Under the glaring eyes of the crowd, Briony, Carys, and the rest of the Starlight Town turncoats who had backed Caleb Mordant slinked away.
"Idiots," Orion spat at their retreating backs. "What could Caleb Mordant possibly offer them that beats sticking with Starlight Town?" He shook his head, lamenting, "Shame about those two cute girls, though. I really don't under—ow, ow, ow!"
Orion winced, his face twisting in pain as Rena pinched his ear and pulled.
Kael shook his head and led the group toward Village 9139. He’d orchestrated this trap for two reasons: to knock Caleb Mordant down a peg, and to weed out the moles planted in their ranks. There were undoubtedly more spies hiding among them, but today’s crushing defeat would make them think twice before trying anything else.
On the march, Orion fell into step beside Kael. "I kept wondering why you risked putting all our support NPCs in one squad. You had a trump card all along!"
"Not all of them," Kael corrected. "Just eighty percent. We needed them to establish a camp the second we enter the war zone."
"Right. Hey, speaking of that fight, Sunfire Bell had a hundred percent skill enhancement. How did she still fail to break your defense? Doesn't enhancement boost damage?"
"It amplifies damage, but it doesn't just add flat attack power," Kael explained. "Say you have twenty thousand magic power and I have ten thousand magic defense. You'd normally hit me for ten thousand damage. With a hundred percent enhancement, that jumps to twenty thousand. But if I have thirty thousand magic defense, your base attack doesn't pierce it. Multiplying zero damage by a hundred percent still leaves you with zero."
"Ah, makes sense."
The rest of the journey passed without incident, and the group crossed into the war zone effortlessly.
[System Alert: You have entered the siege zone for Starting Village 9139.]
[System Alert: All potions in your inventory have been temporarily deposited with the Event NPC in the city. If you leave the war zone during the event, you cannot re-enter.]
[Event Rules: If a player dies and releases their spirit, they will be removed from the battlefield. Failing to release your spirit within 1 hour will also result in removal. Cooldowns for all resurrection skills are now 2 hours.]
Kael skimmed the remaining details on combat and scoring. They were mostly identical to the previous siege events.
Kael’s Team C had the shortest route, making them the first to arrive. A vast, open expanse stretched out before them, dotted with wild bison and goats grazing on the plains.
He marched the group forward about a mile, eventually stopping near a shallow river. "Make camp!" he ordered.
The players immediately fanned out to clear the nearby wildlife, harvesting an initial stockpile of [Food]. The builder NPCs sprang into action, quickly erecting the first structure: the [Main Camp]. Once finished, the builders just stood around. The system provided barely any starting resources, and what little remained had to be saved for other necessities.
Resource management in this event was more complex than usual. Alongside the standard [Ore], [Stone], and [Wood], the system had introduced [Food] and [Water]. Food required hunting, fishing, or farming. Water came from surface or underground sources.
The nearby river was shallow and sparse on fish, but it would temporarily solve their water needs. Securing a stable supply would require unlocking Agriculture and Drilling tech. For now, those were out of reach.
Their immediate priority was clear: secure a mine, a quarry, and a lumber camp.
While the NPCs had been pitching tents, Kael dispatched ten scout teams of a hundred players each to survey the surrounding area. The reports flooded in quickly.
· Three miles East: Quarry. Guarded by a Level 37 Area Boss. 1 Billion HP.
· Four miles Southeast: Forest. Swarming with Level 36 Elite mobs. Over 100 Million HP each.
· Three miles Northwest: Mine. Guarded by a sleeping Black Bear Boss. Level 37. 1 Billion HP.
Orion hadn’t joined the scouting parties, choosing to hang back with Rena and Kael. After hearing the reports, he looked at Kael. "Boss, are we just going to wait here for the main force? Nobody has potions. We can't afford a war of attrition right now."
Logically, Orion was right. Kael’s squad was packed with utility NPCs that required player protection and lacked raw combat power.
But Kael had already received intelligence regarding the enemy forces near Village 9139. "The enemy hasn't moved yet," Kael decided. "We're going to secure the resources."
Orion started. "If we pull everyone out, the camp will be completely defenseless!"
Kael shook his head. "The others will hold the camp. Just a few of us are going."
"Just... a few of us? Those bosses have a billion health!" Orion swallowed hard.
Kael smirked. "What's there to be afraid of? They're just damage sponges. Their actual attack and defense stats are nothing special. Here, take these."
With a wave of his hand, five Level 45 bosses materialized beside them. It was [Strengthened Norlun] and its four ant commanders.
Orion’s jaw dropped. He’d heard Rena talk about the Demon Tower, but hearing a story and staring down five massive, towering monsters in the flesh were two completely different things. The sheer, imposing pressure they radiated was indescribable.
Kael transferred control of the summons to Orion and issued his orders. "Take these five. You and Rena grab a few NPCs and go clear out the eastern quarry."
"Wait... all of them?" Orion asked, stunned.
Kael chuckled. "Do you honestly think I need them? Are you underestimating me?"
Orion shook his head frantically. "No, no, no! I just thought you might want to keep one around to keep you company, so you don't get bored!"
"Cut the crap and get moving," Kael said. He rounded up a hundred NPCs and headed toward the northwest mine.
Orion and Rena followed suit, taking a hundred NPCs and the five boss summons east toward the quarry.
A short while later, Kael reached the mine. The hundred-man scout team was still there, huddled outside the entrance, too terrified to push forward.
It made sense. A hundred players against a billion-health boss meant everyone had to crank out at least ten million damage each. Even with a full inventory of potions, it would take two or three grueling hours to burn it down. Without them, it was a death sentence. Under normal circumstances, players would just corpse-run the boss since death was cheap. Here, a wipe meant permanent elimination from the battlefield.
The scouts lit up the moment they spotted him.
"Sir Dawnbreaker! You made it!"
"Wait... is it just you? Where's everyone else?"
"Isn't Sir Dawnbreaker enough?" another player shot back. "Besides, we've got a hundred guys right here."
"Sir Dawnbreaker, what's the plan? Give us our orders."
"Yeah, point the way! I'm ready to brawl."
Ten minutes ago, these same players had been groaning in despair. Now, they were rolling up their sleeves, buzzing with adrenaline.
Kael smiled. "The strategy is simple..."
The crowd held its breath, waiting for a masterclass in raid tactics.
"...I'm going to fight the boss. You guys stand back and watch."
Dead silence.
"Wait, that's it?" someone finally asked. They had expected a multi-phase battle plan, but Kael had already stopped talking.
"That's... the whole plan?" Disbelief washed over the crowd.
"Brilliant!" someone suddenly cheered, starting a slow clap.
"As expected of Sir Dawnbreaker! Simple and to the point!"
"Perfect! I already know exactly what my role is."
"The legend himself!"
The shameless bootlicking echoed across the canyon. Kael actually felt his face flush.