章 13: Unexpected Developments

DeathTones arrived at the central plaza of the Forth Rite city after using [Greater Teleportation]. He couldn't immediately enter the city due to the magic defense towers that surrounded and isolated it from the outside world. No rouge magic casters could randomly teleport inside and cause havoc without first taking down those 5 towers.

Unfortunately, the city was only a small one and there was only a 3 pointed magic tower grid instead of the more secure 5 pointed or 7 pointed one. It couldn't be helped because the size of the city did not justify spending such large amounts on magical defenses and it is beside the point that rarely anything in the 3rd Zone could threaten a city with a 3 pointed magic tower defense grid.

DeathTones hurried inside the gate after flashing his guild insignia to the remaining wood elven guards on duty. They were the reject guards and not the advance forces that were sent out with the main army. Many of them were retired veterans, or had issues caused by age or war wounds: some of them were missing legs and arms. DeathTones took a glance at a few of what was left of his precious investment's defenses.

========***++++***========

[Race]: Wood-Elf

Level: 28

Hp: 36

Mp: 17

========***++++***========

"Tsk*" He clicked his tongue in annoyance. These NPCs would barely hold back the goblins, let alone the plant army that was on its way here. He recalled the scenes of the number one player's actions from the video, his gleeful laughter, and his monstrous Super-Tier spell he launched earlier.

"Only a Super Tier Spell or Supreme Skill could change the situation now." He muttered in thought as he tried to strategize a thousand different plans and ideas. He had to admit that he was on the back foot here and there wasn't much he could do other than slow the forces down a bit, maybe preparing a few city defenses? No, there was absolutely no way to beat those primordial living lands. Who was he kidding? He was level 49... it might even nullify his damage directly when attacking it.

"The only way to win.... the only way... there has to be a way" he paced back and forth. He looked like an anxious and raggedly tired man with his baggy eyes and pale skin. Suddenly, he thought of something.

"Ahh! Those bastards that had that lucky loot drop in the beginning!" He remembered a rumor going around the area of a party snatching a JackPot Steal effect on a Pay2Win player who was nonresponsive at the time.

'I've got to find them. If they really have the [Shooting Star] ring, then perhaps we have a chance. But first, I need to slow things down as much as possible.' he thought.

He walked up onto the city wall and overlooked the distant [Star-Dust Swampforest]. He could see the towering Primordial Living Lands were only a few more minutes away from reaching the city. They traveled fast. He put his mana into a spell and cast his highest Tier spell he had [Undeath Army]. Necrotic mana pulsed out with a negative aura as 7 rings formed in his spell.

"[Triplet Extend Magic: Undeath Army]"

After the spell was cast, a huge horde of undead appeared out in front of the city wall. Everything from the variant Zombie, to skeletons, skeleton warriors, zombie dogs, or other flesh-eating undead creatures. He then started casting the 6th Tier spell [Summon Undead: 6th]

"[Triplet Extend Magic: Summon Undead: 6th]"

An [Elder Lich] appeared after the spell ended and he quickly commanded it as a lieutenant in his forces. The AI was then designated to be able to make decisions on behalf of its forces.

(Author's Note: Not sure if the Elder Lich is considered a 6th-tier undead, but whatever.)

'Now that that's taken care of, I will put out a search order for those goons. What was the leader's name the bragger thief always mentioned? DinnerFork? DinnerPlate?' DeathTones thought to himself as he made his way off the wall by casting the [Fly] spell on himself. His guild had a high reputation and he was allowed to fly within the city. He flew around searching, all the while sending out a notice through his guild for any information about them or if they knew of anyone who had an item capable of using a Super Tier Spell like the [Shooting Star] ring. He only had a few minutes left of peace.

...

10 minutes later, On the Outside of the Forth Rite City.

Treech's Primordial Living Lands walked through the waves of undead as if they were air to them. The tiny, human-sized, undead were barely even an ant to them. They immediately went and started attacking the nearest magic grid defense tower. The tower was the same size as them and was built out of incredibly strong metal. It would take a few minutes before they could destroy it. They dug under the ground and dried to lift it, but it wouldn't budge. They could only attack it with their pitiful attack level compared to their defense. But it was slow and steady progress till the tower's destruction.

Treech's strode forth with his nature army surrounding him. He noticed the Elder Lich right away, along with the horde of varying undead.

"Undead huh? So uncivilized." Treech snorted as he made a motion with his hands to attack. At the same time, designating an Elder treant that was summoned as a lieutenant in the army. And promptly right after, he activated his High-Command Skill: Morale Boost once again. The mood of the nature army skyrocketed as they fought with the undead creatures. Especially those who fought next to the Elder Treant lieutenant affected by Morale Boost. Their attacks were especially fierce.

Treech glanced around cautiously as he neared the city because even though he could tank a lot of damage right now, he was not immune to crowd control effects like stun, confusion, sleep, or the like. He knew that he had given the enemy some 10 minutes to prepare already. Thus, he somewhat expected some form of resistance when he arrived and was not too surprised to see a large undead horde was summoned to defend the city.

"It would be so much easier if I could just bring down a 10th Tier spell on the city without all this work," Treech mumbled to himself as he glanced at the grid defense towers that the living lands were beating on.

"Alright, let's finish this up, breakthrough, and help the Living Lands tear down their city's magical defense grid." Treech psyched himself up as much as he could. He felt the excitement of the battle already fading, as his dull eyes looked over the already conquered city in his eyes. He had hoped for a few more surprises. But just as he had this thought, he heard a message come through to him from DeathTones.

"Hello, is this Treech?" A tired-sounding voice asked.

"Yes... and you must be the guild master of [GiggleHeart], DeathTones. " Treech answered with slight interest. Nobody had called him before like this when they were about to lose. Was he going to negotiate?

"Well, this... we were wondering if you would want to meet somewhere and talk... we.. " he started explaining his reasons for the call, but was interrupted by Treech's small laughter.

"Haha, you are funny. What is there to talk about?"

DeathTones was silent for a few seconds which lasted far too long and Treech started to get suspicious that something was up. And it was. Treech was hit to the side as a silently cast [Silent Magic: Hell Flame] stuck to him and continued to deal damage to him. The fire was black and it continued to burn until its target burned to ashes. But Treech merely looked at his black flame-covered body with interest. The damage he was taking continued to be 1s as 60% of it was transferred and further divided between the Primordial Living Lands in the distance.

(Author's Note: Alexa, play my boss music playlist. Alexa: Now Playing... [Self-Embodiment of Perfection OST])

"How the hell? Aren't you a Treant? Their weakness is fire!" DeathTones gawked seeing the burning Treech nonchalantly chilling while being burned by a flame that would burn until its target was reduced to ashes. His visage looked really awesome right now. He was covered in black and dark-red flames, glancing at his arm in wonder, while the leaves on his branches flickered with silver and green.

"Haha, what does your HUD say? And nice to meet you too, Mr. Tones. " Treech chuckled slightly. Treech would normally have the racial weakness of fire for treants, but it was negated by the Star-Dust race's ability [Heat Resistance].

"You... you really make me mad." DeathTones scrunched up his face in fury.

All his investments were going up in smoke. All his plans to scheme the other two guilds into helping him conquer the Labyrinth of Khiss were being used by another person just to destroy everything he has built! Now that person was joking with him? As his plans fall apart? Unacceptable!

"[Maximize Magic: Freeze Lance]"

"[Extend Magic: Lopsided Duel]"

"[Maximize Magic: Silver Lance]"

DeathTones cast spells in succession. Each time he hit Treech with a spell, he tried to notice if there was any change or giveaway that he had finally found a weakness. But he did not find anything of use. His HUD appearance concealed all his important information. He cast Lopsided Duel to ensure that if Treech tried to teleport anywhere and escape, he would come with him.

He sent a message with the [Message] spell towards DinnerPlate and his party to start activating the [Shooting Star] ring and wish for the Primordial Living Lands to be unsummoned using the super tier spell, [Wish Upon A Star]. He had promised him that he would compensate him for their loss in levels if they helped save the city. Now all he needed to do here was distract Treech for about a minute or two from reaching the location along the walls, where Dinnerplate was activating the ring.

"Curious. You have some plan to turn this situation around. I commend you for not giving up yet." Treech said with an interesting expression on his face. He was watching his expression and he wasn't experiencing despair, but he seemed to have some hope left.

"Then I will play with you for a little while. [Triplet Extend Magic: Star Blind]"

Treech cast the 7th Tier Astromancer class spell, Star Blind, making it impossible to see in the direction he cast the spell. A bright white light/orb floated like a constant flashbang, blocking all vision in that direction.

'What is that spell?! All his spells are of a unique magic caster class. I can guess the druid class from the video, but these I am not familiar with.' DeathTones thought to himself.

At this time, the astromancer class had not yet been known to the Yggdrasil community so of course he would be confused about the spells he used. Treech restored his status by using a ring he had, to cast "Greater Restoration", removing the black hellfire status effect. Then the fight continued. Treech and DeathTones continued on, back and forth for another minute, with DeathTones mostly probing Treech with attacks. Treech didn't seem like he was really going all out here, he was leisurely casting spells and he barely moved from his position. He was more than 30 levels higher than DeathTones, after all.

"[Maximize Magic: North Star]"

Treech cast another unfamiliar spell. A star appeared above Treech and shined a ray of light, like a spotlight at DeathTones. Everywhere it passed, left a flash-frozen ground of ice underneath it.

"[Flame Wings]" DeathTones leaped into the air with firey coated wings on his back. Flying speedily away from Treech.

"[Skill: Canopy Overgrowth]" Treecha activated his racial class skill of the Treant class. His branches over his head sprung out like extending arms and rushed to pull DeathTones down to the ground from the sky.

"[Teleportation]!" DeathTones hurriedly teleported a few meters away. He stood there for a few moments to catch his breath.

DeathTones finally got the message he was hoping for after delaying Treech for so long. Dinnerplate notified him that the cast time for [Wish Upon A Star] was done and now he only needed to sacrifice the experience and wish. He laughed a little as he finally felt something was going right.

"Hehe, Treech I'm sorry to say this, but you won't take MY city after all."

(Author's Note: I tried to add a magic caster fight, but the MC is way ahead in levels right now so there is basically no suspense. Sorry lol)

(Author's Note: I added my Pat reon if you feel like donating a few dollars. Then that's great. https://www.pat reon.com/foxspy?fan_landing=true)