The hexagram rune surged, releasing a series of explosive wind blades that shot out fiercely.
At the very last moment before the blood dragon fully materialized, the mage in the anonymous team used the wind blades to interrupt the boss's spellcasting, allowing the tank to escape unharmed.
"See that, thief? That's how you play the game," the swordsman said, standing confidently and mocking Madman.
"QNMGB…" Madman cursed loudly in a mix of English and gibberish, clearly furious but also somewhat helpless.
Meanwhile, the anonymous knight blocked Keril the Butcher's follow-up attacks with a towering shield.
The knight only had around 3,000 HP—far less than Empress's bulkier stats—but their precision in mitigating damage and evading attacks was leagues beyond hers. Any damage they did take was quickly healed by the anonymous team's priest.
Seeing that single-target attacks were proving ineffective, Keril unleashed its AoE control skill, Mass Confinement.
Six blood spheres floated ominously above the heads of Usher's party. If hit, they would instantly turn to stone.
"Dodge and keep your distance! Backline, continue outputting damage!" commanded the swordsman with a sharp tone. The rest of the team moved as one, skillfully evading the skill without a single misstep.
"Fighting alongside pros makes things feel so smooth. These professional players really live up to their reputation," Usher commented, firing a multi-arrow shot that knocked the boss back. The wind mage followed up with consistent attacks, delivering impressive damage.
"Professional players? That explains why their combat awareness is so much better than ours," Empress muttered to herself, feeling the glaring gap between them.
At this stage of the game, most players were still figuring out basic mechanics. But professional players, trained in full-dive VR environments, had already rehearsed strategies for countless boss types.
Compared to Usher's lavish equipment, the anonymous players' gear was fairly ordinary. However, their mastery of the game more than made up for the disparity. This was the difference between amateurs and professionals. Superior technique could bridge any gap in equipment over time.
"Boss, let's get in there! If we don't start dealing damage now, they'll kill the boss before we even touch it," urged SpeechlessFace.
"Yeah, Empress, you've got this! Besides, there's no way they're better than Orgod!" added LuckyBird.
"True, that wind mage is impressive, but they're not on Orgod's level," Empress agreed, regaining her composure. She had been shaken by the anonymous team's overwhelming skill, but she couldn't let it intimidate her.
She readied her shield and stepped forward. "Let's move. This boss isn't anyone's personal property!"
However, the moment they approached Keril the Butcher, Usher raised his bow, his cold expression locking onto LuckyBird, the team's healer.
"What the hell is wrong with you? This boss your mom or something?!" Madman taunted Usher, his sharp tongue immediately going for the jugular.
Usher scowled, gripping his bowstring tightly, though he refused to lower himself to Madman's level.
"Are you really going to make enemies of me, Moonlight Guild? Or are you just bluffing?" he sneered, focusing his gaze on Empress.
"A game is just a game. Are you seriously threatening me with real-life influence? How pathetic," Empress snapped, but her voice wavered under the weight of his implied threat.
She knew exactly what he was capable of. Usher's Dragon's Kiss Guild was backed by the colossal DK Corporation, a financial giant far beyond the reach of her family's company.
"Losing isn't in my vocabulary," Usher declared, his voice brimming with arrogance. He scanned the players around him with a domineering presence, determined to remind them who ruled Pandorin City.
Dragon's Kiss Guild had been established to dominate and crush all competition, no matter who or what stood in their way.
Grinding her teeth, Empress tightened her grip on her shield. Usher's oppressive demeanor enraged her, but she had no viable way to counter it.
As the anonymous team maintained flawless coordination, the boss's HP plummeted to 400,000. Despite Keril's multiple high-damage attacks, it couldn't break through the dual-layer defense of the swordsman and knight.
Frustration clawed at Empress's resolve. If this continued, the boss would undoubtedly fall into their hands.
"Empress, have you lost your nerve?"
A playful voice whispered into her private chat. It was Orgod.
"Criticize me all you want, but you're no different. You're just sitting back, too afraid to act," she retorted.
Orgod chuckled. "Afraid? Hardly. I can deal with Usher, but you'll have to do something for me first."
"I'm listening," Empress replied, intrigued despite herself.
"Simple. Have your four teammates charge in and let the boss kill them."
"What?! Why would I do that?" Empress exclaimed, stunned by his suggestion.
"Trust me if you want this done. Otherwise, keep standing there and watch them take the boss," Orgod said flatly.
"What's it going to be? Surely, your teammates won't disobey you, right?"
His words hit a nerve, making Empress flush with embarrassment. She'd been so focused on appeasing her team earlier that she'd missed the chance to assist Orgod.
"They'll listen to me," she replied confidently. She explained Orgod's plan to her party members.
LuckyBird laughed. "Empress, if you want us to throw ourselves into the boss's claws, we'll do it for you, no problem. Love ya!"
"Just don't let us get hit by the stone curse. I don't want to be AFK for 48 hours," joked another teammate.
Ten minutes later, Keril's HP was down to just 50,000.
Madman watched in frustration, itching to contribute, when suddenly he noticed Empress's four teammates rushing toward the boss.
"What are they doing?! Don't leave me out of a boss kill, you bastards!" he yelled.
"They're not attacking—they're sacrificing themselves," Empress corrected, holding him back with a smirk.
"What? Why?!" Madman looked thoroughly confused.
"An old friend of yours said to keep you alive for now," she replied cryptically.
"Old friend? Are you sure they didn't mean… oh, come on, stop hitting me!" he muttered as she smacked him for his nonsense.
"Chen Shan, what's the meaning of this? Are you trying to sabotage us?!" Usher roared as the Moonlight Guild players reached the boss.
"They're not even attacking you," Empress replied calmly, her expression unreadable.
Usher blinked in shock as the Moonlight Guild players stripped off their equipment, then began punching the boss with their bare fists.
"What the hell… are they trolling?" muttered the anonymous swordsman, clearly baffled.
Keril, enraged, retaliated with massive claws, killing the players in one hit each. But then something unexpected happened.
Blood orbs emerged from the corpses, flying into Keril's mouth.
"Damn it! Is this… blood sacrifice?! That's a boss buff!"
Keril's HP, which had dropped below 50,000, suddenly skyrocketed back to 400,000.
"Tenacious… isn't she?" a familiar voice chuckled as Empress made a bold move, forcing the boss into a narrow passageway with her shield.
"Your turn, Orgod," Empress called out with a sly smile.
And in that moment, Usher and the anonymous players froze, recognizing the figure silhouetted against the skyline: Orgod.