Chapter 5:
"And here I thought it was some kind of cross levels arena duel with higher stake like, orange equips maybe," The Blademaster who sounds so young stepped out from Lord Grim's back.
"Or at least some high leveled purple weapons," A common looking cleric also expressed as he stepped beside Lord Grim.
Tyrannical Ambition's players could feel their nerves snapped one by one in fury. How arrogant! Even though One-Inch Love could wipe the floor with them that doesn't mean he has a right to look down on them, moreso when they have their gods here with them. And who the fuck is this Cloudy Autumn Sky?! He has an even less right to look down on them with those lousy equips!
Zhang Xinjie scrutinized the opponent's Cleric a bit surprised that Lord Grim brought a Cleric over with his famous record of 'No Cleric' according to the tenth server's players. The question is... How skilled is this cleric to the point Lord Grim brought him over?
After that two more characters appeared in the ring but no one recognize these players as Lord Grim's usual line-up.
The match started and the Blademaster along with the Cleric already tore themselves away from their group, Lord Grim let them be as he also charged forward
Tang Rou is gone with Chen Guo and Steamed Bun is also can't be contacted. Su Mucheng had called a 'Pass' as the problem in the club had gotten her involved and has to deal with it seriously. In the end, Ye Xiu got no choice but to call his adorable younger selves, it could also be counted as training them.
Beside Tyranny is not a creep.
They're strict to themselves and it's impossible for them to do such a thing... Right? Let's forget about their ambush not-so-long ago, let's also forget their persistence in waiting for him in his offline place.
...
Well, it was initiated by the guild. Seriously Zhang Xinjie won't be that much of a creep right?
But Master Tacticians are bunch of creeps... The younger ones. Because the older one is wise and definitely a good samaritan that... Will ambush people too if needed, to be honest.
Ye Xiu just realized that he needs to repair his 'Creep Standard' if he also doesn't want to be classified as a creep. Let's note that down in his to-do list.
Ye Xiu almost couldn't dodge the Striker's attack from the opposing team. Ye Xiu quickly recovered from his reverie and immadiately regarded the Striker with utmost care.
On the other side, One-Inch love had struck the opposing team's supposed core only to be deflected back by a Sharpshooter. Cloudy Autumn Sky is faithfully behind him, frantically typing down orders one by one in the team chat.
The fight immadiately escalated as two teams collided in a most chaotic fashion.
"Blademaster!" Zhang Xinjie ordered and the Blademaster had cleverly used a Sword Draw.
"Battlemage!" Fifth Ye followed the fashion but in his side, the Battlemage only stupidly jumped in front of the Blademaster.
"..." Fifth Ye facepalmed. Noobs. He can't believe this happening, because the other side said an order so simply and got answered nicely, Fifth Ye forgot he's still in a team with noobs. "You supposedly dodged to the side like any logical person would do and released Dragon Tooth," Fifth Ye said patiently.
"You should have told me! The opponent is too strong!" The Battlemage protested
"You just got smacked once and already acknowledge the other side is too strong!?" Fifth Ye is speechless. Bro, have some self-confidence! It won't hurt to have some!
One-Inch Love quickly covered it up by sending the Blademaster back with a flash of swordlight. "Enough! You guys just cover the cleric as much as you can!" Little Ye feels annoyed. There's a difference between teaming up with a noob for killing monster and for killing people.
"One-Inch Love! The blademaster to the right and-"
"On it!" One Inch Love understood and immadiately chased after the opposing team's Blademaster and sent an upward slash to kick him to the desired position before continuing his attacks with a chain combo. The rest of the team immadiately followed him to pummel the enemies, leaving their Cleric alone.
Leaving the chaotic and crowdy battle, the 1v1 between the Striker and Unspecialized is still as intense as before. None of these veterans are willing to show weakness so much like the olden days where their Glory was still shining like a sun and not pieces of broken stars.
"If I don't beat you up black and blue you'd be too arrogant in the future," Ye Xiu sneered as he gave the striker an evil eye. How couldn't he knows the Striker before him is his long time rival?
"So it really is you," Han Wenqing's brows furrowed as he grunts. The guild members who are in the same room as he is could only whispered to themselves... Lord Grim is someone the Tyrannical Captain knows?
Zhang Xinjie confirmed his suspicion and immadiately scrutinized Lord Grim from afar as his protection circle is still firmly intact to protect him from One-Inch Love persistent assaults (And of course the rest of the enemies but their attacks are too predictable and they're easy to be crippled).
'So it really is...' Zhang Xinjie thought and pulled his attention away from the two archrivals and put his attention to win the fight here. Zhang Xinjie's eyes lingered on the opposing team's cleric, that Cleric's tempo and pace in giving heals is admirable, Zhang Xinjie noticed.
Which is why... "Kill the cleric," Zhang Xinjie ordered before the noobs from opposite team could realize how important the cleric's order is and followed it.
No more need to be said, the guild members had all noticed how Cloudy Autumn Sky is practically For-All-To-Hit but because there's One-Inch Love's presence, they're afraid to leave Zhang Xinjie without his order. Now the order had been said, no one is is hesitating anymore.
Rapid shoots directed at the open Cloudy Autumn Sky who quickly dodged. A blademaster who succeeded in killing one enemy also moved its target to the Cleric and directly slashed his shoulder.
Fifth Ye's mood turned grim as he quickly darted to his retreat path but with two DPS classes chasing after him, it will only a matter of time before he got caught and ganged up on.
"Little Ye..." Fifth Ye whispered to the little boy beside him.
One-Inch Love skidded away from Bai Yunfei's character and turn to run. The change is so quick and had no hint of hesitation that it baffles Bai Yunfei slightly. Zhang Xinjie's glasses gleamed in a slight astonishment.
"Stop him!" Zhang Xinjie exclaimed but One-Inch Love had crashed over the ganging up party and do an upward slash to send Cloudy Autumn Sky away from the group of attackers precisely near Zhang Xinjie's cleric.
Fifth Ye casted heal on the brave young one. Zhang Xinjie also did the same to the one with most emergency health just before he got killed by One-Inch Love.
"Focus on One-Inch Love," Zhang Xinjie typed in the team chat as Endless Night raised his cross but to his surprise Cloudy Autumn Sky also raises his cross toward Endless Night. Two clerics raise their crosses, one of them is targetting a Blademaster whilst the other one targetted the first cleric.
'He's going to-?!' Zhang Xinjie thought in shock.
Fifth Ye revealed a restrained smirk, he literally just reached level 30 an hour ago...
Two Sacred Fires are casted, the raging holy blue flame flared and slithered to their respective targets.
One-Inch Love who was about to cast a skill suddenly found himself stunned, "Ah!?" He unwittingly exclaimed in surprise. He's still new after all and he never interracted with high level clerics aside for Cloudy Autumn Sky who just got into level 30 an hour ago.
The other Sacred Fire hits Zhang Xinjie's Cleric and also stun him from using his skill. Zhang Xinjie narrowed his eyes and exhaled in relief. Had he been hesitating a little, Cloudy Autumn Sky's Sacred Fire would hit him first and would prevent him to interfere with One-Inch Love, which probably will cause one or two casualty as in Zhang Xinjie's prediction One-Inch Love was about to use hia strongest skill.
Zhang Xinjie appraised the Cleric's thinking, fortunately he was a bit late and his plan failed.
Fifth Ye saw the enemy's cleric struck with Sacred Fire and still stood there aloofly. He smirked.
Zhang Xinjie's screen shook and tilted away furiously. Zhang Xinjie stiffened, "What?" He couldn't help but to exclaim in surprise.
"Vice captain, what's wrong!?" The guildmembers cried out and spared a glance toward Zhang Xinjie in the game before having their jaws dropped.
Endless Night laid there and tried to recover before the common-looking Cleric from the opposing team kicked him again- HOLD ON! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS SCENE! A cleric is beating up another cleric!?
"Never underestimate your enemy! Even a cleric could be as dangerous as a demon king!" Fifth Ye exclaimed half-gleefully half-angrily as Cloudy Autumn Sky landed another furious kick toward Endless Night who tried to recover. The reason why he casted the Sacred Fire a bit late was precisely because he wanted to mislead Zhang Xinjie for thinking that he was late. When in fact, he just wanted to take Zhang Xinjie off guard.
"What the fuck!?" Tyrannical Ambition's members cried out in disbelief.
"Vice Captain!" Bai Yunfei cried out in worry.
Five seconds had passed.
A furious swordlight struck the weakest one an instantly killed them, "What- Cloudy Autumn Sky!?" Little Ye was unaware at first but when he saw the scene he couldn't help but to snap his head to the side with incredulous expression.
"Vice Captain are you okay?!" The others disregarded One-Inch Love and immadiately rushes over to their idol. One-Inch Love follows along to reach his elder brother.
"Sky-ge, what on earth-!?" Little Ye demanded.
The archrivals duo some distance away even stopped their 'Unaware-of-the-outside-world' fight, after another break-out from Lord Grim who dodged The Striker's punch that aimed towards his face (He looked like he was specifically targetting the face, Ye Xiu doesn't know why), just to look over at the situation of their teams. They were just in time to see Endless Night rolled away and recovered, his health had decreased quite a bit.
"Autumn Sky, what the fuck?!" Ye Xiu cried out disbelievingly. No one is close enough to Endless Night's position aside for Cloudy Autumn Sky.
"He's too cherished! Spoiled! He needed to feel some pain! Look at him, almost full health because of his team's protection. Someone need to hurt him." Fifth Ye clicked his tongue and stated righteously.
'You're just jealous!' Ye Xiu and Little Ye thought incredulously.
"Go home you two!" Ye Xiu thought he had been clear on 'None too eyecatching' to them. Who gave the idea for a cleric to smack a cleric? Even Han Wenqing is considerably speechless.
A cleric vs a cleric is precisely like girl against girl in real life.
It's too unbearable to see but exciting in its own way.
"So... You're suspecting me cheating because I could win against the level 70 you with only being a level 50 myself?" Gentle voice filled with sweet saccharine tone came out of the horrendously colourful character who carelessly spun his umbrella-like flexible weapon in his hands.
"Yeah! This is just impossible for you to win against me! Your equips are mismatching and have no additional class bonus! This is impossible!" An Elementalist named Cold Wind spouted furiously.
"Want another rematch?" He generously sent another invitation to fight but Cold Wind denied immadiately.
"I'll tell this to the official! See if your account is not banned by tomorrow, Lord Grim!" Cold Wind cursed furiously.
"If you don't want to fight, kindly step down. I have fighting schedule to fulfill," Fourth Ye smiled leisurely as he refilled his Lord Grim's health. "You see, Heavenly Domain is waiting for me," a confident statement, borderline arrogant.
"You-! Go ahead! I don't think you could advance to Heavenly Domain when the officials heard of this!" Cold Wind huffed and gets down of the arena.
"Okay, be careful on the way. Say hello to the officials for me." Fourth Ye laughed kindly.
"Someone! Quickly beat this shameless guy!" A player cried out desperately.
"Lord... Grim? Don't tell me, he's from the tenth server? But the max in tenth server is around thrity currently! Don't tell me he really cheats!?"
"Fuck! If he really cheated then we really need to beat him!"
"Death to all cheaters!"
"Hey, hey, does my fame is really overshadowed by my twin brother from the tenth server?" Fourth Ye clicked his tongue. "That shameless old guy too... He said he'll help me till the end but he had gone to the Heavenly Domain himself," of course he was talking about Second Ye and Autumn Teee who had gone ahead to the Heavenly Domain when he hitted level 60. The nerves...
"Fight me! I don't believe you're unbeatable!" A player named Fragrant Summer exclaimed.
"Go ahead," it's only a few more chain victory... Then he'll be set in Heavenly Domain.
Big Ye cursed as he almost tripped because of the carpet. He rubs his tired eyes idly as he supports himself by the wall as he took of his shoes and threw his bag to the floor next to him.
"Stupid data, stupid propaganda." He grumbled as he slipped off his socks silently, not wanting to alert those in the house. But it's just too dark in the hallway and his sleep-deprived eyes almost couldn't see his own feet and-
*Thump* Big Ye quicly grabbed the indoor potted plant before it could fell and break and alert the people inside. Bug Ye curses again, it's all because that stupid technolo-
*Click* suddenly the hallway is lighten up and Big Ye almost hisses ("Agh- turn off the light! Turn off!") at the sudden brightness when he saw Second Ye is stading there by the light switch, leisurely leaning to the wall.
Second Ye stared at his ruffled older-self unimpressedly. His golden eyes are judging Big Ye's entirety with undisguised disdain, curiousity and boredom. The two stared at each other in silence.
"..."
"... Wasn't it the part where you supposedly asked 'Where have you been to come back so late?' Like a suspicious insecure housewife?" Big Ye pointed out.
"I don't even wanna know anything you were up to for the past weeks," Second Ye stated firmly without missing a beat. "If polices come and ask for you, I could claim my innocence."
"My international team leader self, you're really sarcastic." Big Ye smiled leisurely as he picked up his bag which Second Ye eyed with vigilance and suspicion.
"Nothing scandalous in that bag right?" Second Ye asked accussingly.
"Relax," Big Ye laughed "Nothing too important here," at least not yet... Not yet completely.
Second Ye huffed, "Since you're here, I'm going back to the Tenth server." Second Ye flipped the card with neat Autumn Tree's name on it towards Big Ye who easily caught it.
"Oh? How's the progress?" Big Ye asked.
Second Ye smirked, "Simple, welcome to the Heavenly Domain and Fourth Ye is currently finishing the last challenge. Wait for us," Second Ye yawned and waved at him as he turned around and walked away.
Big Ye smirked, "Of course..." He said.
"Though the Heavenly Domain might turned into a hellish one when you guys stepped in,"
After talking to the guild members of Tyrannical Ambition, the pair of Captain and Vice Captain is currently seated in their cab. No one talked as Han Wenqing is aloofly staring out of the window whereas Zhang Xinjie is currently busying himself with his pad. Even the driver couldn't help but feel nervous.
Han Wenqing finally glanced at Zhang Xinjie to see him skimming over various Lord Grim's videos that the guild members had given to him. "What do you think?" Han Wenqing finally deigned to speak.
Zhang Xinjie readjusted his glasses as he paused the video, "Probably... A stray talent?" He said hesitantly. He's not one-hundred percent sure yet.
"He's really fierce, makes people wonder why he is a Cleric. But that also could be a lesson for you to never underestimate even the weakest enemy." Han Wenqing flicked a glance toward the paused video.
"Yes Captain," Even without being reminded Zhang Xinjie never underestimate any enemies, it's the nature of Master Tacticians. But the case earlier slipped because he never expected that Sacred Fire was only a feint.
"Hn," Han Wenqing grunted and resumed his 'staring out of window' activity prompting Zhang Xinjie to also resume his last video.
After quite sometime Zhang Xinjie turned off his pad and speaks, "His playstyle matched Tyranny perfectly," he hinted.
"No cleric go upfront," Han Wenqing snorted but he looked at Zhang Xinjie, hinting he's also considering.
"Tactical ability, mechanic, sly mind, he got everything nicely. He's also not in Lord Grim's original line-up and it seems like Ye Qiu only found him recently through One-Inch Love. Jiang You told me that it seemed like the player behind One-Inch Love knows the player behind Cloudy Autumn Sky." Zhang Xinjie said. After all, who amongst the high tier players in the tenth server not knowing that dramatic chase across the map featuring Blue Brook Guild, the famous One-Inch Love, and a faceless Cleric?
"Zhang Xinjie, are sure about that?" Han Wenqing furrowed his brows. "He could be only slightly younger,"
"No, I can guess he's still in his teen years. Maybe a few years older than Song Qiying," Zhang Xinjie predicted.
Upon the mention of his cautious successor, Han Wenqing fell into silent. "... A cautious Striker and a fierce Cleric... That mix sounded odd." Han Wenqing commented.
"But they could cover each other's flaw," Zhang Xinjie commended. "Though, I still need to do some research to deem his capability and unearthen talent,"
"I'll leave it to you," Han Wenqing dropped the subject and looking out of the window again. Zhang Xinjie lets him be, usually when Han Wenqing looked out of the window that means he's reminiscing the olden days- it's been so frequent lately so Zhang Xinjie did not bother.
Sitting on the front seat beside the driver, Bai Yunfei is as still as a frozen ice-sculpture like if he's even as much as shifting the Captain and Vice Captain would scold him.
'Mom! I heard something I shouldn't have! A future vice captain is currently being negotiated inside a car!' Bai Yunfei thought lamentingly.
But he probably should tell Song Qiying about this possible future partner...
[Your Friend Sad Autumn Night is Online]
"Oh no," Ye Xiu stared.
Whisper/Sad Autumn Night: Hey! Big Ye is home :)
"Oh shit," Ye Xiu facepalmed.
"Clerics! Heal!"
"OT! OT! SHIT, OT!"
"Kill the tank!"
Guilds are fighting over Wild BOSS and Zhang Jiale is trying his best to open a chance for Blossoms Valley to snatch it. He had felt extremely guilty for failing them and left them, so he's trying his best to help them in-game.
Even when he's not in the team anymore he still loves his team with all his heart.
*Bang* *Shrieks* *Screams* *Cries*
"Holy Shit! I told you, I'm not that Lord Grim!"
"You have the same umbrella and that disgusting set-up! Not to mention you're also an Unspecialized!"
"This is descrimination! I want my lawsuit! So person can't have 'Lord Grim' as a name, dress the way he likes and not taking job without being hunted for his life!?" Fourth Ye exploded as he once again teleported out of the way with Shadow Clone. He really loves Shadow Clone.
"It's not wrong but when all three are combined, you're wrong!"
"I'm Herb Garden's member! Aren't Lord Grim from tenth server never be a permanent member!? Look at the board! I came from the ol' first server." Fourth Ye's Lord Grim beautifully dodged again as he used Aerial Fire to pull some more distant.
"Herb Garden! Herb Garden! A little help here?" Fourth Ye asked. He was just a measly level 50 here okay? The only reason he's here is because he was nearby!
"Brother! You have a talent for pulling aggro! Good job!" Herb Garden's members all give a thumb up. They're leading in pulling the Boss's aggro and Lord Grim is pulling everyone's aggro...
Fourth Ye doesn't know what to do anymore and simply continue his wild goose chase, distracting people with the mob and enraging others with mis-targetted attacks.
Zhang Jiale furrowed his brows as he saw the clustering and moving mob, some players' aggro from Blossoms Valley even got pulled over. The problem is not only that, but the one who is getting chased is still level 50 and not at all looked like he's at the end of rope.
Zhang Jiale felt bad for the player but to be chased with so many people, he must have done something to deserve it.
Dazzling Spring jumped and bombarded Herb Garden's troops with his skills. The BOSS is nearing red blood and everyone began to move to snatch the BOSS from Herb Garden's hands. Zhang Jiale did not let it deter him. After all his number one priority is to open up a path for Blossoms Valley.
With his addition in the guild and not to mention the chaos caused by that character named Lord Grim whose Aggro-pulling skill is sky-high to pull aggro even from player (That ability made Zhang Jiale remembered a certain person whom whenever he opens his mouth, every pros' aggro would immadiately shifted to him). Zhang Jiale is confident in killing Herb Garden's Tanks and pulling the Boss's aggro to himself.
But just as Zhang Jiale almost killed the Main Tank of Herb Garden, Dazzling Spring repelled backward and a slight chunk of his health is gone. Zhang Jiale immadiately retreated and squinted his eyes.
Impossible, someone actually saw him in the midst of those explosions that he had made?
"Who?" Zhang Jiale murmured as he controlled Dazzling Spring to perch on a high place. Zhang Jiale's fingers danced as he dodged a random barrage of shoots before he completely landed on the high ground. Zhang Jiale's eyes immadiately zeroed across the valley.
In the high ground across Zhang Jiale, a Sharpshooter stood in aloof isolation. His lodual guns are raised, pointing right at Dazzling Spring. He doesn't even want to hide, knowing Zhang Jiale would find him either way.
The image is actually rather funny. A level 62 Sharpshooter donned in blue equipments is aiming at a max-level Spitfire with many pieces of orange equiments. It's like a lower class challenging a King. But Zhang Jiale's intuition says otherwise.
Zhang Jiale is always a man who followed his intuition, he immadiately jumped away to a higher place but the Sharpshooter seems to target him especially. With a quick rapid Aerial Fire the Sharpshooter reached Dazzling Spring and force them both to tumble to the ground.
Dazzling Spring quickly recovered and threw a grenade at the Sharpshooter but he ignored it and immadiately attacked from short distance with gun-fu. After one hit, The BOSS hitted red blood and immadiately raged. Dazzling Spring wanted to go to assist his guild quickly.
"Where do you think you're going?" The Sharpshooter cheekily said. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a low levelled Sharpshooter?" He taunted.
Zhang Jiale recognize that mocking tone, "Seriously?" He asked and looked up to the Sharpshooter's name.
Autumn Tree...
No matter what the class, Zhang Jiale always had an unexplainable bad feeling when he sees a name that has 'Autumn' in it.