The colossal tree first caught everyone's attention from afar, and as they approached, they realized just how enormous it truly was!
Following the group, Xiao Hua lifted his head to gaze at the tree whose top was out of sight, marveling inwardly. This wasn't an oak tree; none of the nearly three thousand people present had ever seen anything like it. It was more akin to a giant soybean pod. However, this "soybean pod" was disproportionately large. Just the trunk itself, according to Xiao Hua's estimate, had a radius of about thirty meters, and the height was over two hundred meters!
The leaves of the giant tree resembled the flat sections of a soybean pod, growing directly from the trunk like giant green umbrellas covering the crowd below. Beneath these massive leaves hung countless translucent vines that sparkled like diamonds, adding to the tree's extraordinary nature.
Underneath the giant tree, thick roots intertwined across the scorched earth. The main group halted at the base of these sprawling roots. Xiao Hua saw a commotion among the crowd in front, and soon a group of people escorted an NPC dressed in white robes out.
The white-robed NPC walked to the base of the giant tree. Without any apparent gesture, the crystal vines beneath a large leaf began to sway and intertwine. Within moments, and under the astonished gazes of over two thousand people, the crystal vines formed a giant circle that hung from mid-air to the ground, occasionally emitting flashes of light.
The white-robed NPC took out a luminous object from his pocket and placed it on the crystal circle. The circle glowed brightly, forcing everyone to squint. When the light dimmed, a mirror-like portal had appeared within the circle.
System Notification: The portal leading to the Dark Temple has officially opened and will remain active for ten minutes!
"Plenty of time, don't rush. Buff up and maintain formation when entering. Be cautious of any attacks!" Ten minutes was ample time, so Quercus wasn't anxious. As they were about to enter the Dark Temple, he wanted to be extra careful, not knowing what lay inside.
Countless buffs and spells were cast throughout the group. Under the blessings of the high-level priests, Xiao Hua's attributes increased significantly, making him one of the most durable among the players. All his equipment's skills were off cooldown, and unless something catastrophic occurred, he would be safe.
Under Quercus's command, the knight team entered the portal first. Quercus followed closely with the healers. If the knights couldn't hold their ground, it would be pointless for him to enter later.
"...Over there, mages and archers, focus your fire!" As Xiao Hua cautiously entered the portal, he found himself in a vast hall, and Quercus's agitated voice rang in his ears!
"These monsters are insane!" Watching the knights engage the monsters fiercely, with terrifying damage numbers floating above their heads, Xiao Hua estimated that he would be instantly killed if touched by these creatures. Several knights fell during his observation, explaining Quercus's agitation.
Seeing the monsters' ferocity, Xiao Hua decided it was best to stay in the middle of the group, not wanting to be slapped back to the city.
The situation was beyond Quercus's expectations. Upon entering the Dark Temple, he was shocked by the dense horde of monsters approaching from afar. Though he had anticipated battling monsters, the reality far exceeded his imagination. These black-scaled, dragon-like creatures dealt devastating damage, capable of overwhelming even two healers when attacking a single knight. Several knights fell within moments!
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What reassured Quercus slightly was that the monsters were spaced apart, giving them breathing room. Otherwise, if two or three hundred attacked simultaneously, their group of three thousand would be annihilated!
Xiao Hua was among the last to enter the Dark Temple. Once everyone was inside, Quercus's efficient commands brought the situation under control, and the monsters in the hall were soon cleared.
Taking advantage of the lull, Xiao Hua observed the Dark Temple. It seemed to be an ancient place with many damaged areas on the rock walls, and the engravings depicting mythological stories were worn and unclear. The floor was covered in dust, now marred with footprints. Beneath the dust lay what appeared to be a teleportation array.
"Good job! Continue forward. Knights and ranged teams, report to your captains for replenishment if you're low on potions!" Having successfully repelled the first wave of monsters, Quercus didn't dare linger, fearing more monsters might spawn.
In front of the hall was a wide passage. Xiao Hua quickly followed the main group, knowing this was no place for solo action.
Scattered monsters were present in the passage, but compared to the earlier horde, they posed little threat. The Oak Forest Guild easily cleared the path.
Ten minutes later, the group emerged into a larger hall. Quercus, leading the way, noticed the chaotic ground and exclaimed, "Someone beat us here!"
Someone had arrived before them from another entrance?
Hearing Quercus's words, Xiao Hua was shocked. This was not good news for him!
He squeezed to the front and saw the semicircular hall with several entrances identical to the one they had just passed through. No monsters remained in the hall, but countless footprints marred the dusty ground.
"All get on mounts, full speed ahead!" With the monsters cleared and the ultimate BOSS possibly defeated, Quercus urged immediate action, even risking a wipe!
Colorful mounts were summoned one after another. Under Quercus's lead, everyone charged toward the larger passage opposite the semicircular hall!
Xiao Hua was equally anxious but had no choice but to summon his land bird and follow closely behind. Under normal circumstances, the land bird's eye-catching appearance would draw attention, but with the main quest's rewards at stake, the group was in chaos, and only a few glanced curiously at him.
The design of the Dark Temple was surprisingly simple, allowing the nearly three thousand people to pass through the wide passage unimpeded. At the end was an even larger hall, where a large group was already attacking a giant fallen angel on a distant altar!
"Not good! Ogarra is down to less than 10% HP. Eliminate that guild, or our mission will fail!" Quercus, usually not fond of PvP, grew red-eyed at the sight of the mission BOSS about to be taken down by another guild. The Oak Forest Guild had invested heavily in this main quest, and failure would severely weaken the guild's strength!
The unknown guild had reduced Ogarra to less than 10%, undoubtedly paying a heavy price. Their current force of six to seven hundred players was mostly composed of knights, mages, archers, and healers. Melee classes had sacrificed themselves to fill the gaps left by fallen knights. Healers were overwhelmed reviving knights, leaving many to respawn in the city after five minutes without aid.
The guild leader, seeing the sudden appearance of a three-thousand-strong group, paled. Ogarra had only 8% HP left, and he needed just three more minutes. But sensing hostility from the newcomers, he knew their chances were slim!
Ogarra, as the main quest's ultimate BOSS, was undeniably powerful. With massive black wings and a black sword, each swing decimated a swath of players. Despite not using large-scale magic, Ogarra nearly wiped out the guild!
"Attack!" The Oak Forest Guild players had already dismounted and rushed towards the opposing guild at Quercus's command. A barrage of spells and arrows flew towards the remaining healers and ranged classes!
Realizing escape was futile, the opposing guild abandoned the BOSS and retaliated with all their ranged forces, aiming for mutual destruction!
But the difference in numbers and firepower was overwhelming. Only a small fraction of the Oak Forest Guild fell, while the opposing hundreds were instantly annihilated. The knights surrounding Ogarra, losing healer support, fell within seconds. By the time the Oak Forest Guild reached the altar, they were all gone!
"Great! Ogarra has little HP left. Knights, charge forward! Healers, keep your knights alive. Once the knights reach him, everyone give it everything you've got!" Quercus shouted excitedly in the guild channel. He had seized an incredible opportunity. Even if Ogarra was formidable, with such little HP left, he couldn't survive. Their mission was about to be completed!
The knights charged forward, but suddenly, a blinding white light erupted from the previously quiet altar!
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