[Dreadwing Lv. 186]
[Hellshade Lv. 178]
[Dreadwing Lv. 181]
[Nightmare Wraith Lv. 179]
There were several types of winged demons visible in the distance, each one flying closer. Although their levels averaged below 200, their sheer numbers-dozens of them-made the threat overwhelming.
Archer, the archer, quickly charged his skills and let his arrows fly, hitting a few demons and sending them tumbling backward, only for them to recover and resume their advance.
Broken swiftly drew the Bow of Artemis and nocked an Epic-grade Iron Piercer Arrow, preparing to charge his next attack.
[Explosive Arrow (Active Skill) Lv. 2]
This skill now dealt 50% more damage than it did at level 1, making it perfect for the clustered airborne demons approaching. However, it required a charge time of just over 4 seconds, and that created a tense moment-would the monsters reach them before his charge was complete?
“Now, Broken, you know bow is my main weapon, right?” Archer said. “I suggest you don’t do this unless you want to embarrass yourself in front of me.”
“Ck, in a situation like this, you still find time to be arrogant, Archer?!” someone else retorted.
“I’m just reminding him to stick to his spear. Let me handle these monsters,” Archer replied confidently. “Just watch-I can take one down with just three shot skills.”
“But there are too many of them,” Broken said, still charging his skill. “They’ll kill you before you can finish them off.”
The entire team braced themselves as the swarm of winged demons drew closer. Despite the imminent threat, the monsters seemed to be holding back, as if they were issuing a warning rather than attacking outright. This delay played right into Broken’s hands, giving him the precious seconds he needed to fully charge his skill.
[Projectile’s Kiss (Active Skill)]
Damn, the skill from the ring he had obtained from Melliandra was the perfect combination with Explosive Arrow, doubling the potential damage output. With its area effect and sheer power, this combination was unmatched.
And that’s not even mentioning the passive skill, Precision Aim, which added another 15% damage on top. It was an overpowered setup, to say the least.
All eyes were on Broken as he released the arrow from his bow. The recoil sent a slight shock through him, but that was nothing compared to what everyone else was anticipating.
“What could a skill with such a long charge time even do?” Archer remarked.
The others remained silent, their eyes glued to the unfolding scene.
When the arrow struck its distant target, the world seemed to hold its breath for a split second —then, BADABOOM! BOOM! The ground itself shook with the force of the explosion, a shockwave rippling outward and rattling everything in its path. The deafening roar echoed through the air, loud enough to make their ears ring, as if the very earth had been split open. Broken grinned as dozens of notifications flooded his screen. With that single skill, he had wiped out the majority of the winged demons in one fell swoop. In the aftermath, glowing items began to shoot toward him from afar-loot dropped by the defeated monsters. His filter settings automatically drew in only the Monster Cores and Monster Soul Stones, and sure enough, he secured two Monster Soul Stones.
Damn, what was that?” Archer muttered, his mouth agape.
The others stared in stunned silence, equally awestruck.
“Broken… What exactly is your main class?”
“I think he must have a versatile class?”
“But a versatile class with skills like that?”
“I’m seriously considering quitting this game,” Archer added, still reeling.
“Nearly half of them are dead, and the rest are barely hanging on,” someone else pointed out, astonished.
The remaining monsters, enraged and desperate, flew even faster toward them. Subaru unleashed spells from a distance, while Archer fired arrows at a rapid pace, determined to keep the horde at bay.
[Piercing Arrows (Active Skill)]
This was a skill from the Bow of Artemis-a devastating attack that launched a powerful arrow capable of penetrating both enemies and obstacles. Upon release, the arrow split into five projectiles, each targeting different foes and generating a shockwave that staggered and disrupted nearby enemies. Each strike dealt 200% of physical damage, but the downside was the high Mana cost-600 per use.
Damn, he really needed a new powerful bow!
Despite the challenges, after several intense minutes, the airborne monsters were finally dealt with, leaving only a few stragglers. But just as they began to catch their breath, a new threat emerged-one far more serious and daunting.
From all directions, magic circles began to materialize, glowing ominously. Out of these circles, strange and grotesque monsters started to appear, each more bizarre than the last.
[Bloodshade Lv. 195]
[Nocturnis Lv. 187]
[Veilborn Lv. 186]
[Bloodshade Lv. 169]
These creatures had pale, almost sickly skin, and pointed ears that gave them an eerie, otherworldly look. Some had faces twisted into unnatural shapes, their mouths stretched wide to reveal rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth. Others brandished long, clawed hands, the talons gleaming menacingly as they let out chilling shrieks, showing off their lethal
intent.
This was the true danger-a real, serious threat that would be far more difficult to overcome. “Everyone! Cast every buff-this is a real battle now!” Marlene commanded urgently. Without hesitation, everyone activated their buffs and party skills. Transparent shields doubled in size and began rotating around them, providing a protective barrier. Each person was soon enveloped in a shimmering aura of various colors, signaling the different boosts and buffs they had received. Notifications flooded their screens, confirming the enhancements— this was the true advantage of fighting as a team.
Meanwhile, Broken knew he couldn’t rely on high-Mana usage area skills indefinitely. Instead, he decided to cast his Water Domain and wield the Wavebreaker Spear.
As he activated the Water Domain, a transparent barrier of water expanded around them, encasing everyone within its protective, shimmering shield.
The game featured a sophisticated system to limit the impact of attacks, allowing players to manually set restrictions-like preventing damage to guild members, party members, or anyone manually whitelisted from skill effects.
However, the game’s advanced AI typically handled this, distinguishing between allies and enemies on its own. This meant that the movement speed debuff from the Water Domain would only affect the monsters, leaving the team unhindered.
And now, they were ready!
The monsters surged forward, entering the Water Domain, where their movements immediately slowed. Arrows and magic rained down on them, while the melee fighters
stepped forward, ready to meet their foes head-on.
Calista, the healer, along with another support member, positioned themselves in the center, ensuring they stayed in the safest spot. Their roles were crucial-they couldn’t afford to be touched by the enemies, as they were responsible for boosting the team’s potential and
keeping everyone healed.
[Groundbreaker (Active Skill) Lv. 2]
Broken slammed his spear into the ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave that tore through the earth, dealing area damage and striking several monsters at once. However, the damage wasn’t quite enough to finish them off, so Marlene’s shadow wolves immediately followed up, lunging at the weakened monsters and tearing into them, ensuring the threat was swiftly neutralized.
The Elder Tree Dragon continued to hover above, providing crucial support by unleashing powerful magic attacks and casting area heals on the team. This took a significant load off Calista, easing her responsibilities as the primary healer.
However, the sheer number of monsters was overwhelming, and they needed to carefully
manage their Mana to sustain the fight. This was especially true for Broken, whose Mana pool
was naturally limited.
When he gathered enough Mana, Broken unleashed a series of wide-area skills with his
Wavebreaker Spear.
[Ocean’s Wrath (Active Skill)]
[Sea of Storms (Active Skill)]
[Boar’s Flood (Active Skill)]
Massive waves of water surged upward, crashing into the demons and driving them back. As
the waves subsided, a rain of spears descended from the sky, adding more damage to the onslaught. Meanwhile, the water boar charged wildly across the battlefield, wreaking havoc
among the enemy ranks.
Despite the relentless attack, they knew they had to keep a close eye on their Mana reserves, making every spell count in this seemingly endless battle.
The battle was intense, with everyone pushing themselves to the limit. They managed to hold
their ground, keeping their support players safely out of harm’s way. But they couldn’t keep this up forever-surrounded on all sides, their Mana and Stamina were steadily being drained. The demons showed no signs of relenting, their waves continuing to crash against
the team’s defenses.
Broken received a Mana buff, allowing his Mana to regenerate quickly. Once his reserves were full again, he unleashed another wide-area damage attack. But even with his powerful skills, the sheer number of enemies seemed endless.
Damn, this was going to be a long night.