“You are being too arrogant! Don’t think you can do what you like just because you are stronger than us,” Earmouth roared angrily. “We will fight you till our last breath.”
“Sure,” Jack gave him a short reply. What a joke, their guild was the role model on the concept of being stronger giving the privilege to bully others. Now they were complaining about such behavior? Jack didn’t bother to justify his action, he simply started chopping them up.
Earmouth forced his underlings to cover for his escape. These underlings’ loyalty was rather admirable, as they sacrificed themselves to provide safe passage for him. Earmouth HP was already in tatters as he made his escape, his underlings were using their bodies to block Jack’s advance.
Jack simply sneered at their attempt as he jumped and then made a slash in the air. A crescent light shot out and hit Earmouth’s back just as he was taking out a basic healing potion. His body fell to the ground as his HP zeroed out. The underlings that were forming human-wall looked at each other before turned around and ran in different directions. Jack didn’t bother to chase after them.
The Wall of Vines blocking the middle of the rock alley finally came off. John didn’t refresh the spell anymore. The survivors came out through the open path eagerly. They had been helplessly suffering through the harassments of the Magicians and Rangers above the rock wall without being able to fight back.
They had lost one-fourth of the numbers that were originally trapped, many of the remaining ones had low health, and most had also burnt through their restorative potions.
When they came out of the rock alley, they expected to be able to join with the other half to plan a counter-attack. But it was completely empty outside, except for a lone player sitting on a small rock slab. When that lone player noticed they came out, he stood up and unsheathed his weapon. They were confused at the sight. They looked around the rock basin again, none of their comrades were in sight.
Some started to take the initiative to send a message to the ones that were still alive but were not here.
“Huh?” One of them uttered when he got a reply.
“What did they say? Where are they?” His friend asked.
“They said, run!”
“Huh?”
At that time, Jack came before them.
“What do you want?” A member of Corporate United yelled at him in an antagonistic manner. “Three famous guilds are conducting matters here. Leave if you don’t want to get hurt!” The Magicians and the Rangers above the rock formations were still chasing them and attacking them from the top of the rock formations. They didn’t have the time to stay around, hence they had no time to deal with this lone player that came out of nowhere.
“Are you dumb or something? I’m obviously an enemy,” Jack said and slammed his Power Strike at him. The Corporate United member flew back with a dumbfounded look. He could consider a lone person facing a large group as either an idiot or someone who had a death wish, but he would never register the person as an opponent, even though the said person had brandished his weapon.
“I received another message,” another member of Corporate United said.
“What are you still reading a message for? There is an enemy in front of us,” his friend scolded him.
“It said do not fight the lone sword-wielding Warrior. Run away.”
“…”
His friend looked at the lone Warrior, who was now engaging the front-line group. The Warrior cut through them with ease. He looked back at the back line who was still being harassed by the players standing at the top of the rock formation.
“Let’s get out of here,” his friend said.
“Let’s,” the Corporate United member agreed.
Many started to turn tail and fled. Those that were too stubborn or blinded by pride were soon regretting their choice as they met Jack’s blade. The three guild members continued to diminish until even John’s group no longer afraid to come down and clashed with them directly.
Soon the only ones remaining in the rock basin were Jack, Fierce Flame, John, and his people. The three guilds lost almost half of their numbers with the remaining ones running away. Once the last person from the three guild coalition left the area, the combat ended and the corpses vanished, leaving behind random items littered around the ground. Some corpses dropped one item, while a few dropped two, the combined volumes were rather aplenty. It was a sight to behold.
John went ahead and picked up the items. The others from his team were just standing at one side and watched, maybe they had had an agreement beforehand. Jack didn’t join him in snatching the dropped items. Fierce Flame was also just standing at one side, so Jack approached her.
“How come you get involved in all this?” Jack asked her.
“He hired me,” Flame answered as he pointed to John.
“Hired?” Jack was puzzled by the answer.
“Uh-huh,” Flame confirmed nonchalantly.
“Did he tell you that you are going against three big guilds?” Jack asked again.
“Doesn’t matter,” Flame replied. “The guy offered me something I want, so I help him.”
Jack couldn’t tell if the girl was brave or ignorant. He could only shake his head. While they were conversing, John continued to pick up the dropped loots. After he was done, he gathered his team. He had a short talk with them before giving them something, then sent them away.
John came to them after he finished debriefing his people. His people went their way in the direction of the capital.
“I know you wouldn’t let me down, friend Storm Wind,” John said. “This had all gone without a hitch due to your assistance.”
“What the hell are you trying to pull anyway? Getting into that stunt, are you not afraid of those three guilds’ wrath? You have a beef with them or something?” Jack asked him.
“I have no enmity with them. I was simply get paid for doing it.”
“Huh?” Jack was bewildered. Flame was getting hired and he was getting paid for all this mess? “What do you mean?”
“Come, let’s sit down,” John picked a rock slab that was large enough for three people to sit on, and gestured for them to sit on it.
“Ah, before we waste time on pointless explanation, here is your reward, miss,” John handed a pair of gloves to Fierce Flame.
Jack used his God-eye monocle to inspect the gloves before Flame stored it away.
Proper Archer Tab, level 15/35 (rare light armor)
Physical Defense: 22
Magical Defense: 21
Durability: 40
Dexterity +3
Bow damage increased by 20%
It was specialized gloves for Archer’s class, so she was lured into this mess due to that equipment.
“Don’t forget this,” John gave her one gold coin, and then said, “I’ve collected sixty-nine equipment from this fight. Three of them uncommon and the rest were common grade. You and brother Storm Wind can choose one each from these three uncommon equipment.”
He showed the three uncommon equipment, they were a pendant, boots, and belt.
“You didn’t share the dropped equipment with that team that had just left?” Jack asked.
“I did, but I just let them choose from common equipment. They were just average thugs, how could I give them the same treatment as experts such as you two?”
“They are willing to offend the three guilds for a paltry common equipment reward?”
“Of course not, I paid them one gold each. The common equipment was just a bonus.”
“Still, 1 gold coin to offend the big guilds, they sure have balls.”
“Oh, they don’t know what guild they were attacking.”
“Huh?”
“I recruit people who were newbies in the gaming world and don’t know about famous guilds,” John said with a shrug.
Jack was speechless, this guy was unbelievable. Could this be considered entrapping? But then he remembered something, “wait. Even if they were newbies, those guys that followed you to the meeting, they should have seen that these guilds are not to be messed with. They are still willing to go ahead with your plan?”
“Oh, those guys are different. They are part of the group who paid me.”
“Now I’m intrigued, who is it that paid you to mess with those three guilds?”
