The players inside the castle slowly emerged, riding their mounts until they formed a protective formation. All of them were mounted on Tier X Warboars, leaving their enemies unsure which one carried the treasures looted from the castle. Surely, it wouldn't be just one — perhaps they had divided the spoils equally among themselves. Even Dexter was uncertain.
'This guild's filthy rich... Though I suppose that chest must be worth billions.'
Every one of them switched to escape-focused gear: a helm that could cleanse status effects when activated, armor that produced a pushing wind, shoes that granted invisibility, a cape that negated root effects, and even weapons replaced with staves that made the ground tumble beneath them.
Everything was so standardized, showing they were true veterans of the game, with their deep familiarity for optimal equipment combinations.
After a tense pause, the caravan leader barked his order:
"Charge!"
With a deafening roar, they charged southeast toward Sunscar Kingdom's city in the Uncharted Zone.
...
Dexter watched with amusement as he morphed his crossbow back into a Summoner's Staff and the bolt into an Invisibility Cloak. Summoning a Tier VIII Spectral Panther, he mounted the creature, activated his cloak, and began trailing the caravan.
His prediction proved correct — the guild that had attacked the castle was waiting near the southeast exit, and was arranged in a crescent formation to block all possible routes.
Yet the caravan showed no hesitation. They maintained their sword-like formation, spearheaded by their leader, determined to break through.
"KILL THEM ALL!" roared the defenders.
Arrows, crossbow bolts, fire, ice — every elemental attack imaginable rained down on the caravan. Yet their enhanced HP from top-tier equipment let them shrug off the damage effortlessly. Only concentrated fire on a single target could prove fatal, but with attacks scattered randomly, their improved defenses rendered the barrage meaningless.
Even invisible, Dexter wasn't safe from the magical bombardment. Elemental spells proved especially dangerous — just grazing him sent waves of pain through his body, nearly making him shout curses that would reveal his position to the caravan he tailed.
"FOCUS FIRE ON THE CENTER! PICK THEM OFF ONE BY ONE!"
Every projectile suddenly converged on the caravan leader. His forward position gave him just enough time to evade, but the rider behind him never saw the attacks coming. The warboar tumbled violently as its lifeless rider crashed to the ground.
This caused chaos within the formation. Less alert players stumbled and fell, creating a clustered group of stragglers left behind.
Here lay the caravan's fatal weakness — their escape-focused gear left them defenseless. As combat broke out, no one stayed to protect fallen comrades. Without proper battle equipment, they stood no chance against the enemy horde.
The caravan leader, now nearing the attacking guild, activated his mount skill: Reckless Crash. His Warboar charged blindly, trampling everything in its path. Players flew through the air like ragdolls, bones shattering on impact. Those too slow to dodge were crushed beneath the stampede.
Some dismounted players seized the chance to flee, chasing after the rampaging Warboars — though only few escaped the slaughter unscathed.
Dexter saw his opportunity materialize. He looted every riderless Warboar, storing them in his inventory. Not even the glowing bags beside skeletal remains escaped his thieving grasp.
'This will make me rich! Richer than crafting! It's always better to take from others than be the one gettingrobbed.' he thought.
'Damn those Limitless Alliance bastards — they'll pay for making me remember my lost gear.'
Just then, Dexter's invisibility wore off, his Tier VIII Spectral Panther made him stand out amid the chaos.
"Shoot that looter!" the leader commanded.
With 46 million worth of loot at stake, Dexter urged his mount into action. The panther's ghostly sprint outpaced even Chaser Hawks, weaving through incoming projectiles with unnatural grace. Though Dexter relinquished control, trusting the beast's instincts, they miraculously broke through the blockade and escaped to familiar territory.
'At least I survived that mess...'
By afternoon, Dexter had "safely" returned to the city. He immediately offloaded his loot, selling cheap items directly at the market while listing all Tier VIII+ gear with one-month durations.
After purchasing a pack of rolled dry leaf, he summoned his Tier VIII Spectral Panther again and raced back toward Crimson Tree Zone.
...
Early evening found him at the zone's outskirts, observing the chaotic battlefield. Players fought desperately against endless waves of guild attackers — an unrelenting assault with no signs of stopping.
'Look at these Alliance idiots. Nothing but newbies — are they exploiting AI recruits for their damn cause? Who thinks trapping themselves in an enclosed space with one entrance is smart? Sure, it's defensible... until you're trapped inside like these poor bastards.'
'What kind of moronic leader runs this alliance anyway?'
Inside Crimson Tree Zone, a sprawling makeshift city had been built beneath the colossal tree. At its heart stood the Alliance Hall, where nearly a hundred guild leaders sat around an enormous conference table.
"Boi, we can't hold this zone much longer," one leader growled. "We're running out of supplies. Every recruitment team we send to Sunscar or Stonehearth Kingdoms gets ambushed by gankers or blocked by enemy guilds..."
BladeOfInfinity — leader of both WipeMOut Guild and the Limitless Alliance — rubbed his temples in frustration, his free hand absently scratching his eyebrow.
"Ugh, this headache... Has Blackhands still not responded? Send them another message — tell them to attack the enemy rear while we hold the front. We'll sandwich them, and they can keep all loot from the guilds we crush."
Suddenly, a woman's chuckle cut through the tension. She kicked her feet up on the table, lazily biting her nails.
"They're scattered. We've got a contract from Mirehold Kingdom to locate someone... not that you'd care. Their offer beats your petty loot promises."
BladeOfInfinity slammed the table and jabbed a finger at the still-smirking woman.
"Ghostblade! We just need their leaders dead. How's 10 million per head?"
Mia's seductive smile captivated the room.
"Throw in some llamas too. I want to ride those adorable things."