Chapter 97 - Gathering of Heroes
Dark Moon Valley, Dark Moon Graveyard.
Countless tombstones stood around a dilapidated chapel. In the midst of night, one could hear wails of agony coming out from the tombstones. Meanwhile, Kobold Assassins roamed the dark and hidden locations around the broken down chapel.
This place was the most famous location of Dark Moon Valley.
Due to this place being the closest and the first twenty-man Team Dungeon activated near Red Leaf Town, it held high importance to the many Guilds stationed in Red Leaf Town. Compared to the previous six-man Party Dungeon, the various Guilds were paying the most attention to this Team Dungeon.
That was because Team Dungeons and Party Dungeons were different. Not only was the difficulty for Team Dungeons higher, but the equipment that dropped from them was also better. Moreover, only by clearing a Team Dungeon would a Guild be able to prove their strength. Aside from that, there was a gigantic Glory List beside the Teleportation Gate of every Team Dungeon. On it, the names of the Team and players who obtained the First Clear for the Dungeon would be listed for latecomers to admire.
Of course, aside from the First Clear, the record for the fastest to clear the Dungeon would also be recorded, with the reserved record set at three hours. As long as a team surpassed the record time, their names would be recorded. However, this record was not permanent, but only temporary. As long as another team could obtain an even shorter record time, they would replace the current holders of the record.
Currently, players filled all of the Dark Moon Graveyard. Aside from the various large Guilds from Red Leaf town, there were plenty of temporary groups attempting to challenge this Team Dungeon.
“Wow! It’s just as expected of the competition for the First Clear of the Team Dungeon. The equipment on these guys is just too gorgeous! Our temporary group has no chance of competing against them at all.”
“That’s only natural. Why don’t you look at just how many times these Guilds have cleared the Level 3 to Level 4 Party Dungeons? Even the team belonging to the weakest Guild here would have seven to eight pieces of Bronze Equipment on each party member. Look at Martial Union over there; all of their members are wearing Bronze Equipment. Their leader, Ironsword Lion, is wearing the Wolf Fang Set Equipment that can only be obtained from the Level 4 Dungeon, Black Wolf’s Den.”
“Ironsword Lion’s equipment could be considered quite good amongst the unrated Guilds. However, look over there at the third-rate Guild, Heaven’s Crowns. The equipment on their elite team’s vice-leader, Passenger of Wind, is the Spirit Wind Set Equipment obtained from the Level 4 Advanced Dungeon, Ghost Fortress.”
The players of temporary teams gazed at the equipment of the Guild teams in envy. They spoke about the items as if enumerating their own family’s valuables, and the more they spoke, the more drool leaked out from the corner of their mouths.
Only the Elite parties of Guilds could clear those high difficulty Party Dungeons. Unaffiliated individuals like themselves could only look on with envy.
Just as everyone was sighing in admiration at the equipment of these elite teams, Stabbing Heart of Assassin’s Alliance led a group of players over. The equipment of the group was extremely unified. All twenty players wore the same Level 4 Bronze Equipment. Amongst them, the two silver daggers hung around Stabbing Heart’s waist looked extraordinarily radiant.
“Crap, it can’t be, right? Those are Gemini’s Thorns that only drop from the final Boss of the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress,” an Assassin who was a dagger-fanatic cried out in shock.
Suddenly, the team leaders and upper echelons of the other Guilds all cast sidelong glances over to Stabbing Heart.
This design and color were exactly the same as the information displayed on the official announcement.
“As expected of a second-rate Guild; the Assassin’s Alliance’s strength cannot be taken lightly. They managed to clear the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress without anyone noticing. Meanwhile, until now, we have merely killed off the first Boss of Hard Mode,” Passenger of Wind sighed with regret.
“Humph! So what if they managed to clear the Hard Mode? We will still start from the same starting point from now on. The difficulty of a Team Dungeon is not something a Party Dungeon can compare to. Clearing it depends more on the commands given,” Ironsword Lion wrinkled his brows, snorting in disdain. He believed that his own techniques were no weaker than Stabbing Heart’s. If he had not been ambushed by that Ye Feng, causing him to lose a level, the party he led might have been able to clear the Hard Mode of Ghost Fortress.
“Interesting,” when Shadow’s leader, Zhang Luowei, heard the discussions of the other Guilds, a faint smile appeared on his face. He was immensely arrogant, as if he did not place importance on any of these players.
The various Guilds present were unwilling to comply with each other. After all, God’s Domain had only recently begun; nobody would know what the future would bring. The Assassin’s Alliance was only this powerful due to their strong initial foundation. However, the First Clear for the Dark Moon Graveyard could not be obtained just by relying on a strong foundation. At best, the Assassin’s Alliance would only have a minor advantage over the other Guilds.
The First Clear of this Team Dungeon this time around was considered a shuffling of power in Red Leaf Town. Whoever obtained the First Clear would increase their prestige in Red Leaf Town, improving their Guild’s development. It would have a great effect on attracting new players to join their Guilds.
Everyone looked at the time. There was still over twenty minutes before the opening of Dark Moon Graveyard. They all stood by a side, patiently waiting.
“Sister Snow, this place is really lively!” Xiao Yue’er giggled, pulling on Gentle Snow’s delicate arm as she took a look at her surroundings.
Gentle Snow nodded. She looked around with an indifferent face, her expression as cold as ice. She did not pay any attention to the Guilds present. Instead, she was looking for a certain someone.
Although Gentle Snow and her group kept a low profile when they arrived at the Dark Moon Graveyard, everyone’s sights still unconsciously turned towards the group; including the upper echelons of the various Guilds.
They still possessed the chance to compete in the case of second-rate Guilds. However, it was but a fleeting dream for them to compete against a first-rate Guild. The main reason being the gap between a first-rate Guild and a second-rate Guild was just too wide. Not only was there a difference in the number of players in the Guild, but there was also the difference of the quality of players and fundings.
Just by standing in this place, Gentle Snow caused a great pressure to loom over the upper echelons of the many Guilds present. As for the cause for this pressure, aside from the disparity between their Guilds, the disparity between personal strength was also one of the causes. As long as one played virtual reality games, they would certainly know of the Snow Goddess. However, this name was not praise for Gentle Snow’s stunning complexion, but for her frightening strength.
“As expected of the Snow Goddess. The equipment on her body is likely the most top-notch equipment available to players at this stage of the game,” Stabbing Heart inwardly admired the silver-red battle armor that Gentle Snow wore.
This was the Flame Light Set Equipment that could only be obtained from the Level 5 Advanced Dungeon, Lava Cavern. The Assassin’s Alliance was never able to clear this Dungeon. Moreover, this Flame Light Set was a Mysterious-Iron Set Equipment that would only drop from the Hard Mode of the Dungeon.
The Set Equipment was much better than any other equipment, not to mention the crimson-colored Flame Spirit Greatsword in Gentle Snow’s hands. That was a Level 5 Secret-Silver Two-handed Sword. The weapon itself could easily overwhelm his pair of Mysterious-Iron ranked Gemini’s Thorns.
The pressure this set of equipment gave off to the other experts present was enormous. In addition to Zhao Yueru and Xiao Yue’er’s Mysterious-Iron Equipment, Gentle Snow’s group practically flattened everyone else at the Dark Moon Graveyard. How were these experts supposed to compete against Gentle Snow’s group now?
“Why isn’t he here yet?” after taking a look around, a faint layer of frost appeared on Gentle Snow’s face as she was unable to discover Shi Feng’s figure anywhere.
“Hahaha! Snow, that guy must’ve known that he would just humiliate himself, so he didn’t dare show up. Why don’t we just call a few more members over?” Zhao Yueru stuck out her impressive twin peaks, laughing delightfully.
Gentle Snow gave Zhao Yueru’s words some thought. The First Clear for the Dark Moon Graveyard was extremely important. If Shi Feng really was not coming, then she should be making some preparations ahead of time.
Just as Gentle Snow was prepared to contact her subordinates, Shi Feng and his party ran over.
“Sorry, I’ve made you all wait,” Shi Feng scratched his head, apologizing.
Although he hurried over, the distance was just too far. Moreover, they had met a Level 5 Extremely Rare Elite on the way here, so they had wasted some time…