ACT V
THE GLORY WARS
After three gruelling hours of tug-of-war between Hans's team and his own defiant trap plants, victory finally belonged to the team. They managed to salvage around forty intact mana hearts, pushing their total count to 94. Despite their exhaustion, depleted mana, and dwindling aura, smiles adorned their faces. They now trailed by just six kills to complete the survival preliminaries, and it was only the fourth day of their journey. Their achievement would soon be recorded in the annals of Glory Wars.
Although they had set out early in the morning, a glance at the sky revealed that dusk was fast approaching. Some advised pushing onward, but Hans was resolute about leaving the area. “Something going this smooth in my life is suspicious.”
Everything had been going smoothly, a departure from his usual streak of bad luck, and this unusual fortune troubled him. Unfounded worries gnawed at him, and he gave the order to withdraw. 'No' was not an answer he was willing to entertain, and everyone complied
"What's going on? Is something wrong?" Chris approached Hans, noticing his growing concern. He understood that Hans's unease could affect the team's morale, so he decided to intervene.
Hans shared his unsettling observation: for a period, he couldn't sense the presence of the proctors who monitored their progress. Chris, even the non-perceptive, could smell a scheme brewing from miles away. He supported Hans's decision to expedite their return to the hideout, a relatively safer location, concealed from external threats.
However, to their surprise, their journey remained uneventful, and they encountered neither ambushes nor even a first-class beast. "This was suspiciously smooth sailing,” Hans remarked, as they reached their hideout. He ordered a four-person watch with even intervals. Witnessing Hans's seriousness, the team complied without questioning, but their anxiety grew. Their loot had grown substantial, and with it came the responsibility to protect it. The creeping unease left none of them with a restful night's sleep.
"Just six more and we're good to go," Hans whispered to himself, tapping his racing heart for reassurance. This was the fifth day, and they left their safe haven earlier this morning. But they were facing an odd predicament, his vines had scoured the beast's habitat, but for the past few hours, there hadn't been so much as a squeak. "Where the hell are they?" This question weighed on everyone's mind, not just his own.
Meanwhile, Chris's instincts told him that someone was deliberately causing this. He may not have been a tracker, but his father had taught him investigative skills, and he could sense that the beasts had been chased away recently. Chris shared his findings with the captain, but Hans had already reached this conclusion a few moments earlier. When he maxed out his mana vision, he deduced the culprits: no proctors were watching them. "Those bastards are too busy driving away our prey. Damn it—"
His mumblings came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly felt a malevolent gaze fixed on him, a sensation of being stalked that made his skin crawl. He was about to order the team to move or fall back when an attack came seemingly out of nowhere, targeting his face. Speed was not Hans's strong suit, but their main defender reacted before anyone could fully comprehend what was happening. "AuraShield!" he bellowed, blocking the searing attack with his massive aura shield.
The attack failed to harm Hans physically, but it did manage to separate the vanguard of the team, consisting of Chris, Delimira, and Garen, from the rest. In this tightly bound situation, Hans could only provide support, as the real firepower of the team was in the vanguard. Being separated from them was a significant disadvantage, but that's exactly what the enemy had intended.
Hans shouted at Delimira and Chris to retreat, but he was too late. They found themselves encircled, with Delimira facing off against four mages alone, while Chris was engaged by a knight of similar strength. It was evident that the attackers were targeting Concordia's most powerful team members. Hans quickly analyzed the situation. “There are six of them here, which means the remaining four might attack us.” He then commanded, “Regroup, defenders, tighten the defence around the Lux (long-distance mage) and Cherrina(healer).”
The commands were issued and executed swiftly, but Hans soon realized that his analysis had been shit. Using his ManaVision, he discovered the harsh truth: the two opposing teams had allied against them. Panic gripped his thoughts as he recalled a tactical principle: “When a battle seems not feasible, run, run and bite back later.”
He was about to shout for a retreat when all seven of them suddenly found themselves surrounded by fourteen participants. Their mocking voices taunted them, "Where do you think you're going, freeloaders? Probably running away with your tails tucked. See, I told you this information was solid.”
Despite the trash talk, Hans's priority was to protect their hard-earned loot and somehow convince these aggressors to back off. However, before he could take action, all fourteen of their assailants—eight knights and six mages, each above grade 25 and second circle—began bombarding Ricter's AuraShield.
Amidst the onslaught, safely shielded by the wavering AuraShield, Lux managed to convey that he recognized their attackers: members of the Knight Association and the Mage Tower. The one engaged in combat with Chris was the captain of the Knight Association's team.
Hans tried looking past the frequent blasts, Chris was locked in a stalemate, his strength evenly matched with his opponent's. Meanwhile, Delimira desperately tried to break through to them, but the four mages targeting her made her progress difficult. Initially, she used spells, but as the situation escalated, she unsheathed her rapier. Activating her Krosh art, she began overpowering them, but her efforts were thwarted when another opponent joined the fray. This knight, second only to the Knight Association's captain, tipped the odds drastically, turning it into a five-against-one situation.
Hans couldn't hold out any longer. "We're getting out of here," he shouted, thrusting his hand into the ground and invoking his territory creation spell, "SilvaOrtus." The spell initiated ground tremors, hinting at something colossal emerging from beneath.
However, just as the envisioned creation began to take shape, the mastermind behind the ambush bellowed, "NOW!" The rumbling abruptly ceased, leaving Hans bewildered. "What the hell?" He couldn't sense his connection to mana anymore, and even their AuraShield had been cancelled. "What is happening?" echoed the confusion among his team members as they stared at the smirking faces of their adversaries.
Meanwhile, Delimira began to struggle, not because her opponents were overpowering her, but because her skills inexplicably vanished, leaving her powerless. The five preying on her didn’t miss the opportunity. She somehow avoided the direct hits but this began to repeat again and again. Her skills suddenly vanished and she kept taking the beating without even landing a single hit.
As a razor-sharp blade cut deep into her back, Chris's shout drew Hans's attention. Seeing Delimira kneeling in exhaustion snapped something within him. "Who cares now? You're all dead," he declared, raising his hand to activate a forbidden spell, "TheVeganCarn —"
“Now” the mastermind screamed again and whatever Hans was conjuring turned to nothingness.
“Damn it, what the fuck is going on?” Hans cursed as he surveyed his team. Chris looked utterly exhausted, Garen was managing to hold his ground, but Delimira had been brutally impaled from the back. The sword had pierced her stomach, and her blood flowed like a river.
Seeing her not standing up, Chris and Hans shouted in Unison. Hans even tried leaving his team behind, lunging at her stabber, but the moment he moved. the halted attacks resumed, this time targeting Cherrina, their sole healer. Fortunately, the defenders bravely absorbed the brunt of the assault, even without their skills, resulting in injuries to all of them.
However, a sneak attack passed through and knocked Cherrina out cold. "Ugh," Hans groaned in frustration, realizing that only he and Lux were left standing among the seven. Hans desperately attempted to access his mana once again, but it was futile. Lux, sensing the same issue, quickly informed him, "It's Dispellium; they're using Dispellium —“
“Then how the fuck they are using mana and aura, isn’t it suppose to cancel everything in the vicinity.”
"Ha... ha..." Lux gasped as he reached Hans' side, "Yes, but look, they can control when to activate and deactivate it. It's entirely in their hands. That substance is illegal, even more so in the Glory Wars. We aren't even allowed to use artefacts.”
"Proctors!" Hans shouted towards the sky, but there was no response, only the mocking laughter of their enemies filled the air. Amidst the taunts, a voice hidden within the group responded, "Who do you think tipped us off, you fool? How could we use Dispellium if it wasn't allowed by the higher-ups?"
Hans realized they were up against an opponent they couldn't defeat. He racked his brains for a solution, but none came to mind. "Ugh," he kept groaning, but suddenly, the knight who had wounded Delimira shouted in victory, and Hans saw Delimira, who had been struggling to stand, finally collapse to the ground.
"She's still alive…alive. They won't kill her. She's Aredhel's daughter. Stay calm and think. Worrying won't solve the problem." Hans tapped his own racing heart, trying to convince himself. He called out to the proctors once more, emphasizing, "Proctors, she's going to die if this continues. What are you doing? Concordia won’t let you—“
The mage hidden among their enemies interrupted, "There are only three rules in this stupid competition. First, you have to collect a hundred hearts. Second, you're not allowed to kill anyone. Third, using an artifact is prohibited." He sneered and added, "Have we broken any rule to make the proctors intervene? Last time I checked, Dispellium isn't a listed artefact. And she's alive, at least for a while." The mage laughed like a third-rate villain, and Hans realised that his pleas for proctor intervention were in vain.
Meanwhile, Chris was looking at them closely, he too understood that there was no help coming. Feeling desperate, he decided to take a gamble. He pushed his body’s aura to the limit and deployed an Aura Burst. It had limited influence against Dispellium, but it was the only chance he had.
However, he had underestimated KA's captain, the one holding Dispellium. When Chris exposed his unprotected back to him, he suffered the same fate as Delimira. His well-developed muscles resisted, but he was still injured
"Stop, you bastards!" Hans yelled. Both of his friends were injured, but fortunately, not in vital spots. His ManaVison was telling him that both were breathing, but Delimira was in urgent need of treatment. They needed time. So Hans asked the enemies the question they wanted to hear, "What do you want—“
“All ninety-four mana hearts.”
Hearing the precise number didn't startle Hans. He knew the proctors were keeping an eye on them, and they were in cahoots with the Knight Association and Mage Tower, forming a ragtag alliance in Heat Riddance. He glanced at his fallen teammates once again, realizing that their hard-earned efforts were about to be stolen. He felt guilty, blaming himself for his poor leadership that had led them into this situation.
He wouldn’t have felt this way if they lost by fair means, not like this. Clenching his fists, he threw their space pouch at them. This was the first time in his life that he had surrendered, and the feeling of helplessness ate away at him from the inside. He vented, ”You didn't have to go this far. We were competing fairly. They worked hard for this day—”
"Pfft..." Laughter erupted from the group, and the mage who had been speaking earlier said, "Are you delusional? In this world, whoever wins is right.”
"Yes, it's a messed-up world we live in." Hans glanced at his fallen comrades. "When these idiots started looking up to me, I must have forgotten that—"
“Kneel” the mage demanded, coming out of shadows, his robe covering his face, yet his tall stature puts every other to shame.
“What?” Hans was confused, but also defiant.
“I said,” the mage insisted, "kneel and beg me to spare you.”
“Look, I don’t give a damn about this competition.” Hans revolted, “You are making a big mistake here—”
“The more you resist, the more they’ll be tortured.” He raised his hand, and on his command the group acted, raising their weapons and summoning spell circles.
"Hey, Captain," one of the mages spoke to their leader, "We've got the loot. Let's stop here—“
"Shut up, you lowlife. How dare you interrupt the royalty here." The mage turned his attention back to Hans, emphasizing his words, “On your knees, bitch. Right now!”
Hans gritted his teeth, his unbending knees reluctantly touching the ground. He had never bowed to anyone before, not even the Grimgar king himself. Now, some second-circle individuals were forcing him. His rage suppressed, he bowed his head and pleaded, "Please, let us go.”
"It's enough, Arlin! I didn't sign up to humiliate someone. I wouldn't have agreed in the first place if it weren't..." Guernier paused, the knight captain who had been stalling Chris and using dispellium looked at Hans with a hint of pity. Addressing Hans, he said, "We've accomplished what we came here for. Stand up."
Hans, still lowering his head, couldn’t feel the mana around. “They are still using it.” He stood up, his eyes changed yet lowered to not rub his aggressors. “One who tramples is right.” He thought as he saw this saying turning true. “You got what you come for. Right? Can I take my team now?” He asked.
they mocked as they disappeared one by one, leaving only the knight captain behind. Hans, his anger barely contained, shouted, "What the hell do you want?"
“Am Sorry.” The knight captain finally relented, deactivating the dispellium. Hans felt his connection to mana returning, sending Hans on a regretful trip, “I should’ve urged the chairman to teach me to fight under dispellium. This is a fucked up weakness.”
***
AnnouncementNEXT : I'M DONE PLAYING GAMES (1)
ACT V
THE GLORY WARS
After three gruelling hours of tug-of-war between Hans's team and his own defiant trap plants, victory finally belonged to the team. They managed to salvage around forty intact mana hearts, pushing their total count to 94. Despite their exhaustion, depleted mana, and dwindling aura, smiles adorned their faces. They now trailed by just six kills to complete the survival preliminaries, and it was only the fourth day of their journey. Their achievement would soon be recorded in the annals of Glory Wars.
Although they had set out early in the morning, a glance at the sky revealed that dusk was fast approaching. Some advised pushing onward, but Hans was resolute about leaving the area. “Something going this smooth in my life is suspicious.”
Everything had been going smoothly, a departure from his usual streak of bad luck, and this unusual fortune troubled him. Unfounded worries gnawed at him, and he gave the order to withdraw. 'No' was not an answer he was willing to entertain, and everyone complied
"What's going on? Is something wrong?" Chris approached Hans, noticing his growing concern. He understood that Hans's unease could affect the team's morale, so he decided to intervene.
Hans shared his unsettling observation: for a period, he couldn't sense the presence of the proctors who monitored their progress. Chris, even the non-perceptive, could smell a scheme brewing from miles away. He supported Hans's decision to expedite their return to the hideout, a relatively safer location, concealed from external threats.
However, to their surprise, their journey remained uneventful, and they encountered neither ambushes nor even a first-class beast. "This was suspiciously smooth sailing,” Hans remarked, as they reached their hideout. He ordered a four-person watch with even intervals. Witnessing Hans's seriousness, the team complied without questioning, but their anxiety grew. Their loot had grown substantial, and with it came the responsibility to protect it. The creeping unease left none of them with a restful night's sleep.
"Just six more and we're good to go," Hans whispered to himself, tapping his racing heart for reassurance. This was the fifth day, and they left their safe haven earlier this morning. But they were facing an odd predicament, his vines had scoured the beast's habitat, but for the past few hours, there hadn't been so much as a squeak. "Where the hell are they?" This question weighed on everyone's mind, not just his own.
Meanwhile, Chris's instincts told him that someone was deliberately causing this. He may not have been a tracker, but his father had taught him investigative skills, and he could sense that the beasts had been chased away recently. Chris shared his findings with the captain, but Hans had already reached this conclusion a few moments earlier. When he maxed out his mana vision, he deduced the culprits: no proctors were watching them. "Those bastards are too busy driving away our prey. Damn it—"
His mumblings came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly felt a malevolent gaze fixed on him, a sensation of being stalked that made his skin crawl. He was about to order the team to move or fall back when an attack came seemingly out of nowhere, targeting his face. Speed was not Hans's strong suit, but their main defender reacted before anyone could fully comprehend what was happening. "AuraShield!" he bellowed, blocking the searing attack with his massive aura shield.
The attack failed to harm Hans physically, but it did manage to separate the vanguard of the team, consisting of Chris, Delimira, and Garen, from the rest. In this tightly bound situation, Hans could only provide support, as the real firepower of the team was in the vanguard. Being separated from them was a significant disadvantage, but that's exactly what the enemy had intended.
Hans shouted at Delimira and Chris to retreat, but he was too late. They found themselves encircled, with Delimira facing off against four mages alone, while Chris was engaged by a knight of similar strength. It was evident that the attackers were targeting Concordia's most powerful team members. Hans quickly analyzed the situation. “There are six of them here, which means the remaining four might attack us.” He then commanded, “Regroup, defenders, tighten the defence around the Lux (long-distance mage) and Cherrina(healer).”
The commands were issued and executed swiftly, but Hans soon realized that his analysis had been shit. Using his ManaVision, he discovered the harsh truth: the two opposing teams had allied against them. Panic gripped his thoughts as he recalled a tactical principle: “When a battle seems not feasible, run, run and bite back later.”
He was about to shout for a retreat when all seven of them suddenly found themselves surrounded by fourteen participants. Their mocking voices taunted them, "Where do you think you're going, freeloaders? Probably running away with your tails tucked. See, I told you this information was solid.”
Despite the trash talk, Hans's priority was to protect their hard-earned loot and somehow convince these aggressors to back off. However, before he could take action, all fourteen of their assailants—eight knights and six mages, each above grade 25 and second circle—began bombarding Ricter's AuraShield.
Amidst the onslaught, safely shielded by the wavering AuraShield, Lux managed to convey that he recognized their attackers: members of the Knight Association and the Mage Tower. The one engaged in combat with Chris was the captain of the Knight Association's team.
Hans tried looking past the frequent blasts, Chris was locked in a stalemate, his strength evenly matched with his opponent's. Meanwhile, Delimira desperately tried to break through to them, but the four mages targeting her made her progress difficult. Initially, she used spells, but as the situation escalated, she unsheathed her rapier. Activating her Krosh art, she began overpowering them, but her efforts were thwarted when another opponent joined the fray. This knight, second only to the Knight Association's captain, tipped the odds drastically, turning it into a five-against-one situation.
Hans couldn't hold out any longer. "We're getting out of here," he shouted, thrusting his hand into the ground and invoking his territory creation spell, "SilvaOrtus." The spell initiated ground tremors, hinting at something colossal emerging from beneath.
However, just as the envisioned creation began to take shape, the mastermind behind the ambush bellowed, "NOW!" The rumbling abruptly ceased, leaving Hans bewildered. "What the hell?" He couldn't sense his connection to mana anymore, and even their AuraShield had been cancelled. "What is happening?" echoed the confusion among his team members as they stared at the smirking faces of their adversaries.
Meanwhile, Delimira began to struggle, not because her opponents were overpowering her, but because her skills inexplicably vanished, leaving her powerless. The five preying on her didn’t miss the opportunity. She somehow avoided the direct hits but this began to repeat again and again. Her skills suddenly vanished and she kept taking the beating without even landing a single hit.
As a razor-sharp blade cut deep into her back, Chris's shout drew Hans's attention. Seeing Delimira kneeling in exhaustion snapped something within him. "Who cares now? You're all dead," he declared, raising his hand to activate a forbidden spell, "TheVeganCarn —"
“Now” the mastermind screamed again and whatever Hans was conjuring turned to nothingness.
“Damn it, what the fuck is going on?” Hans cursed as he surveyed his team. Chris looked utterly exhausted, Garen was managing to hold his ground, but Delimira had been brutally impaled from the back. The sword had pierced her stomach, and her blood flowed like a river.
Seeing her not standing up, Chris and Hans shouted in Unison. Hans even tried leaving his team behind, lunging at her stabber, but the moment he moved. the halted attacks resumed, this time targeting Cherrina, their sole healer. Fortunately, the defenders bravely absorbed the brunt of the assault, even without their skills, resulting in injuries to all of them.
However, a sneak attack passed through and knocked Cherrina out cold. "Ugh," Hans groaned in frustration, realizing that only he and Lux were left standing among the seven. Hans desperately attempted to access his mana once again, but it was futile. Lux, sensing the same issue, quickly informed him, "It's Dispellium; they're using Dispellium —“
“Then how the fuck they are using mana and aura, isn’t it suppose to cancel everything in the vicinity.”
"Ha... ha..." Lux gasped as he reached Hans' side, "Yes, but look, they can control when to activate and deactivate it. It's entirely in their hands. That substance is illegal, even more so in the Glory Wars. We aren't even allowed to use artefacts.”
"Proctors!" Hans shouted towards the sky, but there was no response, only the mocking laughter of their enemies filled the air. Amidst the taunts, a voice hidden within the group responded, "Who do you think tipped us off, you fool? How could we use Dispellium if it wasn't allowed by the higher-ups?"
Hans realized they were up against an opponent they couldn't defeat. He racked his brains for a solution, but none came to mind. "Ugh," he kept groaning, but suddenly, the knight who had wounded Delimira shouted in victory, and Hans saw Delimira, who had been struggling to stand, finally collapse to the ground.
"She's still alive…alive. They won't kill her. She's Aredhel's daughter. Stay calm and think. Worrying won't solve the problem." Hans tapped his own racing heart, trying to convince himself. He called out to the proctors once more, emphasizing, "Proctors, she's going to die if this continues. What are you doing? Concordia won’t let you—“
The mage hidden among their enemies interrupted, "There are only three rules in this stupid competition. First, you have to collect a hundred hearts. Second, you're not allowed to kill anyone. Third, using an artifact is prohibited." He sneered and added, "Have we broken any rule to make the proctors intervene? Last time I checked, Dispellium isn't a listed artefact. And she's alive, at least for a while." The mage laughed like a third-rate villain, and Hans realised that his pleas for proctor intervention were in vain.
Meanwhile, Chris was looking at them closely, he too understood that there was no help coming. Feeling desperate, he decided to take a gamble. He pushed his body’s aura to the limit and deployed an Aura Burst. It had limited influence against Dispellium, but it was the only chance he had.
However, he had underestimated KA's captain, the one holding Dispellium. When Chris exposed his unprotected back to him, he suffered the same fate as Delimira. His well-developed muscles resisted, but he was still injured
"Stop, you bastards!" Hans yelled. Both of his friends were injured, but fortunately, not in vital spots. His ManaVison was telling him that both were breathing, but Delimira was in urgent need of treatment. They needed time. So Hans asked the enemies the question they wanted to hear, "What do you want—“
“All ninety-four mana hearts.”
Hearing the precise number didn't startle Hans. He knew the proctors were keeping an eye on them, and they were in cahoots with the Knight Association and Mage Tower, forming a ragtag alliance in Heat Riddance. He glanced at his fallen teammates once again, realizing that their hard-earned efforts were about to be stolen. He felt guilty, blaming himself for his poor leadership that had led them into this situation.
He wouldn’t have felt this way if they lost by fair means, not like this. Clenching his fists, he threw their space pouch at them. This was the first time in his life that he had surrendered, and the feeling of helplessness ate away at him from the inside. He vented, ”You didn't have to go this far. We were competing fairly. They worked hard for this day—”
"Pfft..." Laughter erupted from the group, and the mage who had been speaking earlier said, "Are you delusional? In this world, whoever wins is right.”
"Yes, it's a messed-up world we live in." Hans glanced at his fallen comrades. "When these idiots started looking up to me, I must have forgotten that—"
“Kneel” the mage demanded, coming out of shadows, his robe covering his face, yet his tall stature puts every other to shame.
“What?” Hans was confused, but also defiant.
“I said,” the mage insisted, "kneel and beg me to spare you.”
“Look, I don’t give a damn about this competition.” Hans revolted, “You are making a big mistake here—”
“The more you resist, the more they’ll be tortured.” He raised his hand, and on his command the group acted, raising their weapons and summoning spell circles.
"Hey, Captain," one of the mages spoke to their leader, "We've got the loot. Let's stop here—“
"Shut up, you lowlife. How dare you interrupt the royalty here." The mage turned his attention back to Hans, emphasizing his words, “On your knees, bitch. Right now!”
Hans gritted his teeth, his unbending knees reluctantly touching the ground. He had never bowed to anyone before, not even the Grimgar king himself. Now, some second-circle individuals were forcing him. His rage suppressed, he bowed his head and pleaded, "Please, let us go.”
"It's enough, Arlin! I didn't sign up to humiliate someone. I wouldn't have agreed in the first place if it weren't..." Guernier paused, the knight captain who had been stalling Chris and using dispellium looked at Hans with a hint of pity. Addressing Hans, he said, "We've accomplished what we came here for. Stand up."
Hans, still lowering his head, couldn’t feel the mana around. “They are still using it.” He stood up, his eyes changed yet lowered to not rub his aggressors. “One who tramples is right.” He thought as he saw this saying turning true. “You got what you come for. Right? Can I take my team now?” He asked.
they mocked as they disappeared one by one, leaving only the knight captain behind. Hans, his anger barely contained, shouted, "What the hell do you want?"
“Am Sorry.” The knight captain finally relented, deactivating the dispellium. Hans felt his connection to mana returning, sending Hans on a regretful trip, “I should’ve urged the chairman to teach me to fight under dispellium. This is a fucked up weakness.”
***
AnnouncementNEXT : I'M DONE PLAYING GAMES (1)
