Estog'gnar was the biggest city populated by orcs, located at the centre of the Red Steppe. Orcs were organized in warbands, fighting for powerful warlords. They didn't follow the concept of countries but if they did Estog'gnar would be considered the largest capital.
The city itself was bustling. Its buildings made from wood and cloth didn't only house orcs but also races like beastkin, goblins, and even some other minor races. These minorities weren't exactly slaves, but their situation also wasn't too great. They were mostly logistic personnel assisting the war-like orcs, discriminated against for their weak strength.
Orcs revered power over everything else and loved to fight. There were many beasts to hunt in the Red Steppe and the neighbouring Eastern Mountains, most of them gigantic and with muscles like dragons. The favourite opponents for orcs.
A team of ten was somewhere to the north of Estog'gnar. Their leaders were burly orcs, standing their ground against a tiger-like beast the size of a two-story building. This was Force of Nature's top team who arrived here after the territory challenge, trying to swiftly reach level 50. Just then a message reached Earthquake causing his eyes to light up.
"Men! A world boss has been found!"
"World boss? Haha, nice! Let's go!"
"Let's clean up here!"
"It's been a while since we fought a world boss!"
The players roared in excitement. But Callida, who also received the message, quickly doused cold water over their heads. She mentioned that the information on the world boss was circulating widely, known to many guilds. Thus, fighting the world boss would be easy but holding off the other players would be troublesome.
Of course, Force of Nature still had to go. Who knows, they might be able to snatch unique equipment in the chaos. However, some backup would be appreciated. Callida suggested teaming up with Dream Avenue and Nest of Flames. Soon, the two guilds received messages.
Phoenix Feather was currently fighting on a large plain outside Svebrial, burning monsters by the dozens. She had also heard of the world boss. When the message reached her, she swiftly agreed.
Meanwhile Cyclone was with Silver Blade's group, sitting within a tavern in Brobrity, scattering rumours everywhere. The young woman was extremely amused by her task. She and Balm couldn't hold their laughter every time they headed for a new tavern and even Fortune and Silver Blade were infected by the mood. When Cyclone and Balm received messages from Callida and Phoenix Feather they swiftly opened a group chat.
[Phoenix Feather: Have you heard of that world boss that has been discovered?]
[Earthquake: Obviously. Let's go together. It won't be easy contesting with all the other guilds.]
[Cyclone: Whaaat? A world boss? No! And the information became public? I'm shocked!]
[Balm: Yes! Shocked! Who would be stupid enough to leak information on a world boss?]
For a second the chat fell silent.
[Callida: Cyclone? Balm? What's with your suspicious tone?]
[Cyclone: Suspicious?! Me?! Ridiculous! Haha, next you are saying it was us who spread the rumours. Hahaha.]
[Callida: No, I didn't think that. But now that you mention it…]
[Silver Blade: Ok, enough joking around. We have indeed spread the rumours about the world boss. We needed a diversion for a certain quest. Also, we have an additional plan. You can participate too.]
Originally Dream Avenue could have accomplished their additional goal alone. During a discussion among Liam and his friends they decided to leave it up to fate. If their allies contacted them to face the world boss together, they could get a piece of the pie. Thus, Silver Blade didn't hesitate now to lay out the whole plan for Force of Nature and Nest of Flames.
The guild leaders were impressed by Dream Avenue's ideas and naturally agreed to work together. Arrangements were made and all the guild members set into motion.
Meanwhile Silver Blade's team set off from Tority towards the Southern Chaotic Mountain. They avoided the area where Haola the Green Vine's prison was located and arrived at the Southern Wasteland. Although thousands of players surged towards the mountains, Silver Blade and the others didn't draw much attention. Many players were clothed in dark robes like them, especially the scouts.
Thus, they reached Black Flame City unimpeded, regrouping with Liam's team. The eight friends didn't linger and left the city towards the south-west. On the way they encountered a lot of players. They received some strange glances as they didn't rush in the direction of the world boss, but nobody had the leisure to question the affairs of others.
While Liam was mostly indifferent, his friends curiously observed the landscape of the Southern Wasteland. People sometimes called the region the Entrance to Hell and the friends had to admit that this name was quite fitting. The Southern Wasteland had some small domains where nature clung to life, but most of the landscape was made up of rocky plains, deep craters, and all kinds of ruins. Some places teemed with chaotic magic, the residue of powerful spells which had struck the land in the past.
Still, the Southern Wasteland wasn't as bleak as one might think. As the friends made all kinds of discoveries time passed swiftly and the group was approaching their target. They rode their basilisk up a black, solitary mountain and stopped in front of the large compound on its top.
"Ewww, what is this?"
Fortune scrunched her face and the others silently agreed. In front of them was what looked to be an old military fortress built like a miniature city. Although its outer wall was breached in many places, the rest held up reasonably well. However, it had been taken over by a special kind of demon. Wherever one looked, mushrooms and tissue-like mycelia had covered most of the ground and the walls. It was a thin, white-yellow film like mould on a piece of bread.
"Do we really have to go there?"
"Oh, guys, I need to go home. I forgot to turn off the stove. Haha. How stupid of me. Sorry."
"Don't worry, Cy, I can do that for you. No need to thank me."
Liam watched Fortune, Cyclone, and Balm with a grin. Knowing that there was no escape, they soon resigned to their fate. Liam threw them a 'why are you even trying' look before he rode his basilisk Reen through a breach in the outer wall, setting foot into the fortress. Suddenly he stopped, throwing an annoyed glance over his shoulder.
"Guys…"
"Ok, ok.
"Coming…"
"Yeah…"
Only now did the others get moving, grumbling along the way. They didn't come far before the first monster group stumbled out of a building to their right.
[Aged Shroom Demon
Rank: Elite
Level: 53
HP: 52.000/52.000]
The shroom demon was a strange creature. With a size half the height of a human and a body half demon half mushroom. Some of its vital areas were protected by thick horn plates while the rest of its body consisted of mushroom tissue. It had two long arms, two short legs and a feminine but burly figure. Its skin showed some wrinkles, and its large round eyes were painted with the vestige of time. On top of its head sat a large brown mushroom cap.
Despite the nauseating environment Silver Blade never lost her vigilance. As soon as the aged shroom appeared together with two slightly taller, common-ranked, young shroom demons, the tank engaged with a [Luring Barrier].
"Damn, they're ugly!", exclaimed Cyclone as she threw her first attack.
[-1034!]
[-989!]
[-1218!]
Silent Acacia and Fortune attacked as well. Cyclone couldn't help but stare at Fortune's new staff. Just from this initial probe the weapon's might could already be seen, dealing almost 200 points more damage.
"Hey, Fortune. I have a funny idea. How about we trade weapons? Only for one quest or so?"
Fourtune laughed lightly, answering:
"Sure. If you can find a way to get rid of the restrictions."
"I will try! I always have a trick up my sleeves!" Saying so, Cyclone sneakily glanced towards Liam.
While the mages agreed on a deal which was unlikely to come to fruition, the rest of the team also started their attacks. They decided to first deal with the common shroom demons. Those were quite frail with no more than 40.000 HP, making them easy targets. However, the attacks of the demons were somewhat surprising as they turned out to be ranged fighters. They brought their hands together in front of them and shot condensed clouds of mushroom spores.
"Come on, I don't want to breath that stuff in…"
Even Silver Blade complained as the spores crashed into her barrier, dealing about 5500 points of damage in total, far from enough to break the barrier. The party's melee fighters rode past their tank and brought their weapons down on the enemies. Two waves of attacks from the party were enough to fell a common shroom demon. It didn't take long until only the elite was left standing.