“R ampant Whirlwind!”

Another spell flashed over the remnants of the city’s north gate, covering a part of the battlefield with powerful magic.

“Determined Footsteps of Rage!”

In the woods stretching south of the city, a Blaugr rushed ahead with a roar, ignoring the enemies’ shields and controlling skills. Hitting the wall of players who were either too slow or too reliant on their skills to move, he dealt a lot of damage and debuffed them with the inability to activate any skills for the next three seconds.

The first enemy wave was disorganized, as though formed by uncoordinated forces, but they were all members of the clans that worked for the Brotherhood and they had enough money to purchase good gear and annoying disposable items, which made them rather good at their intended role as cannon fodder, stretching and weakening Fortuna’s defense lines.

The Brotherhood had almost sixty subordinate clans, each counting between two and five hundred members, whose main purpose was to provide their founders with information and resources.

Just like the TOP clans, the Brotherhood hadn’t summoned even half of its main forces for this battle. The portal would be useless without a sufficient amount of Influence Spheres to carry through it.

Racer, who was in command of four hundred players, stood with Drake in the south forest. Before reaching the front line, he had filled the city streets with traps. He joined the battle, watching what the other players were doing, and giving orders, twenty minutes before the situation began to change.

The chat was getting more and more reports from the Fortuna members who had died by the hand of the same enemy, tremendously strong not only in one-to-one combat but even against a group.

“At last.”

Seeing the Draitner who was strolling among the attackers, Racer licked his lips and, killing another player, prepared to face a formidable opponent.

Wild Wind’s fluid steps and all-seeing eyes — no enemy attack escaped them, getting blocked or dodged by him — betrayed his considerable strength. Racer had seen him earlier, but he hadn’t shown his strength back then.

“Your face seems familiar. Have I punched it before?” he asked mockingly, but Wild Wind showed no appreciation for his humor, just slid his gaze over the ground that separated them and grinned, spinning scenarios in his head.

Step. Once his foot touched the ground, his figure blurred. The forest was his turf. He was nearly invincible here.

Feeling like he had all the advantage possible, he didn’t want to drag the fight on. His level was high enough to make quick work of these guys. Although Queen had reminded him to be careful since it was a TOP clan they were dealing with, Wild Wind didn’t consider the upcoming battle serious. His experience of dealing with people in the real world made him look down on players who didn’t have it, even the TOPs.

Instantly reappearing in front of his opponent, Wild Wind slashed the air with his hand, pointing his dagger at Racer’s temple, but the blade suddenly hit an invisible shield.

Gut Spilling.

Seeing a smile on Racer’s face, Wild Wind instinctively blocked his attack: a hook sword coming from the side.

Hunting Season.

The inertia of the impact carried him slightly forward, but before he could do anything about it, a hail of energy hooks descended upon him to tear him apart.

Curving his body to dodge, Wild Wind used Flight Calls to shove back the running-up tank, almost knocking him down, and raised a barrier of leaves against the lightning-like arrows cast by Racer’s scroll.

The fight was gaining momentum. It took Wild Wind full five seconds to realize how his opponent had managed to avoid his first attack: he had covered himself with a shield while being sixty feet away.

A rare skill, Wild Wind thought, his respect for his two opponents going up by several percent.

Natural Silence.

This race-specific ability of his was the best choice in this situation. As a Draitner, he could call to Mother Nature to impose silence over a particular area, preventing both himself and his opponent from using any voice-activated skills or spells. He still considered his stats sufficient to crush Racer if he wouldn’t be able to use magic or energy attacks.

Activating Natural Silence, he dashed toward his target again, leaving the tank for later.

No more than ten seconds had passed since the beginning of the fight. Racer whistled at seeing the ninety-foot range of the silence spell. His opponent could easily reach him and engage in close combat — but he had different means of defending himself.

Racer touched his ring and a potion fell into his hand. Uncorking it while bringing it up to his mouth, he gulped down its contents just as a dagger pierced his throat.

Damn it... Didn’t manage to dodge that one...

Wind’s blade went through his neck, meeting no resistance, which made him stagger. His opponents, who showered him with bombs, explosives, and all sorts of spells, trying to confuse him, to do any damage, or at least to slow him down, took notice of it immediately.

The potion Racer had used in an attempt to avoid death was extremely rare — and it actually saved his life.

PROJECTION

Rank: Diamond

Description: This potion was created by a secret order worshipping a creature from another plane of being whose name is shrouded with mystery.

You can temporarily leave your body and get access to new knowledge.

Effects:

+ Full physical and magic resistance

+ 1 random skill from another plane of being

Duration: 15 seconds

Limitations: Cannot be used by Alaskets, Spiritual Knights, or the Undead.

The downside of Projection was that its user couldn’t attack while it was active, but if they were targeted, their attackers (except for unique bosses) would keep attacking them instead of their party.

On top of that, it granted a random attack, healing, or buffing skill. Racer got the latter — Wolf Spirit — which he activated immediately, summoning the soul of a Cave Wolf Pack Leader into Drake’s body.

“You’re just delaying the inevitable.” Wild Wind, who had already restored his balance, sustaining very little damage from the attack, shook his head. “Die.”

His throwing knives came like bullets from a sniper rifle, hitting the tank’s strong armor, but a few of them reached his stomach through an opening, and another left a deep cut on his cheek.

Several more knives were thrown at him. As they passed by them, Drake caught a glimpse of their debuffing effect.

You are affected by Grudge Toxin. Your physical and mental resistance will decline by 1% over the next 15 seconds.

“Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed. “Die, you fucker!”

Thanks to Racer’s buff, all his stats were temporarily up and he got several passive skills of a Cave Wolf.

Spitting blood and lifting his hammer topped with a dark-green stone, Drake prepared to deflect another blow. He’d rather not attack first because of the silence. Just like Wild Wind’s blade, the hammer’s top had an enchanting effect that no player would like to experience.

Wild Wind pursed his lips and squinted.

“You’re annoying... and stupid. Grieving Servant.”

As the words rolled off his lips, his body began to fill with tremendous power. Magic symbols appeared on his skin and his eyes shed bloody tears. A glow enveloped his head, and thorns sprouted from his skull, forming a crown.

A light green aura cloaked his body. Black sparks rained down from it, making the ground infertile. He shook his head and pointed his hand at Drake.

“What’s your specialization?” Racer asked, still in his ghostly form. “Do you think you can...?”

“Suffering Earth.”

Stopping mid-sentence, Racer opened his eyes wide as he watched his friend be ripped to pieces by black vines that shot out of the ground. He refused to believe that Drake, who was level one hundred and one, could be killed that easily.

“What the...?” He cast a glance at Wild Wind — and saw his HP decreasing rapidly.

Most of the skills that used the player’s HP could one shot an enemy. Judging by how quickly Drake had been killed, Wild Wind had to be level one hundred and forty at the very least.

Shit. Ronnie, these guys are really tough.

Racer didn’t underestimate the Enlighteners, but he was unprepared for this. The battlefield was burning with flashes of bright light as their opponents pressed hard on the Fortuna members. If Wild Wind joined the fight, the Enlighteners would take over this part of the city within minutes.

Projection was expiring. Before his body gave a violent shake, he managed to come up with a plan and share it with his friends. He was aware that he was trapped. Wild Wind had blocked his escape route to wait for the potion’s expiration.

“Just accept it. We’re too different in strength, not to mention experience,” Wild Wind said through gritted teeth, approaching him. “All forests belong to Draitners. According to the lore, we are the servants of Mother Nature. That’s why the woods help us. Didn’t you know that?” As he stopped across from his trapped opponent, he grinned at seeing his ghost gaining flesh. “I’ve told you. Give up.”

Waving his dagger, Wild Wind sent a magic attack at Racer. A whirlwind that sucked in the sparks flying from his aura formed large vines that seized his opponent — and then crumbled to dust.

“You’re the servants of the forest. But I’m its mistress,” said a cold voice from behind him.

Entering the battlefield were forest animals, more and more of them, growling, roaring, and dripping saliva as they prepared to attack.

Struggling to believe in yet another last-minute rescue, Racer stared at the newcomer.

“What’s she doing here?” he muttered to himself, seeing her name.