Four scattered players were frozen, shocked to their core by Raine’s casual execution of their commander. They weren’t hardened warriors, or even martials, just people who excelled at bullying those weaker than them. Overwhelmed by terror, one man turned to flee. His head was pulverized before he took the first step.
The question marks above Raine’s head that would normally show his class and health turned a shade of light pink. Now a red player, the more he killed, the darker red his information would become. Killing red players was never considered a crime, even in towns the guards would simply watch and most likely laugh. If his name became red enough, the guards would be the ones doing the killing. Worse, he would drop additional equipment if someone managed to kill him, on top of earning a significantly longer respawn time.
Being a red player was a tough life; a calling for some as it was a highly viable martial path. The loot potential was far higher than killing beasts, and ZionLine doled out incredible rewards for those who chose to regularly murder their fellow man.
Raine swept his gaze across the last three, then released another burst of bloodlust, “Don’t do pointless things. I have a use for you. Fulfill it, and I’ll let you live.” He jerked his head toward Mel and Celeste who were just as stunned as everyone else, “Fight these two. They’re both level zero. If you manage to kill one of them, you can leave.”
One of the survivors shook like a leaf in a hurricane, “B-but the protections.”
Raine ignored him, walking in a circle and tapping each dropped piece of loot with his boot to place them in his inventory, “Pick your targets and send the duel request.”
The girls nodded to each other, then tapped at their interfaces. Raine’s senses were tuned toward the players in the thin woods on either side of the road. It wasn’t worth his time to chase them down. The red player penalty faded rapidly when it was only one or two kills. Too many, and he would have a hard time entering any law-abiding towns for days.
They should have attacked immediately before my skill’s cooldown finished. Just proves that ZL is still new. Proper ambush response doctrines simply haven’t been created, let alone trained yet.
The same player who spoke earlier took a fearful step back, looking between Mel and Celeste, “B-both of you?”
“Nobody said it had to be one-on-one!” Celeste spat, staff in her hands.
Raine nodded, impressed they figured out the trick to his task. Mel went wide, attempting to flank the man while Celeste approached slowly from the front. His spear swiveled from one to the other, fear still overwhelming his decision making. When Celeste leaned forward and lunged, his level five Potency easily batted her blow aside. The bladed tip of his weapon clanged against her staff, sending her arms wide. She jumped back a step, wary of a counter.
The terror gripping the man’s guts faded instantly as he realized that she wasn’t the same kind of monster Raine was. With growing confidence, he jumped at her in a straightforward Pierce. Celeste barely twisted her torso and bent out of the way. Mel tried to take advantage but was too slow to close the distance, leaving Celeste to deal with the butt of his spear coming around in a wicked-fast arc.
She ducked, throwing herself onto her ass and sliding away from him. The fear in her expression made it clear she had severely underestimated the power and speed granted by five levels of attributes. Instead of chasing Celeste, he rounded on Mel.
After swinging the butt of his weapon at Celeste, its point was now facing Mel. Her eyes widened seeing the sharp tip darting toward her neck. Surprise ruined her ability to access Discipline, and lacking Celeste’s honed reflexes, she failed to dodge. The spear cut deeply into the side of her exposed throat, releasing a spray of blood.
Half her health vanished and her dagger fell from fingers. She clamped both hands around the wound. Large, panicked eyes watched in disbelief as the spear jerked back for another stab. A small ball of fire crashed into the man’s back. He screamed as delicate flesh melted, stumbling forward from the impact.
Raine’s brows shot up. Hitting with a thrown elemental skill wasn’t easy. Not only did the caster need to choose an element and hold its image in their minds, they had to choose exactly where along the trajectory of their swing the Blast would be released, ‘before’ making the swing. Similar to deciding when you needed to release a rock when throwing it, except once the choice was made and the swing started, there was no changing it. Lastly, there had to be enough force in the swing to physically hurl the ball of fire, ice, or whichever element was chosen.
Previously, Celeste had been releasing her Blasts in melee so much of her accuracy could be discounted. This time, she fired from nearly four meters away and hit a moving target dead on. It took TwistedReligion thirty tries to do what she did on her first, and Raine doubted it was luck.
There’s a reason she became a legend. Well, this isn’t that reason, but it does show her natural talent is fairly monstrous.
Celeste was on the burning man as quickly as she could move, the bottom of her staff whipping toward him. Thanks to significantly higher Finesse, he managed to turn and get the center of his spear in the way to block.
The butt of his spear once more sent her reeling, though this time she didn’t fall. He charged as she was trying to regain her balance. Impressively, she managed to release another Blast however the force of release sent her ass to the ground, hard. The man flexed every muscle in his body, throwing himself to the side. Still, he nearly collided with the imperfectly aimed bolt that would have missed had he maintained his attack.
Off balance, he wasn’t at all prepared for Mel when she slammed into his side. She somehow had the wherewithal to heal herself when he wasn’t looking, then retrieving her weapon. The dagger was driven deep into the soft flesh beneath his rib cage. She followed him down, blood staining her basic tunic. Pinned down, his spear was useless. He tried to wrest the dagger from her but a blow to his chin by the recovered Celeste rattled his brain. Five more attacks finished the job and he fell limp before bursting into a shower of sparking lights.
Mel healed herself again and the nasty, half-closed gash on her neck sealed into soft scar tissue.
A third Mend to fully recover? Must have been a crit. She’s lucky that didn’t kill her. Both of them got lucky multiple times. No fault there. Luck is simply the result of preparation and guts, applied at the right time and place.
While the last two survivors stood nervously, unsure of their fates, Raine approached the girls to whisper, “Out of ten fights against that guy, you would lose nine. The only reason you won is circumstances and luck. But that’s exactly what a true battlefield is. Emotions, unexpected events, misfortune, and a thousand other random things can heavily influence a fight. Taking advantage of even one of them is often the difference between survival and death. That said, what will you do better on the next one?”
“Next one? We have to do that again? I don’t have enough Celestial Power for another Mend!” Mel’s voice was hoarse, fingers massaging her still-aching throat.
Raine didn’t respond to the complaint. He stared down Celeste. She frowned, then further proved her future reputation wasn’t a fluke, “Mel is too inexperienced to dodge. I have to press the attack so hard they can’t ignore me. That should give her plenty of chances to whittle them down. I didn’t expect him to be so much stronger and faster than me, I won’t get knocked down again!” She growled the last, more to herself than him.
Raine nodded, “Passion isn’t enough to overcome a difference in attributes. Widen your stance and don’t face them square on to narrow your profile. And never forget that the staff is more than a stick. It's a third leg, an arm, a shield. Mel, don’t focus on anything other than fully experiencing your emotional state. Unlocking Discipline will give you a second resource pool so you’re not solely reliant on CP. Go on then.”
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He waved them toward the next player. The woman swallowed hard. She raised her long sword, then tapped her finger in the air to accept the duel. Celeste rushed her and Mel was right behind, moving to the flank once more. Wise to the strategy, the woman put her back to a few spikes slightly off the road.
Her tactic might have worked without Raine's hints. Celeste barreled forward without any signs of slowing. The woman took a hasty swipe at her but Celeste came in low. She planted the bottom end of her staff against the road and jumped forward feet-first like a pole vaulter. Her soft boots slammed into the woman's chest and she stumbled back into the spikes.
Her pained shout was cut short by Celeste's Blast that hit her right in the face. Even her choking didn't last long as Mel's dagger swiped across her throat. Gurgling blood, she lurched forward with a two-handed Slash. Celeste didn't take the blow head on. The tip of her staff smacked into the woman's wrist, redirecting her arms up and over Celeste’s low stance.
Tears in her eyes and on the verge of panic, the woman Charged. Her form blurred and she smashed into Celeste, sending her flying. Bleeding profusely, she turned to face Mel alone, only to find the girl was already clear on the other side of the road after three Discipline-powered sprinting steps. Luckily for Celeste, Charge didn’t do any actual damage, merely bridging the gap to the target and imparting a boosted blast of physical force.
The girls shared a glance, then ran at the woman full tilt. Mel, now able to access Discipline, flanked her by the time Celeste arrived. The staff was a blur in her arms as she weaved her torso left and right around powerful, yet uncoordinated sword swings. The distraction was more than enough for Mel to land three quick stabs. The woman fell to her knees, strength and hope leaving her body as surely as Mel’s dagger left her back riddled with holes.
Both girls were panting hard, blood staining their exposed skin, and eyes wide with disbelief at the carnage they’d wrought on another living person. Raine simply nodded, “Better. Next.”
The last man tried to run but Raine was already behind him when he turned around. He stumbled back, raising his hands, “Please, no! Just kill me quick, I don't want to be picked apart by them!”
“Fine,” Raine’s massive mace reduced his head to pulp so quickly the man didn't see him swing. His information was a shade darker as he picked up the dropped piece of gear. He met the girls’ disapproving glares, “What? There's little to learn from a broken opponent.” He walked through what was left of the demolished spike wall and they dashed to keep up.
They’re doing better than expected. Abysmal footwork, body movement, and overall combat awareness but those can be taught. Their instincts and mental fortitude are off the charts, and those are qualities that can’t be easily trained.
Taking the time to pick them up wasn’t a waste. With a little polish, they’ll be useful well after the initial guild raid. The two most important parts of any successful guild is its war purse, and its main raid group. When these two mature, and with Fizgore tanking, we’re going to take the Tri-glades by storm. After that little show, I’m even more motivated to push them harder than they would ever push themselves.
Not liking the direction of his thoughts one bit, Celeste tried to divert his attention, “How do you keep vanishing like that? Are your attributes that high? No, that can’t be right. You did it against the ex-champ too. Does that mean it's a martial technique and not a skill?”
Thankfully, they were far enough away from the roadblock that the hidden players couldn’t overhear her. Raine looked back, giving Celeste a hard glare, “First of all, don’t ever talk about our real world identities while we’re in ZL. Unless you want assassins paying you nightly visits. Second, you can't even use Discipline in a fight yet, but you’re asking about my techniques? I’m clearly being too soft on you if you have time for pointless questions.”
Next training definitely needs to be for their eyes. They're missing everything around them. Focusing so much on only what's in front of you is a great way to get stabbed in the back. I’ll start with expanding their peripheral awareness, then stress their ocular nervous system until they’re begging for mercy.
“W-what about the players we left hiding in the trees back there?”
Celeste’s attempt to get Raine to go easy on her didn’t work in the slightest, “Not worth the time to chase them down. Don't worry, there's plenty more on the road ahead. Now, how many did you notice? I want details: Weapon types, color of their pants, style of armor. Mel first.”
After Celeste won, Raine generously gifted her the tutorial boots that dropped from the woman they killed. Recognizing them, Celeste scowled but wisely didn't complain. As they traveled to the next roadblock, Raine moved through the forest while the girls remained on the road. He practiced with bloodlust as often as possible, doing his best to grasp the illusive ability. Unfortunately, each extended use came with a free blinding headache so he was limited to short bursts.
His obscuring cloak, and years of training with stealth skills, allowed him to remain mostly out of the girls’ sights as he randomly chucked rocks at their heads—an activity that filled both their hearts to busting with intense joy. Since he no longer warned them of the beasts that lurked nearby, and often went out of his way to scare the creates toward the girls with bloodlust, they quickly learned the value of expanding their focus.
- A short time later -
- Shadow Springs Town -
- Righteous central command center -
A powerfully built young man quietly opened the only door to an unassuming ZionLine office space. He carefully shut it behind him, cautious to not disturb the sole occupant's focus. The interior had been completely redesigned by its owner to incorporate her usual out-of-game research. She was a lithe woman with slicked back, black hair. She clicked away at a floating screen, making adjustments to a floating, holographic schematic of a large tube-like machine that hung suspended in the center of the room.
Taking notice of his intrusion, she created a few more notes before pinning him with a sharp glare. The young man snapped a salute, “Ma’am! Master Fist just confirmed it. Froust is being removed from Carter City and won’t be returning to his post in the northeast region, either.”
The woman spoke for the first time, her voice like the crack of a whip, “Good. That incompetent weakling was never fit for anything beyond looking pretty. Did Master Torune assign replacements?”
He shook his head in the negative, knowing she didn't like hearing the word ‘no’ even in these situations. Not for the first time, Jerred wondered how his boss came up with her in-game name. Sure, the first half fit her personality perfectly, but the second was never a word he would use to describe her.
MeanyMouse pursed her thin lips, “Then he wants me to handle it. Which means dealing with the new variable…” She pulled up the footage of Froust's embarrassing loss at the Carter City, Romaxillions again. She watched the too-gorgeous and mysterious martial dismantle her once-peer with laughable ease and doubted she would fare any better. She watched the footage a few moments longer, clicking her tongue in envy at his beautiful companions, “Seduction’s out. We'll try negotiating and bribery first. If that doesn't work… Well, master will be arriving in the city soon enough. Have there been any delays with the construction efforts?”
“The acquisitions of the local shops are complete and demolition is still planned for the morning. Luckily, the deals were signed before Dimitrey's defeat and the new champion either doesn't know or doesn't care.”
“If that changes, I expect an immediate report. Master's accommodations must be complete before he arrives or none of us will enjoy our lives for a long while.”
Jerred snapped another crisp salute, quickly jotting down her command word for word, “Yes, Ma'am!”
MeanyMouse waited for him to finish before continuing, “As for the northeast region, inform Commander Pierke to withdraw from the Crystal Tributaries. Froust's little war with DyingNight was nothing more than a disgusting ego trip. That said, our forces did gain considerable experience with ZionLine's systems, which they can now put to good use. We're far behind the independents in levels, and those are the skilled players we should be focused on recruiting. I want our average level to be twelve by end of day tomorrow. Thirty-six hours is plenty of time. Anyone who complains or fails will be demoted to farming.”
“Ma'am!” Jerred once more took rapid notes, wishing all the while he could record the conversation. Unfortunately, MeanyMouse's highly technical project was top secret and recording inside her office would likely result in his death in reality. As he finished, he saw one of his previous notes detailing the second reason he'd needed to see her.
His punishment for failing to report it earlier would suck, but not nearly as much as forgetting completely. He spoke in a rush, not daring to cringe or break eye contact, “Three players recently broke through all our roadblocks leading out of Mirror Lake Town. They were last seen on the road to Dry Canyon Town by a…” Jerred checked his notes, “Warrant Officer Clarkness. After compiling all the reports, it's estimated they've killed over one hundred recruiters and patrollers.”
MeanyMouse's glare was chock-full of fury to the point Jerred was sweating profusely when her words cracked in his ears, “Those losses could cost us several million credits and not one person before you bothered to report it! Send me every relevant VRVod we have on these three, right now!”
Already having the files prepared, Jerred transferred them straight away, “Ma’am, the first reports only came in thirty minutes ago. I prepared the footage for you and brought it straight away!”
“They've killed a hundred people in thirty minutes?! Wait… three people from Mirror Lake Town. That's the origin town attached to Carter City.” With a suspicious glint in her eyes, MeanyMouse examined the footage in exacting detail, a sinking suspicion churning in her gut.