Zack's group was practically buzzing with excitement.
Claiming a field boss kill from over one hundred competitors wasn't exactly a usual occurrence.
The strategy succeeded because their composition was outstanding, their stats impressive and their timing impeccable.
"Unless they decide to band together against us" Obi chuckled, "we should be alright."
Zack shrugged, as calm as ever. "If they can't handle the field effect, they shouldn't be challenging the boss in the first place"
And he had a point, the Molten Drake's flame aura was potent enough to incinerate anyone below level three.
Most of the raiders had already fallen before Zack's party arrived.
By the time they made their way down from the ridge, it was no longer a raid; it had turned into a cleanup operation.
"Looks like timing really does matter" Haze remarked.
"Timing" Zack replied with a grin, and a healthy dose of greed.
Zack and team was still curious about their reaction. They flicked open the world chat window and, as expected, it was on fire.
[World Chat]
IronSpire: They literally waited until 10% HP and nuked everyone. Actual vultures.
SpearHead: My whole squad wiped and those guys just walked in like it was a scheduled event.
RivenFox: We lost our drops, our charms and half our dignity.
Sera: My system log shows I got killed by Haze(assassin).
Cruxian: Did anyone get their names? I died from Zack (priest). Damage numbers were absurd.
Toaster: Selling screenshots of the 'Vulture Priest' for 20 gold. Limited copies.
Dren: I got done by shield bash by a guy name Obi The Limit-Breaker(fighter).
Obi laughed so hard his shield slipped from his hand. "That's it. We're officially villains"
PointAndShoot also quirked an eyebrow upward. "Villains? Please. We're just the patch notes nobody asked for"
Iris gave a tired sigh. "You all mean greedy opportunists, right?"
Obi pointed at Zack. "Greedy? Maybe. But you gotta admit—We just pulled off the world's most blessed crime."
Zack closed the chat window, expression calm but the smirk creeping in. "Hey, if divine timing counts as sin… then I'm guilty"
Haze groaned. "You've been waiting to say that, haven't you?"
Zack shrugged. "Maybe."
He went quiet then, eyes still half-focused on his status panel. Something shifted in his posture, not tension but a thought settling into place. Then he spoke, "Before we reveal the loot... there's one more thing."
The rest of the group turned their attention to him.
"Ensure that your real identities are concealed or at least don't resemble your avatars" Zack stated, his voice steady yet assertive. The soft glow from the loot window sparkled across his eyes.
"You'd be astonished at how many people take a defeat personally. The last thing we want is someone pursuing it beyond the logout screen"
Point raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly believe someone would go that far? Over a game?"
Zack's eyes darted to her, sharp and unwavering. "It's not about your beliefs, it's about what occurs when you're mistaken."
Obi laughed nervously. " True. I prefer my home to remain intact and free of real-life stalkers because of an in-game incident."
Players drifted in and out of the area, the place buzzing with casual chatter, the usual mix of spell visuals and the steady clink of crafting hammers.
Zack decided it was time to uncover the loot they had secured since they were in a safe zone where players couldn't harm one another or use abilities to inflict damage.
The glowing loot materialized next to the fountain, surrounded by circling golden runes. Nearby players immediately turned, drawn in by their curiosity.
"Is that… the loot from the Molten Drake boss?" someone murmured.
"No way, that's them — the Vulture Priest party!"
A crowd began to gather. Screenshots were being taken. Someone was already typing away in world chat.
Zack tuned out the commotion and checked the loot; others couldn't see the effects of the equipment, so it was safe.
Light poured out in a dazzling display of red and gold.
[Field Boss Drop – Molten Drake (Lv.8)]
Drakefang Loop – Fire Resistance +12%, HP +80
Magma Core Fragment ×3
Emberforged Plate (Rare)
Type: Armor (Lv5)
DEF +25 | Fire Resist +15% | Max HP +80
Passive: Reduces Fire DoT damage by 40%.
Scorched Greaves (Uncommon)
Type: (Pants)
DEF +20 | HP + 50 | Fire Resist +12% |
Flame-Touched Cloak (Rare)
Type: Cape
DEF +18 | HP + 30 | MP Regen +5% | Fire Resist +10%
Drake- Leggings (Pants) (Rare)
HP +80 | Skill Cooldown −10% | Max MP +50
Draconic Talon (Rare)
Type: Dagger
ATK 108-115 | Crit Rate +10% | Applies "Burn" (100 Fire dmg/sec for 3 sec)
Skill Bonus: +10% damage
Blazing Focus (Rare)
Type: Staff
Magic ATK +130 | MP +100 | Fire Damage +10%
Passive: [Ember Pulse] – Restores 5% MP every time a Fire spell crits (Cooldown: 10 sec)
Molten Heart Ring (Rare)
Type: Accessory
Max HP +50 | Max MP +50 | INT +3 | Bonus: VIT +5
[Molten Guard- Shield] (Rare)
HP + 80 | DEF + 30 | STR + 10
Passive: Reduce fire damage taken by 25%
Skill Books:-
[Drake Roar] (Rare)
Emits a shockwave that stuns enemies in a 6 m radius for 2 sec and reduces Fire DEF by 10% for 10 sec.
MP Cost: 35 | Cooldown: 60 sec
[Lava Vein Burst]
Channel for 2 sec → releases a burst of molten energy dealing 250% Fire AoE Damage (radius 4m).
MP Cost: 65 | Cooldown: 60 sec
[Cauterize] (Priest)
Heals target for 120 HP and removes one negative effect..
MP Cost: 25 | Cooldown: 45 sec
Gold ×18
Obi: "If we can sell all of this, I could actually afford a room in an apartment."
Haze: "Or… just equip it and rob more bosses."
PointAndShoot: "Forget that, this Blazing Focus belongs to me. I earned it by providing emotional support to all of you"
Zack (softly murmured, browsing through loot): "...Nothing worthwhile for me"
He navigated the shimmering loot window, then flicked his wrist to arrange by class.
The sound of system pings resonated in his ear and a few players nearby slowed to observe, pretending to be uninterested.
He turned toward Obi first.
"The tank gear is yours"
Obi raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain? That's a lot of molten style"
"Enjoy it before it melts" Point remarked.
Zack grinned and transferred the items over.
[Drakefang Loop], [Emberforged Plate], [Scorched Greaves] and the shining [Molten Guard Shield] — practically a walking furnace ensemble.
"And the skill book too" Zack mentioned.
[Drake Roar] — sends out a shockwave that stuns foes within a six-meter radius for two seconds and lowers Fire DEF by 10%.
He figured he might actually ride that Molten Drake once he reached level five.
Obi's smile broadened. "A crowd-control roar? Perfect"
Next was Haze.
Zack handed her a pair of sleek [Drake-Leggings] along with the [Draconic Talon] dagger, black-red metal shimmering with heat, though she needed to reach level 5 to wield it.
Haze turned the dagger in her grasp, her eyes glimmering with its edge. "Beautiful" she whispered.
PointAndShoot had already grabbed her items before he could say anything, the blazing staff and a luminous skill tome glowing with fire runes.
[Lava Vein Burst] and the staff. "You all witnessed it, it's fate" she proclaimed, clutching the staff like it was a sacred artifact.
Zack's eye twitched. "Fate, is it?"
"Apologies" she replied sweetly, "the RNG gods favor me more"
Iris, as always, patiently awaited her turn. Zack slid the final pieces of priest gear towards her —
[Flame-Touched Cloak] and the support skill [Cauterize].
She responded with a gentle smile.
Finally, he pulled the last sparkling item into his own inventory —
[Molten Heart Ring] (Rare), a small crimson gem pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Not the most extravagant reward, but the stats were decent.
He pocketed the 10 gold coins and a collection of materials that shimmered as if they were cooled magma.
"The remainder" he said, shutting the loot window, "goes to Iris for supplies. To make it fair."
The party exchanged looks, worn out, a little proud and more than a bit pleased with themselves.
Surrounding them, the plaza buzzed with intrigue, whispers trailing their names through the crowd.
The Vulture Priest's party, back from the flames, richer and more powerful than ever.
***
The plaza of Gaia City shimmered with constant lights. Players blinked in and out of teleport gates like fireflies, merchants yelled prices across glowing trade stalls and shimmering item windows hovered everywhere like confetti.
Zack exhaled slowly, letting the noise wash over him.
Iris and Haze had already logged out — real-world duties calling. Point and Obi lingered, debating whether to tackle side quests or scout the market.
Zack? He decided to check market place and collect golds from item sold.
He stepped through the plaza, ignoring the noise as he opened his own auction interface.
All his items had sold.
Except for a few common scraps.
[Auction Summary]
Total Sales: 267 Gold
Tax: -27 Gold
Final Earnings: 240 Gold
He breathed out, feeling content. "Not too shabby."
He noticed that the price for Minor Health Potions had dropped by two silver. It seemed other players had acquired the recipe too. Nonetheless, Zack believed there was still profit to be gained, the margins may be smaller, but they weren't nonexistent.
Next, he restocked his supplies, purchasing all the materials needed for Minor Health Potions in bulk. It was a solid cycle: craft, sell, repeat. Easy profit.
By the time Zack finished buying ingredients, the numbers clicked in his mind, one hundred gold spent on herbs and bottles would yield around thirty-three thousand potions.
"Looks like I'm starting a pharmacy now" he thought, gazing at the stacks of materials taking up 4 slots of his inventory.
While scrolling through the listings, a few suspiciously cheap items caught his attention.
Equipment, crafting materials all significantly underpriced. "People really don't understand their price" he murmured, snapping them up. He could either resell them later or keep them for himself.
Then something else caught his eye.
A collection of Priest skill scrolls — far too many and all highly priced. "Someone's dumping Priest skills" Zack said softly, his eyes narrowing as the listings refreshed.
One scroll after another filled the screen, their golden edges glinting as if they were tempting him to make a purchase.
[Benediction Aura] – (Priest)
Blesses all nearby allies, restoring 30 HP per second for 10 seconds and increasing DEF by 10%.
MP Cost: 60 | Cooldown: 1 min
[Judgment Ray] – (Priest)
Calls down a beam of holy light to smite enemies.
Damage: 180% of Magic Attack | Bonus vs. Undead and Corrupted
MP Cost: 40 | Cooldown: 10 sec
[Blessing of Resolve] – (Priest)
Increases an ally's DEF and Resistance by 15% for 30 seconds.
MP Cost: 45 | Cooldown: 120 sec
[Resurgence] – (Priest)
Instantly revives a fallen soul with 50% HP.
MP Cost: 100 | Cooldown: 300 sec
Zack didn't even think twice. "Too rare to pass up."
His fingers flew across the interface — Buy, Buy, Buy.
Within seconds, the listings vanished from the market.
As the confirmation chime rang repeatedly, he couldn't help but grin.
"Expensive? Sure. But regret costs more"
He exhaled, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "If I hesitated, someone else would've taken them."
That [Resurgence] scroll alone had cost him a whopping 25 gold coins and the rest of the priest skills drained another 32.
Add the 100 gold he'd sunk into potion materials, and his once-shiny balance had dwindled to a modest 98 gold and a handful of silvers.
Zack exhaled softly, eyeing his thinning coin pouch.
If anyone knew what he was thinking, they'd probably smack him, half the players here were struggling to scrape together ten gold.
Still, he kept browsing through skills, materials and gear. One skill in particular made him pause.
He didn't hesitate. Five gold vanished the moment he tapped Purchase.
[Second Wind] – Mage/Priest
Restores 15% of HP instantly when HP falls below 20%.
Triggers automatically. Cooldown: 5 min.
Remarks: "Because dying with full potions is embarrassing"
He finally looked the part, a proper priest at last. With his newly unlocked skills, his status window finally matched his class.
Zack finally stopped browsing and headed toward the Alchemy Station, the gentle hum of the magic arrays filling the air. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
One batch after another, the crafting window flashed green.
[Minor Health Potion – Success]
[Minor Health Potion – Success]
[Minor Health Potion – Failed]
The counter kept climbing — five thousand, ten thousand, twenty thousand—until the number finally stopped at 33,333 potions.
[Alchemy Skill Up → Apprentice Rank]
Success Rate +5%
+1 Stat Point | +10 HP Gained
Zack blinked, surprised.
"…Well, that's new."
Still, a brief flash of disappointment crossed his face when the notification popped up: Crafting proficiency halted, right beside the Minor Health Potion created line.
He reminded himself to level his other crafts later, free stats were free stats, after all. After listing the potions for 1 silver 50 copper each, Zack smacked his palms together with a brisk. "Alright"
And opened his stats menu and distributed the 6 stats unallocated stats to VIT.
[Character Status – Zack | Priest | Level 4]
HP: 535/ 535
MP: 490/ 490
Magic Attack Power: 220-227 | INT: 76 | VIT:27 Physical Defense : 45
"Good. That wraps things up." With that, he hit log out.
When Zack's screen faded to black, the world of Immortals Conflict kept moving.
In the sprawling Gaia Central Hub, thousands of players bustled about teleport crystals flashing, trade stalls chiming, The air buzzed with conversation.
Players in different gear compared loot like proud collectors. Others haggled over materials, while the smarter ones hawked "exclusive dungeon intel" for a few silvers apiece.
Floating screens displayed recent boss kills and market trends.
And at the top of the hub's rumor board —
[Breaking] – Player "Zack" Secures Multiple First Clears!
The plaza was loud. Everyone had seen the clip. One group among them stood out or rather, one player did.
A lone priest strolling into a sea of flames, claiming a boss that over a hundred players had already bled for… as if it were just another day for him.
"Who even is that guy?" one archer muttered, going through her holo-tab.
"No guilds are around yet, so it's hard to tell who he's aligned with. But he's been spotted running dungeons with the same crew more than once, they're definitely connected."
A pair of pro players leaned near the teleport gate, both wearing Rare equipment's that glimmered faintly under the hub lights.
"Those people again, huh?" the taller one said. "First Verdant Colossus, now Molten Drake. Think they part of some hidden test team?"
"Nah," his partner replied, "more like a thief with good timing. He moved in right when the boss was about to fall and everyone else was too busy dying to stop him"
In another corner, an Assassin user opened a communication line.
"Confirmed again" she whispered. "The priest's name is Zack. Level four. No guild, no visible links."
"That guy moved like someone who's been grinding leaderboards for years. "A male voice on the other side of the channel chuckled. "Keep tabs on him. Anyone who can crash thousand-player raids is worth watching"
Rumors spiraled out like wildfire in taverns, on chat boards and inside private scout networks. Was he a hidden tester? A Reincarnator? Or just someone who'd broken the meta before anyone else caught on?
By the time Zack was stretching in the real world, half the server was buzzing about him and the other half was already hunting his trail.