Chapter 75: Provocation

The first half of the mountain was easy-peasy for a walk, the real deal started with the second half when the wind grew. The angle of the path began slowly rising while snowfall was thicker. The last third part of the mountain was extreme, the slope was almost vertical, the wind decreased HP from time to time. The crisp sharp snowflakes cut the skin flying by. The damage was minimal though the feeling was unpleasant.

Many players returned or slipped down. Those who remained reached the flat surface on the top of the mountain to meet others.

Hundreds of players just stood unable to go forward, even though they saw the destination in front of them.

In the cave at the other end of the snowy field opened a portal painted in the swirl of white and blue. Every now and then a white stone golem emerged from the portal. Its level indicator above its HP bar dropped from level 10 to level 9. Each of them dematerialized after only seconds of their life in Cube 1.

"Why is everybody here? Nobody wants to be first or something?" Safo shouldered the player to move forward to get a better look at the portal.

When he was pushing one of the players an unexpected message popped up.

[ You have stolen 10 Time fragments. ]

Safo was happy that the weapon skill worked, but no one knew where to use Time fragments so he dropped the idea of stealing it for the time being.

"Something is not right. I see many capable characters. Don't tell me that those bastards came again." Miloud rushed forward to confirm his guess.

Number one guild's, InCubation, future members blocked the pass. They did the same thing every time a new portal appeared. It was their way to suck up their way to the guild.

Fifty or so level 7 and higher players demanded money in the real world in exchange for the opportunity to get close to the portal.

Twenty thousand zees was a lot of money for most of the young players. The majority of those who climbed to the top were skilled players, yet no one wanted to make ire of the InCubation guild starting a fight with them. They waited for some change, having a teleportation scroll ready to go back to their villages.

"What do we do? Do we fight, do we wait, or do we go back?" Safo didn't want to wait after spending the whole night climbing the monstrous mountain.

"I would rather pay and go through without any problems. InCubation is a large and powerful guild with millions of members throughout all Cubes. If we fight now, they will make our lives miserable. Do you have money?"

"No, I don't have any money. I spent everything on my last mission and even borrowed some money from the Captain of the ship." Safo owed two hundred thousand zees to Captain Seaghoul who landed him money for the equipment that Kutch requested.

"I can pay for you and Luna, not a problem. Consider it an investment." Miloud tapped Safo's shoulder with a smile.

"Do you have an extra twenty thousand for an old friend?" A deep, almost sick voice came from behind.

"BlackSly, you old thief, how are you doing? I must heaven for you, to be in a crowded place full of distracted players. I can pay for you too, but you will owe me a favor or two." Miloud was glad to see an old cellmate.

Just when they were about to move towards the InCubation team members Safo stopped.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Or... just thinking, we could fuc* them up. There are more of us here than them." Safo was fine with just paying for the pass, it was how the world worked. The only thing he wanted was a good fight.

Miloud and BlackSly shrugged their shoulders as a response. Safo called them closer and shared his evil plan.

Two minutes later Miloud walked to the blockade all by himself. Luna went to the back of the crowd voicing the intention to attack everybody around. BlackSly was spreading the same gossip but he added that the infamous BloodSpot was amongst them and that he wanted to destroy the blockade. Safo in his turn was also agitating folks to join the attack.

"I'm the member of the Lord of the Wings guild. We will destroy InCubation soon. Join us and all of you will be rewarded handsomely. BloodSpot has already been recruited by us. Soon we will lure the best players to our side. Join now before it is not too late."

"Is it true? BloodSpot - the menace of the Cube 1 is in the guild now?"

"I don't believe it but if everybody will attack I will join too."

I will join for sure. In fact, I have to go now. I saw a pretty archer birdy. We archers should stick together, you know."

"Yes, I heard that Lord of the Rings had killed the big beast in the siege of the castle. They have a castle in Cube 8. I bet they have a chance to move to the first place."

"I heard that they are recruiting all of the thieves and murderers of the game. They will be an admirable threat to all guilds soon."

Soon the crowd was all heated up and ready to act, everyone waited for a signal. Morale was boosted by the presence of the BloodSpot who once made Cube 1 tremble in paranoiac fear.

Meanwhile, Miloud was negotiating with the leader of the InCubation member candidates. When he heard a shout from the crowd behind him he stopped talking and drew his needle. In a flash, the needle pinched the leader and Miloud began to run back to the players. It was the signal.

The barrage of arrows, with and without elemental power showered towards blockade. The rest of the players stood nervously waiting for someone strong to move forward and face the aggressors.

The leader of the blockade yelled and cursed Miloud, he ran with his snow-white sword high above his head, ready to unleash anger on his foe.

On the halfway, though, he dropped dead. And Miloud's name appeared in red. "RedDot"

"This is my main account," Miloud screamed to the confused crowd. Everybody waited for "BloodSpot".

"Attack." Safo gave an order from the front lines. A bit of a lost crowd had no time to think and they ran. Both sides with a warcry that thundered the mountain clashed into a deathmatch.

[Name: WorldDestroyer

Badge: Murderer

Level: 8

Exp (Experience) 1904/5000

HP (Health Points): 45/45

MP (Mental Points): 0/0

Defense: 1.8 + 3(God's gloves)

Strength: 0.8 + 1(orb)

Agility: 0.8 + 1(orb)

Mental Power: 0.8 + 2(orb)]

[ You have killed a level 9 player(IamYourFather). You gained 100 Exp. ]

[ You have committed a crime. You have a "Murderer" badge. ]

[ You have received 158 Time fragments. ]

Safo was nimble as a cat. Ten punches in a split second here, another ten there, enemies couldn't catch a breath under the immense amount of pressure.

[ You have killed a level 7 player(GiveMeYourMoney). You gained 80 Exp. ]

[ You have received 183 Time fragments. ]

Kick to gain a distance, the opponent had a huge shield. In two dashes Safo Nur appeared from the back of the opponent. With non-stop hits, he fell down and couldn't get up after.

Notification rang and popped up without delay and break. Safo's next target had a shield too. Weapon skill was an invisible and impenetrable wall of shield that kept the owner safe. It didn't stop Safo from lashing at it with all of his might.

[ Weapon Skill: Removal successfully canceled a Weapon Skill "The Wall". ]

'So that is how it works. I was wondering if my "Rusting" and "Removal" skills never worked on monsters. It was meant to be used against players. Delicious.' Safo tossed himself into the open arms of the enemy. Several fierce jabs and he moved to the next one.

Miloud was on top of the hassle he had killed more than anyone. InCubation members couldn't even see who finished them off. Swift and smooth movements guaranteed that Miloud was unharmed by the attack. His needle pierced the enemies who were fighting other players. Death came unexpectedly to them, usually from behind.

When the players engaged in melee there was no good opportunity for Luna and other archers. They simply did what they could to support.

BlackSly was nowhere to be seen. He stood at the far end behind the fighting crowd waiting for the end of the battle.

"Lord of the Wings will be the number one guild. Hail Lord of the Wings guild. Fight for Lord of the Wings. Die for Lord of the Wings." It was his only job, to provoke the number one guild to go against Lord of the Wings.

It was Safo's idea, he heard how Kutch despised that guild and wanted to use the situation to help his friend in Cube 8.