Small victory and New battle

There was no coalition; the remaining forces were disoriented by the unleashed magic. 

The players seized this moment. With swift movements, the riders destroyed everything in their path without stopping for anything. 

Some riders fell from their mounts and died instantly. The demons that were still writhing in pain lunged at them, killing them quickly, but were then struck down by the humans who maintained an orderly formation at all times. 

Without the stirrups and a proper mount, the players couldn't keep their balance. It was a tragic end for those who died in such a ridiculous manner. 

Only a few managed to keep their balance at all times and continued riding atop the centaurs. 

The humans, advancing as a single unit, finished off everything that was still moving, ensuring that no demon remained alive. 

It was perfect coordination. After half an hour, they had eradicated all the demons in the mountain range.

They searched through the dead bodies, hoping to find some kind of item, but there was nothing. Only pieces of burnt, foul-smelling flesh remained. 

With joy, they celebrated their first major victory. 

Black Rose, whom everyone thought was dead, stood up. With both arms, he pushed aside the mass of flesh covering his body and got to his feet. 

-I-I almost died miserably... That was terrifying...- Shuddering, Black Rose swore to himself that he would never attempt something like that again. 

-Ohhh, look! Black Rose is still alive!.

They walked toward the giant of stone. Dasha, with a big smile, flew back onto Black Rose's broad shoulders. 

-How did you survive the demons' attack? No, better yet, how are you even alive after that brutal bombardment from the mages?.

Dasha, with an innocent expression, questioned Black Rose. 

-I don't know… The only thing I remember from that horrifying scene is how the demons crawled all over my body. Even though I couldn't feel anything, I shuddered from the disgust.

Black Rose tried to block out the memory of the scene, choosing not to speak further about how the demons had explored every corner of his massive body. 

The human and elven players watching didn't say a word, shuddering at the mere thought of the scene. 

The orcs surrounding Black Rose dispersed, finding the giant's reaction no longer entertaining. 

Meanwhile, Percival and Santana reached a temporary non-aggression pact due to the shared threat of their enemies. 

Regrouping, the three hundred players tallied the honor points they had earned half an hour ago. Toto, who had only finished off the remaining enemies, earned 400 honor points. Most of the points, however, were amassed by the mages, who gained over 7,000 points in an instant. 

The other players looked at the mages with envy, frustrated by how easily they had earned their points. 

-This is unfair! They took all the points and left us with scraps! I demand a share of the points they earned!.

The human player's outburst was the spark that ignited the unrest, prompting everyone else to demand the same. 

Percival didn't turn a blind eye. Drawing his sword, he stepped forward and plunged the blade into the chest of the troublesome player. 

-If you wanted to earn points easily, you should've created your character as a mage, idiot...

With a swift motion, Percival pulled his sword from the man's body. Still alive, the man stared at him in horror. The sensation of the blade piercing his flesh felt all too real. 

With all five senses active, he experienced excruciating pain. He eventually died from blood loss; Percival hadn't killed him with a single strike but inflicted a wound that avoided his vital organs. 

His expression was one of pure terror. 

-At least now I know the pain is real.- Percival said, looking down at the lifeless human's face. 

With unsettling calmness, Percival turned his gaze to the other players who dared to challenge the legitimacy of the earned points. 

-If anyone has complaints, step forward.- he said, sheathing his sword with deliberate ease. 

No one was foolish enough to defy his words. 

Santana merely watched the scene orchestrated by Percival, struggling to believe what had just unfolded. 

He assumed it was all a calculated performance to prevent future dissent. Santana speculated that the dead player had been one of Percival's own men, ordered to cause a commotion so Percival could kill him and make an example of him, solidifying his position as the permanent leader. 

He had his suspicions. Perhaps they were all acquaintances, and Percival had killed the player not only to threaten him but also to intimidate the other non-human players. 

If that were true, it would mean Percival was an extremely wealthy man in real life, spending millions of dollars to bring his men into the game. 

Santana thought it was madness; he refused to believe they were all on the same side. It seemed absurd to spend such astronomical sums of money on a recently created game. 

He dismissed the boy's theatrics and refocused. 

-Now that the plains are clear, we need to move to another area to continue hunting.- Santana said. 

Percival agreed. His business with the plains was quickly forgotten, and he set his sights on a new destination. 

-You're right. We need to move somewhere else.

Percival had no idea where to go, so he left it to chance. Moving as one, the group walked together. 

Blaze complained as Toto, who had been riding him like a horse, refused to get off. It was far more practical to remain on Blaze's back than to walk like the others. 

And so, they continued walking aimlessly, killing every demon they encountered and occasionally an angel that crossed their path. 

Santana wondered where the other players were. It had been hours since he had seen another player, and it felt strange not to run into any. 

His doubts were answered. 

-Boss, the players are saying there's a full-scale war against the demons in the mountains. Apparently, all the players have gathered there, fighting to the death with the help of NPCs.

Santana heard it loud and clear, and so did everyone else. They quickly checked the global chat and confirmed it was true. 

Percival wasted no time. Changing direction, he shouted for everyone to run quickly. He didn't want to miss the chance to earn a few more points. 

The mountains weren't far. It turned out they had been heading in the right direction all along. Arriving half an hour late, they finally reached their destination. 

Chaos. The land was in complete disarray. To Black Rose and the others, the scene was one of absolute carnage. The players were locked in a relentless battle. 

With no experience in sword fighting and bodies entirely different from what they were used to, they were being slaughtered by the demons. 

This wasn't a fight like the one Santana and Percival had experienced; this was a one-sided war. The large number of players was uncoordinated, and without a team to lead the charge, they were dying like crushed insects. 

They were losing ground. The players' momentum was slowly fading. 

The giants on the frontlines were covered in demons, desperately trying to climb their massive bodies. 

The humans, who made up the general fighting force, struggled to attack and defend their comrades at the same time. 

With every demon they killed, two more appeared, making the battle seem endless to the players. 

The fight could have ended in five minutes if not for the NPCs. They killed in vast numbers without tiring. Though their numbers were limited, each one was a force to be reckoned with. 

The gods fighting alongside the players questioned where these weak beings had come from. 

They couldn't handle even an intermediate demon and could barely stay on their feet. Despite their large numbers, they were no match. Every passing second on the battlefield saw them losing more comrades. 

Adir watched everything unfold. He wondered if it had been a good idea to bring these suicidal humans, who charged at the demons without fear of true death. 

He had no other choice. Letting out a resigned sigh, Adir began to move. He headed straight for the demons who had killed many gods. He was determined to make them pay for everything they had done, especially for killing Aria.