Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger

Clang. Takemikazuchi easily blocked the long spear with a flick of his arm, then used his strength to send the attacker flying, his weapon crackling with bursts of electricity.

"Send someone with actual skill to fight me."

What?

Squelch. The player who had charged in while tanking various hits was run through the chest by a long blade, a spray of blood painting his lapels red.

The surrounding players were stunned by this scene; they had never seen Takemikazuchi act with such overwhelming force. For a moment, the entire battlefield fell into a dead silence.

"So this is the [Sword Saint] Takemikazuchi? Then let me have a go at you."

With that, a muscular Minotaur player stepped out from the crowd, wielding a heavy hammer that showcased his immense strength.

He was the vice-guild master of Storm Horn, a high-level player famous for his strength-based build.

"Right, don't neglect the others. Since your group is so strong, send a few more people up. Fighting five at once shouldn't be a problem. The rest of you, dismantle these annoying barriers as quickly as possible."

He swung his giant hammer toward Takemikazuchi. Whenever a barrier formation threatened to deal damage, the armor on his body would flash, negating all harm.

As he neared Takemikazuchi, his speed surged, and he arrived before him in an instant. The giant hammer glowed with a dazzling golden light, and the phantom of a massive bull manifested behind him, empowering his strike.

Takemikazuchi was caught off guard by the sudden acceleration and had no choice but to hold his weapon horizontally, attempting to block the blow.

Bang. The heavy, powerful strike sent Takemikazuchi flying to the side, while the Minotaur stood his ground, completely unscathed.

Crack. A simple, ancient-looking jade pendant shattered quietly. It was a special item capable of blocking an attack equal to his maximum HP, and it had been destroyed in a single blow.

Takemikazuchi steadied himself with his long blade and stood back up, shaking his head. He truly lived up to his reputation as a strength-based player; breaking the pendant and shaving off a fifth of his HP in one hit was no small feat.

"Oh? Still standing? Must have been some special item that saved your life. Let's see how many more of those you have."

He mocked Takemikazuchi with disdain and swung his giant hammer to engage him in close quarters again. Nearby, the others were also being surrounded by groups of five. Nishikienrai, relying on his agile footwork and powerful attack stats, appeared to be handling his opponents with ease.

Whitebrim and the others were struggling slightly against their five level-100 opponents, but they were holding their ground. The members of Storm Horn who weren't fighting began to dismantle the barrier formations; without the formations to create favorable terrain, the defeat of the group was only a matter of time.

The shockwaves of their battle had nearly destroyed the surrounding environment. The onlookers who had followed Storm Horn to watch the show were forced to retreat repeatedly, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

An Elf player in light armor sighed to his companions behind him.

"I told you we'd get something out of following them. Looks like the Minotaur's guild got ambushed."

"Captain, should we go help the invaders? After all, they're the famous Nine's Own Goal. Maybe they really can destroy Storm Horn's guild weapon."

"We'll just observe from the sidelines. We'll stay safe and provide some support, and we should be able to get a share of the loot later."

The others agreed with his logic, but the lead Elf shook his head and spoke to them.

"Even if we go help them now, what if they fail to destroy the guild weapon? And even if they succeed, there's no guarantee they'll share anything with us. Don't forget the notorious reputation of their group."

"If we make a move now, we'll offend Storm Horn regardless of whether they succeed or fail. Besides, look behind you."

The group followed the Elf's finger and saw many players standing behind them, all hoping to fish in troubled waters, with even more arriving by the minute.

"What we need to do now is wait quietly. When their conflict ends, whether it's Nine's Own Goal or Storm Horn that wins, this crowd will definitely make a move."

Everyone nodded, impressed by their captain's calm judgment. Following a leader with such a big-picture perspective meant they would surely reap benefits in the future.

Just as they were busy flattering their captain, a Plant-type girl walked past them with a young girl in tow, casting a look of disdain at them as she passed.

"Mm-hmm, yes, that's right, I've arrived. There's a bunch of bottom-feeders here waiting to pick up our scraps."

"It's fine, we can handle it here. It's the perfect chance to show you Vier's power. Once you get inside, just use [Heaven-Supporting God]."

"Yeah, alright. I'm going to go help Genjiro and the others. I'll just drop in with some 'justice' and guarantee there won't be a single survivor."

"What do you mean we're the bad guys now? Momonga, you have to understand what it means to have 'my heart and actions be as clear as a mirror; everything I do is justice'."

"Relax."

Ending the call, Mu Fengyu prepared to charge in and wipe out the entire field. The Elf player blocked his path, unable to tolerate such blatant mockery.

"Friend, I suggest you watch your tongue. Your words just now have offended quite a few people."

Mu Fengyu looked the Elf player up and down, nodded, and said earnestly.

"That's right, it is indeed a bunch of bottom-feeders."

He looked at the crowd behind him, most of whom were around level 80, with only nineteen level-100 players, and even they weren't fully geared. After all, this was only a level-60 wild zone; people rarely came here unless there were special circumstances.

The group was almost laughed to anger. A level-80 player in basic gear was jumping in their faces—how could they tolerate this? While the surrounding players didn't dare interfere in the main battle, surely they could bully a level-80 rookie.

"Then why don't you try the standard of us 'bottom-feeders'?"

"Sure. Just don't regret it."

As he spoke, he removed the ring that hid his status and information. In an instant, the people around him scrambled away. Mu Fengyu's information now clearly displayed a World Protection buff.

This was a special buff granted only to those holding a World-class item. In this game, no one underestimated World-class items; even a level-1 player holding one could potentially take down a fully-geared level-100 player.

Mu Fengyu looked at the vast, empty space around him.

"What, no one dares to come? Should I come over there instead?"

He took a step forward, and the surrounding players retreated another distance. The weight of a World-class item was now apparent; they didn't dare gamble on what effect this specific item might have.

Half of the 200 World-class items in the game still had no documented information. What if the one this person held could instantly kill everyone present?