Chapter 467

“Take cover.” Echoed out as multiple players cried out in surprise and warning as lasers blasted past the battlements of the town. The walls were durable, and some people had managed to build small barricades, but for many, standing atop the walls was akin to painting a target on themselves, and asking to be shot. Of course, the players didn’t know the first wave was going to be merely comprised of painguins, nor could they fathom what 2,000 painguins would appear like.

The short answer was, a black plague. The tree lines shifted in a strange, flow, like ants swarming forth from their hill to guard their home. However, these mobs weren’t on the defensive. They didn’t stay in the trees. They moved forward, rushing across the snow quicker than their little feet should have carried them, diving into a prone position to fire their rifles, before rising up and charging again. James had learned of a battle over a hundred years ago, where military forces stormed Normandy. This, he figured, had to be similar.

“Return fire.” Z called out, his loud voice echoing around the town. He was the familiar leader of the players, and they reacted quickly to his confident, assertive call. The swoosh of trebuchets letting loose, as gravity worked its magic on their stone propulsion system, filled the air. A variety of ammunition flew from the town into the oncoming masses, a mixture of boulders, flaming pitch, and yes, a few screaming sacrificial lambs. The latter burst into a somewhat humorous cloud of red mist, spreading along the unlucky mobs who’d gotten caught in it. Those mobs were too far out to inspect, but James had no doubt, they’d gotten the DoTs debuff. Flinging sheep never got old.

Along with the siege weapons, players who had long range abilities began letting off attacks left and right, cycling like clockwork through their skills. Cosmic arrows, spears of light, bullets of all sorts of make and model from a variety of weapons, some steampunk, others cybernetic, and a few similar to the ones on the fourth floor, returned fire to the painguins. James, lacking any such long range skills, simply watched in awe as the battle took place. Sooner or later, the mobs would make it within range. Until then, there wasn’t much he could do.

“How do you think SoulDemon’s doing?” James asked Steve as they ducked away from a trio of laser blasts heading in their direction. Thanks to their power leveling escapades, the lasers weren’t a one hit kill. Especially considering the painguin’s most dangerous ability, Commando, wasn’t active given the density of the mobs. It was a saving grace, really, since the last thing these long range specialists needed, was the 50 percent boost to all their traits.

“Either’s he really good at hiding,” Steve said, his eyes jumping upwards to their party window. It showed the levels, health, mp, and such of all the players in their party. SoulDemon and his group had, unexpectedly, joined with the Knights Who Go Ni for this fight. “Or he’s really good at not getting hit.” James checked as well, noting the level 84 God of Death hadn’t taken a single hit. However, his MP definitely showed it was being utilized, and James could read a few buffs the player had active. He focused on those, pulling up the information, as another wave of lasers shot over the walls.

Aura of Death – While active, increase damage dealt to undamaged enemies by 200%. Attacks on undamaged enemies gain an additional 50% chance to crit.

Reckoning – Critical strikes against enemies 5 levels or lower, have a 25% chance to instantly kill the foe. Critical strikes on enemies 10 levels or lower, will instantly kill the target.*

*Does not work on bosses

Clad in Darkness – While positioned within shadows, gain an additional 50% chance to dodge single target attacks. AOE attacks deal 25% less damage while in shadows.

Death’s Toll- Gain a 0.1% increase to stats (per instance) for every killing blow you land on basic enemies. Gain a 1% increase to stats (per instance) for landing a killing blow on players, and all mobs classified as mini-boss and above.

James couldn’t help but whistle as he finished reading the buffs on SoulDemon. His class, once again, showcased his focus in the game. He was death incarnate, and James had no doubt, the player was having a field day out there. Given the trees, there were plenty of areas with shadows cast about in the forest. Furthermore, the mobs were 9 levels lower than him, meaning he had a 1 in 4 chance of instantly killing each one he attacked. Past that, each of his first attacks was going to hit like a freaking truck. And those were just the active buffs James could see. It was highly likely SoulDemon had augmented himself with items and gear that would further increase his critical hit chance, and dodge chance, to make himself even more efficient at killing. For once, James was happy SoulDemon was on their side.

And it wasn’t even just SoulDemon. As the mobs continued their advance on the town, unaware or uncaring of the specter of death that roamed the woods, the traps placed by the players took effect. The snowy landscape between the forest, and the town, erupted as traps were triggered, and more and more mobs died. Especially effective, were Crikey’s traps. Considering they came from his class, and weren’t purchased by using Siege Tokens, the traps were scaled off of Crikey’s stats. And the level 81 traps were blowing painguins up left and right. It was as comical, as it was deadly.

Still, two-thousand mobs were a lot of mobs to deal with. Even with a town nearly filled with 1,000 adventurers, the sheer number flooding towards them was enough to make it to the walls. Even more so given the fact many of the players who’d joined in for this event, weren’t the appropriate level. If everyone had been in the 80s, the first wave would have been a joke. Hell, most of the waves likely wouldn’t have been too hard to manage. But, with the average player level, best as James could tell, hovering around 60 in the town, it meant a lot more work for the players who were appropriately leveled. And, given James was one of those appropriately leveled players, it meant he had work to do as well.

“Ready for this?” James said as he looked at Steve and Rue. They nodded back to him, and he nodded towards Z and the rest of their party. The first wave of painguins, their numbers decreased by about a fourth from their rush across the killing fields, was nearing the walls. It was time for the players to bunker down, and prepare for the battle. And that meant, brining out the big guns. Above the town, it was clear Fel had come to the same conclusion, as her massive, skeletal dragon took flight. James pointed towards a space they’d cleared, and his own summoning circle appeared. Ifrit had been kept out of the way, for the initial battle. But now, it was time to let the djinn do his thing.

“Is it time?” Ifrit’s deep voice bellowed, his eyes blazing with hunger. James grinned and nodded, pointing past the walls, towards the field. The massive Djinn easily towered over the walls, and James saw the creature’s face brighten with a twisted smile. He’d seen that look before.

“Then, let’s set the world ablaze.” A moment later, before James fully realized what was about to happen, a ball of flames roared to life above Ifrit, suspended between the tips of his two swords. This attack was different than what James had seen before. It was more condensed, and there was a large variety of colors swirling throughout it. Furthermore, James noticed a slight wind beginning to swirl around the area, the wind seeming to climb up Ifrit’s limbs and his swords, spiraling around the flaming sphere, condensing it even more as it fought to grow.

“Solar Storm.” He said in his deep voice, his fangs flashing with joy, as he unleashed the attack. The next moment, the battlefield before the town gates shifted from icy expanse, to fiery hell.