Chapter 24: Departure!

The Crocodile Bone Sword had not yet been sheathed. I swung it in a fit of rage, instantly boosting my speed with the "Casual Acceleration" technique in tandem with a "Star-Chasing Slash." With my blade fueled by burning fury, I lunged at the nearest swordsman. Caught off guard by my lightning-fast counterattack and still reeling from the stun of my Star-Chasing Slash, he had no time to block. A swift, three-hit combo from my Crescent Swordplay sent him packing back to the city respawn point.

I was about to pursue the Earth-element Daoist when a sharp cry from Xiaoyue reached my ears: "Ah! What are you doing? You shameless scoundrel!" She was being harassed by a blade-wielding warrior, and what was truly despicable was that the man was shamelessly targeting her sensitive areas while circling her, using the opportunity to mock and tease her. Damn it, you scum, I will tear you to pieces! Dashan was pinned down by a hammer-wielding warrior and could only watch in helpless frustration.

I executed a level-two sword technique, carving two arcs through the air toward the warrior known as "Lone Wanderer." The four opponents surrounding me immediately launched their most powerful skills: the Daoist’s "Earth Spikes," the Dark Witch’s "Corrosion," the Hammer Warrior’s "Thunderbolt Slash," and the Assassin’s "Backstab." Four distinct beams of light surged toward me in rapid succession. But with my "Casual Acceleration," they were not about to hit their mark; I took only a glancing blow from the homing Corrosion spell as I engaged Lone Wanderer.

"Xiaoyue!" I shouted to her, her face flushed with righteous anger. "Take A-Wei and your brother and get out of here! This is no time to linger! I will make sure to crush this piece of trash for you!"

"Heh... the Blue Bat, is it?" the blade warrior sneered. "Your mouth is bigger than an ox, but you can’t even save your own skin, let alone play the hero. If this little girl stays behind to entertain us, we might just let you live!"

"Brother Bat," Xiaoyue hissed with hatred, "I want to see you kill this piece of garbage with your own hands and avenge me!"

"Boss, watch out!" Damn—how insidious! Lone Wanderer’s vile words had completely enraged me, causing my guard to slip, and the assassin and hammer warrior behind me had already closed in silently. A-Wei, sensing their intent, abandoned his duel with the magic-monk and threw himself in front of me to block their combined onslaught. But taking their attacks head-on was too much; with less than 700 HP, he was killed instantly, dissolving into a pillar of white light.

"A-Wei! No!" Xiaoyue sobbed uncontrollably. Even though it was just a game, and losing 25% experience was a temporary setback, the bond we had forged through countless days of bickering had grown into a deep and genuine friendship.

"A-Wei..." Dashan, usually a man of few words, had always looked after us with the patience of an older brother. A-Wei, despite his constant teasing, had a kind heart, and the joy he brought us kept our spirits high.

"A-Wei! I will avenge you!" Even though this annoying little brother often made me shake my head, he always put my interests first. I knew that beneath his irreverent exterior, he cared for me as his 'Boss' more than anyone.

This was a premeditated ambush! They had used delay tactics to stall for time while they signaled for reinforcements, intending to kill us all to hoard the treasures or the boss. Such cutthroat competition was expected, but to target us, who were merely bystanders, was what truly ignited my fury. I live by a simple creed: I do not offend those who do not offend me; but if someone attacks me, I will surely retaliate!

"Dashan, take Xiaoyue and go! Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Even if I wasn't, I couldn't bear to see my friends suffer more. I cursed my own frugality—why hadn't I bought a few extra Teleportation Scrolls? If I had, A-Wei wouldn't have died because of me.

Dashan knew my strength; if I were determined to escape, no one could stop me. After forcing his opponent back with a wide horizontal slash, he grabbed Xiaoyue and sprinted toward Dali. I accelerated to intercept the assassin who tried to pursue them. With no more worries holding me back, even if I died here, it would only be one life lost! But I would drag a few of them down with me, especially Lone Wanderer. Such a low-life piece of trash—I wouldn't rest until I had hacked him to pieces.

***

Most of our equipment and materials were carried by A-Wei and Xiaoyue, so my load was light. With the boost from "Casual Acceleration," even their assassin couldn't match my speed. I danced between them, leaving the melee fighters helpless, though the Dark Witch’s "Corrosion" spell clung to me like a shadow. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't raise a blade against a female player, but for someone in league with Lone Wanderer, I felt no pity.

I feinted with the Crocodile Bone Sword toward the assassin, "Poison Wanderer," but my true target was the alluring witch to his right. Facing my ferocious attack, the assassin—remembering how I had instantly killed his teammate—dared not block head-on and dodged. That was exactly what I wanted. The witch was now within range of my Star-Chasing Slash. Combined with my speed, the sword struck like a meteor. Before her shock could even register, I dispatched her with two clean strikes. Once a caster is cornered by a warrior, death is usually their only option.

Seeing me effortlessly killing their members while surrounded triggered a primal bloodlust in them. They unleashed a storm of attacks, but I wasn't a fool—I wouldn't stand and trade blows. Hit and run! The next target was the assassin. They knew I would pick off the weak, so they shielded the Earth-element Daoist tightly. The assassin, however, blinded by his own speed, recklessly pursued me. I led him on a chase, constantly harassing the Daoist, and once I let my pace slow enough to be surrounded by three warriors buffed with the "Battle" mantra, I waited for the assassin's dagger to strike. But I had no intention of a head-on fight. With "Casual Acceleration," I slipped through their gap, feigning an attempt to teleport away. The assassin, having chased me for so long, fell for the ruse and closed in at full speed, desperate to prevent my escape.

Once I had lured him nearly ten meters away from the warriors, I abruptly spun and lunged at his chest. The two warriors behind him were too far to intervene. Isolated and stripped of his speed advantage, the assassin fell after only a weak attempt to defend himself. I took two hits from the closing warriors, but they weren't fatal. I downed a health potion; my blade was thirsty for Lone Wanderer’s blood.

Lone Wanderer, clearly close to the assassin, turned red with rage. Gritting his teeth, he roared, "Blue Bat, if you have the guts, don't run! I'm going to tear you apart!"

I couldn't be bothered to respond to such taunts. I replied calmly, "If you have the guts, stop chasing! If you're not convinced, fight me one-on-one!" I wanted to goad him into losing his composure. People who don't bother hiding their filth usually have limited intelligence.

Sure enough, Lone Wanderer took the bait: "Damn it, a duel it is! Just because you were once on the rankings doesn't mean I'm afraid of you! I’ll make sure you die a miserable death to avenge my brother!"

"Heh, who dies miserably remains to be seen," I sneered. "Is your idea of a 'one-on-one' having your whole group fight me?"

"Canyan, Shanhe, stand down! I'm going to tear this brat apart today! Back off!"

"Lone, don't be reckless, let's finish him together! If something goes wrong and the boss blames us, we'll all be in trouble," Canyan argued.

"Canyan, this kid is too arrogant and too slippery. We might not catch him even if we all attack at once. Besides, he's only level 31; I won't necessarily lose a duel. If something happens, I'll take the blame!" Lone Wanderer was stubborn. The two warriors retreated, but they signaled the magic-monk and the Daoist to be ready to strike at the critical moment.

Their every move was clear to me. Did they really think they could pull this off? A-Wei’s death hadn't filled me with pure hatred—this was a game where you killed or were killed—but the open harassment of Xiaoyue and their foul mouths had set me ablaze. Xiaoyue was my innocent little sister. No matter how she teased me or what unreasonable demands she made, I had always cherished her. She was so bright and cheerful; I couldn't bear for her to suffer even the slightest harm, let alone such vile insults.

I leaned on my sword, standing in a lazy, arrogant posture. "Come on then, brat. Let's see what you've got!"

"Damn, quit acting so cocky in front of me!" He gripped his blade with both hands and raised it high. The warrior’s level-30 skill, "Heavenly Heart Slash," gathered his momentum into a whirlwind. He had some actual skill. As he closed in, I triggered my Appraisal skill: Lone Wanderer, Blade Warrior, level 32, HP 845/845, MP 350/350, Attack 158-235, Physical Defense 388-530, Speed 50, Dodge 50. Guild: None. His gear was mostly silver-tier, and that level-28 horse-chopping saber had an attack power even higher than my Crocodile Bone Sword.

But he was still a league below me. Didn't they say a starved camel is still bigger than a horse? Even though I had fallen off the rankings, fighting someone of his caliber was no pressure. Excluding level, all my attributes were higher than his. The key was to kill him before the four others lurking nearby could strike. I had already prepared my "Casual Acceleration." I easily side-stepped his chain-blade attack and parried his follow-up, smiling smugly. "Is that all you've got? My turn now!"

"Damn you, I'm not afraid of you!" Seeing me easily deflect his assault, his confidence faltered despite his bluster.

I channeled the "Hao Ran Heart Technique" and combined it with my level-two swordplay—a diagonal slash, a horizontal sweep, and a backstab in a rapid three-hit combo. I had to admit, his combat experience was solid. He blocked the first two, and only the final stab took 328 HP. It wasn't fatal. Without the others, he would be dead soon enough. But I had to account for the four behind him. It seemed I would have to trade blood for life.

Ignoring the massive blade he swung at my waist, I twisted slightly, taking the hit while plunging my Crocodile Bone Sword deep into his chest. Lone Wanderer was a tough one; without a hint of fear, he shouted, "Canyan, attack! Chop him down and avenge me!" He swung his saber wildly, ignoring his own plummeting HP, not even drinking a potion, determined to drag me down with him.

Damn it—I realized why it had been so easy to pierce his chest. He was trading his life for the chance to let his companions swarm me. I had miscalculated; I thought a man like him would fear death, but he was a fanatic.

The Daoist’s "Earth Spikes" erupted from the ground beneath me, leaving me with only 208 HP. The two warriors charged in, one with a hammer, one with a sword! At the critical moment, my "Dragon Shield" activated just as Lone Wanderer dissolved into the white light of a forced respawn. I snatched the horse-chopping saber he dropped—they clearly made a living by killing and looting; only those with PK points dropped equipment.

The weapons of the two warriors struck my light shield and couldn't advance a single inch. They stared at each other in horror. The other two, seeing my HP bottom out only for my shield to render their attacks useless, stood frozen in shock.

If not now, when? The 10 seconds passed in a flash. I used "Star-Chasing Slash" to reach the Daoist in an instant. Before the look of disbelief could leave his face, my blade had slit his throat, killing him instantly. By the time the two warriors reacted, the magic-monk was helpless, screaming in terror: "Damn it! All attacks are immune! How is this even possible!"