MMORPG: The Elementalist

The longer he spent in flight, the more Qin Ruo came to appreciate the benefits of having these Angelic Wings.

No matter what kind of monsters they encountered along the way, there was no need to face them when he could just fly past them overhead. When he did feel like a fight, he would just descend to within thirty meters of his prey.

Now, Qin Ruo thought that he understood how Death Jesus had felt!

It was the feeling of being in complete control over the battlefield, an absolute sense of superiority. No wonder that guy had even dared to challenge six Tier 5 Supreme Champions at once.

One soared through the sky, while the rest could only crawl along the ground. It was literally a difference as great as heaven’s height!

Particularly when one was up against opponents who could only fight in close-combat, air superiority provided an insurmountable advantage—it was basically bullying.

After playing around for a bit, Qin Ruo found that he had soon lost the taste for picking on the helpless Skeleton Warriors and Zombies. It was like hitting somebody who was already tied up, helpless to fight back. All they could do was stand there while he pelted them with Compressed Frost Bullets, or shear their heads off with Frostrazors. After a while, it just felt like there wasn’t any point to it.

While some of the higher-level Skeletons and Zombies did have ranged-attack capabilities, they were only Tier 4 at best, and therefore posed no threat whatsoever to Qin Ruo.

It was the same with the Hellhounds.

At last, Qin Ruo simply flew off, leaving the puny stragglers to Poochie and the Amethyst Orc! He himself flew around in an expansive circle, drawing all the Undead in the area into one place.

Once they had been tightly concentrated in this way, Qin Ruo descended from above.

“Million Arrow Sleet!” Taking on a few piddling ranged attacks from the monsters, he maintained the freezing blizzard for a few moments, and the XP began to pour in.

By the time he’d had his fill of Experience Points, the floor was littered with scattered bones and still corpses. Along with a bit of Mana Drain during the process to keep his MP topped up, he was ready to keep moving forward!

Splitting things up between himself and his Pet, they were progressing much faster than an entire ten-man party could have done. Even back in the Aricus Ruins, they hadn’t picked up XP at such an astonishing rate.

After wiping out just a few groups of Undead, a System Notification chimed in:

Congratulations! Poochie has gained a level!

Poochie has reached Level 40 and learned new skills: ‘Clone Shadow Strike,”Vanish.’

Poochie had attained the next Tier!

Qin Ruo slowed to a hover in mid-air, looking down to watch as Poochie darted this way and that, squealing with excitement the whole time. His heart full to bursting, he summoned up the Pet Interface.

“‘Clone Shadow Strike?’ You’re finally able to do it!”

***

Level 40 Shadowfox: Poochie

Physical Attack 230-235, Growth Rate 5 (with each level-up, along with other ability improvements, the Pet also increases Attack and Resistances directly)

Physical Resistance 180-180, Growth Rate 4

Magical Attack (N/A)

Magical Resistance 90-90, Growth Rate 2

HP: 4500/4500; Growth Rate 100

MP: 250/250; Growth Rate 5

***

Shadow Dash (Innate Talent): Move as fast as lightning. 50% improved chance to dodge incoming attacks, duration 10 seconds, costs 1 MP; no cooldown time.

Shadow Strike (Innate Talent): Can only be performed while Shadow Dash is active. 50% chance to Stun target, costs 1 MP.

Shadow Razors: Fully Mastered. Extend claws, raising Physical Attack by 25%. Attacks apply Laceration effect, dealing 50 damage per second, duration 10 seconds. Costs 2 MP, cooldown time 3 seconds.

Shadow Execution: Fully Mastered. Increases attack speed, perform three attacks at once. 30% chance of partially ignoring target’s Resistance, performing a Fatal Blow. Costs 3 MP, cooldown time 6 seconds.

Shadow Break: Dispels magic. Costs 3 MP, cooldown time 6 seconds.

Shadowswipe: Novice Mastery Level 487/1,000. Attack target with tail, Physical Attack increased by 15%. Costs 3 MP, cooldown time 6 seconds.

***

Clone Shadow Strike: Novice Mastery Level 0/1,000. When attacking an enemy, briefly summon three Shadowfox Clones, which will all perform the skill ‘Shadow Strike’ simultaneously. Shadowfox Clones do 60% of base attack damage. Stun effect can stack, to a maximum duration of 6 seconds. Costs 5 MP, cooldown time 15 seconds.

Shadow Form: Novice Mastery Level 0/1,000. Increases Physical Resistance by 15% and Magical Resistance by 10%, duration 30 seconds. Costs 5 MP, cooldown time 10 seconds.

***

Seeing the two new Tier 4 skills, Qin Ruo got a shock!

Clone Shadow Strike!

No mistaking it: this was the remarkable skill that the golden Shadowfox had used to defeat the Ron Couple, back in the Wargod’s Canyon of Trials.

He could see now that the effects were powerful indeed: at the Novice Mastery Level alone, it was already able to produce three Shadowfox Clones, each with 60% of its own power. Using Shadow Strike in unison, they could cumulatively Stun a target for up to 6 seconds.

Surely this skill was over-powered!

‘Shadow Strike’ was the Innate Talent of a Shadowfox. Even at only 60% strength, its effect was absolutely devastating. If this was how the technique worked, it would be too easy to consistently produce a 6-second Stun.

The more he thought about it, the more Qin Ruo felt a sense of confidence growing in his heart.

With an immensely powerful skill like this, if he ever went up against another foe as terrifying as Dark Dragon, he would clean their clocks!

Heh!

After a moment’s flight of fancy, Qin Ruo continued on his way.

Half a minute later, he encountered his first Spectral Shaman. From a distance, it seemed that a large horde of Undead were clustered around something that looked like a mass of black fog. Further away, there was a great parade of Undead moving past.

***

While Qin Ruo’s party of seven were down in the Underground City, enjoying their Angelic Wings to the fullest, a dark tide was growing overhead, churning and coursing ominously.

Both the Scarlet Bauhinia League and the Netherspirit’s Claw League were involved, along with sundry Clans and players—all because of one party, bearing a truly shocking arsenal of equipment!

Four Tier 5 Supreme Champions of the Netherspirit’s Claw—Netherclaw, Dark Dragon, Snowmelt, and Skyreach—led two dozen Field Commanders, along with over forty of the League’s elite, all clad in the best equipment.

Although a great many high-level players passed through Savis Town regularly, it was the first time such a mighty force had ever been amassed here.

Marching together with earth-shaking strength, the battalion left Savis Town, heading West!

***

“If I’d known that scoundrel Netherclaw would cause such a commotion on his way out, I wouldn’t have bothered posting observers at the town gates.”

Having heard about the Netherspirit’s Claw and their massive advance towards the Aricus Ruins, Scarlet Bauhinia was at a loss. He hadn’t anticipated an action on such a grand scale. Even if it was only briefly, he’d wasted his people’s time.

“Fatale, how’s your sis doing?”

“How do you think? No matter how powerful she is, there’s no way a Tier-4 Radiant Priestess can take down a Spectral Shaman, kill monsters, farm XP, and hold out to the last second before returning to town.”

As he spoke, Homme Fatale cast a sidelong glance at him. “It doesn’t seem like the time to be talking about this. Aren’t you going to come up with a plan to stop Netherclaw?”

“What else are we going to talk about, besides them?” Scarlet Bauhinia seemed unconcerned. With a huff, he tried to lighten the mood.

“Aren’t you sick of her, and that bunch? All day long they do nothing but cause us trouble. If we’d known that they could force their way down to the Buried City by today, I’d definitely have the whole League up here keeping Savis Town under siege! Right now, there’s hardly any need for us to pick a fight with the Netherspirit’s people straight away.”

Homme Fatale watched him wordlessly, unsure of what to make of these statements.

“Heh… at first, I’d planned to wait for those people in our Clan to reach Tier 5, before mounting an expedition to the Buried City to leave our Soul Imprint there. Now that this has happened, we’ll have to take action ahead of schedule.”

Scarlet Bauhinia spread his hands in frustration. “Good thing your sister sent word in time, otherwise I really wouldn’t be able to do anything!” That suggested he already had some kind of plan figured out.

“Have you already come up with a plan to handle the Netherspirit’s Claw? What’s with all the theatrics? If you’ve got a plan, let’s hear it—don’t keep me in suspense here, listening to all your nonsense. If you don’t need my help with things, I’m going to go train my Pet.” Homme Fatale’s expression was cold, his tone disdainful.

“Off with you, then. Talking with you is meaningless.” Scarlet Bauhinia rolled his eyes. “As for Netherclaw and his people, I’ve assigned Doggy to take care of it.”

“Doggy? Who’s that?” (Mad Dog was crying in a corner.)

Scarlet Bauhinia’s eyes widened. “Our Clan Bowmaster. He’s pretty fast, and spends a lot of time in Aricus. I’ve given him a map and sent him with a party to the dungeons there.”

At this point, realization was dawning on Homme Fatale. With a playful laugh, he said, “Hard Mode…”

“That’s right. The Netherspirit’s people won’t be making it down to the Buried City today. That gives a day to prepare. Our Hunter Team has been reassigned to dungeon-clearing duty. They’ll take position on the second level of the Ruins, and keep watch on the seven Gorefiend Spider Demons there. The sale value of loot dropped by Gorefiend Spider Demons will be raised to ten thousand gold coins. I want to keep the Netherspirit’s Claw out of those dungeons for a few days running.”

A smile appeared on Scarlet Bauhinia’s face, giving Homme Fatale the chills.

“Is there another puppet-master as diabolical as you?”

“That’s a new one. Shall I take it as high praise from my comrade Fatale?” Taking no offense at the remark, Scarlet Bauhinia waggled his eyebrows, and cheerfully raised the wine cup before him.