The Rogue had apparently changed strategy after noticing her back attacks failing twice. Jack had to give the girl some credit. Her assertiveness to switch methods from a failed one to a successful one was indeed impressive.
Maybe she thought the reason her opponent had managed to evade her backstabs was that he was on guard against back attacks, and she was not far off with that deduction. If that was the case, then she just changed to attack from the side, while masking her attacks behind those other players. Taking a slice here and there in between the small windows of opportunity.
Jack was dismayed. If it was a back attack, it was easier to notice on his radar because only the Rogue had the speed to catch up to him from the back. But if it was from the side, it was more difficult for Jack to determine which of the multiple red dots were the Rogue. Hence the Rogue had managed to land several opportunistic blows on him without him noticing.
When he was uncertain of how to proceed, an arrow whistled through the air and struck an enemy beside him. He turned and saw the struck enemy stumbled back due to the arrow, revealing the Rogue behind. Jack immediately faced that direction to engage the Rogue. However, the Rogue was also very fast, she retreated back at once after herself was revealed, sinking into the crowd of players again.
Jack lost her again. He irritably released his frustration at the surrounding players, hacking and slicing at those poor schmucks. He also took out and drank another basic healing potion and basic energy potion. His stamina had also depleted at a rapid pace, due to his continuous use of skills, hence the need to consume the basic energy potion. He waited for Fierce Flame to help him fish out that sneaky Rogue. With Flame’s bird-eye view, she should be able to spot the Rogue much more easily.
But when he felt the Rogue’s dagger stab into him again, no arrow had come. He turned and saw the Rogue was moving in a crouching position and she had already changed her leather armor, from the glaring red one to a normal one that was similar to the other players around them.
What a sly move! Jack exclaimed in his mind.
By using a low position to move and changing her appearance to camouflage with the crowd, the Rogue had avoided detection by even Fierce Flame who stood above the rock wall. The Rogue was successful at landing another two sneak blows again, while continued to conceal herself afterward.
This won’t do! Jack activated Charge and forced his way out of the mob.
“Don’t let him escape!” A familiar voice was heard.
It was Earmouth, Jack hadn’t seen the guys amongst the crowd. He must have kept his distance from him all this while. The guy now cast Energy Bolts at him. The other Magicians who were having trouble aiming at him since he was always sneaking around inside their formation, now capitalized on him being in the open and at once sent their spells at him simultaneously.
Oh, crap! Jack realized he might have made a mistake.
He had almost instinctively taken out his magic staff to cast the Barrier spell, but he managed to stop himself mid-way and instead took out a scroll similar to the one that John had been flashing around since they came into the rock basin. The scroll flashed a bright light before the magic runes on it formed a large protective wall, which blocked all the attacks coming at him. Jack had used up the last Magic Wall scroll he had in his arsenal.
Annoyed for having forced him to use the magic scroll, Jack took out another one.
“You asked for it!” He exclaimed as he activated the scroll.
Several magical runes Popped up before a dangerous aura washed over. Everyone could hear cracklings sound as they saw Jack’s hand which was holding a scroll an instant ago was suddenly lighting up into a series of raging lightning. The lightning shot out into a long snake that swept at the stunned masses. The lightning snake crashed onto a person and disintegrated him immediately, creating a shockwave that shoved everyone nearby aside.
The lightning didn’t stop after its first victim. It shot out again in a different direction, completely unpredictable, and snaked around through the mob. Those that were touched by it had their HP decreased significantly, many even lost their lives. The lightning punched into another player after traveling for a while and disintegrated that person as well, before changing direction again, curbing the HP of the players along its way.
It continued to create a blast and changed direction a total of five times, before vanishing. Leaving behind a score of terrified and injured players. Many had lost their lives with that one spell. There were only a handful of players left in the outer half of the rock alley. The spell had basically taken out almost half of the remaining players who were ganging up on Jack, while leaving most of the rest at low HP.
“Damn!” Jack couldn’t help but exclaimed, dumbfounded by the spell’s power. The Chain Lightning spell was truly badass! An Elite offensive spell was truly something else. His coins were completely well spent.
“Damn!” Another person exclaimed from the top of the rock wall. “I should have bought that spell instead,” John muttered.
Now that there were much fewer players around, Jack could see everyone clearly. His eyes immediately locked onto a figure amongst the remaining opponents. The Rogue was miraculously untouched by the Chain Lightning spell.
When Jack’s eyes locked onto her, Slim Blade shuddered. She was fully exposed now. She was no newbie, she grasped the gap between Jack and her. Even though she didn’t understand how Jack had managed to raise his attributes to such height, she did know that on a direct clash, she would stand no chance to win the confrontation. Now that the sea of players who she could use for covers had thinned out, she could not use the same trick anymore.
She looked back at the other half of their troops who were still trapped by the Wall of Vines. Gritting her teeth, she decisively yelled out, “Wicked Witches! Fall back! We are getting out of here.”
The others looked at each other, one of them said, “what about the others. Some of our sisters are still trapped behind there.”
“No choice, they will have to escape by themselves. Now, move!” Slim Blade didn’t show any hesitation at all as she circled away from Jack while making her way to one of the openings out of this basin. The others from Wicked Witches followed suit after sending a short glance to their comrades who were still trapped.
Slim Blade was slightly worried that Jack would chase after her. Jack was indeed thinking about that at first, but after calming down a bit, he let her go. First, it would be too troublesome. The Rogue was almost as fast as him, and she had also displayed an aptitude at escaping. He would waste too much time just trying to catch her.
Second, he didn’t exactly have much bad blood with that Rogue. She had annoyed him for sure, but they were in a battle. It was reasonable for her to use whatever means necessary to secure an advantage.
Slim Blade let out a relieved sigh when she saw Jack showed no intention of stopping them. She might still be able to flee if Jack came after her, but then she would have to abandon her other teammates. She would not be able to do anything to save them if Jack decided to slaughter them.
Jack looked at the other groups that were still around. Earmouth was also amongst the one that was spared from the Chain Lightning. Lucky bastard. Well, not so lucky after I’m done with him, Jack thought.
Earmouth seemed to realize his predicament after feeling Jack’s stare. He copied Slim Blade and shouted, “Death Associates, we are leaving!”
He was just about to move out with his team when Jack stepped in front of them.
Brother, what have we done to have offended you? Why do you let that girl go but stop me? Earmouth asked silently in his mind with an exasperated expression.
Corporate United team took the chance to run away following Wicked Witches footsteps.
Earmouth saw Jack leave them alone with a gloomy expression. “So, you are resolved to pick a fight with Death Associates?”
Jack revealed an evil grin, “hehe, your guild and I have always been at odds. I’m just one person, I sure cannot allow your guild to thrive. Otherwise, when you are strong enough to come at me, wouldn’t I be the one at disadvantage? That’s why I have to use every opportunity to hinder your progress. Unless of course, if your boss is willing to issue a public apology and use that Shackle of Vows to promise not to cause trouble to me anymore.”
