It's been eighteen days since Jopp reforged my weapons. Almost three weeks have passed like one long breath between anxiety, training, and rare, short dreams.
Every day, I log in not for fun, but to test my new weapons' obedience over and over again.
[ Awakened Morna ] and [ Lulling Crimson ] responded to my movements with a soft glow, as if they were alive and listening to my breathing.
[ Rosehip Strike] left a thin trail of dust and red light in the air as I unleashed a series of strikes. But despite their power, I felt there was something else I couldn't quite grasp.
Today was special. A notification flashed on the calendar: "A Raid against the Unique Apostil Nemorrino."
Before the trek to the anthill-like mountain of Adalaza, the air was filled with heat and dust, as if the earth itself sensed that a battle was about to begin.
In front of the glowing circle of the portal, two groups of players stood ready for the raid. Their interfaces were filled with readiness signs, flashing with green and red markers.
Zikei, always calm and calculating, stood slightly aside, touching the ekai mask he had donned as a ritual symbol. His voice was muffled through the filter:
—Listen carefully. Once the Coyotes activate the daer's mechanism and take on the quest, we'll have three minutes. Not a second more, and after they enter, a secret door will open, and we'll enter after them. No noise, and no delays.
I felt a slight tingle of tension, my heart counting down to the start. Behind me stood the rest of our group: Aka-32, adjusting her half-open Amazon armor, and another member silently checking their equipment. Everyone was waiting for the signal.
Meanwhile, the Coyotes were already lined up in front of them. Their guildmaster, Valentin, stood tall, his cloak shimmering with dark silver. He had a confident smirk on his face. Next to him was Leroy45, the same smug player known for talking loudly and rarely thinking before acting.
—Well...
Valentin drawled mockingly, meeting Zike's gaze.
—Let's see who's stronger today.
Zeke didn't respond immediately. He just tilted his head slightly, and his voice was almost a whisper.
—The power isn't in who enters first, but in who leaves.
Leroy45 snorted and chuckled, slapping Valentin on the shoulder.
— Come on, the masked one's just scared. We know who the top player is.
Zikei remained silent, but there was a subtle spark of irritation in his gaze. His eyes, as cold as steel, glinted through the ekai's mask.
He didn't argue, but stepped aside, allowing the Coyotes guild to pass.
Everything seemed calm, but I felt that this silence was not a concession, but a clever calculation, like a step back before a strike.
However, Valentin was in no hurry to enter. He stopped right in front of the entrance to the Adalaza anthill and grinned, narrowing his eyes slightly
We're not going anywhere until you show us where your "secret entrance" is. We're not idiots, Zikey.
With each word, his smile grew wider, but his eyes remained cold.
—You first, then us.
There was a silence, broken only by the hum of the mountain. Elk moved his sword nervously, and Aka-32 put her hand on the hilt of her shield, but Zikai raised his palm to stop them.
—All right, – he said quietly, — if that's what you want, we'll go together.
He spoke evenly, but there was something in his voice that made Valentin raise an eyebrow. It wasn't an agreement; it was a challenge.
Thus, the two groups of allies entered the anthill cave.
The first level greeted them with humid, heavy air. Viscous green liquid flowed along the walls, as if the cave itself was alive and breathing. The dim bioluminescent light from the eggs scattered in the niches gave the corridors an eerie green hue.
The guard ants appeared just a few meters away.
— Contact!
Elk shouted, activating his Shield Break skill.
At the same moment, a dozen giant insects burst out of the side tunnels. Their carapaces gleamed in the flickering torchlight, and their mandibles clattered as if they were cutting the air.
The battle erupted instantly.
I rushed forward, her [Rosehip Strike] enveloped in green aura lines. With each strike against the enemy's shell, a surge of energy erupted, leaving green marks on the stone.
Zikai fought silently, like a shadow. His blades cut through the air, each strike landing precisely on a vulnerable spot.
The Coyotes Guild was not far behind. Leroy45 was charging through the swarm with a thunderous laugh, swinging his axes.
Valentin was controlling the battlefield, giving commands, their style was aggressive but chaotic, they were charging forward without thinking about defense.
In ten minutes, it was over.
The floor was littered with the bodies of the fallen ants, and steam was rising into the air, filling the cave with the smell of iron.
Zikai wiped a drop of greenish liquid from the blade and looked into the distance.
—That was only the first floor, – he said in a hollow voice. — It's going to get worse where we're going.
So they reached the [Egg Zone] a huge domed hall where hundreds of translucent cocoons rested on the wet floor.
From the inside, you could see the larvae moving, glowing with a pale purple light. The air was thick, sticky, and every step made a soft crunching sound under their feet.
—This is it... The Egg Zone.
At this moment, Zicke smiled slightly, almost imperceptibly. If the Coyotes wanted to prove their strength... well, let them try to survive here.
[ Attention, the noise may wake up the "Swarm" 34% ]
Zikei raised his hand, demanding silence. His voice sounded muffled, but with such force that even the noisiest of the "Coyotes" fell silent.
—All of you shut up. And don't step on any eggs.
The echo of his words reverberated off the wet walls of the chamber, mingling with the sound of liquid dripping from the ceiling. The air was thick with tension, and even the insects beneath the ground seemed to hold their breath.
Zikei took a cautious step forward. The slime squelched beneath his feet, and a mist swirled around him, emanating from the eggs.
Each egg glowed softly with a green or bluish hue, but one stood out. It was larger than the others, with golden streaks, as if liquid mercury were shimmering within.
—There it is…
Without hesitation, Zeke reached out and touched the smooth, warm surface of the egg.
At the same moment, a flash of light shot across the floor from the egg, and the ground beneath his feet began to tremble. Dust rained down from above, and the air was filled with a low, vibrating hum, as if someone were awakening.
The light quickly gathered in a single point in front of him, and just beneath the egg, the ground split open, revealing a spiral-shaped passage leading downward.
From the darkness, a heat and a strange hum emanated, like the breath of a great creature.
—The passage... – I breathed, — it only responds to contact...
—Naturally, this is the portal to the Nemorrino floor.
Zikei muttered, looking at me.
But as soon as he took a step forward, the Coyote group immediately moved forward, pushing everyone aside. Leroy45, grinning, pushed Zikei with his shoulder, almost knocking him to the ground.
—Put your mask away, philosopher, we'll go first. The last thing we need is for you to activate the traps.
He stepped to the edge of the stairs and turned around, giving Zikei's team the middle finger.
—Now we'll see how soon Valentin will recruit you, – he said with a wry smile. —When that happens, I promise we'll mock you as much as we want.
His laughter echoed in the corridor as they began to descend one by one. The other Coyotes followed, talking loudly as if they felt no fear or danger.
Zikei watched them go in silence. His face was hidden behind his mask, but a cold, barely perceptible fire flashed in his eyes.
—Let them go first, and they won't even have to wait to see the consequences of their arrogance.