"Ha ha, am I seeing things, or did Flatear just wipe out almost all the buns by himself?"
Kitsune chuckled in disbelief.
"Oh, Brother, I couldn't help myself. Who would've thought sothing so plain and unassuming could taste this amazing."
Flatear replied, lounging on the ground, belly full, and ready for a nap.
"Tch, you glutton. Look at this—now all that's left for us is rice balls and beans. How am I supposed to chew beans properly with these sharp fangs?"
Chang Long grumbled, clearly distressed by the sight of the half-empty pile of buns, thanks to Flatear's voracious appetite.
"Chang Long, you can have my share,"
Siegfried offered, but Chang Long refused. In such difficult circumstances, she did not want to take advantage of him or the pets. Everyone was struggling equally to find food while journeying to locate the Estania's Tear Crystals.
The rice balls turned out to be a real challenge for the carnivorous crew—Chang Long the cat, Siegfried the dog, and Kitsune. They spent ages trying to pick the sticky grains out of their teeth. anwhile, Little Jade and Lycanth had gone off to hunt for their own food and returned well-fed. Watching them, Chang Long could not help but mutter complaints while using her tiny claws to dislodge the final stubborn grain from her teeth. She swore to herself that she would not eat rice balls again while stuck in her feline form—it was just too much trouble.
Once everyone had finished their impromptu dental hygiene, they agreed to rest and go hunting for more provisions later in the afternoon. After enduring their chaotic midday al, the group finally realized they had been attracting quite a bit of attention from the nearby players. These players were taking a break by the stream after hunting monsters for experience points.
Sensing that the situation might escalate, Chang Long decided it was best to relocate. She led the group at a brisk pace to find a more secluded resting spot, away from the eyes of other players. Many of those players seed interested in figuring out whether Chang Long's group was made up of pets or monsters. Others, however, had more predatory intentions—hoping to capture the rare creatures as their own pets, especially Chang Long and Siegfried. Their appearances as a cat and a dog, roaming without any visible owner, made them pri targets. This was especially true in a ga world where dogs and cats were considered rare monsters outside city zones.
"We're kind of a spectacle, don't you think?" Chang Long remarked after leading the group to hide in a thick patch of bushes.
"Yeah, it makes sense. A group like ours, made up entirely of animals with no visible owner, is bound to attract attention,"
Siegfried replied, understanding the situation.
"How about we have Devi-chan manifest himself? That way, the players will stop suspecting us,"
Chang Long suggested.
"That's a good idea. If we get Heaven, Hisa-chan, and Alice-chan to show up too, their imposing aura might intimidate the players enough to leave us alone,"
Siegfried agreed. The spirits in their possession had an undeniable air of authority. If they appeared to claim ownership of the group, it would likely discourage any further curiosity from the players.
"All right, Brownie, tell Devi-chan to co out,"
Chang Long instructed the mischievous Brownie, the only one who could speak human language in their group. Brownie nodded, then turned to where Devi-chan was likely hiding while invisible with other ghosts. Though he could not see Devi-chan, Chang Long's gaze served as a guide to help Brownie pinpoint his location.
"Devi-chan, Master Chang Long wishes for you and the others to reveal yourselves to pose as our owner. That way, those adventurers will know we have owners and stop bothering us."
'Us? You an all of us?'
Devi-chan appeared and asked.
"Yes, Master Chang Long says the more people we have visible, the more the players will be respectful and keep their distance,"
Brownie replied faithfully, echoing Chang Long word by word.
Devi-chan, Hisa-chan, Alice-chan, and Heaven revealed themselves, pretending they had just returned from hunting beasts. The players who had been eyeing Chang Long's group out of curiosity quickly backed off after seeing the owners of the creatures. Disappointnt was evident on their faces, but the high-level attire of Devi-chan and the others deterred anyone from causing trouble.
"So, what's the next step?"
Devi-chan turned to the feline Chang Long. She pondered briefly before responding, once again through Brownie as her translator.
"Let's rest a bit longer. This place is nice, and the river's gravel and sand look like it'd be fun to play in."
"Still thinking about playing in the water, even as a cat?"
Devi-chan asked, surprised. Cats, after all, were notorious for their aversion to water.
"Well, I'm a human in a cat's body. What do you say, Siegfried? Want to join ?"
Chang Long answered, grinning as she turned to Siegfried. Brownie translated her words flawlessly.
Seizing the opportunity to spend more ti with her, Siegfried eagerly agreed. The two of them excitedly leapt into the shallow, clear stream. But Chang Long's small feline form was not suited for swimming. The mont she jumped in, she sank to the bottom of the riverbed. Panicked, the tiny cat flailed her paws wildly. Siegfried quickly grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and gently placed her back on the riverbank. Chang Long gasped for a mont before looking up at him.
"Maybe we'll save this for nightti, huh?"
Siegfried could not help but smile warmly, his affection for the little cat deepening.
.....
anwhile, the Dark Horse Guild marched into the raging battle at the Gobi Wall. The player guilds attacking the fortress appeared to be in disarray, retreating chaotically after suffering heavy losses. Their attempts to breach the Gobi Wall had been largely unsuccessful, save for a large crack on the eastern side that players could now easily walk through. The fortress commander had already noticed this vulnerability and had ordered AI soldiers to guard and repair the breach as best as they could.
Seeing an opportunity, Aswa, the guild leader of Dark Horse, ordered his vanguard to lure the majority of the AI forces to enthusiastically co out and chase the scattered players away. anwhile, he led a group of elite players to exploit the breach and press the attack.
The Gobi Wall's AI commander seed visibly frustrated by the disruption caused by the Dark Horse Guild. Their interference was preventing his planned total victory over the other player guilds. Pressured by the Dark Horse's assault, the AI soldiers were forced to fall back within the fortress walls. Once an aloof strategist who only occasionally joined battles, the AI commander now took a more active role in combat, realizing the goofy man he had underestimated in the desert—Aswa—was a formidable opponent who even his generals could not handle.
"Guild Leader Aswa is amazing. He's nothing like the scatterbrained guy we usually see."
Rose cheered loudly, her voice echoing through the battlefield and startling those nearby.
"What's this? You're calling the guild leader a fool?"
rlin's Top Protege whispered while using magic to block the AI soldiers' attacks.
"Well, he usually acts that way,"
Rose replied, unabashed.
"Yeah, but yelling it like that? If the guild leader hears, we're all dood,"
Lost Martial Artist said, fending off two AI soldiers with visible effort.
"With all the fighting noise and how far away he is, there's no way Aswa can hear !"
Rose replied, casting a blessing skill to boost her group's basic stats and combat abilities.
"You'd be surprised. The guild leader has sharp ears, especially when it cos to gossip about him. So, I'm off,"
Ma said seriously before leaping away to assist other guild mbers under siege.
"Wait, Ma!"
Everyone exclaid in unison, stunned. But they did not have ti to dwell on gossip. A new wave of AI soldiers poured out of the barracks in overwhelming numbers. Aswa quickly ordered Unit Three to escort the destructive mages (—players specialized in high-damage spells—) to attack key AI facilities like armories, barracks, and supply depots. By cutting off the AI's ability to replenish their forces, they could force a quicker resolution to the battle and reduce player casualties.
"Well, well, it's the goofy man from the desert. You are impressive,"
the AI commander said as he soared down to confront Aswa directly, saving the young man's ti to find him.
Aswa did not reply, his gaze fixed on the golden dallion hanging around the AI commander's neck. The commander followed his gaze and smirked, raising the dallion high.
"You want this? The city lord's symbol, right? Then you know what you have to do," the commander taunted.
Aswa nodded.
"My na is Zhu Lang (Red Wolf,)" the AI commander introduced himself, tucking the golden dallion into his tunic.
"Aswa."
Their brief exchange ended, and silence enveloped the two. The cacophony of battle—shouts, cries, and explosions—faded into the background as the two warriors focused solely on each other. In a flash, their swords clashed, the arcs of light from their blades colliding with such ferocity that it seed as though a storm had erupted around them.
Their movents were so fast that none could follow by their eyes. They seed to vanish and reappear, dueling across the ground, leaping to the walls, and then ascending to the tower. Each clash drew blood from both sides. The two were evenly matched in skill and speed, but Zhu Lang's slender fra belied his monstrous strength. Aswa who had be so sure of his strength was stunned, the AI commander's blows cut deep, leaving Aswa with grievous wounds, while his own attacks only left Zhu Lang with superficial cuts.
Both paused, assessing each other. Aswa was clearly worse for wear, bleeding heavily and weakening. He knew he would not have a chance to rely on restorative crystals, and his divine powder was on cooldown for another hour. Waiting for the cooldown was not an option; if the battle dragged on, his guild would be utterly defeated.
"You look tired. Care for a break?"
Zhu Lang said with a wide grin.
"No!" Aswa roared, sweeping his blade in a crescent arc and activating his Lunar Radiance skill. A razor-sharp, pale-yellow beam shot from his blade, hurtling toward Zhu Lang. The commander smirked and leapt into the air to dodge, pointing his sword at Aswa with deadly precision, ready to end his life with this strike.
Ugh!
Suddenly, Zhu Lang coughed up a mouthful of blood, his airborne body pierced by a sharp, tallic object. He glanced down to see a silver whip with a jagged tip embedded in his torso, wielded by none other than Aswa. Staggering, Zhu Lang landed unsteadily on the ground, gripping the whip tightly as he glared at Aswa with fiery hatred.
"You!"
Zhu Lang could only let out a gasp before coughing up another mouthful of blood. Aswa tried to retract his whip, but it seed Zhu Lang still had strength to resist.
"I didn't expect to find myself in this state. This has been entertaining enough. Ti to end it. Sky Soaring Ten Thousand Dragons!"
The AI commander unleashed a skill without warning. From his blade, a torrent of crimson dragons surged forth, their fangs and claws tearing through Aswa at close range. The young guild leader could not evade in ti. Blood spurted from his mouth as the spectral dragons ravaged his body with their fangs. The skill devastated the entire area, reducing everything around them to rubble. Aswa's body disappeared beneath the debris amidst the stunned gaze of his guildmates.
Zhu Lang chuckled with satisfaction. He surveyed the wreckage, acknowledging in his heart that his opponent had been more formidable than expected. Underestimating Aswa had cost him dearly, leaving him severely wounded. The mbers of the Dark Horse Guild and other players who had joined the skirmish could only stood in shock, watching the undefeated man of Aseana Island fall so decisively.
"Ha-ha-ha. It's over. I am the victor of this battle. If you withdraw now, I'll let you leave unhard,"
Zhu Lang declared, his voice resonating with authority. Everyone looked at one another, unsure of their next move.
"No! There's no way. Aswa will not lose! Brother Aswa and our Dark Horse Guild will claim this place!"
Lost Martial Artist shouted, breaking the suffocating silence. Zhu Lang turned sharply toward him, and in an instant, the commander of Gobi Wall stood face-to-face with the young fighter.
"Confidence is a good thing, but you must learn to accept reality. Otherwise, it will only lead to endless trouble,"
Zhu Lang said softly, though his voice carried a nacing undertone.
"You!"
Lost Martial Artist clenched his teeth, glaring at the AI commander, who showed no sign of weakness despite his injuries. He swung his sword at Zhu Lang, but the commander not only parried the attack but countered with a swift slash that left him sprawled three ters away, bloodied and unconscious with a coma status.
The sight of Lost Martial Artist's defeat unnerved the other players. They began to waver, realizing that continuing to fight would be futile. Their guild leader had been struck down, and Zhu Lang still seed as formidable as ever. With AI commander's level, it would not be hard for him to wipe out the exhausted players within the Gobi Wall. They considered retreating to regroup, leveling up, and preparing for a rematch under Aswa's leadership.
"You can't chase us away. The Dark Horse Guild will never retreat. Today, we will win and claim your golden dallion to conquer this fortress!"
Just as despair threatened to overwhelm them, a voice rang out, reigniting their courage. Standing atop the rubble, a lone figure, battered and bloodied, pointed his weapon toward Zhu Lang, his eyes shining brightly.
Zhu Lang's eyes widened in disbelief. Aswa, who should have been dead, was now pointing the weapon his way. Despite his battered body and the blood flowing like a waterfall down his fra, he was not going to back down, his gaze burned with unyielding determination. If not for his trembling body and hands, clutching the weapon, Zhu Lang might have felt genuine fear for this man.
-----
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