Chapter 8: Infernal Tempest

Odin and his group continued onward along the grassland road, taking a 'dangerous' route that led them through various hunting grounds frequented by beginner players. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the expansive plains matching perfectly with the bright light exuded by his longsword.

The road, akin to the ones from the medieval period, was well-trodden but winding, stretching ahead, bordered by tall grasses swaying gently in the breeze.

These parts of the Empire were the breadbaskets of the empire, but for whatever reason, the developers thought it was a great idea of introducing pockets where monsters would spawn, such creating prolific zones for hunting that were contested by various Guilds and groups of players.

As they progressed, the landscape around them unfolded in a breathtaking panorama.

It wasn't an unfamiliar sighting for Odin who was familiar with this route toward the Magic Tower, but for the new players in his group it was indeed, something only seen in movies.

The grasslands were a sea of vibrant green, interspersed with patches of wildflowers in hues of blue, yellow, and red. In the distance, small groves of trees stood like islands in the ocean of grass, their leaves rustling softly, providing shade and shelter for the creatures within.

To their left, a gently sloping hill rose, dotted with boulders and craggy outcrops. At its base, a crystal-clear stream wound its way through the grass, its waters sparkling under the sunlight. The sound of the bubbling brook was a soothing counterpoint to the distant calls of birds and the occasional roar of a wild beast.

The group of girls were actively chit chatting with one another, at times trying to grab Odin's attention by asking him all sorts of questions from nonsensical to silly ones, acting as if they were innocent angels that didn't know better.

⤷ I never expected that the outside of Titan would look so nice. I mean, only seeing from livestreams and videos doesn't do its justice. Maybe I would venture out once in a while to see the various cities and villages.

⤷ Elyse: Odin, is there any Dungeons around this hunting ground? If there is, can you take us? By the way, is there any difference from the landscaping of a dungeon?

⤷ Alysha: Hey, we shouldn't change the plans for the journey. Its Fullbazz, then from there on Odin continues leading. No complaints from me~

⤷ Noah: Sighh

"Any dungeons outside the Tower of Sun? Not for the lower level players, but there's an instance dungeon inside the Tower of Sun, Ruins of Lornesta, but it's for high-level players. This is what sucks about being spawned inside Titan, you mainly have access to high-level quests, and the only option for the players is to grind, and grind again.

That's something that the beta players didn't even take in consideration since all of them were spawned in the Capitals of their respective States. They just got scammed by S.A's clickbait with the fancy metropolis that had all sorts of RP activities to do, and a handful of quests from the Guard's Garrison.

To this day, I can remember 'Demacia' whining and complaining that most NPCs ignore him as if he was a beggar. He had to do so many Sewer Cleaning Quests from the Garrison that he got phobias of rats.

Overall, you were far better off if you spawned into a Village or small Town because there were a plethora of quests to tackle.

Moving forward, the road soon enough went alive with activity. The Leviathan members in the group could see on their journey that there were plenty of groups that moved with an increased pace toward the location they were now standing.

With a game that housed millions of players, you could expect each hunting ground to have hundreds of players, and the scene in front of them proved the reality at hand.

All around, dozens of beginner players engaged in combat with the local wildlife, turning the once serene landscape into a bustling training ground filled with chaos of uncertainty.

To Odin's right, a group of beginner players wearing adventurer equipment clashed with a pack of wolves.

The creatures were sleek and swift, their grey fur blending almost seamlessly with the shadows of the grass.

[Dire Wolf - LV.15]

⤷ Elyse: They are struggling with the wolves? I thought they were quite easy to defeat, just hack them apart a couple of times and they'll die. Right?

⤷ Alysha: No, this isn't the case. Not everyone is a High-Ranker reverting to level 1.

⤷ Noah: Alysha is right, we would be like this too if Odin would force us to fight against those wolves. Be grateful that you're a freeloader.

⤷ Malfurion: Shouldn't we also try hunting some monsters by ourselves? I have two Druid skills that are impactful in combat.

⤷ Why not? Odin, do you mind us hunting some monsters to get a taste of the combat?

Odin who watched the beginners who formed their own 5-man party coordinated their attacks, shouting commands and encouraging one another, made him nod his head a bit.

This is interesting. Seeing new players coordinating so well. Might be wrong, but they have their basics drawn down, one tank, 2 spellcasters, one healer and another dps. Could they be players from that VR 'The Continent of Magic'?

Might be that. I heard it was popular 3 years ago, but is on decline because of Satisfy World. Most hardcore players are migrating here, this includes the whales too, which is bad for their finances.

⤷ Odin: Go ahead. I'll watch you and give you feedback, but don't get discouraged if I sound a bit harsh. It's a professional defect.

Off they were in their excitement, looking left and right for a spot that was available for them, and without him coordinating them, they got to work.

Further ahead, Odin spotted a solitary mage standing at the edge of the road, chanting incantations with a focused intensity. Flames erupted from his staff, engulfing a swarm of giant insects that buzzed threateningly around him. The insects' chitinous exoskeletons crackled and smoked under the assault, their high-pitched screeches of distress mingling with the mage's fervent cries.

Hmm, a Fireball?

He got control, but the initial incantation was slow because he relied too heavily on the system. He should have taken the starting questline of the Tower of Sun and is doing the magic stone gathering.

Odin followed his group of players from behind, but kept his distance so he wouldn't influence their decision making process. The members despite their inexperience in the combat section fought with an admirable fervor, forgetting their initial inhibitions in clashing with the wild beasts or insectoid monsters.

Surveying the scene, a hint of a smile playing on his lips

They remind me of when I first started… It's good to see so many new faces taking up the mantle.

The grasslands themselves were teeming with life. Here and there, deer grazed peacefully, their ears twitching alertly at the slightest sound. Rabbits darted through the underbrush, while hawks soared high above, their keen eyes scanning the ground for prey.

Amidst the more mundane wildlife, the occasional monster prowled, materializing into existence after their respawn timer was up, around 5-10 minutes for the monsters to suffer the same miserable fate of dying under the crazed blows of the Chosen Ones.

Odin stood on one such respawning spot, and soon enough, the angry roars of a goblin group reached his ears. The goblins, materializing in front of him, shouted and bared their teeth, brandishing their primitive maces. Odin's frown deepened as the incessant noise began to irk him.

[Goblin - LV.14]

Sighing and muttering to himself "Just when I thought I could enjoy the view."

Turning towards the goblins, he began walking toward them with measured, deliberate steps. The goblins, driven by their primal instincts and unaware of the impending danger as they didn't give much importance to the crimson aura surrounding the body of this human, charged at him, swinging their crude weapons wildly.

Odin's expression remained impassive, his eyes cold and calculating.

Should I play a bit with the Red Energy abilities? Uhh, is a goblin. That would make it wasteful since I just recovered my Red Energy to full.

The first goblin reached him, its mace swinging down in a clumsy arc. With a fluid motion, Odin drew his sword, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. His handsome expression remained indifferent to the ferocity shown by the goblins, after thousands of those creatures spilling blood under his sword.

He sidestepped the attack effortlessly and brought his sword down in a swift, precise strike. The goblin crumpled to the ground, its weapon slipping from lifeless fingers.

[You have slayed a 'Goblin gaining the following rewards: 102 EXP, Star Rose Quartz, Goblin Ears (1x), 8 Bronze Coins]

[You have leveled up! Congratulations for reaching level 6.]

A quartz? Ehh, lucky. At least something useful from all the junk.

The second goblin lunged at him, attempting to catch him off guard. Odin spun gracefully, his sword slicing through the air with a barely audible whoosh.

The goblin's eyes widened in shock as the blade cut through its torso, sending it crashing to the ground, but he was still fidgeting, attempting to harm him, but with an malicious smirk on his face, he stabbed the goblin in his throat, before decapitating the creature as it turned into ash.

[You have slayed a 'Goblin gaining the following rewards: 105 EXP, Goblin Ears (2x), 4 Bronze Coins]

How much was the trophy exchange at the Adventurer Guild? 1 Goblin Ears = 2 bronze coins, decent. But the transition is capped at 1k Goblin Ears so there's no exploits in me wiping the goblin population of the map.

Some attempted to exploit the NPC Guilds, but were refuted and even suffered favorability losses with those in charge. Is not worth losing favorability with NPCs over some goblin ears and bronze coins.

The remaining two goblins hesitated, a flicker of fear crossing their faces. Odin's presence was overwhelming, his movements a blur as he showed his basic swordsmanship. He advanced on them, his sword poised for the next strike.

One of the goblins, driven by desperation, swung its mace in a wild, uncontrolled arc. Odin parried the blow effortlessly, his blade cutting through the goblin's defenses with surgical precision. The creature fell, its body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

The last goblin, now fully aware of the disparity in power, began to back away, its eyes wide with terror. Odin's cold gaze locked onto it, and with a swift, decisive movement, he closed the distance. The goblin raised its mace in a futile attempt to defend itself, but Odin's strike was too fast, too precise. The blade sliced through the air, and the goblin's weapon clattered to the ground as it collapsed, overwhelmed by fear and defeat.

The remaining goblins, those too dumb or too slow to recognize the futility of their actions, collapsed in fear, their primitive minds unable to process the sheer dominance of the Black Knight before them.

[You have slayed a 'Goblin gaining the following rewards: 101 EXP, Goblin Ears (1x), 3 Bronze Coins]

[You have slayed a 'Goblin gaining the following rewards: 105 EXP, Goblin Ears (1x), Tattered Scimitar, 5 Bronze Coins]

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Odin sheathed his sword with a practiced motion, his expression unchanged.

His crimson eyes felt devoid of emotions at this moment as he looked at the disappearing figures of the goblins, which led to him softly muttering toward the dead monsters. "Know your place, scum."

He turned away from the fallen goblins, his attention returning to his group of players. They were still engaged in their own battles, oblivious to the swift and brutal encounter that had just taken place.

Odin resumed his position at a distance, watching over them with a protective yet detached gaze, ready to intervene if necessary but content to let them learn and grow on their own.

Since the group was quite large for the lower level mobs, they split camps but chose to remain in close vicinity to one another in case there were mishaps. Noah and Malfurion took charge of their respective parties, and watching them coordinate each other made him realize that the singer had actually taken the Bard Class.

Noah, using a violin, started playing while the tank had aggro and the dps were doing their job at dealing damage to a Twig Blight that was only level 12. The melody intensified as a sign that he activated one of his skills.

[You have been buffed by the 'Song of Motivation' gaining the following enhancements: 10% attack speed increase, 10% hit-chance increase, 5% attack damage increase.]

It was a group buff that enveloped the whole party of 10 people, including Odin who remained neutral, watching their teamwork.

Malfurion also showed that he wasn't a pushover and as he wielded a stave, he activated one of his CC (Crowd-Control) skills 'Entangling Vines' that give more freedom to the rest of the players to attack safely.

Alysha, dropped her RP act and from a diligent Maid, she transformed into a nimble thief, taking advantage of the immobilized creature. She darted in and out of the fray, her daggers flashing in the sunlight. Each strike hit their mark, with some daggers damaging the Twig Blight's weak points.

Assassination Class? This should be the beginner stages of this class path. Right now, she should be only a 'Thief'. Not bad for a timid maid.

Her agility allowed her to avoid the creature's thrashing limbs, and her attacks dealt significant damage over time.

Alysha felt the adrenaline pumping in her system, and with a grin on her petite face, she continued delivering a flurry of strikes at the struggling monster.

"This thing doesn't stand a chance!"

The combination of Noah's buffs, Malfurion's control, Alysha's relentless assault quickly wore down the Twig Blight. The rest of the players also participated, but from Odin's watchful eyes, those three were the MVPs of the hunt.

There was no chance for the Twig Blight, it shuddered, its twisted branches cracking and splintering under the onslaught. With a final, desperate lunge broke free from the Entangling Vines and decided to run, abandoning this struggle, only to be met by a gleaming sword that put an end to its struggles.

[You have slayed a 'Twig Blight' gaining the following rewards: 25 EXP, Gulthias twig seed, Blight Wooden Shield, 2 Bronze Coins]

His given reward wasn't much, taking in consideration the monster was about to succumb to the player's combined onslaught.

"Purphoros, you're a STR build, am I right?"

"Hah? Odin? Yeah, of course. Why?"

"Here, grab this shield and continue tanking."

The other players, buoyed by their success, finished their respective fights before regrouping by Odin's side, their faces flushed with the thrill of victory, and just like this a new group of RP folks were converted into attack group lunatics.

Akin to expectant puppies they watched Odin for his approval. What took them a couple of minutes to handle, he slaughtered a group of goblins like it was nothing, granting them a level boost as they faced the Twig Blight.

Odin had a relaxed body language, but the moment he stepped forward, his presence shifted, commanding attention.

"Well done, everyone. You handled those encounters decently for amateurs, but there are always areas for improvement."

He looked at Noah, who was still holding his violin, a satisfied smile on his face. Nodding in approval of Noah, he started sharing his observations.

"Your 'Song of Motivation' was well-timed, I'll give you that. You didn't even need the system's assistance in playing the violin. Proops on that. However, try to maintain awareness of your surroundings. You almost got too close to the fight at one point, and risked pulling aggro, since mobs with slight intelligence would target Supports."

Noah nodded, taking the advice seriously, and as his first hunt, he felt grateful. He heard some of his brass colleagues who started Satisfy complain that the difficulty of the game was too high, but to him, it felt smooth.

"Understood, Odin. I'll be more careful next time."

One by one, he was honest in imparting his observations and trying to give pointers to the beginner players.

"Malfurion, among all, you could claim the MVP of the group. Has gardening helped you honing your control over the spells you got? Can't tell, but it would be an interesting method of raising your control. For now, just remember to keep an eye on your mana. Overextending in a prolonged fight can leave you vulnerable."

"Thanks, Boss. I can't tell you if its because of the gardening RP, this is my first time fighting monsters."

"Uh-huh, it's worth investigating."

Then finally, Odin looked at Alysha, who was still catching her breath from her flurry of attacks.

"Now, Alysha, I left you for last. You did your DPS job, alright. Just be mindful of your positioning. A few times, you were almost caught by the creature's attacks. Stay aware of your escape routes."

Alysha expected that he would diss her out since she acted a bit out of line, and required Malfurion's assistance in pinning down the monster. Still, hearing the man she admired the most out of all Satisfy players, it put a grin on her petite face.

"Got it. I'll make sure to keep an eye out.

The hunting grounds were brimming with players, and Odin's tadpoles were having their fair share of fun killing monsters, from Dire Wolves, Giant 'Alpha Boars', Ankheg and of course, lots of Goblins.

Yet, all good things come to an end. I almost forgot that even at low levels there exist toxic players.

Odin's group were faced with the dark side of an MMORPG, that was encountering a party that were leeches who pulled on their Kill-Steal stuns in their attempts of stealing a portion of the rewards.

⤷ Guild member (Female): What are you guys doing? Don't disturb us while we're fighting the monsters!

⤷ KS/PKer (1): My bad, my bad. It was an accident, I tried to aggro the monster behind the one you're fighting.

⤷ KS/PKer (2): Easy, kitty. There's plenty of monsters for everyone.

⤷ KS/PKer (3): Relax, we're moving to another spot.

⤷ Alysha: Ignore them, Jess.

The same antics of those toxic players kept on following Odin's group, which he let it go by as he wasn't in the mood of doing much but watch his tadpoles start growing. But it didn't mean he was ignorant to those antics, and when Alysha and Elyse were about to explode at the group of players harassing them, he finally moved his body.

Odin didn't give the chance of those PKers to steal his group's hunt, and in fact, he turned the tides on them.

Holding his gleaming longsword, he told Alysha in a calm tone. "Begin to pull aggro on all monsters in our surrounding. Don't ask why."

"Understood."

Alysha had plenty of throwing daggers at her disposal, and following Odin's instructions she started attacking monsters indiscriminately, regardless if they were tackled by other players, and this included some of monsters the PKers opportunists were handling.

⤷ KS/PKer (2): Hey!! What the fuck are you doing? You just reseted the aggro on the mobs.

⤷ Random P: Cut it out, you bitch! I'm trying to level up, here.

⤷ KS/PKer (1): If you don't stop, don't be sorry if we take actions.

She smirked at all of those threats, but quickly got overwhelmed by the large numbers of monsters charging at her.

"What now, Master?"

"We teach the leeches some respect."

Blessing of Fire

[You have consumed 25 RE (Red Energy). User has received the 'Inferno's Embrace' Buff.]

[For the next 5 minutes, the user gains an AP boost of 20%, gains resistance to ice-based attacks and deals additional fire damage with melee attacks. Fire-based abilities cost 15% less mana during this period.]

The dignified Crimson Aura like an ethereal veil that surrounded Odin underwent a transformation, its calming yet dignified presence morphed into an ferocious, untameable raging inferno of flames.

The ambient temperature within the grassland and forested area seemed to rise as the flames flickered with an intensity that mirrored Odin's resolve.

The buff itself manifested, wrapping around Odin like a cloak of devilish origins.

His longsword was set ablaze, and instantly grabbed the attention of the Leviathan members who didn't know what Odin was planning. It was when he took a domineering sword stance and activated one of his Sword Skills that he wrecked havoc in this hunting ground.

[Tempest Sword]

[User has consumed 500 MP]

With a mighty swing, Odin unleashed his Tempest Sword, one of the skills that were spared by the Satisfy Gods since it was a Neutral Skill that he acquired from a Skill Book.

The blazing inferno that cloaked him exploded outward, combining with the raw power of his skill. A whirlwind of flames and cutting wind erupted from his blade, engulfing the dozens of monsters Alysha had attracted with her throwing knives.

The infernal tempest tore through the hunting ground, consuming everything in its path as if a mighty Dragon had descended on mortal ground.

Dire Wolves, Worgs, Giant Alpha Boars, Ankhegs, and Goblins were all caught in the devastating storm.

⤷ Elyse: I think I'm in love.

⤷ Alysha: OMG, and I was thinking Master forced me to self-delete by aggroing so many mobs.

⤷ Noah: Wew, so this is how it feels to get a Bus Ride in Satisfy? The EXP bar is getting filled each second. Good job, Alysha.

⤷ Purphoros: Is just me whose regretful she didn't pull more?

⤷ Alysha: Get lost! You should be the one pulling monsters, not a delicate girl like myself. What if one of those goblins had caught up to me?

⤷ Malfurion: Boss would have taken care of things. Man, I get why so many people are his die-hard fans. He rocks!

The ground scorched and the air crackled with intense heat as the creatures were swept into the maelstrom. Their cries of agony were drowned out by the roaring inferno, and in mere moments, the monsters were reduced to smoldering ashes.

[You have leveled up! Congratulations for reaching level 9.]

The players in the hunting group turned at the spectacle, and some really needed to collect their jaws from the floor. Even the ones initially complaining that their mobs were stolen, calmed down after receiving their fair share of EXP, but the main factor was this player's overwhelming power.

Was he even a beginner player like them?

On another hand, Odin was a sea of calmness, he dusted off his clothes of the ash created by the dead monsters that stuck to him, and breathed in, allowing the tingles to pass all over his body.

Marvelous. I had an idea that Saharan Successor was a Hybrid Class that could synergize perfectly with any secondary class, but with only Tempest Sword it turned the Rare-rated Skill into an Epic-rated from the firepower.

When I get free time, I should play around with the various combos possible.

His actions had the desired effect, clearing out this zone of the hunting ground, leaving nothing to the rest. Selfish? Sure, but Odin wasn't a magnanimous individual, especially against those he considered trash and scum.

Playing out his own experiences with toxic players, the group of PKers counting (4) regrouped and arrived in front of Odin, thinking that they had a number and skill advantage.

⤷ KS/PKer (2): Good one, but are you really that retarded? What will the rest do? Wait for 5 minutes because you have an AoE skill from the get-go? Huuuh? You fucking whale. Tsk, this is why I hate money spenders.

⤷ KS/PKer (1): You got money, right? Give us some, and we'll forget this incident.

⤷ KS/PKer (3): Kek, he's nervous. I'm sure he's shaking in his boots now that his Ultimate Skill is on cooldown.

Far from the truth, Odin looked down at the toxic group in his relaxed manner, and found himself amused that they were attempting to bully him.

What was this? Highschool? Pff, I wonder what nationally they have? Indians? Pakistani? They do act obnoxious, but isn't this a disgrace to the respectful Indian Guilds playing in the Empire?

If I give a heads up to Dhokla, I'm sure he'll track those muppets down IRL anywhere in India and have them quit the game. Nahh, I'm not so cruel. They're just stupid kids.

Go on, make the first move. I'll not want to get my name red to kill some nameless ants.

He was prepared to cull them, but at the sight of gathered players, where more and more arrived in an attempt at figuring out what just happened, they looked dumbfounded and shocked, recognizing who caused this scene.

⤷ It's Odin! No mistake, he's wielding Baldur's Jewel!

⤷ Wait, Odin? Isn't he like the TOP 10 Ranker? What's he doing in the starting zone?

⤷ Haven't you heard the news? He lost all of his levels as a penalty for getting the Legendary Class. Now, I guess, he's redoing all of his progress. Tsk, what are those 4 morons thinking? Are they pulling a Black Rose stunt?

⤷ Meaning what? Bro, you know I just started Satisfy, and have no clue about the gossip circulating. What's a Black Rose stunt?

⤷ Hmm, is a long story, but I'll try to make it simple. Black Rose was a PK guild that messed around with Odin and his guild Leviathan. In two weeks of spawn camping them, he and the Aesirs made the Black Rose guild disband. Some even quit Satisfy. It was revenge for Demacia.

⤷ Revenge? Why? It's just a game.

⤷ Tell that to any Ranker who loses their Unique, main weapon. Anyway, those four idiots are screwed. Just watch.

Among the newly arrived was a player whose face paled when he saw those four players giving hints they were about to start a fight with the tall western man.

"Fuck me, I told those idiots to not mess with whales, but they actually fucked around with a Leviathan. Fuck, I need to save my skin.

The Indian player quickly got to his group, more than welcome to have him join them, but he didn't want any of this drama.

"Shut the fuck up, Gurjot! You want a beating once we get out of Satisfy? Read the private chat, shut up, and leave."

He clearly looked apologetic when he faced Odin, and nervousness washed him when he was watched by those deep crimson eyes. "You're the leader of that party?"

"Mmm, I want to apologize on their behalf if they insulted you with their actions and words. We just started playing yesterday."

"It's all good, you can go if you understand your situation. However, a reminder. If you want a smooth journey, read the Community Guidelines."