Murloc Guard

Shawn ran at the front.

The Kobolds ran behind him.

Shawn grew slower and slower.

The Kobolds, however, ran faster and faster.

Even the oldest and youngest Kobolds surged past Shawn.

Shawn kept blowing the War Horn, making full use of every second it was active.

Anger blazed, blood boiled, weapons swung, and the Kobolds roared.

Hundreds of Kobolds charged into the Murloc Shoal.

Yes, an individual Kobold was no match for a Murloc.

Yes, the Kobolds had fewer classed fighters than the Murlocs.

Yes, the Kobolds were outnumbered by the Murlocs.

Yes, the Kobolds were inferior to the Murlocs in every way.

But at that very moment, the Kobolds were united enough, brave enough, furious enough, and fired up enough.

Hundreds of strands twisted into one, harder than steel cable!

This cable of Kobolds was going to strangle every last Murloc!

When Shawn finally reached the Murloc Shoal, gasping for breath, he stared at the carnage in stunned silence.

How could he describe the scene?

The Murloc Shoal was awash in blood, from the sea to the sky!

Blood stained the shoal, turning it into a pool of gore. Kobolds fought their way forward, while Frostbolts and Frost Novas froze countless others. Countless more were slain by Backstabs and Sinister Strikes, and still more were smashed to a pulp.

But the Murlocs had it worse.

Caught by surprise, they couldn't form a proper defensive line or mount an effective counterattack.

Though they outnumbered the Kobolds several times over, the Murlocs were scattered by the Kobolds' charge, one tribe after another cut down. Even the Coldlight Oracles were powerless to stop it.

In fact, several Coldlight Oracles had died too.

Both sides suffered devastating losses. It was a true mutual slaughter.

By the time every Murloc in sight had been wiped out, only a dozen or so Kobolds remained. Every one of them was covered in wounds, a battle-hardened warrior drenched in blood.

Even Shawn couldn't help cheering them on.

But this was no time to celebrate.

Only the nearby Murlocs had been wiped out. The others farther away had finally reacted and were charging this way.

How could the dozen or so surviving Kobolds hold off the rampaging Murlocs? They were quickly slaughtered to the last.

Shawn was disappointed.

Could they really not wipe out the Murlocs, even after bringing in the Kobolds as a surprise force?

Just then, crabs measuring anywhere from a few inches to a few dozen inches crawled out from beneath the beach and from the seawater. They scuttled straight toward the Murlocs at astonishing speed.

Their hard claws crushed the Murlocs' bodies.

Their shells, highly resistant to water magic, withstood the ice spells of the Coldlight Seers and Darkscale Oracles.

They were the legendary Murloc Killer Crabs, the Murlocs' natural enemies!

"So this is the real key to clearing the Murloc Shoal!" Shawn stared in amazement and sighed deeply.

Of course, Shawn's bringing in the Kobolds had been crucial. Without the Kobolds fighting desperately and killing so many Murlocs, there wouldn't have been enough Murloc blood in the air to attract so many Murloc Killer Crabs. And that was the real strategy for clearing the Murloc Shoal.

The Murlocs had met their natural enemies.

In less than half an hour, the Murloc Killer Crabs had slaughtered every last Murloc.

But that wasn't the end.

Just then, a kilometer away, a lone Coldlight Oracle that had escaped stood atop something resembling an altar, chanting an ancient incantation.

A roar followed, echoing from deep beneath the sea.

Shawn looked up sharply and peered into the distance.

Far out at sea, a huge wave came crashing toward the beach. A massive monster, blue and red, strode across the waves with a fearsome Trident in hand.

She had a towering frame, solid muscles, tough skin, and a thick tail.

"Murloc Guard!"

Shawn's eyes widened.

He cast Eye of Insight on the Murloc Guard, only to find no information at all. That fearsome Murloc Guard had a class level higher than six. Just how high was her challenge rating?

Shawn couldn't even begin to guess.

He turned to run.

But just then, the Murloc Shoal dungeon quest finally appeared.

"Timed Quest: The Wrath of Murloc Guard Skoda!"

"The Coldlight Oracle has summoned the Guardian and master of the Murloc Shoal, Murloc Guard Skoda. This fearsome Naga Warrior was once Lady Vashj's personal bodyguard. Though she was ousted after losing to a newly promoted Murloc Guard in the struggle of survival of the fittest, she still possesses strength that lets her look down on most creatures. Defeat her, kill her, and prove yourself!"

"Quest Reward: Gathering."

"Note: With Gathering, you can collect loot from enemies you have killed."

Shawn stopped in his tracks and turned to face the Murloc Guard bearing down on him.

"Murloc Guard? So what? I'm not afraid of you!"

What were natural enemies?

They were creatures that inspired an instinctive, blood-deep fear no matter how strong you were—even if you were huge and they were tiny.

Murloc Killer Crabs were the Murlocs' natural enemies.

The moment they saw a Murloc, they charged straight in to kill it, without a second thought. They didn't care if the Murloc was bigger than they were or if there were more Murlocs than them.

And they had successfully wiped out the Murlocs.

But now they had spotted the surviving Coldlight Oracle and Murloc Guard Skoda, striding toward them over the waves.

No matter how fearsome the Coldlight Oracle was, it was still a Murloc.

Though the Murloc Guard bore "Murloc" in her title, she wasn't actually a Murloc. She was a Naga.

Still, judging by appearances alone, the Murloc Guard did look a little like a Murloc. And besides, she had been summoned by a Coldlight Oracle.

So, naturally, the Murloc Killer Crabs immediately took up their position as the Murloc Guard's natural enemies.

It didn't matter how big, strong, or terrifying she was.

They were her natural enemies, so they weren't afraid of her.

The Murloc Killer Crabs charged at Murloc Guard Skoda, killing the Coldlight Oracle too, its mana completely drained.

Can you imagine a swarm of ants charging at you?

Wouldn't it seem ridiculous?

You could crush a whole bunch with a single step.

But what if the ants were endless?

What if they weren't ordinary ants, but giant ones capable of killing an elephant?

The Murloc Guard was many times stronger than an elephant, but the Murloc Killer Crabs were also countless times stronger than ants.

And yet, Murloc Guard Kosta wasn't afraid.

She couldn't afford to fail again.

Ever since that despicable Naga Warrior had defeated her and taken the place that should have been hers, Skoda could no longer stand guard beside the great goddess Lady Vashj. Her strength had fallen by several levels, and the Naga Warrior she once was had become a wanderer.

Yet she was still the Murloc Guard. This Murloc Shoal was still her territory, and she would not allow anyone to set foot in it!