Vol. 3: Chapter 4
By now, the top players had all reached level 30 and completed their first Class Advancement, which meant Hazel’s early class advantage had leveled out.
That didn't mean any other tank could hold a candle to her. By constantly partying with Kael, she had ended up with an arsenal of top-tier equipment. The quest to escort Fenris alone had rewarded her with two Ascendant-grade items.
[Bulwark Visor (Ascendant)] - Level 30
HP: +15,000
Strength: +200
Constitution: +300
Physical Defense: +2,000
Magic Defense: +1,500
Active - Mind of Clarity: On activation, grants +3,000 Magic Resistance for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 90s.
Requires: 900 Strength, 1000 Constitution
...
[Stonehide Armor (Ascendant)] - Level 30
HP: +5,000
Strength: +200
Constitution: +300
Physical Defense: +3,000
Magic Defense: +1,500
Active - Stoneskin: On activation, grants +3,000 Physical Defense for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 90s.
Requires: 900 Strength, 1000 Constitution
Combined with the shield she’d earned from clearing the Land of the Behemoth:
[Aegis of the Behemoth (Ascendant)] - Level 30
Constitution: +600
Physical Defense: +3,500
Magic Defense: +2,000
Passive - Spiked Retaliation: Reflects 30% of incoming melee damage back to the attacker.
Requires: 1200 Constitution
Just these three core items gave her a staggering 20,000 HP, 400 Strength, 1,200 Constitution, 8,500 Physical Defense, and 5,000 Magic Defense. When factoring in the derived stats from her attributes, the total contribution from these three pieces alone was:
44,000 Health, 8,900 Physical Defense, and 5,000 Magic Defense.
Adding in her necklace, boots, rings, and title bonuses, Hazel’s total stats were astronomical: 55,000 Health, 14,000 Physical Defense, and 6,000 Magic Defense. And that wasn't even counting the damage reduction from her class talents.
It was this fortress of gear that kept her head and shoulders above every other tank in the game.
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She stood unblinking as the tidal wave of monsters crashed against her.
-1 (Absorbed by Shield)
-1 (Absorbed by Shield)
…
Every mob that reached her landed a single, pathetic blow. Hazel stood perfectly still, taking care not to over-aggro. The damage dealers behind her efficiently pulled the trash mobs off her one by one.
Her eyes were locked forward. For her, there was only one target: the three-headed boss.
[Chimeric Hydra (Chieftain Boss)] - Level 30
HP: 15,100,000
Physical Attack: 11,000
Magic Attack: 8,500
As the hydra closed the distance, Hazel hit her Taunt. The creature’s three massive heads snapped toward her and lunged.
-1 (Absorbed by Shield)
-1 (Absorbed by Shield)
-1 (Absorbed by Shield)
Three seconds later, the heads attacked in unison.
-1 (Physical Attack, Absorbed)
-1,275 (Poison Damage, Absorbed)
-2,132 (Lightning Damage, Absorbed)
Each head used a different attack type. The physical damage couldn't even scratch her, but the poison and magic would have done a decent chunk of damage without her shield. It wasn’t enough to warrant popping a long-cooldown defensive skill; a single heal from a priest would be more than enough. To be safe, Rena moved into position behind her.
Following Lila’s instructions, Hazel began kiting the Chimeric Hydra toward an open area, preventing it from unleashing any devastating AoE attacks on the main group.
Lila and a hand-picked eight-person team—including the mages Lunara and Bronwyn, the warlock Starbloom, the druid Glytter, and the archer Velora—followed close behind.
***
While the battle for the mine raged, the scene back in Starlight Village was far more mundane. Most players were engaged in the relatively safe, if tedious, tasks of chopping wood, hauling stone, and crafting supplies. Still, a palpable sense of accomplishment filled the air as they watched watchtowers, barricades, and supply tents rise from the ground piece by piece.
During a lull, a few of them started chatting.
“Hey, has anyone seen the Fourth Chieftain?”
“I saw him this afternoon, running back and forth from the council hall.”
“I saw him tonight, actually. But he left through the teleport nexus just before the event started.”
“What? The nexus is still active? It wouldn’t let me leave.”
“I was grinding a dungeon out in Beryl Creek and got forcibly teleported back here when the event started.”
“The Fourth Chieftain works in mysterious ways. He’s probably on a solo mission.”
“You know, I have a weird feeling this whole invasion is connected to him somehow.”
“Haha, if you said that about anyone else, I’d call you crazy. But for the Fourth Chieftain? I could totally see it.”
“Honestly, I’m so grateful to him. When I was a noob, that psycho Ashveil killed me so many times I could barely level. But ever since Starlight Village was founded, everything’s been great. My buddies and I even ambushed Ashveil the other day and sent him back to the graveyard.”
“Haha, I’ve picked a few fights with him myself. No real beef, I just don’t like the guy’s face.”
“I heard his five-million-dollar bounty on Dawnbreaker is still active on the forums.”
“Yeah, what a joke. Everyone knows Dawnbreaker is Ullr. The guy still has the nerve to show his face in Starlight Village.”
“So… you guys think he and Lila are a thing?”
“Heh, is it even a question?”
“They’re probably already living together.”
“Anyone got anything juicier? Spill it.”
“Well, the whole drama with the Whitmore family has been hot gossip, but there’s not much out there about Lila’s private life.”
“From that wedding scene last month, I heard she might have a thing with the heir to the Carrington family.”
“What? Lila got married?”
“You don’t know about that? Oh man, let me tell you…”
The players, who had been nodding off while performing their monotonous tasks, were now wide awake, energized by the bonfire of gossip. The female members of [Crimson Bloom] who had stayed behind were mobbed with questions. They were coy at first, but the irresistible pull of drama was too strong, and soon they eagerly joined the discussion.
Just as the chatter reached its peak, a system-wide announcement cut through the night.
[Starlight Village Channel]
System: Congratulations to Lila and her party for capturing the mine! All members have been awarded 100 contribution points. The Burning Horde is mounting a counter-attack. All available players, please reinforce the mine. Reinforcement Cap: 1000.
The gossip died instantly.
“Whoa, 100 points! I only got 5 for an hour of chopping wood!”
“How do we sign up for the defense quest?”
“What sign up? We just go kill stuff!”
“But will the system give you points if you’re not registered for the quest?”
“Crap, you’re right. I gotta get back to the quest board!”
Back at the mine entrance, a new wave of enemies was swarming in, surrounding the location. Lila’s hundred-player squad stood their ground, weapons ready, bracing for the onslaught.