Using mana manipulation technique could be very tiring even when the technique was executed poorly. Jack felt great fatigue after a few slashes. He couldn’t train much during the short wait. He ended up training more in doing simple mana manipulation by meditation.
The time went by quickly, after almost three hours passed since the end of the bonus match, Jack told everyone it was time to leave.
The nine went to the Temple of Courage. The knights guarding the entrance to the temple scrutinized the lot when they approached. Paytowin was just about to produce his badge when one of the knights said, “Go in. The divine priest is waiting.”
The nine then proceeded inside. They went directly to the hall where the ancient battleground device was located. In the hall, three people were waiting. Callan, Pallas, and Mihos. The nine greeted each of them politely, even to Mihos. Despite Mihos looking young, his mythical-grade status commanded respect.
“Good, everybody is here. Pallas, start the device,” Callan instructed.
Pallas obeyed the instruction and worked the device. A portal soon appeared.
“Your Holiness, you mentioned you have another candidate to join us? We are only nine here,” Jack said.
“The tenth member to join you into the ancient battleground is right here,” Callan said while gesturing to Mihos.
“Him?” Jack was astounded. Even though Mihos’ level was still in range for this ancient battleground, Jack thought Callan was calling another outworlder from the tournament participants to join them. He never thought their tenth member would be a native instead.
“Do you have a problem?” Mihos asked.
“No, no, of course not!” Jack laughed. “I’m just surprised, that’s all. We are too weak compared to you, I just never thought that you are willing to join us.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. Perhaps in terms of raw power, you are behind, but you all carry the willpower and wits to overcome a situation. I have seen it in the tournament matches as well as experiencing it myself during our fight,” Mihos said.
“Well, in that case, we are honored to have you on board,” Jack said.
Jack then created a party and invited the eight players there. As a native, Mihos couldn’t be invited into their party system. So, Jack asked, “Sir Mihos, will you be leading us in this ancient battleground?”
“Normally, I did so when I entered with our council knights,” Mihos answered. “But now, I’m just a guest. I will assist you inside.”
“So, are you fine with following my orders?” Jack asked.
“As long as you don’t ask me to do cowardly acts, yes, I am in your command,” Mihos answered.
Sweet, Jack thought. He didn’t think the score this native gained would be transferred to them since Paytowin had mentioned that natives also used this ancient battleground to gain scores, but at least the exp points from killing the opponents would be given to them.
<br/>”All right, if everyone is ready. Let’s enter,” Jack looked at everyone, who nodded.
Before they entered, Callan said to them, “Please remember we allow you to enter this ancient battleground this one time only. After this, you will have to leave this place. So, make full use of it.”
Callan then gestured for them to enter. Jack took the initiative to enter first.
Once they appeared inside, those that entered this place for the first time, marveled at the countless armies around them. Paytowin explained to them in more detail now that they had a direct perspective. He was pointing to show them the directions that were discussed before.
Jack, in the meanwhile, spoke to Mihos, “You have entered this ancient battleground before, right?”
“Several times,” Mihos nodded.
“Any secret tips to help us gain more scores?” Jack asked.
“I heard you have gained decent scores the last time, right? Then you have found the path where we attack the enemy camp.”
“Yes, is that all to it?”
“All that’s left after that is to fight courageously and take down as many enemies as you can.”
So, no other secret features. This meant they should just carry out the plan they had talked about before.
“Hey, everyone, checked your status window,” Jeanny said.
“Oh? Why?” Jack asked.
Giant Steve had done so when Jeanny asked, “Wow! I got this buff called Aura of Courage. It increases my attributes by 30%, damage by 5%, reduces damage received by also 5%, and stamina recovery by 50%!”
“I have it too!” Paytowin said.
Jack checked his status window and confirmed he had this buff as well.
“That’s my passive ability, Aura of Courage” Mihos informed. “My allies gain that bonus as long as they stayed within a fifty-meter radius from me.”
“Wow! That is a very large area of effect for a passive buff. You, my friend, are an invaluable asset in any war situation,” Jack said.
The ten then rushed forward. Mihos originally ran towards the golden knights, but he saw the nine outworlders go the other way, he changed direction and followed them. He had promised to assist the outworlders, after all.
While they waited for the enemy army to arrive, he laid out their general formation. “We will fight in pairs. Most of us are melees, so there is not much need for protection. Mihos, you stay close to Paytowin. Grace, you are with Jeanny. Leavemealone will follow Domon. Giant Steve stayed with Red Death. Uncle Jet, you will be with me.”
“Why this arrangement?” Red Death asked.
“Sister, I’m just deciding it randomly. You can’t expect me to have a reason for everything now, can you? Anyway, in your case, I thought having Giant Steve using his share damage on you can help you fight without a worry.”
“Hmph, I don’t need it,” Red Death uttered.
Jack sighed. “Anyway. Even though we are in pair. Do not wander too far from the others. Stay in the vicinity so Grace and Peniel can heal you when needed. That is also so we can all move together when it’s time. All right, here they come!”
The black army clashed with the defending army’s front line. They saw those soldiers getting pushed back. Not long after, enemies started pouring through, jumping over, or simply flying above.
Everyone paired up as Jack had instructed and spread out to cover more ground. They collected kill counts as they defeated the enemies. With ten people, the number in the sky went up fast. Especially since they got Mihos. The mythical-grade champion cut down enemies like weeds. Even though Mihos was one level lower than the lead golden knight on the other side, Jack didn’t think Mihos was weaker.
They reached their one thousand kill requirement before they even hit the second hour. They continued, trying to keep as many of the defending soldiers alive.
The players restrained themselves from using skills that require long cooldown time as Jack had advised. Jack and Jet called out their pets, so as Paytowin who summoned his Brave King. Those summons didn’t have duration or cooldown.
Jack had a part of his mind kept attention to the time as he fought.
“It is time!” Jack shouted to the others. “We have to move now!”
The others had followed the command and stayed within earshot, so they immediately gathered after hearing Jack’s call. The team proceeded and quickly located their targets since Jack already knew the position of the shock troops. They then stayed with those troops until the troops started moving away.
Together with the troops, the team went into the hidden pathway behind the hills. Following the troops, they charged out from behind the hills after enclosing the enemy camp.
“Stay with me!” Jack ordered.
Jack placed himself by the right-wing side of the golden troops because that’s the side where half of the troops will break away and headed to the supply carts. When they did, Jack and the others followed.
These half-troops soon broke again into smaller halves, the same as previous. One half continued towards the supply carts, while the other half headed to engage the enemy’s elite guards who were also coming over. The player team followed the one headed to the supply cart.
When they were moving, Jack noticed Mihos was not with them. He looked back and saw the native champion following the golden knights who were going to engage the enemy’s elite guards.
“Mihos! Why are you over there?” Jack yelled at him.
Mihos turned to him briefly and shouted, “For glorya?|!!!” He then turned back and readied himself to clash with the dark-armored elite guards.
‘F*ck! What glory? What happens about following my order?’ Jack cursed in his mind. Never mind, that champion’s scores won’t affect theirs. Let him hold those guards would be good as well, less enemy to come to bother them when they destroyed the carts.
When the supply carts came into range, Jack used Sword of Light on one of them. His skill produced damage of nearly 5,000 points. The HP bar above the cart showed that it lost around ten percent of life. He made a quick calculation before activating Adrenaline Rush and Overlimit. He then used Lightning God Barrage. This divine skill had just gone off cooldown. He had asked Callan for a three hours break after the bonus match to allow his weapon’s Overlimit and this divine skill to finish its cooldown period.
He targeted four supply carts that were near each other. He divided his twenty lightning balls into two groups of ten balls. These ten balls exploded between two carts, their blast coverage was enough to hit two adjacent carts. From his calculation, the carts should have HP close to 50,000 and their defenses were only so-so. His boosted Lightning God Barrage could produce a total of around 120,000 damages against a target with such a defense. By separating his twenty balls into two, he halved his total damage but this half damage should still be enough if his calculation was correct.
After the impressive lightning explosion from the divine skill subsided, four supply carts were destroyed.
Jack looked up to the sky, he was shocked to find his scores had shot up to 12,000. It was already more than double his previous highest score. Each of these supply carts granted 3,000 scores. Around ten times the scores if they killed one rare elite opponent!
