor a saint, Kieran had no intentions of saving everyone. If they presented zero use to him, Kieran would simply let situations transpire as they should.
"Understood." Bastion nodded, looking at Kieran with a peculiar glint in his eyes.
'This guy is… strange. At times, he feels unapproachable and extremely cold. At other times, he feels… whimsical. Nevertheless, one thing remains true in his actions—he is one to end a problem even if it wasn't instigated by his hand.'
Overall, Bastion's impression of Kieran was as such—a person with a chaotic yet neutral outlook: a free spirit who prioritized their benefit above all else.
As he waited for the other players to be killed off, Kieran momentarily checked on the stream to note their reaction to the events that transpired.
┌───────────────────
«Stream Chat» -
«Ballbuster69» - Ngl, I may have busted his balls at first, but I kinda like this dude! RipBozo. Imagine PKing people only to turn around and get rolled. OmegaLul couldn't be me!
«GameStan» - Bwahahaha! They had no PASSION! They got shit on, and he gripped their shit! All that equipment down the damn drain. Git good you guys are butt and Aatrox is better! BETTER! :kekw:
«AvidCritique» - Trash cans, absolute trash cans! The Shadow Cartel and Sunset Triad are dog water! Pepegas. I can't even begin to fathom how much copium is required in the chat for them.
«CringeLord25» - Can we get an F in the chat for those bozos? Sadge. But hey, quick question. I heard this Aatrox guy is stacked in the face. Do you think a guy like this, who's already so good at the game, is maidenless? He must have no-lifed other VR titles! Damn, that's tuff dude.
└───────────────────
Unlike his first stream, many doubters no longer jeered Kieran. Instead, they supported him.
The community's harsh comments were now directed at those that opposed Kieran, which was understandable as it was typical behavior of people once they became fans.
They simply wouldn't tolerate any disrespect toward their idols or icons.
After checking the stream, Kieran noticed the Colossal Scarlet Wolf had become less active due to it finishing off all the remaining players. With them taken care of, Kieran could now move on.
"How do you feel about disbanding your party and forming a team with me?' Kieran questioned.
While a party was limited to 5 people, a team could accommodate up to 20 players at once.
So, it was ideal for people looking to raid things with uniform instructions. Just like with a party, there could only be one Team Leader recognized by Zenith Online's system.
It was a feature that few knew about because it had zero light shed upon it.
Though, in essence, it allowed two or more independent parties to act as one. However, doing so required one individual to take the mantle as the Alliance Leader.
"Any scruples with me being the leader? I won't touch the loot distribution method. But we also can't take much time to decide," Kieran asked, bringing their situation to everyone's attention.
They still needed to account for their small-scale team going up against a Field Boss with a considerable amount of Health and high attributes.
"Nah, I don't mind. Besides, that frees me up from having to make the calls. I can just… tank," Bastion said, chuckling somewhat sheepishly after gazing at the Colossal Scarlet Wolf in the distance.
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:
Until May 15th:
Release Rate: 9 ch/week
50 Power Stones = +1 Ch
100 Power Stones = +2 Ch
250 Power Stones = +3 Ch
500 Powers Stones = +5 Ch
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