Chapter 253: 253: Idiots, Run!"
"I warn you not to mess around. Otherwise, when I summon the Supreme Mage NPC, you all won't even know what hit you!" Divine Slash swallowed nervously, stepping back as more than two hundred players surrounded him.
"Summon an NPC Mage? You really have that kind of ability?" A tall man on a nearly transparent raptor mount let out a hearty laugh. His figure flickered, resembling a floating ball of white ghostly flames.
Most of the players were riding flying mounts. With so many massive flying beasts gathered together, Divine Slash realized he had no chance to escape.
"Lord-Class mount..." Divine Slash's heart pounded in fear. He had run into members of the Vanguard of Dark's main battle group.
VD-LightningBlade: "I can't be bothered to kill you. Hand over the treasure map, or I'll kill you until the server shuts down!"
"Shut down the server? Haha, you're really funny. I'll just stop coming here. How are you going to make me quit?" Divine Slash mocked in return, laughing at the absurdity.
VD-LightningBlade: "Heh, we only joined the Dark Dragon Empire for the better resources here. You don't think we have people in the Light Dragon Empire too, do you?"
"Treasure map? What treasure map? I don't have anything!" Divine Slash snapped, his mind sneering, The treasure is already in my hands, what do I have to fear from them?
He then sent a private message to Raven, asking him not to leave Sea Treasure Island for now to avoid being ambushed.
Unlike internal wars, which only increase sin points or cause a small loss of equipment, different faction players in a hostile state have an increased drop rate for items. Moreover, if they are in a war state, players can earn merit points for additional rewards.
"Don't worry. He'll make his move," Raven's reply came, reassuring him as he rowed his small boat toward the shore.
Divine Slash: "Wait... Bro, you were so confident before. Why are you asking him to make his move now?"
Raven flushed, embarrassed by the question. He deflected, saying, "Hmm... I'll explain later."
A voice from the sky interrupted their exchange: "This adventurer is a good person, smart and brave. Why are you bullying him?"
A deep voice echoed through the air, sending a chill through the Vanguard of Dark players.
Boom!
A massive, shadowy figure, as large as a mountain, crashed down from the sea mist, sending dirt and sand flying in every direction. The air was thick with pressure, making it hard to see clearly.
The sound of war drums filled the air, and the Vanguard of Dark team immediately felt a sense of urgency.
Roar!
A long, resonant howl echoed across the battlefield. Numerous flying battle beasts began shaking uncontrollably.
"What the hell is this? Loyalty just dropped by twenty points!"
"What is that thing in the mist?"
The Vanguard of Dark players were stunned as their beasts began to act up, some even attempting to flee. They hurriedly fed them loyalty-boosting items to keep them in check.
"I don't like having anyone above me," Orson said nonchalantly, extending his long fingers and gently pressing downward. "Down!"
DH-LightningBlade's eyes widened in horror. His Lord-Class mount suddenly lost its ability to fly and plummeted toward the ground!
The other flying mounts followed suit, crashing down in a chaotic mess.
"Flying's not allowed here!"
"You are in a zone affected by [Sky Sovereign]. All mounts and creatures below the domain lord level are banned from flying and will be forced to descend under the dominator's influence!"
The notifications rang out, leaving the Vanguard of Dark players in disbelief. Even those who survived the fall were drenched in cold sweat.
"Seems like this title is quite useful," Orson murmured to himself.
Title: [Sky Sovereign]
Effect: Within range of Transport Tool No. 1, mounts below domain lord rank will be unable to fly and will be forced to land under the influence of the Sovereign's aura.
(Effect ceases if level exceeds Transport Tool No. 1 and the mount is over level 110.)
Though the Crimson Lizard King's range couldn't match Orson's, its 3 km range was still enough to exert control over everything in its reach.
As the Vanguard of Dark players processed this, a figure slowly emerged from the mist. Orson switched back to his unassuming Orsix persona.
Divine Slash, seeing him approach, couldn't help but cheer, "Orsix, you're amazing!"
"Orsix? Another Light Dragon Mage? What's he doing here?"
"Sky Sovereign?!"
"An NPC with a special title? Only major figures like the Saint Swordmasters or Holy Knights have that kind of power, right?"
The Vanguard of Dark players were taken aback. They had heard the rumors about this NPC but hadn't expected him to wield such a formidable ability like a forbidden flying zone.
"LightningBlade, aren't you going to act?" A powerful voice called out as Skyslasher and Ivy rode in on nightmare steeds.
Both were decked out in gray legendary gear and were level 40, an impressive rank that would place them among the top five in the Light Dragon faction.
VD-LightningBlade frowned and scoffed, "Don't call me, I'll handle him myself."
"I hope so."
Skyslasher stood at the front, the commanding leader of the group. Ever since joining the Dark Dragon Empire under Usher's command, the Dragon's Kiss Guild had become a formidable force, clashing with the local factions and overcoming the harsh conditions of the Dark Dragon Empire.
The empire's environment was hostile, with powerful monsters everywhere. But the rewards were plentiful, and Usher, rich and powerful, had thrived here, growing stronger with each victory.
Under Usher's leadership, the guild's strength skyrocketed. Their victory in the Demon Hall had led to significant improvements for everyone.
Now, temporarily hidden in the Dark Dragon Empire, the guild was biding its time, preparing to strike at Godslayer, vowing to make Orgod pay for everything he had caused.
"Flying or not, kill them!" Vanguard of Dark roared, charging down the hill like a swarm of locusts.
Divine Slash: "Orsix! My life is in your hands, holy crap!"
"The situation… is a bit ridiculous," Orson muttered. He had never seen so many flying beasts charge at full speed, especially when they looked as awkward as chickens waddling toward battle.
"They clearly lack experience in large-scale combat," Ivy commented, her icy glow radiating around her. As a professional player, she could easily spot the lack of coordination among the Vanguard of Dark.
Now blessed by the Dark Dragon King, Ivy had risen to S-Class and was known as the Ice Master in the Dragon's Kiss Guild, a title that commanded respect.
Though Vanguard of Dark had many wealthy players, it was clear they lacked discipline and experience.
"I'll teach them how to organize a proper attack," Skyslasher sighed, mounting his nightmare steed and charging into the fray with his black sword raised. "Slow down the back row, knights in the front hold your shields and keep a 30-yard pace. Treat this like a world boss raid!"
"Cut the crap, you've only been hanging out with Usher for a while. Don't act all high and mighty in front of us."
Skyslasher's words irritated VD-LightningBlade, but he ignored them and called on over fifty members to begin a pincer maneuver against Orson and the others.
Orsix?!
Suddenly, Skyslasher, leading the charge, rubbed his eyes in disbelief. His nightmare steed's speed suddenly dropped.
A wave of fear spread through him.
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The Dragon's Kiss Guild had access to powerful intelligence about top players across the world. Their entire combat strategy was based on knowing their opponents' weaknesses, and they knew exactly what they were up against.
"Hold on…" Skyslasher raised his hand to stop the charge, a cold sweat forming on his forehead.
"Hold your horses! Clear the way!" one of the Vanguard of Dark's rich players shouted, uninterested in Skyslasher's hesitation.
"A-Class combat skill: Endless Vortex!" VD-LightningBlade sneered as he spun rapidly in midair, launching a powerful wind attack toward Orson.
"Shouting out your skill names? That's quite heroic, I like it!" Orson smirked, raising his staff and shouting, "A simple, mundane auto-attack!"
Boom!
A Chaos Magic Ball, as large as a 12-inch pizza, slammed into VD-LightningBlade.
Critical Hit: -70,000!
VD-LightningBlade was left dumbfounded. His health bar dropped to zero instantly, his armor shattered into pieces mid-air, and he was consumed by the chaotic flames, turning to ash.
"It's… him!" Ivy, watching from afar, paled, trembling.
Seeing the chaos unfold, Skyslasher's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened in shock as he gasped, "Idiots, run now!"