Squishy Rogues naturally couldn’t withstand a Commander-tier BOSS’s “war stomp,” especially when already reduced to a sliver of HP after [Feign Death]. As expected, they saw the “holy light” and were sent back to the embrace of the Bright Faction.
“Hmph, filthy creep.”
Pouting, I stomped my foot hard, as if trying to scrape something dirty off my boot sole. After that outburst, I’d barely managed to vent some frustration.
Wait, why’s it so quiet around me?
Snapping back to reality, I looked up and realized I was surrounded by hundreds of players.
I could explain it away by saying they were waiting to encircle me, which is why they’d stayed silent until now.
But clearly, judging by the strange looks most players were giving me, they’d seen every detail of what just happened.
And so, the flush that had started to fade surged back, turning my entire face bright red.
“W-What are you staring at? Never seen someone deal with a bad guy before?!”
But I seemed to forget that I’m the villainous BOSS here.
The surrounding players didn’t seem to care, though. With my vampire’s keen senses, I faintly overheard a few of them whispering.
“It’d be so nice to get stepped on by a cute loli like that.”
“Loli’s delicate feet? Absolute perfection.”
“You guys are such perverts. I just want to know what color her panties are. There’s no way the game has something evil like safety shorts.”
“Rumor is, they’re blue…”
The last guy’s voice cut off abruptly as a shadowy lance pierced through him.
“Enough with the lewd talk!”
I shouted, my face burning red.
After all, if a Commander-tier BOSS came with the descriptor “wearing blue-and-white striped panties,” wouldn’t that be just a tad too humiliating?
But I hadn’t considered what my actions in this situation would mean.
The next moment, I realized.
That shadowy lance streaking through was like a declaration of war, instantly shattering the eerie atmosphere. The hundreds of surrounding players snapped to attention, raising their weapons.
“Crap.”
I reacted quickly, trying to use my flight to escape the players’ encirclement, but several golden and black orbs raining down from above slowed my movements.
Puppet Stiffening, Silence Orb, Holy Bind…
I ate nearly every control skill in the book, followed by a barrage of arrows and even more lethal magic.
BOOM BOOM BOOM.
With my Commander-tier defense, these attacks barely dealt single-digit damage. Even with their numerical advantage, they only shaved off a visible chunk of my health bar.
Yes, if it was just this, it’d be no big deal.
But in truth, the worst consequence of my impulsive outburst was getting trapped in the players’ encirclement.
“Keep it up! Frontline Warriors and Paladins, hold the line! [Holy Shield], [Defensive Aura]—use every defensive skill you’ve got.”
“Mages and Archers, don’t hold back on DPS. Unleash everything, stick to the rotation order and timing we set. Squads One and Two, focus on output.”
“Squads Three, Four, Five, and Six, you’re a bit far out—handle the small mobs and Dark Bat Elites.”
“Other melee classes, follow as needed. If you can’t keep up, help Mages and Archers clear nearby mobs or pin down Elites.”
“All Priests, lock onto your targets. Overhealing’s fine.”
Taking over command from Black King Caesar, Blue Ocean issued orders methodically through the guild channel.
With Stormwind consistently ranking in the top three for guild damage—vying for first with Starry Myth and Ares—his leadership was proving crucial.
Stormwind might be a battle-crazed guild, but they didn’t skimp on the details that mattered. They hadn’t reached their position by being incompetent.
Still, compared to the vice-leaders, Blue Ocean felt he was a bit green, especially when it came to handling other guilds.
Xueying: Brother Blue Ocean, got a moment to chat?
“What’s this guy want now?”
Seeing the whisper in the chat channel, Blue Ocean paused, glancing instinctively toward Epic of the Empire’s formation. After hesitating for a moment, he replied.
Deep Blue Ocean: Not much to talk about between us.
Xueying: Oh, I wouldn’t say that. If it’s about cooperation, I think you’ll be interested.
This guy’s forgotten the Vineflower Matron incident already?
On a guild level, there’s no such thing as permanent enemies, but Blue Ocean still felt some resentment. He couldn’t be as detached as Forest of Birch and the others.
Still, he was curious about this “cooperation,” so he let Xueying continue.
Xueying: Stormwind’s brought a lot of people, I’m sure. This is a Commander-tier BOSS—could even drop something like a Guild Crystal. But the other guilds aren’t pushovers. Reducing some competition would benefit us both.
Deep Blue Ocean: So what’s your plan?
Xueying: Looks like Captain Blue Ocean’s got some ideas. I’ll be blunt: I want Stormwind to rally more forces, preserve strength, and when the BOSS hits low HP, work with us to clear out the surroundings. After that, it’s every guild for itself.
Xueying: I’ll reach out to other guilds too, but don’t worry—no more than four partners. Otherwise, this plan’s no different from nothing.
It seemed somewhat feasible.
But dealing with multiple guilds made Blue Ocean hesitate. He wasn’t sure how to proceed.
Deep Blue Ocean: I can’t make the call on this one.
Xueying: Haha, Captain Blue Ocean, a man’s gotta have some confidence. I’ve already cleared it with President Caesar, so no worries. In fact, this is a great chance to show what you’re capable of. Don’t you want to prove yourself to Caesar?
Blue Ocean fell silent. Xueying’s words hit a sore spot—he’d always wanted to prove he could stand on his own.
But faced with such a big decision, his cautious nature left him wavering.
Just as he struggled to respond, a voice cut through nearby.
“Blue Ocean, do as Xueying says.” Black King Caesar, fresh from a few fights with his skills on cooldown, pulled back from the front and gave the order.
“So you’ve already agreed, boss.” With the guild leader’s approval, Blue Ocean let go of his reservations, responding instinctively.
“Haha, a free high-level grinding zone sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
Blue Ocean, about to speak in the guild channel, paused. “High-level grinding zone?”
“What’s up?” Noticing Blue Ocean’s reaction, Black King Caesar sensed something was off.
Blue Ocean quickly recounted the entire exchange.
“Heh, that old vulture.”
After hearing Blue Ocean’s story, Black King Caesar stroked his stubbled chin and shook his head. “No wonder he suddenly reached out. I knew something was up, but I didn’t expect him to play both of us.”
“But… we can use this to our advantage. Tell him we’re preparing.” Black King Caesar pondered for a moment.
“But I already turned him down,” Blue Ocean said, his face falling, feeling he’d been too hasty.
Black King Caesar shook his head with a hint of regret but didn’t dwell on it. “No big deal, it’s not the end of the world.”
Patting Blue Ocean’s shoulder with a grin, he suddenly asked, “By the way, remember the guy who organized the Dark Bat King raid?”
“What about him?” Blue Ocean was confused.
“That guy’s from a small guild. Epic of the Empire’s had some contact with them. Just keep an eye on that old vulture.”
Black King Caesar glanced toward Epic of the Empire’s formation, a hundred yards away. As if sensing it, Xueying, directing from the rear, met his gaze, his dark eyes unreadable.
…