Chapter 19

The Destroyer’s Might

Rafaela was enjoying the sight. Her personality who loved to tease people resurfaced as a sadistic Witch who only used her power to stop people from entering the area behind her.

Majority of the men, of course, was much obliged as they all only cared about looking at the visible part of Rafaela’s skin, her legs, on a cross legged position with her right leg on top. The chair was utterly frightening with all those combined arms of the dead as the seats, their legs as the support, their bodies as the base, and a few stretched hands as an armrest.

She sat on some sort of elevated throne made up of dead bodies who looked no more less than a real queen of the damned. Still, her charms were no joke as the leg that was on top of the other came from the small slit on her Mage’s Gown.

Her white skin glowed ever so beautiful in the warm light of the Sol and amplified her beauty with all those grey strikes on her hair that made her look intelligent.

“You boys better stay here with me…or you will be killed on the other side.”

‘I will kill you myself!’

‘You’re not that…amazingly, beautiful…’

‘You’re not helping!’

‘Stop showing off your…beautiful, sexy, legs!’

‘That’s what you’re concerned about?’

‘I’m prettier than you!’

‘This is not a contest of who’s prettier!’

The girls were all really mad. They never ceased to release arrows and spells, depleting their manna reserve and using items to recover them. Attacks came one after another and all the time, the number of corpses that she summoned never seemed to stop. Or if she had to put it in her own words, there was actually a seemingly endless supply of materials just behind the 30m wall of the walking dead.

“Let us through!” Shouted a voice from the back and it was a male’s voice that made the girls’ attacks stop.

“Oh, so there was someone like him…is he gay?”

“My name is Cramer from the Tower of Sol Guild. I need to get to the other side. Let me through.”

“Oh…” Rafaela narrowed her eyes while wearing a probing smile. “I see…so you basically want to test your strength on him?”

The answer of the queen of the damned made all the girls’ words, even the boys’ adornment stop. That’s because Cramer was a known figure and the words they heard from the Witch was enough to trust his honest claim.

“Yes.” Cramer said and slowly made his way to the front of the group, 30m away from Rafaela. “And I do believe that no matter what your reasons for doing this is to buy some time for your ally to escape me.”

The circle of dead bodies began to tremble as a loud sound of explosion along with a flash of light came from behind. The explosion made Rafaela’s expression shake as she felt the tension on the other side getting far from being controlled. And truthfully, since she was the one closest from the real happenings there, she could tell that The Destroyer had unleashed that skill.

But then there was another voice who came from the crowd, from Cramer’s left side.

“I am a mercenary from Dakar. My name is the FlowerLord…I…”

“Oh, I know you darling.” Teased Rafaela. “We are from the same city and you are my senior from the Item Trading Post.”

“Then you already know what I am here.”

“I do.” She said and the throne of dead bodies that was raised ten meters high began to descend. “And let me warn all of you here. I am stopping you not because I am protecting him, I am stopping you because I am protecting you.”

The words bade a warning and as well as a threat.

While the noise of the war still lingered in all the directions of the battlefield, this single area here that was now a wide stretch of over a hundred meters is the sole area that was enclosed inside a wall.

They were directly at the middle of the battlefield, and yet, it was the most peaceful secluded area by the 30m high walls of the dead.

And by the time that those Air Infantry Units that numbered at about over a hundred, realized that the wall of the dead was continuously expanding on both sides, that’s where their silenced faces began to worry.

Technically they could fly but equipping the Flight Suit again when they had already unequipped it would take at least two seconds. They can’t let their guard down in front of the Witch. Who knows, they might get attacked while they were changing. After all, her army of the dead that was a wildly known mystery since Malecite of the Alcides Guild showcased it, had a hard reputation of being a really powerful high level magic spell.

But what they realized that made them more anxious is how is she getting those seemingly endless stock of dead corpses. Because as far as these high rank players know, this skill is limited by its AOE. And Rafaela has never moved once from where she was.

“Protecting us?” Yelled a girl sarcastically. “Hmp. I ain’t gonna take that bs. That’s just an excuse to buy you time.”

“Y-Yeah!” Added another girl that made the others agreed with cheers. “She’s right! You’re just buying time to get away!”

“What are we waiting for then? Attack her!”

“WAIT!” FlowerLord screamed that made them all stop from her tracks. “What She’s saying is true. Didn’t you guys noticed? We’ve been locked inside this circle for quite some time now!”

“She’s right.” Cramer added with a smug. “Even if her ability is limited by how wide her AOE is, the wall kept getting higher bit by bit! And look!” He pointed on the wall on their general right. “That part there is made up purely of those Masked Men.”

The sight was around 60m away but from an archer’s view it looked like half of it. FlowerLord was also aware of this that’s why she did all she did.

It was a true.

That part of the wall of corpses was filled with solidified Zombies wearing masks. And even if there are those who denies it, they can’t deny the fact that who ever killed those guys killed them all in one single swoop since they were added up on the lump like paste.

“I would assume that he’s the one who did it.” He added and Cramer took an excited pose. “So please… please…I beg you…LET ME FIGHT HIIIIMMM…”

His eyes told Rafaela that he was a man who lived to fight. A man who gets pumped up with brawls. A man who only thinks of fighting and was actually waiting for such an opportunity to fight a strong guy,

She wasn’t a stone cold person who would deny that opportunity from him.

On the other hand, the girl who introduced herself as FlowerLord had an expression that told her the she was just here now because of pride. Call it a girl’s instincts, but that same instinct was telling her that this girl is one of those that doesn’t want to lose to men.

A contest, if she had to put it into words. Her mature intellect told her that this girl is a modern woman who never turns her back on challenges. She has a fighter’s spirit and she admires people like that.

“Very well.” Rafaela made a warm smile and stood up from her throne. “I will let the two of you pass.” As she spoke, two entrances came from the left side and it was clearly a safe place to enter the other side for there were minimal explosions coming from that location. “Remember this,” She told the two who was keeping a safe distance from each other. “If you lose to him, just remember that you fought The Destroyer. That in itself is already an honor.”

Shocked, Cramer’s eyes widened but it was only for a short while as he made a laugh and acted as if it was something that he only now realized, screaming that it was “Destiny! This is destiny!” and laughed as he ran towards the first entrance.

“The Destroyer?” FlowerLord stopped and leaned back before entering the entry. “Are you his woman?”

“No.” Rafaela had the same warm smile. “But let me tell you this, he’s my man and I won’t share him with any other unworthy woman.” And Rafaela made a smile that sent shivers on both the fans and the other female players that’s a part of the AIU of the TGG.

It was a kind of smile that came from a jealous wife, restrained with the dignity of a queen. But FlowerLord also smiled as she answered, “Don’t worry,” and took her strides with plumed vigor, “I have no interest on violent men.”

“Then good luck and I hope you survive.” She said and closed the entrance again.

“Hey what about us?” Asked the commander of the TGG’s AIU. “Let us through!”

“Are your comprehension really that low?” Rafaela’s eyes were now serious and her expression bade an aura of threatening existence. “I said I will only let those two pass.” Then she sat back from her throne, “Well then, if you really want to go there, why don’t you try?” and did a hand swipe that made Zombies from atop the wall jump down and surrounded them. “If you are strong enough to even get close to me, then I will consider the thought of letting you go.”

And thus, as the threat materialized into zombies who only does violence and nothing more, the AIU had regretted the fact that with all those times they were held inside this cage of corpses, no one actually thought of casting their spells in advance.

Their leader pursed and bit his lips as he rued the fact that with these average guys’ thinking, he was the most average of them all for he was the leader of their group and that it was already too late to warn them all.

***

The wall of corpses was two meters thick, made up purely of dead bodies. Their eyes were red, soulless, and is very scary to the sense that most of these corpses died from magical attacks. Either sliced, or beheaded, or had an arrow struck on their skulls.

But what was more creepy is the fact that even though they were already dead, their bloodshot eyes kept on staring at her as if curious.

Still, that’s how far the creepiness could go on her skin. She works in a hospital, she is already used to see dead patients arriving one after another.

…especially since that day.

That day when the largest traffic accident in the past ten years happened so close from their location and only two people survived that accident. 70+ people died and those brothers are the only ones who miraculously survived. But the three year old younger brother was left in a comma, the older in despair, her best friend falling in love with him, then suddenly…they vanished.

She was used to the shock of seeing the dead.

But what was painful is the fact that she can’t do anything to ease her best friend’s pain.

She shook her head and erased the thoughts, this is a war now. He will fight the probably strongest person in her career while actually also fighting another person she could lump on the same level as the masked intruder.

And as soon as he had cleared the dark pathway of corpses, the man named Cramer’s face greeted her, and immediately grabbed her arm and shouted.

“Hold on!”

She was utterly shocked and wanted to get free but they were suddenly lifted off using the Shield Attack to thrust away from the entrance.

Then, just a few moments later, a large monster from the monster rider’s corps fell and blocked that area.

As they landed on a safe place, he let go of her and stood with a bleeding arm. This actually surprised her and her reflexes kicked in as she pulled the arrow that was struck there.

“What the hell…just who…” She shouted but when she saw Cramer’s gaze, she followed it and saw a man basked in a blinding light, standing atop a mountain of corpses.

“Ohohoho…it really was a good idea to come here!”

“Who…Who is that?” FlowerLord put her hand to block the blinding light as the sun and the man on top the mountain was on the Sol’s side.

“The Destroyer.” Cramer said and summoned a giant halberd befitting his Gonn Race figure. And as soon as he summoned the halberd, his equipment also changed and an orange aura dispersed from his body like a sauna bath. “And he f*ckin’ stabbed me with my own arrow.”

“He what?!” Surprised, as the Destroyer, who stood atop the mountain of corpses with his back facing them, slowly turned around, the red and black domino that covered his upper face glowed and reflected the light of the Sol.

And at that moment, she actually felt an intimidating gaze as a freakish smile was imbedded on his lips like a crazy man engulfed on his crazy act.

His polo shirt, all torn up by continuous attacks, had it flattering in the warm morning breeze. Though the damp bloody tarred smell was hardly nostalgic, his pose somehow pressed a majestic charm. His hands, covered in the Martial Artist gears, were clenched. His legs, in a ready position for a step. His head, looking around and his shoulders seemed as if it was moving up and down.

Yes, it was normal, FlowerLord thought, anyone can get tired with all that. But it was surprising that he was still not exhausted.

The mountain of corpses were a mix of players and monsters, mostly monsters. And on the other side of the seemingly seven meters high hill of dead something was a group comprised of masked individuals, with the movements that gave the indication of someone being wary of the person in front of them.

Looking around, she saw a devastated battlefield that expanded around 200m with nothing else but brown land and dead pan aftermath of war.

“Did he do this?” She asked Cramer who was just done drinking his health potion.

“I don’t know. But I don’t care. To live here or die is not what I’m concerned of. I’m more concerned if those bastards on the other side will let me play with him.”

“What do you mean?” She asked in honest curiosity.

“What I mean is…” And Cramer grabbed her by her collar and threw her off towards the empty field. “That is your front and this here is mine.”

The shocked FlowerLord landed hard and rolled. He was just thrown off by a man.

“You ungentle bastard! You actually threw me?!”

“Aaaahhhh shaddap! At least I didn’t hit you!”

“You motha f…”

“Heads up! They’re coming!”

They? It was too late now for FlowerLord to realize that The Destroyer had already lowered his center of gravity and began to attack the people in front of him.

—The masked men of the Masked Organization.

But their umbers were far too many, there were no TGG nor any Sylphs around and it was a clear indicant of another crime that the Masked Organization did.

In addition, The Destroyer wasn’t their sole target.

That’s because she herself was holding something of a treasure drop and Cramer was clearly one of the unannounced owner of a Legendary MOD. That said, she had ten or so attackers while he got double that number. Still, The Destroyer had triple that number.

—No.

It could even be more!

So in her mind she asked what was it that he just did to earn this much attackers even she herself, holder of a very rare Weapon Enhancement Item, was nothing as compared to the level of the enemies going after him.

Especially to that person holding a MOD that could be sold in millions! Just what was it really?

Then, as if to answer her questions, she observed the man as he cast out a spell. But the spell he used wasn’t awe-inspiring. Rather, it was infuriating that it was a low level, no, beginner level skill.

“What the…?! Spark?!”

Tier-1 magic spell, Spark. A spell that can either stun an enemy upon close-range direct hit or burn them if they are hit naked. But no player would go into a war butt naked, right?

As she blocked arrows and magic attacks while actually holding her ground, the cast magic spell, Spark, was released. But not towards the enemy. That actually surprised her, but towards himself.

The Destroyer had just attacked himself.

And to her surprise, an information window flashed on her vision and this made the Masked Men stop on their tracks too, while shouting:

‘He’s using it again! Get away!’

‘Get out of there!’

‘I’m not gonna fight him!’

‘Don’t get in front of me slowpoke!’

‘Help me!’

‘F*ck him! I’ll deal with her!’

Those who chose to attacker her continued their run but she still minded The Destroyer’s whereabouts as he vanished. And when he appeared again, he was already attacking those front ranks of the Masked Men.

While her attackers, who were also high level at that, snatched her attention by their high level attacks.

Thus the royal rumble began.