Chapter 27.2
Chapter 27.2
Some players wept, overwhelmed, lost in the horrific reality. Which were the monsters? Outwardly, it was hard to tell. Judai understood Shade’s warning about remembering their positions. Shade, perched atop the skeleton’s shoulder, seemed to be the only one still focused on the mission.
Their strategy was simple: First, Shade’s summon would draw the Serpientes scattered throughout Zone 11.
Second, while Shade obliterated the swarm, other ranked players, divided by guild, would search their assigned sections, eliminating any remaining Serpientes.
Honestly, the other ranked players were practically spectators. Yet, Shade had requested their help. In the name of the world’s number one guild, Hero. A request so earnest that even the large guild LEON couldn’t refuse.
For Hero, a guild that never asked for help, to bow its head meant Shade was desperate to find his comrades. He couldn’t do it alone. He needed others to expedite the search.
That thought jolted Judai back to focus. Shade wasn’t their only friend. Judai, too, worried about his close Korean comrades.
As other guild leaders regained their composure, the operation proceeded as planned.
And if his hunch was correct, the bait strategy was working. With this level of chaos, the absence of Zone 12’s ruler, or any other monster reinforcements, was telling.
“Well, it’s to be expected. Eric and Gato are there.”
Powerful ranked players were plentiful in this game. And Judai had no doubt they, too, could transform into monsters when cornered, just like Shade.
***
“The logout button’s been disabled since the starting zone became Serpiente territory.”
The survivors, agitated, spoke over each other. The rumors circulating online were true.
This was new information. The logout button, previously thought to disappear only during main quests or boss fights, vanished when a zone was overtaken.
Forced disconnections had spared some from the nightmare. Their online accounts had informed Judai, but to have it confirmed… intriguing. He cleared his throat, eager to hear more.
“I don’t care about that.” An angry voice cut through the air. Every eye, wide with fear, turned to the robed figure standing defiantly in the corner.
“I want to know where the Hero ranked players are. You wouldn’t dare say they’re dead while you lot live.” He gritted his teeth.
Their thorough search of Zone 11 had yielded two ranked players and a handful of well-hidden beginners. Not a single Hero guild member. Not even a body.
“Um…” A woman, who had been sitting silently facing the wall, raised her hand. One of the two rescued British ranked players.
“I think…I saw the Hero guild members right before I hid. It was chaotic, so I couldn’t see their faces, but they were Asian.”
“What? Where? Where did you see them?”
“Not ‘saw’ exactly… An S-rank monster, a Hydra, was carrying them in its mouths. It looked like it was taking them somewhere.”
Shade’s face crumpled. Any flicker of hope vanished.
“An S-rank monster carried off seven ranked players? Laughable. My guild members aren’t that weak.”
He turned to leave, but the woman’s next words stopped him.
“The Hydra wasn’t alone. There was a man with it… but that doesn’t make sense. He looked like a player, but…”
The Serpent Master is a humanoid monster. The irritating platinum-haired lion’s information flashed through his mind.
Shade turned back.
“Explain in detail.”
Jet-black hair, golden eyes. Individuals capable of controlling a Hydra while possessing a human form were rare.
After hearing the survivor’s account, Shade didn’t hesitate. He headed straight for Zone 12. The other ranked players promised to follow after dealing with the remaining Serpientes, but that was already erased from Shade’s mind.
Twenty-two ranked players dead so far.
The culprit was obvious.
“They’re alive.” Staring at the silent guild message window, Shade declared it to himself. They had to be. He couldn’t be alone again.
Entering the serpent’s lair, Shade immediately summoned his shadow. He was interested in only one place: the boss room. He had no time for the serpents.
It took less than ten seconds for the shadow, melting into the ground, to pinpoint the source of light. Unsurprising, considering a shadow’s purpose.
Shade stepped into the serpent’s lair. The ground reeked of death. He couldn’t have imagined then that the price of passage would be his own eye.
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