Chapter 139 ZephyrStrider

Eric vanished into the dense undergrowth, leaving no trace.

"FlameDancer, what now?" AquaBison asked, his voice tight with uncertainty. "Do we follow?"

FlameDancer fixed him with an exasperated look before turning towards Eric's last known location. "Of course, we follow. He saved our necks, remember?"

In spite of her robust confidence in Eric, she had personally witnessed the martial prowess of the Martial Alliance. Encircled, even he might find himself in an impasse. It was imperative for her to remain in close proximity, prepared to offer her support at any moment. Maybe she could even create a diversion, an opening for escape if things went south.

The two of them then followed into the dense forest.

Deep in the forest, thick with underbrush, 8th-level Shadow Panthers lurked in the shadows everywhere.

At this moment, a fifty-person team from the Martial Alliance was clearing out Shadow Panthers while advancing toward the outskirts.

"ZephyrStrider, are you sure about this?" Leo frowned, his gaze fixed on the young man strolling casually at the formation's center, humming a jaunty tune. Irritation gnawed at him. "Isn't it a waste to abandon the search for Kai Blackthorn's teammates and chase after FlameDancer instead?"

The young man, barely twenty-seven or twenty-eight, was ZephyrStrider, the Martial Alliance's Vice President. His status and power eclipsed even Leo's, forcing the older man into a deference that grated on his nerves.

"Leo, you're hopelessly naive. No wonder that Blackthorn brat has been outmaneuvering you, turning our guild into a laughingstock." ZephyrStrider stopped abruptly, rounding on Leo with a furious glare. "If I hadn't intervened, the Martial Alliance might have been wiped out back in Willowbrook Town!"

Leo lowered his head, shame burning his face.

"Your incompetence, your utter failure to lead, is why our Willowbrook branch was decimated. And you dare question my decisions?" ZephyrStrider's voice dripped with disdain, his words echoing through the silent forest, leaving Leo utterly humiliated. The older man's fists clenched, anger threatening to boil over, but he bit his tongue, unwilling to provoke a confrontation he couldn't win.

The guild leaders from the other three towns watched the exchange with thinly veiled amusement.

Each new game heralded a reconfiguration of power dynamics. Once a paragon of authority and veneration, Leo had been reduced to a mere semblance of his prior eminence, his sway dwindling. He was only level 8, while they had all reached level 9, their guilds flourishing, their ranks swollen with promising recruits. The Willowbrook Town branch, with its dwindling numbers and tarnished reputation, was an embarrassment by comparison.

"Leo, did you really think I'd let two of Blackthorn's teammates slip through our fingers after we went to all the trouble of setting that elaborate trap?" ZephyrStrider scoffed.

"You seem to think those teammates were our true target. They were nothing but bait, pawns in a larger game. If they die here, do you honestly believe Blackthorn would risk his own neck to avenge them?"

"We've already achieved our primary objective: trapping his teammates in Tempest Canyon. Now, it's time to send a message, to remind everyone in Willowbrook Town what happens when you cross the Martial Alliance. And that woman, FlameDancer, she's the perfect example. She's made herself a target. We'll hunt her down, kill her until she drops back to level zero. That should be enough to restore our reputation. And when we finally catch Blackthorn himself...W ell, let's just say the Martial Alliance might just find itself elevated to the ranks of the third-rate guilds."

ZephyrStrider had it all planned out. Leo, despite his fall from grace, still commanded the loyalty of many veteran members. To usurp his position as guild leader, ZephyrStrider needed a power play, a decisive victory that would cement his authority.

Kai Blackthorn, with his reputation as a skilled and ruthless player, was the perfect target. He was practically a legend in Silvervale City, his fame as a master swordsman even surpassing that of SkyborneNomad, the Martial Alliance's current leader.

If ZephyrStrider could take down Kai Blackthorn, and record the whole thing for posterity, his name would be on everyone's lips. He would become a legend himself, a force to be reckoned with in Silvervale City.

More importantly, it would revitalize the flagging Willowbrook Town branch, and restore it to its former glory.

The veteran members would flock to his banner, eager to follow a leader who could deliver both victory and vengeance. The guild leader position would be his for the taking.

"Kai Blackthorn, you're going to be my stepping stone to greatness," ZephyrStrider thought, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

He didn't believe for a second that a solo player, no matter how skilled, could survive the combined might of the Martial Alliance. But Blackthorn's continued elusiveness was starting to test his patience.

Eric, moving through the trees, also spotted ZephyrStrider and his group. After observing for a while, he noticed that all these players were elites, with the lowest level being 7. Many were level 8, and four had reached level 9, wearing full sets of Dark Iron Equipment, with the worst weapons being Black Iron grade. The handsome young man leading them carried a Mithril-grade longbow.

"ZephyrStrider," Eric murmured, recognition flickering in his eyes.

He had crossed paths with ZephyrStrider many times in his past life.

The man was a cunning and ruthless opponent, a skilled strategist with a talent for exploiting weaknesses. He was far more dangerous than Leo, a force to be reckoned with.

Eric recognized the other three level 9 players as well. They were all renowned experts, their skills and reputations on par with Leo's. They were the leaders of the other three towns, their presence a testament to ZephyrStrider's ambition.

"So, he's gathered all the elites from the neighboring towns. This is going to be interesting." Eric's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

These three town leaders were formidable opponents. In his past life, Leo had managed to surpass them, to secure his position as the Martial Alliance's branch leader, only because he had stumbled upon the Shadowwing Citadel pass. That pass had given him a significant advantage, allowing him to outpace his rivals and solidify his hold on power.

But history had taken a different turn this time around.

Not only had Eric killed Leo twice, but he had also claimed the Shadowwing Citadel pass for himself. Leo's fate was sealed, his power and influence a pale shadow of what they could have been.

In his past life, Eric would have given any of these level 9 players a wide berth. To face two of them at once would have been suicidal.

But things were different now.

He wielded a Demonic Weapon, his body clad in top-tier equipment like the Frost Azure Flame. He had a level advantage and a confidence that stemmed from countless battles fought and won. He might not be able to defeat them all, but he could certainly hold his own. And if things got too hot, he could always use his superior speed and agility to disappear into the forest.

The news of the elite team's annihilation hadn't reached ZephyrStrider yet. Dead players had a ten-minute resurrection timer, and even after respawning at the cemetery, they were unable to communicate or send messages for a full thirty minutes. ZephyrStrider and his men were blissfully unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows, their guard down, their arrogance, and their undoing.

It was the perfect opportunity for an ambush.

Eric shadowed the Martial Alliance contingent, moving silently through the trees, a phantom flitting through the undergrowth.

The Martial Alliance players maintained a tight formation as they advanced, their healers safely ensconced at the center, surrounded by their most powerful fighters, including ZephyrStrider. They seemed content to let their frontline fighters do the heavy lifting; their attention focused solely on the path ahead. Even a master Assassin would have struggled to pick them off.

The players at the edges of the formation were never more than fifteen yards from their comrades, ensuring that help was always within reach.

Eric had no intention of engaging them head-on. He would use his superior speed and agility to his advantage, whittling them down from the edges, picking them off one by one until their numbers were no longer a threat.

He closed the distance, his movements fluid and silent, a predator stalking its prey.

The Martial Alliance players stumbled upon a group of Shadow Panthers.

Leading the pack was a massive beast, its sleek black fur shot through with streaks of silver, its eyes burning with malevolent intelligence. It was the Shadow Panther King, a level 8 monstrosity.

Eric saw his opportunity and seized it. He melted into the undergrowth, concealing himself within a thicket of bushes, his presence masked by the rustling leaves and the scent of damp earth. He waited patiently, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Time stretched, each second an eternity.

The Shadow Panther King's guards were all dead, leaving only the King itself. This excited the Martial Alliance players, who were eager to get some good loot. They became more focused on the battle, not noticing Eric on the tree branch above them.

"Tank, watch its skills! Don't let it hit you with those claws! Everyone else, focus fire! Healers, keep the tank alive!" ZephyrStrider's voice was sharp and exciteed as he loosed arrow after arrow.

ZephyrStrider hadn't expected their luck to be so good, encountering an 8th-level leader. Wilderness leaders usually dropped more than one piece of equipment, often several. Given the Shadow Panther King's level, it would at least drop 7th or 8th-level Mithril Equipment, possibly even Adamantite Equipment.

Dark Iron Equipment was high-end gear at this stage, and Mithril Equipment was extremely rare.

The entire Martial Alliance had less than ten pieces of Mithril Equipment, showing how precious it was.

The Shadow Panther King might even drop Adamantite Equipment, which was rarer and had much better attributes than Mithril Equipment. The Martial Alliance didn't have a single piece of Adamantite Equipment.

Even third-rate guilds didn't have Adamantite Equipment. Only second-rate or first-rate guilds might have such gear, and even then, it would be reserved for the guild leader or Vice President. Elite members could only look at it; obtaining it was impossible as it was a status symbol.

If they could get one or two pieces of Adamantite Equipment, killing Eric would be a small matter.

Because it was a leader monster, the leaders from other towns and Leo also joined the battle, making it extremely intense.

Shadow Panther King, leader level, level 8, 40,000 HP.

A single pounce from the Shadow Panther King could take out a player. A swipe of its tail could knock out half the health of a group. Its claws could instantly kill if the MT didn't handle it well. A roar from the Shadow Panther King could stun all enemies within 24 feet for 3 seconds. With its high agility and defense, the Martial Alliance suffered significant casualties.

The damage the Martial Alliance could inflict on the Shadow Panther King was very limited. Even the strongest, ZephyrStrider, could only deal 40-50 points of damage, while others dealt around ten points.

Fortunately, the Martial Alliance had numbers.

With fifty people attacking the Shadow Panther King, they managed to chip away at its health, as its HP dropped close to 50%.

Eric immediately used Phantom Slay, controlling his limited-time clone to circle around. He planned to have the clone ambush the magic users and healers from behind.