Kitagawa: "Orson, are you still trying to struggle? Have you asked Lady Naoko about this? Besides, your flight advantage is useless against me!"
His words were barely out when a white, enchanted arrow shot straight into the sky, incredibly swift and trailing a strange aura. It had a homing effect: once it locked onto a target within a thousand meters, there was no escape, and death was guaranteed.
"Absolute Star Archer, your lock-on is impressive, but unfortunately, your damage is pathetic," Orson said with a faint smile.
"Flame Demon Eruption."
The enchanted arrow struck Orson, but instead of damaging him, it sparked a ripple of flames across his body.
"No damage?" Kitagawa's eyes widened in shock. Then, more than a dozen fire serpents formed, automatically rebounding and heading straight back towards him.
Kitagawa quickly pulled his bow and fired in rapid succession, his attack speed hitting an astonishing 6.0, firing six enchanted arrows that hit and broke most of the fire serpents.
An A-Class Warrior dashed forward, slicing through the remaining serpents with a series of slashes.
However, two serpents broke through the defenses, and Kitagawa's expression darkened. Not wanting to appear too weak in front of everyone, he coldly muttered, "It's just reflected magical damage."
He chose the hard way: taking the hit head-on.
In a mere second, Kitagawa's face turned pale, and he regretted his decision deeply as his health bar dropped by more than half.
"Use Magic Dissipation to dispel it!" Naoko's voice was cold.
Fortunately, a nearby priest acted quickly and removed the burn effect, sparing Kitagawa further humiliation.
"What kind of monster is this? His damage output is probably comparable to Naoko-sama's, who has Yamata no Orochi King!"
The UJ players were all stunned. The magic shield's reflected damage nearly took down their vice guild leader in a flash.
"Wait, something's poking me," Orson muttered, feigning surprise.
"Despicable bastard!"
Kitagawa's pride was crushed instantly, trying to salvage the situation.
SirLagsALot: "You thick-skinned little brat! You tried to sneak attack, and now you're calling Orgod despicable? You're really asking for trouble!"
Hearing this, Kitagawa could barely look anyone in the eye, feeling utterly humiliated.
"I've got no problem fighting more than one," Naoko spoke up, her voice sweet but firm, calming the Thousand Hands guild members who had been anxious. "This Sorcerer's strength is not something a normal player can compare to, so don't let a temporary disadvantage rattle you."
"Nice strategy, but it's all pointless against me," Orson said with a smile.
"Orson, now that the UJ and US channels are open, do you think you can survive the combined wrath of two major regions?" Naoko asked, her voice resonating with confidence.
"Oh? Are you saying my region's players are traitors?" Orson sneered as he looked down on the UJ players.
Naoko smiled with a touch of arrogance. "Then tell me, where are your reinforcements? Why do I not see anyone from your region coming to your aid?"
At that moment, most US players were watching from the sidelines, while major US guilds wanted to take advantage of the situation. Aside from a few of Orson's allies, no one wanted to see Godslayer rise to dominance.
This was the genius of Wedge: by hiring a large number of "water army" players, she created the illusion that Godslayer was everyone's enemy. What was meant to be a war between two regions had been twisted into a personal vendetta between her and Orson—a fight to clear the ranks!
"I'll be blunt. With just your guild, I alone can wipe you out," Orson said calmly, his gaze still locked on Naoko, then added with a sly smile, "I'll give you a chance: pay me Tithe, and I'll guarantee your guild's safety."
The UJ players were confused, while Kitagawa nearly exploded with anger. "You US players have some nerve! You think you can just demand Tithe like some ancient church tax?"
The term Tithe originated from the ancient Western church's practice, where followers were required to give a tenth of their earnings to the church.
"Are you calling yourself a god?" Naoko sneered.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm strong, and you're weak. A little protection fee isn't too much, is it?" Orson flashed a grin, showing his teeth.
The UJ region's forward outposts may not be heavily populated, but their resources were extremely rich, and Orson knew that collecting resources like Soul Essence Stones from them was just the beginning.
"You've picked the wrong opponent. No player dares humiliate the Thousand Hands guild!" Naoko declared, her voice icy. "I am the chosen one, and I am invincible!"
Orson shook his head in exasperation. "Invincible? Fine, I'll give you an hour to think it over, how about that?"
"Prepare to die in the jaws of a dragon, coward!"
Before Naoko could issue her command, a Curse Spirit Mage summoned a bone dragon, charging straight at Orson, hoping to give the so-called invincible Sorcerer a reality check.
The bone dragon was no weakling—its health was in the millions, a strong Lord-Class undead creature.
"I've killed plenty of lower-tier dragons. What makes you think a bone dragon can intimidate me?" Orson mocked.
With a roar, the Crimson Lizard King, bound by a hatred for all dragonkind, took to the air. Even though the bone dragon was an undead creature, it still triggered the Crimson Lizard King's fury.
The Crimson Lizard King spread its wings wide, its claws sharp as razors. It lunged at the bone dragon's head with the ferocity of an eagle hunting its prey.
The bone dragon's skull was crushed with a sickening sound, and the beast was sent crashing into the ground with a thunderous crash.
The Crimson Lizard King wasn't done. It grabbed the dragon's limp body and slammed it into a mountain, causing a huge explosion of debris.
In mere seconds, the bone dragon's massive body was shattered into pieces, and its half-destroyed form lay at the Crimson Lizard King's feet.
"Under twenty seconds... A bone dragon with millions of health just died?"
"How is this even possible? This creature seems stronger than even a lower-tier dragon!"
The Thousand Hands guild members stood in stunned silence. From the health stats, the Crimson Lizard King was indeed terrifying, but a bone dragon, even one assembled from several dragons' remains, should have been able to put up a fight!
The Curse Spirit Mage stood motionless, unable to comprehend what just happened.
Orson shook his head and sighed. "A patchwork dragon dares to challenge me?"
The bone dragon summoned by the mage wasn't a typical undead, but one created by piecing together remains of different dragons. It was strong, but lacked the core skills of a true dragon. The fact that it dared attack the Crimson Lizard King at close range was a fatal mistake.
In less than twenty seconds, the bone dragon was obliterated, leaving the UJ players stunned and speechless.
"In the world of Infinite Dimensions, who dares to call themselves invincible?"
"Who dares to invade my US region?"
The war drums roared like thunder as Orson soared above Sakura District, his eyes cold as steel. "I gave you a chance. Now, it's either pay up every week or face total submission!"
SirLagsALot: "I am the god of war! I dare claim invincibility—who the hell doesn't agree, come out and die!"
Naoko's expression turned to ice. Without wasting any more words, she snapped, "War begins!"