"Don't block every attack—it'll wear you out quickly. Try to evade as many hits as possible. Your job is just to keep the Aggro on you!" Cole shouted to Karas and Maras, who were struggling against the oversized lizard.
"Long-range classes, find your positions and aim for the weak spots. This one has protective scales, so wait for it to raise its head, then target the neck. If you notice it changing its focus to you, stop shooting. Aurin will step in and help the MTs," Cole continued.
"You know your stuff," Aurin said as the rest of the team executed Cole's orders.
"Experience, Aurin. I'm a veteran of these tactics," Cole replied.
"Will your friend be alright?" Aurin asked, glancing over at Eden's situation.
"It was his idea; he can handle it," Cole said before turning his attention back to the brothers. They weren't doing as good as he expected them to. "Karas, fall back. I'll show you how it's done." He drew his sword and moved to take the position of the main tank.
Meanwhile, Eden was playing a game of attention with his two opponents. He wore a pair of Common Level 3 Boots, dropped by a Wooden Golem, that added [+4] to his movement speed. While this boost made him quicker on his feet, it didn’t improve his attack speed.
Facing the two reptiles by himself, without having the proper stats, proved to be more challenging then Eden had anticipated. However, it wasn't an impossible task for him considering the fact that his adversaries stumbled on each other.
Eden's sword, with its [+12] attack power, was useful for dealing damage but it didn’t increase his overall strength. A Spitfire Gladiator was still stronger than him. Unlike with the Javelin Birds, he couldn’t simply block their attacks using technique. The Spitfire Gladiators were much larger, making their direct attacks harder to block.
However, Eden had his advantages. The Spitfire Gladiator wasn't particularly intelligent, but it was covered in tough scales. This didn’t mean it had higher defense but did make it harder to land a hit on a vulnerable spot.
Eden used his quick footwork to dodge a monster’s attack, moving to its side. He slashed at the monster, dealing [-20] damage, and prepared for the next one. The second monster missed him as well, and with Eden's maneuvering, it stumbled against its teammate. This opened a chance for Eden to jump onto the Gladiator's back and stab it behind the neck, inflicting another [-20] damage.
At that moment, Cole’s shout echoed through the area. "Move out of the way!"
In the next moment, the monster his party was fighting began its [Charge] in a straight line. But even though Cole announced the impending attack, not everyone was quick enough to react, and Maras took a direct hit. Running, he didn't have time to use his shield, resulting in a [-30] damage as he was knocked to the ground. He was fortunate though as he was knocked out of the way and had not trampled.
"Brother!" Karas yelled.
"Back in position!" Cole ordered, stopping the brothers from making a heartwarming reunion on the battlefield.
Focused more on their personal condition then the situation of the group, the two MTs brothers weren't fast enough to regroup, so Cole had to step in as the main tank for a while. The long-range classes were in a better shape since they didn't have to bear the same weight, but their DPS was lower than Cole expected.
Not dealing enough damage will lead to a prolonged fight, something that no one desired, except for the Spitfire Gladiator perhaps. However, nothing could be done about the newbies in the party.
On the other battlefield, Eden didn’t have time to worry about the others. He was in a challenging situation that demanded a high rate of stamina consumption, but he had yet to take a hit and had already whittled down over 100 HP from his two enemies combined.
The best position for Eden was to always be between the two monsters, with an escape route ready in mind. This way, the monsters could hinder each other if Eden made the right moves, and there was also the chance that they will accidentally harm themselves when using a skill or basic attack. Eden created as many opportunities for that to happen as he could. That, while also looking for openings to strike.
"Mason, North, you're spending too much time aiming. Just shoot! Even if you can't hit a weak spot, you will at least deal some damage. You can't expect the MTs to bear all the weight while you stay cozy behind. Your job is to take down the enemy, so act accordingly," Cole instructed, infuriated. "Aurin, get to its back and deal more damage. This is too taxing for the MTs."
Maras and Karas were already breathing hard, with they HP dropping constantly, and the Spitfire Gladiator still had more than half its HP.
"Everyone, watch out for its [Fire Spit]!" Cole shouted as soon as he noticed the monster preparing an attack.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
As expected, the monster shot a fireball after a few short seconds. The attack was aimed at Mason, but thanks to Cole's warning, Mason managed to dodge it. Damian struck the monster’s neck with a well-aimed shot, causing a [-16] damage to appear. However, this drew the monster’s attention to him.
"Aurin!" Cole shouted, assigning more work to the player who had been comfortably dealing damage from the back.
With a bit more effort and focus, the situation was back under control, and everyone returned to their positions. The monster's HP was down to 167. It wouldn’t be long before it was defeated, and Eden was ready for that moment.
Fighting with his two opponents was tough at his current level, especially without any skills. Even though Eden avoided direct hits, his HP had dropped to 73%. Nevertheless, his main concern wasn't his health but his stamina. Eden knew he wouldn’t be able to finish off the monsters before fatigue set in, leading to potential mistakes. And if he took a direct hit, there was no guarantee he’d survive the chain attack that will follow.
It's a shame I can't land combos on monsters of a higher level than me. I’d almost forgotten how tough life is below level 20, Eden thought.
Minutes passed, and finally, the team managed to kill their Spitfire Gladiator. Karas let out a relieved sigh, wanting to rest, but Cole stopped him.
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[Congratulations, you have killed a Level 4 monster!]
+70 EXP
----------------------------------------
"No time for a break. We need to help Eden," Cole said, moving toward the ongoing fight.
"Ugh," Karas groaned, obeying the order. He moved alongside his brother, dragging his feet and shifting his grip on his weapons. "This doesn’t feel like a game anymore."
Seeing his reinforcements approaching, Eden felt a surge of energy. He moved to engage the monsters again, this time with backup.
"They still have over 300 HP," North said, massaging his arm.
"Come on, we’ll rest once the job’s done. I’ll work more this time," Cole said, readying himself for combat.
* * *
"I don't want to move anymore," Damian groaned, lying flat on the ground.
"Me neither. And we didn't even get much EXP. Only 210 after all that effort?" Mason complained.
"70 EXP per monster is not a small amount for your level. When you will become more proficient, we will spend much less to take those reptiles down," Eden explained.
"I don't care about the EXP, but what's the difference between playing this game and working in real life?" Aurin asked, feeling tired.
"The adventure," Eden replied. "That's why most people try to escape reality, isn't it?"
Silence fell over the group.
"We earned 13 coppers and a common piece of equipment for staff users. Damian, you take it," Cole said. "By the way, did anyone notice how much time we spent killing just three monsters?"
When no one answered, Eden spoke up. "Around fifteen minutes."
"Then we'll rest for a few more minutes and start again," Cole decided.
"Do you think we can earn real money from this game?" Maras asked suddenly, drawing everyone's attention.
"Definitely," Eden replied. He knew the brothers' situation but couldn’t say let them know.
"How?" Karas pressed.
"By becoming a core member of a workshop and getting a monthly salary like a regular employee. But to do that, you need the right skills. You can also trade items for money back on Earth. There are a few ways to make decent money, but they all require you to be above Level 5," Eden explained.
"Do you work for a workshop like that?" Damian asked, looking at Eden and Cole.
"No," Cole answered. "The big workshops have a lot of issues with their chain of command. If you don’t have strong connections with key figures or a member of the board, you have no chance of getting into an important position and keeping it. We’re not wasting our time being team leaders, and we’re not interested in signing with a low-level workshop. Usually they have a lot of managerial issues."
"They would benefit more from us than we would from them," Eden added.
"So, are we just here to form a long-term party?" Maras asked.
"That depends on you," Cole replied. "We don’t work for a workshop; we have our own. If you prove to be trustworthy and your skills meet our standards, you might get an invitation from us. Did you think we were training you just to have a long-term party?"
"Then why did you recruit people like us, with not much skill or experience? Why waste your time training us if you're so good?" Aurin asked.
"Because everything has to start somewhere," Eden said. "Our workshop is still in the early stages. We have the funding and potential, but we lack the manpower. We’re not just going to take people to fill the numbers. And we can’t recruit the more skilled players without a solid base and recognition. So we want you to become that base."
Aurin thought for a moment before asking again, "Were we really chosen randomly?"
"Does it matter how did you manage to get here?" Eden replied, his tone indifferent. When no one else spoke, he continued, "If you have more questions, feel free to ask. If not, let's get back to work." He stood up, ready to farm more EXP.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Hell Lurkers HQ.
"What do you mean her condition has worsened?" Jason, the leader of the Hell Lurkers, demanded over the phone. "Dr. Sullivan, you said she was stable."
"That's how it was, Mr. Forbes. But early this morning, she started having trouble breathing, and now she can't go without the oxygen mask," Dr. Sullivan explained. "We're doing everything we can, Mr. Forbes, but you need to be prepared for the worst. I'm not sure how many days your sister has left."
Jason rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Sullivan, tell me honestly. Is there nothing I can do to save her? I have the money, my friend. I'm willing to pay anything to save her, no matter the cost."
Sullivan was silent for a few moments before sighing deeply. "Unfortunately, Jason, there’s nothing I know of that can save her now. We can't cure something that we don't even understand. I'm sorry."
"Right," Jason said, trying to hold back his tears. "Keep me updated on her condition, okay?"
"As always," Dr. Sullivan assured him. "I’ll keep looking for a way to help her."
"Please do," Jason said before ending the call. He sat quietly in his office, gripping his phone tightly, his eyes fixed on the picture of his sister on his desk.
"Paj!" he suddenly shouted. Within seconds, the door opened.
"How can I help you, sir?" Paj asked.
"Go to the media. Make a post, create an add, do whatever you need to do to make sure everyone—even the aliens on Mars—knows that I’m offering a 50 million reward to anyone who can cure my sister’s illness."
"Has her condition gotten worse?" Paj asked.
Jason just nodded.
Paj bowed slightly before leaving the office in silence.