Returning to Defend

He hurried over to the messenger, yanked him to his feet, and roared with shock and fury in his eyes.

"What exactly happened? Why didn't I receive any news at all?"

The player being held struggled desperately. If not for the teammate protection mechanism, he would likely have been crushed to pieces already. He spoke with difficulty.

"The people who escaped said our stronghold was sealed off with a special item, so no information could get out. The reason he managed to escape was because he had a special item that concealed his body."

Just as he was about to press for details, an infuriating message suddenly popped up before his eyes—[Guild Weapon Is About to Be Destroyed].

This message was only sent after the NPC guarding the weapon had been defeated. It meant the guild had essentially fallen, and even the level-one-hundred NPC guarding the guild weapon had been killed.

The news struck everyone like a thunderbolt. The other members saw it as well, their faces filled with a complicated mix of shock, fury, and despair.

The guild still had all kinds of beast-eared girls they had painstakingly created. Watching them be destroyed right before their eyes was something they could not accept.

Some panicked and began asking everywhere whether anyone had teleportation scrolls to Niflheim. While everyone was worried about the guild's survival, one wise guy said to them.

"Are we still chasing that person? We've already put in so much effort. Wouldn't it be a waste if we didn't get something out of it?"

His words plunged everyone into silence. The Storm Horn guild leader walked up to him, slapped him flying, and cursed.

"Chase my ass. Our home's about to be gone, what the hell are you thinking?"

"Guild Leader, I just didn't want all our investment to go down the drain."

He ran back and explained himself to the guild leader indignantly. The guild leader covered his face and said speechlessly.

"After this, leave the guild. This little temple of ours can't accommodate a great Buddha like you."

After saying that, he ignored him and teleported away with the other companions who had teleportation scrolls, leaving only the wise guy behind.

"Guild Leader, how can you treat me like this? I was thinking of the guild!"

The wise guy complained as he watched the guild leader and the others vanish in the glow of the teleportation gate.

After a burst of dazzling white light, they were teleported to a bustling town closest to the stronghold.

The moment they landed, the group shot toward their stronghold like arrows loosed from a bow.

The sight drew the attention of the town's other residents. They clicked their tongues in amazement—who could imagine a group of minotaurs sprinting through a city like that?

The minotaurs seemed completely unconcerned with the pedestrians around them, charging recklessly toward the outskirts.

Some lower-level players were unfortunate enough to die in the collision, trampled to death beneath their hooves.

The scene left many players in the city dissatisfied and annoyed. They discussed it among themselves, speculating what could have made this group of minotaurs so frantic.

However, quite a few players sensed that something was unusual. They realized there had to be an important reason behind the minotaurs' behavior.

So, these players decided to follow them out of the city as well, hoping to find out what was going on.

Following the minotaurs across the snowfield, the first thing they saw was the ruined outpost. Countless corpses had been piled into a small mountain, with a blue cube spinning continuously atop it.

The cube had been suppressing everyone's resurrection. The leading white minotaur shattered it with a single swing of his axe.

"Leave two people behind to wait for them to revive. Then head to the stronghold for support together."

After giving the order, the two continued onward. As they neared the stronghold, they saw a pale blue barrier enveloping it—the special item capable of disrupting signal transmission.

They passed through the barrier and hurried toward the stronghold, only to be stopped by several people at its entrance.

The tall half-ogre Takemikazuchi leaned against the long blade planted in the snow and watched them. Beside him, Genjiro, Whitebrim, and the others stood in a line. They waited there like bosses guarding a checkpoint.

Takemikazuchi drew his long blade and pointed it at them from afar, speaking coldly.

"Your guild weapon should be nearly destroyed by now. I'll give you a chance to choose a few people to go inside and try to stop us."

Seeing that only eight people dared block more than seventy of them, the white minotaur laughed in anger.

"What are you eight going to use to stop so many of us? Who gave you the courage?"

"Heh. Nishikienrai, Whitebrim, show them what we're planning to use to stop them."

Nishikienrai formed hand seals with both hands, and one prearranged barrier after another emerged. They resembled transparent walls, yet every one of them radiated danger.

Whitebrim held a peachwood sword and drew talismans in the air. Some of the surrounding snow melted into pools of magma, while golden lightning periodically struck down above other patches. Talismans appeared one after another alongside them.

Takemikazuchi spoke to them again.

"Oh, and one more thing. A [World Disaster] is hiding nearby. If you really want to waste time with us here, then the moment we die, he'll unleash [Great Calamity]. Make your choice now."

The white minotaur guild leader's expression darkened as he listened to Takemikazuchi.

He knew this was not a threat that could be ignored lightly. Once the guild weapon was destroyed, their guild would be forcibly disbanded as well.

They could not launch a direct assault either. They did have the advantage in numbers, but the entire area was currently covered with dense formations and traps.

A frontal attack would inevitably delay them for a long time, not to mention the potential [World Disaster] they now had to face.

"We're leaving. Protect the guild weapon first, then we'll deal with them properly."

Takemikazuchi immediately stepped aside and opened up a narrow path. More than a dozen people followed behind him in silent coordination after hearing the order. Wherever they passed, the formations receded, only to reappear once they had gone through.

Takemikazuchi watched them leave, then turned toward the remaining group. Now it was their turn.

Their gazes met, and not a word was spoken. In an instant, every formation and trap activated at once. A minotaur wielding a spear charged at Takemikazuchi.

He sprang into the air, his spear carrying the force of thunder as it shot straight for Takemikazuchi's throat.

As though he had expected it all along, Takemikazuchi swung his long blade in an elegant arc through the air. It collided with the minotaur's spear in a deafening clash of metal.

The surrounding formations launched their attacks as well. Golden lightning crashed down upon the minotaurs, blasting them apart in an instant.

However, these were the minotaurs' elites. They quickly adjusted their formation and withstood the attacks that followed.

At this point, Genjiro, Whitebrim, and the others joined the battle as well. Using all manner of mysterious talismans and spells, they engaged the minotaurs in fierce combat.