The battlefield was ever-shifting, and almost the moment Banban appeared, the enemy caster finished their chant.
[Vine Entanglement]
78's legs were ensnared, locking her in place. The enemy rogue dashed forward, their dagger glowing purple, poised to slit 78's throat.
[Impact Arrow]
Support came from Shu Tu. An arrow struck the rogue from behind, the immense force sending them sprawling to the ground. A second arrow followed, precisely hitting the rogue's nape. Critical hit. Explosive damage. The rogue's health bar was nearly wiped out instantly.
Double Shot, Shu Tu's improved version.
Originally, Double Shot fired two arrows simultaneously with lackluster power. But Shu Tu used a skill for the first arrow, followed immediately by a critical second shot, both landing almost back-to-back. The weight of a Heavenly Ranking was reassuring. Now, the rogue needed only one final blow.
Everyone noticed this.
Ignoring the vines, 78 hurled a throwing knife. Shu Tu nocked another arrow. The enemy warrior stomped their iron boots, charging again. Zi Shu's longsword slashed precisely at the warrior's neck, interrupting their charge. Zi Shu said coldly, "You underestimate me."
Charging at such close range, thinking she couldn't stop it?
When she learned basic sword techniques, she studied diligently, and her instructor praised her talent. The rogue rolled clumsily, dodging the knife, and stood up. The enemy archer fired at the immobilized 78, preventing her from finishing the rogue. The caster pointed their staff, and Shu Tu's bow arm drooped. [Daze Spell]
The rogue activated "Swift Step," nearly escaping.
Unfortunately, they weren't as fast as Banban. Banban lowered its shoulders, muscles bulging, and leaped. The massive tiger, ferocious and unstoppable, descended from above, effortlessly biting through the rogue's neck. The enemy team lost a member first!
Yu Yu's wolf was a step slower but immediately turned to assist Zi Shu, who was struggling. Banban also pivoted to attack the warrior. For a moment, Yu Yu's team held a significant advantage. The caster turned to flee, actually trying to escape. Yu Yu was stunned. How could a monster be so cowardly?
The moment things turned sour, they ran?
Fortunately, Yu Yu's spell was finally ready.
[Falling Rock]
A millstone-sized boulder crashed from the sky, blocking the caster's escape route. Rock shards flew, chipping away a sliver of the caster's health.
Warrior: "Save me!"
If he had overwhelmed Zi Shu with strength, experience, and even dismissed her charge, once surrounded by the wolf and tiger, he only wanted to flee. Down a member, they were stretched thin. Due to Shu Tu's performance, the enemy ranger fixated on her, firing arrow after arrow while she was dazed.
Yu Yu promptly cast a Deflection Field on Shu Tu, then began chanting a Shield Barrier. With the caster fleeing, the ranger shifted targets. 78 lost over half her health but finally cut through the vines binding her. Without her teammates drawing fire, a fragile rogue like her, rooted in place, would've been dead. The battle raged on, and Yu Yu targeted the enemy ranger.
78 chugged a potion and stealthily approached the caster. The fight continued. The warrior was overwhelmed, and the ranger's support was negligible, especially with Shu Tu, now recovered, attacking him. Indeed, Shu Tu ignored the ranger, occasionally firing cold arrows at the warrior.
As a plate-armored class, the warrior had high defense, strong attacks, and thick health—a battlefield cornerstone, incredibly tough. Once he fell, the two fragile ranged enemies would be meat on the chopping block, especially since 78 was now free to go for the caster's vitals.
Yu Yu used short-cast Acid Ray to harass the ranger, occasionally supporting 78. Surprisingly, the caster died first, not the warrior. A rogue against a lone caster was like a tiger among sheep—three strikes and they're gone. The caster's mistake was fleeing. If they had supported the warrior, letting him cover their retreat, Yu Yu's team might not have…
[Daze Spell]
The enemy ranger's head drooped. 78 was thrilled, activating Swift Step and reaching the ranger's back in a blink. "Party time!"
With her gleeful cry, she backstabbed the ranger, blood splattering her hand, her smile radiant. Meanwhile, Zi Shu parried the warrior's sword and delivered a fierce kick. The big cat swiped with its claw, and the wolf seized the warrior's neck, biting and shaking while retreating, blood spraying.
"We won?" Shu Tu asked, feeling surreal.
Yu Yu: "Silly dog, still dragging?"
The trio looked over to see the wolf backed against the cliff, still pedaling backward, gripping the warrior's corpse, refusing to let go. Zi Shu collapsed to the ground, eyes vacant, slowly pulling out a health potion and chugging it.
78: "Tired, so tired, I'm exhausted! I've never been this tired in my life!"
"Wah, I thought I was gonna die."
Yu Yu dismissed the wolf, nodding. "Rogues' early-game survivability is indeed too weak."
For now, low-tier rogues struggled to break through melee blockades to assassinate ranged targets. As melee fighters, they were easily focused down, fragile and quick to die, with only moderate attack power.
78 pouted. "It's because I don't have mobility! Once I learn Shadow Leap and Shadow Incarnation, let's see who says I lack survivability!"
She stomped over to the caster's body and kicked it. "Trash monster, why control me instead of Zi Shu? If she was controlled near the warrior, she'd have died faster!"
Zi Shu snapped out of it, face darkening. "Think before you speak."
78's ears perked, and she backpedaled. "Of course, Zi Shu's so tanky. I'm the fragile one who dies easily."
"What are you thinking about?"
Shu Tu, lost in thought with her bow, mused, "What if someone had all attributes balanced at 7? If they existed, then…"
Yu Yu pinched her chin. "There definitely are, and not just a few."
Like the military. But would they play games?
For now, the Federation hadn't made such a move, but Yu Yu believed that day wasn't far off. Yu Yu suddenly felt pressed for time. She needed to make money. If her strength wasn't enough, how could she?
If a bunch of superhumans with 6-7 average attributes entered the game, how could she maintain her edge?
Glancing at Shu Tu, Yu Yu knew she was thinking the same.
Time was short.
"Come quick, look at all this loot!!!"
78 and Zi Shu were excitedly looting corpses. Yu Yu's eyes lit up. Loot!
Soon, the four sat together to divide the spoils.
"This game is generous. Humanoid monsters' gear is fully lootable," 78 said. "If you're not grossed out, you could even strip their underwear to sell."
Yu Yu's cheek twitched. "…I'd rather not."
78 and Zi Shu seemed unfazed, as thrilled as if it were New Year's.
Three pieces of equipment were stripped off the caster: [Woodheart Camp Robe], [Woodheart Camp Staff], [Woodheart Camp Cloth Boots].
The warrior had the most: longsword, chestplate, greaves, gauntlets, helmet, iron boots, and shoulder guards—a six-piece weapon and armor set, all Woodheart Camp standard gear. The rogue's loot was similar to Yu Yu's previous rogue haul: mask, hood, leather pants, leather armor, leather boots, and two daggers—seven pieces total.
The ranger had leather armor, bracers, ring, greaves, leather boots, longbow, and short dagger—also seven pieces. Their gear was all Woodheart Camp standard, not top-tier, with low durability, but…
Perfect for broke players.
Yu Yu glanced and said, "Everyone, equip what you can."
78, waiting for this, gleefully stuffed the gear into her equipment slots. The game offered two ways to equip gear: manually wearing it or slotting it into the equipment panel. Slotted gear auto-adjusted size and appeared on the player instantly, so no one doubted this was a game.
But wearing it manually brought real-world issues. Like size mismatches. The warrior's boots were clearly too big for Zi Shu.
Yu Yu didn't know if she was being picky, but she couldn't help wondering…
What if the warrior had "athlete's foot"?
Glancing at the delighted Zi Shu, Yu Yu wisely kept that thought to herself. Soon, 78 and Zi Shu, fully re-equipped, strutted out.
"Why didn't you swap?" Zi Shu asked.
Shu Tu had swapped bracers and leather armor and was now fiddling with greaves.
Yu Yu: "It's about the same as my gear. I prefer Silver Moon standard equipment."
The robe, though worn by a low-tier caster, had the same description as Yu Yu's apprentice robe. The staff was the same tier as her short staff, just with different effects. Its weight made Yu Yu's choice easy. The cloth boots were light but offered no armor. Yu Yu had leather boots and didn't bother swapping, so she kept everything.
78: "Fair, you already had a set. Jealous."
Yu Yu: "Don't you have one now?"
The four beamed. "Alright, check this out."
The real prize. They'd looted skill scrolls and extra items.
[Frost Arrow] x7, [Scroll: Wind Blade], [Scroll: Lightning Claw]
The rest were skill books. The ranger dropped the most—four skills: [Basic Trap], [Mobile Shot], [Disarm Trap], [Scatter Shot].
The rogue dropped two: [Dagger Throw], [Trip].
Warrior: [Heavy Slash]
Caster: [Venom], [Vine Entanglement]
Yu Yu glanced around. "What do you think?"
78: "Take what suits you. They're generous!"
Zi Shu nodded. "We won thanks to Shu Tu and Banban. She deserves the most."
Trap skills could suit rogues, but clearly, no one was competing with Shu Tu.
Shu Tu smiled warmly. "Thanks."
After dividing the skills, everyone felt like they'd taken a super tonic, itching for another fight. The special arrows went to Shu Tu, and Yu Yu took the scrolls. Since 78 and Zi Shu hadn't taken the "Use Magic Device" passive and didn't plan to, only Yu Yu could use them. Zi Shu learned Heavy Slash, expanding her attack options. 78 also gained new skills and tricks. Shu Tu studied traps, while Yu Yu examined her new skills.
[Venom]
[School: Evocation
Tier: 1
Cast Range: Close
Area: Small (Splash)
Mana Cost: 15
Cast Time: 5
Proficiency: Beginner (0/200)]
Vine Entanglement was standard, listed in the spell ring, giving Yu Yu another control skill. She was puzzled by Venom. It wasn't in the spell ring, and the skill seemed odd…
Close range, small area, with splash…
Wouldn't it poison her too?
Why wasn't it in the spell ring?
Was it unlisted, or deemed low value?
Yu Yu was momentarily stumped.
She refocused. "Any thoughts?"
78, munching on dry rations with dead-fish eyes, mumbled, "What thoughts?"
"Battle review."
Yu Yu pulled out paper and pen. "Let's summarize."
Zi Shu raised a brow. "Good idea."
78 glanced at the eager Zi Shu and Shu Tu, slumping. "I feel… my combat experience was trash. But Zi Shu's moves were solid. I'm gonna ask my mentor if rogues have any defensive stances to learn. If not, I'll sneak into the city guard camp for lessons."
She perked up. "If I had mobility, I'd be set. I'm gonna earn money for Shadow Leap!"
Yu Yu's eyes flicked. "If we face someone with Shadow Leap, maybe it'll drop?"
"That'd be perfect!"
Shu Tu teased, "But they'd be tough. Didn't you notice our enemies had high stats and full gear but no special skills?"
Zi Shu pondered. "If they had Shadow Leap, whether targeting you or Shu Tu, it'd disrupt our rhythm badly."
78, optimistic: "But if I learn it, I can disrupt them too!"
That was 78's takeaway. Zi Shu's turn.
Zi Shu mused, "Gear and strength gaps aside, we'll get there eventually."
"I think our teamwork was lacking."
Yu Yu: "How so?"
Zi Shu frowned, thinking. "You and Shu Tu were fine, supporting us throughout, even distracting their ranged and blocking escapes with Falling Rock."
"But 78 and I barely coordinated…"
"Despite being closest on the battlefield…" She mulled. "If it were you two, it might've been different?"
It was a vague feeling. Shu Tu nodded inwardly. If Xiang Qin Zhong Ye were here, it wouldn't have been so tough. Without Banban, even with Yu Yu's wolf, they'd have struggled.
Zi Shu's thoughts clarified. "Yu Yu's first proper spell was summoning the wolf, likely because she knew I couldn't hold the warrior alone, so she gave up aggressive spells."
"Shu Tu supported me too," Zi Shu said earnestly. "My performance was poor."
78 blinked, stunned. "Uh…"
She'd thought she did great!
Why are you outshining me here? Brainiac!
Shu Tu, fair: "It was already solid. Our gear and stats were outmatched."
Zi Shu's skill use was precise; she clearly studied hard. 78 pinched her chin, starting to self-reflect.
Shu Tu: "My options were limited. I failed to preemptively suppress the caster, letting them cast Wind Wall. My mistake."
Yu Yu shook her head. "You're being modest. You never stopped. I, on the other hand…"
She reflected seriously. "I didn't seize tactical initiative. I was patching holes, letting them control the pace. If not for Banban…"
As a caster, formerly a warlock, Yu Yu was always a tactical core, partly responsible for team mistakes. She and Shu Tu shared similar roles: controlling the field and planning tactics.
Shu Tu, as captain and a global-vision archer; Yu Yu, due to her class.
In any game, casters had the most diverse skills. Casting the right spell at the right time was their duty. Being protected to act as a turret was one playstyle, but not feasible now. So Yu Yu abandoned MVP ambitions for a cunning route. Her skill list had few offensive spells, mostly versatile ones for various scenarios.
Yu Yu critiqued deeply. "I could've thrown oil cans, ignited them, and fanned the flames to seize control, but I didn't."
Zi Shu's mouth twitched.
Yu Yu: "Knowing there was an ambush, I didn't summon rain for Lightning Arrow barrages. My failure."
78's mouth twitched.
Wait, spells can be used like that?
Yu Yu: "That's it for now. Let's avoid dying. Three days is too long. It's early game, and everyone's racing."
Her eyes darkened. "Heavenly-ranked warriors and rogues have entered the game. From what I know, once most players reach low-tier, the Grand Archon will hold a tournament to select and train elites."
"You don't want to lose, right?"
"I can't beat Heavenly ranks!" 78 instantly caved.
Zi Shu frowned. "Heavenly warriors… Xiang Qin? Gu Hong? One Night Heaven?"
Urgency surged. "Let's go. Next fight."
Four monsters, split as a team, gave half experience—200 per monster, 800 total. Not split evenly, just halved for teams. Each got 800 experience. Plus skills and gear, it was a massive profit.
Shu Tu glanced at the sky. "…Feels like rain's coming?"
Yu Yu: "My Lightning Arrows are itching."
Urged on, 78 followed, dazed.
Among tryhards, a slacker like her felt so out of place.