Chapter 17: Leviathan Griefers

As Odin finished instructing the NPC soldiers and seeing them off, he shifted his attention to the tadpoles of his Leviathan Group, and as amusing as he made it sound in his mind, those low-level players were newbies.

They were making so many mistakes that it made him roll his eyes and click his tongue, but he could give them this much respect. They managed to hunt four Elite Wild Beasts by themselves, ignoring the fact that they were constantly receiving a recharge of their MP and HP whenever they leveled up in Odin's high-paced massacre of the monsters.

By the time Odin was done with instructing the NPC soldiers in searching for the estranged villagers, 2 more monsters were lurking close to the newbies, and it was in a moment of absent-mindedness that Purphoros didn't manage to leash those Wild Beasts who were raging in Odin's direction for whatever reason.

Maybe he had too much green blood on his hands, or he looked like a predatory beast wearing his complete Lycanthrope Set once he reached level 25.

"Oh no, you'll not get away. Come back here, you son of a bitch!" Purphoros shouted, panic lacing his voice as he activated his Taunt in a desperate attempt to regain control. But it was too late. The beasts had locked onto Odin.

Meanwhile, Odin had this leisurely expression on his face.

He put his hand on the Soulrend Sword, ready to cleave those two monsters apart, but Eve who stood nearby, narrowed her eyes as she observed the situation. Her gaze quickly locked on the two mobs that had managed to evade Purphoros Taunts and were now charging at Odin in an Enraged state.

Without warning, her expression hardened with determination, and she raised her hand, the Verdant Spheres orbiting around her, now glowing with an intense, fiery light. In a single fluid motion, she utilized her mana, her voice calm and indifferent to the situation. "Scorch."

Searing flames erupted from her hand, surging forward with blistering speed. The flames collided with one of the charging Mutated Wild Beasts. The fire engulfed its large body completely, and the intense heat caused the air to shimmer and distort around them.

Its enraged roar was cut short, replaced by the crackling of its burning flesh as the fire reduced its body to ashes in mere seconds, but the second Wild Beast didn't slow down a moment and continued to charge at Odin.

The ground shook beneath its powerful strides, its massive claws tearing through the earth as it bore down on him with murderous intent. The beast's eyes were wild with fury, its Enraged state pushing it beyond reason, making it a living embodiment of raw, destructive power.

His hand was still resting on the hilt of his Soulrend Sword.

Odin watched the approaching beast with an almost bored expression. He knew he could take the beast down instantly, but he was curious to see what Eve would do next.

'They reached this enraged state, but their HP gauge didn't even hit the 50% mark. Could it be a side-effect of whatever they got hooked on?'

'Maybe? It's worth pointing this out in case this phenomenon repeats itself.'

'Go on, fire bunny, show me how much your spells have evolved since reaching the Pyromancer Class.'

His confidence in her abilities was absolute, and he had no doubt that she could handle the situation without him needing to lift a finger. After all, the difference in levels was enormous, with Eve at level 174 and the monsters at only level 60. Even with herself naked without wearing her light armor or activating her Mana Shield or Molten Barrier, they wouldn't cause much damage to her body.

She raised her hand again, her fingers curling into a loose fist as she focused her mana into a single, concentrated point. The air around her crackled with energy while the temperature spiked as she gathered the elemental power needed for her next spell.

Her expression was calm, her voice a controlled whisper as she invoked the spell.

"Fire Blast."

A burst of intense, fiery energy shot from her hand, the spell manifesting as a concentrated orb of flame that streaked through the air with blinding speed. The orb glowed with a brilliant orange-red hue, its surface crackling with arcane energy as it hurtled toward the charging Wild Beast.

The beast had no time to react. The Fire Blast struck it square in the chest, the impact creating a shockwave that sent ripples through the air.

The fiery orb exploded on contact, engulfing the Wild Beast in an inferno of searing flames.

The sheer heat of the Fire Blast was so intense that the beast's flesh began to char and crack almost instantly, its fur igniting in a blaze that spread across its entire body. In another second, it finally turned into ash, leaving out the echoes of its ear-piercing roar of agony that resounded around the hunting ground.

[Quest in progress (Mutated Wild Beasts(A): 28/50)]

Within seconds, the flames had done their work.

The once-massive beast was reduced to a smoldering pile of bones and ash. The ground around it was scorched black from the intensity of the spell, while the air remained thick with the acrid smell of burnt flesh and decay.

Eve lowered her hand, the glow of the Verdant Spheres fading as the last of her mana settled back into place. She took a deep breath, her expression returning to its usual relaxed state, as if she hadn't just obliterated two Elite monsters in a matter of moments which took the newbies long minutes that seemed endless.

Still standing with his hand on the hilt of his sword, Odin turned to her with a smirk. "Show-off," he teased, though his voice showed evident admiration.

"You could have left one for me, you know."

Eve shrugged, a playful smile tugging at her lips while she made the peace sign in an aegyo manner, making her seem coquettish. "What can I say? I couldn't help myself. Besides, you looked like you were about to get your hands dirty. I figured I'd save you the trouble."

The newbies, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, were once again struck with awe. The display of power Eve's spell had left them speechless. Elyse, still wide-eyed, finally broke the silence.

"That... was incredible," she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Yeah, no kidding," Purphoros added, still shaken from his near-miss with the Wild Beasts and now worrying that Odin would judge him badly. "She just wiped them out like it was nothing. Miss Eve, for sure, is powerful. No wonder only a woman like her should be beside the Guildmaster."

He was trying to kiss some ass right now and soothe out the past conflict and misunderstanding he had between himself and Eve. He even smiled at Eve, hoping it came across as genuine and not as desperate as it felt.

The couple heard his words, and Eve reacted the most with an eyebrow arched slightly.

She could see right through his attempt to flatter his way out of any lingering animosity. Her expression remained calm, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes as she watched him squirm.

Purphoros had yet to learn if his words were making any impact or if he was digging himself deeper into a hole.

"I mean, I just want to ensure we're all good, right?" Purphoros continued, his voice wavering slightly as he tried to keep his composure. "We're all on the same side here, and, uh, I respect what you can do. A lot."

Eve laughed softly, the tension breaking with her light laughter. "Relax. I'm not holding a grudge over what a newbie said to me," she said, her tone surprisingly gentle. "Just focus on what you do best, and don't be an inconvenience to others."

Purphoros let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, relief washing over him. "Thanks, Miss Eve. I won't let you down," he said, his voice more sincere now, the bravado slipping away to reveal genuine gratitude.

Eve nodded, her gaze shifting from Purphoros to the rest of the group. "Let's keep it that way. You people have much to work on and improve if you want to grow into a High-Ranker."

Alysha, who had been grumbling earlier about her dissatisfaction with Purphoros, now looked at Eve with respect, which felt strange even for herself. "Remind me to stay on your good side," she joked, though there was a hint of seriousness in her tone.

Malfurion, as always, remained quiet, but the slight nod he gave in Eve's direction.

Since everything cleared out in Madelaire, with no Wild Beast in sight, the group returned their focus inward, beginning their banter after Eve and Odin removed themselves to talk about their strategy of clearing this whole zone of monsters.

The atmosphere shifted from tense to more relaxed. Soon, the players naturally fell into their usual banter since there was some conflict over the party's coordination, each expressing their thoughts on what had just transpired.

Elyse, who had a close encounter with death after she pulled the aggro of one of the Wild Beasts, playfully punched Purphoros in the arm and jabbed at his slow taunts. "You almost let that beast turn me into a pancake! Next time, try not to get distracted by shiny things and actually hold their attention, will you?"

Purphoros winced, rubbing his arm where she hit him. "Hey, I was doing my best! Those beasts have a way higher level than my skills, okay? And besides, if you wouldn't exceed the limits of the aggro, you would be fine. So technically, I did my job. You made it out of the fight, and look, you've reached level 21. I think you're the highest in the whole game for a Coffee Maid."

Elyse rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning. "Barely. You're lucky I'm quick on my feet and avoided those monsters."

Alysha, meanwhile, had her arms crossed and was glaring at Noah, who was casually checking his violin, unbothered by the banter of the players around him. "And you! Where were my buffs? I had to use twice the mana just to keep up with those things. A little extra attack power would have been nice, you know."

Yet, this blonde beauty managed to irk him with her words and couldn't help but react to her.

He didn't bother to look up immediately, taking his time to check the instrument with the kind of casual ease that comes from years of experience and a touch of arrogance. His demeanor was relaxed, almost too relaxed given the situation they'd just come out of, but that was to be expected since, to Noah, this felt like an adventure, relaxing and exciting, compared to the high stress of IRL.

Alysha's irritation was palpable, but anyone in the party could complain about something lacking from the Support. This is why Noah didn't take her complaints too seriously. Still, he reveled in the attention, even if it was a bit toxic.

When he finally lifted his gaze to meet hers, his blue eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and challenge. "Oh, I see," his confident voice said with just a hint of sarcasm.

"You needed more attack power, huh? And here I thought you were handling yourself just fine out there. I didn't realize my music was the only thing between you and total disaster. Purphoros wants Defensive Buffs. You and Elyse are switching between AD and MP regen. Then some want Attack Speed buffs."

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The blonde Rogue's eyes narrowed, clearly not appreciating his upper-handed tone. "It's not about that, Noah. But you should just focus on the main DPS of the group. Don't just switch your buffs whenever someone asks you for a switch. You can't just coast by playing your little tunes and expect us to carry you."

Noah chuckled, the sound low and almost dismissive. "My little tunes?"

He repeated, his smirk widening into a full-on grin. "Sweetheart, these 'little tunes' kept your mana from hitting rock bottom and kept you from turning into monster chow. Look, I'm not here to babysit you with buffs every second. I acted based on my judgment. When Purphoros was low on his Health, I switched to Defense and HP regen to help him."

"I'm here to add some flair. Make sure you don't get bored while you do your thing."

He leaned back slightly, resting his violin on his shoulder in a posture that was as nonchalant as it was confident. "But sure, if you're desperate for more power, I can throw in a tune or two next time and keep buffing you. Just remember, I'm not here to do all the heavy lifting. If you dislike my playstyle, complain to HR or something."

"And besides, if I buff you too much, you might just start thinking you don't need to practice those apple-cutting skills of yours."

Alysha's glare intensified, but she bit her tongue, clearly not wanting to escalate the situation further. Noah's easygoing arrogance could be infuriating, but he wasn't entirely wrong. Still, she wasn't about to let him off that easily.

"You know, for someone who's supposed to be supporting the team, you've got a funny way of showing it," she muttered, crossing her arms tighter, but inside, she was fuming, and it was showing on the outside moments later. "But fine, I'll hold you to that. Next time, I better see some of that 'flair' you keep bragging about."

Noah tilted his head slightly, giving her a wink. "Don't worry, you'll get your show. Just don't blink, or you might miss it."

On the other hand, Malfurion extracted himself from this mess and stood a bit apart from the rest, crouched down to the ground, trying to do some 'Nature Bending' and help the withered plants and grass.

'What morons, they are clashing over something so small when in fact, Odin did all the job by himself. He even kept our aggro in check by stealing monsters that would have overwhelmed us.'

'This Alysha gall is quite emotional and focuses too much on her damage meter as if it would impress Odin, who can one-shot level 50 elite monsters at only level 10.'

'Kind of stupid and delusional.'

'Let's not bother with them. I've done my job without any mistakes, even micromanaging my spells and MP to be on time with the Heals and CC. Let's see if I'll get any Quest completion by healing Madelaire.'

Doing his quest, he quietly observed the exchange with his usual calm demeanor.

He hadn't said much during the fight, but Odin had noticed how effectively the druid had been using his crowd control spells, the roots that had sprung from the ground to ensnare the Wild Beasts and the healing pulses that had kept the team alive by keeping the Tank in one piece. It was clear to Odin that Malfurion was still the MVP of the 'Leviathan Tadpoles', even if the others didn't fully realize it yet.

As the banter continued, Odin, who had finished arranging the strategy with Eve, slowly walked toward the group, his expression neutral but his presence commanding enough to draw their attention.

(Bla-Bla-Bla) - Background Noise

(Bla-Bla-Bla) - Background Noise

--Cough--; --Cough--

His first attempt to get their focus back was subtle, a simple clearing of his throat, but when they failed to take the hint, he decided to assert himself more directly.

"Enough," Odin said, his voice cutting through the chatter with a cold, authoritative tone.

The group fell silent immediately, all eyes turning toward him in shock since they had never heard Odin snapping at people. Eve, who was by his side, remained calm, but there was a smirk on her face. She knew more in-depth about Odin's … no, Mathias's personality and knew that he hated it when his Party grew chaotic with no unity to discuss.

This was Mathias in his true self, a decisive person who was intolerable of any bullshit. It was a side of him that she admired. It made him so masculine in her eyes since the men in the recent era grew to be a lot more effeminate or be in rows of toxicity that no sane woman should allow.

She was aware that Mathias decided to invite those newbies to join him in his leveling spree to form some cohesion in a starting group that could help each other while leveling forward.

'Don't behave like children when you're adults, for God's sake. My Mina is an Angel compared to these people.'

These people completely missed the point of why Odin had brought them together in the first place.

She found it almost laughable that they were so wrapped up in their petty grievances and ego-driven arguments. Their squandering reminded her of a time when she was summoned to her daughter's kindergarten because her young daughter didn't let the other girls bully her.

'They could learn a lot from Mina' Eve thought with a touch of exasperation, 'and maybe then, they'd actually start progressing instead of holding each other back.'

Her smirk faded into a more serious expression as she pondered about something more profound than those newbies that would certainly not be part of Odin's journey back to the top of the Mountain…

Nonetheless, Odin's demeanor shift was noticeable. There was a hint of disappointment in his gaze, and the warmth he'd shown earlier seemed to have cooled significantly. Clearly, he wasn't in the mood for their post-battle banter, and the players quickly straightened up, feeling a sudden weight in the air from the cooling of Odin's warm eyes.

Elyse and Purphoros exchanged uneasy glances, while Alysha uncrossed her arms and stood a little straighter, gulping down. This colder Odin made her lower half squirm a bit. Her eyes then shifted into an infatuated way that had Eve scoff lightly.

Noah, who had some experiences IRL with Mathias, not Odin, knew that when his eyes would have this cold glint, he meant business. He straightened for once, expecting the commands from the Guildmaster.

Meanwhile, Malfurion stopped his 'Nature Bending' since it didn't bring any progress to the quest and remained attentive, waiting to hear what their leader had to say.

Seeing that he now had their full attention, Odin's expression softened slightly, but his tone remained firm. "To improve as Satisfy Players, you must rewatch your plays constantly. Whenever you're fighting a monster and ending it, watch it, and draw conclusions on what you could've improved. This is my first piece of advice, as far as what I have observed while tackling 85% of the monsters goes."

"Also, don't grow entitled to the fact that you own a certain buff. DPS has an important role, but Tanks and Support can become a primary role in a boss-monster encounter."

"There's still a lot of work ahead for you to become a force. We've barely scratched what we need to do to complete this quest. You need to focus, learn to work together, adjust to your own chosen roles, and stop blaming each other for mistakes. If you keep wasting time arguing, you won't make it past the next stage of Satisfy."

There was a moment of silence as Odin's words sank in.

One of the newer players, still shaken from the fight, hesitantly spoke up. "But... Odin, with your power and Eve's magic, couldn't you just handle the rest? Those monsters are like dungeon bosses. We're just slowing you down."

Standing beside Odin, Eve scoffed at the comment, her expression full of disdain. "If you rely on others to do all the work, you'll never become a strong player. This lazy mentality won't get you anywhere in this world. You need to pull your weight, not leech off of others."

The newbie flinched at Eve's harsh words but didn't dare argue. Eve's tone made it clear she wasn't in the mood for excuses.

If it were up to Eve, she would outright kick out those who were complaining. This wasn't some charity to feed the poor, but an opportunity to learn and grow in this Fantasy World. Still, it was up to Odin if he chose to kick them out, but knowing Mathias, he believed in second chances when it was worth trying again.

Seeing that Eve's words had hit home, Odin decided to soften the blow, though his message remained the same. "Eve's right. I wanted to offer you the new generation of players and a window into becoming a Top Ranker. To guide you in the right direction, and who knows, maybe in the future when you're catching up to me and the rest of the Aesir Core."

"If you rely on us to do everything, you won't grow as players. And I don't plan on babysitting anyone. You must step up and contribute if you want to be here."

He let his words hang in the air for a moment, watching as the group absorbed the reality of their situation. There was no room for freeloaders or dead weight. They had to earn their place in the party if they wanted to succeed.

Finally, Odin nodded, his tone becoming a bit warmer, more encouraging. "I believe you all have potential. And with this in mind, I plan to offer you a chance to prove to me and mainly to you that you can achieve something great in the future."

Odin surveyed the group, his eyes now carrying a touch of warmth but still maintaining a firm resolve. "Now, onto the next phase," he began, his voice steady. "We're going to take advantage of the chaos in this zone. We're going to exploit the structure of this Event by grabbing all the scattered Wild Beasts and Dire Beasts using this item."

As he spoke, Odin reached into his inventory, withdrawing a series of vials containing a swirling, iridescent substance. The liquid inside seemed to pulse with a strange, almost malevolent energy.

He held one up for the group to see.

"This item is a Magical Monster Bait," he explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "It's an alchemical concoction that will attract any beast within a certain radius. Once activated, the monsters will be drawn to you like moths to a flame. Your task this time is quite simple. You'll take this bait, place it in the points I've highlighted on the map, and then lure the monsters to this cleared area of Madelaire."

He paused, letting the weight of the task sink in. "Now, this is crucial. Once you've placed the bait, you must carry it on your person until you reach the designated area. You'll have to avoid any contact with other players until you activate the bait… if they catch on to what we're doing, they'll try to interfere. Once you're in position, activate the Bait, wait around 60 seconds for the effect to take place, and once you notice that monsters are aggroing you, run. Run as if life depends on you toward my location on the map."

"Ohh, and trust me, you don't want to be caught by either the monsters or other players. I'll feel sorry for you dying and losing this opportunity."

The newbies exchanged glances, while Eve stood nearby with her arms crossed like a Girl Boss, watching them with an amused expression.

Odin began handing out the vials, moving down the line. Each player took the bait with a mixture of reverence and anxiety, fully aware of the responsibility now resting in their hands.

Odin proceeds to explain his plan in a broader sense so they can understand the importance of his strategy… no, it should be called a scheme against all of the lower-level players in this part of the Monster Horde Event.

"Guildmaster, I understand your mission. Don't worry, I will not disappoint. It's just running around flashing up the carrot to those dumb rabid beasts."

"Everything is fair in War. Those bunch of assholes deserve it for acting like a bunch of hyenas."

"Hehe, this does sound fun. I'm all in. I don't even care if the monsters kill me before I run away."

Alysha took her vial with a nod of appreciation. "If Odin asks me so nicely to do this, and since there's so much EXP involved, I'll do it." She was clearly motivated by the prospect of the EXP gain, but there was also a genuine desire to prove herself to Odin and gain his attention.

As Odin moved down the line, he deliberately skipped over Purphoros, who was visibly disappointed and confused. "Oyy, Boss, this is not fair. Why did everyone else get the Bait, and not me?" Purphoros complained, frustrated that he was missing out on the action.

He didn't understand why he was being left out, and the perceived slight wounded his pride.

Before Odin could respond, Alysha jumped in, seizing the opportunity to rub salt in Purphoros's ego. "Cause you're a slow-ass turtle. Do you have wax in your ears? This is a mission of luring the monsters from the rest of the hunting grounds in this region," she said with a mocking grin, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Purphoros bristled at Alysha's words, his face turning red with anger. "I'm not that slow!" he retorted, clearly stung by the insult. He had always prided himself on his strength and durability as a tank, but being called slow was a blow to his confidence.

Alysha wasn't finished, though. She crossed her arms and smirked. "You're a fucking Tank! Wait for your time to shine after all of the monsters appear. You'll have your final stand against hundreds of monsters," she shot back, her tone both dismissive and condescending.

Purphoros clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "You! Damned blondie, I'll make sure to have you get murked by those monsters,"

He was clearly not going to let Alysha's insults go unchallenged, even if it meant plotting a little revenge of his own.

Their bickering, however, was largely ignored by the rest of the group, especially for Malfurion and Noah.

Malfurion, who had been quietly observing the exchange, turned to Odin, his expression calm and focused. "When can we start?" he asked, his voice steady. He was eager to get on with the mission and get into Odin's good graces, which would help me further complete his Hidden Class Quest.

His mind was already strategizing how best to carry out his part.

"Since Eve is close to her bedtime, as soon as possible. Prepare yourself mentally, and get going. I'll also have to spread around the bait to catch all of the mobs you're dragging along. Purphoros, you'll back me up by drawing on some aggro, but that will be most of your job."

"I'll clean up the mess you all will create in an instant." Eve was confident in herself and her magical abilities.

Without dragging things for too long and being an inconvenience to Odin and Eve, the 9 players, excluding Purphoros, had this sulking expression as he waited behind the tall man wearing his leather armor that had clear influences of a Werewolf.

Without further delay, the nine players understood their mission, as complicated or straightforward as each of them might perceive it. Ultimately, it was a straightforward mission to go to point B with the bait and drag your corpse back to point A at the base where Odin was preparing for the main show. They departed from the cleared areas of Madelaire, each holding the Magical Monster Bait tightly.

In the end, only the Tank, Purphoros, was left out of this mission, remaining a slumping and sulking mess. As he was sulking in silence, he stood behind Odin and Eve, understanding that his chance to act would eventually come, just not in that moment.