by Rick Scar
“And here we come again to our brave rogue. It is his special skill that allowed the allies to build a viable strategy. Remembering all those skills possessed by the enemy must be really difficult. The only reason I can remember them is because my crew recorded it. You can check their description anytime under the video.”
“Hey, it looks like he’s up to something! He’s going up to the enemy again. It’s not the first time he’s been on the verge of death — it’s a miracle he’s survived — but I wonder what he’s trying to achieve this time. I’m just as confused by his behavior as you are.”
“The best observers might have spotted his pet, which is named after Hades, the guard of the underworld from the Ancient Greek myths. See him running about the field, catching the dropped XP with his mouth? Yeah, this pet can steal XP!”
Oh my God. Please don’t die, you crazy fool. I don’t know what you’re doing, but it looks really, really stupid. This wasn’t part of the plan. He’s trying another one of his tricks. Sarah’s train of thought was interrupted by a very strange sight that made her, and everyone else on the battlefield, freeze in shock.
The bloody Ifrit’s body suddenly swelled up, as though it was about to explode. Another furious growl came, stunning everyone whose sensitivity level was over 60%. The sound blast blew Will away.
Evil-In’s body seemed to be overflowing with liquid, shaking all over like a gurgling ball as it transformed into a creepy, giant creature, before shrinking back to its smaller, human-like form.
The Ifrit’s true appearance was shocking: a colossal body covered in bloody sores, with several mouths full of fangs and tentacles in place of arms. It stood on two fat, bleeding legs, its black bones showing through the wounds. The pretty girl had just been a disguise.
Ulfmar hadn’t told anyone what Evil-In really looked like. Will was probably the only one who was ready for this transformation thanks to his earlier meeting with Farris, another demon in human disguise. Salvation would always bring out the target’s true appearance.
After a few moments of silence, Sarah regained her sense and continued: “Oh, what a sudden change! What skill could have produced it? Hey, wait… Oh wow! That’s impossible! I can’t believe my eyes. Evil-In’s health has been reduced by… by twenty percent in one go?! And her remaining HP is now different.”
Name: Evil-In the Bloody Ifrit (Duke)
Level: 80
Health: 312,733/800,000
Salvation effect: Temporarily human
Will, just like any other fighter, couldn’t hear any of Sarah’s comments. He messaged the leaders about the skill’s duration. They would probably be furious with him for hiding it, but he would hear what they had to say later. For now, his task was to handcuff the Ifrit while she was busy adapting to her shocking transformation. But she had already regained her previous form: a girl in her late twenties. The only change was that her spear had become much smaller; the full weight of that cursed weapon was probably too much for her human body to bear.
Glaring at the brazen bastard, Evil-In immediately re-appeared at his side. She lunged with her spear, but it only pierced the air.
“Oh, look! She’s moving even faster now! But he escaped at the very last moment! He counter-attacks! This duel is so fast I can’t see anything. I can only hear the blows they’re exchanging. It looks really, really dangerous…They’re moving around like a tornado, sweeping everyone off their feet!”
What are you doing, you bastard?
Raven?!
Get out of the way, you idiot!
A torrent of messages was flooding the leaders’ chat, but Will had no time to answer. The monster was on his heels, grabbing at him as if she were a fly, apparently determined to destroy him. Shit. Where is everyone? I really need help.
“Oh, that’s a surprise. Looks like the enemy is stronger than Will had anticipated. But if the others attack the monster, he’ll inevitably come under friendly fire. What will they do?”
As a silent answer to the reporter’s question, two hundred soldiers wearing identical sets of light-blue, scaly armor appeared on the battlefield. Each of them bore an emblem of a tree with daggers. The infantry marched first, then a small group of mounted soldiers, and three scores of archers brought up the rear.
It was the Eternal Winter Way squad. Arrogant jerks, as one player said upon seeing them. He used much stronger language when telling his story.
After a while of hiding in a man-made cave that had been created for this specific purpose, the squad was now marching out. It was the second time Raven had seen these guys; the first was when their group had briefly caught his eye on the way from the headquarters to the city.
The group’s officer barked at the players to clear the way. “Out of the way! We will put a stop to this monster. We, the great squad of the Eternal Winter Way! Cavalry, march! Archers, prepare. Cover them at your sergeant’s command. Scores One, Two – surround from the flanks.” The officer wore a conspicuous helmet that was covered with magic runes. Its crest was shaped like a predator’s paw.
Now I see why that player called them so many names. Double Jump-ing, Will soared into the air and used Leap to try to break away, but the enemy reached him.
-560 HP
Unfortunately for him, the Ifrit could move around just as quickly as he could, and her skills seemed to have extremely short cooldown times. However, more players were coming to his aid, as well as the well-trained NPC squad. The greatest help came from Crimson Berserker and his comrades. Buffing and covering the rogue, they allowed him to break away and get some rest.
Will had fought with Fortuna’s leader once before, and knew Ronald hadn’t used all of his skills back then, preferring to save his IPs for a better occasion, just like Raven. Now the berserker was giving it all he’d got. He was soon joined by TOPs from other clans.
Evil-In moved around, destroying everyone who got in the way of her spear, ripping their throats out, spilling their entrails, opening their bellies, or even ripping them to pieces. Her magic was sealed inside her, and even though she couldn’t use some of her monster skills while in human form, she still had her tremendous strength.
“Oh, look! Are we seeing a turning point in the battle? An NPC squad summoned by Kingmaker is bringing it, if so! As well as the missile assembled by the Faceless Army. It looks like a giant ballista, see? As far as I know, it can do a lot of damage, but it’s extremely tricky to use. All the allies need to work together to create the perfect opportunity, as they will only have one shot before the weapon is destroyed by the Ifrit.”
Sarah’s voice was passionate, giving the impression that she was completely engrossed in the wonder-weapon’s sales pitch. In truth, she was keeping a vigilant eye on her surroundings so that she could instantly react to any noteworthy changes.
***
Six minutes after using Salvation, Will was making circles around the Ifrit, hiding his presence and waiting for an opportunity to attack, but none came. The attacking players and the NPC squad kept getting in his way, and the Faceless Army’s missile had nearly killed Will, even though he had been fifty feet away from the target.
Filled with lots of magic effects, this ballista bolt had the power of a small nuclear explosion. It hit Evil-In after she had been stunned for two seconds by the Faceless Army’s leader’s unknown, but powerful skill.
The missile might have hit the ground three feet to the left of the Ifrit, but it still did an enormous amount of damage, reducing the Ifrit’s HP by 20,000. Raven could feel the hellish impact of this harbinger of death. A few players had been reduced to melting white shadows and were heading for respawn.
This would have been a perfect opportunity for Raven to act if the sound blast hadn’t carried him away from Evil-In… and raised her rage levels yet again. Her armor had been ravaged, but she didn’t seem to care. The attackers had awakened a monster. Bloody Ifrit, lord of the red life-giving liquid. Apostle of Death. Zealot of massacre and destruction.
Each of Evil-In’s attacks was now restoring her health. Like the Grim Reaper, she mowed down the hosts on her right and left, smiling a wicked, abyss-revealing smile. Her eyes looked like two lakes of blood and would drive anyone who saw them insane.
Will realized that the chance Salvation had provided him might end up being wasted if things continued this way. Resolving to end it, he reached out to all buffers and healers who could help him and messaged the leaders’ chat: Recall all your players! Now! I can do it while she’s out of control.
After reading his message, Mollie felt like he really could do it. She immediately called all RD players back and took full responsibility. Crimson Berserker, having just completed a powerful series of attacks, followed her example. Will’s plan was a mystery to him, but he was curious to see it in action.
This drastic change in the battlefield didn’t escape the reporter’s attention. It was different from the plan they had discussed in the meeting, according to which, Evil-In had to be kited to one of the nearby caves that had been filled with magic traps. Once the Ifrit was deep enough, the cave was to be blown up, killing her and a few consenting players.
The leaders of Messengers and Faceless Army went ballistic when they saw Mollie and Ronald recalling their fighters, but they also weren’t prepared to sacrifice their clan members. Commanding them to retreat, they still were confused about what Raven was doing.
What is that son of bitch up to?
What a selfish brute!
Their messages in the chat displayed the fury they made no attempt to contain, showing Raven just how much they hated his unpredictable moves. He would have to pay for this.
But Will couldn’t care less. He could finish this battle if his plan succeeded; and if it failed, they could revert back to the previous one and kite the Ifrit into the trap.
“RAGH.” His body filled with a familiar power. The snakes on his head hissed and tattoos crawled over his skin. The Demon of Murder crouched down and then rushed for Evil-In. “Get out! Everyone!”
He couldn’t waste any time by waiting for the players to clear the area, but his roaring call was mostly directed at the NPC soldiers.
Double Jump. Leap.
A blow.
The rogue’s chest was pierced through, as if the enemy had somehow already been aware of his exact position. Another impact tossed his body to the side and into one of the pits.
Everyone’s stares were fixed on the two of them. The one who had started it, and the one who wanted to destroy everyone, the enemy of every living thing. The spear in her hand flashed like the blades of a powerful fan.
Raven’s body darted from side to side. If not for the multiple buffs and occasional healing spells cast on him, he would probably have had his locket activated, leaving the battlefield and losing the chance to complete his plan.
The Blood bar is fully charged.
As the silence turned oppressive, something unexpected happened. Standing up from the ground once again, the lone rogue intercepted the Ifrit’s spear and straightened up, glaring into the monster’s face.
Tattoo of Pain active.
Over the next 10 seconds, you are invulnerable to any attacks.
His body was covered in crimson flames, as if it were possessed by a fire spirit, and his aura became as powerful as the enemy’s. Raven became invulnerable. Just for a moment, but it might be enough.
“Time to finish this.” Jerking Evil-In toward him, he grabbed her by the throat and flung her to the ground, before thrusting a short sword and a dagger into her chest. He worked these two blades like hammers, driving invisible nails into her body.
Silence returned to the Abode. Everyone was bewildered by the rogue’s sudden transformation.
The Ifrit sprang to her feet and counter-attacked, but Raven didn’t seem to notice her attacks. More importantly, he wasn’t losing any HP! Clutching the enemy’s left wrist, he wheeled her around and, after a split second, every player saw a message…
ATTENTION! Evil-In the Bloody Ifrit has been neutralized.
Chapter 219. A Good Ifrit Is a Live Ifrit
T he two of them stood in the center of the ravaged battlefield, which was scattered with dead bodies, in the gusts of cold wind. The short girl bowed her head in astonishment, and the young man sank slowly to the ground as his body lost the Demon of Murder form. His hands, paralyzed by the after-effect, were sliding down her armor, clutching the pendant that was the source of her power.
A murmur came from all around them as the crowd of players was struggled to make sense of what had just happened.
The hard battle was over. Almost 200,000 players had lost their lives. If their bodies had remained in this world rather than decomposing over a few seconds, the survivors would have been faced with a dreadful sight.
And this was just Floor 3. Many had already started to wonder what was waiting for them on the higher floors.
There had been just one enemy, albeit one that had the power to destroy the world. But she had lost this battle. And yet, she was still alive.
The young girl, who was once a butcherer of worlds, was standing with her hands cuffed behind her back, staring at the pendant in the mud until it vanished, before turning her gaze to the one who had done what nobody had been able to accomplish in all the ages she had lived. He had put an end to her bloody crusade.
“Just a boy.” Her lips curled in contempt. “Am I that rusty?”
As she glanced over her shoulder at the approaching crowd of humans and other creatures, she tried to figure out at which point the battle had turned against her.
In the meantime, Raven was scrolling through a stream of messages, feeling triumphant.
ATTENTION! Evil-In the Bloody Ifrit has been neutralized.
Congratulations! A global disaster has been prevented. The continent of Sarhey is safe.
Many have fallen in this battle, sacrificing themselves to protect this world, and their sacrifice will be rewarded. No one knows what would have happened if Evil-In had not been stopped. And no one knows whether this victory will bring an age of prosperity, or an age of chaos. Have you seen a ray of hope, or a flash of darkness? Everyone will get what they deserve.
ATTENTION! You have played a key role in this battle by ending it and preventing many senseless deaths.
Rewards:
+300,000 XP
+200 Influence points
+Evil-In’s Pendant
Congratulations! You have completed an epic quest chain: The Bloody Harvest.
You have kept your promise to the Conclave of Twelve Sisters.
Rewards:
+450,000 XP
The Conclave’s approval up to Friendly
+20 Alchemy Queens serving you on a treaty basis
+1 secret skill
Note: To get the secret skill, you will need to meet a member of the Conclave.
Level Up
Talk to Ulfmar XII. Tell him the battle is over.
Now he was Level 104. One of his rewards was truly surprising and really, really valuable, but…
Evil-In’s Pendant
Rank: Epic Item
Description: Worn by Evil-In throughout her entire lifetime, this item could tell the stories of the millions who have died at her hand. By concentrating her evil power and absorbing an unimaginable amount of grief and pain, this pendant has become a part of the Ifrit’s soul… and an abomination that should not exist in any of the worlds.
Characteristics:
+50% to blood magic
Skills:
SOURCE OF POWER
Passive
Description: Great power comes with great arrogance. When wearing this pendant, you are always infuriated, emitting an aura of rage.
+100% to the attack range of all monsters
+40% XP for every monster you kill
BLOOD ABSORPTION
Passive
Description: A 5% chance of restoring 30% of your XP with another attack.
BLOODY PUPPET
Active
Description: By drinking an enemy’s blood, you can control their body for a limited time.
Duration: 2 min
Cooldown: 5 hours
Note:
1) No effect on players;
2) No effect on creatures 20+ levels above yourself.
Usage requirements:
1) Personally kill 10,000,000 living things.
Creatures killed: 15,340/10,000,000
2) 100% sensitivity level (complete).
…but its usage requirements were brutal.
“Hey, Evil-In!”
“Oh. You can speak? I had hoped you were dying.”
“Sure. That’s exactly what I expected you to say. Remember how I promised to ask you another question later? Here it is: If everyone apart from you is so feeble, puny, and unsatisfied with their situation, how come these whiners managed to lock you up?”
The Ifrit just squinted at him with a smirk. It happened just once. It was purely by accident. It means nothing. This is what she had kept telling herself while she was locked at the bottom of the pit.
Upon seeing the crowd coming closer and closer, she felt nothing but curiosity. No fear; Evil-In had long abandoned any sense of that. Even now, after losing her power and being captured, she wasn’t afraid of anyone.
“Dear audience! Both players and those who prefer to watch from the side! Here we have it, the impossible finale! The enemy hasn’t been killed: she’s been captured alive! No one could ever have imagined an outcome like this, but Raven has proved again that he has his TOP spot for a reason! Even though… even though in a great moment like this, he’s down in the mud, motionless. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Maybe it’s the recoil of some powerful skill.”
