Clang! Takemikazuchi effortlessly raised a hand to block the long spear, then exerted his strength and sent its wielder flying. Electricity crackled across the weapon in his hand.
"Send someone who can actually fight me."
What?
Pfft! The player who had charged forward, enduring all kinds of damage, was run through the chest by a long sword. Blood sprayed out, staining his clothes red.
The players around them were stunned. They had never seen Takemikazuchi so dominant. For a moment, the entire battlefield fell silent.
"So this is Takemikazuchi, the [Sword Saint]? Then let me take you on."
With that, a muscular minotaur player stepped out of the crowd, hefting a heavy hammer that displayed his strength.
The vice president of the Storm Horn Guild, a high-level player renowned for his strength-based class.
"Oh, and let's not leave the others out. If your group is this strong, then send a few more people over. Surely one person can handle five opponents. Everyone else, hurry up and take down these annoying barriers."
He swung his massive hammer and charged at Takemikazuchi. Whenever the barrier array was about to damage him, his armor flashed, negating all the damage.
As he drew close to Takemikazuchi, his speed suddenly surged, and in an instant he was right in front of him. The hammer glowed with dazzling golden light as it swung upward, while the phantom image of a gigantic bull appeared behind him, empowering his body.
Takemikazuchi was caught off guard by his sudden burst of speed. With no other choice, he held his weapon horizontally in both hands, trying to block the blow.
Boom! The tremendous force of the strike sent Takemikazuchi flying to the side, yet the minotaur himself remained where he was, completely unharmed.
Crack! A simple, antique-looking jade pendant quietly shattered. It was a special item capable of blocking an attack equal to the wearer's maximum HP—and one blow had broken it.
Takemikazuchi got back to his feet, leaning on his long sword, and shook his head. As expected of a player famed for his strength. He had broken the pendant and still taken away a fifth of Takemikazuchi's HP in a single blow.
"Oh, you can still stand. Some special item must have saved your life. Let's see how many more items you have to keep you alive."
He taunted Takemikazuchi contemptuously, then swung his hammer again and resumed fighting him. Nearby, several others were also surrounded by five opponents apiece. Nishikienrai relied on his agile movements and powerful attacks, holding his own with ease as he fought them.
Whitebrim and the others were struggling a little against five level-100 players, but they could still hold on. Meanwhile, the members of Storm Horn who weren't fighting had started dismantling the barrier arrays. Without the arrays to create advantageous terrain, it was only a matter of time before the group was defeated.
The shockwaves from their fighting had nearly wrecked the surrounding area. Those who had followed Storm Horn to watch were driven back again and again by the powerful waves of energy, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
A lightly armored elf player sighed to his companions.
"I told you we'd get something out of coming along. Looks like someone ambushed the minotaurs' guild."
"Captain, should we help the intruders? They're the infamous Nine's Own Goal, after all. Maybe they really can destroy Storm Horn's Guild Weapon."
"We'll just stay at the edge and watch from a safe distance, giving them a little support. We should get a share of the good loot afterward."
The others thought he had a point. The elf player leading them shook his head and said,
"Even if we go help them now, what if they can't destroy the Guild Weapon? And even if they do succeed, there's no guarantee they'll give us anything. Don't forget how infamous their group is."
"If we make a move now, whether they succeed or not, we'll offend Storm Horn. Besides, look behind us."
The others followed the elf player's pointing finger. Behind them stood plenty of players hoping to fish in troubled waters, and more were still arriving.
"All we have to do now is wait quietly. When their fight is over, whether Nine's Own Goal or Storm Horn wins, this crowd will make its move."
Everyone nodded, impressed by their captain's coolheaded judgment. With a leader who could see the bigger picture, they were sure to benefit plenty in the future.
While they were showering their captain with praise, a plant girl walked past them with a little girl. As she passed, she glanced at them contemptuously.
"Mm-hmm, yeah, that's right. I'm here now. There's a bunch of trash here, ready to take advantage of us."
"It's fine, we can handle things here. This is a perfect chance to show you Vier's power. Once you get inside, just use [Heaven-Supporting God]."
"Mm, okay. I'll go help Genjiro and the others right away. I'll make a righteous entrance and make sure no one survives."
"What do you mean we're the bad guys now? Momonga, you need to understand what it means to be 'pure as a clear mirror in heart and deed, with all we do being righteous.'"
"Sure, sure."
After ending the call, Mu Fengyu was about to charge in and take down everyone there. The elf player beside him stopped him. Who could stand being mocked to their face like that?
"Friend, I'd advise you to watch what you say. You've already offended a lot of people with what you just said."
Mu Fengyu sized up the elf player, nodded, and replied seriously,
"That's right. They really are a bunch of trash."
He looked at the crowd behind him. Most were level eighty-something, and only nineteen were level 100—and none of those had fully equipped gear. After all, this was only a level-60 zone. Unless there was some special reason, people usually didn't come here.
The crowd was almost laughing with anger. How could they tolerate a level-eighty-something nobody picking a fight with them to their faces? The players nearby hadn't dared get involved in the battle up ahead, but surely they could still bully a rookie who was only eighty-something.
"Then why don't you test the mettle of us trash?"
"Sure. Just don't regret it."
As he spoke, he took off the ring that concealed his equipment and information. The people around him immediately scattered away from him. Mu Fengyu's status clearly displayed a World Item blessing.
That was a special buff granted only to those who possessed a World Item. No one in this game would underestimate a World Item. After all, even a level-one player holding one might be able to take down a fully equipped level-100 player.
Mu Fengyu looked at the vast empty space around him,
"Why is nobody brave enough to come over? Should I come to you?"
As he spoke, he took one step forward. Everyone around him retreated another distance. That showed the true worth of a World Item: they didn't dare gamble on what it might do.
Half of the game's 200 World Items still had no information available. What if the World Item this person held could kill everyone present in an instant?
Before you continue