Once these words were spoken, the members of Godslayer couldn't help but shamelessly stretch out their claws:
Absolute Kid: "Hohohoho!!! Boss, that two-handed greatsword totally suits my style, please consider me first!"
Madman: "Why don't you go die? A priest using a greatsword to kill people?"
Madman (serious face): "I suggest considering me, I'm an all-around player, no class restrictions!"
Bradley: "If you're all going to be shameless, don't blame me for being shameless too. Dual-wielding or switching to greatsword flow is also not out of the question."
The best item dropped from Dragon Grand and the others was Dragon Grand's Great Sword of the Glaive. It required level 35 to equip, and its stats were powerful enough to rival a level 40 legendary sword, with the additional abilities of Armor Shatter and Piercing Edge. It was an extremely brutal weapon.
The most important part, however, was its appearance—it looked so imposing that just wielding it could attract the gazes of many people.
"Let's see if you guys even reach level 35 first. If you don't work hard on leveling, how can you conquer the Infinite Dimensions world?" Orson said disdainfully, shattering their dreams.
The truth was, he didn't let them take the weapon because there weren't any suitable greatsword users in the guild. Among warriors, flashy dual-wielders and more cost-efficient sword-and-shield users were far more common. The greatsword user was hard to master, and with slow attack speeds, only a few players could truly handle it.
Orson glanced at his experience bar—he was 17% away from hitting level 35. While his current 20-level Power Set still worked for regular players, his Fox Clan Mage Set was starting to fall behind. Against higher-level NPCs and Domain Masters, it wouldn't be enough.
He had two pieces of 35-level mage armor in his warehouse, but they weren't a set, so while they improved his stats, they didn't have much overall benefit.
After a bit of thought, he decided to disguise himself and go to Pondenorlin City to find the Grey Dwarves, intending to craft three 35-level armors and two accessory sets. He had the Dragon Spine Bones and Dragon Teeth, both of which were top-tier crafting materials.
Next, he planned to head to Purple Thunder Fortress to find the Witch for clues about the Heavenly Spirit's Right Eye upgrade. Unlike legendary gear, Orson knew that equipment could always be farmed in dungeons, and even if the drop rates were low, he could always buy it directly with money.
But Soul Seals were the real key to boosting his combat strength.
Half an hour later, inside Pondenorlin City's Underground Barrier.
"Master, Dragon Grand and the others… they've fallen!"
"The mission failed, Hazel's parents are about to head to the royal capital!"
Upon hearing the scout's report, Cain's eyes flashed with killing intent. His golden aura exploded from his body, resembling a golden lion. The pressure was so overwhelming that his subordinates couldn't help but shiver.
But Cain quickly regained his composure, sitting back on his throne. The deaths of Dragon Grand and his group weren't a major loss to him. However, it was undoubtedly an act of provocation.
"Hazel's parents have some of your secrets. They are heading to the royal capital to seek help from the Tribunal. It seems they plan to have you executed for heresy," a strange man with red scales all over his body said.
"A bunch of good-for-nothings!" Cain's face darkened like water. He coldly ordered, "Send the command to assemble the Celestial Army! Seven days from now, we will reclaim my ancestor's divine artifact!"
"Once we take the Celestial Fortress, the light and dark empires will welcome the arrival of the God Emperor!" the strange man yelled passionately.
"Good! The Flame Dragon's Nest will fully support the young master!"
"The Earth Dragon's Nest will offer its full assistance!"
"The Xien Duke family will lend a hand!"
Several majestic figures appeared in the magical light screen in front of Cain, two dragon-shaped figures were especially spectacular.
Global Announcement: Pondenorlin City Lord Cain will lead his army to attack Celestial Fortress in seven days. All Godslayer members should prepare accordingly!
Global Announcement: Seven days later, the temporary safety zone in the first battlefield will be lifted.
Global Announcement: ...
A series of red messages appeared in the world chat.
The Godslayer members froze, completely caught off guard. This announcement was specifically directed at their guild.
"Heaven helps me, I knew today would be the end for the rats of Godslayer!"
"Very good, just got killed by the Supreme Guild leader, now the NPCs are going to stomp on them, too. This is perfect!"
"Godslayer will be erased in seven days. Let's wait and see."
A group of players who were enemies of Godslayer immediately jumped into the chat. To them, this moment felt like New Year's Eve.
For the top players and guild leaders, it was a huge relief. Even those who had never personally clashed with Orson understood the importance of seeing Godslayer weakened.
After all, who knew how powerful the Celestial Fortress really was? Better for the NPCs to take it over than leave it in the hands of Orgod.
This was human nature.
"First battlefield safety zone lifted? I think I smell an opportunity to step on someone." Inside a tavern in Pondenorlin City, Reaver grinned at his companions.
Reaver: "You're right, I've had enough of this, and it's lucky we got the chance now."
DonutWizard raised an eyebrow playfully and then looked at Wedge, who was busy taking a phone call. "What does Wedge say? Should we take the chance? With my Soul Seal, I can at least hold him off, if not defeat him."
Reaver: "Who's on the phone? You're so focused."
Wedge gestured for everyone to calm down, and after a while, she hung up the external communication call.
"By the time you know, you'll understand. I have something to announce."
Wedge smiled, her expression sweet and captivating, making a few SSR male players' hearts skip a beat.
"Everyone, from now on, no one is allowed to log off for the next five days. All of you need to level up and improve your combat strength. All core members will be equipped with the 30-level hero set."
"On the sixth day, we will execute the Exit Strategy!"
Wedge's smile widened as the SSR members, like hungry wolves, eagerly began preparing.
The Exit Strategy meant hunting down Godslayer players relentlessly, weakening their combat strength, and all battle losses would be reimbursed by the DK Group, with added gold rewards.
Wedge's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was the moment she had been waiting for. The huge stone that had weighed heavily on her chest for so long was finally about to be shattered!
This was the wish of most large guilds!
Bradley: "What's going on? Why would the lord of Pondenorlin City attack our stronghold?"
Madman: "Not sure, probably some mess caused by your dear Orson again."
Absolute Kid: "Damn, Cain is a high-level NPC, at least level 50, with millions of health points, and lots of powerful subordinates. What should we do, Boss?"
The group felt their nerves tingle. They had only just captured a watchtower in Celestial Fortress, and it had already provoked Pondenorlin City's ruler to launch an assault.
Was the game really going to be this harsh?
Orson walked out of the blacksmith shop, staring at the announcement with a furrowed brow.
It was no surprise that Cain would target the Celestial Fortress, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
At this stage, the main battle members of the guild, except for him, were all around level 25. Even with the best gear, it would be difficult to counter an advanced NPC army.
Orson took a deep breath and, without answering the others' questions, pulled Bradley and the others into a private chat.
"I don't care where you are now, come find me at the residence tomorrow morning. I want to discuss our future plans."