The infiltration team moved silently toward the wolf den, where the Moon Fox had last been seen. Arthur, having personally mapped out the area, was familiar with the terrain, though the Guard Captain led the group with quiet authority. They advanced like shadows, weapons drawn, and senses heightened. At the back, Eminence, Mayon, Rain Dance, and Ironclash held their positions, alert and ready to defend the group as they moved deeper into the darkened woods.
The Guard Captain halted the group with a raised hand, his eyes scanning the path ahead. "Do any of you know a way to get us closer to the den?" he asked quietly, his voice low but commanding.
Eminence nodded, stepping forward. "I know a way to the cliff overlooking the den. It was clear the last time I used it, but... patrol wolves might be stationed there now. I may have exploited that route a little too often."
The Captain frowned in thought, weighing the risk. After a moment, he motioned to the group's assassin. "Go. Gather intel on the cliff. Report back quietly."
With a nod, the assassin melted into the shadows, disappearing into the dark.
The team fanned out slightly, checking their surroundings while keeping their movements minimal to avoid detection. The woods were eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the soft rustle of leaves and the distant howls of wolves. Eminence crouched low, his eyes sweeping the area while his hand rested on the hilt of his blade, ready for anything.
The minutes stretched on, tension thickening as they awaited the assassin's return.
A shadow silently emerged near the Captain, and the assassin returned without fail, his presence barely noticeable until he spoke. Saluting the Captain with practiced precision, he delivered his report in a low voice. "Captain, I scouted the route. It’s still the safest and most direct way to the den, but there are seven patrol squads guarding it now."
The Captain's brow furrowed as he absorbed the news. Seven squads—more than they had anticipated. He glanced toward the team, weighing their options. Time was running short, but a frontal assault was out of the question. They needed another strategy.
Eminence's eyes narrowed as a strategy began to form in his mind, recalling how he had once approached high-level boss raids. "Captain," he said, stepping forward, "we can take out one patrol squad before they have a chance to alert the others. If we time it right, we can coordinate our strike with the main army’s advance."
The Captain's eyes brightened at the suggestion. It was a risky plan, but the precision of it appealed to him. "Smart thinking," he muttered, his gaze shifting toward the rest of the team. "We strike fast and quiet, before they know what hit them."
Arthur nodded in agreement, his hand instinctively tightening on his weapon. The others tensed, ready to move at a moment’s notice, their confidence growing with the Captain’s approval.
The Captain straightened up, issuing his next command. "Prepare for a synchronized assault. We’ll hit them at the right moment—no mistakes."
The assassin gave a sharp nod and vanished into the darkness once more, moving swiftly to deliver the message to the main army.
The team moved swiftly along the path, silently blending into the shadows of the trees. They found a perfect vantage point and settled into position, crouching low among the branches as they waited for the signal. The patrol squad of four wolves below remained oblivious, pacing in their routine as the minutes stretched on.
Half an hour later, a small bird swooped down from the sky, landing gracefully on the captain’s shoulder. Without a word, he gave the signal—a sharp nod—and the team sprang into action.
Memory updated
Here's the updated scene incorporating the 15-man squad:
----------------------------------------
The 15-man squad quickly divided the four wolves among themselves, each member efficiently taking down their assigned target. In less than a minute, the patrol lay still on the ground, the team’s ambush executed with flawless precision. No alarm had been raised; the wolves had fallen silently.
The team moved swiftly along the cliff to reach their vantage point, their movements precise and purposeful. As they arrived and surveyed the forest below, the sight that greeted them was both relieving and ominous.
Bright fires blazed through the forest, their intense light illuminating the treetops and casting long shadows across the ground. The growls of wolves, previously a distant concern, were now louder and more frenetic. It was clear that the main army had launched their assault.
Suddenly, a loud and deep howl pierced through the clamour of the battlefield, reverberating across the forest and cliffside. The team froze for a split second, their attention snapping toward the source of the sound—the wolf den.
Emerging from the shadows of the den was a creature that radiated both beauty and power. A massive Silver Fox, its fur gleaming in the firelight, stood at the entrance. Its eyes burned with fury, and its posture was one of pure rage. The air around it seemed to crackle with energy as its growl grew into a snarl.
Before the Moon Fox could launch its counter-attack, Eminence struck. In one swift, fluid motion, he leaped from above, landing on the beast’s neck and plunging his poisoned knife into its vulnerable spot. The blade sank deep, and the Silver Fox let out a piercing wail as a glowing red "-1220" flashed above its head.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
The team's HUD quickly displayed the creature’s stats:
[Moon Fox - Chief]
* Level: 5
* Rank: Chief
* HP: 40,000/40,000
* State: Normal
* Attack: 100-130
* Defence: 50
* Speed: 35
* Special Abilities:
* Moon Howl: Buffs nearby monsters, increasing their attack by 5% for 20 seconds.
* Lunar Claw: Inflicts a powerful slash that deals 200 damage and leaves a bleeding effect over 20 seconds.
* Night’s Fury: Increases attack speed by 20% during night or in dark environments.
* Weakness: Fire Poison
* Resistances: Ice, Dark, Physical Damage - 10%
Despite the powerful attack, the Moon Fox still had plenty of fight left. Its eyes burned with rage as it swung its massive paw toward Eminence, but he was already moving. With a perfectly timed barrel roll, he dodged the attack.
Before the Moon Fox could make another move, the poison coursing through its veins took effect. It wailed in pain, its body convulsing as a series of red numbers floated above its head:
-2000
-2000
-2000
…
The relentless damage brought its health plummeting. The team watched as the Moon Fox's stats updated:
Moon Fox Level 5
HP: 7,090/20,000
The once fearsome creature was now heavily injured, its movements sluggish and its growls filled with desperation. Eminence smirked, knowing his poison had done its work. He readied himself for the final blow, the rest of the team stepping forward to support him.
But just as they prepared to strike, a new threat emerged. From the shadows of the den, seven powerful figures stepped forward.
"Special Elites!" Eminence hissed, recognizing them immediately ‘this was truly out of plan but it’s still do able.’
The seven Special Elites fanned out around the Moon Fox, forming a protective line between it and the team and growled at them.
The captain’s voice boomed across the battlefield. “Take care of the elite! Eminence, focus on doing as much damage as you can!”
The guards, seasoned and well-trained, fought with remarkable ease against the Special Elites. Their higher levels gave them a distinct advantage, and it showed as they handled the monsters efficiently, keeping the pressure on. But as Eminence joined the fray, a nagging doubt crept into his mind.
This is going too smoothly... way too easy.
The eerie thought gnawed at him. In his past life, the Special Elite Moon Fox had been a terrifying foe. It took a team of 100 expert players to bring it down, and even then, they had lost nearly half their forces in the process. Death in Epoch wasn’t just a matter of losing one level—it was far more costly. Depending on luck, a player could drop one or two valuable items, something that could break even the strongest players.
Eminence’s instincts screamed that something was wrong.
Time passed, and one by one, the wolf guards fell. Even the Moon Fox, the main threat, was now on critical HP. Victory seemed close at hand. Just as Eminence prepared for the final blow, a deafening roar erupted from the nearby den, sending a powerful shockwave across the battlefield. Everyone stumbled, struggling to regain their footing.
Eminence expected this.
He had anticipated that the real challenge was yet to come. Without wasting a moment, he reached into his inventory and pulled out another BlazeFang potion. As the others scrambled to recover from the shock, Eminence calmly hurled the potion at the weakened Moon Fox. Flames erupted on impact, scorching the beast as it let out a pained cry.
With a swift strike, Eminence finished off the younger Moon Fox, watching its body slump to the ground.
The real fight was about to start.
Suddenly, a massive figure—over 7 feet tall—burst out from the cave, its eyes glowing with a menacing light.
[Moon Fox - Chief]
* Level: 8
* Rank: Chief
* HP: 95,000/95,000
* State: Enraged (Damage increased by 20%, Defense decreased by 10%)
* Attack: 180-230
* Defence: 150
* Speed: 45
* Special Abilities:
* Moon Howl: Buffs nearby monsters, increasing their attack by 15% for 30 seconds.
* Lunar Claw: Inflicts a powerful slash that deals 300 damage and leaves a bleeding effect over 10 seconds.
* Night’s Fury: Increases attack speed by 50% during night or in dark environments.
* Weakness: Fire Poison
* Resistances: Ice, Dark, Physical Damage - 20%
The ground seemed to tremble as the enormous creature bared its sharp fangs, its silvery fur bristling with rage. The Moon Fox’s eyes locked onto the infiltration team, emitting a feral intensity. It had sensed their presence long before they arrived.
As the Moon Fox lunged forward, its massive claw charged with deadly energy, Eminence’s heart raced. His mind screamed danger, but his body couldn’t move fast enough. The Lunar Claw slashed toward him, and in that moment, time seemed to freeze.
Suddenly, Mayon threw himself in front of Eminence, taking the full force of the attack.
The Moon Fox’s claws ripped through Mayon’s armour like paper, tearing into his body with brutal force. Blood splattered across the ground as Mayon was hurled back, his HP dropping to zero in an instant.
-520 HP (Lethal Hit)
Mayon has died.
Eminence hit the ground hard, his eyes wide with shock, his heart still racing from the near-death experience. Where Mayon had stood moments ago, one piece of equipment lay glowing faintly on the ground—a final trace of his fallen comrade. But there was no time to dwell on it.
His instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, Eminence reached into his inventory and pulled out a smoke bomb. He threw it at his feet, the thick cloud of smoke billowing up around him, masking his presence. The Moon Fox, still furious, snarled in confusion as it lost sight of its prey.
Through the haze, Eminence sprinted back toward the Guard Captain and the rest of the squad, his mind racing. He forced the grief down for now, focusing on survival. Reaching the group, he quickly rejoined their formation, breathless but composed.
"Captain!" Eminence called, his voice low but urgent. "We need to change the plan. The Moon Fox... it’s enraged, and Mayon’s down."
The Guard Captain’s eyes flickered with understanding and concern. “I saw. Stay close, we’ll lure it into the trap.” The infiltration squad had prepared contingency plans for a monster this powerful, but losing Mayon had made the battle personal for Eminence.
Steeling himself, he knew one thing for certain: they had to survive, and somehow, he had to make Mayon's sacrifice count. Even if this was a game it meant more than real world for Eminence.