Chapter 18: Supernova Archer

Chapter 18: Supernova Archer

Purphoros stood at a distance, feeling increasingly awkward as he watched Odin and Eve share a private moment, ignoring that he was even existing in the moment. Seeing them act so lovey-dovey, made him shift uncomfortably from the rock he was resting on, his gazing eyes darting away as he started scratching his neck. 

He was young, inexperienced with women, and the sight of the couple's steamy-hot kisses stirred his envy, discomfort, and a bit of self-consciousness, considering he was still alone.

Purphoros silently cursed his lack of a girlfriend, feeling a pang of jealousy. 'Man, I feel jealous right now. I mean, why leave me behind? Watch you? Is this payback for talking shit to you? I thought we were cool after clearing things out.' 

His thoughts were jumbled, trying to distract himself from what was unfolding just a few paces away.

Fortunately for Purphoros and his colorful imagination, Odin and Eve stopped at just kissing. 

Still, the heat of the moment left Purphoros feeling like he had intruded on a sex scene that wasn't going to happen. 'Makes it feel like some porn. Right, there have been some Satisfy Porn on the Hub with couples that were down for it inside VR. Hah, phew, they didn't get down to business in this destroyed hellscape.'

As he mused over this, the teasing voices of the couple could be heard from where he was standing at a long distance.

"Baby, if you act like this, I'll teleport you back to the Tower, and I'll lock you in my room."

"Huhu, isn't your teleport just a one-person way? You can't catch me with my pants off."

"Don't try me, Mathias,"

Mathias leaned in closer to Mi-Jung's face, his eyes becoming an Ultimate Weapon against the delicate hearts of women, those mesmerizing crimson eyes locking onto hers as he whispered, 

"No way, come, don't be shy, give me a kiss. I also need to have my affection meters recharged."

Eve couldn't resist, captivated by the intensity in his gaze. As their lips met once more, the kiss was softer this time, more tender rather than their initial carnal passion, as they held each other in a close embrace. 

After a few more tender kisses, Odin gently pulled away, though his hands lingered on her waist as he whispered, "It's time for me to get into action."

Eve nodded, her expression softening from the playful banter to something more serious, though a hint of a smile remained. "Be careful out there,"

He gave her a reassuring smile before turning and walking off into the distance. As he walked away, the playful smile that had graced his lips moments before was now replaced with a hardened expression, his crimson eyes narrowing as he looked in distance using his 'Sovereign Insight'.

Sensing the high-influx of monsters approaching him, Odin reached into his inventory, pulling out a black mask, its surface intricately carved with elven runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. 

This mask was a relic from a bygone era, that didn't have much of a description, not even Baldur who has an Advanced Blacksmith Mastery could do a complete appraisal of this item he bought from the Auction House. 

Since it was a nameless item for now, he had given the unofficial name of 'Elven Mask' until the time Baldur could reach an appraisal level that could reveal the mystery of this 'junk' item. Well, it wasn't junk since it had an aesthetically pleasing appearance, and Odin had this gut feeling based on some dead runes that this Mask belonged to an important figure in the Elven History. 

It was crafted from a material that seemed to be neither metal nor wood which Baldur couldn't identify.

The mask had a smooth, almost liquid texture that reflected light in a way that made it appear alive. Its surface was a deep obsidian black, with faint veins of silver running through it, like the roots of an ancient divine tree. The craftsmanship was beyond anything Odin had ever seen, even in his extensive experience with rare and powerful items.

Strangely when he downed the mask on his face, he felt that his vision enhanced, and he could see further ahead, even the insights he would gather began increasing.

'It's annoying when the item is named [?] and the description texts and even its effects are all 'unknown'. When I bought it two months ago, I didn't think much about it, since it was an accessory to hide my face when walking around Titan or when entering contested hunting grounds frequented by High-Rankers.'

'Could it be that only a Legendary Class Craftsman would appraise this Mask and lift the fog on ist mysteries?'

'It might, but until then, I can just figure out whatever effects this mask has. So far, there is some boost to vision and insight?'

'Those two are good enough for an aesthetic accessory that cost me only 100 gold.'

As he reached the first location, a partially collapsed building that offered a good vantage point, Odin paused, scanning the area. Satisfied that no one was watching, he pulled out the first vial of Magical Monster Bait.

He carefully placed the vial on the ground, activating it with a quick gesture. The liquid began to seep into the ground, its magic spreading out in invisible tendrils that would attract any beast within the area. Odin watched for a moment as the bait did its work, then turned and moved on to the next location.

As Odin moved on to the next location, a subtle shift began to ripple through the hunting grounds. The same could be said for all of the zones hit by the Leviathan griefers. 

In several areas where players had been steadily farming Wild Beasts and Dire Beasts for hours, the flow of monsters started to dwindle. What had been a consistent and reliable stream of creatures had now turned into a sporadic trickle, causing confusion and frustration among the players who had set up camp in these areas.

In one such area, a group of mid-level players clad in a mix of leather and chainmail stood around a hastily constructed barricade. 

They had been taking turns drawing monsters toward their position, but now the flow had inexplicably slowed to a crawl. One of the players, a muscular warrior with a large axe resting on his shoulder, frowned as he looked out over the empty field ahead.

"Where the hell are all the mobs?" he muttered, his voice tinged with irritation. "We've been getting a steady stream of them all day, but now… nothing. Have those fucking NPC pulling again one of those stupid 'operations' to clear out the monsters?"

"Should we kill some of them and avoid clearing the Event?"

A nearby ranger, her bow slung across her back, nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the treeline. "Something's off. This isn't normal. There should be more coming our way, especially with the event ramping up. Maybe the spawns shifted?"

The warrior shook his head, unconvinced. "Spawns don't just shift like that, not in an event zone. This area has been consistent since we got here. If anything, there should be more monsters as the event progresses, not less."

Another player, a mage with glowing runes etched into his robes, stepped forward, his staff planted firmly in the ground. "It's possible someone's using a rare item or ability to manipulate the spawns. There are a few high-level players in the zone, aren't there? Maybe they're up to something."

The ranger furrowed her brow, considering the mage's words. "But why? What could they possibly gain by pulling monsters away from everyone else?"

"Control, maybe," the mage suggested, his voice thoughtful. "If they're funneling all the monsters to a single location, they could be planning something big. A massive kill streak, or maybe they're setting up some kind of trap for other players. Whatever it is, it's affecting us, and I don't like it."

The warrior grunted in agreement, his grip tightening on his axe. "We should keep moving, try to find where the monsters are going. If someone's pulling them, we might be able to figure out what they're up to and either avoid it or use it to our advantage."

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the hunting grounds, another group of players belonging to the same guild was having a similar discussion. This group, led by an individual wearing quite the expensive items for his low-level, a clear sign of the deep pockets he was possessing. 

The Guildmaster of this guild named 'Vengeance', Varian, had also noticed the sudden drop in monsters. He watched the vanguards pulling around the monsters to the larger group of dozens of players, with his arms crossed, and on the side he was listening to his party's complaints.

"This doesn't make sense," a rogue said, pacing back and forth. "We've been getting kills all day, and now suddenly the mobs are drying up? I've never seen anything like it. We've been leveling so smoothly from level 35 to level 40 in a couple of hours."

Varian frowned, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the area. "It's not just here. I've checked with a few other groups nearby, and they're all saying the same thing. Something's definitely wrong."

A healer in the group, a calm-looking cleric named Lyria, spoke up. "Could it be a system glitch? Maybe the servers are having issues?"

Varian shook his head. "Doubt it. If it were a glitch, we'd see a lot more chaos, monsters spawning in weird places, players getting disconnected. This feels deliberate, like someone's pulling the strings."

The rogue, Alaric, stopped pacing, turning to Varian with a serious expression. "What do you want to do, boss? We can't just sit here and wait for the monsters to come back. We'll lose valuable time."

Varian thought for a moment before nodding decisively. "We'll spread out and try to find where the monsters are going. If someone's behind this, we'll kill them, and get all the monsters. Stay sharp, I've got a bad feeling about this."

As these discussions unfolded in various corners of the hunting grounds, the effects of the Leviathan tadpoles mission became more pronounced. 

Odin's strategy to lure out all the monsters was working flawlessly for now, even the players in the group chat felt relaxed and at ease, but all this casual atmosphere where they were mocking the players for being dumb, watching the missing mobs with dumbfounded expressions, suddenly turned into chaos.

The first one to be discovered was one of the Archers in the group 'Carlyson'.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Guildmaster, I'm pulling the aggro of those monsters, but I think I've been found out! There's a guy with level 115 in this low-level zone, and got sight on me."

"He began firing arrows at me! Arghh! HELP ME, BOSS!"

In one particular location, a dense forest where a group of players had set up to farm Dire Wolves, the sudden absence of the beasts caused an uproar. The group leader, an upcoming Supernova, an archer named 'Sylas', cursed under his breath as he realized what was happening.

 "They're pulling the mobs," he growled, his sharp eyes scanning the underbrush. "Whoever it is, they're messing with the entire zone. Tsk, they have their information hidden, even their faces are hidden by those scarfs."

His party members, a mix of archers and mages, nodded in agreement, their expressions grim. "Should we chase them down?" one of the mages asked, a fire spell already crackling at her fingertips.

"Absolutely," Sylas snapped, not one to let a slight go unanswered. "We'll take them out and get our mobs back."

The situation wasn't much better for the other Leviathan players. Elyse, the only newbie mage in the group, had been discovered by Varian's group and was now frantically sending messages.

⤷ Elyse: "Odin, ohh, Odin. My great Guildmaster! My Lord! HELP ME!! Those monsters are insane. I almost got deleted after getting slowed by the terrain. Also, players are after me, cursing the hell out of me for stealing their mobs."

Noah, another Leviathan member, was faring a bit better. He was in control of the situation, but the tension was mounting.

⤷ Noah: "Got around 20 monsters, some Dire Beasts in-between the Wild Beasts. I got my movement speed buff on me, but my MP is running out. Still, got a bunch of MP Pots, so I'm in control. Over!"

Malfurion, too, was managing, though not without difficulty.

⤷ Malfurion: "Got a bunch of Dire-Beasts Elites, not so many Wild Beasts. Lucky for me, I used my transmutation ability to transform into my Cat Form since I unlocked a small transmutation skill at level 20. Quick on my position, Boss."

Alysha, however, was in full panic mode. Her skills were running out, and she was being targeted by enraged players willing to commit PK to stop her.

⤷ Alysha: "Odin! I can't do this, my 'Fate to Nothing' is running out!! My Stealth also doesn't work on high-level monsters. AHHHH, why didn't you tell me those morons would be willing to commit PK on me for pulling this stunt?"

Odin, now fully aware of the chaos he had unleashed, remained calm, it wasn't his first whole hunting ground luring of monsters, he knew how to leash those mobs so they wouldn't be too deadly in their high number. 

So far so good, they managed to lure out the monsters and get some distance from the chasing players. He trusted in their abilities to make it to him, such that he sent out a short message, but it was firm and reassuring to them.

⤷ Odin: "Hang in there, you all. Make it to my location, and you'll be fine."

Watching the mini-map with keen eyes, the player with the closest proximity to him was Carlyson who wanted to 'contribute' extra by pulling the Dire Beasts from the forest instead of following the plan of sticking close to the Farmlands.

It was a greedy choice which could result in his imminent death if he wasn't rescued.

Spotting Carlyson's precarious situation, Odin activated his 'Blade Dash,' a skill that boosted his movement speed for 5 minutes. 

[User has consumed 500 MP]

[User's Movement Speed has been increased by 30% for 5 minutes. Cooldown: 30 minutes]

In an instant, he closed the distance between himself and the incoming horde of monsters, intercepting them before they could overwhelm Carlyson.

"Boss, boss, you're here! Come help me!" Carlyson's voice was a full of relief and desperation as he saw Odin appear.

"Continue running to where Eve is located on the map," Odin commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Thank you, Boss. I love you," Carlyson exclaimed, his gratitude overflowing as he sprinted away.

"Yeah, yeah, scram," Odin replied, his focus already shifting to the new threat on the horizon.

The Dire Beasts roared in the distance, their thunderous footsteps shaking the ground as they pursued Carlyson. But Odin remained calm, his sharp gaze locked onto the archer who was relentlessly chasing his guildmate, Sylas, who at first glance he didn't recognize, but then a nod of acknowledgement came from him.

'Sylas? Heard of this guy, one of the Supernovas who started one month ago. There's been some buzz in the guild chat about him, for being an Olympic Archer who transitioned into Satisfy.'

'I see what you're trying to do.'

'Sovereign Insight'

[You have consumed (5) Red Energy]

[You have penetrated the essence of things!]

All sorts of information began appearing before his eyes when he was staring at Sylas, but unlike the experience of pulling insight over monsters, there was a lesser flow of information coming from a 'Chosen One'.

Nonetheless, the amount of information he grabbed using Sovereign Insight was enough for Odin to make a calculated strategy of dealing with this guy.

'Heh, you got an Epic Class, this is why there is so much buzz on you. Nice, good for you. However, I can't let you kill my tadpoles, they still have a long way before evolving into Sea Dragons.'

Odin didn't give Sylas a chance to take down Carlyson. He activated his 'Swift Charge,' a high-speed dash that allowed him to close the gap between them in an instant. 

Before Sylas could react, Odin's attack struck, stunning the archer for 0.5 seconds. It was a brief moment, but one that could make all the difference.

"Good shoot, but this will be the end."

Sylas was taken aback. His evasion skill, which had saved him countless times before, was bypassed by Odin's precise strike. 

He barely had time to register what had happened before he found himself momentarily paralyzed. His sharp eyes quickly took in Odin's appearance, and instantly identified the infamous Lycanthrope Armor, a rogue equipment set known for its high agility and the Unique ability of turning into a Lycanthrope Werewolf, and a black mask that obscured Odin's face, leaving only his piercing crimson eyes visible.

Those eyes, cold and calculating, sent a shiver down Sylas's spine, but what strengthened that chill was the regal crimson aura around his body, a phenomenon that not even the High-Rankers he was looking up to had in possession. 

For the first time in a long while, he felt genuinely threatened, but to Odin it was irrelevant what Sylas was feeling, he wasn't interested in chit-chatting and wasting his time like some moronic adventuring hero who was all about righteousness and justice to the World.

'Blessing of Fire'

[You have consumed 25 RE. User has received the 'Inferno's Embrace' Buff.]

[For the next 5 minutes, the user gains an AP boost of 20%, gains resistance to ice-based attacks and deals additional fire damage with melee attacks. Fire-based abilities cost 15% less mana during this period. Melee attacks will be imbued with the Fire Element, while Fire based spells will be increased by 25% for the duration of the Blessing. ]

The dignified Crimson Aura like an ethereal veil that surrounded Odin underwent a transformation, its calming yet dignified presence morphed into an ferocious, untamable raging inferno of flames. 

'This guy is dangerous.'

Whoever this masked player was, he was no ordinary opponent. Sylas knew he was facing someone formidable, maybe a High-Ranker who liked to hide his identity.

Odin's presence was overwhelming, the flames dancing around his form, making him appear like a fiery specter in the middle of the ruined battlefield. The Soulrend Blade in his hand blazed with an intensity that made it seem as if the weapon itself was alive, eager to taste blood.

As Sylas regained control of his body, his instincts screamed at him to move. The stun effect from Odin's initial strike was wearing off, but the archer knew he had only moments before the next assault came. 

He quickly activated his movement skill, 'Shadow Flicker,' which boosted his agility and reflexes, allowing him to dodge with heightened speed. At the same time, he triggered 'Evasion Dance,' a skill that made his movements more unpredictable, increasing his chances of avoiding incoming attacks.

But Odin was already on the offensive. With 'Rapid Assault,' he closed the distance between them in a blur, his blade moving with blinding speed as he attacked four times. 

The Soulrend Blade, carved through the air, leaving trails of searing fire in its wake. Sylas barely managed to dodge the first few strikes, his enhanced agility keeping him just out of reach. But Odin's precision was unmatched, his fourth strike connected, biting into Sylas's side.

The damage wasn't similar to when he would fight monsters which would skyrocket to insane levels, players who had a head on their shoulders knew that having items with high defense for their available kit was the way to go for survivability.

The hit was devastating. The fire-imbued blade not only cut through Sylas's armor but also left a burning wound that sizzled with intense heat. 

[You have dealt 625 damage to the target.]

The impact sent him stumbling back, and a burning debuff was immediately applied, causing his health to tick down with each passing second. 

Sylas gritted his teeth against the pain, knowing that if he didn't act fast, this fight would be over before he could even mount a proper defense.

[Burning Effect Applied: Target loses 55 HP per second for 15 seconds.]

"Who are you, and why are you attacking me? Why are you a selfish ass to pull the mobs from my group's hunting ground?" 

Sylas glared at the masked figure before him, trying to make sense of the situation. He was no stranger to PvP encounters, but this was different. There was a ruthlessness in Odin's approach, a cold efficiency that set him apart from the usual players he encountered, his movements and sword control were akin to a professional Satisfy player.. 

'Was this guy a smurfer? Accessing a new account?'

'Wait, no, it's not possible. Satisfy World doesn't allow additional characters to players. It's based on the neural link and eye signature for the unique flair of the game.'

'Whoever this bastard is, I bet all my money is some pro who didn't log inside Satisfy for a long time, and is now leveling up to catch up with the rest of the Top Rankers.'

'Fuck, why is someone like this in this dump of a county? Has the news of the Event in Fullbaz spread around this fast?'

Regardless of what psychological tactics Sylas was using to get some words out of the tall man before him, there was nothing but an indifferent silence.

Odin offered no answer. 

His piercing crimson eyes, barely visible through the slits in his Elven Mask, locked onto Sylas with a chilling intensity. They were devoid of any warmth or compassion, focused entirely on the task at hand. For a moment, the only sound between them was the crackling of the fire that still clung to Odin's blade and the labored breaths of the archer.

Then, breaking the silence, a small, almost sinister chuckle escaped from Odin's lips.

'This kid has potential. Let's see how long it takes me to kill you, or for how long are you willing to stand and dance with me before ghosting me like that bastard Kraugel.'

It was a sound that sent a shiver down Sylas's spine, not because it was loud or mocking, but because of its eerie calmness. It was the sound of someone who knew exactly what he was doing, someone who didn't need to explain himself to those he considered beneath him.

But it was mainly a waste of his breath and time to stand there and chat when his Inferno's Embrace was running out dry.

Odin took a step forward, his movements deliberate and unhurried, as if Sylas's words were of no consequence to him. He was already preparing his next move, the Soulrend Blade still glowing with the remnants of 'Inferno's Embrace.' 

With the fluidity of a seasoned warrior, more like an Advanced Swordsman, he followed up with 'Horizon Slash,' a wide, sweeping attack that sent a wave of fire-infused energy toward Sylas. 

The flames roared as they cut through the air, the heat alone enough to make Sylas wince. He had no choice but to use his 'Gale Step,' to leap high into the air, narrowly avoiding the fiery arc that scorched the ground where he had just been standing.

Sylas took advantage of the brief respite in mid-air to retaliate. He nocked three arrows simultaneously, activating his skill 'Triple Shot,' which allowed him to fire three enhanced arrows in rapid succession. Each arrow was imbued with wind magic, designed to pierce through defenses and throw off his opponent's balance.

The arrows flew toward Odin, but the masked man was already prepared as his eyes flashed with a deeper red light, a sign that he was constantly using 'Sovereign Insight' to get reads on Sylas.

He activated 'Stalwart Parry,' raising his flaming blade in a defensive stance. 

The arrows struck the blade, but instead of piercing through, they were deflected by the combined force of his parry and the fire shield from 'Inferno's Embrace.' Sparks flew as the arrows were incinerated mid-flight, leaving Sylas's attack ineffective.

'What the fuck!? Those were sure shots that even Top-Rankers struggled blocking. I dueled against many Top-Rankers to test my abilities, but never was someone like this guy…'

'Is he a Magic Swordsman? I don't know. It is confusing. He wears a Rogue specific Armor Set.'

Odin, was calm underneath his Elven Mask, the new sensations he was experiencing fighting someone decent made him nostalgic of the adrenaline and drug like rush from fighting the best in Satisfy.

He wasted no time and pressed the assault with 'Precision Thrust,' a skill that turned his blade into a fiery spear of condensed fire. The attack was aimed directly at Sylas's heart, a move that could have ended the fight instantly if it connected. 

Sylas barely managed to twist his body at the last moment, the blade grazing his shoulder instead of impaling him, but the searing heat left another painful burn.

[You have dealt 1538 damage to the target.]

[Burning Effect Applied: Target loses 55 HP per second for 15 seconds.]

Sylas could feel the battle slipping away from him. His health was dropping steadily, both from the direct hits and the burning debuff that continued to eat away at his remaining health. 

Every time he tried to create distance, Odin closed it effortlessly, his mastery over movement and timing making it impossible for Sylas to regain any kind of control.

'This is a monster! I need to create a window to disengage from the fight. Fuck this, I'm not risking losing a level or any of my Gear over some monsters that can be respawned in 30-40 minutes.'

Sylas quickly nocked another arrow, activating 'Explosive Arrow,' a skill that creates a blast radius upon impact. He aimed it at the ground between him and Odin, hoping to create enough distance and confusion to buy himself some time.

The arrow flew on the mark, at least this much he could wish from his Archery skills that he honed most of his life, and as it struck the ground, a powerful explosion erupted, sending debris and flames outward. 

The blast forced Odin to halt his advance momentarily, his form obscured by the smoke and flames, but from the rising smoke two crimson eyes flashed with red light, the sights were still on Sylas, akin to a nightmarish predator.

Seizing the moment, Sylas activated his 'Phantom Retreat' skill. 

His form shimmered as a perfect illusion of himself remained in place, mimicking his movements while he turned invisible and dashed away in the opposite direction. The illusion began to stagger, simulating the effects of his low health, giving the impression that Sylas was trying to recover from the explosion.

Odin, undeterred by the explosion, slashed through the smoke with 'Soul Slash'.

The fiery arc of energy sliced through the air, tearing the illusion apart in an instant. The fake Sylas disintegrated under the assault, but the real Sylas was already making his escape, his heart pounding in his chest as he sprinted through the trees.

He didn't dare look back. The thought of Odin chasing after him was too terrifying. 

He could feel the burning debuff still ticking away at his health, but he had just enough time to gulp down a healing potion, stabilizing his health bar. The fire was still there, gnawing away at him, but at least now he had a chance to survive.

'Crazy asshole, he didn't hold back for one moment. Didn't even allow me enough time to get some distance to deal damage to his body. Melee zombies, this is why I hate such closed environments for PVP.'

'...'

As he fled deeper into the forest, Sylas couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to him. 

'He's not chasing me, right? Phew, I should regroup with the rest and warn them not to chase anyone suspicious.'

Whoever that player was, he was on a different level compared to the opposition he had faced thus far. This individual he faced, knew exactly how to counter everything he was throwing in his face.

The battle had been hopeless from the start, and only through sheer luck had Sylas managed to escape with his life.

Back at the battlefield, Odin stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the path Sylas had taken. The fiery aura from the 'Inferno's Embrace' still clung to him, the embers dancing along the edges of his armor. His blade, still warm from the flames, was sheathed with a slow, deliberate motion.

The thrill of the fight had brought a rare smile to Odin's lips.

'Sylas…' he thought, rolling the name around in his mind for him to remember it. 'He's a skilled archer, but a bit too predictable in close combat. Still, he has potential.'

'I should check with the Aesir, if he is worth scouting.'

For now, though, the hunt was not over. 

Odin turned away from the path, his mind already shifting to the next phase of his plan, there was a need for the shepherd to bring all of the sheep for processing.

The monsters they had lured out still needed to be corralled, and there were other players to deal with.